Whirlpool Case Study: Developing Individuals, Teams, Organizations

This report analyzes the role of HR professionals in developing individuals, teams, and organizations, focusing on a Whirlpool HPW case study. It covers the professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors required by HR professionals, including communication, conflict management, and ethical conduct. A personal skills audit identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, with a development plan to enhance technical knowledge, risk analysis, presentation skills, and leadership. The report differentiates between organizational and individual learning, training, and development, emphasizing the need for continuous professional development to enhance organizational competitiveness and employee engagement. It also evaluates different approaches to performance management and how high-performance work practices contribute to employee engagement and competitive advantage, highlighting the importance of employee commitment, customer satisfaction, and productivity.

Developing Individuals,
Teams and Organizations
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Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
P 1 Professional knowledge, skills and behaviors that are required by HR professionals..................3
P2. Analyze a completed personal skills audit to identify appropriate knowledge, skills and
behaviors...........................................................................................................................................5
P3 Analyze the differences between organizational and individual learning, training and
development.....................................................................................................................................7
P4 Analyze the need for continuous learning and professional development...................................8
P5. Demonstrate understanding of how HPW contributes to employee engagement and
competitive advantage......................................................................................................................9
P6 Evaluate different approaches to performance management....................................................11
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
High performance work places or organizations emphasizes on highly engaged and
empowered workforces. It has been determined that, these are those types of organizations
that heading towards less hierarchical structure, where employees work in teams with higher
self-sufficiency. To achieve success, employees should have better skills, motivation and
more chances to excel, when these high performance HR practices are aligned.
The report is about a scenario on Whirlpool HPW Case, it is an American
multinational company that deals in home appliances and as a HR consultant for the company
the report will cover annual Confederation of British Industry workshop highlighting ways in
which performance management, collaborative working and effective communication can
support high-performance culture and commitment. Apart from this it will demonstrate skills
required by HR professionals. Further it will analyze difference between organizational &
individual learning. Lastly, it will evaluate ways in which collaborative working can support
high performance culture.
P 1 Professional knowledge, skills and behaviors that are required by HR
professionals.
In HR, as in many different areas of work there are both practical and technical skills.
For example, a senior HR might be asked to be able to develop HR policies & strategies in a
number of areas. However, there are many skills that are important determinants of
performance. Further, these skills include the ability to manage yourself, teams and stress
(Zhong, Wayne and Liden, 2016).
Skills required by HR professionals are:
Communication HR has to be able to explain things verbally
regarding all policies of the Whirlpool
company.
Conflict management He must have this skill to patiently listen to
both sides & resolve issues among employees
in a proper manner.
Decision making As HR makes number of decisions for a
company, therefore, it is essential for him to be
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critical thinker in order to make decisions.
Ethical A he handles lots of private information of an
organization; hence, he needs to be discrete.
Knowledge required by HR
Personal & human resource He must have knowledge of principles for
personnel recruitment, selection and training.
Customer and personal service Understanding of customer & personal service
to fulfill customer needs (Obeidat, Mitchell
and Bray, 2016).
Law and government Knowing of legal codes, agency rules,
government legislation, etc.
Public safety and security Understanding of relevant equipments,
policies, etc. for the prevention of customers,
property & organization.
Behavior required by HR based on CIPD model
Curious Changes that occur in business result in need
for HR to respond adequately and quickly to
unable the company to cope. Hence, having a
curious mindset allows him to take the
business towards success.
Decisive thinker HR is considered the driver of difficult people
decisions. He needs to be decisive thinker so
that he can weigh out information.
Skilled influencer Express the ability to influence to attain the
necessary commitment.
Personally credible He need to be a person that builds & delivers
professionalism through joining commercial &
HR expertise in order to bring value to
organization.
Collaborative Need to work effectively with number of
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people, both inside and outside the
organization.
Role model This behavior is about an image of HR that is
displayed, and that constantly leads by an
example.
