Developing Individuals, Teams, and Organizations: A Whirlpool Analysis

This report examines the crucial aspects of developing individuals, teams, and organizations within the context of Whirlpool, an American multinational corporation. The report delves into the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors required by HR professionals to foster a productive work environment, including communication, multi-tasking, negotiation, and adaptability. It analyzes the differences between individual and organizational learning, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and professional development for sustainable performance. Furthermore, the report includes a personal skills audit, identifying strengths and weaknesses in areas such as conflict resolution and communication, and proposes a development plan to enhance these skills. The report also explores various approaches to performance management and the significance of training and development in improving employee productivity and overall organizational success. The report underscores the importance of HR practices in driving individual and team performance, ultimately contributing to Whirlpool's business objectives.

Developing Individuals, Teams
and Organisations

INTRODUCTION
Developing individuals, teams and organization is an eminent part for business. It is
necessary for a business enterprise to develop skills and knowledge of its workforce to ensure
their standards of performance are improved along with enhancing their working conditions
(Aarons, Hurlburt and Horwitz, 2011). This will assist in guiding, directing and controlling
wastage of resources by adopting effective measure related to a business organization. It will
increase the performance of an individual which help in determining top class business
organization with an effective of individual into a company.
The organisation which has been undertaken in this report is Whirlpool, it is an
American MNC and marketer of home appliances. This assignment covers learning and
developing needs for individual which can assist them in near future. It involves professional
knowledge, skills and behaviour which are required by HR professionals. It helps in finding
difference between organisational and individual learning, need for continuous learning and
professional development that will help in to sustainable for better performance. A brief analysis
will be carried out to identify the need for continuous development along with evaluating
different approaches to performance management.
TASK 1
P1. Determining knowledge, skills and behaviour required by HR professionals.
It is necessary for whirlpool company to develop a suitable skills, knowledge and
behaviour which are required while achieving business objectives. This will helps in determining
individual talents and maintaining performance while implementing company's terms and
policies. It assist in how HR consultant will balance their work as well as their duties towards
their employees (Bolman and Deal, 2017). This part of assignment covers how to develop
individual skills, knowledge and their behaviour that helps in building up an effective business
that will increase company's productivity. Also, bring positive impact towards employee that will
assist in improving their performance and motivate worker to achieve personal and team
objectives.
By using a systematic procedure through HR of whirlpool’s organization that are
required at a time of enhancing and developing individual and team. The major points which
determining skills, knowledge and behaviour that are acquired by HR are mentioned below as:
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The skills which are acquired by HR that helps them to guide their employees, these are defined
follows as:
 Communication: This is an important aspect for HR consultant to have an effective
communicating skills which help them in clarifying the issues related to conflicts, at a
time of decision- making and so on. It is a obligation of HR to inform and convey
messages and information related to their employees in a clear and convenient manner.
This can take place by sending mails, making announcement or by calling worker and
conveying them personally (Choi and Ruona, 2011). If two-way communication is
practised, it may leads to conflict and disruption in the organisational environment.
 Multi-tasking: There are various duties and responsibilities of HR consultant such as
maintaining employees relations, maintaining pay-roll taking interviews, providing
training to new employees which are hired at a time of recruitment and many more.
Sometimes they have to work into two different situation such as at a time they work as
HR on the other side they work as leader to guide their employees in well manner.
Therefore, it is an essential part for a HR consultant to maintain harmony and peace into
a business firm. This will helps employees to reduce their stress and pressure that they are
facing form a workplace.
 Negotiation skills: It is a method by which employees settles their differences between
HR and workers. This is used to avoid any dispute by compromising or being a part of
agreement. The main portion of HR consultant is to negotiate and deals with issues and
problem which are related to work or employees. Hence, they have enough capabilities,
skills, mutual understanding, experience and maturity to face these types of situations that
are arise into a business enterprise. And also, employees should follow their strategies
and policies to reduce several conflicts in proper manner.
Knowledge required by HR professional, these are as:
 Employees grievances: In this section, HR consultant also focus on employees
performance which help them to know what actually they want, needed and expected
from a business. This will assist them in providing friendly environment at workplace
which help workers to focus on their working activities.
 Management: It is an essential part for every business firm to manage their resources
and other activities related to business (Decuyper, Dochy and Vanden- Bossche, 2010).
