High Performance Work Systems and Employee Engagement

This assignment examines the relationship between High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) and employee engagement. It highlights how HPWS practices contribute to a more motivated and productive workforce. The text discusses various aspects of HPWS, such as training programs, performance management, and flexible work arrangements, explaining their role in fostering employee engagement. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of human resource management practices like flexible working hours and rewards for retaining employees and gaining competitive advantage.

Developing Individuals, Teams
and Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Determination on appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviour that are
required by HR professionals.................................................................................................1
P2 Personal skills audit...........................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
P3 Difference between Organisational and Individual Learning...........................................9
P4. Need for continuous learning and professional development........................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P5. Analysing the contribution of high-performance working in employee engagement and
competitive advantages........................................................................................................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Different approaches to performance management........................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Today, nature of business is becoming more dynamic for which employers hire high
skilled and knowledge employees more. For increasing productivity and developing skills of
workers, managers engage them in group task. As, when people work in team then they become
able to handle any difficult situation in more easy manner. Therefore, it is essential for a
company to engage people in team and develop their spirit. It will help in generating high
contribution among them towards success of business (Woodcock, 2017). This report is made to
describe type of skills, behaviour and knowledge that HR professionals should have in order to
perform various functions of an organisation. For this purpose, a business case of Whirlpool is
taken which deals in manufacturing sector and sells electronic products in many countries. This
assignment also show how HPW practices and performance management help in employee
engagement for achievement of business objectives.
TASK 1
P1 Determination on appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviour that are
required by HR professionals
For organising and managing activities of a business, it is necessary for HR professionals
of a company to have adequate skills, knowledge and behaviour. It will help them in improving
as well as enhancing performance of business in appropriate manner. As per business case of
Whirlpool, it has examined that in order to gain sustainability North America Region of this
company seeks to restructure entire business activities (Bourne, 2016). For this purpose, HR
consultant of this firm is required to present a report at the annual Confederation of British
Industry workshop. This report will highlight how performance management, collaborative
working and effective communication system help in gaining high contribution of workers
towards success of business. Thus, in this regard, major skills, knowledge and behaviour that HR
consultant must have are shown as below:-
Skills of HR professionals: Skills are abilities of individuals by which they can perform
their respective duties in desired way. In context with HR consultant of Whirlpool, following
skills are required to perform mentioned duty:- Effective Communication: HR professionals in a company are served as liaisons
between workers and management. Therefore, through strong written and oral
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communication skills, they can convey opinion and information to employees in proper
manner. This would help them in creating a positive working environment at workplace
by building a good relationship among staff members. Multitasking: HR professionals have to perform various responsibilities like managing
job advertisement, conducting interviews, organising training programs and more.
Therefore, it is required for them to remain calm while working under stressful conditions
(Boer and et. al., 2017). It would help them in performing multi-task operations in easy
manner.
Knowledges of HR professionals: Knowledge refers to a practical or theoretical
understanding of a particular subject. In context with human resource management, to perform
this function HR professional of Whirlpool should have gained following knowledge:- Cognition of government's rules and regulations: It is considered as major duty of
people working in HR department to have knowledge of government rules and
regulation. It will help in organising and conducting business activities like recruitment
process in legal manner. Taxation: Except recruitment and selection, HR professional have to perform various
functions like generating salary and giving compensation to employees. For this process,
they should have possessed knowledge about taxation in proper manner. Through this
knowledge, they can give proper guidance to employee in utilising their salary.
Behaviour of HR professionals: This aspect shows personal attitude of an individual by
which they develop level of interaction with others in order to convey information. In this regard,
HR consultant of Whirlpool should have possessed right behaviour in order to get cooperation of
employees in achievement of business objectives (Johansson, Miller and Hamrin, 2014). Transparency and trustworthiness: HR professionals work as leaders who have
capabilities to turn negative behaviour of employees into positive. They are expected to
deal with various issues of employees in high sensitive manner. Therefore, HR
consultants of Whirlpool should behave in ethical and confident manner. As employees
can share their problems and issues more honestly without fear of judgement with them.
