Developing Individuals, Teams, and Organisations: M&S Case Study

This report analyzes the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors required by HR professionals, focusing on Marks & Spencer as a case study. It includes a personal skills audit and development plan, highlighting strengths like communication and teamwork, and weaknesses such as time management and technical skills. The report differentiates between organizational and individual learning, training, and development, emphasizing the importance of continuous professional development. It also explores the link between high-performance working and employee engagement, discussing the benefits of high-performance work practices within the organizational context of Marks & Spencer. Furthermore, the report examines different approaches to performance management and their effectiveness in creating a high-performance work culture and commitment.

Developing individuals, Teams
and Organisations
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INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................4
P1 Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR professionals...............................................................................................................4
P2 and M1. Personal skills audit and Personal development plan.........................................6
LO2..................................................................................................................................................8
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development. 8
M2. Apply learning cycle theories to analyse the importance of implementing the continuous
professional development.....................................................................................................12
LO3................................................................................................................................................12
P5 High performance working to employee engagement....................................................12
M3. Benefits of applying high performance work practices with reference to justifications in
the organisational context.....................................................................................................13
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................14
P6 Different approaches to performance management........................................................14
M4. Different approaches and judgement on the basis of their effectiveness in terms of
creating a high performance work culture and commitment................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Development is an essential process for any organisation that effectively enhances their
skills and knowledge in a suitable manner. It assists them to accomplish pre-determined
objectives while assuring long-term sustainability in market segments. Training and development
process is acting as a crucial element through which organisation can manage performance of
their employees and can further lead them towards fulfilment of objectives and goals in more
efficient way (Amabile, 2012). By offering different type of training and development courses
entity can maximize efficiency of employees by offering them with wide range of opportunities
through which they can enhance their overall knowledge and skills. It will not only aid
employees to enhance their growth prospectors but also benefit entity to ensure efficient business
operations with more competitive advancements. With the help of proper training and
development employees can assure significant improvement in their performance level through
which overall productivity of organisation can be maximized that lead entity towards ensuring
higher profitability.
Present report has been conducted on Marks and Spencer, entity perform their business
operations as a multinational company in retailing segment that offers a wide range of products
and services to customers. It has been evaluated and company offer different type of services or
and products to customers in different segments. In this report formative discussion has been
conducted upon professional and appropriate skill, knowledge and behaviour that an HR
professional requires as to execute their functioning along with the personal skill Audit and
personal development. In addition to this report also include difference among organisational and
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individual learning development and training along with their need for professional development
and continuous learning. In addition to this report also include different approaches to
performance management.
LO1
P1 Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required by
HR professionals.
Human Resource Department is an essential segment for the entire organisation, as this
unit is associated with the responsibility of managing skills, behaviour and knowledge of
individuals. In order to accomplish this objective there are wide range of behaviour, knowledge
and skills being required by HR professional in order to effectively deal with human relation
within company. With the assistance of these skills HR professional can maintain effective
relationship with labour and can further undertake process that are related to acquiring,
motivating, and developing, maintaining and training human resources within company.
Marks and Spencer offer wide range of products and services to customers and is operating
as a leading organisation. In order to manage their stability it is essential for company to make
certain set of alteration in order to enhance business operations from time to time. With this
entity can ensure long-term sustainability in retail market segment along with ensuring more
competitive advancements than other rivals. In order to accomplish this goal Marks and Spencer
is required to hire high talented and skilled employees through which they can undertake
innovative practices for maximizing growth. With the help of potential employees company can
undertake more competitive advantages in respective sector and can assure long-term
sustainable. For that it is essential for leaders and managers to provide interpersonal skills to
employees while providing them with different training and development sessions.
In order to accomplish high growth Marks and Spencer can undertake advantage of CPD
(continuous development process) in order to maximise interpersonal capabilities of employees
on continuous manner. With the help of this process company can enhance employee skills and
knowledge of employees and can accomplish organisational goals with great effectiveness. It has
been identified that it is essential for HR professionals to have understanding of different skills
which is being defined below:
Skills which is essential for HR Professionals
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Communication skills:
It is one of the most important skill that are require to be undertaken by HR professional
as it allows them to maintain healthy or positive interaction with employees. In terms with Marks
and Spencer with the assistance of effective communication skills HR professional can maintain
a healthy relationship with employers and can further motivate or encourage them to achieve
organisational goals and objectives with great effectiveness. Along with this communication skill
will also assist entity to reduce number of conflicts with increasing employee morale objectives
of company. This skill acts as most essential aspect through which overall productivity of
company can be maximised in an effective manner.
