1.4 Managing people Flashcards

1
Q

What is a zero-hours contract

A

employment contract that has minimum of zero hours a week

-employee is not guaranteed any work/ income- only told of their working day few days in advance

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2
Q

Name 4 aspects of treating staff as an asset

A

-permanent contracts
-develop staff skills with training
-pay staff a slary
-nuilds loyalty with staff

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3
Q

Name 4 aspects of treating staff as a cost

A

-flexible contracts
-minimal training offered
-low pay
-often leads to high staff turnover rate

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4
Q

What is a flexible workforce

A

where workers are equipped to do different roles

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5
Q

Why is a flexible workforce useful

A

changing external environments lead to patterns of demand changing –> supply changes

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6
Q

Name 4 methods of achieveing a flexible workforce

A

-multiskilling
-part-time and temporary
-flexible hours and home-working
-outsourcing

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7
Q

What is multiskilling

A

training workers to fulfil multiple job roles

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8
Q

Name 2 benefits and 2 disadvantages of multiskilling

A

+no disruption due to absentees -> ^ productivity
+motivation increases

-increased training budget
-loss of production -> employees switching between jobs

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9
Q

What is outsourcing

A

contracting another business t perform certain business functions

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10
Q

Name 2 reasons why staff are removed from a business

A

-reduction in demand
-disruption from staff

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11
Q

What is redundancy

A

when staff are ridded of when employer needs to reduce the size of its workforce

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12
Q

What is dismissal

A

when staff are ridded of due to misconduct/ incapable of doing
job
- given a period of notice before they leave which length differs depending on how long the employee has worked for the business

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13
Q

What is employer/ employee relations

A

when employer needs tp discuss changes with workforce/ groups of employees

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14
Q

What is collective bargaining

A

when employer discusses problems with one/ few employees for whole workforce

-most commonly- employees represented by trade union

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15
Q

Name 3 reasons why a business needs to recruit

A

-existing staff leaving
-growth of business
-new activities needing new skills

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16
Q

Name the 7 steps involved in the recruitment and selection process

A
  1. determine number & type of employees needed
  2. conduct job analysis for each vacancy
  3. create job description and person spec
  4. advertise vacancy (internally/ externally)
  5. draw up shortlist of most suitable applicants
  6. decide most suitable candidate using appropriate selection method
  7. appoint successful candidate
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17
Q

What are 3 advantages of the growth of part-time and flexible working

A

-cheaper to employ- entiled to less benefits
-flexible workforce
-wide range of potential recruits

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18
Q

What are 2 disadvantages of the growth of part-time and flexible working

A

-employees feel less loyal to business
-harder for managers to control and coordinate workforce

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19
Q

Name 2 reasons why recruitment selection and training can be costly

A

–lost output from replacing employee
-logistical cost of running the process

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20
Q

Name a method of internal recruitment

A
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21
Q

Name 2 benefits of outsourcing

A

-sudden surges of demand can be met quickly
-high-quality services can be offered

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22
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of outsourcing

A

-companies used for outsourcing need their own profit adding to overall costs

-outsourcing arrangements may take time

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23
Q

Name 2 benefits of internal recruitment

A

-cheaper and quicker to recruit
-people already familiar with how business runs

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24
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of internal recruitment

A

-limits number of potential applicants
-no new ideas introduced

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25
Q

Name 2 benefits of external recruitment

A

-new ideas brought in
-wider range of experience

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26
Q

Name 2 disadvantages of external recruitment

A

-longer process
-more exoensive- ads, interviews

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27
Q

Name the 3 common forms of selection

A

-interviews- face to face/ phone, questions, convo

-testing and profiling- skill levels, identifies personality

-assessment centres- selection,

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28
Q

What is training

A

designed to enhance e,ployees existing skills/ develop new skills

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29
Q

Name 3 benefits of training

A

-higher skill levels can boost productivity
-wider range of skills- enhance business flexibility
-motivates staff

30
Q

Nam 3 disadvantages of training for a business

A

-training- large financial cost
-training- disrupt normal operations of a business
-trained staff- more attractive to other businesses

31
Q

What is on the job training and state one benefit and disadvantage

A

-saves time and cost
-less knowledge aquired on methods used elsewhere

32
Q

What us off the joh training and guve a benefit and disadvantage

A
33
Q

What is an organisational structure

A

uses heirarchial system -> main descision at top

34
Q

What is span of control

A

number of subordinates managed by a manager

35
Q

What is delegation

A

passing descision-making power down organisational structure to lower level

36
Q

What is a centralised structure

A

organisational structure where descisions are made at very top

37
Q

What is a decentralised structure

A

descision making passed lower down organisational structure through delegation

38
Q

Name the 3 types of organisational structure

A

-tall
-flat
-matrix

39
Q

What is a tall structure

A

-has many layers
-narrow spans of control

40
Q

Name 2 advs and disadvs of tall structures

A

+allows close supervision of staff
+communication within immediate team is excellent
-staff may feel not trusted
-narrow spans- little scope for staff to use iniative

