Whirlpool: Developing Individuals, Teams, Organizations

This report examines Whirlpool's approach to developing individuals, teams, and the organization. It begins by identifying the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors of HR professionals, including recruitment, performance evaluation, and change management. A personal skills audit, using a SWOT analysis, is then conducted to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats relevant to an HR manager's role. The report differentiates between organizational and individual learning, highlighting how Whirlpool utilizes both approaches to enhance employee skills and adapt to market changes. Organizational learning is emphasized for company-wide adoption of new skills, while individual learning focuses on targeted training for specific roles and situations. The report concludes by providing a comparative analysis of organizational and individual learning strategies within the context of Whirlpool's innovation initiatives.

DEVELOPING
INDIVIDUALS ,
TEAMS AND
ORGANISATIONS

INTRODUCTION
In this over dynamic nature environment, business associations intend towards
gaining high profit margins. For this purpose, they focuses on improving their productivity
and performance level by providing training and development assistance to employees.
Although, human resource management is considered as one of the imperative in
organisations which is obligated to manage or handle entire workforce in the best possible.
The prime objective of HR managers is to increase employee retention rates through satisfy
their needs and wants. In multinational corporations, there is also required to provide healthy
and safe working environment to staff members where they can work freely (O'leary and et.
al., 2011). The present assignment is based upon a case study of Whirlpool, the business
wants to move from innovation. In this context, HR managers of the company thinks about
how to improve employees’ efficiencies. Apart from this, the report will describe professional
knowledge and skills of a HR manager and personal audit also will be made for the same.
There is discussed differentiation between organisational and individual learning.
TASK 1
P1 Determine knowledge, skills and behaviours of HR professionals
The core concept of human resource management is used to define formal system
which is devised for managing people in a business organisation. Its common objective is to
acquire, develop and retain talent; align individuals with working activities and be effective at
market. A HR manager is liable to determine employees’ queries and problems and trying to
resolve them in the best possible manner. This will help individuals to attain and retain
customers for long term period. HR professionals are emphasised to get optimum utilisation
of workforce in order to improve performance levels of employees (Pless, Maak and Stahl,
2011). The person also identifies workforce requirements within workplace and prepare
recruitment plan accordingly.
Skills of HR manager-
 Recruitment and selection – The HR personal has a great knowledge of recruiting and
selection so as to determine right people at right place; for this effective inter-
personal and decisions skills are needed. Identifying appropriate workforce comes
with practices; integrating social media tools and efficient strategy. Effective

evaluation of talent also required communication skills, excellent listing skills and
further soft skills that support to understand people (Tannenbaum and et. al., 2012).
 Multitasking – While performing day to day business activities, HR manager plays
several roles and responsibilities, as the person deals with employees issues or
grievances and also provide them necessary guidance to perform specific task or
activity. Along with this, the person also prepare recruitment strategy to fill job
vacancy; it involves social media channels, engagement, employee retention and other
critical aspects.
 Performance evaluation – Another skill of human resource managers is to make a
balance between production level and performance level of employees. In this sense,
execution of a complete performance improvement programmes helps to reward the
role of HR managers as they can encourage others to perform in better manner.
Furthermore, proper evaluation frameworks are develops to recognise performance
level of each individual.
 Change management – The HR managers have capability to determine organisational
changes which can be occurred in future and affect its working activities and
processes. For this purpose, the person formulates various strategies and policies that
are able complete with changes. The concept of change management plays a crucial
role in success or failure of a business association.
 Effective communication skills – It is one of the most imperative skills which is
required in HR manager of the company. strong communication skills help HR
professionals to share and express their views to others and also supports in
recognising employees’ needs and their issues as well.
Knowledge of HR professional
 Knowledge of labour relations – The HR professional have enough how to
maintain healthy and positive relations at workplace as all employees can work in
cooperative manner. In addition to this, labour relations means taking care of
employees’ interest and rights at workplace (Leonard and Rayport, 2011). For
example- rendering a risk free environment is one of the main part of human
resource management.
 Knowledge of business – HR professionals keeps entire information regarding
how to run a business organisation in systematic manner; it also involves
implementation of strategies and policies in proper manner. Business knowledge

