Developing Individuals, Teams and Organisation at Whirlpool: HR Report

This report examines the crucial role of HR professionals in the context of Whirlpool, an international home appliance manufacturer. It delves into the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors required for HR managers, emphasizing communication, decision-making, ethical conduct, and confidentiality. The report includes a personal skills audit using SWOT analysis, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and proposes a Personal Development Plan (PDP) to address skill gaps, particularly in communication and decision-making. It differentiates between organizational and individual learning approaches, highlighting their significance for employee development and sustainable business performance. Furthermore, the report explores the impact of High-Performance Work (HPW) on employee engagement and competitive advantage, along with different approaches to performance management, to foster a high-value work environment within the organization.

Developing Individual, Teams
and Organisation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Determine the appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are
required by HR professionals in an organisation...................................................................1
P2 Personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop
a professional development...................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development. 5
P4 Need for continuous learning and professional development to drive sustainable business
performance............................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and competitive
advantage................................................................................................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P6 Different approaches to performance management (e.g. collaborative working).............9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Development is significant in an organisation in a rapid competitive business
environment. Hence, this is requisite to manage continuous development of team, individual and
organisation within a working environment in order to perform high value work (Belbin, 2012).
This is essential for manager to assist individual, guide personnel and direct operations to meet
the determined goals. The chosen report is based on case study of Whirlpool i.e. an American
international marketer and manufacturer of home appliances dealing worldwide. This report will
discuss numerous knowledge, skills and behaviour essential for HR professional. It will assess
the personal skill audit, organisational and individual learning along with training and
development concept for further improvement of company. The assignment will also assess role
of HPW and performance management within organisation for better performance and
sustainable development of company.
TASK 1
P1 Determine the appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are
required by HR professionals in an organisation
Often, human resources management can be defined as employment legislation
administration in relation of managing the practices of firing, hiring and retirement. Hence, HR
manager has crucial role in the personnel management at working environment of Whirlpool. It
is an American electronic and home appliance organisation that mainly aims on creating more
satisfied working environment for rendering satisfactory service delivery (West and et. al.,
2014). Human resource manager of enterprise will require basic knowledge, skills as well as
behaviour in regard of delivering developed productivity and effective workforce in Whirlpool
that are discussed beneath:
Skills Required by HR: Communication skills: Human resource manager of Whirlpool is accountable for
developing better communication within the workplace which is fundamental for its
proper functioning and sharing common vision. They are the one who interact
information associated with personnel, conduct review, prepare and deliver worker
presentation and direct meditation within the company.
1

 Decision-making skills: HR professional is responsible for creating fundamental decision
of enterprise resolving emerged conflicts among personnel related to training, hiring and
working. Whirlpool’s HR need to have these skills to deliver critical thinking qualities
and avoid negative consequence emerged and can rise in workplace.
Behaviour Required by HR Ethical Behaviour: Human resource manager of Whirlpool determine dispute
management structure in enterprise to prevent issue among worker and enterprise. Thus,
they should be more ethical while working to maintain such corporate issues and
undertaken ethical decision within enterprise (Mahembe and Engelbrecht, 2014). They
manage information and decision flow within workplace. Confidentiality: The person should be confidential in nature when this comes to keeping
information related to enterprise, its employees and policies in Whirlpool only.
Knowledge Required by HR Legislation knowledge: Information of different codes, legal laws, precedents and
procedure of courts should have in human resource manager to create suitable functional
decision, policies and maintain ethical affairs in Whirlpool in relevant way.
 Personnel Management: HR manager should have knowledge of different personnel
based information such as workforce planning, staffing, resourcing, training, hiring and
firing etc. This is significant for Whirlpool’s HR manager to aim on effective results and
more collaborative working within the chosen enterprise.
P2 Personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop a
professional development
This is significant for an organisation to have certain skills, qualification and knowledge
individuals within workplace to manage different emerged consequences. Skill audit is the
process of determining gap skills and capabilities in individual related to organisation’s required
skills (Swanwick and McKimm, 2017). Whirlpool’s HR manager need to conduct one’s personal
audit to understand the dearth of skills which is workplace issues is rising. Through using SWOT
analysis technique, skill audit has been done which is mentioned as below:
SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
 I have entire essential technical  I have indecisive personality which
2

