HR Professional Development Report - HRM, Semester 2

This report delves into the multifaceted role of a Human Resource (HR) professional, emphasizing their crucial function in recruitment, employee relations, and organizational development. It begins by evaluating the core competencies and behaviors expected of HR professionals, aligning with the standards set by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The report then examines the CIPD Professional Map, illustrating how it defines and evaluates HR practices across various levels of expertise. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to a self-assessment of the author's HR professional capabilities, identifying strengths in employee relations, organizational development, and talent planning. The self-assessment also pinpoints areas for improvement, such as decision-making and analytical skills. Following the self-assessment, the report outlines a detailed personal development plan, specifying objectives, strategies, required resources, and success criteria. The plan focuses on enhancing decision-making and analytical skills through training, workshops, and practical application, reflecting a commitment to continuous professional development within the HR field. The report concludes with a reflection on the plan's implementation, highlighting learning points for future development and the importance of adapting to changing business environments.

HUMAN RESOURCE

Table of Contents
PART A...........................................................................................................................................3
1.1. HR professionals and CIPD.............................................................................................3
PART B...........................................................................................................................................7
Self-assessment of HR professional practice capabilities in order to identify continuing
professional development needs.............................................................................................7
PART C...........................................................................................................................................9
Produce a plan to meet personal development objectives......................................................9
Reflect on performance against the plan, identify learning points for the future and revise the
plan accordingly...................................................................................................................10
PART D.........................................................................................................................................11
Part 1.....................................................................................................................................11
Part 2.....................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................17
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Human resource is a function which emphasis on the recruitment and selection of
candidates in an organisation. Processes which communicate with people and employees are also
consider in the HR department (Noe and et. al., 2017). For the overall development of an
organisation, HR department is responsible because it maintains the culture and structure of the
organisation. It refers to hiring, developing and appraising of employees for their better
production. It is combination of policies which regulates by management for the development of
an organisation. This report is in the context of Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development (CIPD) which is a professional association of HR professionals, headquarter in
Wimbledon, London and was founded in 1913. This assignment covers role and contribution of
HR professional within an organisation and undertake a self-assessment of the current
knowledge, skills and behaviour of HR professionals. It also apply the various techniques of
continuous professional development and also describe the elements of group dynamics and
conflict resolution techniques. It also includes the current project which led the leading role of
project team.
PART A
1.1. HR professionals and CIPD
Evaluation of what it means to be an HR professional:
A Human Resource (HR) professional is an individual who is subjected towards handling
and managing people within the organisation. Furthermore, they are required to appropriately
and effectively manage the overall improvement and personal development of employees, in a
way, which allows aligns the personal objectives of employees with that of the company. Hence,
their contribution could clearly be denoted from the objectives which they encourage the
workforce to achieve (Mondy and Martocchio, 2016). Hence, within a contemporary and
emerging business environment, an HR professional acts as a guide, leader and manager for the
people within the organisation.
Moreover, there are several competencies that are required to be possessed by HR
professionals. Some of these are stated below: Human resource innovator and integrator: In order to innovate something, a HR
professional need to do historical research in order to find ultimate solutions for their

business problems. They should know more about various HR practices in order to
design organisation and develop communication. These creativity maintain the focus and
try to produce positive outcome. Strategic positioner: These HR professionals are deeply thinker and always take
decisions by analysing about the external business environment and trends and convert
them into actions which are taken for business. They responses to the strategic business
situations and make choices according to the customers expectations (Bratton and Gold,
2017).
Range of knowledge, skills and behaviours
There are several knowledge, skills and behaviours as required by the HR professionals
to conduct their duties in terms of enhancing the scope of improvement. Furthermore, all these
attributes would provide stability and enhanced functionality within the operations of Human
resource management, which is appropriate to be considered and possessed by HR professionals
within CIPD.
Illustration 1: The CIPD Profession Map

(Source: The CIPD Profession Map, 2019)
Hence in context with the map above, this range is evaluated below:
Knowledge: Resource and Talent Planning: It is associated with ensuring employing and
implementation of right resource, talent and capability to attain several current and future
strategic ambitions. Plans are required to developed within these for talent acquisition
along with modifying the same in context of highlighting the possibilities (Cascio, 2015). Employee Relations: This knowledge is related towards aspects which help in
establishing a collective relationship between employees and organisations in adherence
with the relevant law. Hence, there are several activities that are required to be performed
by HR professionals in this context. For instance, development of strategy in relation to
employee relations, manage conflicts and monitor performance in relation to adherence
with the legislations.
Skills: Planning: This skill is required to be possessed by HR professionals in context of
evaluation of current and effective strategies adopted by the company, which helps in
formulating further plans of how best to enhance competence of human resources. It is
crucial as it would assist HR professionals to avoid risk within the firm's functioning. Decision Making: Another skill which relates with HR professionals is decision-making.
These individuals are required to take spontaneous decisions related to their functions
which are required to increase the functional level of the organisation. To deal with
complex situations, this skill is highly required by HR professionals.
Behaviours: Collaborative: One appropriate behaviour which must be possessed by HR professionals
is related to being collaborative with other individuals working with other individuals. It
is important as this helps in maintaining harmony within the company. This could be
achieved through showing respect and sensitivity in relation to own cultures, beliefs and
feelings and establish a collaborative organisational culture (Albrecht and et. al., 2015).
 Driven to Deliver: This behaviour is related to showing resourcefulness and
determination which ensures best outcomes for the firm. It is crucial to be possessed as it