Leadership and management skills:
It is essential for HR professional to guide or lead each and every employee towards
vision and mission of company. With the help of the skills overall objectives and determined
goals of Marks and Spencer can be accomplished in a given time period. With the help of having
efficient management and leadership skills employers can be further motivated towards
accomplishing company aims with more effectiveness, through which entity can ensure more
competitive advancements within industry. Along with this, it has been identified that with the
skilled employees qualities of organisation operations can be increased through which the
performance and productivity of company can be maximized to attend higher competitive
advancement within industry.
Behaviour which is essential for HR Professionals
Equally treating skills:
It is essential for an HR professional to treat every employee in a equal manner as every
individual possess different set of experience, skills and abilities and knowledge. With the help
of equal treatment organisation can not only offer a healthy workplace environment to their
employees but can also increase goodwill in market segment. By avoiding favouritism and
promoting equal treatment Marks and Spencer HR professional can enhance and improve
employee’s loyalty towards company through which entity can make them as of the best
organisation to work in.
Ethical behaviour:
It is most important aspect of any organisation that not only enhances productivity of
employees but can also increase their job satisfaction. It is essential for HR professionals to
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undertake their operations in an ethical manner in order to enhance productivity and performance
of company and employees. With the help of having ethical behaviour practices Marks and
Spencer HR professional can facilitate long-term sustainability of organisation within respective
industry.
Knowledge which is necessary for HR Professional
Laws and regulations of government:
There is different type of laws and regulation is being enforced by government and is
required to be abiding by an organisation. It has been evident that government of United
Kingdom have enforced different type of regulations and laws which is essential for
organisations operating their functioning in retailing segment to abide. Thus it is essential for HR
professional of Marks and Spencer to have proper understanding of these laws and implement
the same in organisational workplace structure as negligence of this can lead company to face
many legal penalties and legal obligation then can affect company long-term sustainability and
an image in respective industry segment.
Taxation:
HR Professional is required to make sure that each and every employer is having their
salary generated while having proper deductions of taxation. Along with this HR professional of
Marks and Spencer are also required to make sure that tax exemptions is being made, further it is
important for them to have proper understanding of taxation laws and practices in order to
improve it with different policy, issues in taxation schemes.
P2 and M1. Personal skills audit and Personal development plan.
Personal skills audit is the written documentation which clearly specifies the skills,
competences and knowledge that an individual possesses in the current time and the
advancements that these skills hold. In this relation, it can be comprehensively stated that this is
a document which states the skills that are required for getting accessing to the dream job along
with the gaps that are present within the skill set of a person as well as the manner in which the
required skills will be gained with the passage of time. This document is extremely important for
a person as it provides due assistance to the person in studying as well as identifying their own
skill set and knowledge base in a way such that they can be segregated into strengths and
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weaknesses. By conducting a detailed study on the same, an individual is able to incorporate
improvements within their skill set. This will lead to their overall personal and professional
development in the long term. Also, this will stimulate their behavioural patterns in a manner
such that they can be facilitated to work at their extreme levels of productivity. The results of a
personal audit plan acquaints an individual and organisation with the need to make the person
undergo training and development sessions that can ensure the overall development of the
professional personality of the person in the commercial world. Marks & Spencer makes use of
this analysis for the purpose of analysing the job role of HR professional and identifying the skill
gap lying within their skill set and knowledge base. Now, the strengths and weaknesses of my
personality are specified as follows:-
Strengths:
Being working as an HR professional within the bounds of Marks and Spencer, it is
extremely important for me to set interaction with several individuals on a daily basis. In this
relation, I have analysed that I have sound communication skills which allow me to carry out the
exchange of my thoughts and opinions in front of other individuals in an effective manner. Along
with this, I have acknowledged that I have effective decision making skills with the help of
which I am able to take important business decisions of Marks and Spencer in an effective
manner (Approaches for measuring performance of employees. 2018). In addition to this I have
further realised that my team working skills are excellent which allow me to effectively
collaborate with the employees pertinent to the respective company. This helps me in developing
healthy relations with them while ensuring that we learn from each other as we connect in the
organisational premises.