knowledge and skills associated with
HR work which is one of my major
strength.
 I am good at writing skills that are
beneficial for me in creating formation
document, paper, letter and related
piece of paper.
 My management skills are good as i
am efficient leader while i manage the
team.
have directed to workplace issues and
conflicts. I need to improve this.
 I lack at communication skills as while
communicating, lots of thoughts create
trouble in communicating.
Opportunities Threats
 Whirlpool’s organised training and
development session can direct to
learning new skills and knowledge.
 I am patient and have good potential
that can help me in creating better
learning.
 I am a slow-learner which is one of
major threat as people who are quick
learner can grab the same
opportunities in less time.
 I have a short temper that can create
troubles for me in future.
Hence, the notion propound that I am efficient at technical, writing and team working
skills which is beneficial in case of Whirlpool. Whereas, there are some fundamental skills of
HR professional on which i need to work for improvement that are decision making skills and
my communication skills (Mahembe and Engelbrecht, 2013). There are numerous techniques
and approaches that can be used for the betterment of skills and qualities of individuals in which
i have employed PDP technique to carry out betterment which is discussed as below:
Personal Development Plan: It can be refer to the process of planning an activity plan
associated with values, gals awareness and planning for individual improvisation in
relationships, self-development, better career education etc. Under this assignment, as
Whirlpool’s HR manager, i have opted this method to improve my weaknesses that i have
identified in personal skills i.e. communication and decision making skills mentioned beneath:
OBJECTIV
ES: What
do I
What will I do to
achieve this? Or
What resources or
What would be
the hurdles in
achieving my
What will my
success criteria
be? / How the
Target dates for
review and
completion
3

want/need
to learn?
support will I need? goals progress will be
monitored?
(workshop
feedback, class
feedback, tutor
feedback, by
applying to work
etc)
Communica
tion Skills
Effective
communication skill
is one of the most
essential
requirements of HR
professional to
interact policies,
decision and basics
of work roles to
personnel. It is
essential for me to
have good
interaction skills to
communicate
information of
Whirlpool to worker
and manage different
consequences
emerged in
organisation.
Hesitation, Lack
of knowledge
and confidence
can restrain the
growth and
development.
Through
evaluating
response of
colleague and
assessing peer
review
2 Months.
Decision-
making
Skills
This is the duty of
HR manager of
Whirlpool to manage
Minor wrong
judgements
outlined in
Via peer review
and analysing
performance of
1 month
4

arise negative
consequence and
prevent disputes by
undertaking
important decisions
(Wellin, 2016). I
need to improve by
managing,
monitoring and
controlling skills for
resolving emerged
disputes.
situations can
lead to major
drawback that
can demoralise
performance and
demise
confidence level.
enterprise
workplace.
TASK 2
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development
Learning: This can refer o a process of gaining new or modifying one’s existing skills,
values, behaviour, knowledge, preference etc. There are basically two types of learning
procedure which Whirlpool can use that are mentioned as below:
Organizational learning: It refers to the process of retaining, transferring and creating
knowledge within a firm. Organisation can develop their benefits as this help in emphasising the
experience and knowledge of workers. Organisational learning basically promotes these basic
nits; inter-organisational, individual and enterprise learning. This is one of the convenient
manners to estimate the learning curve (West and Lyubovnikova, 2013).
Individual learning: This is a specific program or designing of training and education
which outline reflection of strength and weaknesses of individual. This sort of learning is used
through a single individual designed as per their possession or interest group. Whirlpool can opt
this in order to widen the area of knowledge of their each individual.
Whirlpool uses both learning approach within their organisation for thriving new skills
and abilities with enterprise along with shaping the existing ones. Below are mentioned some
basic differences between both of these styles of learning:
Organizational learning Individual learning
5