P2. Analyze a completed personal skills audit to identify appropriate
knowledge, skills and behaviors
Skills audit refers to a process that can be utilized for identifying the gaps in skills &
then identifying trainings to fill those gaps. Basically it is a procedure by which HR can
record his skills. Further, through skills audit HR tends to advance his skills towards the
company’s goals. The audit reflects the present skills & abilities to attain future requirement.
Below are my Strengths and weaknesses & opportunities and threats:-
Strengths Weaknesses
I have time management skills which are
required to complete a task in given time.
Leadership skills
Communication skills, that are essential to
have interaction within the team (Epstein, M.
J., 2018).
Risk analyzing skills
Listening skills, as these are required to lead a
team effectively.
Improved technical skills
According to me I can manage my work with
proper management of time.
Presentation based skills
I have an ability to organize different works
with proper management strategies.
Problem solving skills in difficult situations.
Opportunities available to me Threats
Proper availability of probation period. Financial problem can act as a barrier in
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joining proper training.
Expertise guidance within the company. Changes that occur in current market position
can affect over my present skills.
Joining various courses will be helpful in
enhancing technological skills.
Moreover, changes in the organizational
culture can also affect my abilities.
Other courses from institutions or educational
centre can help me in boosting current skills.
Other barriers on training and development
can be lack of listening skills.
Attending seminars will be helpful to attain
presentation skills.
The development plan is considered necessary for improving the professional & also
personal skills. It is made by taking into consideration the skills required by the organization
from HR.
Personal professional development plan.
Objectives Criteria Action to achieve Resources Target date
To enhance
technological
skills.
Acquiring
knowledge
regarding current
trends in
technologies &
also gain the
capabilities to
implement them.
Obtain training
on technical
courses,
continuous
improvement
through practice
Course modules,
online based
knowledge
Within 4 months
Risk analyzing
ability
Attaining the
ability to
measure the risk
I will participate
in various
difficult
situations
Handle different
problematic
situations
2 months
Presentation
skills
To be
presentable in
seminars &
conferences
Need to build my
confidence level
Attend meeting
& conferences
3 months
Problem solver Able to handle Control different Feedback 2 months
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every problem
among team
members
conflicts among
team
through seniors
Leadership skills
P3 Analyze the differences between organizational and individual learning,
training and development
Organizational learning is considered as a process of developing, keeping and
transferring knowledge within an organization. It is determined that, an organization
improves with time, as it acquires experience & by this it is able to develop knowledge. It
was described by Brown and Duguid that an organizational learning is the span between
innovation and working. Learning curve is considered as the most common way to evaluate
organizational learning. Curves are a graphical representation demonstrating how a company
produces more of a product or service. Learning is a critical resource shaped, developed &
maintained by the staff in a company, therefore, this proves that, people are the most precious
asset of an organization. It has been further determined that, organizations are distinctive
creators, with exclusive qualities, one of which is that they can root cause for knowledge
creation and learning (Dixon, 2017).
Individual learning refers to self-governing, process based on work that results in
increased continuous professional development. Working & learning are interrelated,
monitoring employees at work, getting mixed up in daily activities, client interactions,
functioning under experienced staff, these all are important sources of learning at work. It is
achieved through activities & communication employees produce knowledge & learn.
Difference between training and development :-
 Group v/s individual :- training refers to an initiative designed by an organisation and
taught by an expert. It has been determined that, the company organises the courses
by paying expenses and further decides what type of tools workers should use. It also
place procedure to be followed in all activities during training. However, the
importance is put on individual, with development. Employee is ultimately
responsible for development programs that are frequently tailored for him. In this
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case, it has been noticed that the most central focus is not on lessons given by an
expert, but relatively on the self-learning process and growth that must be taken on by
the professional.
 Specific objective v/s open objective :- objectives are specific and clearly defined in
training such as; how to utilize a program, acquiring personal skills, etc. However, in
development objectives are much wider at all times & can cover all types of skills and
knowledge.