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This will support them at a time of lack of resources which are basic necessities for every
business organisation. HR consultant tracks effective and ineffective employees by
maintaining their records. This will helps whirlpool company in managing their resources
as they are scare. Also, bring efficiency in an individual as well as team work. This will
direct employees to work in a proper and well manner.
 Labour law: This part deals in legislations, rules or regulations of whirlpool. This will
provide employees a safe and healthy working environment into a business entity. The
Human resource manager considering the politics and regulation which are being
provided by government leads to productive work environment and less disruption
(Hartnell and Kinicki, 2011). The various aspects which are covered in labour law are
employees working conditions, hours and also safety provision in manufacturing sites.
Behaviour requisite by HR consultant as:
 Adaptability: This part deals with adjustments as well as adaptability of different
functions, skills, knowledge, information and many more. The portrayal of adaptable
behaviour by human resource manager in critical circumstances helps in addressing
multiple and competitive challenges at the same time.
 Team focus: The main focus of HR consultant is to work co- operatively and effectively
in achieving common objectives of team members. It is most important part of human
behaviour to keep maintain balance between individual goal that helps in achieving
common goals. This will build up a group, trust among workers, bring team quality, able
to struggle with complex situations and commitment towards their objectives. This makes
human resource manager to be focused.
 Leadership: In this part, HR consultant should uses their skills, resources while playing a
vital role of coach and mentor into a workplace. Leadership will helps employees while
gaining support from their mentors or leader (Herrmann and Herrmann- Nehdi, 2015).
They have abilities to manage workload, employee relation and varieties of functions
which can remove barriers and enhance working efficiency of an individual. Also, they
guides and motivate other to achieve their targets.
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P2. Analyse personal skills audit through skills and behaviour and develop professional
development plan
Applying personal audit is a crucial way for a candidate and team to know their abilities
and inabilities of work that assists them in creating dynamic environment. As HR consultant it is
necessary to procure individual and team performance by checking their skills and knowledge in
finer way. It is necessary to identifies individual strength and weaknesses which can overcome
from their personal issues and get focused upon their achieving targets. This will improve an
individual performance which enhance overall productivity. Personal audit helps an individual to
analysis their current skills and diagnose which skill they want to need to enhance by achieving
desired goals into more effectively manner (Hislop, 2013). It method is useful to resolve any
issues, conflicts among co- workers increases personal behaviour, level of confidence and
decision making of whirlpool company. As per the report requisite of personal audit respectively,
that able to identify strength and weaknesses in a well maintained manner. These are explained
in below as:
Sr. No. Skills and Competencies Self-assessed Score Score from others
1 Resolving Conflict ability 7 6
2 Team Building capability 8 9
3 Time Management Ability 6 8
4 Confidence Level 6 7
6 Decision making power 8 7
7 Communication skills 7 5
8 Information Technology Skills 9 7
Strength and weaknesses of my skills while doing audit, these are as:
On the basis of strength
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 As per the audit of my skills, I have ability to work related to information technology
which increase my efficiency while performing my own task on time (Huczynski and
Buchanan, 2010). This will resultant to guide and direct employees within a workplace.
 From the references, I have decision making power that helps me to take decisions
regarding work or team. This will helps me while working with an individual as well as
in team. While taking effective decision making a business can achieve their desired
objectives.
Weakness
 From a personal audit I have analysed that communication skills are not good as per they
required for an HR consultant. Therefore, I will not able to communicate in proper way
of channel which can create a major problem while communicating with others.
 From the above assessment, it is concluded that I have an issue while resolving conflicts
among a firm (Jones and Jones, 2010). This can be a big issue by not maintaining
harmony at workplace.
To get resolve from these weaknesses and improve skills and knowledge this can be
overcome by attending conferences, workshops, training sessions, meeting and many more
(Katzenbach and Smith, 2015). I have develop personal development plan for better performance
these are as:
LEARNING
OBJECTIVE/
GOAL
CURRENT
PROFICIENCY
DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
CRITERIA
FOR
JUDGING
SUCCESS
TIME
SCALE
Initiating while
making decision Little By doing more and
more practices.
Higher
authority 3 months
Resolving
conflicts No experience By involving more
with employer
Senior HR
and
manager
3
Months
Communication No experience By communicating Peer group 6
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skills more and more and senior
authority Months
TASK 2
P3. Differences between organizational and individual learning, training and development
Learning plays a vital role in improving skills, values, aptitude and knowledge in an
effective manner. This assist in better guidance and nourishment of different quality that are
acquired with the help of knowledge (Landy and Conte, 2016). Therefore, for a proper skills,
abilities and knowledge it is considered that learning is an significant program for an effective
performance.
