Report: Developing Individuals, Teams and Organizations at Whirlpool

This report examines the human resource practices at Whirlpool, focusing on the development of individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. It begins by outlining the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors required by HR professionals, emphasizing problem-solving, ethical conduct, and customer focus. A personal skills audit is conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, leading to a professional development plan. The report then contrasts organizational and individual learning, highlighting the importance of both for continuous improvement and adaptation to new technologies. It further analyzes the need for continuous learning and professional development, and demonstrates the contribution of high-performance work (HPW) to employee engagement and competitive advantage. Finally, it evaluates different approaches to performance management, providing a comprehensive overview of Whirlpool's strategies for fostering a productive and engaged workforce.

Developing Individuals,
Teams and Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR......................................................................................................................................1
P2.Personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop
a professional development plan............................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P3. Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development 6
P4. Analyse need of continuous learning and professional development ............................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5. Demonstrate HPW contribution to employee engagement and competitive advantage.. 9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6. Evaluate different approaches to performance management ........................................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................11
REFERECES ................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Developing individual, team and organization is an effort to enhance the learning of
employees to provide them opportunities to grow with the organization. It emphasizes on
improving their knowledge and skills to develop their personality which is a reason of their
growth in career. As the employees develops their knowledge and skills they achieve the higher
performance in the organisational activities because individual's development skills is the only
route to amend the team and organization performance in which they are working. In this report,
according to the given case study of Whirlpool adopts the HPW (high performance work) in
order to enhance the productivity of the company. Whirlpool is American company which is an
home appliance manufacturer such as refrigerator. The report underpins professional knowledge,
skills and behaviour of the employees and personal skills to develop professional development
plan. It also comprises comparison between the organizational and individual learning ,
continuous learning and professional development plan along with the HPW contribution and
approaches of performance management (Bolman and Deal, 2017).
TASK 1
P1. Determine appropriate and professional knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required
by HR
Human resource management is essential regulating body of Whirlpool and they plays an
important role in the organization. They put their efforts to identifies the subordinates skills and
the requirements what they should improve to increase their efficiency. When the HR recognises
the skills and knowledge of employees then it will become easy to align the strategies to enhance
their abilities.
Skills
As being an HR professional of Whirlpool it is necessary to analyse the employees skills
in effective way such as -
 Problem solving – The managers should have a problem solving approach to resolve the
issues while working and problems among the employees because a peaceful
environment in the organisation (Chaskalson, 2011).
 Ethical – The managers should keep the company's information confidential from the
outside environment. HR professional develop the rules and policies for the staff that
governs work in ethical environment such as do not abuse the colleagues because it will
give the worst impression on the others and create a bad environment in the organization
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(Conboy and et. al., 2011). There are some rules which are important to follow by the
employees to run an organization in an effective way.
Knowledge
The HR of Whirlpool should gain the knowledge that can give a direction to the
company. Their knowledge can be as follows -
 Administration – The HR should have the knowledge about the administration and
management of the organization to flow the work smoothly such as resource management
and planning.
 Communication – The employees and management should communicate to better
understand the requirements. For an example, an HR needs to be update about changing
scenario of the working industry that can be helpful for company and employees then it
becomes essential to distribute the knowledge among the employees through an effective
communication.
Behaviour
The HR professionals behaviour can have such factors -
 Measurable – The actions should be efficient to attain the objectives within specified
time duration. The HR activities should be scalable in order to maintain the operations of
the organization.
 Customer – HR managers should concentrated on the customer requirements and
demands and they should also put the efforts to meet their satisfaction level with various
techniques.
P2.Personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours and develop a
professional development plan.
Personal skills is referred as practices of an individual which they get while working and
need to measure through audit because it gives an overview to examine the skills where a person
needs improvements and what are the strength of them. There is a need of audit the employees
skills who are working in the Whirlpool in order to meet the goals and objectives. Whirlpool has
an aim that needed to develop such skills, knowledge and behaviour which supports to encourage
the business. To analyse the skills of their employees that can affect on the company
performance. There is need to measure the capabilities through a personal development plan in
order to attain organization's goals or objectives and enhance them for the future development
growth. Hence, it is essential to recognise the current strength and weaknesses of the workers
that drives the output of firm. As being an HR at Whirlpool, it is my role and duty of HR to
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measure the skills in respect of their field in which they are working. Through examining their
skills, the manager will be aware that what are their existing strengths and what needed to be
improved for their better progress (Dahlgaard, Pettersen and Dahlgaard, 2011).
