Introduce the CIPD Profession Map and explain how it is used by HR professionals and organisations.
Show how the elements of the CIPD Profession Map are used to demonstrate what it means to be an HR professional.
The CIPD Profession Map “provides a framework for excellent HR practice. Designed with the needs of business in mind, it captures the vast areas HR professional are involved in.” (Avado, 2018)
The Map is used by HR professionals to gauge where they are in their career path, what skills, knowledge and behaviours are required of each core HR area, so as to better understand how to progress from band to band in any specific chosen area (whether through additional learning needs, sourcing the required resources, or simply a requirement to make improvements in their current working practices), and can be used for salary and promotion negotiation, interviews, appraisals and as a tool to plan your CPD. It is updated regularly by the CIPD, with input from HR professionals, and is an important tool, not just for HR professionals developing themselves, but in aiding them in developing their employees and organisations.
“HR should be not be defined by what it does but by what it delivers – results that enrich the organization’s value to customers, investors, and employees”
(Ulrich, D., 1998, p.124)
Describe a range of knowledge, activities and behaviours (1 of each), from two selected professional areas, at Band 1 or 2.
Learning and Development delivery is a key skill to not only ensure staff are trained appropriately, but to ensure ongoing development of all levels of staff and to help aid with retention and morale. You need to be able to talk passionately about L&D, impressing upon others it’s importance and benefits, and ultimately influencing them to take advantage of such opportunities. This can only be achieved if you have the knowledge of the pros and cons of a variety of L&D delivery methods, so that you are better informed to encourage others to partake.
Resource and Talent Planning Induction is the first stage of an employee’s engagement with the organisation and it is vital that this is achieved both effectively and accurately, as it can affect the employee’s integration with their team, their ability to conduct themselves and ultimately the success of their crucial settling period. You must ensure all levels of the organisation have the skills to conduct inductions, using the tools learnt, and impressing upon them the importance of this process. The HR role should be seen as this credible source of support for the organisation in this matter, being able to provide the relevant advice and guidance to all colleagues.
Activity 2 Group Dynamics & Conflict Resolution (1.2)
Select a theory/model to describe the factors which influence group dynamics. Apply this theory to an example of team development.
I joined a newly built and launched Hotel property as the Conference Sales Manager, and the team was formed, made up of two individuals from the Company and the rest where all new. Using the Tuckman Model, the group transitioned quite typically through the stages. In the Forming stage, the team were getting to know each other, strengths and weaknesses, and everyone was very polite and accommodating of each other. As the weeks went on and we moved into the Storming stage, tensions began to rise. The employees familiar with the group began to question new management and the roles of the individuals in the group, and a couple of the new members felt isolated by their lack of experience, however as Manager I supported and trained them, and after a period of adjustment, utilising the group employees as mentors for the new staff, the group transitioned onto the Norming stage, where procedures fell into place, and the team worked well together. By the second quarter we had exceeded sales targets and we continued into the Performing stage. As an ongoing venture, there was no specific Adjourning stage, but what did happen, as team members came and went, was a revisit to various stages of the model at different times, depending on changes to the group dynamic.
Describe two examples of conflict resolution methods/models and apply these methods/models to an example of conflict that did/may occur.
Conflict that occurred during the Storming stage in the above example, were resolved using the Thomas & Killman Conflict Mode Instrument of Assertiveness vs Cooperativeness. I firstly spoke with the current staff that knew the expectations of the role and were resistant to both change and to new team members. I was assertive in my dealings, ensuring they understood that I was there to manage the department, both themselves and the new employees, and that I appreciated they knew the job already, but also made them aware I would be introducing new procedures to streamline the department, and was welcoming to their input and comments. At the beginning I agreed with them a compromise, as they were skilled in setting all the procedures in place quickly, and I could then concentrate on training the new employees. However, what developed over a short period of time, by continually addressing potential conflict, was to bring the team together by setting up a mentoring system between the new and current staff. This made them a lot more cooperative to change and helped bring everyone up to the same standards. It allowed me to progress the department, and the team ended up in the Collaborating stage, ensuring a win-win situation, and ultimately we exceeded our targets.
Alternatively, I could have applied the Fisher & Ury model, by separating people from the problem, so as not to make the conflict and tension feel personnel, making all team members feel respected and valued, and allowing each side to express their thoughts and emotions. Then, by focusing on interests, not positions, I could have clearly explained what we were trying to achieve as a department, and give each side to explain why they held their positions. I could then have proposed options for mutual gain, trying not to focus on one single solution or prematurely choosing an option before considering alternatives. Then lastly I could have insisted on using objective criteria, by reasoning as to which options may be most appropriate and making sure I did not give in to pressure or the threat of further conflict.
Both models may have been suitable, however the Thomas & Killman model was more appropriate as it was more direct and less time consuming, and as the department needed to be up and running quickly, I had to utilise more assertiveness in this circumstance to get us on target.
Activity 3 Project Management
Summarise a recent or current business project (large or small) which you are familiar with (leading or as part of a project team). (Brief context).
I was tasked with the formation and management of a project team to assess and work towards the achievement of a British Standard in ISO 9001:2018 encompassing a range of standards (see Appendix XXX), all the way to submission and assessment by the BSI, and ultimately achieving the standard, which would then follow on to a secondary project, to monitor and maintain the accreditation.
