Introduction
Shortly before graduating from college, most people start sending out application letters to potential employers in search of a job. A number of organisations are regarded as High Performance Working (HPW) businesses by most graduates. Regardless of the prevailing economic conditions, such entities continue to recruit and attract large numbers of potential employees. As such, the management can afford to put in place a highly sophisticated selection procedure to make sure that only the best and highly qualified candidates are recruited into its workforce.
In this paper, the author is going to respond to a number of questions posed by the ‘People/Performance Partnership’ (PPP) director working for a potential HPW company. The questions were sent to the author in response to the application letter they had sent to the organisation. The major issues addressed in the questions include professionalism, the concept of a ‘thinking performer’, and CPD.
Professional Practice
Question 1: Professional Conduct
Reputable organisations attract a wide variety of individuals as potential employees. The individuals are eventually engaged by the firm in one form of duty or another. Based on their educational background and previous work experience, such persons rise to levels that can be referred to as professionals (Mathias, Jackson and Sean 127). In the larger spectrum of human resource, there are certain expectations associated with a professional. Mathias et al. add that the individual must meet these requirements for them to acquire the respect of the organisation (133). The same respect can be used as leverage to grow in the career.
Professionalism defines how best an individual can adhere to a number of principles. Such principles include responsibility, courtesy, and honesty. According to Farndale, professionalism requires the individual to exhibit the highest form of excellence, which transcends the normal laid down procedures (671). To this end, it becomes apparent that professional conduct is a reflection of professionalism. With respect to the field of human resource, this form of conduct requires an understanding of the identified core principles.
Competence is an integral principle of human resource. As a practitioner in this field, I would ensure that recruitment is carried out on the basis of competence at all times. The success of any business entity relies on the proficiency of the workforce involved (Farndale 668). A practitioner is expected to be equal to all the tasks presented before them as they carry out their duties in the organisation. However, there are cases where new techniques emerge. The developments call for continuous education so that individuals can be at par with the emergent human resource practices (Harrison 920).
The workplace is meant to focus on the core objectives of an organisation. The human interaction in this front results in relationships that can be harnessed for the enhancement of the entity. Mathias et al. argue that an organisation’s workforce needs to develop strong bonds that are needed to foster team spirit (329). It is important to note that professionalism calls for high levels of discipline to the extent that work relationships should not involve romantic overtures. Ethical professional conduct requires an individual to ensure that they do not engage in inappropriate behaviour at the workplace. Such behaviour can be regarded as sexual harassment (King 90).
Time is one of the most valuable resources in an organisation. To this end, a professional is expected to ensure that they maximise on the time allocated to their duties (Mathias et al. 374). In this regard, time wasting activities, such as the unnecessary use of the internet, should be avoided. The same calls for discipline in time management. Proper time management ensures that individuals carry out their tasks effortlessly. Unnecessary phone calls and office chatter should be avoided if one is to become an effective time manager.
Proper professional conduct is meant to earn an individual respect from all quarters. Consequently, etiquette becomes vital in ensuring professional conduct. Mathias et al. argue that etiquette is one of the best grooming techniques for a professional (403). In the human resource sector, this concept fosters proper interaction both vertically and horizontally in an organisation. In the long run, etiquette is seen as a catalyst for utmost professionalism.
Question 2: Thinking Performer
The entry into an organisation as an employee should not be seen as an opportunity to ‘ferment’ in the system. Performance is a true reflection of the fact that both the employee and the organisation are on a growth trajectory. To analyse these ideals, Francis and Keegan make reference to the thinking performer with respect to the growth of an organisation (235). The term was developed within the human resource fraternity to make reference to a value adding employee. The value addition results from personal challenges and self imposed targets in relation to the individual employee.
Thinking performance is a paradigm on its own. According to Lussier and Hendon, this concept is associated with a number of characteristics (34). In the first place, a thinking performer is expected to deliver expected results in a very efficient manner. To this end, performance becomes a major principle for such an employee. Constant reflection on operational aspects of a company is another characteristic of a thinking performer. In this regard, the employee is constantly evaluating better and less costly techniques to achieve the objectives set by the employer. At the same time, the quality of operational aspects is expected to remain high (King 920).
The model of thinking performance is important to the success of any organisation. Francis and Keegan suggest that the framework can only be appreciated once stakeholders understand what it means to be a thinking performer (237). Organisations are constantly faced with challenges on their daily operations. A thinking performer ensures that the employer does not need to seek for external help. In addition, the individual makes efforts to solve the challenges encountered without presenting problems to the organisation. Thinking performance requires an in-depth understanding of the importance of each task and activity. The same calls for commitment to ensure that tasks and activities in the workplace are always met regardless of the nature of the challenges encountered.
The presence of thinking performers in an organisation implies that there are people who will always contribute to the achievement of underlying objectives in a company. Francis and Keegan add that a thinking performer fosters networking due to the constant interactions associated with the process (241). The model is seen as a challenge to the status quo existing in the organisation. To a certain extent, a thinking performer is seen as a professional activist operating from within the company. Consequently, it is essential to foster the spirit of thinking performance, especially among entry level employees.
