Developing Individuals, Teams and Organisations: A TESCO HR Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of human resource management practices, focusing on the development of individuals, teams, and organizations within the context of TESCO, a leading UK retailer. It begins by outlining the essential professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors required of HR professionals, including leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, as well as expertise in various business areas. The report then presents a personal skills audit and professional development plan, illustrating how employees can enhance their abilities through targeted training and development. Furthermore, it explores the differences between organizational and individual learning, highlighting the benefits of each approach in fostering employee engagement and improving overall performance. Finally, the report examines performance management approaches and the role of High-Performance Work (HPW) systems in achieving competitive advantage. Overall, the report offers valuable insights into effective HR strategies for enhancing workforce productivity and organizational success.

Developing Individual,
Teams and
Organisations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Professional knowledge, skills and behaviours required by HR professionals.................1
P2 Analysing personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviours..................3
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development. 6
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development............................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P5 Contribution of HPW in employee engagement and competitive advantage...................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P6 Approaches of performance management .......................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
In this era, every corporate association wants to gain higher profitability by enhancing its
sales ta marketplace. For this purpose, management is required to provide training and
development assistance to employees so as to improve their performance level and production as
well. Human resource management is treated as most crucial part within organisations that is
liable to manage overall workforce and gaining higher outcomes from them (Bolman and Deal,
2017). The overall coursework is based upon TESCO; it is one the leading retailer of grocery
products and services in UK. The main objective of the company is to deliver qualitative and
value added services to customers so as to attain higher satisfaction level. Apart from this, the
report will be describe skills. Knowledge and behaviour of HR personnel. While creating a
personal and professional development plan it is essential for managers to conduct a personal
skill audit. Furthermore, readers will also come to know about the role of HPW in employee
engagement.
TASK 1
P1 Professional knowledge, skills and behaviours required by HR professionals
Human resource management is essential for all business entities in completion of their
various functions, like – hiring employees, low attrition rate, effective training etc. Basically, the
main role of HR department is to cope the workforce as they work together for accomplishment
of common goals and objectives. Along with this, it aims is to integrate decision making and
decisions are based on various aspects of employees (Chaskalson, 2011). In order to perform all
such activities in the best possible manner, the HR manager of the company should be able to
have certain skills and knowledge that are stated as under: -
Skills of HR manager
Leadership and management skills:- The common objective of every business entity is
to appoint a well skilled or educated people who is capable to manage and lead all working
activities. Effective leadership and management skills helps human resource manager to
influence people to do a specific task or activity. In addition, TESCO has efficient team of HR
who guides individuals by providing them training and development assistance.
Good communication skills: The is foremost quality of HR person that aids them to
interact with others so as to implement coordination and cooperation within organisational.
Effective communication skills also helps managers to recognise needs and wants to employees,
1

as to provide them job satisfaction. In retailing industry, free flow of communication between
management and staff members also improves the decision making process of the companies.
Decision making skill: This skills is required for each employers who are involved to
organise different activities at workplace. Thus, it is essential for human resource managers to
make better decisions so as grab future opportunities which is beneficial for growth and vitality
of overall organisation (Conboy and et. al., 2011). In TESCO, decisional activities are accessible
in raising performance level of staff members so that firm can easily achieve its goals and
objectives.
Expertise – The human resource personnel must be expert in all areas of business. It
means to have goo problem solving skills so as to resolve the situations like conflicts in an
effective manner.
Knowledge of HR manager: -
Knowledge of business – It is fundamental that the HR manager should know that how to
run a business functions in systematic manner. The person have to know how to grab future
opportunities by taking important and fast decisions.
Knowledge of best practices- Having strong knowledge of best HRM practices, like
training and development, recruitment and selections, performance management, career planning
etc. plays an imperative role in improving performance and production level of overall company
(Dahlgaard, Pettersen and Dahlgaard-Park, 2011).
Knowledge of labour relation – Good knowledge industrial relations helps in managing
healthy and positive working environment at workplace. It consists labour laws, regulations and
practices so as to render effective facilities to employees. Strong employee relations also aids in
attaining and retaining employees for long term period at workplace. It increases credibility of
business entities.
Behaviour of human resource professional
Ethical behaviour – The HR professional of TESCO have to behaved ethically with all
individuals. In other words, ethical behaviour states that while developing all policies and
principles HR manager have to consider values, morales and believes of staff members.
Integrity: In this approach, HR professionals seeks to integrate equal employment
practices. The person should follow fair employment rules while hiring new people, such as- no
discrimination or partiality (Woodcock, 2017). HR managers need to give equal opportunities to
2

men or women. The person also has good knowledge about compensations and rewards.
Furthermore, there is required to manage employees' personal and organisational policies.
P2 Analysing personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviours
Personal skills audit performed by TESCO is :
Skill Very Good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Information
Technology
Usage of Microsoft
word
✔
Usage of Microsoft
Excel
✔
Use specialist HR
software
✔
Use a database ✔
Use the internet ✔
Use Email ✔
Use PowerPoint ✔
Skill Very Good Good Adequate Little or no
experience
Communicatio
n skills
Drafting
contracts of
employment
✔
Taking notes of
disciplinary
hearing
✔
Write reports ✔
Produce
materials to
support
presentations
✔
Delivering a
training session
✔
Resolving
disputes
✔
Interviewing ✔
Advising on HR
issues
✔
3

