HR Report: Strategies for Employee Development at Whirlpool (UK)

This report examines employee development strategies at Whirlpool, focusing on the skills, knowledge, and behaviors required of HR professionals. It details a personal skills audit and development plan, highlighting strengths and weaknesses related to communication, conflict management, and time management. The report contrasts individual and organizational learning, training, and development, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and professional development for enhancing employee performance and adapting to environmental changes. It also explores the contributions of High-Performance Work (HPW) systems to employee engagement and competitive advantage, concluding with a discussion of different approaches to performance management within the organization. The report utilizes Whirlpool as a case study, providing insights into its HR practices and their impact on organizational success. This assignment is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of HR practices within a global organization.

Developing Individuals,
Teams and Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professionals......................1
P2. Personal skills audit to develop a professional development plan........................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P3 Difference between organisational and individual learning, training and development........4
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development.................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................4
P5 HPW contribution in employee engagement and competitive advantage.............................4
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................5
P6 Different approaches to performance management...............................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
.........................................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Developing plays importance role in an organisation to make success and growth.
Individual require to posses capability to work in a team for accomplishment of goals and
objectives. Management responsibility is to manage resources for delivery of products and
services to customers. For this, they require skilled people which have skills to conduct tasks in
effective manner (Anitha, 2014). Present report is based on Whirlpool which is international firm
providing home appliances in United Kingdom. This report specifies knowledge, skills and
behaviour that HR professional should have to manage manpower. In addition, different between
types of learning, training and development assessment by management to raise performance of
firm is stated. Furthermore, HPW contribution in employee engagement and competitive
advantage is mentioned in the report.
TASK 1
P1. Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professionals
HR professional duty is to have sufficient staff members for conduction of business
activities in efficient way. It is essential that items and services are provided by firm in respect to
conditions prevailing in market. Whirlpool is an electronic firm whose HR require to have
competent and skilled people. This help company to provide quality home appliances to buyers
for sustaining firms position and brand image in market in according to competitors.
HR professional skills: An individual need to have ability to perform activities in firm
for attainment of objectives and goals. Thus, these are skills which HR of Whirlpool need to
posses are stated below:
Communication and listening skill: Human resource require to have good interactive skill for
directing subordinates to perform tasks effectively. They even need to give attention and listen to
team members for acknowledging their opinions. In Whirlpool, HR professional posses these
skills which aid them to maintain workforce in firm. They inform team members about their role
and responsibilities for sustaining them in company (Hawkins, 2017). Conflict management: HR have diverse people which belong to different background
that is education, experience, religion and caste. These aspects result into issues and
problems between team members which affect on their performance and outcomes. In
1

this, HR professional of Whirlpool require to have conflict management skill. This help
them to timely anticipate issues and provide appropriate solutions to employees.
 Time management: Human resource require to have skill of managing employees for
attainment of objectives timely. For this, they divide and make staff to work in team for
execution of activities effectively. In Whirlpool, HR professional people work in team
which help them to maintain operations properly.
HR professional knowledge: Knowledge define that an individual require to enhance
their information and theoretical concepts for use them at time of working in a firm. HR of
Whirlpool conduct training and development program to enhance knowledge of team members
are described beneath:
Management and administration: Human resource require to have knowledge about procedure
and principles of recruitment, selection, training, compensation, employee relations. This help
HR professional of Whirlpool to conduct practices to have skilled and competent people in firm
(Turner, 2014). Government laws: HR professional need to have information about court procedure, legal
code, rules and regulations of government. Human resource of Whirlpool require to
consider authorities laws while formulating policies. This help them to conduct business
and operations in legal manner.
HR professional behaviour: Behaviour is attitude in which a person interact and
communicate with other individual. HR professional of Whirlpool require to behave properly
with stakeholders that are investors, employees, suppliers and customers. This aid them to
maintain them for benefit of firm.
Initiative: HR require to posses willingness to take duties from top personnel in respect to
management of staff members (Maxwell, 2018). They should also take challenges for making
improvement in system to maintain position of firm in respect to rivals.
 Cooperation and concern for others: Human resource require to make employees work
in team for completion of objectives. They even need to take care of feelings of staff for
retaining them for longer time. Whirlpool is multinational firm, so HR professional
behave with team members properly for keeping them in coordination. They understand
needs and help workers to accomplish it for sustaining them in firm.
2

