Next Plc: Developing Relationships and Workplace Achievement Report

This report delves into the critical role of developing relationships and fostering workplace achievement within organizations, using Next Plc as a case study. It begins by highlighting the importance of positive employer-employee relationships, emphasizing factors like trust, respect, and open communication. The report then evaluates the benefits of individual development, such as improved performance, increased employee satisfaction, enhanced productivity, reduced turnover, and a stronger company reputation. It analyzes the problems faced by Next Plc, including inefficient employees and inadequate training, and proposes solutions through various development vehicles. These include performance management, succession planning, and effective training programs. The report outlines a plan to address identified development needs, focusing on improving employee skills and knowledge to boost overall organizational performance. It underscores the significance of tailored training programs and employee engagement activities in achieving company goals and fostering a productive work environment.

Developing relationships and
workplace achievement
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Evaluate the potential benefits to organization of developing individuals in the workplace..1
2. Development vehicles available to the organisation which are appropriate in meeting the
development needs of the individual. ....................................................................................4
3. Design a plan to meet the identified development needs and expectations of an individual..8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
In every organization it is very important to develop relationship between employer and
employees so they feel connected and motivated due to which there is enhance in achievements
at the workplace (Dries and Pepermans, 2012). There are several factors that showcase that in an
organization there is effective relationship between employers and employees, those factors are
trust between all staffs, mutual respect for every employee, positive environment, welcome and
accept diversity and open communication between employers and employees. Managers of a
company can use different ways which help them to develop individuals that leads to workplace
achievement, maintain positive environment, manage and understand their boundaries, avoid
gossiping at workplace, listen and understand actively, appreciate employees for good work,
schedule time and activities to develop relationship and so on. In this report the organization
taken is Next which is founded by Joseph Hepworth in year 1865 and headquartered in Enderby,
Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom. Next is British multinational retail store of clothing,
footwear and home products and it is largest retail store of clothing on the basis of sales in UK.
In this case study, respective company facing problems related to inefficient employees who are
lacking in skills and knowledge which makes them demotivated at the workplace and reduces the
efficiency in carrying the business operations effectively and efficiently. This is occur in Next
due to inefficient trainers, goal are not clear to employees, training is not appropriate and lack of
resources. Covered topics in this report is analysis and evaluation of potential benefits of
developing individual at workplace for an organization which improve their situation which they
faced that is mentioned in above case study.
MAIN BODY
1. Evaluate the potential benefits to organization of developing individuals in the workplace.
In a firm an individual refers to the employees or staff, it is a most valuable assets and
backbone for an organization. Every single employee contribute to success and failure of a firm
in their respective ways. An organization and most powerful machine with update technology
will not able to perform their function if there is no effective employees or individuals
(Littlejohn, Milligan and Margaryan, 2012). So it is the responsibilities of managers and
employees to initiate in proper manner to enhance individual's existing skills and knowledge
which leads to professional growth, personal growth and organizational growth.
1

Management of Next organize various activities to overcome the case study problems by
developing individual or employees in their organization. Such activities are asked and listen to
employees’ ideas and suggestion, organize team activities by which they learn from each other.
They appoint train mentor, develop training and development program, develop learning
environment, develop opportunities for employees, create innovative learning mode, set time and
goal for learning and many more. In Next Plc., there are numerous benefits of individual
development at workplace, some major of them are described below which show that they
overcome from respective case: Improve performance:- Development of individual help them to enhance the work
performance which leads to increase in profit and growth of a firm. The individual can
develop their knowledge and skills by training which enhance their understanding of
responsibilities related to job and role which build their confidence (Njoroge and
Yazdanifard, 2014). The respective company organize training and development session
for their employees or individuals through which they enhance knowledge and skills that
leads to increase in productivity and growth of an organization. Improve satisfaction and morale :- Organizing activities of developing individual help
employers to make employees feel that they are important and company need them. And
when employees get satisfied they will give their hundred percent for completing their
work or task in effective and efficient manner which leads to company growth. The Next
Plc’s managers design and maintain various activities to motivate and satisfy their
employees so that they perform task and job in best manner and consider organization’s
goal as their goal. Employees of respective firm feel appreciated, satisfied and challenged
from their jobs through the individual development program organized by managers. Increase productivity and conformity to quality standards:- When a company focus on
individual development it will directly and indirectly affect the productivity and
efficiency in process which leads to quality productivity and improve in companies
turnover and shareholder of an organization (Dutton and Ragins, 2017). Factors which
improve productivity of individual are motivation, training and development programs
and many more. The Next management design individual development session which
help employees to do the work in effective and efficient way and in respective or given
2