Skill Very Good Good Adequate Little or no
Experience
Problem
solving skills
Good usage of
Verbal orienting
skills,ability of
handling
complex data
and make
optimum use of
information
✔
Innovation of
various
effective ways
to resolve
problem in
better manner
✔
Considering
feedbacks and
ideas from
another to
resolve an issue.
✔
Supervisory Management
How much experience
have you had in your
placements?
< 1 month 1-3 months
✔
> 3 months
How many people
have
you managed at any
one time?
None 1-5 Above 5
✔
4

The main reason behind designing professional development plan by TESCO is to
accomplish all aims and targets. In this relation, employees have to emphasis on fulfilling all
working activities by driven up their productivity and profitability. Thus, as per the case study,
PDP plans should be formulated for each employees separately; it would be advantageous for
employer and employee because it identifies the current and future goals they want to be
achieved.
A professional Development plan of Jane Cambridge: -
TIME
FRAME
Personal Goals Professional goals:
Next 12
months
The personal goal of Jane Cambridge
for next one year is to regularly
attend training sessions and seminar
which will boost up his
communication skills.
To get promotion within workplace.
Next 3
years
Totally matured and attractive
personality which suits to my
professional life and also become a
better person in life.
To become senior HR manager in
TESCO.
Strength and weaknesses of Jane Cambridge: -
Planned activities Objective of development
Required skills/knowledge Activation in debates or
seminars that aids in boost up
listening abilities and
knowledge criteria of Jane
Cambridge.
To become expertise in all
field which improve the way
of thinking.
Strength Broad minded and effective
communication skills
Skilled and experienced person
Having patience while taking
To become more efficient
5

all important decisions
Friendly nature
Weaknesses Acquiring changes in modern
techniques.
Lower problem solving skills
Jane Cambridge will have to
learn entire skills again.
TASK 3
P3 Differences between organisational and individual learning, training and development
In order to motivate employees towards working activities, it is necessary for
management to provide training and development assistance. It helps to upgrade their knowledge
in a specific area as they can perform it effectively and obtain high competitive edge.
There are two types of learning, like organisational and individual learning. Both are two
different factors and detachable part of a company. In addition, their execution cannot be done in
same manner and not even the same time as well. Below describe the brief description about
organisation and individual learning: -
Organisational learning – In this approach, employees want to get a platform whereby
they acquire more knowledge and skills so as to respond quickly towards environmental changes
in future. Basically, organisational learning is as same as development programmes, it runs on
continuous basis within organisations with an aim to up to date workers as they perform in better
manner. There are several steps of organisational learning, such as- examining skills, keep
tracking employees' capabilities, blueprint of goals and organisational cultural that will be
achieved. Along with this, the learning process made workers to get succeed by taking effective
decisions or judgements. Organisational learning is also liable for improving understanding level
and problem solving skills of people as they can grab future opportunities; it led to increase
profitability and output level. The prime benefit of this learning style is it renders new and
unique ways of do an activity or task.
Individual learning – It gives chances to people as they extend their skills in a particular
area of action via personal training sessions. It gives strengthen to the task that is alloted to
employees. Along with this, individual learning is a time consuming activities yet it is effective
as well by spreading skill level of employees. It can be also done through effective
6

communication as if people share their ideas and thoughts with each other (Marquardt and et. al.,
2011). TESCO usually organise training sessions for new employees as they get know how to
perform at workplace, but the learning process puts a burden on supervisiors as he or she must
attend all sessions and teach their subordinates at the same time. Furthermore, the motive behind
individual learning is to improve technical skills of people as they can perform efficiently.
Difference between training and development: -
Training Development
It is a learning process for new people whereby
they get know about such skills or
competencies which are required for job or
completion of a task as well (Rock, 2014).
Its a kind of training for existing employees for
their overall development.
Its a short term process, i.e. 3 to 6 months Development is a continuous process that runs
for long term period.
Training emphasis evolving skills for the
current job.
It focuses on building knowledge and
understanding towards upcoming future
threats.
It has a limited scope and job oriented. Development is a career oriented and thus its
scope is wider.
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development
The core concept of continuous learning is to motivate employees as they can always
learn something new and innovative. It makes their production process easier and reduces
manufacturing cost of the firm. There are several business units conducts continuous learning
programmes by having an aim to grow and diversify all working operations. Along with this,
personal and professional development plans assists for individuals to acquire better knowledge
in the relevant field through which they can finish all tasks in an effective manner. Different
techniques are used in this sense, like – reflective supervision, coaching, mentor and further
technical direction. These aspects are assistive in improving performance level of overall
employees as the company can achieve its goals and objectives (Légaré and et. al., 2011).
7

