Unilever HR Skills, Development, and Performance Report

This report examines the essential skills and behaviors required by HR professionals, focusing on Unilever as a case study. It details a personal skills audit, identifying areas for improvement and a professional development plan. The report explores the differences between organizational, individual learning, training, and development. It highlights the contribution of high-performance working to employee engagement and competitive advantage, and discusses various approaches to performance management. The report covers a range of topics, including influencing skills, critical thinking, communication, and technological knowledge, providing a comprehensive overview of HR's role in organizational success. The report also provides insights into the importance of continuous learning and ethical practices in the field of HR. Furthermore, the report includes personal reflection and evaluation of the author's skills and areas for improvement.

Developing
Individuals, Teams
and Organisations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professional..............................3
Personal skills Audit to indentify skill, knowledge and behaviour.............................................5
Professional development plan....................................................................................................7
LO2................................................................................................................................................10
Difference between organisational, individual learning, training and development.................10
The need for continue learning and professional development.................................................11
LO3................................................................................................................................................12
Contribution of High performance working in employee engagement and competitive
advantage...................................................................................................................................12
LO4................................................................................................................................................14
Different approaches of performance management...................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Organisation in order to grow and expand its business needs to focus on enhancement or
development of individual skills, capabilities and various teams within firm so that particular
objectives can be achieved. Continuous improvement in skills and knowledge of person
contributed towards various opportunities in personal and professional life. HR professional
required various skills, knowledge in order to manage different individual that are working for
growth and expansion of business. The report is about Unilever that deals in consumer able
goods to satisfy basic needs and wants of individual. It have discussed about various skills,
knowledge and behaviour that are required by HR professional. Then personal skills audit to
identify various skills that are present in me and needs to be improved for getting numerous
opportunities in future. It also discussed about the way High performance working contributed
towards employee’s engagement and competitive advantages.
LO1
Professional knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professional
HR professional plays an important role within organisation as they hires, select right
candidate for specific position so that they can easily perform task and contributed towards
overall success of firm. HR manager of Unilever is able to effectively manage different
individual to contribute their best so that company can gain competitive advantages in the market
(Cartwright, 2017). Therefore various skills, knowledge and behaviour that are required by HR
professional of Unilever to influence employees to enhance their performance can be illustrated
as:
Skilled influencer: HR professional of Unilever have special qualities to influence or motivate
individual that belong to different culture, tradition to work as team so that common objectives
can be achieved. Influencing ability helps Hr manager to gain commitment and dedication form
workers to develop new skills in order to perform various task in organisation so that it can earn
more profitability.
Critical thinking: It is another skill, knowledge that is present in HR professional of Unilever
that state it critical think on every aspects so that best decision can be taken for organisation and
individual. HR manager critical evaluated various resources, technology and people that will be
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required to perform specific task so that best outcome can be gained. Thus, critical thinking skills
and behaviour of HR manager helps in taking best decision and motivation of employees to work
effectively for growth of enterprise.
Able to listen and understand other: Unilever Hr manager always tries to listen and
understand employee’s ideas, opinion and view while taking appropriate decision. It encourages
employees to share their innovative and creative ideas so that various changes can be made
within firm and it can get competitive advantages (Gruber and Harteis, 2018). Effective listening
and understanding behaviour, culture and tradition helps HR manager to build strong relationship
among individual and reduce chance of conflict.
Knowledge about technology: It can be stated that technologies and preference of individual
keeps on changing so HR manager need to be aware of such changes in order to influence
maximum number of people to be part of company. Unilever Human resource professional
before hiring, selecting particular individual analysis the recent trends that can be used to attract
large number of potential candidate to come for interview so that best can be selected. It also
continuously finds new and innovative method to particular task so that maximum outcome can
be gained at minimum cost. HR manager also have ICT skill in order to effective communicate
necessary information to various employees that are working in the organisation.
Empathy and ethical practice: It is another knowledge or behaviour of HR manager of
Unilever that have contributed towards retention of number of employees within organisation.
HR are facing challenges in managing ethical such as preservation of private information of
employees as well as organisation. Unilever HR manager follow ethical practices in order to
build strong brand image and satisfy needs of employees, customers through ensuring their
health and safety.
Communication: It is one of the essential skills that is required by every Hr manager to
exchange information with employees so that work can be performed as per objectives of firm.