time while leads to increase in productivity and standard quality of products in suitable
time duration. Reduce employee turnover:- If an organization conduct appropriate individual
development plan it will directly linked to reduction to employee turnover because they
feel valuable and connected to the company and employees also feel connected and
interested towards company. Through the individual development, retention of staff or
employees get increased due to which recruitment cost of an organization get down this is
so because individual development is seems as a additional benefits for an employees or
individual. The respective company effectively develop and organized individual
development activities and programs so that they can able to satisfy and retain employees
which leads to reduction of employees turnover (Rurkkhum and Bartlett, 2012). Through
it they also save recruitment cost because when old employees get retained the cost of
recruitment gets down. Enhance company reputation and profit:- When a company do individual development
in effective and appropriate manner, it will help them to improve brand image and name
by which more graduates and mid career changers want to get job in respective company
and they become prime consideration among them. Individual development makes a firm
more attractive in front of new joined employees who are seeing them self with company
and want to improve their skills and opportunities associated with that company. For this
respective company do various type of training programmes to develop individual such as
on the job training, mentoring scheme, in house training, individual study and many more
which attract more new graduated and job seekers and they want to get in the respect firm
because they get attracted from Next individual development plans and employee
engagement activities.
 Increase innovation in new strategies and products:- The appropriate individual training
plan enhance skills and knowledge of employees through which they give new and
unique ideas which is beneficial for an organization because it is different from its
competitors and include new innovative technology (Ko, 2012). Individual also want to
work on it because it is a chance when they can enhance their knowledge and skills. The
Next Plc. provide individual development strategies through which their employees
enhance their skills, knowledge. It increases the ability through that they come up with
3

new and innovative ideas which is different from their competitors which attract more
customers and consumers.
Above mentioned points are the benefits of individual development in an organization
through which respective company overcome problems which they are facing previously. For
this managers develop individual development plan by considering various points such as where
is business now and what skills and knowledge are required to move ahead, take suggestions and
ideas from employees and evaluate it, utilize new skills and knowledge of employees. Hence, by
putting them to work, follow up with employees about the problems and solutions they are facing
in respective organisation and then plan and develop strategies of individual development.
Individual development helps an individual and employees to increase their skills and
knowledge, stay sharp, be supportive and always want to achieve goal, improve performance and
productivity which is beneficial for both employer and employees, employees able to know their
weakness or skill gap and to appropriate efforts to overcome it and so on (Allais, 2012). If an
organisation does effective and efficient individual development plan they able to attract more
job seekers and graduates, through which they can select appropriate one for the respective
vacant position and through it there is also enhance in goodwill of the respective company.
2. Development vehicles available to the organisation which are appropriate in meeting the
development needs of the individual.
Chosen organisation is NEXT Plc which is a retail store, provides variety of consumer
products but are having the problems of inefficient employees who lack in skills and knowledge
at the work place which makes them demotivated at the workplace and reduces the efficiency in
carrying the business operations effectively and efficiently. This problem needs to be addressed
by the respective company by formulating the strategy in developing other staff members at the
work place and gains high level of productivity and increased level of revenue and profit for the
business firm. Formulation of this strategy are very important for the business as it will provide
satisfaction to the employees and makes them feel as important part of the organisation.
Developmental methods or vehicles are various systems and methods used by the
organisation to properly integrate and coordinate the performance of the employees as well as
helps in developing the individuals by enhancing their skills and knowledge in carrying out the
business operations (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). Developmental needs are very important in the
4