Question 3: Human Resource Advisor- Professionalism in Thinking Performance
A human resource advisor ensures that their department always maintains high standards of performance. Some of the duties carried out by this professional include, among others, job evaluations and providing advice on recruitment (Pynes 165). To this end, a human resource advisor needs to ensure that there is a balance between professionalism and thinking performance.
Thinking performance has the tendency to disrupt the normal operations of an organisation. Kuvaas is of the opinion that one of the shortcomings of thinking performance includes time impropriety (7). To this end, an advisor is required to come up with a ‘blend’. The first scenario through which this can be realised is referred to as “effective time management”. In this scenario, the intention is to outline how thinking performance can remain innovative without affecting the time allocated to various projects.
The scenario proposed envisions a situation where brainstorming among employees is taken into consideration when determining their day-to-day operations. According to Pynes, thinking performance yields better results once it becomes a culture in an organisation (206). To this end, as a human resource advisor, I would ensure there is time allocated for employees to submit their innovative ideas. For instance, if individuals are required to work for 40 hours in a week, this can be reduced to 36 hours. In the remaining 4 hours, employees will be required to illustrate innovative measures taken on their own initiative to improve the company. Such a move will create a competitive spirit among the members of staff.
The second scenario involves relationships at work. Kuvaas argues that the threat of sexual harassment dissuades workers from freely interacting with each other (13). However, the spirit of teamwork has proven effective in ensuring results are constantly realised. In light of this, this scenario aims at reducing the fear of sexual harassment and associated complaints. The same is realised by asking employees to pair up with individuals they believe will assist in the innovativeness intended by the thinking performance. Such a move will ensure that employees foster an innovative spirit and get to appreciate each others’ diversity. As already mentioned, a human resource advisor evaluates job performance. By encouraging respectful and professional relationships, a balance between thinking performance and professionalism is sustained.
Question 4: Continuous Professional Development
Companies are an amalgamation of different professions, each with its own emerging techniques. For instance, in the human resource sector, there are new strategies introduced daily. The scenario calls for constant learning processes to ensure that professionals are familiar with emergent issues relating to their work (Mathias et al. 98).
Purposes of Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is seen as a cycle of ongoing improvements in relation to the skills and features related to a particular profession. One of the major purposes of this concept entails dealing with the diversity of human resource. CPD is associated with a number of benefits. However, Boselie and Jaap point out that the practice was not common two decades ago (553). The recent interest in CPD can be attributed to changes in business conditions. For instance, Pynes suggests that the global economic downturn has created uncertainties in job security and the need to plan for one’s career (227). CPD has become as it ensures that human resource practitioners are at par with the ever changing business environment.
Development needs
Human resource has a number of development needs. With respect to my career in the field, top needs include how to deal with departmental transfers, expansion of responsibilities, and the adoption of technology in human resource practices. According to Boselie and Jaap, CPD is an effective means of improving an individual’s weaknesses (560). For instance, my technological skills can be sharpened to ensure conformity with the current trends. The development will translate to improved performance.
Actions taken
Development needs are not an obstacle in relation to career progression. Kuvaas suggests that a personal initiative goes a long way in ensuring that development needs are met (348). In the first instance, I have enrolled in an online program that highlights the importance of technology in the human resource profession. Secondly, I participate in seminars and workshops on a regular basis. Based on this learning plan, I am able to efficiently carry out my daily activities and at the same time acquire new knowledge on emergent issues in the industry.
Reflection
It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan outlined in the paragraph above. Pynes points out that an individual can reflect on the performance of their plans based on how it translates to their workstation (363). For instance, new information on technology will enable me to operate better and synchronise employee information to the benefit of the company. In addition, the new information will improve my thinking performance since new innovative techniques will be acquired. To this end, the whole process of CPD becomes essential in ensuring that individuals can collectively improve the performance of their companies.
Works Cited
Boselie, Paul, and Paauwe Jaap. “Human Resource Function Competencies in European Companies.” Personnel Review 34. 5 (2005): 550-566. Print.
Farndale, Elaine. “HR Department Professionalism: A Comparison between the UK and other European Countries.” The International Journal of Human Resource Management 16.5 (2005): 660-675. Print.
Francis, Helen, and Anne Keegan. “The Changing Face of HRM: In Search of a Balance.” Human Resource Management Journal 16.3 (2006): 231-249. Print.
Harrison, Patricia. “Learning Culture, Line Manager, and HR Professional Practice.” Journal of European Industrial Training 35.9 (2011): 914-928. Print.
King, James. “White-Collar Reactions to Job Insecurity and the Role of the Psychological Contract: Implications for Human Resource Management.” Human Resource Management 39.1 (2000): 79-92. Print.
Kuvaas, Bard. “An Exploration of How the Employee–Organisation Relationship Affects the Linkage Between Perception of Developmental Human Resource Practices and Employee Outcomes.” Journal of Management Studies 45.1 (2008): 1-25. Print.
Lussier, Robert, and John Hendon. Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development, California: Sage Publications, 2012. Print.
Mathias, Robert, John Jackson, and Valentine Sean. Human Resource Management. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
Pynes, Joan. Human Resources Management for Public and Non-Profit Organisations: A Strategic Approach, New Jersey: Jossey-Bass, 2013. Print.