1.4.1 - Approaches to Staffing

Question 1

What is workforce planning?

Answer 1

Deciding how many and what type of workers are required

Question 2

How staff are an asset?

Answer 2

They bring knowledge, skills and expertise
- Can increase productivity, innovation and enhance customer service
- Can help build a positive reputation

Question 3

How can treating staff as an asset improve the business?

Answer 3

Will ensure staff are motivated and increase in productivity
- Enhance business reputation

Question 4

How are staff seen as a cost?

Answer 4

• Costs associated with hiring and training
• Costs associated with salaries and wages
• Costs associated with benefits such as pensions and company cars
• Costs associated with redundancy payments

Question 5

What is multi-skilling?

Answer 5

Process of training workers to fulfil multiple jobs within a business

Question 6

What is part time work?

Answer 6

Someone who works part time for instance 2/3 days a week

Question 7

What is temporary work?

Answer 7

When the employee shows up to work whenever the business needs them

Question 8

What is flexible hours?

Answer 8

Development of a culture where workers complete a set number of hours for what suits them

Question 9

What is homeworking?

Answer 9

Working at home for a period of time

Question 10

What is job sharing?

Answer 10

Where two or more employees divide a job between them to cover one full time role

Question 11

What is outsourcing?

Answer 11

Delegation of businesses processes to an external provider who then manages and administers the processes

Question 12

Advantages of multi-skilling

Answer 12

• Utilise their workforce more efficiently
• Reduces labour costs and increases productivity

Question 13

Advantages of temporary work and part-time

Answer 13

• Improve staff productivity as they can work during their most productive hours
• Help attract and retain staff

Question 14

Advantages of flexible hours

Answer 14

• Saving costs as save on overheads
• Increases job satisfaction

Question 15

Advantages of homeworking

Answer 15

• Reduces need and cost of travelling
• Saves time so increases productivity
• Less likely to take time off work
• Overall reduction of costs

Question 16

Advantages of job sharing

Answer 16

• Ability to retain staff
• More job roles available to bring in skilled employees

Question 17

Advantages of outsourcing

Answer 17

• Lower costs
• Capacity can be increased
• Don’t have to train staff for specific tasks
• Allows specialised skills

Question 18

Disadvantages of multi-skilling

Answer 18

• May require significant investment in training
• May not be appropriate for all job roles

Question 19

Disadvantages of part time and temporary work

Answer 19

• May create communication and collaboration issues
• Issues with monitoring workers
• More training costs

Question 20

Disadvantages of flexible workers

Answer 20

• Lower employee productivity
• Managers may find it difficult to manage the flexibility

Question 21

Disadvantages of home working

Answer 21

• Some people find it hard to separate work and leisure
• Training costs
• May miss working alongside colleagues
• Difficult to monitor progress

Question 22

Disadvantages of job sharing

Answer 22

• Finding compatible partners may be challenging
• There may needed to be added monitoring

Question 23

Disadvantages of outsourcing

Answer 23

• Loss of control as reliance on suppliers
• Employees may be less motivated as may be threatened by the loss of their job
• May loose control of quality

Question 24

What is dismissal?

Answer 24

Termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee
(Firing or sacking)

Question 25

Why are employees usually dismissed?

Answer 25

• Due to misconduct or poor performance
• May be immediate or with notice

Question 26

What is being made redundant?

Answer 26

When the job is no longer available and the business reduces the size

Question 27

`What are the impacts of a successful employer-employee relationship?

Answer 27

• Maximises cooperation and minimises potential conflict
• Increase motivation and productivity

Question 28

Characteristics of an individual approach to employer-employee relationship

Answer 28

Focuses on the relationship between an employee and their employer
- Assumes each employee is unique and has their own goals
- Tailored relationship

Question 29

What is individual bargaining?

Answer 29

• Means employers can decide based on the employee as an individual for instance pay (financial incentive to work harder)
• Also used for flexible working as can use employee’s personal circumstances

Question 30

What is collective bargaining?

Answer 30

When a group of employees are represented by workforce representatives and these negotiate with employers with their issues

Question 31

What is an example of workforce representatives and what can they do?

Answer 31

Trade Unions
- Can take action in the workplace to improve or protect conditions
- Can also take action on a national level to put pressure on the government for pay and wages