Unilever: Developing Individuals, Teams, and Organisations Report

This report provides an analysis of developing individuals, teams, and organizations, focusing on the skills, knowledge, and behaviors required by HR professionals within Unilever. It includes a personal skills audit, SWOT analysis, and a professional development plan, outlining steps for improvement in areas such as communication and decision-making. The report also incorporates a reflective statement based on Kolb's learning cycle, detailing experiences as an Assistant Manager in HR development at Unilever. It discusses concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation in the context of recruitment and development portfolio creation. The analysis emphasizes the importance of continuous professional development and reflective learning in driving sustainable business performance.

Developing Individuals Teams
and Organisations

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Analyse employee knowledge, skills and behaviours required by HR professionals.................3
Analyse a completed personal skills audit...................................................................................5
Personal SWOT analysis:............................................................................................................6
Professional development plan:...................................................................................................6
Reflective Statement:...................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Developing teams are very important for the business to attaining determined goals and
objectives in efficient manner. As each and every organisation has diversified employees and
they all work together for accomplishing common goals and objectives. There are various steps
are included in the team development such as allocating their duties, responsibilities, provide
training to them so they perform defined operations properly and contribute in attaining business
aims. In this report chosen organisation is Unilever which is a multinational organisation and
headquarter in London, UK. Respective organisation provides various products such as
cosmetics, clothes, food, vitamins, supplements, vitamins as well as pet foods. this report covers
analysis of skill and knowledge and behaviour that is required by the HR professional as well as
framework of CPD and reflective learning. Along with that analysation of factors that are needed
to considered in the process of implementing and evaluating inclusive learning and development
to drive sustainable business performance.
TASK 1
Analyse employee knowledge, skills and behaviours required by HR professionals.
Human resources are defined as the employees of an organisation who perform defined
operations and lead business towards attaining determined goals and objectives in efficient
manner. Business conducts various activities related to the acquiring and managing employees in
an organisation such as hiring, staffing, provide training and development, induction and various
others. All these operations and HR activities are performed the organisational human resource
professionals. Unilever has skilled, experiences HR professionals who are able to manage
behaviour of employees with their knowledge and skills (Hawkins, 2021). These skills and
capabilities of HR professionals plays important role in attaining target objectives with efficiency
and effectiveness. Professionals of organisation develop effective planning and take decisions as
per the situation that make coordination on business and ensures efficient running of business
operations. Some skills, knowledge and behaviour that are required by the HR professionals in
the context of Unilever are explained below:
Skills:
Communication skills: Effective communications skills is essential skill that is required by
the HR professionals because it enables them to communicate or share organisational strategies

and policies to employees of Unilever in efficient manner. It helps organisation to make
coordination in various department as well as improves performance level of employees because
they have all knowledge and understanding regarding their job roles and responsibilities. HR
managers creates positive working environment through maintaining communication with
employees on regular bases.
Decision making skills: Decision-making is considered as the most important skill fort
organisational HR professionals because it helps them to lead employees in right direction and
attain determined goals and objectives in efficient manner (King and Vaiman, 2019). It enables
HR managers of Unilever analyse the situation, resolve employees quarry them take efficient
decisions that lead business towards growth and development.
These skills and competencies are important for the HR manager and other professionals
of Unilever because it enables them to develop effective organisational planning and strategies as
well as communicating to employees so they can contribute in attain defined goals with
efficiency. Decision making skills enables manager to manage complex programme as well as
improve organisational performance level and productivity.
Knowledge:
 HRM knowledge and expertise is the important knowledge is required for the HR
professionals to take efficient decisions related to human resources and develop effective
strategies. It is important for the Unilever HR professionals to have proper knowledge
and understanding regarding the HRM that enables them to effective decisions.
 Recruitment and selection is considered the basic responsibility of HR professionals
that enable them to recruit appropriate employees for organisation. HR professional of
Unilever should have knowledge and understanding regarding how to recruit employees
and engage them in work to attain objectives.
Knowledge of HR professional in very important for the Unilever to conduct business
operations in efficient manner (Marshall, 2019). Knowledge regarding these operations and
functions enable business HR professionals to take better decisions that lead business in right
direction.
Behaviour
 Transparency and trustworthiness is the behavioural aspect that is expected from the
HR professionals. It enables them to deal with difficult, challenges and conflicts in

efficient manner. Transparency and trustworthiness with employees helps HR managers
to make better relationship with them and lead their operations towards attaining
organisational goals.
 Solution oriented also the aspect of behaviour that enables HR professionals to find out
the best possible solution for specific problem. As in organisation different backgrounds
and mentality employees are working so it is obvious to create conflicts among them
(Murphy, 2020). HR professional of Unilever analyse the cause of problems and develop
and find out the effective solution that satisfy employees.
Behaviour of HR professional plays important role in managing employees in Unilever in
efficient manner. Effective and persuasive behaviour enables to solve problems properly in
specific period of time.
Analyse a completed personal skills audit
Skill audit: It is a systematic assessment of research skills as well as knowledge of
students. It is an audit that provide evidence to developing and existing evidence. It is linked
with analysis of needs, identification of needs for purpose of training and personal development.
It is a process that is used to identify skill gap in an organisation.
Skills Score to self Score by others Differences
Decision making skills 6 7 1
Communication skills 5 7 2
Team working skills 9 8 1
Problem solving skills 7 8 1
Skills audit needs to be conducted on regular basis as it allows individual to understand about
present position of an individual. It can be analysing for employee of ABC organisation and for
which they need to work on their communication skills (Niemi and Pekkola, 2017). It is an
essential skill in order to attract more customers for business. Other skills which is to be
developed by individual is problems solving skills, decision making skills.
Personal SWOT analysis:
Strength Weakness

