Chapter 8: Recruitment, selection, and training of workers

Human Resources Department

Recruitment and selection

Wages and Salaries

Involves attracting and selecting the best candidates for vacancies that arise

These must attract and retain the right people and be sufficiently high to motivate employees

Industrial relations

There must be effective communication between representatives of the management and of the workforce

Training programmes

Involves assessing and fulfilling the training needs of employees. Should be linked to the future plans of business

Health and safety

The business needs to make sure that it complies with all the laws on health and safety

Redundancy and dismissal

Involves shedding employees either because the business changes in some way or because the employee is not satisfactory

Recruitment process

Recruitment: The process from identifying that the business needs to employ someone up to the point at which applications have arrived at the business.

1) Job analysis identifies and records the responsibilities and tasks relating to a job

2) Job description outlines the responsibilities and duties to be carried out by someone employed to a specific job

3) Job specification a document which outlines the requirements, qualifications, expertise, physical characteristics, etc. for a specified job.

4) Advertise the vacancy : internal recruitment & external recruitment

sometimes includes the condition of employment, training that will be offered, opportunities for promotion

usually include the level of educational qualifications, the amount of experience and type of experience, special skills, knowledge, or particular aptitude, and personal characteristics

Internal recruitment: when a vacancy is filled by someone who is an existing employee of the business. This way it saves time and money as well as it could be motivating for other employees however it can also create jealousy and rivalry

External recruitment: when a vacancy is filled by someone who isn't an existing employee and will be new to the business. The advertisements could be placed at local newspapers, national newspapers, specialist magazines and journals, recruitment agencies, Job centres run by the government

5) Application forms and Cvs/resumes to see which of the applicants match the job specification. They can either send a letter of application or they request an application form from the business, fill it in, and send it back

6) Produce a short-list of those best matching the employer's requirements

7) Hold interviews and selection tasks

8) Select suitable applicant and offer them the job. Reply to unsuccessful applicants

Part-time employment is often considered to be between 1 and 30-25 hours a week

advantages to the business

  • more flexible in the hours of work
  • easier to ask employees just to work at busy times
  • easier to extend the business operating hours
  • fits in with looking after children therefore employee is willing to accept lower pay
  • less expensive than employing/paying a full-time worker

disadvantages to the business

  • less likely to be trained because the workers see the job as temporary
  • takes longer to recruit two part-time workers than one full-time worker
  • can be less committed to the business
  • less likely to be promoted because they will not have gained the skills and experience as full-time employees
  • more difficult to communicate with part-time workers when they aren't in work

Full-time employees will work 35 hours or more a week

advantages to the business

  • more likely to be trained
  • takes less time to recruit than part-time workers
  • committed to the business
  • more likely to be promoted because they have gained skills and experience
  • easier to communicate as they will be in work

disadvantages to the business

  • less flexible in the hours of work
  • harder to ask employees to work at busy times
  • harder to extend business operating hours
  • employee doesn't except low pay
  • more expensive than employing/paying a part-time worker

Training (used to increase skills, knowledge, and change people's attitudes/raise awareness)

Induction training : An introduction given to a new employee, explaining the firm’s activities, customs and procedures and introducing them to their fellow workers.

On-the-job training : Watching a more experienced worker doing the job.

Off-the-job training : Being trained away from the workplace, usually by specialist trainers.

advantages

  • helps new employees to settle into their job quickly
  • may be a legal requirement to give Health and Safety training at the start of a job
  • means workers are less likely to make mistakes

disadvantages

  • time consuming
  • wages are paid but no work is being done by the worker
  • delays the start of the employee commencing their job

advantages

  • individual tuition is given and it's in the workplace so employee doesn't need to be sent away (travel costs are expensive)
  • it ensures there is some production from the worker whilst they are training
  • it usually costs less than off-the-job training
  • it is training to the specific needs of the business

disadvantages

  • the trainer will not be as productive as usual because they are showing the trainee what to do instead of doing their job
  • trainer may have bad habits and may pass these on to the trainee
  • it may not necessarily be recognised training qualifications outside the business

advantages

  • a broad range of skills can be taught using these techniques
  • if these courses are taught in the evening after work, they are cheaper for the business because the employee will still carry out their normal duties during the day
  • the business will only need to pay for the course and it will not lose the output of the employee
  • employees may be taught variety of skills, becoming multi-skilled and makes them more versatile
  • often uses experts trainers who have up-to-date knowledge of business practices

disadvantages

  • costs are high
  • wages are paid but no work is being done
  • additional qualifications means it's easier for employees to leave

Situations in which downsizing of workforce is necessary

Workforce planning is establishing the workforce needed by the business for the foreseeable future in terms of the number and skills of employees required.

why?

introduction of automation

falling demand for their goods or services

factory/shop/office closure

relocating their factory abroad

a business has merged or been taken over

This can be done in one of two ways:

Dismissal

Redundancy

(workers may also leave because they retire or resign)

This is where a worker is told to leave their job because their work or behaviour is unsatisfactory

This is when an employee is no longer needed and so loses their job. It is not due to any aspect of their work being unsatisfactory.

Legal controls over employment issues

Government have passed laws that affect equal employment opportunities. These effects of the laws are that people should be treated equally in their workplace

What does this mean for the business?

  • They have to be careful when wording an advertisement for a job. ( They can't advertise for a woman-they must say 'person' )
  • When selecting an employee for a job they must treat all applicants equally. If not, business would be prosecuted and fined
  • By following these laws carefully, businesses should recruit and promote staff on merit alone and this should help to increase motivation at work

Employees need protection in the following areas:

Protection against unfair discrimination

Health and safety at work

Wage protection

Protection against unfair dismissal

Discrimination means to make a choice. Some employers might discriminate against workers because they are:

  • are of a different race or colour
  • belong to a different religion
  • are of the opposite sex
  • are considered too old/young for the job
  • are disabled in some way
  • protect workers from dangerous machinery
  • provide safety equipment and clothing
  • maintain reasonable workplace temperatures
  • provide hygienic conditions and washing facilities
  • do not insist on excessively long shifts and provide breaks in the work timetable

Managers of these firms have taken an ethical decision - A decision taken by a manager or a company because of the moral code observed by the firm.

Examples of unfair dismissal:

  • joining a trade union
  • being pregnant
  • when no warnings are given before dismissal

If workers feel they have been dismissed unfairly, they can take their case to an industrial tribunal - a legal meeting which considers workers’ complaints of unfair dismissal or discrimination at work.

workers have a right to be paid for work they do for employees. There should be the contract of employment - A legal agreement between employer and employee listing the rights and responsibilities of workers.

Not only it contains the hours of work and the nature of the job but also: the wage rate to be paid, how frequently wages will be paid, and what deductions will be made from wages (income tax)

Advantages of a legal minimum wage

  • it should prevent strong employers from exploiting unskilled workers who couldn't easily find other work
  • as many unskilled workers will be receiving higher wages, it might encourage employees to train them to make sure they are productive
  • it will encourage more people to seek work
  • low-paid workers will earn more and will be able to afford to spend more

Disadvantages of a legal minimum wage

  • it increases business costs which will force them to increase prices
  • some employers will not be able to afford these wage rates
  • Other workers receiving just above the minimum level may ask for higher wages to keep the same differential between themselves and lower paid workers

Skill test: show the ability of the candidate to carry out certain tasks

Aptitude test: show the candidate's potential to gain additional skills

Personality test: used if a particular type of person is required for the job

Group situation tests: give tasks to applicants to complete in a group situation and the group is observed