Reflection on HR Assistant Role and Experience at J&U Cluster Ltd

This report provides a detailed reflection on the experience of a student working as an HR assistant at J&U Cluster Ltd. The report utilizes Kolb's learning cycle to analyze the student's activities, challenges, and achievements in various HR roles, including talent management, recruitment, and employee data management. The student discusses the importance of communication skills, adaptability, and problem-solving in the HR field, highlighting specific instances where these skills were applied. The report also covers the practical application of data protection principles and the significance of non-financial motivation. The student reflects on areas for improvement, such as flexibility and problem-solving, while emphasizing the importance of teamwork and creating a positive work environment. The report concludes with an assessment of the skills gained and the impact of the experience on future career development.

International Business

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY: REFLECTION........................................................................................................3
Reflection on activities and experience.......................................................................................3
Experience....................................................................................................................................3
Observation and reflection...........................................................................................................5
Abstract conceptualization...........................................................................................................7
Active experimentation..............................................................................................................11
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Reflective writing is an analytical practice in which we have to discuss our experience
and real scene or event (Gibson and et.al., 2017). It helps people out in knowing their area of
strengths and weaknesses and on the basis of identifying areas they can take better actions. It
helps them out in developing their knowledge and also accomplishing desired goals. This present
study is all about reflection on HR assistant that discusses all things that I have learned,
challenges that I have faced and others. It discusses importance of HR assistant and roles played
by them for company. It helps HR assistant in taking several opportunities and learning new
things.
MAIN BODY: REFLECTION
Reflection on activities and experience
As an HR assistant at J&U Cluster Ltd, I played several roles and helped company in
accomplishing their goals. In regard to HR I can say that it is one of the important department
that mainly responsible for managing talent within their business and maintaining an effective
working environment (Din, Idris and Tajuddin, 2020). My placement supervisor Sharper Lab,
helped me out in meeting my desired goals outcomes. I want to share my experience as HR
assistant with the help of Kolb's learning:
Experience
When I was appointed at J&U Cluster as an HR assistant then initially I faced some
problems in managing talent workforce and managing all allotted work. It lowers my morale but
gradually when I worked closely with appointed HR consultancy and supervisor I learned several
things. They helped me out in meeting my goals and when I accomplished my short term
professional goals then it boosted my confidence. I believe that confidence and communication
skill play a vital role and it is the main key of success of HR. HR requires interacting or
communicating with different behaviours of people and employees at workplace. The way if
talking and interacting have several impacts on people so, it is important as an HR assistant of
having effective oral as well as written communication skill. In this regard I want to share my
feelings and experience where I was asked to conduct a group meeting for interacting with all
new employees (Suh, Harrington and Goodman, 2018). In that group meeting I interacted with
all members in an effective manner and make them feel valued. I provided them all information
related to the company and work that they have to do and way of performing function. Oral and

written communication skills help HR in improving relation with all employees and stakeholder
of company. This effective oral communication skill helped me out in selecting skilled
workforce. In recruitment and hiring process, I interacted with all candidates and my
communication skill made me able in knowing their behaviours and knowing all about them. I
can say that this skill helped me out in selecting talent workforce or filling a vacant post and also
improving relation with all employees of this company.
I took care of HR activities such as: effective planning, managing files, data of company
and employees, managing all files of company, tracking leaves and others. Initially I faced some
problems but sooner I adapted the way of performing of this company. This flexibility or ability
to adapt changes and ways helped me out in becoming successful. Due to lack of technology and
resources for managing leaves and other HR activities I faced several other problems. Due to
lack of resources and latest technology at workplace, it took too much of time in completing or
performing functions. It affected my time management skills. Delay in submission of projects
made me stressed some times and due to this frustration and irritation because of work load and
delay in submission of projects I found problems in managing a balance between personal and
professional life (Singh and Sorum, 2018). At that time I decided to take leaves for 5-6 days but
with the help and support of my supervisor, I changed this decision and focused more on my
work. So, I learned the way of managing all functions in a timely manner even without making
use of technology and tools. So, I just want to suggest this company that it should develop
modules related to sickness and absence management tracking process and holiday tracker.
Sometimes it becomes difficult in managing or tracking leaves of employees in this big
company. It can lead to errors and lower morale. So, for accomplishing goals, performing
functions, working under pressure without getting affected in a negative manner, there is
requirement of having patience and ability to solve problems.
I have an experience of maintaining staff files for around 200 people. I also learned ways
of maintaining as well as uploading staff files on online portal. Nowadays it becomes important
of uploading files on online portal as a back up. It helps in providing all details of employees and
company within minutes. For better results it is also important of working with all other
departments such as IT, marketing and others. I believe that HR requires coordinating with all
other functional departments of the company for gathering as well as providing information to
others. Information related to customers and employees help in making better decision because