P2. Personal skills audit to develop a professional development plan
Personal skills audit process of recording and measuring skills and abilities of group or an
individual. The key motive behind execution of a personal skills audit in a firm is to identify
knowledge and skills which a individual need to conduct activities. This assist in reviewing
strengths and weakness of personnel promoting their work performed by them. Hence, this is
considered as effective framework that increase performance and productivity of a person
making them more efficient (Kouzes, 2014). There are some skills that are required for human
resource professional to perform in Whirlpool business like communication and listening,
conflict and time management. I require to prepare an individual audit plan to consider the
associated position of HR professional. For this, strengths and weakness are acknowledged
which are described beneath: Strengths: My goal is to improve abilities by learning new ways of conducting business.
It is necessary that an individual have appropriate skills for executing activities properly.
I have effective communication skills which help me to sustain team members for longer
time. By informing employees about tasks and targets, it aid me to make them perform
activities effectively. Besides this, workers are provided knowledge about market
conditions for formulation of creative and innovative business ideas. Thus, maintain
firm's position and image in respect to rival firms.
Weaknesses: I have some skills lacking which affect on my work and outcomes. It is essential
that listening skill is improved for maintaining team members and their work. This trait also
causes problem in respect to conflict and issues with employees that impact on productivity of
firm (Longoni, Golini and Cagliano, 2014). Besides this, good time management is also required
for achievement of targets within time frame.
Professional development plan: This is document which HR professional prepare in
respect to their capabilities. With this objectives and targets are formulated by them for
providing aim to team members to function properly. Personal skill audit help individual to
ascertain strengths and weakness. Thus, activities are undertaken for improvement of weakness
which are stated below:
Objective Current
proficie
ncy
Target
proficienc
y
Objective Development activities Time
scale
3

Listening
skills
3.5 5 I require to have
information about
opinion and suggestions
of team members to give
value and recognition in
firm.
Noting instructions of
top personnel and than
recheck from them
whether written
properly. This help to
increase concentration
and listening skill by
finding problems.
2
Month
Conflict
management
2 5 Issues and problems
faced by employees
required to be ascertained
for providing them
solutions to retain for
longer time.
Study management
theories and concepts
through which
conflicts of team
members are
overcomes properly.
1.5
Month
Time
management
2.5 5 Business goals and
objectives require to be
accomplished. For which
staff members are worked
in team for timely
completion of business
activities.
Seniors support in
respect to framing plan
and strategies. This
help me to enhance
time management skill
in respect to guiding
team members.
1
Month
TASK 2
P3 Difference between organisational and individual learning, training and development
Learning plays a very important part in development of individuals and teams. It enhances skills
and knowledge of employees so that they can perform in an efficient and effective manner. In
Whirlpool individuals gets opportunities to add skills through learning, training and
development.
Individual learning: It provides opportunities to staff for improving their skills and
knowledge according to their activities in organisation. In case of Whirlpool it helps in
improvement of individuals and increase level of performance and decisions.
4

Organisational learning: This process of learning refers to creation, retention and
transfer of knowledge in organisation. In Whirlpool, it will helps in more employee engagement
and relationship among them (Schippers, West and Dawson, 2015). This will improve business
performance in market.
Difference between individual and organisational learning:
Individual learning Organisational learning
It focuses on personal development of
employees.
It aims at organisational development so that
company can increase productivity and
profitability.
It enhances skills and knowledge of individuals
to perform well.
It motivates employees for accomplishment of
business goals and objectives.
This learning is ongoing process as it is related
to experience and requirement of person.
There is a fixed time for learning as it depends
on the requirement of assigned tasks.
Training: It is a process related to the learning of required skills which is needed for
performing specific job or task. Training provides knowledge, skills, abilities and attitude to
individuals. In case of Whirlpool managers provides training to their new employees so that they
work in competitive environment. It helps employees to adapt environmental changes to achieve
competitive advantage and in identifying their roles and responsibilities.
Development: This is a process in which employees has to undergoes with many training
programs. It helps in improving employees' current and future performance by enhancing
learning capability of individuals (DeNisi and Smith, 2014). Development has direct impact on
productivity, profitability and employee engagement etc. In whirlpool it is concerned with future
career development of existing employees and improves attitude and personality.
Difference between training and development:
Training Development
It gives opportunities to new employees for
developing skills and knowledge according to
requirement of job.
It is an educational process which is related to
the growth of individuals.
5

It focuses on present and short term job
requirement.
It emphasises on long term future growth of
Existing employees.
Training improves performance of employees. It helps individuals to be competent for
handling future challenges.
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development
Learning is the most vital part in every organisation as it provides sound working
conditions to employees. This enhances productivity and effectiveness and with the help of
learning company becomes able to respond and adapt environmental changes. It encourages
motivation among subordinates to perform in a better manner. Professional and individual
learning is very necessary for this.
Continuous learning: It is related to enhancement of skills and knowledge at personal
level. This requires quick adaptability to changing environment. In case of Whirlpool, it assists
in reducing training and development cost because it involves experience of individuals.
Learning leads to generation of new ideas, provides confidence to employees and enable them to
face future challenges (Ford, 2014).
Professional development: It refers to process that determination of new skills which
helps employees in achieving success. This helps in getting promotions and provides efficiency
and effectiveness to do task for increasing productivity and profitability of organisation. It
includes creation of vision for success and plan for individual development.
Professional development and continuous learning assist Whirlpool to conduct business
activities in an productive and efficient way. It also helps in achievement of sustainable business
development. For enhancing skills, knowledge and expertise company provides training to their
employees so that they can have highly skilled workforce. It has some benefits for company
which are explained below:
Employee satisfaction: Learning and development helps employees of Whirlpool in
acquiring new skills to perform their roles and responsibilities. It assist individuals in acquiring
knowledge from different training and development activities. Workforce get satisfied as it
provides supportive working environment. Employer appreciate their employees for their good
performance and this will motivate them to add more skills to their portfolio.
6