There are some strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats which I found in personal
development audit and that are given below-
Strength : As being an HR I excels in managing the conflicts on workplace and give the
solutions of the problems. I am also efficient to work with with the software.
Weaknesses : I am weak in database management and also lacking employees
participation in the problem solving.
Opportunities : I can grab the opportunities if I will improve my weaknesses like
database management and employee involvement for the better solutions of problems.
Threats : There are some threats for my career like someone can have the better quality
to manage the employees such as increasing the involvement of employees in discussion and
database management.
Whirlpool can audit personal skills and performance such as the following way.
Proficient Skill Excellent Good Competent No experience
Information
Technology
Microsoft word ✔
Microsoft Excel ✔
Microsoft
PowerPoint
✔
Database ✔
Internet ✔
Email ✔
Specialist HR
software
✔
Continuous Professional Development can be documented according to the below format -
NAME : Cinderella Stuart
Job Role and Responsibilities : Human Resource Manager
Review of learning requirement Development Plan
Date Referenc
e
In which
area I
need to
improve
How it
will link
to other
objects?
What
can
learn to
achieve
What I
need to
do to
attain
What
are the
resource
and
How can
I
evaluate
successf
What
are the
deadline
to
3

my
perform
ance
this? this? support
that I
will be
required
?
ul
result?
achieve
the
determin
e aim?
01/08/18 Databas
e
manage
ment
Database
manage
ment can
help to
manage
informati
on about
the
employe
es and
their
progress.
the (Day
and et.
al.,
2014).
To learn
the
database
manage
ment I
can take
traning to
manage
the data
with MS
Access
and SQL.
I need to
take
trainig
for 6
months
to attain
the task.
Internet
and other
software
that can
teach me
to learn
this.
I can
evaluate
the
successfu
l results
by
takinng
the own
examinat
ion and
sort out
the
other's
queries.
13/12/18
10/08/18 Conflict
resolutio
n
It will
give a
quick
solution
of the
problems
arise in
workplac
e.
I can
analyse
the
situation
in which
the issues
encounte
rs.
I can
invlolve
the
people to
sort the
problems
within
time.
I would
require
the
support
of team
members
.
I can find
the
problems
can
solved
within
time and
with
appropria
te
manner.
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Skill Excellent Good Competent No
Experience
Problem
solving skills
✔
Handle the
conflicts rises
on workplace
with a various
approaches.
✔
Increase the
the employees
involvement
in problem
solving
✔
Supervisory Management
How much
experience of the
designation?
< 1 month
✔
1-3 months > 3 months
How many members
in your team?
None 1-5
✔
Above 5
This is the professional development plan of Whirlpool's HR officer which is used to gain
the information and improve the weaknesses. The firm needs to prepare the plan because it help
to meet the desired objectives within specific time. There is huge benefit of maintaining the
development plan because it indicates about the current state of the employee and their future
expectations that means the skills which needs to amend (Eime and et. al., 2013).
Whirlpool's professional development plan as follows -
Name Cinderella Stuart
TIME
FRAME
Individual Goals Professional goals:
In
current
Through involvement in the training
sessions of personality development, I I will be more deserving to earn the
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year will become more efficient to
measure my skills where I am lacking
(Goetsch and Davis, 2014).
deserving position in the company.
The above Professional Development was considered and sanctioned on 26/5/18.
Adviser Signature____________________
Executive Signature___________________
TASK 2
P3. Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development
Training and development is essential to grow a person in the organisation there are some
skills which can be improved by giving training to the employees. Training can be define to
teach the working styles after the selection of employees whereas development refers to
enhances the skills of employees while working.