is associated with to be aware with all laws and legislations of the firm in which it
operates.
 Knowledge of training and development – Having enough knowledge to provide
training and development assistance to employees is one of the crucial task for HR
manager of the firm. The person has to know what kind of training methods are
best for individuals, i.e. on the job training and off the training methods.
Additionally, HR also determines impact of these learning activities on
performance level of people.
Behaviour of HR manager
 Transparency and trustworthiness – HR managers play the role of confidante at
workplace especially when employees have issues with another within organisation.
In this situation, the person is expected to deal with equality or similarity with both
parties. As such, it’s important that Employees feel their HR Manager is someone
they can speak to openly and honestly without fear of judgement (Berry, 2011).
Whilst maintaining confidence is key, somewhat paradoxically, transparency is just as
crucial.
 Ethically – While dealing other issues of employees like pay and benefits, violations
of organisational policies, or personal challenges impacting work. They are expected
to take every decisions by considering certain workplace ethics and legality.
P2 Analysing personal skills audit to identify knowledge, skills and behaviours
A personal skill audit is linked with assessing strength, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats of an individual thus necessary changes can be made to perform specific task or
activity in organisation. Personal skill audit supports individuals to keep themselves on
profession track. Although, if people can recognize their shortcomings and determine future
threats they would easily exhibits certain arrangements in order to effectively overcome with
these situations (Warrick, 2011).
Personal skill audit can be done by SWOT analysis of an individual –
STRENGTH WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
Versatility and
adaptability in nature
is one of my most
One of my greatest
weakness is my
anger which can
As I have a good
working experience
in HR field, then it
Lack of money

noteworthy quality.
Because of my
learning nature, I am
capable obtain and
adjust things.
affect my relation
with others at
workplace. While
working in a team,
I yelled on
individuals.
will be a great
opportunity for me
to work with a
multinational
organisation.
Having strong team
management,
leadership as well as
communication skills
helps me to guide
employees and at the
same time influence
them to do specific
task or activity; it
helps in improving
performance level of
the company.
Lack of problem
solving skills as I
am not capable to
deal with
unexpected
situations.
Due to having
effective leadership
skills, I can be a
good leader in future
and it is beneficial
for my carrier
growth as well.
Family restrictions.
Further, some necessary skills of Human resource manager of Whirlpool are stated as under:-
Personal development plan
S.
No.
Learning
target
Present
Proficiency
Target
Proficiency
Development
Opportunities
Criteria for
Judging
Attainment
Time
Scale
1 Short temper 6 10 By analysing things
with calm and
pracefull mind.
Perrs and co-
workers
60
days
2 Problem
solving skill
5 10 By analysing things
properly and taking
right decisions on right
situations.
Senior
employees
80
days
3 Communicati
on skills
7 10 By taking training and
development
opportunities and
practices from various
digital mode of
communication and get
desirable outcomes.
With peers and
subordinates
90
days.
4 Team 8 10 Team should be With higher 70

development
skills
develop by accessing
skills and capabilities
of an individual and
learn from experience
of others and by
observing behaviour of
others.
authorities and
by discussing
with peers and
subordinates.
days
P3 Differentiate organisational and individual learning
Organisational learning – The term organisational learning refers with a process of
executing knowledge for certain specific purpose and grabbing future opportunities. Its prime
objective is to life long learning and enhance individual efficiencies and capabilities as they
can perform effectively in future. Along with this, organisational learning is done to
accomplish firms goals and objectives by raising sales and profitability. It creates a positive
platform in which individuals can feel secure and transparently share their issues with top
management. Furthermore, learning is led as individuals can prepared to go out and take
risks. At the time of implementing innovation in its working processes, Whirlpool led the
concept of organisational learning with the goal that its employees can adopt or learn new
aptitudes as well as current market trends (Suppiah and Singh Sandhu, 2011). All this is
being done at workplace so as to expand versatility and in addition adaptability of workforce
in a satisfactory way. However organisational learning enables individuals to realize what is
profitable for their groups.
Individual learning – In individuals learning programmes, training sessions are organises for
specific purpose; i.e. to improve knowledge of employees as they done particular task. For
example – at the time of implementing innovation, Whirlpool gives specific training to
workers; it results they enables to learn technical skills and knowledge. Apart from this, in
multinational companies, if an individual promoted for higher position then he is provided
training assistance by top management so as to handle all situations which might be occurred
in future (Bolman and Deal, 2017). Thus, individual training programmes are also organised
for a person as he or she can compact with future situations. Individual learning can be
defined as the capacity of building information of people in respect of developing knowledge
for a particular theme. Aside from this, the centre idea of individual learning is, it begins with
enthusiasm and in addition inspiration level of a man whether he will learn or not.
Therefore, while implementing the concept of innovation, Whirlpool has organised
organisational learning for entire workforce; it results employees will learn new and