helps in ensuring high quality practices within the company. it could be done through
setting personal example in terms of motivation and consistency within he company.
How CIPD Professional Map is used to define and evaluate what HR professionals do
One of the assisting factors for an HR professionals in context of their contribution to the
organisations is CIPD's professional map. It helps in determining several building blocks for the
professionals in relation to people management practices covering ten appropriate and effective
specialism, along with 8 fundamental and ethical behaviours that are required to be adopted by
the professionals apart from their specialism. Moreover, a flexible structure is provided by this
map in context of providing suitability and guidance for individuals to work. Furthermore, the
flexibility also enhances within the same as it takes into consideration the area of work of an
individual, their accountability level within the firm and ambitions of the people towards career
development. Hence, for an HR professional to work appropriately and with utmost
effectiveness, a pathway is provided by the Professional Map by CIPD, which must be
effectively adhered to and appropriately implemented by HR professionals. Furthermore, there
are several bands or levels within the CIPD professional map, which works as a ladder for
professionals to appropriately and effectively work their way up from personal development, to
achieving organisational objectives. Moreover, the competencies and behaviours stated upon the
map is highly effective in relation to highlighting as to whether the professionals are on a correct
pathway or not. Thus, this is how the map would be defining, as well as evaluating what HR
professionals do (Stone and Deadrick, 2015).
Transfer of new knowledge and skills into working practices
The above discussed competencies and skills are important as HR professional require all
these to develop itself. Moreover, these competencies are also important because these help in
achieving maintaining a positive yet challenging environment within the organisation which is
highly essential in relation to achievement of personal and professional objectives. In terms of
transferring the skills into practice. The very first aspect with which this could be done is
through providing others with necessary training, which would help in better transferring of
information within the organisation. Moreover, this would also be quite helpful in relation to

increasing the uses and implementation of necessary skills that are mentioned above into training
the subordinates.
Another factor that could facilitate the transfer of new knowledge and skills is by regular
monitoring and evaluating self performance. This would be appropriately and effectively allow
the professionals to identify their strong and weak implementations of the necessary skills and
knowledge within the practice. In regards to this, another strategy could be acquisition of
feedbacks, that would further give appropriate insight within the effectiveness of the transferring
of these attributes within practice (Stone and et. al., 2015).
PART B
Self-assessment of HR professional practice capabilities in order to identify continuing
professional development needs
It is highly essential for an individual to undertake self assessment in order to
appropriately and effectively enhance the scope of improvement in terms of professional
capabilities. Hence, in context with the same, my self assessment is discussed below:
Illustration 2: CIPD Map

(Source: CIPD Map: Student Assessment, 2019)
Hence, as per the assessment, my current knowledge, skills and behaviours are reflected
below:
Professional Areas: In this area, the HR professionals understands the need and know what is it.
It is highly effective to analyse as it helps in development of appropriate and effective
professional skills in an essential manner. As per this aspect, there are three professional areas
that have been emerged as an interest. These areas, along with the skills associated with them are
stated below: Employee Relations: The skill which reflected in this area is Ethical Skills. As per the
test, I am quite effective in context of supporting the colleagues as well as managers in
context of HR policies within the workplace. Organisation Development: Within this professional area, Data Analysis is a skill which
appropriately have been showcased in this professional area. It is one of my key strengths
as I am capable to analyse the data related to culture and capabilities of the organisation.
 Resource and Talent Planning: This area showcased Management Skills as my key
strength. As per the assessment, I am very much capable of providing training to
individual and manage all the processes that are required n HR talent planning.
Core Areas: There are several core areas as well that have been analysed by this assessment,
both of them which are reflected below: Insights, strategy and solutions: This core area reflected that my Analytical Skills are
quite weak, as I am ineffective in working with project management tools and
approaches, which requires appropriate application and analysis to be performed for the
same.
 Leading HR: This person represent itself as a role model to influence the decision
making of HR which makes the company effective by their own efforts or support and
develop it beyond the organisation. In context of this area, while I am quite competent in
handling its operations, however, my Decision Making Skills are quite weak, as I am
ineffective in interpreting budgets, which fails me to appropriately draw effective
conclusion.

