Professional Development Plan: A Report for Waitrose Employees

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of personal and professional development, focusing on the context of Waitrose, a multinational retail organization. The report explores various approaches to self-managed learning, including conferences, social networking, and online courses, highlighting their benefits for individuals and organizations. It includes a detailed evaluation of current skills, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and proposes a personal and professional development plan with specific learning objectives, target proficiencies, and development opportunities. The report also addresses time management strategies, reflection on learnings, and the application of development activities to solve work-based problems. Additionally, the report examines ways to encourage lifelong learning and identify development opportunities within the organization. The content covers topics such as communication, leadership, issue-solving, and team working skills.

Personal & Professional
Development

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning and different learning styles................................1
1.2 Benefits of self-managed learning in context of individuals and organisation................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Evaluation of current skills...............................................................................................3
2.2 Identification of own development needs.........................................................................3
2.3 Personal and professional development plan...................................................................4
2.4 Activities required to implement the development plan...................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Undertaking development activities as planned...............................................................8
3.2 Reflection on own learnings.............................................................................................9
3.3 Evaluating time management strategies...........................................................................9
3.4 Updating development plan based on feedback.............................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
4.1 Solution to work based problems...................................................................................11
4.2 Variety of styles to communicate...................................................................................11
TASK 5..........................................................................................................................................12
5.1 Ways to encourage lifelong learning..............................................................................12
5.2 Identification of development opportunities..................................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
In modern scenario, development of personal and professional skills has become vital for
every single individual. Continuous improvement and learning in this context may lead a person
to face challenges at marketplace. There are many tools and techniques by which a human being
can improvise his/her skills. A dedicated staff member may easily attain own goals and
objectives that has been set by company (Thomas, 2015). This type of development can push an
individual towards growth of their own career. Skilled employees directly hit targets in an
efficient and effective manner. Current report is on Waitrose which is a multinational
organisation and deal in all over the United Kingdom in retail sector. Assignment is giving light
on the approaches by which lifelong learning and self-managing skills can be improved in an
individual. Apart from this, personal audit has also been included in this assessment so that
person can find own strengths and weaknesses. Lastly, a development plan has been braced by
the management.
TASK 1
1.1 Approaches to self-managed learning and different learning styles
It has become essential for every single individual to keep on improving own skills and
this can be done by various approaches. Person can improve his learning by using different
learning styles. This activity may lead him/her towards growth of their own of both personal and
professional. It is mandatory for individuals to find out many learning ways and utilize them to
achieve goals and objectives in a specific time frame. While setting up a stall at an exhibition
person should be more effective and should have proper communication skills as it can aid
him/her in giving detailed description about products that they are offering to consumers. Less
talkative individual cannot influence a customer in an appropriate manner. Thus, it is important
for the person to evaluate his/her own weaknesses and improve them so that he/she can become
more effective in nature. There are few approaches of learning so that person can improve his
own skills and knowledge.
Some approaches of self-managed learning are as follows:
Conferences, meetings and seminars: It is an approach which has been mostly used by
the organisation. In this hypothesis, management of Waitrose gives training and development
sessions to employees so that they can improve their own skills and knowledge (Moss, Gibson
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and Dollarhide, 2014). Apart from this, in these sessions, executives also give an overview of
modifications that they have made within company. For a less talkative person it is essential to
go in every single seminar so that he/she can develop his/her personal skills by having words
with people of different mind sets. This activity makes staff members familiar with new tools,
techniques and technologies that have been adapted by the firm.
Social networking methods: In today's world, there are many sites by which every single
person can improve his/her skills and knowledge. This type of approach gives an opportunity to
an individual to learn from their home or at anywhere. YouTube has various channels by which
human being can educate himself. It is less effective for people who talks less as personal