HR manager of Unilever have good oral and communication skills that helps in better exchange
of rules, policies and regulation of organisation to different employees for effective operation of
business (Harrison, Burnard and Paul, 2018). Therefore effective communication skills helps
HR manager of Unilever to influence number of individual to work in specific manner so that
particular outcome can be gained.
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Personal skills Audit to indentify skill, knowledge and behaviour
Skill, knowledge and
behaviour
Skills that need to be
acquired
Various usage of
skills, knowledge in
performance of
different work in the
firm
Techniques or
methods that can be
used to enhance
skills
Decision making I have planned to
acquire decision
making skills through
monitoring or learning
from superior such as
the way they take
crucial decision of
firm (Mishra, 2017).
I have also decided to
acquire decision
making skills through
analysing various
points of particular
issue so that right
decision can be taken
within limited time
range.
Decision making
skills helps me to
become of the
successful HR
profession as I am
able to take right
decision for benefit of
organisation and
employees that are
working for growth of
enterprise.
I can also used
decision making skills
to resolve conflict and
make optimum
utilisation of
opportunities by
taking best action
within minimum time
frame.
I need to enhance my
critical thinking in
order to select best
possible action to
achieve particular
objectives of
organisation.
Ability to influence
others
It is another skill that
I have planned to
acquire by building
strong interpersonal
It will help me to
influence people to
make optimum
utilisation of their
I need to develop
interpersonal skills in
order to build strong
relationship with each
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skills, ability to
understanding and
listen to other
problem, grievance so
that they can be easily
influenced.
It can also be acquired
through learning
culture, tradition of
each individual so that
they can be motivated
or influenced to work
for common goals.
skills and capabilities
while performing
task.
Influencer skills will
also helps me to
retained employees
satisfaction and
loyalty so that best
services can be
renders to customers
(Manuti and De
Palma, 2018).
individual and
inspired or influenced
them to provide their
best so that customers
wants are satisfied
beyond their
expectancy and strong
brand image of firm
can be established.
Knowledge about
technology
I have planned to
enhance my
knowledge about
various technologies
that can be used to
hire younger and
talent employees
within organisation.
By using social sites,
more internet and
computer to learn
about recent trends or
way to communicate
through use of
innovative
technology.
As a post of HR
professional I can
easily attract large
number of individual
to apply for specific
vacancy in the firm.
It will helps me to
retained highly
experienced and
talented employees
within organisation
and contribute in
strong establishment
of brand image
(Khoreva and
Wechtler, 2018).
I need to enhance my
technologies skills or
ICT to effective share
information within
limited time and cost
to number of
employees that
perform function in
organisation.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Skills Plan or strategies
that can be used to
enhance skills
Skill evaluation Time period
Time management Time management
skills can be
improved through
setting appropriate
time that will be
taken to perform
specific objectives.
It can be evaluated
through total time
taken in performing
specific task or
responsibilities.
It can be developed
within time frame of
4-5 months.
Communication
skills
I need to improve
my oral as well as
written
communication in
order to exchange
information.
Therefore I have
decided to learn new
words or enhance
my vocabulary so
that I can easily
communicate to
various individual.
For better oral
communication I
have planned to
improve my body
language and gesture
for better
understanding by
Communication
skills can be
evaluated through
taking feedback
from my relative,
friends or other
people that they
have understand
particular message
in similar terms as I
have intended to
explain them
(Sharma and
Venkateswaran,
2020.).
It will take times as I
have to learn new
words or innovative
technologies to
efficiently
communicate with
other people.
Therefore it would
take a period of 5-6
months.
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other people.
Effective Listening
and problem solving
ability
I need to developed
effective listening
ability in order to
understand various
problems that are
faced by individual
while working in
particular
enterprise.
Therefore I have
decided to quietly
listen or build strong
relationship with
individual in order
to solve problem and
motivated employees
in future career.
Listening skills and
problem solving
ability can be
evaluated by
analysing number of
problem I have
solved and
understand feeling,
behaviour of other
people.
It will take only 2
month to develop
effective listening
and problem solving
ability in order to get
position as HR
professional in
reputable firm.
REFLECTION:
Personal and professional development plan has helped me to learnt new skills such as time
management, problem solving and communication skill. Development of such skill can
contribute in my growth and success or to become one of the successful HR manager. AS
per personal development plan I will learn different skill within time range of 1 years so
that I can get job in reputable company. Therefore by following all plan steps I can overall
my weakness and achieved desirable objectives within specific time limit.
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Strength Weakness
Interpersonal skill is one of the strength of me
that helps to build strong relationship with
other employees or people that are working
together so that they can be influenced to
enhance their work performance and
productivity.