 Versatility and Adaptability: These traits are considered as key determinant of success as
it helps in determining how a person respond to change. Therefore, it is essential for HR
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consultant of Whirlpool to have this kind of personality traits. It will help in
implementing changes at workplace more successfully.
P2 Personal skills audit
Personal skill audit refers to a process of identifying strengths and need of development
of an individual. In context with organisation, this process is considered as a key piece of
information that helps managers in determining skills and knowledge of workers. Along with
this, it also assists in determining whether business can meet targeted goals in predetermined
time or not (Pareek and Purohit, 2018). Therefore, it is important for managers of a company to
conduct skill auditing process at workplace by which skills gap among workers can be examined.
It will also help in determining the requirement of training and development to be given to
employees on individual basis.
As per present scenario, HR professionals of Whirlpool, it is required by me to determine
own skills and knowledge also related to know how much they are perfect in decision-making
process and managing multitasking operations. For this process, a skill audit of mine is given
below :-
Strengths and weaknesses:
Planned Activities Objective of Development
Required knowledge/skills It is necessary for me to
enhance my skills and
knowledge in IT field. Along
with this, I should work on my
communication skills also. For
this process, I have to take
some classes in both filed
which enhance effectiveness of
my work (Tortorella and
Fogliatto, 2014).
To become a successful and
trustworthy person.
Strengths The main strength of mine is
that I am good in problem
To influence others by
resolving their problems in
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solving and decision-making
procedures. Through this
intellectual power, I can
resolve different kind of
conflicts among employees in
more successful manner.
short period of interval.
Weaknesses/gaps In some weak field, I have
evaluated that due to less
knowledge of latest or updated
technologies, I have failed to
implement the same into in
appropriate way. Moreover, I
am also not so perfect in
developing good interaction
with subordinates. Due to these
weaknesses, I have faced
various problems in
influencing people towards
business objectives and share
my vision with them.
Continuous learning process as
per updated technologies of
marketplace.
In order to get promotion, I
have to take proper classes by
which weaknesses of mine can
be improved.
For this process, minimum 80 hours of learning classes are
required to develop my own skills.
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Information Technology
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Usage of
Microsoft Office
Word
✔
Usage of Excel
Spreadsheet
✔
Use a Database ✔
Use
Organisational
Software
✔
Use Internet
Applications
✔
Use Email ✔
Use Power Point ✔
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Communication skills
Drafting contracts
of employment
✔
Taking notes of
disciplinary
hearings
✔
Writing reports ✔
Producing
material to
support
✔
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presentation
Delivering a
training session
✔
Resolving
disputes or
complaints
✔
Interviewing ✔
Advising of HR
issues
✔
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Problem solving skills
Making good use
of verbal
reasoning skills,
able to handle
complex data and
make selective
use of
information
✔
Exploring more
than one solution
in order to solve a
problem
✔
Considering the
ideas of others to
✔
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help in solving
problems
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A Personal Development Plan to reduce weaknesses:
Skills Current
Proficiency
Targeted
Proficiency
Development
Opportunities
Time Scale
Information
Technology
3 5 As Whirlpool is
known for its
high innovative
products,
therefore, this
firm used to adopt
latest technology
in business on
regular basis. So,
it is required by
me to have a
proper knowledge
about IT and
other technical
skills by which I
can help others to
do work with
such applications.
For this purpose, I
need to take some
classes from an
institution where I
can learn and
develop my skills
in technical field.
4 to 6 months
Problem Solving
Skills
4 5 As Whirlpool has
large working
45 to 60 days
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organisation and
dynamic nature
where changes
are done on
regular basis so,
this situation give
rise to various
problems. It
includes
resistivity of
employees,
employee
engagement,
decision-making
and more.
Therefore, I need
to take session
under seniors who
are expert in
handling and
resolving adverse
situations of
workplace.