interaction is necessary at every single place. But, it plays an essential role when it comes to
learning of new tools and technologies that are coming at marketplace. Continuous updates in
this sector can aid an individual to give suggestions in group discussions.
Online courses: In this kind of approach, individual learns from different sites. These
websites are mostly made for educational learning. In modern era, internet is the main source by
which human beings can learn as per their objectives. It becomes vital for a person who is a free
lancer to locate new tools and techniques through which knowledge can get enhanced and these
can be easily found various educational websites.
1.2 Benefits of self-managed learning in context of individuals and organisation
It has been found that individuals learn different things like new tools and techniques
from time to time (Brody and Hadar, 2015). Thus, it can be stated like learning is a continuous
process in which human beings acquire knowledge and improve skills. In the modern era, it has
become essential for individuals to have sufficient knowledge as competition is raising at
marketplace. For an example: If a person who works as a free lancer and made a stall in an
exhibition. At the same moment he/she should locate all others stalls which has been made by
other people in order to make his/her stall unique in nature. With the help of this, attention of
consumer can be gained. Few benefits of self-managed learning are mentioned beneath:
Learning benefits to individuals:
 Hypothesis may easily lead individuals to improvise their skills and knowledge and this
helps them in attaining their own goals and objectives.
 Approach brings confidence in person. This helps him/her in giving competition to
others.
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 Improvement in morale may lead individual to make decisions which are in favour of
his/her own betterment.
 Learning brings capabilities by which he/she can easily perform their duties.
Learning benefits to organisation:
 Talented employees can easily attain their own goals and this becomes beneficial for
company to grab a leading position in marketplace (Grima-Farrell, 2015).
 Innovative ideas, creative mind, unique decisioning power, etc. are some abilities that
come under individuals after taking training and development sessions which has been
given by management of Waitrose.
 Apart from this, productivity and profitability of firms can get improved effectively and
efficiently.
TASK 2
2.1 Evaluation of current skills
Learning plays a vital role when it comes to self managing. An explained version of
measurement of skills of an individual in regards to become more effective at competitive world.
PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS
EXISTING LEVEL
AND
PROFESSIONAL
STANDARDISATIO
N
5=Strong
1=weak
BEST EXAMPLE TOOLS TO
DEVELOP
Communication skills 1 Interpersonal skills of
an individual is said to
be much effective in
nature at workplace but
it has been located that
most of people looks
forward to give
suggestions and try to
If an individual is
much effective and
have good
communication skills
it may be possible that
he/she will become
more skilled and will
start helping firm in
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adapt skills of others
while working with
them.
hitting targets in more
effective and efficient
way.
Leadership skills 4 This type of skills are
much important for an
individual to have so
that decisions can be
made. Along with this,
a company may start
achieving their goals
and objectives in more
effective ways if every
single staff member
will start determining
his/her own issues and
make them their strong
points by learning
continuously.
It has been located that
firms keeps on
conducting meetings
and training sessions
in order to improvise
personal experiences
of an individuals.
Along with this, it also
helps in enhancing
both skills and
knowledge.
Issue solving skills 3 In regards to hit targets
for a longer period of
time it is mandatory to
resolve all the issues
and barriers. By this,
management can help
employees in reducing
conflicts. Being as a
volunteer, it is
essential to locate
problems that are being
faced by both others
Suggestions can be
given to others through
which they can resolve
issues by their own.
Along with this, some
sort of mind games
can also be given to
them in order to
remove all the
problems or face
barriers.
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and take initiatives so
that it won't put much
effect on reputation of
the company.
Team working skills 5 Working as a volunteer
it brings up many
responsibilities. Thus,
giving jobs to workers
as per their capabilities
can help in various
ways.
This type of skill may
lead an individual to
become more effective
with other team mates.
With the help of this,
targets can get hit by
taking suggestions
from others.
2.2 Identification of own development needs
While working as a volunteer there are ample number of responsibilities that has been
faced by me. Future goals can get set by me by locating all the strengths and weaknesses. For
improving skills and knowledge of mine SWOT analysis is mentioned beneath:
Strengths:
I am capable of influencing others to do work in an efficient way as I have good
leadership quality. Apart from this, I also have high level patience which aid me in listening to
others and resolve their issues in a limited period of time (Dixon and et. al., 2014).
Weaknesses:
Continuous improvement of communication skills is necessary for me as I am less
talkative. It is mandatory for me to become more confident so that I can face every situation
easily. It is essential for me to keep up belief in myself to grow within company.
Opportunities:
Ample number of opportunities that I have within company like become senior manager.
This can be attained by me in a short period of time from hitting targets or by putting extra
efforts at workplace. Improvisation of my skills and knowledge in a continuous manner may
easily help me in achieving goals and objectives of own.
I am good at leading people thus, I can make effective decisions for people who are
working beneath me so that they can complete or finish their work in specific time of period.
5

