Analysis of HR Skills, Performance, and Development at Whirlpool

This report analyzes the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors required of HR professionals, using a case study of Whirlpool, a multinational electronic goods manufacturer. It examines the importance of communication, multitasking, and knowledge of governmental regulations for HR managers. The report includes a personal skills audit and a professional development plan, identifying areas for improvement in communication, conflict resolution, and time management. Furthermore, it analyzes the differences between organizational and individual learning, highlighting the need for continuous professional development to drive sustainable business performance. The report also explores how high-performance work practices (HPW) contribute to employee engagement and competitive advantage, as well as evaluating different approaches to performance management to support a high-performance culture.

Developing Individual,
Teams and Organisation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR professionals...............................................................................................................1
P2. Analyse a completed personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and
behaviours and develop a professional development plan for a given job role......................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P3 Analyse the differences between organisational and individual learning, training and
development...........................................................................................................................7
P4 Analyse the need for continuous learning and professional development to drive
sustainable business performance...........................................................................................9
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
P5. Demonstrate understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and
competitive advantage within a specific organisational situation........................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
P6 Evaluate different approaches to performance management (e.g. collaborative working),
and demonstrate with specific examples how they can support high-performance culture and
commitment..........................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Growth and success of a business depends upon performance of employees therefore, it is
necessary for every people at organisation to develop own skills and abilities in regular manner.
For this assistance, it is essential for managers to provide necessary training to workers so that
they can work in more efficient manner. It will also help a company in getting high retention of
employees by generating job satisfaction in them (Ford, 2014). The assignment is based on a
case scenario of Whirlpool which is a multinational company of UK. This firm deals in
manufacturing sector and serves electronic products like home appliance in many countries. This
report highlights different type of skills, knowledge and behaviour that HR managers should
have to perform their different roles and responsibilities. Moreover, an application of various
HPW practices as well as approaches of performance management also discussed in further part
of project.
TASK 1
P1. Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR professionals
In order to gain efficiencies of business and gain high profitability, it is necessary for a
company to develop skills and knowledge of associated people. It context with HR managers, for
improving performance of business and manage human resource in proper manner, it is
necessary for them to develop own skills and knowledge first (Knowledge and skills required by
HR professional. 2016). As per present scenario, Whirlpool Company of UK which deals in
electronic sector is required to restructure its complete business structure. In this regard, HR
managers are required to present a report at Confederation of British Industry workshop which
shows how performance management, communication system and collaboration of workers give
support to high-performance culture. Therefore, they should have possessed necessary skills,
knowledge and behaviour to perform these duties.
Skills of HR professionals: Skills and abilities show qualities of people by which they
perform roles and responsibilities in an effective manner. In order to resolve problems and issues
of business, HR managers of Whirlpool should have following skills:- Good Communication: Communication refers to a medium by which a person conveys
thoughts and opinions. In context with HR managers, it is essential for them to have
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implemented effective communication system at workplace through which employees get
freedom to share their ideas in decision-making activities. It will also help in building
strong relationship among employees and management. Multitasking: As an HR manager, a person has to perform various roles and
responsibilities like managing human resource, formulating strategies and different
policies etc. Therefore, this type of skill helps in performing all duties in appropriate
manner.
Knowledges of HR professionals: Knowledge is said to be information, facts and skills
that a person gain through education or experience. Thus, for playing roles and responsibilities in
an effective manner, HR managers of Whirlpool should have possessed following knowledge:- Cognition of government's rules and regulations: It is major responsibility of HR
managers to have proper knowledge of laws and legislations made by Government
(Schaubroeck, Lam and Peng, 2011). As Whirlpool has operated its business in many
countries so, having knowledge of governmental laws of such nations helps in running
business in legal manner. Taxation: As one of the prime duty of HR managers is to generate salary of workers in
ethical manner. Therefore, it is essential for them to should have proper knowledge about
tax redemption which helps in giving salary benefits to employees. In context with
Whirlpool, its managers have possessed appropriate knowledge of taxation through
which they provide guidance to workers about different plans or schemes for utilisation
of salary.
Behaviour of HR professionals: It shows attitude of people through which they perform
their duties and interact with others for conveying messages. In context with HR managers, they
should possess positive behaviour through which they can influence others towards business
success. Ethical Behaviour: It is necessary for HR managers of Whirlpool to possess ethical
behaviour through which they can influence people to follow rules and regulations of
business. Moreover this type of behaviour helps them in formulating strategies which
gives benefits to employees, investors and customers.
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 Adaptability: It shows flexible as well as adjustable behaviour of a person which is
essential for HR managers should have in order to manage different culture of
organisation in an appropriate manner.
P2. Analyse a completed personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and
behaviours and develop a professional development plan for a given job role
Personal skill audit provides a way by which a person can determine own strengths and
weaknesses in a proper manner (Pinjani and Palvia, 2013). By this process, individuals can
identify in which filed they need to take training for developing their abilities. It will help them
in giving better performance by conducting roles and responsibilities in efficient manner.
Method of auditing skills varies as per profession of individuals. Thus, in context with HR
managers of multinational companies like Whirlpool, they are required to evaluate own skills
and knowledge related to decision-making processes, multitasking operations, managing
conflicts and more.
Skill Audit:
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Communication skills
Drafting contracts
of employment
✔
Taking notes of
disciplinary
hearings
✔
Writing reports ✔
Producing
material to
support
presentation
✔
3