This is a segment of course where if staff teaches
and improve then enterprise itself learn and
develop. In Whirlpool, this could mean that
various methods of sales or marketing could be
taught via training and development that could
help the organisation in learning ways of
improvement.
This is a self-direct learning
procedure based on workplace. This
is interrelated with workplace as
more involvement lead to more
improvement. In Whirlpool, if a
certain marketing method is to be
taught to a promoted employee, then
individual learning could address the
need effectively.
It deals with development of overall organisation
skills, learning, knowledge and increment of
overall productivity.
This sort of learning whereas
corporate with requirement of
individual and improve attribute,
skills and knowledge of a person by
aiding betterment.
Therefore, both are significant for an enterprise like Whirlpool as one help in
improving productivity of services and outcome of enterprise and other focus on workforce
and their attribute. These tend to sustainable performance and enlargement in benefits of
enterprise in significant way.
Training: Training can refer to development and learning procedure for individual, team
and group of people where skills and knowledge associated with specific subject is being taught
(Sessa and London, 2015). This aims on certain target to bettering performance, capacity,
productivity and capability of targeted audience. Hence, this is an indispensable component in
Whirlpool to support learning among employee of enterprise. Firm can utilise this method for
supporting new qualities and skills among personnel or to deliver individual and organisational
learning.
Development: Development is also learning process which builds progress, economic and
political modification along with environmental and physical growth. It can simply be defined as
process of being developed or introducing new phase in any condition.
Both of these terms are vitally different from each other n the grounds of its delivery, concept
and goals. Below, distinction between both terms is mentioned:
Basis Training Development
6

Meaning It is a process of learning in which
employee get opportunities to develop
their own skills, knowledge and qualities
as per work requirement.
Development can be defined as
learning process i.e.
apprehensive common growth
of enterprise’s worker.
Term This is a short-term procedure. For
instance, training for new methodology of
sales in Whirlpool might require only
three months to be executed.
This is a long term procedure.
In Whirlpool, this means
overall development of
employees throughout their
professional career.
Focus on This concentrate on existing skills and
knowledge improvement. For instance,
marketing, production, etc.
This concentrate on future
develop and growth of an
enterprise. For instance
profitability, sustainability, etc.
Orientatio
n
Work-oriented. Carrier-oriented.
Motivation Trainer delivers stimulation to team so
that trainee can provide best of one’s skills
while working in Whirlpool.
In development, Worker
inspires individuals to adapt
and learn more things.
Objective For betterment of workforce or a team. To prepare staff for upcoming
obstacles.
P4 Need for continuous learning and professional development to drive sustainable business
performance
CPD can simply be define as process of documenting and pursuing experience and talent
that can assist in documenting and pursuing experience and talent that can help in enhance
professionalism and creativity in individual. It can state as reflection of learning of individual
and its experience along with its implementation (McKenzie, van Winkelen and Grewal, 2011).
Whirlpool’s administration need to have continuous learning in regard of improving their
demands and outcome. This cover re-assessing and over-viewing of tools, theories, values and
experience of an individual. It is essential for administration to improve tier workforce through
including new benchmarks. For implementing it, there is a requirement of execution of
7

