6: HR

Question 1

What is a HR objective?

Answer 1

A specific goal or target of relating to the management and performance of human recourses in a business.

Question 2

What is HR management?

Answer 2

The design and implementation of strategies to manage people for optimum business performance

Question 3

Why is HR management important?

Answer 3

responsible for customer service
motivates employees
employee welfare
alters productivity and quality significantly
good working conditions-effective and safe
alters decision making

Question 4

Objectives that may be in place to make workforce more effective to meet potential

Answer 4

give achievable workloads
clear explanation of roles
Audit assessments
avoid underutilising staff

Question 5

what is an HR audit assessment?

Answer 5

Reviewing staff, processes and systems to see what/where needs improvement

Question 6

Objectives that ensure more cost effective HR process

Answer 6

Competitive pay rates but not excessive
minimise staff turnover
ensure returns on training investments

Question 7

what is staff turnover?

Answer 7

proportion of staff that leave an organisation over a period

Question 8

Objectives that may be put in place to maintain a good employer-employee relationship

Answer 8

Good communication and delegation
performance reports
handle problems well that may be sensitive eg. illness time off

Question 9

What is soft human recourse management ( soft HRM) ?

Answer 9

Where employees are treated as the most important source of competitive advantage

Question 10

What is hard human recourse management ( hard HRM)?

Answer 10

Treatment of employees as a recourse of the business. Mixes with McGregor theory X (believing people only work for money and dislike it)

Question 11

Is an autocratic leadership style soft or hard HRM?

Answer 11

Hard

Question 12

Features of a soft HRM

Answer 12

• democratic (two way comms)
• delegation
• competitive pay and rewards when suited
• empowered employees
• appraisal systems aimed to address employment development needs eg training

Question 13

Features of hard HRM

Answer 13

• Autocratic style = not much comms
• lower pay eg minimum in order to retain staff
• appraisal based on making judgements on the staff ie. good or bad
• low empowerment and delegation

Question 14

Negative of Soft HRM

Answer 14

Cost of workforce may lead to less competitive structure

Question 15

Positive of soft HRM

Answer 15

Rewards and performance = motivation

Question 16

Positive of hard HRM

Answer 16

more cost effective and decision making is faster and focused

Question 17

Negatives of hard HRM

Answer 17

Higher labour turnover possibility and absenteeism

Question 18

Reasons to recruit staff

Answer 18

If the business is relocating, need employees with skills to do the job, existing employees leave, expanding chains (eg new factory, stores, new development project)

Question 19

Advantages of employing part time staff

Answer 19

They’re cheaper to employ as they’re entitled to less benefits
a more flexible workforce
wider range of potential recruits

Question 20

disadvantages of employing part time staff

Answer 20

• Employees are less loyal so they may have lower motivation so less efficient
• Harder to manage and coordination of shifts requires time = cost.

Question 21

How have employment patterns changed?

Answer 21

Ageing population (more carers and more people need to look after)
More part time and flexible working hours
Increased number of single parent families.

Question 22

What is the difference between internal and external recruitment

Answer 22

External = from outside eg. recruitment centres, job ads.
Internal = given to staff already employed by the business via reorganisation or promotions.

Question 23

Example of external recruitment

Answer 23

job adverts, job centres, personal recommendations

Question 24

Example of internal recruitment

Answer 24

Promotions or reorganisations

Question 25

Advantages of external recruitment

Answer 25

New ideas, larger pool, wider experiences so may get better candidate

Question 26

Advantages of internal recruitment

Answer 26

Cheaper, quicker, people are familiar with the business, opportunities to increase motivation via promotions, already knows any strengths/weaknesses of candidates

Question 27

disadvantages of internal recruitment

Answer 27

Limits number of applicants, no new ideas, creates another job vacancy, may create resentment among staff

Question 28

disadvantages of external recruitment

Answer 28

Long process, expensive, selection process may not bring a good candidate

Question 29

What is training?

Answer 29

The development of work related skills to improve performance. May be on or off-job