I need to improve one of weakness that is time
management and listening ability to understand
ideas, views of other people and perform task
within appropriate time.
Threat Opportunities
I have ability to take crucial decision but it
takes some time to select the best option which
resulted in delay or miss of available
opportunities. Therefore I need to work on my
decision and problem solving ability in order to
effective manage different individual that are
perform various function in the organisation.
Good interpersonal skills can provided me
opportunities to influence employees and
become successful HR manager by
understanding their feeling.
Reflection and evaluation
1 2 3 4 5
Management ✓
Communication ✓
Team work ✓
Self motivated ✓
Problem
solving abilities
✓
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Time
management
✓
Reflection
It can be analysed and evaluated that I have good communication and management skills
but need to work on team work in order to become successful HR manager in future. I
have ability to self motivated but faced challenges in managing time and solving different
problem so that right action can be taken within limited time and cost. Therefore i need to
plan strategies to improve problem solving and time management skills to take crucial
decision for benefits of firm and employees that are working in organisation.
LO2
Difference between organisational, individual learning, training and development
There are various differences between organisation and individual learning, training and
development such as when various individual or group of people learn together through transfer
of knowledge, skills from one highly experienced and qualified employee to another. On the
other hand, when particular individual learn specific skills, or provide training and development
for enhancement of knowledge and capabilities to get numerous opportunities in future time.
Individual through reflective learning cycle is able to learn keys strength and weakness thus find
appropriate plan to improve skills for getting various employment opportunities in professional
(Arndt and Guercio, 2016). It can be critically evaluated that organisation such as Unilever
through organising training and development program is able to improve skills and capabilities
of diverse individual so that they can delivered qualitative services to customers. Organisation
also use reflecting cycle to know about key areas in which it lack so that appropriate strategies
can be formulated for improvement and achievement of common objectives.
Kolb reflective cycle
Concrete experienced: From my pervious experienced I have learnt that there are some of the
skills such as communication and interpersonal skills that can helps me influence individual.
Therefore, Organisation and individual learn from Kolb reflective learning theory so that various
changes or improvement can be made on the basis of previous experienced or situation. Previous
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experience of individual helps it to find appropriate method that can be used to do particular task
in most effective manner so that best outcome can be gained.
Reflective observation: After previous experienced I have observed that I need to plans ways or
method to enhance my skills in order to get opportunities in future. Lot of time and money,
efforts are involved in training, development of organisation whereas there is minimum amount
of time to enhance individual skills.
Abstract conceptualisation: I have learnt from previous experienced and observation that time
need to be properly managed so that accurate result can be gathered. I have also learnt about
different skills, knowledge and capabilities that are required by HR manager of firm.
Active experiments: I have used by developed and existing skills to communicate with people
or understand their problem in order to find accurate solution. I have set time and priority
regarding task that need to be performed by each so it helps me to get best results so experiments
was successful.
The need for continue learning and professional development
Continue learning denotes the procedure of regular development and upgradation in the
existing skills to achieve more efficient skills and knowledge. There are numerous keys that
engage in these activities constantly. These activities can be recorded and evaluated on these
records, and in future can be improved effectively. Unilever use this approach through it’s
policies and made CPD to lead sustainable and business aspects of entire process of development
and effective integration. There are lots of reasons that express significance of CPD at Unilever
which can be determined in following manner:
Competitive Edge: Unilever is a retail company that has aim to give good high-quality service to
the customer so that they get value of their money (Anusha and Raman, 2017). Therefore,it
focuses on staff performance by gathering feedback from customers and management
departments so that it enables to identify weak area of team which needs to be improved.
Unilever can improve it’s competitiveness if it regular modify and improves existing policies and
practices which shows that organization can adapt and implement any type of change that arises
from dynamic environment. This approach gives competitive advantages to particular company
i.e. Unilever which assists their workforce and helps them in influencing their diversity and
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competitiveness of retail services which they offer to customer. It is mainly emphasized in
developing the overall dynamics of organization.
Overall work environment
Involvement of CPD process supports in developing whole work culture and plays vital
role to decline those aspects which can reductant or no longer contributes in the improvement of
the business. For example, incorporation of CPD removes all those activities which are just
consuming resources but does not give any effective contribution in productivity of Unilever plc.