organisation which enhances their skills and capabilities of performing work and also helps in
overcome the issue or the hurdles in performance of work.
 It increases the adaptability of the employee at the respective organisation to face any
changes and adapt to them accordingly.
 It also increases the analytical skills of the employees to work in complex and dynamic
environment which in turn increases the level of productivity as well as meet consumer
demands.
 It also makes open communication in the Next company which allows managers and
employees to interact with each other effectively and solve their problems which are
creating hurdles in developing their skills and knowledge.
 Proper developmental needs help to increase the abilities of the organisation which helps
to increase the level of productivity and meet consumer demands by developing their
skills and knowledge.
There are various ways which helps the organisation to develop the skills of the employees and
helps in meeting the developmental needs of the individuals at the respective organisation which
are discussed as follows- Managing the performance and succession planning- The best way to manage and
develop the employee’s performance is to make them adhere to strict deadlines at all the
situations (Belbin, 2012). This makes them to perform effectively and in a proper manner.
This enables the managers of the next organisation to identify the gap in their employees’
performance and provide them specific training and development needs in order to
enhance their skills and knowledge as well with the help of proper succession plan it
makes the manager of the respective company to assign proper authority and
responsibilities to the staff members in completing the project within specific deadline
which is given to them by management. This helps in the proper development of
individuals when responsibility falls on them for completing the assigned project. Effective training- Training requirements are very necessary for the developing the skills
and knowledge of employees which are required to do a certain job competently. When
the respective organisation will provide training to its staff members regarding how to
perform effectively in order to increase the sales of the products by meeting consumer
demands. It provides them effective knowledge where they lack in skills of performing
5

task which helps to compete effectively and develop accordingly (Casey, 2013). Certain
training and developmental needs makes the work place environment a reliable place and
provides employees with various opportunities to properly collaborate with other team
members and also develops task related skills with other employees’ suggestions and
ideas and makes them to work together more effectively. Conducting workshops to develop employees- One of the most important methods of
developing employees is organizing proper workshops which helps the employees in
addressing their problems and which are handled in an efficient manner by properly
resolving the issue and suggesting them new ways and methods of performing work. In
context to next company workshops should suggest them the ways of performing task
which increases the sales of the products as well as helps them to earn high revenue for
the respective business firms. Reporting performance appraisals- Performance appraisal is a systematic and periodic
process which assesses the individual's job performance and productivity in context to
established criteria and helps in achieving organisational objectives (Connor and Pokora,
2012). When the managers of the Next company conducts performance appraisal of the
employees on the periodic basis it helps in evaluating he employee’s performance as well
as helps the managers in identifying the gaps in their skills and capabilities and provides
them certain training accordingly which meet the required skills and capabilities in
performing job effectively. This is the most effective developmental vehicle which helps
the organisation in evaluating the performance of employees as well as provide them
effecting developmental needs according to the needs of the respective organisation. Rewarding employee’s performance- It is one of the effective developmental vehicle
which helps in proper development of individuals at the work place. When employees are
rewarded for their best performance it creates a sense of accomplishment and motivation
among employees and makes them feel as an important part of the respective organisation
(Garavan, Carbery and Rock, 2012). When employees are rewarded in front of all other
employees for their high accomplished work it makes them highly dedicated to work for
the organisation and achieve the respective goals and objectives. This is the effective
strategy used by the Next company in order to develop the individual skills and
capabilities. When employees are rewarded it makes them to develop more skills and
6

knowledge and earn profits for the respective company as well as earn more individual
rewards. Career development strategies- These are the strategies for the life long process for
managing and learning the work by the employees at the respective organisation. These
help in the proper development of individuals and enhances their capability to perform
task efficiently. Employees at the NEXT company can conduct regular assessment of
their performance which helps to identify the gaps and take appropriate methods and
suggestions in order to overcome the loopholes as well as develop their skills and
knowledge in performing the task efficiently. This strategy adopted by the employees at
the work place helps them to identify their own gaps and take actions accordingly. Proper and timely feedback to employees- When employees are provided timely
feedback for their performance of work it helps them to know about the performance of
work in timely manner (Heilman, 2012). When employees are provided feedback in the
respective organisation it helps them to know about the gap in their performance and
helps them to adopt certain strategies to overcome the issue. In context to NEXT
company when employee lacks in increasing the sales of the respective company manager
provides feedback for the same and helps the employee to increase the sales by adopting
certain marketing strategies and provides them the knowledge for the same to increase its
sales. This would definitely increase the level of production in the respective organisation
and also in turn develops the employee’s skills and capabilities in performing the work.
 Support structures within the organisation- Respective organisation should follow a
proper hierarchical structure in the organisation in which information flows from upper
plans level to the lower level in a proper and efficient manner. It also determines the
development of individual skills and development which help them to address the various
problems and the issues in handling the customers (Holmes and Stubbe, 2015). In context
to Next company they should follow a proper hierarchical structure in which it leads to
development of individuals at the work place and helps in work place achievements.
Respective organisation follows a complex structure as it deals in variety of product lines
it makes the employees a very complex process in order to understand the information
and creates sometimes difficulty.
7

