HR Skills, Development, and Performance: Individuals, Teams, and Orgs

This report delves into the critical aspects of Human Resources (HR) within organizations, particularly focusing on developing individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. It begins by outlining the professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors essential for HR professionals, emphasizing continuous professional development and its benefits. The report then examines personal skill audits and the creation of Personal Development Plans (PDPs) to identify strengths and weaknesses and create targeted development strategies. Furthermore, it explores the differences between individual and organizational learning, training, and development, highlighting their interconnectedness and impact on performance. The report also addresses the importance of continuous learning and professional growth, employee engagement, and competitive advantage. Finally, it covers various approaches to performance management, providing a comprehensive overview of key HR strategies for fostering a productive and successful work environment, with Marks and Spencer used as a case study.

Developing Individual, Teams
and Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Professional Knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR...........................................1
P2 Personal skill audit of an employee and PDP........................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Differences between organisations and individual learning, training and development.......5
P4 Requirement of continuous learning and professional growth..............................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Understanding HPW to contribute employees engagement and examining competitive
advantage....................................................................................................................................8
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
P6 Various approaches of performance management...............................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
In modern days, improvement of staff member is fundamental as growth of an enterprise
is highly depend on them. Manager can cater training to their employee; therefore, this will
enhance their work quality and in addition performance (Barber, 2012). Thus, company spend
large on amount on training session of their labours. Along with this, it aids them in their long
term survival at marketplace. Essential purpose of HR division is to organise distinctive type of
programmes for their employees to improve their abilities as well as skills. They basically
concentrate on their professional enhancement; as, this is advantageous for firm and staff
members. Marks and Spencer is a retail sector, which is established in United Kingdom. They
cover almost 25% market share in UK. Audit related to skill and in addition, professional
enhancement plan is going to discuss in this assignment. It helps to improve learning of various
people in an effective manner. Lastly, requirement of continual improvement is going to cover
into this report.
TASK 1
P1. Professional Skills, Behaviour and Knowledge required by HR
Every business organisation requires appropriate Human resource professional who owns
relevant skills and knowledge related to business. It is the responsibility of HR professional to
develop skills of existing manpower by providing them various training sessions. This can be
done by using Continuous professional development plan. It is considered as the process which
supports in evaluating knowledge, skills, experience and activities of employees for completing
one specific task. Various benefits of continuous professional development are evaluated as
below:
 It supports management team in enhancing knowledge and skills of employees.
 CPD is beneficial for Marks and Spencer as it creates positive working environment. This
results in improving satisfaction level of employees.
 Continuous professional development is helpful for individual as well, as it increases
their working potential. Along with this, individual can easily achieve their personal
goals.
 It also improves overall performance of organisation as whole work force is trained on
regular basis.
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It is the role of HR managers to make teams so that they can achieve the common goals more
effectively and having excellent, Skills, behaviour and knowledge so as function properly
Requirements and works of HR manager are as follows:
 They need to work with all the departments so as to understand their functions as well as
implementing various policies and plans.
 For developing effectiveness, managers should promote culture of the firm between the
employees and let them understand the plans and policies that company has made.
 They have excellent problem solving Skill that helps them in handling various situations
that arises in an organisation and hence providing solution to them.
 They must discuss issues related to wages and salaries. That also includes the
promotions and benefits to workers (Brown and Harvey, 2011).
 HR must recruit staffs having competent skills that is required for different operations. It
involves several processes such as job filling, selecting, training them.
 They also have role of monitoring the performance of the employees. So that it can be
used at the time of appraisal in Marks and Spencer.
 Training new and old staff members as per their requirement.
 Inducting new staff members in front of old ones and other Co-workers.
 They also implement new plans, strategies and policies that aid firm in achieving higher
growth and success.
 They also have role in conducting team building exercises as well as maintaining the
harmony in the workplace.
Improving HR performance can have various kinds of impact on the firm:
 Greater efficiency: HR department takes use of fewer and less costlier resources that
helps in performing its function in a better way. This provides strategic advantage to the
company both in terms of quality of work process as well as making cost reductions. Greater effectiveness: This will ensure that HR department will have more stronger effect
on the employees as well as organisation. This help in resolving issues in a better way. If
HR department has greater effectiveness then both employee and employer can fulfil
their interest from each other.