Weaknesses:
Everything has certain pros and cons. In this relation, it has been analysed that my
personal and professional personality also possess certain shortcomings that need to be duly
countered in a bid to make sure that I effectively work within the confines of the company. In
this regard, I have identified that my weak skill area is time management whereby wherein I am
unable to make sure that I can multi task and thereby ensure the completion of all the tasks and
activities within the predefined course of time. In addition to this, it has been inferred that I lack
sound technical skills which deflate me from effectively performing the roles and responsibilities
of HR professional within the bounds of Marks and Spencer.
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Now having identified my weak skill areas, it has become important for me to take course
of action by way of which improvements can be incorporated within the same. In this relation, it
can be said that Personal Development Plan is the written documents of steps and actions that
can be taken by an individual for improving their skill set.
The PDP for improving technical and time management skills is given as follows:-
Skills Current
ability
Targeted
ability
Activity for the development Time limit
Time
management
2.5 5 I will take time management classes
whereby I will be taught about the
strategies by way of which I can
prioritise the tasks in accordance with
their importance in the company
premise. Also, I will take guidance
from my colleagues as they are
effective in this skill area.
60 days
Technical
skills
3 5 I will take training from my supervisor
to gain an upper hand over the technical
skills. Also, I will take an online course
which will acquaint me with the basics
of desired functioning of my job role.
90 days
LO2
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development.
In the present competitive business environment each and every organisation is aiming
towards to maintain higher profitability, for this they perform different type of practices in order
to develop and grow performance of their employees by offering them various training sessions.
Main aim behind this is to maximize their skills and enhance their performance level in order to
ensure their long-term sustainability and maximum competitive advantage. In terms with Marks
and Spencer it has been identified that company is offering effective training and development
session to employees in order to make them competitive and allow them to learn new
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technological changes and strategies as to perform their roles and responsibilities in effective
way. Main purpose behind this is to increase overall sales and profitability of company.
Individual Learning –
With the assistance of this strategy employee can allow themselves to determine their
skills as well as ability. This form of learning session is being offered by Marks and Spencer in
order to allow that employers to learn basic information and responsibilities of the job. With the
help of this employees can effectively aware about their actual duties and can perform them in
well effective manner in given time frame.
Organisational Learning –
It is one of the most important forms of learning that have been provided to employees in
an organisational workplace structure. Purpose behind this is to make employees familiar with
the new technologies that have been adopted by company. Marks and Spencer offer effective
organisational learning session to their influence in order to make them aware about the new
technologies that company implemented. With the help of this employees performance
effectively aligned with the objectives of entities through which company are assure higher
success and more competitive advancements.
Difference between Individual learning and organisational learning
Individual learning Organisational learning
With the help of this learning employees can
evaluate their abilities and skills. It allows
organisation to further allot them task
according to their potential. Main aim behind
this is to enhance performance level of
employees and make employees aware about
their strength and weakness.
This form of training is being usually held by
company which is aiming towards innovating
and implementing new technology. With the
help of this training organisation make their
employees familiar about the new change in
order to align their performance in an effective
manner.
Difference between Training and development
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Training Development
Training is being offered by an organisation
for a particular period of time in order to
maximize performance level of employees.
This session is organised in order to enhance
skills and knowledge of employees in order to
increase efficiency of the task.
This form of system is being adopted by an
organisation with an aim to improve capability
to perform task. In this entity allows
employees to enhance their knowledge and
skills. It is a long-term process that an
organisation undertakes for a regular interval
of time.
In terms with Marks and Spencer it has been identified that company undertake various
training sessions in order to enhance employee performance and further motivate them to
perform their roles and responsibilities with great effectiveness. This training will help
employees to make adaptive towards changes that company implement in order ensure long-term
sustainability and more competitive advancements.