Threats:
Competition is the only threat that I have. In organisation, staff members are
continuously trying to get promotions and this can be dangerous for me. It is important for me to
keep on pushing my limits from time to time so that better results can come up.
2.3 Personal and professional development plan
While forming a personal and professional development plan it is mandatory to include
all targets and objectives of own. This type of plan aid in developing of own skills and
knowledge or making decisions for betterment of career in context of future (Forte and Flores,
2014). Plan is comprehended beneath:
LEARNING
OBJECTIV
E/GOAL
CURRENT
PROFICIE
NCY
TARGET
PROFICIENCY
DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
TIME
SCALE
1 Communicati
on
2.7 5 I have already good
communication skills
but I have to improvise
it so that better results
can be gained. This can
be done by me from
taking regular
communication classes
from an institution
(Bayar, 2014). Apart
from this, I can also
take lessons from
YouTube from
different channels
which may help me in
unique ways. This will
directly put positive
impact on my overall
35 days
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personality.
2 Leadership 4 5 My aim is to become
senior manager in
organisation (Nicholls,
2014). Hence, it is
essential for me to have
proper knowledge so
that I can lead my team
towards peak where we
can attain our
objectives in a short
time of period. To fulfil
this requirement it is
necessary for me to
take lessons of past
experiences and also
from taking classes
where I get to learn
about managing or
leading team. These
sessions can easily help
me in becoming more
efficienct at workplace
(Cox, Bachkirova, and
Clutterbuck, 2014).
42 days
2.4 Activities required to implement the development plan
Development
Objectives
Priority Activities to be
undertaken
Resources Target start date
Communication
Skills
1 As I do not talk
much it is
Books.
Seminars.
23/12/17
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essential for me
to keep on
going in
seminars,
conferences and
attend meetings.
Conferences
Learning Skills 2 Being as a
volunteer I need
to learn from
my mistakes
that I have done
while doing
work.
Internet
Social sites
23/12/17
Team working
Skills
3 Suggestions
which has been
given by them I
need to locate
that if they are
helpful or not in
order to attain
targets in a
shorter period
of time.
Events
Target
achievements
23/12/17
Issue solving
skills
4 While making
alteration to
make workers
more effective I
can use some
motivational
videos and give
them topic to do
Training and
development
programmes
23/12/17
8

group
discussions
TASK 3
3.1 Undertaking development activities as planned
Many sort of activities that can be included in this context and these are mentioned
beneath:
PERIOD OF
WORK
ACTIVITY
UNDER TAKEN
WHAT IS
LEARNT UP
TILL NOW
WHAT TO DO
NEXT
WHEN TO DO
Week 1 At initial stage, it
is mandatory to
keep on finding
research related to
set objective (van
Aalderen‐Smeets
and Walma van der
Molen, 2015).
Under this,
management can
easily find
problems that
came across.
People who have
already faced same
type of problem
may easily aid in
giving ideas to
resolve issues in a
short period of
time.
Same week
Week 2 This is the time
when analysis or
monitoring of plan
is being done.
Proper analysis
can be stated as
done while
forming plan.
Allocating jobs to
individual should
be in written so
that no conflicts
may organisation
face.
Same week
Week 3 Implementation of
plan and taking
feedbacks from
people so that
improvements can
be made right on
Improvisation
process takes
place in this
context.
Management keeps
on looking at
aspects from time
to time which may
create problems.
Same week
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time (Murdoch-
Eaton, and
Sandars, 2014).
3.2 Reflection on own learnings
In developing plan of my own I set goals and objectives. Plan showed my skills in which
I am good at and weaknesses that I needed to cover up to become more effective.
 It has been concluded that my communication skills are good thus, it may help in having
healthy conversation with others.
 Analysing skills which is related to data are more than enough that aid me in doing
proper research at times.
 I can handle a team of almost 30 to 40 members without even hesitating while allocating
tasks.
 Confidence is low hence it is mandatory for me to hit target in a short period of time
(Körkkö, Kyrö-Ämmälä and Turunen, 2016).
3.3 Evaluating time management strategies
It has been found that Waitrose uses different sort of strategies to accomplish tasks right
on time. These are mentioned beneath:
Setting precedence on objectives: It is mandatory for Waitrose to keep on allocating
tasks to individual as per their capabilities so that they know their worth in organisation (Grima-
Farrell, 2015). Apart from this, it is duty of manager to keep on giving knowledge to employees
that what should be done on priority basis.
Usage of tools of planning: Planning gives an overview to executives. Apart from this,
there are various tools and techniques of making strategies which can be used by management of
organisation.
Delegating work: This element plays vital role in organisation. Management gives jobs
or tasks to individuals as per their capabilities. It is essential for manager to find abilities of staff
members so that they can attain objectives in a short period of time (Cox, Bachkirova and
Clutterbuck, 2014).
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