PART C
Produce a plan to meet personal development objectives
Development Plan
What do I want/need
to learn?
What will I do to
achieve this?
What resources or
support will I need?
What will my success
criteria be?
Decision making
skills
In order to develop
decision making skills
I would be requiring
feedbacks from my
assessors. Along with
this, another activity
which would be
supporting me in
achieving this ability
is Aptitude Tests,
along with Budget
Development
Processes. This would
be providing me with
an effective insight
onto the development
process according to
this skill.
The supporting
resources which I
would be needing are
the aptitude test papers
and simulation
examinations, along
with different handling
of budgets within the
end of financial year,
which would help me
work with HR budgets
so that my
interpretation
enhances and decision
making improvises in
a prominent manner.
The success criteria for
me in this aspect is
associated with
familiarity and ease of
working with different
systems of HR
budgeting, along with
correct and effective
interpretations and
conclusions associated
with the same.
Analytical Skills In context of
appropriately
enhancing these skills
in a prominent
manner, I would be
undertaking an
effective training
Training programmes,
along with workshop
materials such as
mock test, software as
well as publications
related to project
management would
In perspective of this
skill, the success
criteria would be
effective management
of projects, along with
effective success rate
of the assignments

session, that would
allow me to ensure
familiarity with project
management tools and
approaches. Along
with this, I would also
be reading people
publications that
would help me in
researching and
implementing latest
HR thinking in project
management.
appropriately be
required by me to
enhance the scope of
improvement within
my analytical skills in
a prominent manner.
provided to me.
Reflect on performance against the plan, identify learning points for the future and revise the
plan accordingly
CPD Record
Key dates What did I do? Why? What did you learn
from this?
09/01/19 I participate in Budget
development process.
I need to develop my
Decision making skills
I learnt appropriate
and effective ways of
how budgets are
formulated and
appropriately managed
at the end of different
financial year.
14/04/19 I undertake reading of
publications.
I need to create and
develop my Analytical
Skills.
I learnt new ways in
which project
management
approaches could be

implemented in the
current business
scenario which would
be helping me in
enhancing my
competence within the
same.
22/04/19 I undertook training
workshop to develop
my competence in
project management
tools.
The reason for using
training workshop is
related to enhance my
familiarity and
competence as per the
project management
tools.
I learnt certain tools
and techniques that are
implemented by HR
professionals to
manage different
projects depending
upon the scope and
size. Furthermore, I
also learnt how to
work upon different
project management
software, which helped
me in enhancing
competence within the
same.
PART D
Part 1
Elements of group dynamics and conflict resolution methods
Group dynamics refers to the interaction of two or more people in order to complete a
specific task. It is a behavioural process of a group which assists the individuals in observe and
analyse the dynamics. It is required within an organisation to effectively and essentially help in

evaluating how best the competence within individuals of a team is enhanced while they work
appropriately as a team (Ulrich and Dulebohn, 2015).
Intra-group dynamics: It refers to the process which sets the patterns and objectives of a
social group. These dynamics could be work group, political group and so forth. Boundaries of
the group are formulated as an effective ground which impacts the factors stated above.
Inter-group dynamics: It refers to the psychological relationships among two or more
groups which are related to the ideology and behaviour of one's own group. These are beneficial
in those cases where teams work together in order to achieve the specific task but it has certain
drawbacks, such as such as this type of dynamics is quite prone to certain conflicts which could
be a major disadvantage for the firm.
To understand the group dynamics in an effective manner, DISC Model is being used
which is useful in managing the groups and also helpful in predicting the behaviours which are
based on its key traits. It considers four traits which influences the perspective of HR:
Dominance: These type of people put emphasis on attaining the best or desired
outcomes. They see large image of the organisation and are able to accept challenges or difficult
situations. They are decisive or problem solving in nature and overcome the obstacles. Their
strength is, they manages time effectively, manages time more efficiently and innovative in
nature. Weaknesses are they are stubborn, aggressive and disrespect the authority. Therefore,
they influence groups or teams in both positive and negative way. In terms of positivity, this
allows the group to be innovative, which would facilitate positive behaviour. However, due to
dominance, a stressful and regressive environment could be formulated within the organisation.
It is required to be analysed by an HR perspective as sometimes during complex activities,
directions are required to be given and strictness is necessary to be maintained.
Inspiring: These people are emphasis on persuading others and optimistic in nature.
They are open and extrovert in nature. They influence their employees to work together and
motivate, inspire their employees which helps in increasing the productivity (Sparrow and
Makram, 2015). A positive influence of this trait within group dynamics is that appropriate
motivations could be given to the group regarding complex activities, which is important to
encourage employees in relation to enhancing their competencies towards the activity. In terms
of negative, it might lead to inappropriate and irrelevant mistakes which could be induced