Recruitment, Selection and Training of Employees (Copy)

Recruitment, selection and training

The Human Resource department has many functions in an organization.

• Recruitment and selection of employees
  • The process of identifying the needs of business for employing the right person for the job
    • First vacancy rises
    • Then job analysis is done
      • It is basically understanding what are the exact requirements of the vacancy that has arise, its takings and responsibilities
    • A job description is made
      • Outline job duties and responsibilities for a specific job
      • Contains information like employment (salary, work hours etc).
      • Tells the training that shall be given
      • Outlines the opportunities for promotion
    • A job specification is made
      • Outlines requirements, qualification, expertise, physical characteristics etc for the job. Basically describes everything that a person suitable for the job should have.
      • Tell the minimum amount of education required, the experience required, special skills or knowledge required and type of personality preferable
    • Job is advertised properly
      • Internal Recruitment is when a person from within the organization fills a vacancy
        • The advertisement can be done on the notice board or on the company newspaper
        • Employees can then check for promotion
        • Benefits
          • Saves time and money
          • Business culture already familiar to the employee
          • Knows the expectations
          • Can motivate other employees to work hard and seek promotion
        • Problems
          • New ideas do not enter the business
          • Jealousy and rivalry can be created between employees.
      • External recruitment is when a new person is hired for the job
        • Local news papers can be used for advertisement, usually for junior positions
        • National newspaper can be used for senior positions
        • Specialist magazines and journals may be used for example a cooking magazine used for chef related jobs
        • Recruitment agencies can be used
          • These agencies have people on their list. They carry out the interview and advertising. Then they suggest people according to requirements
        • Centers run by the government (Job Centers)
          • Job vacancies can be advertised here
          • Usually for unskilled or semi-skilled work
      • Plan has to be made for what is to be advertised, which medium used and how much shall be the cost and will it be reasonable.
    • Application form and short listing of candidates
      • Application of applicants is required in writing.
      • Can be a request of a specific form filled.
      • Candidates shortlisted
      • CV can also be taken with many important information like name, interests, nationality etc.
      • If letter taken it outlines the reason applicant wants the specific job and why he considers himself fit for it.
    • Interviews taken
      • Shortlisted candidates are called for interviews
      • References may be required
      • Interviews allow for assessing in the shortest possible time
        • Applicant’s ability to do job
        • Personal qualities that can result as an advantage or disadvantage
        • General character of the applicant
      • Interviews can be one on one, two on one or even panel based
        • Panel interviews are for more senior jobs
      • Other tests might be taken like skills test, aptitude test (the ability to learn new skills) or personality test and group situation test to identify is someone is a team player or not.
    • Selection done
      • Most suitable people selected
      • Those rejected are informed of the decision and thanked for applying.
    • Vacancy filled
• Wages and salary decisions
• Industrial relations
• Training programmes for employees
  • Training allows for
    • Introduction of new processes
    • improved efficiency of workforce
    • Training unskilled workers to become skilled workers.
    • Decrease the supervision
    • Internal promotion opportunity increases
    • Less chances of accidents
    • Focuses on increasing skills, knowledge
    • Changing people’s attitudes to things like by creating awareness
  • Training can be short term as one day or long term such as a complete MBA course.
  • 3 types
    • Induction training
      • Given to new employees to understand their job and get acquainted with the culture.
      • Helps them settle in, make less mistakes at the job and maybe a legal requirement to do so
      • Problems are that it is time consuming
        • Wages paid not output generated
        • Time lag between joining job and starting work.
    • On the Job training
      • Training taken by watching more experienced workers do the job. Good for unskilled and semi skilled jobs
      • Travel costs are saved as employees not sent away. Moreover there is still production from employee even during training. Less costly than off the job training and training is specific to business’s requirements
      • Problems are that trainer can not be as productive during training than before
      • Bad habits of trainer can be pursued by employee trainee too
      • May not be considered official training outside the business.
    • Off the Job training
      • Employees away from place of work, different building or different part of building or maybe in a college etc. Can be class room based too or involve computer simulations
      • Benefits
        • Broad range of skills sought
        • If evening classes after work, then production not lost
        • Employees can become more versatile
        • Up to date knowledge given by expert trainees
      • Problems
        • High costs
        • If same time as job then output lost
        • More qualification can mean employee may quit current job for a better other job.
  • Training can be considered a form of investment in human capital. Can give more output in the future.
• Health and safety of everyone especially employees
• Redundancy, Retrenchment and Dismissal
  • Workforce planning refers to business taking decision for foreseeable future in terms of the employees needed in number and skills.
  • Business may require less workers
    • Due to automation
    • Less demand for goods and services
    • Closure of a shop etc
    • Relocation abroad
    • Merger or takeover now requiring less workers as some jobs merged
  • Decision on who to remove
    • Skills of the people present
    • Seeing who is about to leave soon such as retirement
    • Consulting with staff for any volunteers to do so.
    • Preparing recruitment plan for new requirements
  • There 2 types of removal
    • Dismissal
      • When a worker is removed because of their own mistake from the job
        • For example unsatisfactory behavior or legal issues
    • Redundancy
      • When worker removed despite no error of their own
        • Some may volunteer to leave
        • Other decision made by
          • Considering the time a worker has spent with the organization
          • Workers with essentials skills are to be kept
          • Workers with bad employment history like always coming late to work can be made redundant
          • Departmental considerations on who to lose workers and who not to.
        • Redundant employees can be give some compensation
        • In some countries, this compensation is legally required