Professional Knowledge: These are knowledge aspects which HR professional of
Whirlpool require to frame policies and conduct activities are as follows:
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 Personnel and Human resource: HR professional require to have information about
rules and process about practices that are staffing, compensation, employee relations,
compensation, training. Thus, there are sufficient skilled manpower for execution of
business operations. Government law: HR even need to have knowledge about political procedure, legal
codes for designing system and policies. This help them to follow rules and regulations of
government to make Whirlpool function legally.
Professional skills: Traits which HR professional of Whirlpool require to posses to
manage workforce are stated below: Management of personnel resources: HR require to have sufficient manpower for
accomplishment of business goals and objectives. For this, human resource of Whirlpool
direct, motivate and train staff members. This also help them to have acknowledgement
about best members which are competent to perform tasks effectively. Decision-making: HR professional need to have capability to make judgements which
are beneficial for organisation. Whirlpool is multinational firm, so it is necessary that
decisions are made in respect to market.
Professional behaviour: These are behaviour tactics which HR of Whirlpool uses to
make team members function are as follows: Initiative and dependability: HR professional need to be ready to take challenges and
duties in respect to conducting HRM practices. It is necessary that they are reliable and
accomplish obligations of top personnel. This help human resource of Whirlpool to
conduct activities effectively by willingly accepting challenges and completing work
provided by executive.
 Cooperation: Human resource require to behave in friendly manner with staff members
for sustaining them for longer time. HR professional of Whirlpool is able to make
employees work in team by coordinating them to complete tasks within specified time
frame.
P2 Personal skill audit of an employee and PDP
The person skill audit can be explained as to measure or evaluate personal skills and
abilities with certain issues in performance so that effective efforts can be putting to eliminate all
major threats in better manner. Therefore, it is essential to determine the strength where they can
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use this for increasing productivity and analyse various problems which will assist in developing
strategies in reduction of threats of performance in successful way. The company need to make
appropriate strategies and policies that can be useful to develop individual and teams that will
assist in reaching with better outcomes in the business. There are various strength and
weaknesses are described as under:
Strengths :
 I have appropriate knowledge in my specialised sector and perform accurate task with
perfection.
 I have an ability of quick learning and remaining careful at the time of conducting any
work.
 My communication skill is very influencing and effective in each manner.
 I have ability to focus on my work and make positive environment.
Weaknesses:
 I am not able to solve any type of issue and problem while performing any task.
 My decision making skill is very poor because I have no idea about how to take
appropriate decision on the welfare of company.
 I am not specialised in technical skill due to lack of knowledge and quality.
 I am not comfortable while working in the team because there is a lack of concentration.
 I am not good in managing my time as per my work.
Personal development plan – The personal development plan is necessary for observing
and analysing self strength and weaknesses so that strong capabilities can be used and weak
point can be removed in proper manner. This is required for make appropriate plan of action in
order to reduce threats from skills and also put major efforts to gain high skills and learning that
can be helpful in reaching with better results or outcomes. This is document which is formulated
by HR professional to define skills and development activities for their enhancement. A personal
development plan is described as under:
Skills Current
proficiency
Target
proficiency
Time scale Use Development
opportunity
Decision
making
2.5 5 45 Days Formulate
policies and
judgements in
Take support
of expert or
seniors at time
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respect to
improve
employee
engagement in
workplace.
of decision-
making
process.
Time
management
2 5 30 Days To accomplish
short and long
term goals and
targets within
specified
deadline.
Study
management
concepts and
theories for
creation of
appropriate
schedule and
action plan.
TASK 2
P3 Differences between organisations and individual learning, training and development.
Training and development are part and participle of each other. They both are considered
as learning. It is in the sense that training means learning for now while development means
learning for the future. Learning can be described as process of getting modifying knowledge
and skills, values and preferences. This is useful for creating better ideas and opinions for carry
out desired goals and objectives in proper manner. On the other hand, training define the
educational programmes that are task oriented and target on achieving with change in skills,
attitudes and knowledge in specific area. Also company required to carry out more effective and
efficient educational or learning programs which enhancing knowledge and working capabilities
that help in achieving success of the business.