innovative ideas of production. It supports in reducing time and costs and also boost up their
efficiencies of doing specific tasks or activities.
Organisational learning Individual learning
Organisational learning programmes are
implemented for long haul period as well as
for managerial positions; it results people
will acquire more knowledge in minimum
time.
Individuals training programmes are as same
as training programmes but only conducted
for managers as they can learn something
new and deliver the same to their
subordinates (Salas and et. al., 2012).
It is based upon theoretical knowledge of
people and the main purpose of
organisational learning is to provide
knowledge or information to employees as
they perform effectively.
Because, it get too difficult for managers to
give practical knowledge to a large group of
persons.
The learning process requires broader
overview to all aspects which are required to
complete any task or activity. In addition,
individual learning wants those people who
are enough capable to learn and use technical
skills.
Henceforth, it is linked with practical
knowledge of people by having an objective
to improve job processes.
Organisational learning is method which
makes staff members proficient as they can
handle antagonistic or critical circumstances
in a powerful way without much of a
stretch. It implies with execution of
different learning sessions and new
techniques of production because there are
numerous people get associated with
hierarchical (Leonard, 2011).
Singular learning contains start enhancements
in representatives. For instance subsequent to
preparing, they can utilize better techniques
or approaches to finish any undertaking or
movement.
It alludes learning or procure through
different routes keeping in mind the end goal
to do perform in successful way. On the off
chance that staff individuals have new and
creative abilities then they can contend
different adversaries of the firm.
It is a carrier oriented activity in nature and
executed for enhancing future performance
which will be profitable for the
organization,
In organisational learning, sessions are
connected by considering vision and
mission of the organization (Seibert, Wang
and Courtright, 2011). Basically, it is a
ceaseless on-going procedure its success is
quite hard to quantify.
It is work or task focused activity in nature
and executed for improving current
performance or output level employees.
Along with this, individuals learning is
connected with accomplishment of a specific
undertaking or working activity inside
association. It is an onetime procedure and
simple to assess by expertise tests or utilizing
different techniques.
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development
Continuous learning – The term continuous learning can be defined simply as
"progressing, deliberate, and motivated" which is implemented for upgrading knowledge
level for personal and professional motive. In this way, it not just improves social
consideration and self-development, but also self sustainability, employability and

competitiveness. Although, continuous learning is Constant learning is highly essential to
growth and viability of a business association due to dynamic economic conditions of
external environment. In this modern era, every company tend to learn continuously so as to
survive efficiently and deal with external market changes as well. It goes ahead to include
that from an employees (Warrick, 2011).’ viewpoint, lifelong learning also boost up capacity
to learn by continually enhancing abilities, expanding information and accelerating acquiring
limits of workers.
In Whirlpool, it encompasses viewing experiences about potential learning and
revaluating assumptions, values, strategies, approaches, and polices In groups, constant
learning highly reflecting individuals mind set and learning process, for instance, by a group
changing itself in light of evolving conditions." But, while a few organizations will claim
they have endeavoured and potentially even executed the process of lifelong learning that
was remain successfully for numerous years prior, the expansion and utilization of
technological advancements has made appropriation substantially simpler than previously.
On the other side, continuous learning is about using various applications so as to improvise
knowledge level in a specific field. On corporate level, it renders accurate shape to groups as
they can acquire different changes.
Because of the changing economic demand, it is fundamental for workers to be fully
informed regarding new inventions or innovations. It supports individuals to be adaptable and
in addition versatile as they can simply accomplish firm’s aims and objectives. Consequently,
business associations need to put resources into its kin by giving them training and
development assistance. Managers should also enlist new workforce for enhancing
production volume.. Presently nowadays, firms needs to lean towards attaining and retaining
workers for long haul period by giving them compensatory and reward benefits. Likewise,
they tries to know needs and demands of employees by giving them sound and safe
workplace. Adjacent to this, while giving consistent learning, supervisors must guarantee that
it ought to be connected with objectives and goals of the organization. In multinational
business organisations, continious learning supports to respond quickly to external
environmental changes. Formulation of appropriate and effective strategy or policy is
necessary, so as to face and overcome with all external threats which can affect working
activities and processes.
Learning styles of David Kolb’s are stated as follow: -