HR work for managing people and their data. So for managing data, there is requirement of
having data. HR activities start with selection of people and ends with their retention. For
retaining skilled and selected employees, I motivated them by identifying their needs and while
motivating and identification of needs I found that people at one workplace also have different
needs. Some have financial needs for which they work and some have non-financial needs. By
identifying meeds of them, it becomes easier in engaging them with the company. Major I
worked on managing data of employees and company. For securing all data and information,
there is requirement of having strict relevant regulations and policies (Borghi and Van Gulick,
2018). By working on this area, I found that data protection act plays a vital role. This act
controls how personal information can be used and employees also have rights to ask for
information about themselves. I learned all main principles of data protection act such as: it
should be lawful and fair, specific, adequate. Ethics also play a vital role in managing
information and resources of the company. As an HR assistant I learned reasons as why we are
required keeping all information secure with us. Safety and security of information of company
and employees improves our image in the market. Customers and employees are more likely to
stay with the company and it increases trust towards the company. So, from this experience I can
say that I learned too many things and it can help me out in the future in career growth.
Observation and reflection
I want to review and reflect my own experience that I get by working at J&U Cluster as
an HR assistant. By working at that company I learned several things of managing people. One
of the main task that I did and handled was managing around more than 200 staff files in an
effective manner. I managed all files and data of staff in a manner that can help manager in
taking better decision. Now in this digital era it is important to upload and maintain all files on
online portal. It helps in performance appraisal and other decision-making (Kang and et.al.,
2020). As an HR assistant my main responsibility was taking care of all HR activities such as
recruitment of skilled workforces, training to employees, motivating to them and managing all
data of them. While recruitment, companies seek for employees data such as their name,
qualification, degree of qualification as a proof and others. For protecting ourselves against
lawsuit and false claim by employees, HR require having all data or employees and consent form
as like contract. So, it becomes crucial for HR assistant to maintain accuracy and authenticity of
employees and company's data. And I did this job in a very effective manner, I got appreciation

from my manager that boosted my confidence. From this experience I got to know the
importance of non-financial motivation. Non-financial motivation includes: appreciation,
celebration of success, promotional and other opportunities. As an HR assistant we also require
having knowledge about all types of motivation and by reviewing effectiveness of non-financial
motivation I used the same for motivating staff members. Byidentifying the type of needs of
employees I provided them the same. It helped me out in improving relation with them and
improved relation also plays a vital role within an organization. Employees at workplace perform
functions for some things and for accomplishing some goals and it is known as motivation
(Lanaj, Foulk and Erez, 2019). So, by knowing their type of motivation and providing them the
same, we can retain them with the company for the long run. It improves image of the company.
From all these I also learned some important aspects that play a vital role in improving image
and overall productivity of the company. All these aspects that I have identified include:
motivated and satisfied employees, improved image of the company and quality of products and
services. All these can be done by retaining employees and it is possible when HR focuses on
improving relation with employees and satisfy their needs. By knowing this fact, I focused on
developing team working. When employees work in a team then they are more likely to
communicate or interact with each other.
J&U Cluster company employs diverse workforces and initially employees were facing
problems in communicating and understanding each others due to different cultures and
language. But by working in team and group projects, employees interacted with each other and I
also supported them in communicating openly. It reduced miscommunication and improved
relation with each other. It created a positive and effective working environment at J&U cluster
company (Infante-Rivard and Cusson, 2018). So, from this I can strongly say that I learned ways
of motivating as well as retaining employees with the company. It improved my knowledge and
skills and boosted my confidence. I believe that it can definitely help me out in the future in
getting several external as well as career development opportunities in the profession of HR. But
there were some areas in which I was lacking behind and because of that weaknesses I faced
some problems. Some areas that I found weakened while working in this company was:
flexibility or ability of adapting new things and performing functions accordingly. Rather than
this, I was lacking in problem solving skill. It was found when some changes in external
environmental factors occur. Some external business environmental factors such as: political,