continuous learning framework along with approach of professional development. Here are
mentioned some necessities of continuous learning and professional development written below:
Prepare Worker for Unexpected: It is sort of learning method which assist Whirlpool
worker for implementing unbelievable changes which can restrain their growth. Through
constant, organization can smoothly operate their operations and can attract market
opportunities.
Develop brand reputation: Management of referred organization can emerge and
improve their recognition of brand through CPD procedure via delivering advanced services to
their consumers. It can also deliver new opportunities of development to enterprise from
marketplace.
Competence direct to confidence: Continuous learning and development procedure
promote diverse learning that can tend to effective viability which can improve confidence of
worker. Moreover, administration of Whirlpool faces numerous obstacles which can deliver new
creativity exploration for achieving their competences.
Sustain in market: This procedure can help Whirlpool in refraining positive reputation in
market as company has faced crisis situation. Through adapting this learning method,
organization can cooperate with issues conveniently and ace up with technologies and market
trends.
Therefore, CPD is a requisite procedure that can be adopted in Whirlpool workplace to
improve their vision, create shared commitment, enhance team working skills and deliver
learning to workforce for gaining better competencies.
TASK 3
P5 Understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and competitive advantage
The HPW concept help in keep stimulating worker and creating committed workforce
within an enterprise. The approach helps in managing organisation by aiming on worker
involvement in decision making procedure to meet higher level of performance working.
(Duffield and Whitty, 2015). High performance culture supports transparency in culture, open
communication lines and ore interaction between enterprise and its worker. This promote new
flat structure of organisation beside the tradition hierarchal framework where worker are give
priorities and are more committed, involved as well as are common vision at Whirlpool. Hence,
8

Whirlpool has carried out this framework within the enterprise as this thrive employee
engagement, productivity and competitive which is mentioned as below: Better employee attribute: Worker take participation in betterment processes of service,
products and structure of Whirlpool to create high-performing environment. Hence, this
focus on innovative ideas and actions of employee that develop their attribute and
behaviour toward Whirlpool and lead to improved competitive edge as well. Effective Cooperation: Whirlpool worker under this environment coordinate with their
external and internal people along with their team. This vents more innovative affairs in
team and support employee engagement by delivering each individual same purpose.
Thus, overall productivity and competitive advantages gets improved in the process.
 Effective financial outcomes: Creating such culture can direct to enlargement in
financial results by rendering effective services and meeting consumer and worker
loyalty toward brand recognition (Ruch, 2011). Thus, Whirlpool can attain optimum
outcome by performing better operations and meeting competitive edge.
Hence, high performance working in Whirlpool can promote their new vision of shared
commitment and transparent communication as well as culture. Whirlpool can overcome from
the crisis condition by creating more efficient work environment and engaging worker within the
process through creating high performance working culture.
TASK 4
P6 Different approaches to performance management (e.g. collaborative working)
Performance management: Performance management is the procedure of generating
settings and exertion environment in which workers perform with their best efforts. Performance
management focus is centred on the activities of an enterprise, its employee, department or even
the processes to build a product or service (7 Reasons Why Continuous Learning is Important,
2017). The fundamental target of a performance management is to upgrade and promote staffs
effectiveness. It is a constant process where executives and workers work together to monitor,
review, plan a worker’s work goals and objectives. Performance management involves that
projects which ensure that targets are incessantly being met in a successful and well organized
manner. Core purpose of this technique is to improve the productivity, performance, loyalty
9

among worker, retention and build coherent accountability along with cost benefits which can
facilitate Whirlpool’s growth and can assist in meeting set benchmark.
Types of Performance Management
(Source: Approaches for measuring performance of employees, 2017 )
Comparative approaches: Comparative method is a procedure where skills are measured
through creating comparison. Comparative-historical procedure towards in sociology is testing
methods to probe social transformation and formation or cultural processes. The comparative
practice is frequently used in the primary stages of the enlargement of a part of science. This
method can assist Whirlpool in meeting certain requirement of skills by comparing the
performance with team members or other parts of organization (Holden and et. al., 2012).
Behavioral approaches: Human behavior is well read, thus all conducts can be learned as
per the condition and learning habits. Behaviorism is disturbed with how atmosphere factors
affect perceptible behavior. The behaviorist path suggests two main factors where an employees
learn from their domain namely operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Behavioral
management theory is enlarging its reaction to the need story for worker’s motivation and
behavior. This can be effective for Whirlpool as this not only focus on improving behavior but
also aims at meeting determined outcome.
10
Illustration 1: Approaches for measuring performance of employees