Communication
Skills
3 5 As main work of
mine is to
maintain positive
environment of
workplace and
engage
employees in
group activities
30 to 45 days
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so, to do this
function I have to
work on my
communication
skills also. For
this purpose, I
need to take some
business classes
where I can learn
how to implement
effective
communication
system within
organisation.
TASK 2
P3 Difference between Organisational and Individual Learning
Individual learning: This concept refers to a process of monitoring and developing skills
of persons by providing training on individual basis.
Organisational learning: It is a process of creating and transferring knowledge related to
functions and culture within a group of organisation (Thorpe, 2016).
In context with Whirlpool, in order to enhance productivity of workers, HR managers of
this company organise both type of learning sessions. It helps in developing skills and abilities of
workers as per requirement of employees.
Difference between individual and organisational learning
Individual learning Organisational learning
 This concept deals with personal
development of workers.
 The main purpose behind organising
this learning process at workplace is to
enhance productivity of employees on
 This process cope up with overall need
for change within an organisation.
 It organises due to necessity of
competing within business market.
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individual level.
Training and development
Today in competitive world, it has seen that nothing is static due to innovation of
technologies. Therefore, it has made business process of organisations more dynamic. In this
regard, it is necessary for a company to implement latest technologies in business through which
innovation in products can be done. In context with Whirlpool, this firm is known for its highly
innovative products (North and Kumta, 2018). Therefore, for this purpose, its HR managers has
organised both sessions of training and development. It helps in developing skills and knowledge
of employees through which they can support organisation in achieving targeted goals in given
period of time.
Difference between training and development
Training Development
 Training is considered as a job-oriented
process by which personal skills and
knowledge of a person can be
enhanced.
 This process concern on technical
skills.
 Development is a career-oriented
procedure used for learning and growth
of an individual.
 This concept focuses on conceptual
ideas more.
P4. Need for continuous learning and professional development
Continuous learning: It can be defined as practices which is carried out by individuals in
order to enhance knowledge on continue basis. It includes observing others who are more
experienced in a particular field, exploring new ways for conducting a function in appropriate
manner and so on. In context with organisations, continuous learning has done in order to shape
a team for adapting changes of business environment.
Professional development: It refers to get knowledge by earning academic degrees from
a professional institute. Profession development in companies helps in enhancing skills set of
employees like leadership, technological and task abilities. Along with this, it also aid business
organisations in reducing skills gap among workers also.
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In this regard, HR managers of Whirlpool provide professional and skills training in order
to generate equality among workers and enhance productivity of them (Flin and O'Connor,
2017). These trainings help in making employees more capable to perform any business activity
in short interval of time. Along with this, continuous learning and professional development give
various benefits like:-
Increase retention: By offering and promoting professional development program to
workers, Whirlpool can stand out from rest of the companies where workers are cutting cost for
some opportunities like training and development. Therefore, providing opportunity to
employees for their career progression help this firm in getting higher retention of them for long
term.
Build confidence and credibility: Profession development and continuous learning help in
reducing skills gap among workers by providing them opportunity to gain new skills and
certificates. This process also aid in building confidence and credibility in employees that they
can do any work in desired manner (Macdonald, Burke and Stewart, 2017).
Improved efficiency: This kind of development not only enhance skills set in employees
but also provide them opportunity to learn from others. Moreover, by observing and working
under professionals, workers can pick up new perspectives and ideas which lead to greater
efficiencies in business also.
TASK 3
P5. Analysing the contribution of high-performance working in employee engagement and
competitive advantages
High performance working system can be defined as an approach that design organisation
of a company in systematic manner. It is used to align organisational structure, process and
system for achievement of operational effectiveness and innovation. It helps in giving high
quality of products to customers. Therefore, this system have become an important source of
employee engagement and competitive advantage. In this regard, capabilities of human resource
management are highly essential for attracting, selecting, motivating, developing and retaining
workforce of a company (Oliver, Foot and Humphries, 2014). Therefore, for this purpose, HR
managers of Whirlpool has implemented various practices of HPW system in order to develop
employee engagement at workplace. It includes employee management tactics which increase
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productivity and profitability of business like flexible working hours, reward and compensation,
include participation of workers in decision-making activities and more. Thus, when these tactics
are applied fairly and systematically in workplace then it will support high performance, enhance
employee engagement, build trust and loyalty among customers and more. This leads to increase
profitability and performance of Whirlpool by which it give tough competition to rivals.