social, economic and technological can change any time. For continuing functions without
getting affected the most, As an HR assistant there is require' of having flexibility. When some
changes happened in political stability and environmental factors, climate change or Covid-19
then initially I became frustrated in managing people who were working from home. For
maintaining safety and security, this company allowed some people work from home. Due to
lack of this skill I found difficulties in managing people but with the help of my seniors I learned
the best and effective ways of managing people and adapting changes. It increased my ability of
working under pressure. When we become flexible and adaptable then we are more likely to stay
focused and refreshed at workplace. I learned the importance of remaining comfortable and
stressed free and how it can help us out in increasing our performance. No one is perfect but by
practising and learning from our mistakes and by taking risks, we can boost our confidence. This
experience can add us stars in the future and by developing career on the basis of skills and
experience I can accomplish my medium term as well as long term goals (Pangh and et.al.,
2019). Overall, I can say that practical knowledge is much better than theoretical. When we do
something practically then only we can learn several things in the real life, and we can also
understand behaviours or feelings of others. When we do something practical then we experience
several things and it increases our knowledge
and skills. So, from this experience and self evaluation I can say that skill of communicating,
team working and leadership helped me out in accomplishing my goals. When we lead people
then it increases our knowledge. I learned several things from staff members as well and I
believe that there is no age of learning new things' ad we can learn from anyone. I learned from
my staff members that how to manage time and make balance between personal and profession
al life (Patel, 2019). When I adopted the same technique then I found that time management also
plays a vital role as it also makes us stressed free at workplace and makes us concentrated.
Abstract conceptualization
On the basis of reflection and experience that I took by working at J&U cluster company
I learned several things. I want to discuss ideas that I developed from self-analysis and reflection
on own skills. When I found that I am lacking behind in some areas like flexibility, problems
solving and others then I took help of my seniors. As an HR assistant the main responsibility is
managing people and making them able to stay with the company. Also, for helping out
company, we are required managing all important documents that I did in a very well manner.

Rather than this, I was asked by my seniors to develop professional development plan. Initially I
did not know the importance of PDP. But with the guidance of HR manager, I got to know that
to which extent personal as well as professional development plan helps us out in improving our
skills. On the basis of my own experience and analysis I developed some strategies for
improving my skill to the great extent by which I can perform all activities of HR. After
recruiting employees for vacant post of the company, I developed some ways by which I can
make them able to understand policies and ways of performing functions (Shah, 2019). I made
use of on board training and in that training I accomplished my goals and made them aware
about company's processes and operations. At that time I got to know that different people have
different behaviours and for working with them, as an HR assistant we require changing our style
of leading and managing people. As per the different needs of staff members, we need to interact
and behave with them. I did the same as I have already learned from my experience and it helped
me out in developing different strategies as well as ideas. When I got to know about my skills
that I am good in communication and managing staff files to the great extent then I took
opportunities of performing relevant functions. I took participated in group meetings and
seminars and it reduced stage fear or public speaking fear (Hughes, 2018). When I participated in
such seminars for developing my skills then I learned the way of developing programs and I did
the same for motivating and increasing skills of staff members of J&U cluster company. After
identifying weakness of managing people and their information who was working from home, I
developed strategies. As per that I successfully managed or tracked holidays by direct
communication with all members. But I want to suggest to this company that it should focus on
investing more amount in tools. It can make several HR activities easier such as: tracking
holidays and absence management tracking etc.
In J&U cluster company as an HR I also give more ideas for development which help me
in my growth as well as company growth. In my HR role if managed 200+ staff files and this
management help to learn management of employees file and documentation in better way. As
an HR I try to expand accountabilities which help company to expand their staff member and
provide employment to job seeker and it also helps in different types of tasks and it increases
responsibilities (Wardah, and Baidawi, 2020). Expanding accountability help me to monitor and
review the staff members progress and it also helps me in my future for developing my career.

