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CIPD Profession Map | Human Resource Professionals

CIPD Profession Map

The Effective HR Professional

The CIPD HR profession map defines in detail what Human Resource (HR) professionals require to know, implement and deliver in the different stages of their careers. The CIPD profession map illustrates standards for HR professionals that explain the activities, knowledge, and behaviors required to succeed in the HR career (CIPD, 2019). Also note, the CIPD standards help define excellent HR practices, besides helping diagnose areas that need improvement to lead to success. The map helps in building HR capability and aids achievement recognition through professional qualifications and memberships.

The CIPD profession map is updated and reviewed regularly, incorporating information and knowledge from successful HR professionals from all over the globe to explain and define what HR professionals need to know and do at the different career stages to be successful at everyone. CIPD profession map, in short, offers a benchmark using which HR capabilities can be built on various levels, e.g., individual, function, team and organization (CIPD, 2019).

The Profession Map Was Developed on the Following Design Principles.

• Describe what HR professionals need to do, and know within the professional area categorized under the four bands of professional competence.
• Cover different behaviors and other technical elements required in the HR profession to achieve professional competence.
• Organization of professional competence areas specifically and not job levels, structures or roles
• Covers the entire Hr profession depth and breadth, encircling large to small organizations, from the most sophisticated of HR practice to the most fundamental one, from the global aspect to the local element, from consulting to corporate to the public sector to charity and from progressive parts to traditional ones (CIPD Profession Map, 2018).  
• Versatile enough to be viewed as an entire whole or applied in parts, with the center resting on the core areas of the HR profession as the main source relevant to all others.

CIPD Range of Knowledge, Activities and Behaviors

The two professional areas explained in detail in this section are

Performance And Reward

Performance and Reward help create an organizational culture set as high achieving. This is done through the deliverance of reward programs that recognize key employees’ skills, capabilities, performance, experience, and behaviors and ensure that all offered reward systems are fair, cost-effective and relevant to what the market is offering elsewhere (CIPD, 2019a). The range of knowledge, activities, and behaviors of Performance and Reward at Band 1 is defined in Table 1. Below

 Source: CIPD (2019a)

Performance and reward systems significantly motivate employees to effectively and efficiently perform towards organizational goals. Malhotra et al. (2007) stress that rewards and performance appraisal systems are critical for building and maintaining commitment in organization employees, ensuring that a high level or standard of performance is achieved, along with workforce ability. Armstrong (2012) further adds that rewards and performance appraisal influence the workforce’s effectiveness by offering a means of achievement and recognition (Chandra et.al., 2018). For example, reward systems in the banking sector require a multifaceted approach. Not only are employees required to be empowered, but they need to be individually appraised, along with team recognition as well. In areas where teamwork is critical to success, rewarding an individual and the entire team to boost motivation and team spirit morale is essential.

Employee Engagement 

Employee engagement works towards strengthening employee connections with their work, colleagues and the overall organization. It helps contribute to more fulfilled employees with respect t their work, offering them as greater sources of contribution towards the management (CIPD, 2019a). The range of knowledge, activities, and behaviors of employee engagement at Band 1 is explained below in Table 2.

Employee Engagement – Band 1

Knowledge

 Source: CIPD (2019a)

Employee engagement is the most essential and critical to the success of any organization. Deci & Ryan (1985) conducted an influential study, presenting their findings by differentiating between two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. They concluded that autonomy, competence and other psychological relatedness, which all belong to the employee psychological, needs to motivate employees resulting in the initiation of behavior that leads to a feeling of well-being in individuals. Vandenabeele (2014) further explains that satisfaction is the core need directly related to employee dedication. Employees’ dedication and purposeful work make them realize that they are valuable and worthy to an organization, thus directly affecting employee satisfaction (Osborne & Hammoud, 2017).

An example of how meaningful employee engagement is can be understood because every top organization today practices employee empowerment. L’oreal is a company that manages an employee onboarding app, involving and engaging employees from the moment they join the organization, explaining how the organization works and taking in their input (Akseli, 2017). This is the level of employee engagement important for an organization.

How CIPD Profession Map Elements Aid HR Profession

The CIPD Profession map elements help define the principles to be followed in each defined professional area spread over different professional competence levels. The professional map elements also define the challenges faced in the transition phase from one competence level to another and how different contributions lead to success in the progression. The elements are targeted toward defining how professional competence can be achieved rather than how certain roles, job levels or structures are to be handled. The elements cover all sizes of organizations and practices ranging from the most basic to the most sophisticated level. The CIPD defines in detail the benchmark of HR services in the defined 8 professional areas, also stating the behaviors essential to carry out the functions and activities at all levels of competence (CIPD Profession Map, 2018a). 