CPD practice gives huge contribution in the development of new technology and staff skills. It
also improves operational capabilities and newer technologies that are instigated in the Unilever
and human resource as well as improves personnel competency that gives better practices for
nurturing themselves (Choy and Chua, 2019). CPD is basically designed to nurture a business
and that causes CPD has given benefits Unilever plc effectively so it has been proved that CPD
plays significant role in organization’s productivity.
Skill Gap: It is one of the major leading issue that faces by numerous numbers of companies
such as they are incapable to recruit those employees whose skills and knowledge is actually
required for performing the job responsibilities in which sector or positionthey work. With CPD
approach managers of Unilever plc try to build bridge for skills gap which maintains wellbeing
of individuals within company. It avoids external parties in the organization for training and
development perspective to the staff which helps to improve performance of individuals quickly
but not able to improve their skills for the longer time duration. Apart from this, there are various
skills that develops own by own gradually through their experience. Thus, it helps to reduce
skills gap which effectively exist in today’s world specially in the retail sector organizations.
Flexibility
With the regular involvement and engagement in the CPD activities for its staff and
management, minimizes resistance of staff for the change because they adapt this skill with the
process of constantly learning new skills and implements them regular working process. When
entire staff is regularly inspired to learn and incorporation of new skills and activities and
changes in the business (Huang and et.al., 2016). With the CPD techniques, Unilever enable to
improve their competencies and opportunities at work culture and adapts new trends as foster as
possible. So, CPD assists to adapt change process whenever needs to implement organizational
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change that arises in Unilever plc. Thus, company improves entire flexibility in the business
activities which is further improved significantly.
LO3
Contribution of High performance working in employee engagement and competitive advantage
High performance working (HPW) is management approach that emphasis on improvement or
influence in the level of engagement which individuals shows in the business and it’s activities
helps to improve productivity and performance of the staff that can influence significantly within
business. HPW technique is mainly focused on the manners or process in which company uses
all resources that are available. Extensive utilization of the resources arises issues in the business
such as labour turnover, employee engagement etc. are the important aspects that are identified
in the business while using HPW model. There are numerous prospects that gives huge
contribution in incorporating HPW model in the organization. There are described as follows:
Positive attitude of leader:
Leader is the major attribute that is facilitated by the high-performance company, to
maintain positive attitude towards staff i.e. subordinated who offers it’s services in particular
workplace. It is best approach to influence motivation level of the staff whereas they are not
scolded by senior authorities for minor mistakes but are rather fairly treated as students and
provides understanding impacts of their action over the organization’s performance and it’s
activities. With this aspect, Unilever enhances the productivity and increases sense of
achievements or success by encouraging them to put more efforts in their working in term of
achieving the different goals which has stated previously and automatically individuals
extensively inspires, thus improves overall situation of business (Kennedy, 2016).
Effective communication
Communication strategies are also one of the major attributes that are applied in the HPW
organizations are effectively upgraded time to time. Organization uses various process to
understand it’s staff about tasks clearly so that they can coordinate their performance as
organization requirements (Lantz-Andersson, Lundinand Selwyn, 2018). Communication plays
essential role within organization it leads interaction between people and builds good
relationship between employer and employees. When communication is poor, in that state
chances of conflicts crisis improves or mis-communication takes place. Overall, it minimizes
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positive attitude and outlook towards job place of Unilever. A good communication keeps
environment stress free and individuals enables to work in a team and in inspired manner.
Sharing common purpose
Teamworking also gives huge contribution in HPW organization because it inspires
individuals to work in a team and encourages them to achieve defined task together in defined
time period. Therefore, it is considered one of the important aspects of HPW model whereas
objectives and goals are given in priority on individuals and inspires them to work in collective
manner instead of bare efficiency only. This approach impacts on individuals’ attitude such as
they do not emphasize on their own promotion and incentives, thinks about organization’s
benefits as whole or the promotion and development of whole business. Unilever also promotes
it’s staff to work in a team as result enables to improve overall significance of accomplishment
of aims which has been formed at the business level accordingly vision and mission of the
business that has influenced and affected as they has accomplished at a fasten scale (Osborneand
Hammoud, 2017).
360-degree feedback strategy also gives extensive contribution in HPW organization
because it maintains individual’s wellbeing within workplace. it is considered one of the
important aspects of HPW models because it helps to gather feedback of individuals about the
strategy which has implemented or will apply within workplace. Unilever plc uses this strategy
within organization and gathers feedbacks from the staff member about organizational policy and
encourages them for suggestion which makes them feel valuable part of company. With this
strategy enables to give values to their customer by taking feedback time to time and maintains
wellbeing of individuals within workplace. thus, organizational has improved engagement of
staff within company.