There are three different learning mechanisms which is as follows:
Organisational learning: This kind of learning refers to as the situation where individual
performance is as per the expectations and hence they could not achieve target results. There is
direct link between organisational learning and individual performance that affects various
activities such as process of innovation, competitiveness and financial outcomes (Burke and
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Noumair, 2015). The organisational learning helps in satisfying customers demands and needs,
also provide quality product and services. Managers of Marks and Spencer also learns this tool
that assist them in meeting their objectives.
Individual learning: It is important for the firm to promote individual learning in the
workplace. This will impart knowledge and skill that can help in achieving higher growth as well
as success. This learning increases the demand of products and services in the market among the
consumers. Individual skill is highly important in developing commodities as per the demand of
the market and culture of research will be motivated.
Difference between individual and organisational learning:
Criteria Organisational learning Individual learning
Analysis In this learning firms helps in
identifying and understanding
the elements that can influence
the learning outcome by
eliminating all the barriers in
this process.
This learning is considered as
knowledge, skill and behaviour
which helps in progressing in
life.
Self improvement They must adopt several
learning styles that helps in
making continuous
improvement of the firm.
Using this individual can
enhance their learning by using
several methods like attending
seminar, meetings,
Conferences as well as internet
learning.
Team learning In the firm team work is
promoted to achieve goals and
targets and the ways in which
they can motivate their
employees (Coghlan and
Brannick, 2014)
They can work in bigger teams
that will help them in
improving their personal
mistake.
Share vision Using this learning they can
share their mission and vision
person can share their personal
vision that will help them in
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with workers using which they
can assist in reaching the
objectives.
gaining higher positions in te
firm.
Equality Organisation will maintain
equality between their workers
and can also learn culture
prevalent in workplace
An individual can maintain
equality among all the co-
workers inside the firm.
Focus An individual mainly focus on
their personal tasks and learn
various factors to complete
potential goals and targets
through getting better results.
The company can conduct
learning events in order to
improve their whole
efficiencies for achieving with
vision of business with the
help of acquiring appropriate
outcomes.
Training and development is one of the important aspect of company as every individual
has the need to develop (Cummings and Worley, 2014). For this purpose training is highly
essential that will lead to proper development of and individual that will be reflected back in the
overall increase of the firm's productivity. It can be analysed that there are requirement to
improvement in performance of an individual by providing learning to them so that productivity
can be increasing in better manner. Organisation need to mainly concentrate on employees
development for enhancing its skills and knowledge, abilities in order to attain goals and
objectives. Thus, they are conducting training and learning session for employees which directly
connected with organisational productivity as well as profitability.
Apart from this learning cycle theory is given by Kolbs which relates in four ways and it
explains the importance of continuous learning. Concrete experimenting states that there is a
continuous need of representation of existing and new experience of situation is necessary. A the
point of time it also explains that reflective observation is necessary and hence helps in
experiencing and understanding. On the contrary abstract conceptualisation gives rise to new
idea and hence it is necessary to learn new abstract concepts. While active experimentation is
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necessary for understanding the changes that is needed in the learning process and hence
applying new ideas to business. It shows the person progress cycle which is important to be
enhanced continuously.
P4 Requirement of continuous learning and professional growth
Marks and Spencer is a one of a famous supermarket in Europe which requires skilled
and dedicated employees for continuous success of an enterprise across the world. Continuous
learning is a term which means an individuals requires training sessions or classes until and
unless he/ she will not get satisfied with their study. On the other hand professional development
encourage employees towards improvement in their job role by attending coaching from their
seniors as well as they need to improve their entire personality so that they get succeeded in
attaining their organizational objectives. Basically, employees are seen as a valuable assets for
every enterprise either small or large because all the activities are managed and handled by them
only as they are liable to implement various business operations. Therefore, managers of Marks
and Spencer adopted various useful sources for continuous learning in an appropriate manner
which is stated as follows:- Seminars and conferences:- According to this factor an individual may enhance their
skills or talents by attending various sessions or lectures which is given by specialised
person. In fact seminars are organize by experience persons and only talented person
have the ability of convincing others with their lectures. Coaching:- HR manager of referred enterprise also conduct coaching and counselling
classes for their employees so that employees may enhance their entire personality by
following ideal and successful persons. In fact it also supports a person in maximizing
their learning for attaining targets and objectives. Online learning:- Emergence of advanced technology enforce employees towards
adoption of modern equipments for self improvement without taking help from others
like internet is one of a useful technique which helps an individuals in difficult times. Workshops :- Apart from all the above, managers of Marks and Spencer also conduct
various workshops or exhibition for improving their knowledge.