In TESCO, employees get to know the importance of being flexible and for this they
starts to acquire knowledge and skills. The manufacturing industry is collaborated with various
institutions in order to render training to staff members. This approach carry out loyalty and faith
among individuals towards company so that they are devoted in order to attain firm's goals and
objectives. On the other hand, HR department of the company also contribute in continuous
learning by managing workforce in systematic way. There are certain advantages of continuous
learning and professional development, described as follow: - Competency leads to confidence – If staff members have appropriate knowledge towards
completion of working activities; it bring confidence among them due to human nature of
tendency.
 Facilitation of workers' growth – Several growth opportunities are rendered to
individuals by management as they can get new experience of working (Hitt and et. al.,
2011). It is also assistive in spreading their knowledge. It occurs cause of attention which
gets from others.
Therefore, TESCO can acquire Kolb's learning styles which is discovered by David
Kolb's in 1984. According to this theory it is analysed that learning is the process by which
knowledge is with the help of transformation of experience. It also includes the acquisition of
different thoughts which can be implied in a range of situations.
The experimental learning styles - Concrete experience – A new experience of situation in encountered and representation
of existing experience. Reflective observation – reflection on the new meaning, specially on the discrepancy and
gap between learners' understanding or experience. Abstract observation – new thoughts or concepts are modified as per the current thoughts
stem from this reflection.
 Active experimentation – Learner's applies this outer to the world.
TASK 3
P5 Contribution of HPW in employee engagement and competitive advantage
High performance work (HPW) is a management approach which aims to raise the
performance criteria of individuals so as to gain better future outcomes. Business units which
works at global level are enable to organise such activities just to gain economic growth. For
8

example- if employees will perform higher, it results to maximise the sales and profitability of
firm then it contributes in development of UK's economy. Additionally, HPW also focuses on
employee engagement that creates manual environment as to gain maximum output from
individuals that meets firm's expectations (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). It is fundamental for
management or leaders have to connect with staff members regularly so as to enhance the
production level.
Furthermore, competitive advantage bring numerous benefits for corporate association;
its enables to grab better opportunities. It also rise asset level and monetary terms. HPW also
analyse firm's market position which aids in formulating a framework whereby low cost goods
can be manufactured. Such goods are able to meet customers' demands and satisfy them in a
pervasive manner. TESCO is leading organisation as it has productive and efficient workforce it
helps in attracting customers towards new products and services offered by the company. After
seizure market share organisations can tend to being sustainable this it becomes to ambitious to
break the competencies of leading structure.
In TESCO, strategies are build to respond towards environmental changes and high
performance work plays a vital role in it because if employees are productive then firm can
easily compete with new entrants. Effective planning should be done in order to attain high
performance outcomes from employees. In this manner, management have to include all staff
members in decision making and planning process of the company; they also take suggestions
from individuals regrading improvements in production process (Herrmann and Herrmann-
Nehdi, 2015). Therefore, HPW plays an imperative role in employee engagement by influencing
them to work toegther in order to generate a healthy and competitive working environment at
workplace.
TASK 4
P6 Approaches of performance management
Performance management is the critical process that involves activities that will focus on
achieving the set targets in efficient and effective way. Hence, it helps in aligning all the
management levels to gain the strategic objectives. Every modern organisation have to manage
performance of the workers in order to monitor the progress and results. The term performance
management entails to manage or increase employees' performance so as to obtain competitive
9

edge over rivals in a certain time of span. TESCO uses different strategies and approaches so as
to measure the performance level of staff members.
Various strategies and approaches for the purpose of measuring performance of their
employee. The five major approaches are stated as under: -
Illu
stration 1: Approaches of performance management
(Source: Performance measurement approaches. 2017)
 Comparative Approach- this approach aids in finding out the performance of the
workers and than they are ranked from highest to the lowest level. Various types of
techniques are involves like- paired comparison, forced distribution and graphic rating
scale. This also involves that top performers will be awarded and can be promoted to
higher level (Eime and et. al., 2013). On the other hand lower scale employees should be
given proper training in order to enhance their performance level.
 Attribute Approach- There are certain criteria on which work force are evaluated like
teamwork, communication, creativity and innovation. This approach basically measures
employee performance on the scale of 1 to 5 which leads to major disadvantage.
10