41
Q

What is a flat structure

A

-few levels of heirarchy
-wide spans of control

42
Q

Name 2 advanates and disadvantages of flat structures

A

+employees given more responsibility
+communication between managers and employees is easier
-

43
Q

What is a matrix structure

A

company structure where teams report to multiple leaders

44
Q

Name 2 advanatages and 2 disadvantages of matrix structures

A

+working together allows expertise from each department- preventing delays
+learning from views of colleagues in other departments helps develop each team member

-2 bosses- can be unclear whose order should take priority
-getting staff from diff functional areas to agree can be difficult

45
Q

How can organisational structure impact efficiency and motivation

A

efficiency:
-poor communication -> mistakes
-departments failing to work together effectively

motivation:
-opportunities for promotion
-responsibility

46
Q

State the 4 key motivation theorists and their theories

A

-F.W Taylor (scientific management)
-Elton Mayo (human relations)
-Maslow (hierarchy of needs)
-herzberg (two-factor theory)

47
Q

What is FW Taylor’s theory for motivation

A

-‘money motivates’

-theory -> ppl only work to maximise their own income

-to get ppl to work harder -> money should be used as an incentive (or removal of money as threat)

48
Q

Where is FW Taylor’s work visible in jobs today

A

-piece-rate pay
-commission

-used to incentivise more work being completed

49
Q

What is Elton Mayo’s theory

A

-human relations theory

-workers motivated by having social needs met

-gain satisfaction from freedom#
-workers should work in teams

50
Q

What are the two approaches to motivate employees

A
  • financial
  • non financial
51
Q

Taylor’s theory in terms of managing

A
  • managers maintain close control over employees
  • managers make all decisions
52
Q

list the heirarchy of needs from top to bottom?

A
  • self actualisation
  • esteem
    -social
  • safety
  • psychological
53
Q

What is employee engagement

A

workplace approach -ensure employees are commited to organisation’s goals and values , motivated to contribute to organisational success and are at same tune to enhance their own sense of well-being

54
Q

What is Maslows theory

A

-humans have 5 sets of needs

-can be arrange in hierarchy -> basic needs at bottom, higher-level needs at top

-only once lower level is met would worker be motivated by higher level

55
Q

What is Herzberg’s theory

A

-two key factors in a workplace: motivators, hygiene factors

-motivators- directly motivate workforce

-hygeine- factors that demotivateif not present (pay, working conditions)

56
Q

Name 4 factors that influence organisational structure

A

-size of business -> small - flat structure, large - more complicated

-type of business -> mutiple locations?, overseas operations?

-management, leadership style ->

-competitive environment -> suppliers?, competitior actions?

57
Q

Name 2 reasons why narrow span of control good

A

-allows for closer supervision of employees

-more effective communication

58
Q

Name 2 reasons why wide span of control is good

A

-gives employees more chance for independence

-reduces labour costs -> less managers

59
Q

What is chain of command

A

describes the lines of authority within a business

60
Q

What is levels of hierarchy

A

number of layers of management/ supervision in the organisation structure

61
Q

What is delayering

A

removing layers of management from the hierarchy of the organisation

62
Q

Name 4 factors which encourage managers to change their organisational structure

A

-reduce costs, complexity

-boost employee motivation

-customer service improvements

-quality improvements

63
Q

What is employee empowerment

A

giving employees the power to do their job

64
Q

2 adavntages and disadvantages of delegation

A

+reduces management stress
+employees empowered, motivated

-may increase workload
-depends on quality of subordinates

65
Q

Name 4 advantages of a well motivated workforce

A

-better productivity

-better quality

-decreased absenteeism

-lower training, recruitment costs

66
Q

Describe the 4 motivational theorists views on pay

A

-taylor -> only one who thought pay motivated

-mayo, maslow, herzberg -> non-financial rewards; teamwork -> better incentive

67
Q

Name 4 main financial incentives that motivate

A

-wages -> paid per hour worked, receive end of week

-salaries -> annual sum of money paid at end of each month

-commission -> paid according to no. of products sold

-performance related pay -> paid to those who meet certain targets

68
Q

Name 4 non-financial incentives that motivate

A

-empowerment -> delegating power to employees

-praise -> recognition for good work

-promotion -> promoting employees to a higher position

-job enrichment -> give employees more challenging tasks

69
Q

Name 2 ways it can be argued that staff are an asset to a business

A

-can ^ productivity, drive innovation, enhance customer service -> contribute to success & profitability of business

-can help to build a positive reputation for business

70
Q

Name 4 ways it can be argued that staff generate costs to a business

A

-hiring and training costs

-salary costs

-additional benefits -> company cars, healthcare, prensions

-redundancy payments

71
Q

How does the national minimum wage impact staffing costs

A

if government raises national minimum wage -> businesses employing on a wage basis -> ^ labour costs

-doesnt impact businesses that employ workers on a salary basis