 Number of people involves :- it has been determined that there are range of people are
involved in training and that is significantly different from development, as in a
development program it involves individuals. Organisational training aims to make
sure that, workers in a company are set with skills & knowledge. Whereas in
development, individuals are filled with skills in order to develop a abstract
framework.
P4 Analyze the need for continuous learning and professional development.
Every successful company is aware about its one of the biggest asset is its employees.
It has been determined that continuous learning is an important ability that professionals need
to develop for their organization to achieve success. Having the habit of continuously
learning can be a better approach, as it enables workers to shape their skills. Therefore, if HR
in Whirlpool Company will work effectively then the organization will be known by talented
individuals.
Need for continuous professional learning and professional development:-
 It enhances the ability of an organization, so that it can compete in this complex
marketplace. It has been determined that, as employees obtain new knowledge on
their own, instead of guidance then changes of identifying new ways are higher.
 Employees feel confident and happier at their jobs when seniors care regarding their
success beyond the organization.
 Further, assisting workers for betterment is much easier than replacing them.
Moreover, it also enhances job retention, as through continuous development works
becomes easier and flexible. It also shows that company is keen to promote its
employee’s professional & personal growth. Also, it is ready to give the tools to make
that happen.
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 Operations a workplace are enhanced through this, because workers become keen to
try new methodologies, rather than creating a conservative culture.
 Further, CPD makes sure that HR maintains & improve the skills and knowledge that
he requires for clients, team, and organization.
 For employees, it assist them to keep their knowledge and skills updated. CPD helps
to build their confidence level and also enables them to demonstrate their
achievements.
 Continuous professional development can be integrated into performance of
organization management and other processes of human resource.
 Professional development & learning programs are considered to be key tools for
training potential leaders Whirlpool, instead of recruiting outside the business. It can
also decrease the knowledge gaps that are expected with income. By choosing
professional development, will assist employees to master skills they need to develop.
The continuous professional development enables workers to conduct personal skills
audit i.e. tracking own skills. It has been determined that, CPD add values to the
workplace through the ability of confidence.
P5. Demonstrate understanding of how HPW contributes to employee
engagement and competitive advantage
High Performance work practice refers to those practices that enhance organisation’s
abilities to attract effectively and select, hire, develop and retain high performance
employees. Moreover, High-performing teams are individual groups that work toward the
attainment of a common goal in short & long term. They frequently demonstrate dedication
towards work and each other. Also, it has been determined that, they do better and effective
work when their roles are clear. HPWS is considered as a set of management practices that
effort to make an environment within an organization, where the worker has greater
participation and responsibility.
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Employee engagement refers to a sense of commitment that they feel towards their
organization. Further, Hewitt Association explains employees engagement as three key
behaviors; Say, Stay & strive. In this Stay is expressed when employee constantly says
positive about company to peers, co-workers and customers. Secondly, Stay is demonstrated
when employee desires to remain a member of an organization, regardless of opportunities
work somewhere else. Strive is an point to which they apply extra hard work that contributes
to business success.
A lot of research was conducted for HPW’s in recent years where performance of
organization is considered an important factor. Further, attention should be paid on High
performance work practice into action, as if it is not done correctly then organization’s
reputation can be damaged. Therefore, HPW are considered as employee management
strategies that boost the productivity & profit of organisation. Following are some examples
of HPW’s :
 Making use of psychometric & validated employee assortment tool.
 Leadership development tactic & consistent supervising.
 Performance appraisal on regular basis.
 Employee suggestion or innovation programs.
 Payment based on performance.
 Employee Rewards & Award Programs (Mone and London, 2018).
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Employee
engagement
Org. obligation
Alignment
Job satisfaction
Productivity
Customer
engagement
Service
Their satisfaction
Customer loyalty
Retention
Competitive
advantage
Increase sales
Market share
Profitability

It has been noticed that, barrier for Whirlpool is to have high quality products. For this,
organisation must have well performing and enthusiastic workforce which is motivated by
Human resource department that has High performance work practice in place. The above
mentioned HPW examples will help Whirlpool to increase their profit more rapidly
depending on their working context. Moreover, it has been discovered that HPW practice
model for this company will be a great impact as it targets with High commitment approach.