Human Resource department also has to come up for a contract of employment for the new employee.

• Legal requirement in many countries
• Has to be signed
• Describes the terms of relation between employer and employee like the amount paid, the job title, who the employer and employee are etc.
• Mentions if the job is part time or full time
  • Part time workers work less hours than full times
  • Usually full time worker works more than or equal to 35 hours a week.
  • Benefits of part time worker
    • Flexible time of work
    • Easier to ask employees to work at just busy times
    • Easier to extend business hours
    • Employee can look after their children due to less hours of work
    • Less expensive than full time workers.
  • Problems
    • Less trained usually
    • Takes longer to recruit 2 part time workers in place of 1 full time worker
    • Workers can be less committed and can leave easily for other jobs
    • Promotion chances are less for workers due to lower experience than full time worker
    • Communication more difficult as they might not be available.

Men and women are required to be given equal employment opportunities in many countries. This alos goes for people with disabilities, race difference and religion difference.

• Advertisement must not be biased
• Selection process must be fair and equal for all
• This allows for recruitment on merit and no other factor which increases the motivation level at work

Employees need protection

• Unfair Discrimination
  • Discrimination means to make a choice.
  • Unfair discrimination can be discrimination due to
    • Race and color difference
    • Religion difference
    • Sex difference
    • Age difference
    • Disability
  • Mostly illegal because otherwise many people would remain unemployed
  • Business can also lose potentially extremely important employees due to discrimination
  • Equal opportunity policy of employers where employees can appeal to a committee within the organization if they felt they have faced unfair discrimination
• Health and safety at work
  • Protect workers from dangerous machinery and environment by providing safety equipment and clothing
  • Reasonable workplace temperatures
  • Hygienic conditions and washing facilities
  • Do not demand excessively long work hours
  • Provide breaks in work
  • Follow health and safety laws
  • It is expensive to hire and train workers so they should be cared for.
  • Ethical decision is any decision that is not required by law but still taken because of the moral code of the organization
  • Sick pay for workers
• Unfair dismissal
  • Removing a worker from his/her job because they have joined a trade union or become pregnant
  • Removing without warning
  • There are industrial tribunal which is a legal meeting where worker’s complaints are considered for unfair dismissal and discrimination
  • Compensation provided to workers if dismissal is unfair
• Wage protection
  • Contract of employment given with wage rate, frequency of wage payments and deductions that shall be made from the wages.
    • Low rates may be paid if unemployment is high
    • Minimum wage to assure a reasonable wage is paid at the least
      • Benefits
        • Employers can not exploit unskilled employees
        • Employers will most probably trained unskilled employees to make most out of the higher wages
        • People will be more interested to work so less un employment benefits to be given and lesser shortage or workers
        • Low paid workers will earn more and can afford more so standards of living will rise.
      • Problems
        • Business costs increase
        • Redundancy might occur if employer can not pay the high wages
        • Workers main ask for wage rise to maintain wage differential.