The theory was given by David A. Kolb in 1984; the theory intends to describes
various methods of learning through which individual can improve his or her skills which are
matched job criteria. Along with this, Kolb theory defines that learning is one of the best
conceiving process which can be gained with experience. Learning also supports in reducing
disputes or grievances between opposition parties, it’s a holistic procedure of acquiring
external environment. It builds knowledge and competencies of people which results
transaction of personal and social knowledge. Below are defined four stages which are
getting involved in learning life cycle process: -
 Diverging – In this stage, people likes to different kinds of points of view. At the end
of the day, they want to observe instead of doing; such sort of individuals have solid
creative ability level and they jump at the chance to work in gathering or groups.
Separating nature of people are receptive, they generally prepared to take surveys
about themselves and they have gigantic enthusiasm for social individuals.
 Assimilating – Such individuals have clear and exact data. While giving any
confirmation they break down it and investigate their exploration. Assimilating people
are more mindful adapting just digests and concepts. Intelligent perception and
conceptualization atre the real qualities of such individuals.
Illustration 1: The Kolb Learning Cycle. 2018

 Converging – These individuals are subject to determine issues by putting their
endeavours and practices. They have great information of specialized undertakings
and investigate their work through imaginative thoughts.
 Accommodating – Such people likes to do things basically all alone dangers. They are
constantly prepared to confront difficulties and settling issues in a compelling way.
The learning styles centre around understanding and dynamic experimentation.
Honey and Mumford theory – This is one of the specific learning theory that assist to
determine numerous aspects of a individual learning as -
 Activist- These are the individual's who laern several things by getting practical
experience. They believes to complete their task by own. These kind of people have
open mind and problem solver by their own experience.
 Theorist – These individual are basically believes in theoretical aspects that they
analyse from different models and theories.
 Pragmatist – These individuals are basically believes in experimental approaches,
ideas and concept. The learn numerous values that connected with real world
approaches.
 Reflector – They are the smart learner who analyse things from the others doing
activities. They observes and than implement numerous aspects by their own.
TASK 2
P5 Importance of HPW
The term High performance working is all about creating a cultural of transparency,
open lines of communication and trust between employee and employer. It is all about
improving a traditional organisational system and make it more effective. Still, there are
some business entities follows a traditional approaches of working; it results they cannot
survive successfully at marketplace. Thus, the approach of HPW intends towards managing
associations by stimulating employee engagement and commitment so as to accomplish high
performance targets. The core concept of HPW intends a series of practices and policies
which put into place and integrated with each other in order to enhance performance level .
The main HRM practices fall under three areas, such as –

 High employee involvement
 Human resource practices
 Reward and commitment practices.
Along with this, applications of high performance working are more efficient and
beneficial while they used in bunches; it means companies have freedom to choose one
among all other alternatives practices which is most suitable for them as per their structure,
strategies and objectives. It is overviewed that HPW practices are assistive in expanding 20
to 40% productivity of business organisations compared with those do not (Van de Ven. and
Sun, 2011). Following are the main benefits of HRM practices for Whirlpool, such as –
 It allows employees’ autonomy across their working styles, i.e. reinforcement of
self management and decentralised organisational structure.
 HPW helps in transaction of necessary information with employees and managers,
like – detailing about organisational changesm, implementation of any policy etc.
it results workers feel consulted and informed.
 Imposing an employee oriented culture, i.e. recognition and reward of hard work
and honesty.
 Acquisition of flexible working policies.
 Highly focused on training and development programmes i.e. providing
opportunities to employees as they can acquire new skills and improve their
knowledge level.
 Introducing employee support systems and people management processes, i.e.
regular appraisals and multi-source feedback.
High performance working is an important attribute that helps in achieve employee retention
by giving an flexible working culture and transparency in work and procedures so that
employees feel confident and liberal in giving their best in organisational development and
advancement. When people come from different backgrounds in an organisation chaos
creates in organisation that demotivate their employees in giving their best in organisational
development.
P6 Approaches of performance management
Performance management is a process in which managers work together so as to
evaluate and review an individual’s working aims as well as his or her entire contribution in
business organisation. It is a continuous activity of setting objectives, analysing progress and
rendering on-going training as well as taking feedback in order to ensure that staff members

