Policy, Professionalism, Professionality and the Development of HR Practitioners in the UK

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore the role of relevant policies in the professional development of HR practitioners in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: A review of literature was carried out on the subject of the role of relevant policies in the professional development of HR practitioners in the UK. In doing so, the issues of profession and professionalism in the context of the HR occupation were explored. Findings: The paper highlights the importance of HRD in the improvement of HR practitioners' practice, and as a result, enhancing the status of the occupation. Research limitations/implications: A number of areas which are potentially worthy of further empirical investigation have been identified as a result of the review in this paper. Practical implications: The paper highlights the importance of policy and changing working environments on professional practice. It illustrates the importance of HRD on improving that practice and suggests the use of informal learning mechanisms as a cost effective means of going some way to achieve that improvement. Originality/value: The value of this paper is its contribution to the discussion on professional development in the context of the HR occupation.