 Training and development sessions:- If an organization is going to apply latest or
modern technology then an enterprise needs to implement impressive plans and policies
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for developing an individual professionally. In fact newly hired employees also wanted
training programmes so that they can perform their job role in a proper manner.
HR manager uses all these above strategies for achieving their sustainable business and
can easily enhance performance of their organization. Along with this they also requires ideas for
removing barriers which is faced by enterprise while conducting policies for employees
betterment.
Need of continuous learning and professional development:
Employee Stability: It assist to growth level at personal level as well as professional level
by sharing knowledge and improving skills. Whirlpool’s manager rely on continuous learning for
overall development so they organize training programmes and coaching at individual level also.
These supports encourage to employees in doing well and provide satisfaction in which they are
engaged that addressed to stability.
High-performance: Employees improves various skills and gain adequate knowledge by
professional and personal learning session. It does direct help in increasing performance level of
all employees within organization. After improving performance whirlpool's employees maintain
their sophistication along with high morale through facing challenging tasks and circumstances.
Improve Efficiencies: Throughout best outcomes with innovative ideas and experience it
enhance organizational efficiency. Skilful and sophisticated employees are assisting to whirlpool
in increasing the level of productivity.
There are four process of learning:
 Watching- In this learning, a person learn from seeing some thing and observe that
accurate item. This learning will help in making effective performance. They can gain
information and data after watch any thing from others.
 Thinking- This learning will help in gaining knowledge from think on specifc topic and
project task which increasing learning skills day by day. This is totally based on real life
situations.
 Feeling- This learning style is helpful in acquiring knowledge from feel or emotion of
specific things. They will provide learning from experience.
 Doing- It is the last process of learning in which person learn from doing any thing and
gain experience from other persons work or task efficiency.
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TASK 3
P5 Understanding HPW to contribute employees engagement and examining competitive
advantage
High performance working is the process, practices, policies and plans which
contributing various efforts for acquiring appropriate result and improve in employees
performance in better manner (Rao, Savsani and Vakharia, 2012.). HPWO refers to high
performance working organisation. This is the basic theory which has to manage all functions
and activities of an organisation. They also focus on achieving target goals and objectives in
effective manner. It is that concept which should be interpreted by company managers for
analysing the firms current position in the market. High performance working is important for
employees and employers growth and success which reach by setting target objectives. It assist
in maintaining the relationship between customers and workers for achieving that specific task or
work of the organisation. HPW is essential for increasing skills, knowledge and experience
which gives extreme growth and development to the enterprise. It is specific practice and
organized strategy that help in enhancing employees power, quality and capacity in better
manner. It is that process which help in providing benefit to both employee and managers that
higher their performance in selling particular products and services (Darling-Hammond and
McLaughlin, 2011). It will assist in increasing firm market share and promote position of
workers.
There are different barriers which directly affects on high performance working that
include slow transformation in skills, lack of managerial experience, cheap techniques etc. This
is that system which is dependent in nature but indirectly linked with Marks and Spencer
departments mangers where they select, hire, measure performance of each candidates
effectively. Performance appraisal is other part of evaluating factors which directly connected
with company activities and functions. Every employees acquires skills, knowledge and perform
better for reaching the target goals and objectives. HPW is that procedures which directly
affected the firms all functional departments performance and it also motivate people for higher
attitudes level, behaviours of workers.
It will assist in developing positive environment within an enterprise and it directly
affects all employees performance. Managers are done investment in the process of training and
development, selection, hiring, and also share basic information regarding their job profile which
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