Example of Dawn Lennon has been quoted who is a strategist, mentor advisor and was an
active entrepreneur owning and operating various operational functions. All of these experiences
gain a proper broad understanding of managing and making business a success. If these types of
practices are adopted by the respective business organisations it helps them to attain work place
achievements.
When these strategies are adopted by the business firms it helps to develop individual and
employees at the large scale. These development mechanisms help the individuals to enhance
their skills and knowledge at a great level and helps in customer satisfaction by meeting their
needs and desires. These mechanisms play an important role in developing the capabilities of the
staff members in fulfilling the requirements of the organisation. They should be properly
developed and maintained in the organisation in order to achieve success for the respective
business organisation.
3. Design a plan to meet the identified development needs and expectations of an individual
Every organization must do a develop planning for individual development so that they
can increase productivity and growth of an organisation, for this management of a firm design
individual development plan which is based on values, reflection, learning, awareness, selecting
short and long term goal, which help them in betterment of individual by improving education,
career, relationship, social status, improving self and so on (National Research Council, 2013).
Individual development plan is also known as personal development plan which in identifying
need and expectations of an individual for development or improvement. Individual development
plan is directly beneficial for working professionals as well as for workplace where he/ she is
working some of them are describe below:
 Individual feel confident if they get individual development session while participating in
decision making activities.
 Individual get clear view what kind of work they want to do, this is done by activities of
individual development such as training, motivating, workshops, mentoring and coaching,
performance appraisal and so on (Robles, 2012).
 Increase in confidence of their quality, skills and ability which help to select right job
according to their ability.
 Effective individual development help employee to compete effectively with peers or co-
workers for job.
8

 Through it there is improvement of individual's skills of planning and problem solving.
 By individual development there is improvement of decision making skills and ability of
an individual.
 Co-workers relationship will also get improved when an individual gets development
training.
 To sustain and get succeed in corporate word positive thinking and positive attitude is
needed and it can be developing through individual development.
 Through individual development there is enhancement of leadership quality in an
individual.
 If an organisation provide effective individual development employees or individual feel
motivated and satisfied with their job and workplace.
The need of individual development in vary from an organisation to organisation but for
Next Plc it is essential and beneficial to develop individual so that they can enhance their
employees sills and knowledge and overcome other issues in following ways-
 Individual development provides clarity and outline for achieving organisational and
individual goal in effective and efficient manner (Sandberg, 2013). It also provides clear-
cut idea related to objective, need and target achievement of respective organization and
its individuals.
 Next able to motivate and provide answer of why to their employees by doing individual
development. If management provide appropriate individual development by organizing
activities such as training on the job and off the job, coaching, motivational session,
workshop etc. they are able to motivate and satisfy need and wants of individual and
able to retain them.
 By creating individual development plan Next can identify their goal and objective and
action plans to fulfil that objective or goal. Through this their management also able to
decide an individual daily task, monthly task as well as yearly task which help them to
take step or help in achieving goal and objective of respective company.
So the Next organisation design and create individual developments plan to identify need
and expectations of an individual and plan strategies according to that to fulfil objective and goal
and enhance productivity and resolve issues which is mentioned in case study (Dane and
9

Brummel, 2014). The plan of respected company to meet respective goal they design individual
development plan which is describe below:
Establish the purpose or direction:- At first the respective organisation must have to
identify and analysis purpose why they are creating individual development plan and what is its
needs (Dries and Pepermans, 2012). This include certain factors such as understand their
awareness of current standing and potential for future in their selected sector or field, identify and
evaluate the measure in which activities they are interested and good in, link and connect the plan
to organisation objective and goal and many more. When respective company analysis and
evaluate all the above factors they are able to identify the appreciate purpose of individual
development.
Identify development needs:- After deciding purpose or direction of individual
development the Next management should identify need for development of respective plan and
then make strategies accordingly. In this managers discuss it with all employees of respective
organisation and identify actual task and responsibilities and also identify employee’s
dissatisfaction then make plan and strategies accordingly (Littlejohn, Milligan and Margaryan,
2012). Development need of Next organisation is fully depending upon their career goals and
sometime development is also required for promotion, next job, a new careers or self-
employment.
10