The analysis of above factors has provided understanding about significance of HPW that has
implemented in Unilever’s workplace and it’s manner that supports in completion of daily tasks
and objectives.
Benefits of HPW to Unilever Plc
High performance working creates positive attitude of a staff to give productive
performance. HPW approach improves self-motivation efficiency whereas they do not need high
motivation to give best performance within workplace. This approach proves beneficial for the
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organization as well because it helps to gain competitive advantage which creates positive
environment inside and outside of the company. Apart from this, individuals enables to improve
their personality and working efficiency which automatically leads financial benefits within
company.
LO4
Different approaches of performance management
Performance management is the systematic process of improving and managing the
overall proficiency of the business which assures that funds are not invested unnecessarily. There
are numerous approaches and tools of analysing funds that are available in the business and also
takes right actions. To improve and promote the aspects related to high performance working
(HPW) has various performance management techniques that are described as follows:
Collaborative Working
Collaborative working means when two or more than works together in a
team to achieve common goal that process known as collaborative working. It is
one of the best approaches towards performance management whereas individuals
work on their roles and responsibilities and inspires to work together as result
improves collaboration at Unilever plc (Prokop and Stejskal, 2017). However,
Unilever uses this practice to put individuals together on different tasks and
activities which helps to learn how to communicate with other team members
effectively and also provides understanding the way or manner in which entire
performance of business can be accomplished. Thus, this approach influences the
practices of HPW in Unilever. Collaborative working is not only improved goals
achievements but also build healthy working environment in the workplace. It also
plays huge role to influence the integration and commitment of individuals towards
each other within workplace. So, it is considered effective performance
management tool by which individuals can be improved their performance in
precise manner.
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Attribute Approach: It is mainly focused on individuals who posses’ certain
characteristics or traits and believes that these characteristics are desirable for the
organization’s success.
Behavioural Approach: This approach supports to define attitude of
individuals which is highly essential to be stay effective in the job. For example
With this approach Unilever plc uses behaviourally anchored rating scale to define
each dimension of performance in individuals.
Result approach: This approach is mainly accessed on managing goals and
measurable results of job. For example, with this approach Unilever uses balanced
scorecard to measure performance of staff.
Quality Approach: This approach involves customer orientation, prevention
approach to decline ratio of errors and on-going improvement. The primary goal of
the approach is to improve customer satisfaction. For example, Unilever Plc uses
360-degree feedback strategy to improve customer satisfaction.
360-degree Feedback process
360-degree feedback process is the process of reviews collection from each
and every person for something related to performance, strategy and others. It is
another technique of support in generating viewpoints of the staff that they keep
towards different policies and strategies which are being followed by organization
instead of giving direction to them. Unilever uses this approach by inspiring
individuals to give and take feedbacks in both manners i.e. human resource gives
feedbacks about individuals regarding their performance which they offer to
customer within workplace, in return, employees or individuals also give necessary
feedback regarding policies and work culture that they enable to maintain their
wellbeing or not. It is quite effective policy in improving entire practices of the
collaborative working within company and thus builds high performance working
environment in the workplace. Unilever also can improve overall working
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environment by following some of the measurable techniques which has
recommended through staff of the organization positively.
Rewards and Incentives
It is another approach of performance management that influence individuals
put more efforts in their performance so that achieve all defined all objective in
prescribe time. Reward and incentives can be classified as a reward management
strategy whereas organization offers rewards to those staff who perform
outstanding during peak time and completion different tasks on time (Strouhal and
et.al., 2018). At Unilever plc, practices different approaches such as star
performance of the year and vouchers for foreign trips etc. offers to the staff as
reward which is one of the best aspects that offers in term of reward to the staff
who gives high scored performance. These practices also assist to measure HPW of
the company and inspires individuals to lead productivity in their working and
operations of the business.
CONCLUSION
The brief study provided understanding about organizational achievements that achieved
through effective coordination and cooperation of individuals efforts towards common goals. It
has been concluded personal skill audit to determine appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviour
as well as develop a PDP for the specified job role. Differences between organizational an
individuals learning, training and development has been evaluated through CPD model.
Significance of continuous learning and performance development to lead sustainable success in
the busines performance has been summarized in this report. HPW contribution in the employee
engagement and competitive advantage within organizational situation can be concluded in this
report. Different performance approaches and it’sdemonstration with specified example has been
concluded in this report.
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