Activity 2 – Group Dynamics and Conflict Resolution | CIPD

Group Dynamics 

Tuckman Team Model

Bruce Tuckman proposed Tuckman’s stages of Group Development in 1965, describing four stages a team passes over time. A fifth stage was added later. These stages included

1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning

McCahan, et.al. (2015) defines the Tuckman stages of group development as proceeding from the organizing stage to producing. The stages of the model appear linear; however, teams can also move backward on the model, depending upon the team’s communication strategies and influence. Another finding of the model stated by McCahan, et.al. (2015) is that a team may also be at a standstill on a stage and never realize its optimal potential at all.

The Tuckman model stages include

1- Forming

In this stage, the team’s ground rules are decided upon, while the team acquaints with each other. Members at this point are still strangers to one another ad formalities are practiced.

2- Storming

At this stage, the communication process initiates and feelings are exchanged; however, members still consider themselves individuals and not part of a team. Here resistance against group leadership is experienced and hostility is shown.

3- Norming

At this stage, team members start considering themselves as members of the team and realize the truth that they can only achieve objectives if they work as a team and respect and listen to the views of others.

4- Performing

In this stage, an atmosphere of trust and openness is established between members and flexibility towards each other is observed. Hierarchy is not important and everyone participates equally.

5- Adjourning

An annual performance assessment is done by the team where contributions of different members are recognized and a transition plan is implemented.

For example, a team performs front and back-office activities in retail banking. However, this kind of team is only adjourned once a team member exits the job. Retail banking services run or thrive on teamwork on both sides of the desk, as customer service is vital which is possible only when all team members work together. When a new bank branch is set up, a new team is formed with varying experiences and knowledge; thus the first stage of the Tuckman model is initiated. After some time passes and the team members get to know each other, the second stage starts, where people start to communicate with each other and everyone knows about the weaknesses and strengths of each other.

A bank branch that thrives in offering excellent retail banking services is an example of a team at stage three of the Tuckman model, where everyone is aware of their role and understands the importance of teamwork. The fourth stage of the model is an example of thriving bank branch services, where all activities are efficiently and effectively performed and everyone performs to their optimum capacity. Though a certain level of the hierarchy is present, however, everyone works in their areas independently. As mentioned before adjourning in this team is only when a team member is either transferred to another branch or leaves the job.

Conflict Management | CIPD

The two theories of conflict management discussed here include the TKI (Thimas-Kilmann) model and the H.E.A.T. model.

The TKI model explains two dimensions: the X axis is concerned with what we want as conflict responses and the Y axis is concerned with what others want as conflict responses. The X-axis is termed as assertiveness and the y-axis is termed as cooperativeness. The five options for handling conflict include

1. Competing
2. Accommodating
3. Avoiding
4. Compromising
5. Collaborating

According to the TKI model, one of the five approaches can be taken if a conflict arises between customers and the bank’s department. For example, suppose a customer is satisfied with the services offered by the bank. In that case, the management can either adopt competing options or be completely uncooperative in defending the procedures being followed. The management can also avoid the issue altogether or postpone the decision on the issue and end the conflict. Another conflict-resolving option is to compromise and find a solution to the problem that offers something to both parties.

The extreme opposite conflict-resolving option compared to the first two is the accommodating and collaborating options. In the accommodating option, management can take a fully cooperative approach, respect the customer’s complaint, and agree that their views are correct and that things must change. Similarly, in the collaborating option, the bank management can devise an innovative solution to the problem and ensure the customer will not continue and handle the customer in a way that accommodates them instantly taking all traces of conflict away (Kilmann Diagnostics, 2019).

The same issue can be solved using the H.E.A.T. model. The H.E.A.T. model slowly focuses on resolving issues considering the feeling of others. The H.E.A.T. model refers to

• Hear them out
• Empathize genuinely with the situation
• Ask for more details
• Take action (CIPD, 2015).

Considering the same situation, the angry client’s H and E version demands understanding their query and assuring that wrong has been done and reasonable actions will be taken. The A and T version of the client is more settled, where more details are acquired about the issue and relevant solutions are thought of before taking action. It is important to avoid over-commit and offer a solution that can be implemented and resolve the conflict as well, with a happy customer leaving the bank.

