HR Report: Employee Development at Whirlpool Corporation

This report analyzes the HR practices of Whirlpool, a company specializing in home appliances. It begins by outlining the professional skills, knowledge, and behaviors required of HR professionals, followed by a personal skills audit to identify strengths, weaknesses, and develop a professional development plan. The report then explores the differences between organizational and individual learning, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and professional development for sustainable growth. It further examines how high-performance work (HPW) contributes to employee engagement and concludes with an evaluation of different approaches to performance management within Whirlpool. The report covers various aspects of HR, including decision-making, conflict management, taxation knowledge, and ethical behavior, providing a comprehensive overview of employee development and organizational strategy.

Developing Individuals,
Teams and Organisation

Contents
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
P1 Professional skills, knowledge and behaviour required by HR professionals..................4
P2 Personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop a
professional development plan...............................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P3 Difference between organisation and individual learning.................................................7
P4 Professional development and continuous learning helps in sustainable development....9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement...............................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Evaluate different approaches to performance management..........................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
.......................................................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Development and growth is regarded as necessity for every individual as well as
organisation. It plays a pivotal role in increasing the productivity as well as profitability and
bringing a favourable change in culture, norms, behaviour and internal environment of an
organisation(Amiable, 2012). This report is based on Whirlpool which deals in home, kitchen &
laundry appliances products. The report will provide clear understanding about the HR system
and policies of the company. In this report, there will be discussion about professional skills,
knowledge, learning and training and development of an employee. It will make clear the need
for continuous learning and development of an employee. This report will put light on the
understanding of HPW contribution to an employee engagement and their competitive advantage
and also different approaches to performance management.
TASK 1
P1 Professional skills, knowledge and behaviour required by HR professionals
Development is the process which uses both scientific and technical knowledge in a
systematic way to meet the particular objective of the organisation. In this HR person in
whirlpool have to present an annual report at Confederation of British Industry workshop in
which HR person can give information about the performance management which includes
points like communication and working together in as unit (Berry, 2011). this improves the
overall performance of the organisation.
Skill required for HR professional-
The skill of good communication helps in effective communicating with people while knowledge
of different policies of company should be known and some good behaviour like not using
offensive language which instructing the employee's are some basic things should be followed
by HR professional. So There are several skill which are require for the HR person of of
whirlpool’s and from those most important one's are as follows.
Decision making -It is the process in which one could select the logical choice among
the different alternative. Through this, a decision-maker can make the best decision which
improves the performance of task allotted to individual . In Whirlpool corporation, HR
Professional should have better understanding of situation around them in all the aspects. Then

only by understanding those aspect the best choice can be made which helps in boosting the
performance of the HR individual.
Conflict management- The ability to handle all the conflict arises in the organisation in
a sensible manner is the conflict management . Hence by eliminating it overall productivity of
the group could be increased. In Whirlpool corporation, HR Professional should be able to
manage the conflict arises due to several disagreement, every part of managing activity.
Knowledge required for HR professional- Knowledge is mixture of different facts and
information through which awareness is gained for proper understanding of the subject. The
several knowledge skill required for the HR manager are as follows:
Knowledge of taxation- Taxation is the process in which the government takes different
amount of money from the worker and then they spend that money to improve their services, but
in Whirlpool corporation HR Professional should have knowledge about the different taxes
imposed by the government so that according to that they can make payroll (Ford, 2014).
Rules and regulation by the government-These are some rules which an organisation
have to follow for the better implementation of the strategies , made by the government which a
company has to follow for running the organisation. So, in Whirlpool corporation, HR
Professional should have all knowledge about the rules and regulations imposed by the
government for proper running of firm .
Behaviour of HR Professional- It is the way in which one respond to other in a group
or individual manner. The behaviour of the person should not offend other and the several
behaviour required for the HR professional are as follows
Ethical behaviour-A person should be honest, fair to its work and should treat the person
with respect and dignity. When these terms are added to personality of individual then that type
of behaviour is knows as ethical behaviour (Gibbs, 2013). In Whirlpool corporation HR
Professional should respect and value the thought of each and every individual worker. this
provide the HR professional to become more closer to the thought process of employee and helps
in effective management at each and every level of process.
Adaptability- It is a quality of a person which makes the individual to adjust in the new
situation .In Whirlpool corporation HR Professional should be able to adapt the situation arise
due to current change in working environment due to technological change so that HR person
can make the changes effectively.

