HR Professionals & the CIPD Profession Map: Skills and Evaluation

This assignment provides a comprehensive analysis of the HR professional's role in contemporary business, emphasizing the CIPD Profession Map's significance in defining and evaluating HR practices. It explores the skills, knowledge, and behaviors expected of HR professionals, referencing the CIPD framework. The report also delves into employee engagement, examining Gallup's Q12 and IES diagnostic tools, alongside metrics like retention and turnover rates. Furthermore, it discusses the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), using Apple as a case study to illustrate its impact on attracting and retaining talent. The assignment concludes by highlighting the importance of employee engagement in modern organizations and the strategies HR departments employ to foster a more engaged workforce. Desklib provides access to similar assignments and study resources for students.

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CIPD
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Part A 5DVP
Contemporary organizations cannot afford a proficient HR department which will exhibit
high incompetence to lead modern perception. In such an environment, a major proportion of the
role of HR has been undergoing significant evolution (Kempster and Carroll 2016). The role of
modern HR managers and directors must correspond to the demands and needs of changing
business organizations. HR professionals considered as essential factors by managers and
executives are recent times recognized as strategic partners or transformation mentors for
competitive organizations (Armstrong . and Taylor 2014).
Kempster and Carroll (2016) state that HR experts often act as decisive thinkers who
exhibit the competence to analyse and comprehend data as well as information at a rapid pace.
These proficient HR professionals use information, ideas, knowledge and insights in a structured
way in order to successfully identify opportunities. In Band 2 of CIPD professional gap, HR
professionals gather information from multiple sources and evaluate information before
performing any decision making processes (Armstrong and Taylor 2014). Furthermore, at the
third band, the HR experts make productive decisions in the absence of comprehensive
information but with a detailed understanding of organizational precedence. Contemporary HR
professionals are also identified as skilled influencer who seeks to understand the way to
influence organizational values and standards and governance frameworks (Bolman and Deal
2017). In the highest band level, these decision influencers will aim to communicate in an
authoritative, appealing manner by providing unambiguous information to employee base.

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Skills of HR professionals in CIPD map
Source: (CIPD 2018)
The CIPD Profession Map primarily sets out the way HR professionals enhance the
greatest sustained significance to customers, employees and organizations currently as well as in
the future (CIPD 2018). This professional outline further signifies the highest standards of
specialized skills and competence for employees engaged in Human Resource and L&D
(Learning and Development) field of expertise. CIPD further captures the successful and
effective HR talent and delivers across wide-ranging factors as well as specialization of the
profession. The Map aims to support the curriculum for experience, qualification and the entry
criteria for professional membership (CIPD 2018).
CIPD (2018) identified 10 specialized areas within the Professional Map in which the 2
fundamental expertise areas such as Solutions, Insights, Strategy and Leading HR are positioned
at the centre of the profession. These areas, however, are implemented to wide-ranging HR

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specialism despite the role, location or stage of the professional arena. Furthermore, for each
specific area, the Professional Map describes the activities and role employees need to perform
and knowledge which employees require developing at four bands of professional ability and
skills (CIPD 2018). This Professional Map further efficiently outlines the major behaviours
which employees need to exhibit while performing the roles and responsibilities assigned to
them.
Though CIPD map has been developed for both individual employees and organizations,
it is a highly essential resource for any employee engaged to the field of Human Resources. The
CIPD Map has been significantly designed for HR experts in which ranging from Band 1 at the
beginning of HR career through Band 4 for the majority of senior leaders, it has been outlined
with utmost relevance and easily applicable to all professionals employed across the broad HR
spectrum (CIPD 2018). Collings, Wood and Szamosi (2018) reveal that CIPD professional map
has been essentially developed to ensure its level of relevance towards global markets and has
further been assessed with international business enterprises. However, Bolman and Deal (2017)
claim that the leading HR professionals identify their HR supervisors as exhibiting inconsistent
relations at the higher hierarchical position. It has been reported that over 30% of HR chief
executives perceive their supervisors as not in accordance with the same calibre as distinguished
in other C-level professionals. Furthermore, around 45% of HR experts exhibit a high level of
uncertainty on functioning procedures and HR methods (Collings, Wood and Szamosi 2018).
The comprehensive insights of CIPD Profession Map have developed my knowledge and
ideas of the way CIPD has significantly disclosed an ‘HR Professional Map’ which primarily
aim to replace specialized standards and structures of modern organizations progressive of the
introduction of advanced qualifications in prospective years (CIPD 2018). Delving into CIPD

