Report: HR Skills, Performance, and Development at Whirlpool

This report delves into the critical aspects of developing individuals, teams, and organizations, emphasizing the role of HR in achieving business goals. It begins by identifying the essential professional skills, knowledge, and behaviors required by HR professionals, referencing a high-performance working case study at Whirlpool. The report then presents a personal skills audit and a professional development plan tailored for an HR consultant. It also contrasts organizational and individual learning, training, and development, highlighting the need for continuous learning to ensure sustainable business performance. Furthermore, the report examines the contribution of high-performance working to employee engagement and competitive advantage, again using Whirlpool as a case study, and analyzes various approaches to performance management. The conclusion synthesizes the key findings and recommendations for enhancing HR practices.

DEVELOPING
INDIVIDUALS TEAMS
AND ORGANIZATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Professional skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required by HR of Whirlpool....1
P2 Personal skills audit to analyse appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviour and
Professional development plan for HR...................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P3 Difference between organisation and individual learning, training and development......5
P4 Need of continuous learning and professional development for sustainable business
performance............................................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P5 Contribution of high performance working in employee engagement and competitive
advantage in Whirlpool..........................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................11
P6 Different approaches to performance management........................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Developing individual team and organization plays an important role in attaining
business goals and objectives. Effective and efficient performance of team in organizational
function assist the firm in accomplishing objectives and goals on time in order to attain
competitive advantage. Further, the report will analyse the high performance working case of
Whirlpool of its North American regional staff in which the team required a major restructuring
in context to various skills like, timely decision making, cross functional collaboration,
effectiveness and efficiency. Moreover, the report will outline the personal development plan of
HR professional of Whirlpool, the leading Home appliance company. Besides, it will identify the
contribution of high performance working to gain competitive advantage. Thus, it will analyse
different approaches used by the enterprise for performance management.
TASK 1
P1 Professional skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required by HR of Whirlpool.
It is important for Human resource manager of the organization to possess qualities for
managing employee's performance in the organization in accordance to high performance
working case of Whirlpool. It has been identified that the employees lack team working skills
due to which the organisation was lacking effectiveness and efficiency in business operations.
The case assisted the HR manger in analyzing his skills which are essential to be used in order to
manage employees team working skills. Further, behavior and skills of manager act as tonic for
managing staff members towards one common goal. The skills required by HR manager of
enterprise are as follows:
Management: It is important for the individual top understand the importance for
managing and developing strategies to make timely decision, to establish cross functional
collaboration and to improve effectiveness and efficiency (Erez and et.al., 2013). Moreover, the
manager is responsible for recruiting and hiring employees according to h\job requirement of an
organisation. Further, it is important for HR to management business function in accordance to
establish cost effectiveness in business operations.
Multitasking: HR should be a Multi tasker and should be adaptable to changes. There
are various roles of manager like, recruiting, organizing training, managing performance, and
management of workers in order to avoid conflicts. Therefore, in accordance to all these tasks it
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is important for the manager to be Multi tasker (Schalock and Verdugo, 2012). Further, the HR
is responsible for behaving equally with all the individuals in an enterprise. In accordance to this
it is important for professional to maintain the adequacy of its professional services and
standards in context to all the management functions.
Communication Skills: It is important function of HR manager to establish effective
communication with all the employees and management in organisation in order avoid
loopholes. Further the communication skills are asset of manager as helps the company in
convincing employees to work with each regardless of their conflicts with each other. Moreover,
the communication is the strategy which helps the management in discovering the needs and
wants of staff members.
Leadership skills: With good communicator, it important for the manager to be a good
leader. The individual need to possess this quality in order to guide and lead employees towards
one common goals (Cummings and Worley 2014). This skill assists the manager in boosting
morale of employees and is beneficial in setting road map for employees in order to accomplish
goals on time. In Manager leadership skills plays a major role in developing understanding and
guiding employees in a right direction. The leader is the person which is behind employee's
motivation and demotivate. Therefore, it is important for the individual to guide appropriate path
in order to attain organizational goals and objectives.
Training and development: The HR is responsible for organizing regular training and
development session for employees in order to guide workers in accordance to changes in
external environment. Further, the sessions are organized by the HR to make employees aware
about the changing trends of market (Levi, D, 2015).
Skills and knowledge required
Decision making- HR should possess effective decision-making skills. He or she must be able to
make decisions in critical situations. Moreover, it is necessary for HR to ensure that right
candidate is placed at right job profile.
Problem solving – HR must possess problem solving skills so that organizational culture is
maintained. The HR is responsible to solve conflicts between management and employees
Performance management – HR should know how to measure performance of employees so
that training and development can be provided to them. They must know various tools used in
this.
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Behavior of HR
Compassion – HR should know how to balance professionalism with compassion by handling
employees. They must show empathy towards employee by sharing their problems related to
health. This will help in reducing workplace complaints.