I also try to develop attendance and involvement in different department for employees
and staff members for the meeting it helps in various ways such as select the meetings which
provide knowledge to company employees, it also helps in pre-plan employee involvement in the
meetings and it also helps manager to review the staff performance in the meeting. This
development idea help me to develop my skills and it also helps me to monitor my employees
and in future this idea also help in my professional skills. I also suggest to my colleges for
coaching and feedback counselling is take by time to time from employees so that they can
effectively work and it also helps me to create effective work environment. Coaching and
feedback counselling also help me to improve my personality and my work according to
employees feedbacks. This suggestion will help me in future to monitor development progress by
feedback result. I also recommend to the J&U cluster company that they must use this
development idea so that they can work on actual problems and also try to develop new problem
solving strategies.
I also try to give idea in which employees try to handover their work if they are going
holiday so that their work doesn't suffer and other employees also can do their work easily
without any interruptions, Employees can also assign their work and responsibilities to superior
so that they can review their work and check their performance. This idea help me to manage
different department work and also help employees so that they can easily take holidays without
any pressure and this development idea also help to create positive work environment in J&U
cluster company. In company, I developed work one-on-one with a specialist in this environment
employees can work in their specific area where they want work and develop their skills it helps
company by increasing their effective work (Jacobson and Lambright, 2018). This development
idea also help me to differentiae employees by their skills so that they can do their best on
specific areas it will help in company progress. I also try to develop in-house training programs
in which higher position employees teacher lower or entry level employees which help company
to develop effective communication between employees. These different development ideas help
me to improve my skills and experienced level in industry so that in future I will get the best
opportunity for my career.
In developing with in house ideas that could help my employee for making their training
program being more developed and fills up the gap between their skills and innovative sets. The
goals bridge gap between current as well desired performance of employee that could help them

for making themselves developed as per company required. I will help them in giving them some
work, which teaches them at time of training and that could help them in completing of that
work. Testing and practising can be done by allotting them various projects with having
deadlines and that could lead to check their efficiency level (Neubert, Rams and Utikal, 2020).
Feedback should be obtaining by stakeholder that could be more benefits for them in thinking
what they have learned from the training. analysing feedback can allow them organization for
identifying their employee weakness and strength along with I will also get in which they are
facing issues. Attendance should be maintained properly so that keep support to employee in
knowing about each leave where they have taken and how much thy have taken. Online portal
must be assessed for them. I will try to have online tracker in which they can easily apply for
leave and check their salary deduction or increments have been made. Online portal also shows
about holidays within months or years are their. In J&U company I would like to develop an idea
about one-on-one meeting that helps in maintaining relationship mangers and team members and
assists for improving productivity. I will give projects with having deadlines that could keep
them working with their manager in which they can easily have better communication skills.
Employee conversation must be important in company that could make their company with
having some innovative and ideas. I will take my team meeting by one-on-one because they can
speak about any problems which they are facing at time of completing work.
I would test in implementing any tasks along with gathering information in taking their
feedback after giving them proper training regarding their work. I should allot them work with
having some authority as well responsibilities that makes them continuously giving feedback.
Providing feedback can also make some employee uncomfortable, but having one-on-one
meeting they can have the best opportunities for letting know them what they are doing and how
they are doing their work. In house provides them proper training for implementing any goals or
objective about company and following as per their instruction have been given (Morris, 2020).
Not only have opportunities for discuss goals, expectations but sometime they will also provide
undivided attention. Within in this time employee will get attention in getting chance for making
more progress and receiving clear particular objectives. Loyalty as well interaction being more
created between leaders and employee for having one-on-one meeting in J&U that could be more
advantage in achieving goals or objectives. Proper communication should be their among
employee and manager so that they can support to company for having more advantages