Training: This includes to provide practical training to employees for improving their
skills to improve their style of working that helps to gain better outcomes from efforts of staff
members properly.
Learning: This can be described as to render educational knowledge about some of
effective education so that they can gain required learning to utilise these innovative techniques
successfully.
Development: This includes to conduct training and learning programmes to improve
efficiencies of employees and organisation to develop products of company.
Organizational learning and individual learning is completely different but both the can
grow only with the continuous learning and timely modification in techniques. Individual
learning aspects matters a lot for the organization because until an individual person would not
have a learning ease, they cannot give growth to the organisation (Herrmann and Herrmann,
2015). These both learning are essential but has some differences as well and are discussed
below with comparison -
Organizational learning – Organisational learning is a process in which the employees
put their efforts in order to gain knowledge regarding their fields and work through the skills and
abilities amendments that are needed to analyse by themselves. Organizational learning depend
on the knowledge that can be gained within the working environment of a firm such as there are
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various ways to manage the same problem with different approach and in the same way, there
are various problems which cannot be rectified by the same process. In this part, Whirlpool is
required to conduct learning events for employees which is helpful to adopt new effective
technology to improve features or quality of products which supports to fulfil expectations of
people along with gaining their satisfaction. Whirlpool determines the short term and long term
goals which are needed to achieve within a particular time. Organisation learning refers to make
the employees aware about their efficiency that can be helpful to achieve the organization goal.
Whirlpool can improve the existing knowledge and skills of the staff that will aid to focus on the
strategic and techniques to attain the aim of organization (Hitt and et. al., 2011). Whirlpool can
apply the organization learning for their employees that can enhance their skills while working in
the organization.
Individual learning – Individual learning refers to setting employee's own targets and
reach to achieve within a fixed time. This will enhance their confidence and make them able to
accept the challenges. If they proceed to accept the new challenges, they will also increase their
skills and knowledge with the efficiency and effectiveness. People can find a gap between their
knowledge and skills what they wanted to improve and what they can actually have. To reduce
this gap, they need to put effort to learn the expected things that can also beneficial for their
growth of Whirlpool because until or unless a person will not give an opportunity to learn and
adopt the new and innovative things they will stay on the same position and may drastically fall
down in their career (Légaré and et. al., 2011).
Organisation learning Individual learning
 The organizational learning maintain a
relationship between the employee and
employer to achieve the goal that is
established by the company (Marquardt
and et. al., 2011).
 There is a huge scope of innovation to
make the working procedure smooth.
 On the other hand, individual learning
is only about to enhance the skills and
capabilities of a person who works in
the firm.
 It is a specialized program to measure
and boost the efficiency of people.
P4. Analyse need of continuous learning and professional development
Continuous Professional Development
In order to embrace the employees performance, Whirlpool opted CPD process which
used to observe their own learning. CPD or continuous professional development refers to the
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process of following skills, knowledge and experience that an individual can gain formally or
informally according to the work and that can be beyond the training or working environment.
The CPD records entire learning, knowledge, skills and experiences in physical documentation
that is needed for analysing performance and learning of individual person. CPD records all the
stages of learning that boosts the performance of the employees while working individually and
within a team.
The overall CPD indicates the employee's documented skills, knowledge and experiences
that they learns within the work and outside the working atmosphere. It is a physical form of
documentation which holds the record of their experience and skills. It focuses on the major area
of development to stay in the competitive environment with continue learning causing only the
continuous learning which can refrain a person or organization in the market. There are several
features of CPD that can be helpful to measure workers skills and that are as follows -
 CPD is documented process so it easy to measure own abilities.
 It is self directed and self – derived by an individuals.
 CPD is focused on the learning from the bygone experience, reflective learning and
assessment (Rock, 2014).