From this model, it has demonstrated that practices of HPWS will tend to improve
identification of organisation and employee engagement. It can evaluated by the improvement in
creativity, proactive behaviour of employees and level of communication. In this process, it is
responsibility of HR managers of Whirlpool to provide open environment to workers where they
are allowed to share their problems and needs without fear of judgement. It will help in
generating feeling of cooperation among employees also and assist them to work in team. This
would aid to gain higher achievement of business objectives in short-period of intervals if
employees will work in team and help each other to complete a task.
TASK 4
P6 Different approaches to performance management
Performance management system refers to those activities which help employers of an
organisation to ensure whether goals are being met or not in effective and efficient manner. This
system majorly focuses on measuring performance of business, department, employees and
processes also which help in building a product. In context with Whirlpool, HR managers of this
company has implemented performance management system in order to develop skills of
employees. It includes following processes:-
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Illustration 1: Contribution of HPW in employee engagement

Goal setting and revising: It is main responsibility of managers of Whirlpool to provide
clear information to workers about what company is expected from them. It includes information
related to goals and objectives which starts with executive goal setting process.
Development planning: Workers are required to get regular feedback of their
performance through which they can determine need of further improvement. Therefore, by
performance management system, managers can identify skills gap between employees and
provide them training which helps in progressing their career.
Reward and recognition: These processes help in turning negative feedback of workers
into positive one. It satisfies the fundamental need of employees by providing them good
appraisals. It also improve retention and engagement of employees as well as reinforces right
behaviour of them (Goffee and Scase, 2015).
Therefore, HR managers of Whirlpool use following approaches of performance
management in order to measure productivity of employees:-
Comparative working approach: In this approach, managers used to provide rank to
workers in the basis of performance. For this process, they used different techniques of
comparative approach like forced distribution, graphic rating scale and paired comparison to give
rank to employees from highest to lowest. For example- Managers of Whirlpool used paired
comparison technique in which performers are compared with one another and assigns a score 1
to best. Thus, in final process, employee who will get maximum score is win.
Attribute approach: In this system, performance of workers are rated on the basis of
problem solving skills, teamwork, judgement, creativity and more. For example- Under this
process, managers of Whirlpool used mixed rating scale, in which employees are rated as high
(+), medium (-) and below (0).
Behavioural approach: It is considered as one of the oldest technique of performance
management. It consist a series of vertical scales which can be done by using BARS technique
i.e. Behavioural Anchored Rating Scale. For example- Through this approach, Whirlpool can
measure behaviour of employees.
Result approach: It refers to best approach where employees are rated on the basis of
contribution in obtaining result. It includes various techniques like Balanced Score Card,
Productivity Measurement and Evaluation System etc. For Example- Whirlpool use second
technique for measuring skills of employees (Alred, 2014). It includes four steps that are-
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Identification of objectives, Wellness of these goals, Effectiveness of such objectives and finally
feedback of employees. Therefore, applying these steps, managers of this firm can calculate
overall productivity score of employees.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from this report that workers are most valuable part of an
organisation. They give their support to employers in achievement of business objectives and
goals in set period of time. Therefore, for this process, it is the responsibility of HR managers of
a firm to possess adequate skills, knowledge and behaviour. It will help them in organising and
managing work of employees in proper manner. Along with this, in order to gain retention of
business, employers should have applied proper practices of human resource management like
flexible working hours, group related activities, reward and compensation etc. It will help in
wining higher competition at marketplace also by implementing tactics of HPW system.
Moreover, with performance management system, they can measure skills and abilities of each
employee as well as provide them training accordingly for increasing their productivity.
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