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Professional Map has improved my knowledge the way it distinguishes that individuals could
engage into the field of HR profession from a diverse array of backgrounds and that professional
pathways constitute immense challenges and complexities recently in comparison to the
situations when traditional standards were established. I believe that over the next few years the
professional field of Human Resource will experience new and advanced level of expertise at
varied levels with a highly flexible approach to the supply of current qualifications. As the HR
profession is continuously evolving, more Professional Maps will be required in the future and
modern practitioners need to develop a greater level of expertise with the competencies to
accomplish these demands and needs. As current HR roles and responsibilities are becoming
increasingly diverse, professional paths will face a greater number of challenges and potentials to
impact on the strategic potential of business at a greater level. Thus CIPD has been functioning
with organizations to evaluate the maps against their organizations as well as HR teams’
progressive needs and demands.
Part B 5ENG
Section 1
Gallup’s employee engagement work is primarily based on over three decades of a
comprehensive behavioural economic investigation involving more than 17 million employees.
Through precise research, Gallup has identified 12 core elements that are Q12 which associate
powerfully to the core business outcomes (Robson et al. 2016). The 12 statements emerged as
factors which most effectively predict employee and workgroup performance. The questions
primarily dealt with events expected at work or sources and materials employees would require
at work. In addition to this, the areas deal with questions to identify employees who tend to offer
enthusiasm at workplace and types of mission and value statements organizations comprise to

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enhance job value (Albrecht et al. 2015). Project management companies in UAE such as Project
Management Group (PMG) has been implementing Gallup’s Q12 Employee Engagement Survey
tool in order to evaluate employee engagement in their company. Understanding the context of
Q12 offers enhanced transparency and perspective to aid employees to consider the survey from
a universal ground of understanding (Iqbal et al. 2017).
Albrecht et al. (2015) reveal that IES diagnostic tool into employee engagement has been
promoted by the involvement of various IES HR Network member organizations. IES reveals the
concept of employee engagement with members as well as client organizations prior to the
embarking on the original investigation into assessing the level of engagements as well as setting
up its core drivers. IES diagnostic tool reveals an assertive attitude held by the employee towards
the company and its values (Robson et al. 2016). Furthermore, turnover metrics and estimation
are recognized as one of the most vital determinants in HR management. Overall retention rate
can offer project management companies with inclusive insights on the condition of the
organization as a whole. Overall retention rate can be estimated by dividing the current number
of recruited individuals by the number of employees engaged at the start of the evaluation period
multiplied by 100 (Albrecht et al. 2015). Furthermore, the overall turnover rate is referred to as
the opposite of the overall retention rate which acts as an indicator of health for the team. It can
be estimated by dividing the number of employees who have left over a particular period of time
by the standard number of employees over the same period multiplied by 100. All businesses
purpose to be effective and proficient to improve turnover costs, thus modern business
enterprises have been using turnover expense tool to identify changes which can enhance the
value and reduce costs of the business (Bal and De Lange 2015).