Individual learning: This method includes learning of an individual from skills and
knowledge, it will assist whirlpool employees to face problems or issues with awareness. As HR
consultant has to identify strength and weakness of workers for improving better performance
through learning sessions.
Organisational learning: This method includes group activities that transform
knowledge and skills to employees (Malone, Laubacher and Dellarocas, 2010). Also, this
involves proper formulation, implementation of action which help in executing their course.
The difference between individual learning and organisational learning are as:
Organisational learning Individual learning
The organizational learning done on team basis
which helps group members to resolve their
issues on their own basis.
In case of individual learning, there is only a
single person to do their work. Also, if they
had any issue related to work they inform there
senior to resolve them.
Organisational learning is a dependant activity
in which workers have to work while forming
a team.
However, on individual learning, it is an
independent activity which can be done by an
individual.
This method of learning includes working
quality but not in effective manner.
Whereas, if individual learning is done by
single entity they should do their work in
proper and effective manner.
This process improves and effect the overall Although, in individual learning depends upon
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production and growth of a business firm. their own performance. It does effect overall
performance of a business firm.
Training and development: This is an effective method which increases their
productivity as well as enhance their existing performance by improving skills and knowledge of
an individual. Therefore, it is necessary for every business to conduct training programs which
enhance their overall working performance (Nahavandi, 2016). The difference between training
and development are as follows:
Training Development
This is a process of developing abilities, skills
and knowledge of an individual.
Whereas, it is improve the overall development
of employees by providing training.
Training is used to enhance the working
conditions.
In case of development, it prepares employees
future challenges.
P4. Need for continuous learning and professional development for sustain business performance
Continuous learning refers to the ability of continuing improving and enhancing the skills
and knowledge of employees for increasing the work performance and helps the organisation to
meet the challenges of changing environment. This helps the employees at whirlpool to have
proper knowledge of continuing business operation's. As well as allows whirlpool to maintain
sustainability in its activities and performance.
Professional development- It helps in the development of individuals by increasing the
capabilities of employees through providing various training programmes which help in
motivating employees and they start working confidentially towards the organisation and helps
organisation to complete in this complex environment and sustain for long term.
It is an eminent process of need for continuous learning and professional development to prolong
Whirlpool performance. These needs are explained as below:
Selective hiring of employees In this section, it includes selective recruitment of employees
which help a whirlpool company in achieving their goals. This can be meant by hiring desired
candidates while taking effective interview. It can be done through experts or senior manager
which guide in at a time of assessment. This method helps in determining the recent culture of
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employees while asking them various questions at a time of recruiting. By adopting this need of
continuous learning and professional development will help them to achieve common targets.
Negotiable job statement: By using this process, it provides flexibility among workers to bring
the course of change. This can be done through by using different approaches and techniques
which are necessary while performing their own task. Basically, it will help whirlpool at a time
of workload. This bring practitioner for other employees while enhancing their work efficiencies.
Share commitment towards business: Using continuous learning and professional will able to
focus on personal goals which help HR consultant in obtaining different ideas to commit a
common objectives of a whirlpool company. Also, while haring commitment towards an
enterprise it will enhance the working conditions by adopting different- different strategies to
bring profitability as an outcome (Malone, Laubacher and Dellarocas, 2010). This will bring
effectiveness, cooperation among workers, coordination with team leader, patience and many
more. As a result, it will guide in accomplishing goals.
Conflict resolving team: Continuous learning and professional skills helps in reducing conflicts
within an organisation. In case of whirlpool, they should develop a conflict resolution team
engages in removing conflicts from company. This will bring a positive impact towards business
objectives. As a result, it is an essential element to resolve issues and problems related to this.
Increases performance: By continuously learning and adapting professional learning can
improve existing performance of an individual of whirlpool company. This paves a way to
upgrade and enhance their skills while using an effective method such as training and
development, appraisal and so on. If company adapt capital intensive method they can get
successful result from past records.
Change perception: Under this portion, by using long term learning it will result into dynamic
environment which can improve the creativity skills as well as enhancement of skills and able to
find out an individual talent at a time of learning. The employees can adopt different situation in
various circumstances which able to get better performance while accomplishing their targets.
Relevance of Kolb theory
Kolb's learning style is represented by four learning phases which allows employees at
whirlpool to properly process the information.