furthermore understanding the importance of planning. By helping out company we can take
promotional and other opportunities and develop our career.
Active experimentation
Working as HR assistant and closely working with J&U cluster Ltd, I learned several
new things. As I worked with appointed HR consultancy, my placement supervisor helped me
out in accomplishing my desired goals throughout the internship. I was mainly appointed for
taking care of all HR activities. Before that I knew that the main responsibility of HR assistant is
to help out HR manager by employing skilled workforces within company, providing training to
them and managing their personal as well as professional data. As per this knowledge and my
previous experience I worked mainly on managing HR data and made myself effective or perfect
in this field. While working with this company and gradually I learned effective ways of
managing employees' data. With the help of HR consultancy I managed around 200 staff files. It
was my great opportunities and it boosted my confidence (Colomer and et.al., 2018). I believe
that for completing or performing any task, we should make an effective plan. Planning is the
main key of success as it helps us out in working effectively, appropriately. We can also measure
our effectiveness and can identify the gap between our actual performance and estimated
performance as per the planning. This planning provides us the right direction or path to success.
So, overall in the context of learning and knowledge I can say that managing staff files to the
great extent and learning ways of updating them on online portal was my main key of success.
Other thing and skill that I learned by working as HR assistant was: team working. For
motivating and providing training to all employees' communication was must. Initially I faced
some problems in dealing with different behaviours of employees as well as customers. But with
the help of superiors and my seniors I learned the way of working in a team and also learned the
importance of communication in team working. I allotted projects to employees in a team and by
helping out them I improved my communication skill. I had fear of public speaking and for
reducing and overcoming this skill, I took initiation or active participation in group meetings and
seminars, developed by J&U cluster company. The main work of this company was consultancy.
It consulted many people and companies and for consulting customers to such great extent there
were requirement of effective oral and written communication. Confidence also plays a vital role
as it improves our personality and other people believe in us. While providing lectures and
defining all rules and regulations to employed people in meeting, I improved my confidence and

communication skill. I believe that communication is the main skill that everyone requires in
their professional as well as in personal life. No matter what is their profession, in every
profession whether it is related to marketing, HR, finance and others, it plays a vital role. People
interact and communicate with people surrounding them and it is the reason this skill plays a
vital role. So, from this I can also say that these skills such as: communication, managing staff
information and team working can help me out in the future (Slade and et.al., 2019).
All these skills can provide me opportunities of becoming effective HR assistant and I
can also take advantage or opportunities of getting promotion. With the help of team working
skill I can lead group members and can develop other skills of leader. I also believe that when we
lead someone regards something then it does not only help them out but it increases our skills as
well. We learn several things while teaching or leading something to someone and there is no
age that can stop from learning. We should learn different new things from our juniors as well
and I did the same. I learned the way of managing balance between personal and professional
life. In this competitive era, it becomes difficult to spare time for family and ourselves and it can
sometimes make us frustrated, Due to workload and at the time of change management, I faced
several problems and I worked for longer hours and due to this, I became frustrated. Then I
learned the way of managing time with employees and juniors. Time management is other main
skill that HR should posses because they have to perform several roles. It becomes difficult
sometimes in managing all functions and performing all roles. So, I started making plan and time
table for prioritizing tasks or setting milestones. Milestones and prioritizations helped me out in
completing important tasks before and in a timely manner. I identified changes in myself as I
started completing all functions as per the deadline. It also helped me out in making a balance
between my personal and professional life. This balance improved my concentration power and
improved my performance (Stoll and et.al., 2019). I felt myself energetic and refreshed at
workplace and for performing several tasks and working as HR assistant, it is important to feel
refreshed at workplace. After identifying all these things and my skills, I tried to apply all these
to other situations. By experiencing all these and applying my knowledge into new situation, I
increased my engagement level in new experience. And this new experience can help me out in
interacting with diverse customers and also becoming successful in the future.
On the other hand, I identified some areas in which I am not good and it found while
implementing plan and measuring performance. I found that I am not good in decision-making