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Robson et al. (2016) claimed that focus groups are identified as a type of interview which
is formulated in order to explore the attitudes and behavioural patterns of employees. Focus
groups primarily aim to distinguish the core areas of concern for selected groups. Discovering
these issues can help in determining preferable options and issues which would cause hindrances
in the development of a proposal (Albrecht et al. 2015). The focus group may further be
executed to identify preliminary issues which comprise a great level of complexities to the
employees and on the basis of which prospective investigation or consultation will be executed.
Section 2
Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is regarded as an amalgamation of a distinctive way
of performing in an organization along with its associated advantages. EVP focuses on a deal
between an organization and staffs rather than emphasizing on their level of contribution and
performance (Mani 2016). EVP that is distinct and unique ensures that it aids organizations to
magnetize and retain employees which would or else misplace to other organizations which
provide considerably more striking EVPs. Sparrow and Makram (2015) state that the method of
creating an EVP further involves surveying the current employee base of an organization. EVP
being a powerful employee engagement tool tend to obtain considerable appreciation from
employees while executing any constructive decision making for any project (Davenport,
Bremen and Watson 2016). Such a process further aids companies to enhance reinstate loyalty
and augments the level of employee motivation.
Apple, one of the world’s leading multinational technology companies can be identified as
a great example that uses global career website in order to outline the attributes the brand seeks
in its principle candidate base. The company further exhibits an environment to attract potential
employees (Sparrow and Makram 2015). A rich systematic and controlled heritage of the

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organization has been accentuated while their aim and mission statement is distinctly exposed.
Gallup has indicated that Apple’s vigilantly created employment brand tends to resonate with
people who constitute strong willingness to learn and develop and explores detailed information
about the organizational culture and value of Apple (Sawhney 2018). In essence, Apple’s EVP
successfully appeals to the appropriate consumer base and to the ones who seek to get engaged
with Apple’s development-oriented culture (Iqbal et al. 2017). Apple Iphone’s value proposition
lies on offering unique customer experience- it decisively reiterates its value proposition in the
copy based on its iPhone series of products especially the design of the phone model along with
the ease of use iPhones that is identified as a foundation of Apple’s design since the launch of
OS X. The company has been offering high excellence and desirable qualities which iPhones
supposedly offers its users (Sawhney 2018).
Apple perceives that a phone ‘should be more than an assortment of features’- such a
desiring messaging is identified as the company’s value proposition. Apple is aware of the recent
competitiveness present within the market thus instead of focusing on specific features, the
company focuses on the level of experience users attain by using an iPhone (Sparrow and
Makram 2015). Reports by Sawhney (2018) claim that no companies other than Apple have the
potential to use words like ‘magical’ in their marketing activities. Apple is aware that focusing
unique characteristics of iPhone is not an appropriate determinant to distinguish the device in
such a competitive market. Thus by accentuating on the overall user experience, Apple’s value
proposition is identified as unique as its approach to successfully design its products and
aesthetics (Sawhney 2018).
Section 3

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Employee engagement is identified as a source of primary concern for any business.
Studies reveal that a dynamically engaged employee base show willingness and dedication
towards work which they perform. Employee engagement is not only considered as a challenge
but an essential determinant for any business enterprises (Iqbal et al. 2017). As companies across
the globe are impacted by dire effects of employee disengagement, HR departments of modern
organizations not only invest on costly payroll software which improves employee engagement
levels but further acts responsive towards employees’ opinions and grievances. Albrecht et al.
(2015) revealed that companies must ensure proper payment and remuneration benefits to
enhance morale level among the employees. Often due to a high level of competitiveness and
work pressure, employees tend to develop a sense of discontentment regarding their
compensation amount in accordance with the work they perform. Such events typically reduce
the morale and confidence level of employees further resulting in a high level of employee
attrition (Albrecht et al. 2015). Thus companies must ensure that employees receive properly
remunerated by using payroll software. By proficiently using Gusto, Sage HRMS or Zenefits,
HR departments can prevent the issues of employee disengagement or attrition level (Robson et
al. 2016). Rewards and proper compensation with the help of proficient HR software tools
further reduce the amount of effort which requires to be performed by HR professionals and
enables them to focus more on HR strategies.
Furthermore, creating effective goals for employees are also identified as an important
strategy for enhancing the level of employee engagement. Employees receiving a considerable
amount of support and appreciation from supervisors have distinct targets to accomplish and
develop a sense of encouragement by performing productive work within the company. Thus in
order to boost employee engagement, leaders is required to successfully integrate performance