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Diverging- Individuals learn in different perspective. They prefer watching than doing as they
have strong imagination and prefers to work in groups and have broad interest in different
culture and people.
Assimilating- Here employees need clear information and are more interested in concepts and
matters and learns accordingly.
Converging- Here the learners solve problems. They apply their knowledge to practical issues
with new ideas and helps in active experimentation.
Accommodating- Here the employees prefer to do things practically, they are attracted to new
challenges and solve problems intuitively.
These help the employees at whirlpool to learn accordingly either individually or in groups
which helps in sustaining business performance.
TASK 3
P5. Define HPW and contribute employee engagement with an organizational situation
An acronym of HPW is high performance work. Basically, it is a concept through which
whirlpool company can simply improve or enhance their existing performance. It helps in
focusing on gaining competitive advantage by adopting various strategies with the help of
involving employee engagement into a business firm. Since, whirlpool company going to change
their entire business strategy by using effective measures such as training, by using role model,
by participating into various situation such as case study and so on. Therefore, manager should
use effective techniques while improving employees performance. On other hand, employees
required different style to guide and direct them in every circumstances (Landy and Conte,
2016). Team leader or employer should take assurance that every people into a group plays an
important role. Hence, it is necessary to team worker, that engagement of employees may reduce
workload. This is a beneficial result that helps in improving employee engagement. This project
deals with whirlpool’s company that how to change the organisational culture by using various
strategies to enhance overall productivity and their performance. The team members get
motivated by observing their seniors and making efforts to resolve their issues (Bolman and
Deal, 2017). It is an eminent part of team leader, employers as well as mentor which enthusiasm
in their workers. This is a new and modern concept of learning from seniors.
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At a same time, after attaining skills and education, employees are enough capable of
manufacturing their own products or services. This will bring achievement of goals. Also,
investigation team prepare assignment where current status of a business firm shows. The reason
for supplying home appliances at affordable cost to society whether consumer belong to upper
class or lower class. By using this strategy company will attract large number of customers
which is beneficial for them.
Factors promoting HPW
Proper recruitment- Whirlpool earlier takes lot of time for selecting the best candidates from
number of applicants. With the use of HPW it helps in recruiting candidates according to their
educational qualifications.
Conflict resolution- With the help of HPW it helps whirlpool to proerly organise work into
groups and teams so to avoid the conflict and manages if arises. This helps in proper functioning
of whirlpool.
Shared commitment- When the employees work together they start working in collaboration to
achieve the common goals of the Whirlpool and benefits accordingly. It helps to share common
vision for respective company.
TASK 4
P6. Different approaches to performance management
Performance management is an approach which helps in defining goals in well manner. A
main objective of this approach is to focus on an individual performance which can help to
contribute in establishing successful business. Measuring performance is a main support of a
business organisation. It helps in evaluating employees, providing feedback that assist in
effective performance. There are different approaches which are used in performance
management. These are described in below as:
Comparative approach: According to this approach, it involves ranking on the basis of highest
to lowest performer. This is done by comparing individual performance with other team worker
(Nahavandi, 2016). It can be measured by using rating scale, paired comparison etc. while poor
performance give chance for further improvement or dismissed if they do not meet the standard
requirement.
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Attribute approach: Under this approach, employees are rated on some particular parameters
such as problem solving, innovation, creativity, teamwork, communication, judgement and so
on. This can be rated through graphic scale which help in to rated as high, medium and low set of
factor.
Behavioural approach: This approach is one of the oldest performance measurement
techniques. It is a series of of vertical scales with different magnitude of job. It can be resolved
by using BARS technique which is used to evaluate rank according to anchor and their
performance.
Quality approach: This approach helps in determining and improving customers satisfaction by
reducing errors while continuous service improvisation (Jones and Jones, 2010). This assist in
knowing about assessment of both employee and system, use multiple source to evaluate
performance. This includes both external and internal factors.
Result approach: Under this approach, it a straight forward concept, review or evaluation is
done on the basis of employee result which can be get measured by balance score card. This
uses techniques such as financial, customer, internal, operations, learning, growth and many
more.
CONCLUSION
From the above references, it is concluded that, developing individual and team create an
effective working environment which assist HR consultant to use their skills, talent, knowledge
and past experience by using various approaches and strategies while improving their current
positions in competitive market. This can be done through continuous learning culture that
engages man-force more effectively and significantly in achieving desired goals and also provide
happier working environment, better performance and so on. It will bring a positive aspect for
sustaining growth into an organisation.
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