P2 Personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop a professional
development plan
The personal skills audit is an efficient ways to determine an individual's strength and
weakness and identify need to develop a perfect atmosphere. A personal skills audit requires full
detailed list of skills and knowledge, which has taken into consideration for the further
improvement and development. In this kind of audit, an ability of an individual or group is
required to be calculated. The main motive of skills audit is to identification of different skills
which a particular company need to run business effectively.
The main role of HR professional here is to identify adequate skills and knowledge of an
individual and group people for fulfilling requirement of manpower in an organisation. There are
some strength and weaknesses of a manpower which needs to be discussed:
Strength - The main advantage of Whirlpool’s is that their working culture is unique and
peaceful that employer and employees are free to make decision regarding development of an
organisation. My Major strength is effective relationship among employees and working in
collaboration (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). Time management and multitasking are two important
strength of mine . As everyone knows Whirlpool deals in electronic segment so technical up-
gradation is require to add updated products. This is required to empower and motivate
manpower for learning and become informative about technology to increase productivity and
profitability of an organisation.
Weakness - Here are some few skills where I am lacking behind as a HR professional
which needs to be overcome for self-growth. In Whirlpool, it is difficult for me to manage large
number of employee because of lacking in communication skills, managerial role and adequate
knowledge. I am continuously working in this context to convert my weakness such as decision
making and conflict management into most positive strength.
Personal development plan - The focal purpose of this development plan is aimed to achieving
goals to develop self personality, skills and knowledge during specific period of time. Its motive
is to help an individual to grow in their career for the long term. Generally, it helps improving
current performance of an individual and teams also. The personal development plan is
developed on the basis of weakness which has been identified from skill audits:

Skill Current
proficiency
Target
proficiency
Objective Development
activities
Time scale
Decision-
making
3.5 5 To formulate
policies and
make changes
in system
according to
market
conditions.
Simulation,
real life
situation to
take decision
and motivation
session from
experts.
20 days
Conflict
management
3 5 To create
sound
managerial
system for
having good
relationship
among
employees.
Assigning
task/work on
the team basis
and evaluation
of
performance
by other co-
team mates.
15 days
TASK 2
P3 Difference between organisation and individual learning.
Organizational learning: This concept focuses on knowledge management, system,
culture, collective and individual interaction that assist to achieving organizational goals by
information transformation. Whirlpool organizes various programmes to enhance sustainability
and company's growth. Such programmes improve employee's technical skills, functions, and
working standards. Its a wide continuous procedure that requires systematic integration to
increase collective ability and proper response on time.
Individual Learning: It is a process by which employees gain information and
knowledge from their seniors. This helps to employees in become more active and participative
learners. Whirlpool’s employer focuses on all fundamental requirements of each and every
employee's which is directly connect to knowledge power, and improvement of technical skills

that reinforce to their productivity level. It assists to thoughtful and innovative ideas in working
places that evolve personal skills.
Training and development: It is the function of human resource management
department. Wherein, training refers to the particular setup in which employees can get lot of
knowledge regarding their work easily. Whereas, development determine the overall evaluation
of educational development and growth as well as people maturity in the managerial positions.
Organizational learning Individual learning Training and development
 It emphasize to
thorough organisation'
productivity by
covering all employees.
 It focuses on
personal weakness
for improving
personal
development.
Wherein training and
development is very much
helpful aspect for the
learning concept because of
this employees can get
highly motivate in a better
way.
 It has Broad prospective
for learning area.
 It cover narrow area
of an employee'
deficiencies.
T&D mainly involves in
order to improve the
effectiveness and efficiency
of an organisation and also
improves the team
behaviour effectively.
Apart from this it has been analysed that individual learning and organisational learning
or training and development these are the most important part of any organisation in an effective
manner. By this any industry can develop their future growth effectively. With the help of this
any organisation can lead their employees in order to make strong relationship with them so that
they can create strong team relations at workplace. Therefore, this can be said that individual
learning focus on the personal development. In the case of organisational learning people can
learn different things at workplace in order to achieve goals and objectives. Training and
development influence every employee in order to attract them in an appropriate manner.

P4 Professional development and continuous learning helps in sustainable development.
CONTINUOUS LEARNING - World is full of competition and to beat environment an
individual should be intelligent. Day to day upgrading knowledge with dynamic environment
refers to continuous education. Beginners of any field could be considerable as good scholar. So
that learner needs to require innovative idea's and thoughts to accomplish organisation goal
effectively and efficiently. As these acquisition of information to related condition are overall
developing management.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - Organisation is full with various divisions and
each sectors have divisional heads to over look. Professional who trained other workers in
organisation termed as professional development leader. As their working practices will hamper
whole company internally and externally. Each individual have their own ability to understand
Superior should have their own techniques and strategy to guide subordinates so organisation
reach at boom. Company require such people to enhance productivity and human resources.
In this regards, Whirlpool managers provides training to employees to increase their
skills and abilities. The main reason behind this is to reduce barrier which may arise due skills
gap between professional and learners (Levi, 2015).
Necessary key points which helps in development of sustainable business:- OPEN INNOVATION:- Bringing new face in business world needs lot of effort which
require proper skills and ability. In context to Whirlpool, needs participation of workers
to develop training. Accurate training is required to enhance employees knowledge so
that they can be motivated and take initiative on their own. OPTIMUN UTILISATION OF RESOURCES:- Organisation only runs when there is
optimization of man power and inventories. In respect to Whirlpool workers should be
trained according to new techniques and technology. Due to new inventions in digital
world employees should be trained with developing technologies.
 TEAM BUILDING:- Working in the organisation with superior and subordinates create
team support which helps in generating profit. In context to Whirlpool, workers can
motivated through various activities and appraisals. Communication among employee
plays vital role because through building team will automatically enhance organisational
performance. All individual should be treated equally to form better team.