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towards goal establishment (Bal and De Lange 2015). For example, leaders can strategize to
organize consistent meetings to provide guidance to employees for identifying potential
obstacles or challenges which have the propensity to hinder their level of performance (Albrecht
et al. 2015).
Though employees act as an identifying aspect for businesses, the increasing rate of low
employee engagement has been creating obstacles for HR departments around the world. Thus
HR professionals must distinguish the impediments of employee engagement and find
resolutions in overcoming such barriers (Bal and De Lange 2015). HR department of modern
companies must distinguish factor related to cynicism, bureaucracy and poor management
decision making. (Robson et al. (2016) state that extensive cynicism or lack of trust between
management and employee base about engagement can act as a critical barrier for employee
attrition. A cynicism perspective is typically considered as unconstructive which show
employees as highly self-motivated and tend to perform in accordance with self-interested
motives. HR officials must set up a universal ground for both employee base and management to
enable them to share opinions, ideas and values in a transparent manner (Iqbal et al. 2017). Lack
of communication is also identified as a critical barrier for employee disengagement which can
be mitigated by implementing several innovative ways of setting up an engagement platform
with staffs outside the company email and intranet. These communication spectra primarily
include interactive collaboration platforms and advanced passive techniques like screensavers
and digital signage (Albrecht et al. 2015). These employer interactive tools will offer enriched,
integrated and more interactive employee experience which can enable employers to build
corporate culture and gain employees’ trust and engagement.
Section 5

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Iqbal et al. (2017) reveal that organizations desire of having a competent and successful
business which compels them to emphasize a high rate of employee engagement. However, with
an affianced employee base, employers tend to reduce the risk of high attrition level and further
enhance customer contentment that results in the organization’s overall potential of attaining
success. By delving into this assignment, I have learned that neither organizations nor employees
can force workplace or staff involvement. Engagement needs to be embedded into the strategies
of the company as well as within every individual employee (Albrecht et al. 2015). This
assignment has offered me insights regarding factors related to employee commitment that is
referred to as the level of assurance, loyalty and desire an employee possess towards their work
and the organization.
Furthermore, I believe that modern organizations instead of focusing on micromanaging
must let all of their staffs to execute self-decision making procedures about the ways to
accomplish their work and roles assigned to them. These strategies would further result in
elevated levels of engagement and enable staffs to understand ways in which they can reach out
supervisors during any challenges or intricacies (Robson et al. 2016). The assignment in addition
to this has developed my knowledge in ways employers can boost up their staffs by offering
comprehensive educational assistance by exhibiting their interest in employees’ prospective
career growth and development.

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Part D
Part 1 Group Dynamics
Group dynamics is typically identified as the study of groups as well as processes which
are involved in group formation and functioning. It is referred to as immensely diverse and
comprises elements of sociology, psychology along with communication studies. Elements of
group dynamics fundamentally involve forming, storming, performing and norming. Forming
refers to the collection of individuals striving to formulate a group (Taylor and Woodhams
2016). However, storming involves surfacing of a decision within a group whereby norming is
recognised as patterns of work which are established within the group. Performing stabilizes
after all the elements emerge with the issues and the group begins its performance.
As implemented to group development, group dynamics is concerned with the way
groups emerge. George Homans is of the perspective that groups tend to develop on the basis of
performance, communication and emotions. Group dynamics as associated to development
concerns not only on the explanations why groups form but also on the processes through which
they emerge (Burke 2017). Tuckman’s theory state that the steps present in group formation
involve that groups do not typically tend to function at maximum efficiency during their
establishment but also experiences wide ranging procedures of development as they attempt to
be effective and dynamic. The stage of storming primarily concentrates on the group which is
likely to perceive the elevated level of negotiation and conflict. Members within a group
typically contest groups’ targets and struggle for power. Group members often compete for
leadership roles and functionalities at this stage of development. This can be identified as an
assertive experience for all groups if members can attain cohesiveness through decision-making
process (Kuhrmann and Münch 2016). Furthermore, members can act being opinionated and