The Hr Profession Map : An Evaluation Of The Two Core Professional Areas

Although being a member of the CIPD is not paramount to practising HR, a professional body does have a large role to play in setting and improving professional standards.

Factors such as recognition, achievement, advancement, and growth can trigger motivation. They call these factors motivators. Motivators, such as salary, working condition, status, and security are called hygiene factors, which tend to eliminate dissatisfaction" (Robbins, 1996).

In other words, an HR professional needs to have the necessary ability, knowledge and skills in the field of people management. However, that is not enough. One also has to be able to apply them in a consistent manner, i.e. one has to be professional at all times, at the same, high, level. This means that it is important for a professional to continue to develop his/her competence, taking into consideration the continuously changing environment and demands.

The intend of this paper is to reflect upon my learning experience and feeling in taking the assessment test for Professionals In Human Resources or Senior Professional in Human Resources. The primary goal of this assessment was to assess my knowledge and capabilities pertaining to HR. In addition, it explores potential questions that might be asked on a certification exam. Although I scored adequately 58 out of 70, the assessment revealed some interesting things about how courses build on one another and my career choice as a HR professional.

The report will discuss the CIPD HR Profession Map and how the framework and standards within it define a HR professional. The professional areas, the bands and the behaviours will be outlined and the two core professional areas as well as two behaviours will be evaluated to explain how they uphold the concept of ‘HR Professionalism.’ Examples from the knowledge and activities in band 2 will be used in support.

HR professionals have to think carefully about what they are doing in the context of their organization and within the framework of recognised body of knowledge. They have to perform effectively in the sense of delivering advise, guidance and services that will help the organisation to achieve its goals.

For example, Band 1 is at entry level/admin, Band 2 is an advisory level or managing a small team of staff, Band 3 is consultancy level and Band 4 is managerial level, leading an organisations’ HR department.

The professional working in this area of HR ensures that the relationship between an organisation and its staff is

The standards set out in the CIPD Profession Map, developed in collaboration with HR and L&D professionals, senior business people, academics and their organisations across the world, aim to set the bar high, based on research for last five years. They determine what the best HR and L&D professionals and organisations are doing, what they know and understand, to really make a difference and drive the performance of the organisation.

Porter, K., Smith, P. & Fagg, R. 2006. Leadership and Management for HR Professionals. 3rd Ed. Oxford

HR liaise between management and employees to ensure that policies and procedures are applied fairly and consistently and interaction with the HR department is

1. Martin, M., Whiting, F. & Jackson, T. (2010) Human Resource Practice. 5th Edition. London: CIPD.

The CIPD HR Profession Map describes what HR professionals need to do, what they need to know and how to do it within each professional area at four bands of professional competence.

They are specialist areas which identifies the activities and knowledge that is needed to provide Specialist HR Support.

The CIPD HR Profession Map outlines the activities, knowledge and behaviours the cipd believe are required by different HR to sustained value to the organisation it operates in, now and in the future. It is a benchmark to what successful and effective HR people do and deliver across every aspect and specialism of the profession, and sets out the required underpinning skills, behaviour and knowledge.