Developing Individuals, Teams, and Organizations: A Report

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Developing Individual,
Teams, and Organisations

Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................. 3
Section - 1.................................................................................................................................4
Section – 2................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................. 11
Reference List.........................................................................................................................12

Introduction
A competent and effective human resource management is the need of the hour for an
organisation's effectiveness in the effective achievement of its goals and objectives. When
the HR management is efficient, it helps the organisation in converting its human resources
into high performing assets that can then become a facet of the competitive advantage over
its competition. In today's business environment, every organisation is striving to gain a
competitive advantage over its rival in order to survive and grow (Armstrong and Taylor,
2014). The changing business environment and increasing competitive levels have made it
imperative to have human resources that are motivated to perform effectively in their
assigned roles to enhance the overall performance levels of the organisation. In present
circumstances, it's not just a matter of growth but a key to an organisations survival. To
achieve all this, the HR function of the organisation needs to versatile and capable of
effectively delivering the requirements of changing human resource landscape. The
assignment focuses on different aspects of the roles and responsibilities of an HR advisor
and his ability for self-development to capably pursue and fulfil the organisational human
resource requirement from making the required workforce available to making the existing
workforce capable, motivated, and high performing (DeCenzo et al., 2016).
The assignment is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on the knowledge,
attributes and skills required for efficient delivery of the roles and responsibilities of an HR
advisor. It also considers the current skill levels through a skill audit and creation of a
professional development plan for attaining the necessary skill sets. It also undertakes the
analysis of factors relevant to the implementation and evaluation of required organisational
learning and development attributes necessary for organisational performance (DeCenzo et
al., 2016). The second section of the assignment focuses on elements of the high-
performance working environment as a tool for enhanced organisational performance and a
facet of its competitive advantage.

Section - 1
KSA for HR Advisor
The organisational roles and responsibilities of each and every employee are predefined and
it’s updated as per the requirements of the organisation. The KSA or Knowledge, Skills and
Attributes are also predefined for every role and are necessary for the effective execution of
designated roles and responsibilities (Armstrong and Taylor, 2014). The KSA or Knowledge,
Skills and Attributes being considered here is for the role of a Human Resource Advisor at
the Hightown Housing Association and it’s being prepared for the first year annual appraisal
purpose.
Knowledge(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014)
 Comprehension of different aspects of human resource management such as
staffing, training, employee relations, etc.
 Knowledge of organisational HR policies, practices, Employment Laws and
Employment tribunal processes and outcomes.
 Knowledge of HR processes and their implementation such as performance
management absence management, etc.
 Working knowledge of Business manager.
 Knowledge of different communication strategies and training and development
programs.
Skills(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014)
 Written English Skills: To prepare official correspondence and documentation.
 Verbal English Skills: To deliver clear information and training programs as well as
in a situation that requires convincing the employees regarding a complex
situation.
 Interpersonal Skills: to effectively work with various functions, managers,
management, line managers, employees etc.
 Critical and logical reasoning and decision making
 Crisis management
 Performance evaluation
 Risk identification and management
 Problem Solving
 Listening skills
 Designing and delivering Training and development activities
Attributes(Armstrong and Taylor, 2014)
 Adaptability and creativity
 Leadership
 Self-control and tolerance

 Comfortable in socially connecting with employees and other stakeholders.
Skill Audit
Skill Audit can be described as a process of determining the skill gaps for a particular role in
an organisation. The training programs are created to fill the skill gaps identified through a
skill audit. The Skill audit forms the basis of the training and development activities at both
individual and organisational levels (Furnham and Gunter, 2015).
Self Skill Audit on KSA parameters for HR Advisor
KSA Category Basic KSA Competency Level
Technology Proficiency Level Business Manager Basic
Microsoft Office, and
PowerPoint
Competent
Database Management Moderate
Communication Skills Reading Competent
Writing Moderate
Spoken Basic
Listening Competent
Managerial Attributes Leadership, team handling, etc. Basic
Problem Solving Logical Reasoning Competent
Critical Reasoning Competent
Verbal Reasoning Basic
On analysing the above skill audit the problem areas are Managerial attributes and skills
Verbal Reasoning, Spoken communication skills, and expertise in the business manager. The
issues with verbal reasoning seem to be caused by weak spoken English skills and correcting
the spoken communication skills may correct the issue (Noe et al., 2017). To some extent,
some attention needs to given to areas Database management and written communication
where competency levels are moderate although improvement in these areas will positively
affect the effectiveness and performance levels.
Professional Development Plan HR Advisor