Activity 3 – Project Management | CIPD

Task 3.1 – Application of Project Management Techniques

While serving in the retail banking sector, I was a team member responsible for project management of launching an app that diverted branch traffic of customers requiring account opening or other such services. The app was also directed towards appointment scheduling so that customers reach the designated individuals without wasting time, thus allowing the branch o focus on other activities. My role was to gather diagnostics of what activities commonly took place in the retail department. It could be done online, followed by a later project evaluation analysis of how much of the set target was achieved from the project.

SMART Project Management Techniques

We followed the project by setting up SMART objectives where

1. Specific goals were set (diverting customers seeking basic retail banking services online and offering appointment scheduling services)
2. Measurable goals were set by diverting an estimated 30% of branch customers’ shift to online apps for essential services.
3. Achievable targets were set up within a year and we decided to achieve the first milestone of 30% basic services customer diversion.
4. Relevant objectives were set up as the same was being done worldwide successfully and offered the full potential of success.
5. Time-bound objectives were set up as the time for results was set for a year. The app launch was required to be done in a time period of three months only to start working on results.

Monitoring and Evaluation Of Project 

Another project management technique used in later stages was monitoring and evaluation. The monitoring process was done by offering promotions on the use of online apps for basic retail banking services and evaluating how much traffic was being diverted and how many people actually used the online app and for what services. Also, a section of comments was initiated to get customers’ feedback on any additions they would like to the new virtual services. Also, an evaluation of cost was being done simultaneously to judge how cost-effective the online app banking service was or could be.

Task – 3.2 – Problem-Solving Techniques | CIPD

During the project, there needed to be more clarity on what services should be covered by the online app and what should remain under the direct branch services. This conflict was a major one as the bank needed to consider what services other competitors planned to impart through their online services. Also, there was a need to ensure that online service would not in any way negatively affect the retail banking business. To resolve this issue, Porter’s 5 forces model was analyzed, where competitive rivalry was analyzed to check what the competitors were doing or planning to offer.

In terms of suppliers’ banks deals with customers who make deposits, take loan and mortgages, and offer baked mortgaged securities and loans from other financial institutions. With a strong market, the supplier power was generally good for the bank. In terms of buyer power, since individuals alone were not a threat; however, the service was being designed to facilitate them so that they consider it an easy option instead of traveling to the branch for essential services.

The most prominent substitute threat banks face comes not from other banks but from other nonfinancial institutions such as Fintechs. Since these services are already mainly being operated online, there was a need for banks to rise to the situation and offer similar ease to customers. Also, since the banking industry is already highly competitive, there was a need to select the right services that would enhance customer interaction and only lessen traffic from branches. Considering these factors and analyzing competitor actions allowed us to decide on which services should be offered via online apps, as Porter’s 5 forces analysis offered insight into the internal and external capabilities of the bank.

Application of Techniques

Influencing – During the online app introduction project, My min influencing power, as defined by Cialdini’s 6 principles of Influence, was to highlight how a service was scarce and not yet offered by competitors, making it rare ad an excellent option to boost sales and services.

Persuading – during the online app launch project, through collecting and compiling diagnostic data, I persuaded other team members on which services could be offered online and which would possibly offer positive results. I applied the rational model of persuasion, which states that based on information, we can persuade others to change their mind and thoughts.

Negotiation – Following the RADPAC model of negotiation, whenever I reach a point of conflict with any of my team members, I resort to the model, initially understanding wholly what the issue is (Rapport), debating on the issue, presenting my points and hearing out other as well (Debate & Propose), and finally reach a common co0nsensus before deciding on a mutually agreed situation (Agreement & Close).

Activity 4 – Continuing Professional Development | CIPD

 Self Assessment 

After a detailed self-assessment of personal capabilities in the areas of employee engagement, I found that areas, where I require focusing on or enhancing my performance, include:

1. employee inclusion
2. Team development 
3. Communication

Though I do not feel uneasy talking to employees from diverse backgrounds, I cannot reach the level where they can open up to me. I require more training and experience in employee inclusion, as only inclusive employees are engaged employees and serve to their maximum potential. 

Team development is another area where I can use more help, as I need to focus more on dividing responsibilities, overviewing performance and a little help in conflict management would benefit my skills a lot. 

Communication is a vital area of all HR activities and I feel I can do much better in the area of communication and with a little more help and experience, I can better handle many situations, which can result in conflicts owed to inappropriate communication techniques being used or lack of proper communication altogether. 

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