Describe how you have applied two project management/planning techniques during this project (show examples of their application). (2.1)
Project Management Technique One – Situation Analysis
The project required us to firstly review the requirements of the standard, assess this against where the organisation was currently position, and then plan and work to achieve the areas that were missing or needed further clarification and organisation. To do this a SWOT analysis was used as it was the most appropriate method to both gauge where we were now and what challenges were ahead of us. By highlighting our strengths (in terms of what we were already achieving or exceeding against the standard) and our weaknesses (looking at where we were lacking in procedures, administrative organisation and physical product), it allowed us a framework in which to assign roles appropriate to team members to best achieve the required outcome. Then, by highlighting the opportunities that an accreditation would mean for the organisation, it aided in focusing the team, enabling us to allocate tasks within specific timescales and raise moral and passion for the task, both within the team and through-out the organisation. The analysis of threats helped highlight the challenges ahead, before they became an issue, allowing us to plan, to a degree, for the unexpected, as well as being able to plan ahead for required resources before access to them became an issue. It also acted as a reminder of what our competitors were already doing and achieving ahead of us, and acted as a drive for the team and organisation. This was highly successful in focusing the team and ensuring we achieved the required standard on schedule.
Project Management Technique One – Project Schedule
As this project was time sensitive, with an assessment date pre-set by the assessing body, time management was the most crucial element of the whole project, so it was important to fully plan out the project.
“Time Management refers to making the best use of time as time is always limited… know which work should be done earlier and which can be done a little later.” (Juneja P, 2019)
By reviewing the project early on, after the initial Situation Analysis, I was required to prioritise the work, and identify those areas that were of greater importance, or would take longer time periods. To better plan for this, I utilised a Gantt chart to plot each activity required, length of time, where some tasks would overlap, and where others where dependant on each other completing before the next task could start (see Appendix XXX). Reviews were scheduled in at regular intervals and, after the project completion, an evaluation was also pre-scheduled, so as to better facilitate the commencement of the secondary project. My team and I, along with the Directors, found this chart a useful tool, to keep us on target to achieve the aim. At times certain elements meant that we veered off course, but by having the reviews scheduled in, we were able to re-look at the chart, adjust it to bring us back in line, and ensure we achieved the required time scale.
Describe how you have applied a technique(s) to analyse and resolve a problem during this project (relate a model/theory to your example). (2.2)
It was highlighted early on that, to achieve sections of the standard, we would require a new contracting system that could more effectively track, maintain and ultimately satisfy one of the standard’s criteria’s. However, with financial constraints on the project in place, it was becoming increasingly difficult to source a cost effective, yet robust enough system to achieve the goal. At this stage we decided on an additional review to be held on this problem and we applied the Rational Model, as it was the most straight forward approach in quickly highlighting the issue and attempting to resolve it.
Once the problem had been laid out (which included a detailed criteria evaluation of the standard relating to this section), we were then able to reassess the issue before us. All key members of the team brought their findings and research so far, and as a team we were able to fully evaluate each option and discuss ways forward. Once it was all laid out, with all the potential options and future benefits of each option, it suddenly became clear that a previously rejected option, for being too expensive, was actually an ideal choice as it also helped achieve other criteria that we had not linked it to previously. By following this process, it allowed us to have all the data at hand to compare and contrast against all criteria, not just the one causing the issue, and though it meant a pause in the work and some time lost in sorting out this issue, it was worth it in the long run, as it also made the team more aware of crossover criteria, which helped achieve an earlier finish on other tasks.
Explain how you successfully applied each of the three following techniques – possibly during the course of this project (2.3)
Influencing
During this project I came up against a fair amount of opposition from long-term employees who were resistant to the changes that were being implemented, as this was the first overhaul of the organisations procedures in many years. I utilised “Social Approaches to Influencing” Bacon T R, (2010) whereby I was able to socialise and appeal to the relationship, depending on the employee, so that they would see me as a ‘one of them’ and then I moved it forward by consulting with them, so that they could feel part of the reforms and understand the reason for the project, and the benefits to them long-term. I was also able to use alliance building by getting groups of persons together to help influence wayward individuals.
Persuading
One of my greatest challenges on this project was involving the Directors in the project. They had instructed myself to take full ownership, however sections of the assessment required direct involvement from them, and they were unwilling at times to participate. I had to persuade them to make the required inputs. I utilised the “Psychology of Persuasion” DeMers J, (2016) by being confident, knowing my subject matter and “subtly imply[ing] that you’re already going to get what you want” Demers J (2016), then introducing the logical argument about their required involvement to attain the standard. I then showed them the benefits of their involvement, not just for the criteria, but for staff moral and participation, making sure I chose my words careful to emphasis the importance of their involvement, and then using flattery, by appealing to their vanity over their knowledge of the industry and how committed to their employees they were. Finally, I had to have patience, but ensuring at all times that I persistently reminded them, and eventually I managed to persuade them to take a great involvement in the project.
Negotiating with others
One of the core criteria was the additional Security Screening of all personnel within the organisation. This included sub-contracted staff, and I was required to negotiate with our main sub-contractors to obtain confirmation that standards had been adhered to without physically seeing documentation, so as to respect their need to satisfy data protection. I prepared my argument with regards the reason for the additional checks, what the criteria we needed to achieve, and, having spoken with BSI, what I would be able to accept to both please them and satisfy the assessment. I chose to ‘negotiate jointly’ so as not to be too aggressive but still assertive, establishing mutual trust, and then I was able to offer concessions on the issue, appreciate their concerns that could potentially impact on their compliance, and I was also able to demonstrate the advantages to their own organisations. We agreed on a satisfactory outcome and the time scale required, and this was then summarised in writing to all parties.
Activity 4
CPD
a. Undertake a self-assessment of HR professional practice capabilities to identify your continuing professional development needs. (3.1)
(You could access ‘my CPD map’ and undertake the self-assessment to produce the evidence – copy and paste your results into an appendix) and discuss findings in your own words. Justify why your CPD options will best meet your needs.
b. Produce a Professional Development Plan (PDP) which sets out your professional development options – as outlined in 3.2. You must include a minimum of three objectives. (your table/plan will not be counted within the word count). (3.2)