P4 Analyse the need for continuous learning and professional development
Continuous learning is defined as a process in which individuals or organisation engage
in the process of learning new skills and knowledge. Main aim behind this is to make significant
improvement in competencies and skills on regular basis. In order to ensure long-term
sustainable growth and development it is essential for Marks and Spencer to increase
performance of employees (O'leary, Mortensen and Woolley, 2011). For this continuous learning
can proves to be an effective measure through which number of skills and competencies can be
acquired in a time effective manner. It has been evaluated that with the help of continuous
learning process an individual can assure improvement in their personal as well as professional
life and can further perform their roles and responsibilities with great effectiveness. In context
with Marks and Spencer HR, it is essential for them to provide appropriate environment in which
continuous learning process is promoted. Along with this, it is also essential for HR to encourage
continuous learning among each and every individual as it will not only aid employees to
enhance their skills but also benefit company to assure more competitive advancements and
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increased productivity. According to the evaluation it has been ascertained and continuous
learning need arise when employees productivity reduce, high risk and competition prevail in
market or if there is a certain change in technology and more.
Reduce in productivity:
Productivity of employees can decrease due to many factors such as decrease in
motivation, inefficient skill and knowledge to perform task and more. In order to overcome all
these factors that lead to further reduction in productivity of employees it is essential for an
organisation to promote continuous learning culture at in their workplace structure. With the help
of this aspect Marks and Spencer can enhance knowledge and skill of employees on continuous
manner and can further increase motivation among them to perform their roles and
responsibilities in effective time manner. Continuous learning process increase capabilities of
employees through which entity can accomplish their goals with great effectiveness.
According to the evaluation it has been underlined that large working organisations like
Marks and Spencer in order to maximize their competition in respective market segment is
required to ensure long-term sustainability. For this performance of employees is required to be
regularly motivated with the help of continuous learning process. In this manager and HR of
Marks and Spencer is required to provide regular training session to workers in order to provide
them guidance and direction in an effective manner (Knowledge and skills required by HR
professional. 2016). Further it has been evaluated that continuous learning also helps to reduce
labour turnover and offer a healthy and positive workplace environment. Continuous learning
also builds strong relationship among employers and employees through which Marks and
Spencer can enhance their brand image and productivity in market. Continuous learning also
builds strong relationship among employees and employers through which Marks and Spencer
can enhance their brand image and productivity in market.
Advantages of learning process mentioned below:
Abilities lead an employee to become confident:
Continuous learning process increase motivation and self confidence among employees
through which they perform their roles and responsibilities with confidence. It also encourages
them to perform their task with more efficiency through which entity can assure more
competence in market segment.
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Growth of an individual and organisation:
Continuous learning facilitates both organisation and individual to ensure personal as
well as professional growth. It also builds strong relationship among employees and employers
through which long-term sustainability can be ensured.
Difference between training and development
Training Development
Training is basically designed for short period of time. Development is mainly for long term in nature.
It is mainly concerned with immediate improvement in
skills and capabilities of participants or employees.
It is basically defined as a process that aim towards
making employees efficient to handle complex situations
in an effective manner.
Informal and formal learning
Formal learning is defined as a process which is basically conducted in a systematic
manner. In addition to this, it has been evaluated that formal learning is structured in organized
environment. While on the other hand if it is talked about informal learning is not conducted in a
structured environment and it effectively empowers employees.
Barriers to learning and how to overcome them
There is various form of barriers in terms with learning that are required to be effectively
overcome in order to enhance effectiveness of learning. In this, it has been evaluated that some
of the barriers of learning include lack of self esteem, lack of confidence, social problems such as
abuse and more. It is essential to effectively overcome all these problems in a well define and
effective manner and to enhance effectiveness of learning. It has been evaluated that the barriers
can be overcome with the help of promoting collaborative learning as well as engaged learning
within organisational workplace structure. It will help in maximising effectiveness of learning in
a well define and effective manner.
M2. Apply learning cycle theories to analyse the importance of implementing the continuous
professional development
Continuous professional development is a process which enables a person to constantly
enhance their overall personality with an aim to upgrade it as per the organisational
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