are meeting their career goals and objectives. In this manner, it can be said that performance
management is fundamental activity for a business association, i.e. Whirlpool which
promotes and boom up workers’ efficiency and capabilities. An effective performance
management system align strategic objectives of the firm with organisational cultural; it
should be practical and easy to understand and use. Therefore, to analyse employees’
performance several approaches of the PM can be acquired by the HR manager of the
company. as it supports managerial decisions regarding promotions, termination, benefits and
compensation.
Following are the main approaches of performance management: -
• Behavioural approach – It involves dealing with individuals’ behaviour by regulating
a formal structure of feedback and reinforcement. Behavioural alludes certain perspective, for
example, define a set of key practices that are necessary for accomplishing specific working
activities, assessing employees behaviours and then provide them feedbacks accordingly (Hu
and Liden, 2011). It is essential for managers to keep record the information of workers'
performance and after that review the maximum achiever. It has two strategies, i.e.
behaviourally anchored rating scales (BARS) and Behavioural observation scales (BOS).
Aside from this, the main disadvantage of this approach is it expect there is just a single
method to do and people will be observed continually.
• Quality approach – In this approach, choices are gone up against the appraisal of
individual and framework. Quality approach focused on that managers can work with their
subordinates keeping in mind to reduce every single issue and issues which occurs while
working. For this purpose, decision makers can acquire various sources in order to evulate
performance level of people. There are different strategies of this approach, for example, -
process flow analysis, cause and effect diagram, pareto chart, control charts, scatter grams
and histro grams. Along with this, the main benefit of quality approach is it depends on
primarily blend of results whereas its disadvantage is few companies are not tend towards
abandon their traditional hierarchy of performance management.
• Attribute approach – This approach is based upon attributive and rehashing groups. .
Quality approach is utilized while assessing performance of entire association against a pre-
decided set of actions. For this, certain criteria’s are chosen to quantify the performance level,
for example, development, judgment, critical thinking aptitudes, imagination, basic

leadership abilities, collaboration, correspondence and so on. The drawback of attributive
approach is choices are absolutely depend upon evaluator's tendency.
 Collaborative approach – In a business organisation, mangement requires to pay thei
maximum attention toward employees colleboration. Through this, they can motivate
them toward business objectives and goals. In Whirlpool, these practices are required
for the betterment of employee's perforamnce and practices.
 Effective communication – In a business orgaisation communication between
employees considering as a most specific medium for resolving issues and conflicts in
betterm manner. In Whirlpool, management needs to pay their maximum attention
toawards these practices for enhancement of working practices.
 Result approach: that approach of performance management based on outputs that
should be based on performance of employees. This approch of performance
management in which includes balance scorecard methods adn techniques to evaluate
performance level of employees.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it get concluded that the main task for management
is to develop effective teams and workforce which enables to attain organisational goals and
objectives in a certain time period. The HR manager of a company is required to have
interpersonal skills and good knowledge of providing training so as to boom up efficiency of
individuals as they can work in pervasive manner. Along with this, organisational learning is
organised for a large group of people whereas individual learning is conducted for specific
person only. In order to improve performance level of employees, managers are required to
implement different approaches of performance management so as to gain high cutting edge.

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The Kolb Learning Cycle. 2018. [Online]. Available
through:<https://deparkes.co.uk/2015/12/21/kolb-learning-cycle/>