Therefore, this allows them to work more effectively to acquire more money. The reason for
promoting a high-performance approach is to provide the employees with incentives during
the job, further, tools and freedom is also given to make better decisions without help.
P6 Evaluate different approaches to performance management
Performance management is consists of activities which makes sure that goals are constantly
being met in an efficient and effective manner. Performance of an organization, department
and employees is focused through performance management. Further, it has been determined
that managing the performance of employees and also aligning their objectives enables the
effective delivery of strategic goals. Its process is a shared understanding regarding how
employees contribute to a company’s goal.
Benefits of PM for high performance:-
Performance based conversation :- performance management approach forces organizational
managers to discuss performance matters with employees, as they get busy in day to day
working. It is a continuous process that affects behavior and employees development
(Shields, Brown and Plimmer, 2015).
 Employees get motivated :- this approach is essential for promoting and motivating
employees high performance. Moreover, a well applied PM boost the working of
individuals, teams and organization.
 Understanding of job responsibility :- If an employee gets continuous and high-
quality response, the will acquire more self-awareness of their behaviors and move
towards more growth and development. Such approach, give power to HR team
members to be an asset for workers & managers in goal setting and advancement
tracking.
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Collaborative working at workplace refers to, when two or more employees work together by
sharing ideas to accomplish a common goal. Further, collaboration has become a more
productive way of doing work, as many changes in technologies such as web based programs,
high speed internet, video conferencing have occurred. Therefore, this kind of culture in an
organisation promotes innovation & creativity. Apart from this, to build a high performance
culture in an organisation is by developing positive work environment. Below are its benefits:
 Develop employees skills :- Because of the collaboration, the organisation and
employees get benefited due to the sharing of ideas & working together. This provides
employees a better perceptive of how the business operates at a higher point rather
than just at their individual department. Further, the skills and knowledge can be used
by employees that they have acquired from others to make betterment or
enhancements.
 Solve problem and innovate faster: - admittance to numerous employees with unique
knowledge and viewpoints will most likely let organization to come up with thoughts
and solutions at a faster pace.
Unit employees with companies value :- business values are significant to any performance
management method. They eventually affect each single feature of the business, as well as
whom they employ and keep in the team. It has been determined that, a company with a well-
built grip of its own values will in due course create a team of effective people who feel
integrated by a sense of harmony and community. Therefore, this makes group effort much
easier (Shirokova, Bogatyreva and Puffer, 2016).
There are many organizations, which have faced worst consequences of not having good
communication at workplace. It has been discovered that, if information is not spread in
correct and effective way and at the right time, then it can affect business productivity.
Following are ways by which effective communication can increase overall organisation’s
productivity:
 Less misunderstanding :- effective communication among staff members, leads to
less confusion. It is vital to have a high-quality communication system, so that
everybody understands the goals and can make effort towards success together. For
example, if Whirlpool create a new Facebook endorsement strategy for their
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company, they must clearly communicate new responsibilities and goals with thier
workers.
 Healthy culture: - it has been determined that, effective communication results in
healthy and productive cultures within organizations (Ahmed, Bezemer and Shang,
2016).
CONCLUSION
From the overall report it has been concluded that, to stay competitive, Whirlpool Company
needs to set in a capacity to constantly improve workplace performance. Apart from this it
also concluded that, organization with high performance, maintains trust relations with
people at all levels of an organization by valuing employees’ loyalty, viewing them respect,
developing & maintaining individual relationships with workers, promoting faith and trust in
others, and treating people fairly. Further, it concluded that, professional knowledge, skills
and behaviors that are required by HR professionals. Also, it demonstrated that supervision
the performance of employees in Whirlpool and also aligning their objectives has allowed
them for effective delivery of strategic goals.
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