Delivering a
training session
✔
Resolving
disputes or
complaints
✔
Interviewing ✔
Advising of HR
issues
✔
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Problem solving skills
Making good use
of verbal
reasoning skills,
able to handle
complex data and
make selective
use of
information
✔
Exploring more
than one solution
in order to solve a
problem
✔
Considering the
ideas of others to
help in solving
problems
✔
4

Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Time management
Distributing roles
and
responsibilities to
employees as per
skills of them
✔
Exploring
solution through
which task can be
completed on
time
✔
Delivering
services to
customers on time
✔
Very good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Information Technology
Use Microsoft
Office Word
✔
Use Excel
Spreadsheet
✔
Use a Database ✔
5

Use Specialist HR
Software
✔ ✔
Use the Internet ✔
Use Email ✔
Use Power Point ✔
According to requirement for performing such roles and responsibilities, I have prepared
a business plan for determining my own strengths and weakness as well as process through
which abilities of mine can be modified. It will help me in gaining opportunity through which I
can attain high position at workplace.
Serial
no.
Learning
objective
Current
proficien
cy
Targe
ted
profic
iency
Development opportunities Time
scale
1 Strong
communication
3 5 In big organisations like Whirlpool
which have large customer base, it is
necessary for HR managers to deal with
consumers, employees and other
stakeholders in a proper way. For this
process, they must have possessed strong
communication skills through which
they can manage issues related to
customers and workers appropriately.
Thus, in this regard I am feeling
sometimes unable to influence people
having diverse culture. So, I need to
work under supervision of my seniors
who are good in that.
2 to 3
months
2 Conflict solving 3 5 Currently Whirlpool has more 92000 4 to 6
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workers belongs to different culture.
Therefore, occurrence of conflicts and
other issues among them on daily basis
is natural. In this regard, to deal with
them and solve their issues on time,
generate feeling of anger or frustration in
me. I have behave sometimes in
unethical manner which creates
negativity at workplace. So, to overcome
from this situation, I need to attend
some sessions which guide me how to
resolve issues of workers in quick
manner without being partial.
months
4 Time
management
4 5 Time management refers to the most
essential skills that helps a person in
conducting various tasks in given period
of time. In this regard, I am quite
effective in getting right work of
employees within short period of
interval. For this process, I used to
provide proper guidance to people
related to roles and responsibilities so
that they can complete work without
error in given time. But I will take some
session for developing time managerial
skills then it will help me in conducting
functions more quick.
1 to 3
months
Strengths: As per above personal skill audit, it has evaluated that time managerial skill of
mine shows major strength through which I am able to take quick decisions related to business. It
also gives me opportunity to handle various problems of Whirlpool in short-period of interval.
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Weakness: According to analysis, it has also seen that I am too weak in solving conflicts
of employees and engage them in group task. Along with this, in making effective interaction
with employees of different culture also comes as barrier in influencing employees to follow
policies of business.
TASK 2
P3 Analyse the differences between organisational and individual learning, training and
development
Individual learning: Under this session, training and development programs are designed
on the basis of needs and requirement of individuals.
Organisational learning: This pattern of learning session helps in enhancing knowledge
and skill of group members who are working in a particular team.
In order to gain high competitive advantage, managers of Whirlpool conducts both type
of learning sessions so that employees are become more skilled and able to give high
performance (O'leary, Mortensen and Woolley, 2011).
Difference between individual and organisational learning
Individual learning Organisational learning
 This type of training deals with
development at personal level.
 Training at individual level concern
more on improving performance so,
time may not fixed under this course of
action.
 In self-learning process, individuals
learn by experience and observing
others, how they do work. This would
help in familiarising with official
environment and give performance in
better manner.
 By making investment on own
development, individuals gain
 While organisational learning concern
on overall requirement of business and
provide training to workers
accordingly.
 It is generally based on learning within
a fixed timetable.
 In organisational learning, people learns
by mistakes. Under this process, when
employers or management come to
know that certain things are not doing
well and causes failure or loss then they
provide create modification in business
and provide effective training to
workers in order to trigger the failure
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opportunities to make their career more
bright.
and achievement of success.
 Through considering the enhancement
of workers' skill, both individuals and
business gain opportunity to achieve
success.
Training and development
Both sessions of training and development help a firm in improving skills and knowledge
of workers through which they can perform in better manner. Training is considered as a learning
process under which a person gets opportunity to develop abilities (McCormack, Manley and
Titchen, 2013). While development is taken as an educational processes that concern with
overall growth of a person. Thus, HR managers of Whirlpool provides both session for
enhancing knowledge and abilities of workers. It helps in getting high performance of employees
through which targeted goal can be achieved in efficient manner.
Difference between training and development
Training Development
 The main objective of providing
training is to improve working
performance of people.
 It is a job oriented process with short-
term goal.
 It tends to be given to large number of
people simultaneously under
supervision of experts.
 Employees who take training within an
organisation feel appreciated as well as
more satisfied from their part of job.
 Training within an organisation creates
supportive workplace.
 In context with development, its main
purpose is to prepare a person for
facing future challenges.
 It is a career oriented process having
long-term objectives.
 It emphasizes on individual level basis
and must be taken by professionals.
 Development programs bring all
individuals to achieve a higher level
and reduces weaknesses within
workplace.
 Development programs give support to
face future challenging roles more
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