HR Advisor Professional Development Plan(Noe et al., 2017)
Review of the Learning Needs Development Planning
Start Date Problem
Area
Affiliated
Areas
Basic Needs Activities Resources Success
Parameter
Duratio
n
01/03/2019 Database
Managem
ent
HR data
Manage
ment
Training for
using the
relevant
software
Training and
courses
Trainer,
Certification
Feedback
From the HR
manager,
Training
Certificate
5 weeks
05/04/2019 Business
Manager
HR
reporting
and data
entry
The
knowledge
of using
Business
manager
Training Trainer Feedback
From an HR
manager
3 weeks
26/04/2019 Spoken
and
Written
English
Verbal
reasonin
g,
communi
cation
Skills
The
knowledge
of English
Language
and its
usage
Courses and
training
Certification
, Trainer
Feedback
From an HR
manager
Training
Certificate
10
weeks
05/07/2019 Manageria
l Attributes
and skills
Effective
executio
n of
responsi
bility
Leadership,
Team
Managemen
t, etc
Training Trainer Feedback
From an HR
manager
14
weeks
11/10/2019 Presentati
on Skills
Commun
ication
skill
Presentatio
n both
verbal and
written
Training,
Courses
Certification
, Trainer
Feedback
From an HR
manager
Training
Certificate
5 weeks
Continuous Organisational Learning
The learning within an organisation can be of two type’s individual and organisational
learning. Individual learning is centred at individual needs and requires self-motivation and
self-initiation and it may not align with the organisational requirements. On the other hand,

organisational learning is based on the current or future organisational requirements and
designed to fulfil the skill gaps within the employee knowledge, skill and attributes (Sessa
and London, 2015). The organisational learning is endorsed and supported by the
organisation and method of fulfilling the skill gaps are determined by the nature of
organisational requirement whether the requirements are current or future. The current
requirements related to the efficient execution of employee role are addressed through
training while the future requirements associated with future roles of the employee are
addressed through development (Nankervis et al., 2016).
Nowadays the focus is on the creation of a learning environment within the organisation
based on continuous learning and to create a knowledge-oriented organisation. The
knowledge-based organisation use continuous learning within the organisation as a tool of
competitive advantage. An example could be Google, which promotes continuous learning
and innovation within the organisational framework. The reason behind such an inclination
is that the expert employees enhance organisational performance and executes their tasks
in a cost-effective, high quality, and time-bound manner (Sessa and London, 2015).
Kolb's learning styles and experiential learning cycle will be ideal for the continuous learning
needs of the Hightown Housing. The model allows identification of learning styles of
employees and designing learning methodology according to determined learning styles.
Also, the experiential learning style will be more viable since the employees can gain
practical knowledge of skill being taught to them thereby improving their individual skill
sets. The continuous learning is critical for a knowledge-based organisation and it allows the
employees to continuously improve their skill sets and acquire new skill sets that help them
in better execution of their designated roles (Nankervis et al., 2016).
The organisation gets a pool of expert employees that together mentor and train the rest of
the employees enlarging the expert employee pool at the company’s disposal. This
contributes to better performance of individuals as well as teams and smoother functioning
of organisational processes. This helps the organisation to better its performance and
effectively manage the changing market requirements thereby gaining a competitive edge
over its competitors (Nankervis et al., 2016). The financial aspects of endorsing a continuous
learning based environment are fully justified as is clear with the examples of organisations

like Google and Apple that have incorporated such an environment within their
organisation. The financial aspect of training and development activities is much lower as
compared to recruiting people with similar skill levels. Also, the continuous learning
environment promotes employee motivation and loyalty levels (Sessa and London, 2015).

Section – 2
High performance working
The high-performance work system can be described as a system that combines the
organisational HR practices, work processes and structures to improve the employee
knowledge and skill levels so that their performance levels are enhanced to higher levels
contributing to the high-performance levels of the organisation (Locke and Latham, 2013).
An HPW system consists of many interrelated components that work together with an
objective of attaining the organisational goals. The primary concept behind the HPW system
is the belief that there can be a system that can promote higher organisational performance
by instilling high employee performance. The following are some of the key elements of an
HPW system (Noe et al., 2017)
Employee Participation
This involves increasing employee participation levels in the decision-making process by
empowering them to take decisions or contribute to the decision-making process. This
allows the employees to affect the work environment in their vicinity and as a result the
organisational work environment. This contributes to the employee's feelings of
empowerment and improves their commitment and loyalty towards the organisation (Locke
and Latham, 2013).
Training
This element of an HPW system focuses on enhancing the skill and knowledge levels of the
employee to better equip them for effective execution of their jobs and responsibilities. This
enables the employee to work efficiently and effectively thereby improving their
performance levels and contributing to enhanced organisational performance as a result.
This element also includes providing cross-training opportunities to allow the employees to
understand the organisational functions better and equip them for future responsibilities
(Noe et al., 2017).