I had strong team working skills that allow me
to work in a team with other members for
attainment of common goals.
I have weak communication skill that create
problems for me as it does not allow me to
speak in clear manner.
Opportunity Threat
Problem-solving skills will help me to resolve
problems and take appropriate decisions that
lead my efforts in right direction. It helps me to
grab development and growth opportunity
through analysing situation and taking efficient
decisions.
Competition as well as pandemics such as
Covid-19 creates threat for me.
Professional development plan:
Professional development plan: Professional development plan is defined as the
document that is developed by the organisation for improving professional skills and
competencies in employees. It enables employees to improve their personal, career and
educational skills that help them to perform operations with efficiency and effectiveness (Perng,
Kitchin and Mac Donncha, 2018). Employees can nurture their skills at workplace that lead them
towards growth and development. Professional development plan of Unilever is mentioned
below:
Skills Importance Action taken Time
Communication skills Communication skills
facilitates to maintain
proper coordination in
each department of
organisation and share
essential information
that lead operations in
right direction.
For the purpose of
improving
communication skill
English articles as well
as courses are taken.
1 month

Decision-making skills It is very important
skill that helps HR
professionals to
develop effective
strategies, policies and
procedure. If managers
are able to take best
decisions in difficult
situation than it lead
business towards
development.
Decision-making skill
can be improved
through developing
various plans,
establishing deadlines
as well as taking
participation in
workshops.
6 months
Problem-solving skills This is the important
skill enables managers
to understand the
situation, analyse
problems that are
faced by the
employees them take
decisions accordingly
(Zhang, Pawar and
Bhardwaj, 2017). It
created positive
working environment
in organisation.
For improving
problem-solving skills,
alternative solutions
should be evaluated
than best one is
selected for solving
the problem.
1 year
Team working skills Teamwork is
important for business
because it helps to
develop creative and
innovative ideas and
motivated employees
Development of
different groups and
team helps to
accomplish defined
task or operations in
efficient manner.
1.5 year

to perform operations
in team to attain
determined goals and
objectives.
Unilever analyses employee’s current skills and behaviour of employees as well as
required skill that need to improve for better performance. This professional develop plan helps
employees to improve their skills related to their task and enhances their overall performance and
productivity that also lead business towards growth and development.
Reflective Statement:
Kolb learning cycle is a learning cycle model that consist four stages. It is a learning theory
which includes learning, acquisition of concept and also applied in flexible organisation.
According to Kolb, learning is a process in which knowledge can be developed through
transformation of real experience. Stages included in this are concrete experience, abstract
conceptualisation, active experimentation and reflective observation. In context of Unilever Plc, I
worked there on position of Assistant Manager HR development. There are various
responsibilities and roles played by me there and explanation of it is mentioned below:
Concrete experience: It is initial stage of learning cycle model of Kolb that allow a
person to reflect upon new experience. During recruitment process in Unilever Plc, I need to
create a development portfolio which are based on own learning progress as well as acquisition
of skills which is to be shown. In order to develop, this portfolio, senior manager provide
difference guidelines that helps them to understand how to prepare development portfolio and
which type of information needs to be included in this.
Reflective observation: It is second stage of Kolb learning cycle through which I was
able to understand that how other people are completing this work. It is creating opportunity for
me to learn things and also assist me to understand work which is to be completed by me in
effective manner. It allows me to learn new ways of doing the same work that make me
effective. For purpose of development portfolio, I need to carry out SWOT analysis that allow
me to identify different skills, weakness, capabilities that is important for me to made future
improvement.

Abstract Conceptualisation: In this stage, I understand pros as well as cons of using
different method in development portfolio. Different components need to be included for
development plan like skill audit, SWOT analysis and personal development. It provides me
evidence about in which area, I need to make improvement.
Active experimentation: It is last stage of learning cycle in which actual work is to be
performed by me. At time of carry out these responsibilities which are assigned by managers to
be, I get opportunity that allow me to learn new things. It also allows me to develop different
capabilities and skills. In this stage, I complete all responsibilities assigned by senior manager to
me and for which I also get appreciation.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Hawkins, P., 2021. Leadership team coaching: Developing collective transformational
leadership. Kogan Page Publishers.
King, K.A. and Vaiman, V., 2019. Enabling effective talent management through a macro-
contingent approach: A framework for research and practice. BRQ Business Research
Quarterly, 22(3), pp.194-206.
Marshall, S. ed., 2019. Strategic leadership of change in higher education. Routledge.
Murphy, K.R., 2020. Performance evaluation will not die, but it should. Human Resource
Management Journal, 30(1), pp.13-31.
Niemi, E. and Pekkola, S., 2017. Using enterprise architecture artefacts in an
organisation. Enterprise information systems, 11(3), pp.313-338.
Perng, S.Y., Kitchin, R. and Mac Donncha, D., 2018. Hackathons, entrepreneurial life and the
making of smart cities. Geoforum, 97, pp.189-197.
Zhang, M., Pawar, K.S. and Bhardwaj, S., 2017. Improving supply chain social responsibility
through supplier development. Production Planning & Control, 28(6-8), pp.500-511.