Improve performance: In Whirlpool, employees who receives required training are able
to do their tasks and jobs as they came to know about the work procedures. It increases
confidence of employees as they know and understand changes in industry and perform their
roles accordingly. This leads them to perform better by increasing productivity which ultimately
provides sustainable development to Whirlpool (Jiang and Liu, 2015).
Addressing weaknesses: Employees of any organisation have some weaknesses which
reduces their efficiency at workplace. In Whirlpool managers provides required training to these
subordinates to improve their skills. It brings all staff members to the same level of skill and
knowledge.
TASK 3
P5 HPW contribution in employee engagement and competitive advantage
High performance working creates transparency, trust, and contribute for better outcomes
within an organization. In this process employees engage in sharing knowledge on regularly
functions. Whirlpool mangers provides better guidance and motivation for well performing. It
includes many series of working process and practices along with employee's commitment. It can
be done by self-directed, problem solving work team, encouragement, job rotation, mentoring,
flexible job assignment and so on. This system provides various opportunities for developing
internal competencies of a corporation. Whirlpool's manager runs these practices for high
performance as discussing below:
Training and development: HR managers organize training sessions for improving
technical or non technical skills among employees. It directly assist to high performance level by
arriving new tools for different working procedures (McCormack Manley and Titchen, 2013). In
respect of Whirlpool, managers should concern about training programs time to time according
to employee's requirement. These are the vital part of human resource management which
contribute for quality work style.
Flexible working hours: Through this phase in working system, employees are
fascinated to doing more effective work in an organization. Whirlpool HR manager should
consider on flexible atmosphere which will helpful for more efficiencies and productivity. It
tends high motivation by reducing stress towards their job roles. This practice does positive
7

affect on employee because it enable higher performance through peal condition within an
organization.
Employee participation: In every organization, two way communication or participation
in decision making process provides knowledge of expectations of an employee. It reduces
employee turnover and absenteeism by realizing they are important part of Whirlpool. Employer
provides job satisfaction through employee's involvement which improve the level of
performance.
Role of HPW practices in developing employee engagement through which whirlpool can
gain competitive advantage:
Reduce labour turnover: High performance rating assists improvement in employee's
competences which enables to performing better. Thus it helps in attracting people to doing job
for long period of time which addressed to reducing manpower turnover. For this Whirlpool's
HR manager should identify right people for right job at a right time. So this will assist in
fascinate to people towards their job because they are expert in particular field (Mone and
London, 2018).
 Increase productivity of employees: High performance rated employees acquire reward,
incentives, promotions and appreciation which encourage to people for quality work.
High involvement and participation, improve working skills that increase employee's
productivity level as well organizational profitability.
TASK 4
P6 Different approaches to performance management
Performance management is process which is executed by HR professional to have
knowledge about abilities of subordinates. Human resource of Whirlpool monitor work of staff
members is activity conducted by them to asses their work. Outcomes are compared with
standards which help in analysing capabilities of team members. This help HR to motivate and
encourage subordinates to provide incentives and reward in respect to their results. Henceforth,
these are different approaches of performance management which are mentioned below:
Collaborative working: This performance approach helps employees to work in a
collaborative working environment. In Whirlpool Employees works in team for achievement of
common organisational goals. It improves performance level of employees as they perform their
8

duties by utilizing skills and knowledge of other team members. Managers analyse their level of
performance on basis of their task performed. This helps in building engaged workforce as all
employees perform their jobs by sharing roles and responsibilities with other group members.
Illustration 1: Performance Measurement Approaches
(Sources: Performance Measurement Approaches, 2018)
Result approach: Managers rate their employees on basis of result of their performances.
Most of the companies use this approach to evaluate performance of their employees. It includes
two techniques for measuring performance. Balanced Scorecard, Productivity measurement and
evaluation system (O’Neill, Sohal and Teng, 2016). These techniques are effective for
motivating to increase productivity and profitability. In case of whirlpool it helps in converting
plans into actions to achieve goals and objectives.
Comparative approach: It ranks performance of employees by making comparison with
other team members. In Whirlpool managers rank workers as higher and lower performer on
scale of 1 to 5. They give rewards to highest performer and provide improvement opportunities
to weak performers so that they can improve their knowledge and skills to meet required
standards.
Attribute Approach: This is considered as another vital approach which is focusing on
traits and characteristics of a person. Performance of worker is being checked by certain
9