Integrity – It means that HR must treat each employee equally. They must work on principle of
fairness and equity. Also, HR candidate must have known about employee laws so that it
workplace environment is regulated. They should also maintain the confidential information of
employees.
Traits of HR
Honesty – This trait represents individual ability to understand wrong and right of
situation with regard to business situation. Ethical working represents honesty of HR
professional which is essential to carryout smooth and systemic business operations. Moreover,
the trait is beneficial in maintaining employee and employer relationship.
Time management- HR must properly develop schedule of various activities. The
candidate must possess proper time management skills. It will be helpful in organizing programs
or events related to T&D and smooth flow of operations.
Interaction: This is the foremost trait of HR which represents individual ability to
communicate and involve with employees. It is important for HR manager to have effective
communication skills in order to analyze employee learning needs on regular basis.
Communicating with workers helps HR professional in reducing conflicts and approaching
towards problem solving skill.
P2 Personal skills audit to analyse appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviour and Professional
development plan for HR.
Audit of personal skills is the technique of self-evaluation and self-improvement
according to strengths and weakness of an individual. The audit of skills is based on the entire
job functioning of HR manager of Whirlpool. Audit is done by the individual to grab strict
control over their weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths. Hence, audit is done by
preparing professional development plan which assist individual in improving skills according to
job requirement. Moreover, the professional development plan is prepared to light the level of
expertise that an HR manager should possess. PDP comprises skills on which the assessment is
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made in order to improve skills and behaviors according to determined action plan (Longoni,
Golini and Cagliano, 2014) The PDP plan of HR consultant of Whirlpool is described under:
Skills Rating 1-10 (1 lowest and 10
highest)
Evidence
Time management 8 I am able to complete my
given task in specified time
period.
Multitasking 9 I am effectively able to do
many tasks at same time.
Decision making skills 4 I am not able to make proper
decision. This affects my
performance.
Leadership skills 5 I am not able to guide or lead a
team. It affects my ability to
become a leader.
Strengths
 Time Management
 Multitasking
Weakness
 Quick decision making
 Leadership
Opportunity
 Effective management
 Employee relationship
Threats
 Integrity
 Problems solving
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In accordance with skills audit, it has been analyzed that time Management and
multitasking are my core strengths which help me in coordinating and cooperating employee’s
efforts. However, quick decision making and leadership are my major weakness which limits my
performance. Effective management is the opportunity for me because I understand the need of
segregating and diving work according to employees working abilities. Further, I understand in
importance of safe and secure work environment for which I can promote effective relationship
with employees to minimize conflicts. Integrity and problems solving skills are two threats
which hinder my performance as HR consultant of Whirlpool.
Skills Rating 1-10 (1
lowest and 10
highest)
Action Resource Time frame
Leadership skills 5 I need to enhance
my leadership
skills which will
help me in
leading team.
This can be done
by reading case
studies, stories of
great leader, etc.
4 weeks
Problem solving
skills
7 I should make
more efforts in
improving my
problem solving
skills. It will help
me in solving
critical problems
in effective
manner.
This can be done
by participating in
various seminars.
2 weeks
Decision making
skills
4 I must improve it
so that I can take
I can take learn
from case studies
1 month
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effective decision
in critical
situation.
and taking part in
different training
programs.
Personal reflection
According to PDP I have my own strengths and weakness which assist me in my
professional life. My strength includes, my presentation skills because I like communicating
with many individuals at one time. Moreover, I have organised various conferences and
presentation in training and development programs which enhanced my knowledge and learning
over guiding employees to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. I believe that individual
should keep practising its job and should not focus on outcome which is the best strategy of
grabbing a strong control over own strengths and opportunities. Further, I feel I have strong
control over my team working skills as I have habit of understanding individual behaviour which
helps me in managing team work. According my personal and professional experience it is
important for the person to work in team in order to establish efficiency and effectiveness in
business operation. Moreover, the case of high performance working, I think the major weakness
was the decision-making skills, which helps the individual in making instant decisions according
to the situation. Apart from this, I lack the leadership skills due to which I am unable to guide
employees instead I used to ask employees that they can work according to their comfort which
reduces the ability of time management and the growth was affected.
I feel that professional development is connected in informal and formal ways. The
development plan helped me in enhancing my various skills which will help not only in this
professional life but in all professional work. It enhanced my confidence and analytical power
which is necessary to establish control over organisational operations. However, I have several
weaknesses which restrict my growth that is Communication skills when I am not confident
about the accuracy of situation, I analysed that I feel under confident when I am not of the ethical
rights and wrongs of the situation. I face this I face clients and they ask me various question
about the companies’ policies and products. Further, the Leadership and management skills is the
major weakness because when it comes to making employees work beyond their flexibility it
becomes difficult as I don't like to be a Hitler but sometimes I have to be the one. Hence, the
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leadership skills are major weakness which makes situations difficult for me when it comes to
guiding employees.