Need of CPD
The need of the Continuous Professional Development can be understand by the
Whirlpool as it is inclining the skills of its employees. It has such features that should be
followed by the workers to assess their individual learning which also impacts on the team and
organisation growth. Continuous learning refers to the enhancemnet of abilities with
amendments of skills and knowledge in order to perform best of employees. Basically, it define
a continuous learning of a person who goes through various elements in the workplace and the
other place. The formal and informal learning aid to support the individual activities whether
they are inside the company or somewhere else. For an example, when Whirlpool adopts the
continuous learning program at that time they can see that what are strong points of their
employees and what are the weaknesses. This make them enable to identify the gap which
needed to put some exertion in order to gain the objectives of the organization. There are some
specific needs which requires to adopt the continuous learning and professional development that
are as follows -
 Being relevant – This is necessary for the employee that a person should stay connected
with the working industry because everyday technology is changing rapidly so it become
necessary for the individuals to remain relevant within the field.
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 New ideas – Continuous learning supports to the new ideas to acquire new skills and new
opportunities that aid to find the new innovative solutions of the problems.
 Enhance the profile – While learning, a person should always improve and grow in their
career and they can also get the recommendations from the colleagues and management.
When a person switches their job then they have to learn new ways of working to work
according organization.
 Changes the view – Continuous learning aid to change in the perceptions of what a
person already know or aware about. The perspective changes with learning because as
much as a person will learn and observe the things they will learn more and understand
the things more deeply (Wood and cock, 2017).
CPD is the helpful for Whirlpool cause it is giving a continues changes with innovative
things perception from different point of views and it is also enhancing the individual profile.
Continuous professional development includes to boost yup skills of employees and efficiencies
of organisation which is supportive to improve effectiveness of products and image of product
amongst customers.
TASK 3
P5. Demonstrate HPW contribution to employee engagement and competitive advantage.
High performance working or HPW is about establishing a culture of the organization
with transparency, trust and open communication to share the view and problems of everyone. It
is about abrading the traditional hierarchical structure which many are still in existence as many
companies are still following the old procedure (Bolman and Deal, 2017).
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills defines that HPW refer as a
fundamental processes, practices and policies which can be pool together and when it is
integrated then it gives result in improved performance of employees within the organization as
it is adopted by Whirlpool in the need for continuous learning.
When Whirlpool opt for the HPW, then it will see the co- relations with of the
organizational goals, increased organization profitability and higher job satisfaction along with
low staff turnover and high innovation rates and creativity on workplace. As the employees
engagement plays an important role as they are satisfied with the hob, motivation, involvement,
commitment and greater opportunities for innovations and creativity in working conditions,
environment and systems. In Whirlpool, the employees engagement increases the efficiency and
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profit of the firm that is able to sustain in the competitive environment. There are several other
factors which enhances the employee engagement such as -
 It allows the workers to work with their own style that means the process is decentralized
and they can manage their own work with self – management within a time limit.
 There is a sharing communication concept that makes the entire worker aware about the
strategies and organizational changes because of that the employees feel informed.
 HPW enforces people with a focused culture that the employees should get appreciation
and reward for their hard work.
 It also provides them opportunities to learn new skills and enhance of existing skills for
the better approach.
HPW supports to the team development with focus on individual team that are tends to
get high motivation level and energy. It also applicable to get the competitive advantage because
HPW develops an effective workforce in Whirlpool so when there is an innovative and creative
approach to accomplish the tasks then the organization become strong to beat the competition in
the market (Chaskalson, 2011).
TASK 4
P6. Evaluate different approaches to performance management
Performance management can be define as activities which ensures the goals that should
meet objectives with an effective manner. Basic purpose of performance management is to
reduce threats which is necessary to complete desired goals or targets of organisation. There are
various approaches of performance management system and that are described as below -
Comparative Working – Comparative working refers to the comparing the qualities of
individual persons on the behalf of rated measurement of individual performance with others. It
includes the over all performance of a person and giving them a ranking in a certain group and
then it will give an output on the behalf of this comparison of a group.
Example : An individual works in Whirlpool then the manager requires to attain the over
all performance of the employees and then they need to identify where they are lacking and need
some improvement through training (Conboy and et. al., 2011).
Result approach – The result approach is simplest and straight – forward concept in
which the Whirlpool can rate their employees performance results. The one method of the results
approach is to balance scorecard technique that has four perspectives such as financial, customer,
internal & operations and learning & growth. For an instance, Whirlpool can be measure their
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