2.1 Functions and Evolution of HRM

Question 1

Workforce planning

Answer 1

Analyzing and forecasting the number of workers and the skills of those workers that will be required by the organization to achieve its objectives

Question 2

Labor Turnover

Answer 2

Measures the rate at which employees are leaving an organization. It is measured by the number of employees leaving/ the total number of employees x 100

Question 3

Steps in the recruitment process

Answer 3

1. Identification (job analysis, job, description, person specification)
2. Application (job advertisement, application through form, CV, cover letter)
3. Selection (shortlisting, interview, job offer)

Question 4

Job analysis

Answer 4

The process of identifying what a particular job entails (tasks, roles, responsibilities and skills) - from this the job description + person specification is created

Question 5

Job description

Answer 5

A document that provides details of the job title, roles, duties, and responsibilities

Question 6

Person specification

Answer 6

A document that defines the profile of the ideal candidate for a job (qualifications, experience, personality, skills)

Question 7

Shortlisting

Answer 7

selecting the most suitable candidates for an interview who best fit the profiles in the job description + person specification

Question 8

Interview

Answer 8

A formal meeting which provides an opportunity to evaluate the candidate’s ability to do the job, validating the information provided in the application

Question 9

Job offer

Answer 9

At the end of the selection process, the successful candidate is offered an employment contract

Question 10

Internal recruitment

Answer 10

When a job vacancy is filled from within the business by promoting and retraining an existing employee

Question 11

External recruitment

Answer 11

When a job vacancy is filled by recruiting an employee from outside the business, usually because they lack the skills in its current employees

Question 12

On-the-job training

Answer 12

Training conducted in the workplace while the employee is working

Question 13

Induction training

Answer 13

an on-the-job introductory training program to familiarize new recruits with the systems and practices of the business

Question 14

Mentoring

Answer 14

a type of on-the-job training involving a partnership between a more experienced and new employee to develop the mentee’s skills

Question 15

Off-the-job training

Answer 15

training conducted by specialists away from the workplace

Question 16

Cognitive training

Answer 16

Exercising and developing the mental skills of employees to improve their performance

Question 17

Behavioral training

Answer 17

Training designed to improve the patterns of behavior at work by identifying functional issues that could be hindering performance

Question 18

Appraisal

Answer 18

The process of evaluating the employee’s performance with reference to their role set out in the job description

Question 19

Formative appraisal

Answer 19

A type of appraisal that occurs on an ongoing basis to identify strengths, weaknesses, and training needs

Question 20

Summative appraisal

Answer 20

A type of appraisal that occurs periodically during the year to summarize their performance

Question 21

360-degree appraisal

Answer 21

a type of appraisal that gathers information about an employee’s performance from different people involved in their work

Question 22

Self-appraisal

Answer 22

a type of appraisal that involves employees evaluating their performance against preset criteria

Question 23

Dismissal

Answer 23

the termination of a worker’s employment contract due to incompetence or a breach of discipline

Question 24

Redundancy

Answer 24

when a job ceases to exist and therefore the employee doing the job is no longer required through no fault of their own

Question 25

Steps in the dismissal process

Answer 25

1. Issue the staff a verbal warning
2. Formal written warning
3. Termination of contract

Question 26

Steps in the redundancy process

Answer 26

1. Select the employees to be redundant (objective system)
2. Inform them of their termination

Question 27

Teleworking

Answer 27

When the employee works away from the workplace through electronic communication

Question 28

Flexitime work

Answer 28

a work schedule that allows staff to choose when they want to work their set number of hours (must be present during busy hours)

Question 29

Migration for work

Answer 29

when a migrant moves to another country to find employment

Question 30

Part-time work

Answer 30

an employment contract that hires workers for fewer hours than the normal full working week

Question 31

Temporary employment

Answer 31

an employment contract that lasts for a set period of time

Question 32

Portfolio work

Answer 32

people offering their professional skills as an independent contractor

Question 33

Outsourcing

Answer 33

the process of transferring internal (non-core) business activities to an external firm to reduce costs and improve productivity

Question 34

Offshoring

Answer 34

an extension of outsourcing that involves relocating part/ all of a firm’s functions overseas

Question 35

Reshoring

Answer 35

reversal of offshoring; the transfer of a business process back to its country of origin