Rewards and Recognition
The employee participation and training prepares the employees and the organisation for
the incorporation of the high-performance work system but the success of HPW system is
dependent upon the element that drives the employee and motivates them towards high
performance (Noe et al., 2017). The rewards and recognition element involves
interconnecting the rewards or incentives with performance. The interlinking of reward and
performance will promote the employee to focus on the outcomes that benefit the
employees as well as the organisation (Locke and Latham, 2013). The rewards or incentives
can have a monetary component like pay rise, stock options, etc. or it can have non-
monetary aspects like day offs, flexible work hours, etc.
Technology
Technology is an important aspect of today's work environment. It allows ease of
communication and sometimes the ease of executing work. An HPW system requires the
use of the technology that supports and helps the employee in executing their work
effectively (Noe et al., 2017).
An example of HPW system can be the annual performance appraisal that's the part of the
performance management system. The organisation implements an appraisal system that's
associated with employee performance (Locke and Latham, 2013). This makes the
employees focused on their performance levels. Another example of effective HPW
application in HRM is the changes in the recruitment process to allow entry to individuals
that suit the organisational culture and are performance oriented. Also, the incorporation of
a learning environment in the organisation that becomes an ongoing process of continuous
development of employees that leads to the development of teams and in turn the
organisation. An HPW system is more focused on improving team performance and
individual performances as part of the team since collective team performances have a
direct impact on organisational performance (Kehoe and Wright, 2013). So, an HPW system
will have sophisticated HR processes, efficient knowledge sharing and learning,
performance-based incentives, necessary training and technology assistance such as in IBM.
The results of implementing the HPW system at IBM were highly effective and the

knowledge sharing and improvement aspect of the HPW system contributed to the
exceptional growth of the organisation (Noe et al., 2017).
An organisation like Hightown Housing employs a variety of skill sets and some of these skill
sets are highly technical. The incorporation of HPW systems will create a learning
environment within the company that will facilitate the effective working of the employees
by facilitating the growth of their individual skill and knowledge levels (Kehoe and Wright,
2013). This can be achieved by incorporating specific training programs, allowing the seniors
and experts to mentor and coach other employees during work hours, creating a common
platform for sharing the knowledge such as an intranet portal, etc. Also, allowing employees
to learn and work in other functions of the organisation helps in creating an employee with
a varied skill set, identifying employees aptitude for different functions and determining
their best placement within the organisation that benefit the organisation the most. Overall,
the HPW practices will improve effective skill utilisation of the employees that leads to their
high performances and contribute to the high-performance levels of Hightown Housing. The
company is an organisation with a charitable outlook will be rewarded in terms of cost-
effectiveness and better performance in the long run (Kehoe and Wright, 2013).
Effective Communication, Collaborative Working, and Performance Management in HPWS
Effective Communication
Effective communication is an integral part of implementing the HPW system at Hightown
Housing. Effective communication is crucial for high organisational performance. To
incorporate the HPW system in the company, the employees need to have a clear
understanding of their roles and responsibilities. In the absence of such clarity, they will
unable to execute their work effectively and it will inhibit their performance. The
management or manager needs to be able to clearly communicate the expectations of
employees and their respective roles and responsibilities (Argyris, 2017). This requires
effective communication from the managers to the employees that are from top to bottom.
Effective communication is also necessary for enhanced employee participation hence there
needs to be a system in place to facilitate bottom to top communication. It means a
communication system that caters to the need of employees to communicate their input
with their superiors and become a part of the decision making the process. Another area

where effective communication comes into play is the effectiveness of self-managed teams
and intra-team and inter-team communication. High team performance is an integral aspect
of HPW systems and communication is a necessary aspect of team efficiency (Locke and
Latham, 2013).
Effective communication contributes to the prevention of miscommunication and confusion
in the workplace. It's a prerequisite of transparency and empowerment within an
organisation. The amount of information delegated to the employees affect their
empowerment levels and as a result their motivation and performance level. Another aspect
of effective communication is the increased accountability in employees by their peers and
alignment of the employee, team and organisation goals and direction facilitating the
overall efforts towards the direction of organisational goals and requirements (Argyris,
2017).
Collaborative Working
Collaborative Working is an aspect that will be a necessary part of the HPW system at the
Hightown Housing. In an organisation the individual employee performances are important
but their direct impact on the organisational performance is minimal. On the other hand,
employee's performance can be a key aspect for team productivity although a single
employee will be unable to drive the team performance. This indicates that the team
performances are a critical aspect of organisational performance. Team productivity is
dependent upon the communication and collaboration between the team members (Locke
and Latham, 2013). Collaboration becomes a critical aspect of collective improvement in
team performance as well as in the development of individual employee skill and knowledge
levels. The absence of collaboration within an organisation will cause working that lacks
direction as well as lack of focused and combined efforts that May sometime result in
wastage of resources, duplication of works etc. Collaborative working ensures partnerships
within the team and the organisation with collective efforts towards a common goal. This
ensures high performance of teams, effective learning and knowledge sharing, and all
around development in skills and knowledge. This also ensures the smooth operation of the
organisation due to the coordination between teams from different business functions and
prevention and quick resolution of any crisis (Argyris, 2017).