TASK 3
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement
High performance working refers to those activities which aids to develop organisational
skills more effectively. In this regards transparency, trust and good communication between
superiors and subordinates will enhance working position of organisation. Clarity of mission,
vision, goals and objective should be stated in advance so that employees would perform
accordingly. In context to Whirlpool, human resource management acts key role in every
organisation and always come up with new techniques and strategy to develop workers to
generate profits. Managers introduce many policies which are as follows:- employee
engagement, rewards and compensation, performance appraisal, job transfer etc.
Leakage of strategies, techniques and involvement of management principles leads to
design work flow are totally depends upon modern technology. Managers need to be friendly
with subordinates as rigidity will not work under working environment. Administer of Whirlpool
company is allowing innovative ideas and thoughts of lower sector to encourage them. Trainer
should give feedback to trainee to act performed by them (McCormack, Manley and Titchen,
2013). Through this, they will be motivated and will take initiative by their own. Proper rating
should be given with star marking or through points to develop their personal and professional
skills of employees.
Benefits which are availed by Whirlpool company after introducing HPW practices are:- TRANSPARENCY IN COMMUNICATION:- Communication is the process which aid in
sharing of information and ideas among employees. This will help in creation of positive
working environment and results in enhancement of their trust and loyalty towards each
other. This is the basic reason which aid in development of their involvement in
organisational activities. SHARING DUTIES:- If there is a positive environmental conditions employee show
their interest towards work. Delivering of responsibilities to individual at their interest
level leads to specialisation at work. In context Whirlpool, top level authority have many
activities to performed so sharing duties with responsibilities leads to achieve
organisation goal. By distributing responsibilities to people will help in developing
enterprise. Henceforth action should be divided so that activity performed effectively and
efficiently.

 Employee feedback and evaluation - Employee feedback is the core of personal and
professional growth. Feedbacks help the employee in expressing their ideas and views
about the organisation. Taking feedback from employees while shaping the policies for
the working of an organisation helps an organisation in the long term. An employee feels
motivated that their ideas and opinions are considered while designing the practices for
the working of an organisation (O'leary, Mortensen and Woolley, 2011). thus feels
valued as a human resource and and gets motivated to work in a more effective and
efficient manner towards the achievement of his personal as well as organisational goals.
TASK 4
P6 Evaluate different approaches to performance management
Effective performance of an employee is the backbone of an every organisation.
Performance management is termed as a managerial technique to measure and judge the
performance of an individual and team to achieve goals or targets. It involves track, check and
monitor the performance of an individual as well as group member to reach at final conclusion of
an employee appraisal.. Some important approach are follow:
Attribute approach - Managers gives subjective rated to their employees on the bases of
such parameters skills, judgement, innovative ideas, contribution with the team and
communication skills. It includes Graphic rating scale that shows the results high to low
parameters that adds (+) positive (0) equal or (-) need to improvement.
Behavioural Approach - It holds a vertical scales of different dimension of employee's
work. This can be measures by behaviourally anchored rating scale (BARS), and behavioural
observation scale (BOS). Under BARS approach consists five to ten scales, and according to
each parameters employees receives ranks (Pinjani and Palvia, 2013). On other hand BOS gives
more specific description towards employee's behaviour for effective performance.
Quality Approach - it consider on reducing problems and errors to provide better
satisfaction to all whirlpool's customers. It receives regular feedback on personal and
professional traits. managers focus on both individual and management factors by using multiple
techniques of performance measurement.
Result approach - In context with Whirlpool, It is one of the simplest and beneficial
approach for measuring performance of an employee. In this approach, performance of an

employee is rated on the basis of annual performance by them. A particular rate is given on 1 to
5 scale basis taking performance, efficiency, growth and accuracy as a key factor for rating.
Collaborative approach - This is the best suitable approach for measuring performance.
In this approach, every employee is judge and measure on the basis of task done by them
collaboratively and team support (Schaubroeck, Lam and Peng, 2011). In Whirlpool, it helps the
employee to understand the values and morale of an another employee to strengthen the way of
achieving goals and target. It also helps in understanding the skills, behaviour and knowledge of
other person to work accordingly.
After understanding both approaches, it is clearing that Whirlpool has adopted
collaborative approach to measure and evaluate the performance of an individual as well as
groups.

CONCLUSION
This project has concluded that employees need to improvement in their performance by
their innovative ideas and technical skills and knowledge. More practices are required on
personal and professional traits by conducting training programs on exact time to their
organizational employees. For increasing high efficiency in production department, company
requires a high rating performance with thorough involvement of each and every employees.
Moreover, company should be improve their product quality by its unique functions, features,
and technique. Product's new features makes it different in target market that reduce competition
between rivals companies. All these factors will be assist in growing market share and increasing
company's productivity towards efficiency as well as employees.