TASK 2
P3 Difference between organisation and individual learning, training and development.
Organizational Learning Individual Learning
Organisational learning is the form of
professional learning which assist an employee
to be motivated for promotion or any reward
system through improvising the skills set and
gaining insights for professional growth
Individual learning is the learning for brining
personal cultural improvisations to remain
motivated and achieve personal growth by
maintaining the work life balance.
Its outcomes is it assists in monetary gains and
minimize the reputational risk
Its outcome is it fosters the team learning and
self directed skills for development.
It is given in regular time intervals and in a
proper way. this is done to enhance skills and
capabilities of employees.
An individual learns and gains knowledge
every day. They meet different people and
learn from them. They try to attain goals and
objectives.
There are various sources through which
learning is given that are training sessions,
workshops, etc. it depends on organization
needs to which source can be used for learning.
An individual learns from various sources such
as from internet, by reading books, etc. he or
she gain knowledge from it.
It is a short-term process as is based on set
goals and objectives. It is for growth in specific
field or subject
It is a lifelong process never ending process.
individual learns from wide range of area. It is
for career growth and development.
It helps in motivating employees to bring
changes in overall process and methods.
It encourages employees to do task in creative
way.
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Its main outcome is to attain goals and
objective in less time. Thus, training is
provided accordingly.
Here, outcome is to gain knowledge and skills
to improve abilities.
Training Development
This is designed to improve basic working
skills of the individual. Basically, there are two
methods in it that are on and off the job
training.
Development session of organization
comprises professionals. They share their
knowledge and experience with employees and
managers.
It is the short-term process as performance is
measured with set goals. it is provided for
limited time period.
It is the long-term and never ending process.
individual development occurs till his or her
death.
Training is conducted for some specific
objective. They can vary according to job roles
or skills and knowledge possessed by
employee.
These sessions are conducted to improve
general knowledge about the fluctuation which
can impact business operations. it helps in
dealing with situation in effective way by
applying knowledge.
Training programs are organized by the
enterprise to establish immediate improvement
in the skills of managers and employees
(Robbins and Judge, 2012). This assists in
implementation of change.
Development sessions are organized to make
management adaptable to changes in order to
take effective decisions in case of emergency.
This is based on improving managerial and
technical skills of individual. It helps in
improving their capabilities.
It is conducted to enhance theoretical and
conceptual knowledge of manager. They gain
knowledge about different things and subjects.
It is conducted by the management to make
employees learn about new things and
improving knowledge about already existing
plans and procedure of enterprise.
It is conducted to implement new changes and
to find more effective strategy which can assist
the business in improving efficiency.
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Organizational learning to employees of Whirlpool is provided with the help of training
and development which is conducted by experts in order to make employees aware about the
changes, innovation needs and knowledge requirement for particular process. It is effective
because it aims at making workers about management system of business. On the other hand,
individual learning in whirlpool is provided by HR manager conducting one to one session in
order to derive personal needs of employees. This is conducted to determine job satisfaction of
workers and needs of change in management system. Individual learning is also related to
employee’s willingness to learn from business environment, process and management system.
Thus, training and development for individual learning is informal and conducted to analyse self-
motivation of workers.
M2 Learning cycle Theory
There are various theories of learning cycles which assist Whirlpool in improving its
Team working after the North Regional Staff case. Theories used by the HR professional to
establish effective learning within the organization are as follows:
Honey and Mumford
 It is the enhancement of Kolb's style which is used by company.
 It provides various learning stages, In stage one individual experiences the situation
(Brewster and Hegewisch, 2017).
 In second stage employees revise their learning experience of stage 1.
 Lastly in stage 3 employees conclude their learning and further map the experience in
their work.
 This helps the team members in evaluating changes and their own strengths and
weakness.
It was applied in whirlpool in which employees learned various skills in different stages. It was
helpful for them to gain experience with work.
Kolb’s
 This is used by HR professional of Whirlpool as the style is focused on individual's
perception and procedure.
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 In this the learning is based on employee's perception after experiencing, observing,
evaluating, conceptualizing and experimenting the specific situation just like the High
performance working case.
 This is adopted by the management as it provides employees to enhance their perception
and then processing their own learning.
Through this, HR of whirlpool determine individual skills and abilities. They took feedback of
employees and then identified their weakness.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
 This helps the management in determining Psychological preferences of employees over
the situation.
 It is based on self-interrogation as it involves employee’s perception as per their
surroundings of work place and their decision-making skills according to their
conceptualization (Budhwar and Debrah, 2013).
 This comprises sensations, intuitions, thoughts and feelings of workers in context to team
working.
Here, HR analyzed behavior of employees in different situations and then develop plans
accordingly.
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Illustration 1: Kolb Learning Style
Source: (Tracy, 2017)