Human Resource Management Flashcards
Recruitment definition
The process of advertising a vacancy and finding candidates
Explain reasons for recruitment
Employees leave
Employees go on maternity leave
An employee is promoted
An employee retires
An employee becomes ill
Job description definition
A document that describes the duties that the worker is required to carry out
Person specification definition
A document that lists the qualifications, skills and experience that a worker must needs to be able to carry out a particular job
Distinguish between internal and external recruitment
Internal - when a vacancy is filled with someone who already works at the company
External - when the company fills a position with someone from outside the company
Benefits of internal recruitment
It’s good for morale when someone within the organisation is promoted
They already know the employee and how the operations work
Cheaper for the business
Benefits of external recruitment
Their is a larger pool of candidates to choose from
Can help stop resentments amongst the existing teams
Brings new ideas into the business
Disadvantages of internal recruitment
Existing staff may not bring new ideas to help the business
May not be many willing to apply so a smaller pool of candidates
May make other employees jealous if one of their colleagues are promoted
Further recruitment is still needed but just further down the structure
Disadvantages of external recruitment
Usually takes longer for the person to be appointed
Usually costs more, advertising and training costs
Can be riskier because you don’t know the candidates as well as internal recruitment
Job advertisement definition
An announcement that informs people that a certain job is available
State thing included in a job advertisement
Duties
Qualification needed
Experience needed
Skills needed
Salary details
Days and hours of work
Place of work
Explain what’s meant by selection
The process of deciding which applicant for a job a business should accept
Explain what a CV is
A document that the applicant designs providing the details required
What information should be included in a CV
Personal details
Educational history
Previous employment history
Reasons for applying for the job
Names of referees
Explain advantages of a CV
People have their CVs ready so will apply without delay - speeds up the process
Asking applicants to send it through cuts a potential barrier to candidates all,going meaning you will only get genuine applicants
Explain disadvantages of a CV
They are a looser and more informal then applications forms
Explain what a work trial is
When a candidate comes into the office to meet the prospective team and complete an assigned challenge
Explain the advantages of a work trial
The employee can see the verification of skill and cultural fit within the workforce and the company see if the candidate fits in
Gives the employer and candidate a genuine experience of working together
Explain disadvantages of a work trial
They may not perform well in the work trial because they are working on a different set up, so they may not be up to the speed required for the business
Explain what a reference is
A statement from a previous or current employer or other responsible person about the suitability of the applicant for that job
Explain the advantages of a reference being provided
Can verify the information the candidate has been provided
Helps you assess the candidate’s potential for success in the position
Explain the disadvantages of a reference being provided
The applicant can choose who provides the reference so could choose someone who likes them
The reference may not be true about the candidate
Explain how interviews are useful to employers
Can validate information provided from application forms / CVs
Can see how candidates cope under pressure
Can find out answers to specific questions
Can establish whether the candidate fits in with the team
Explain how interviews are useful to candidates
Allows them to see what the team they’ll be working with is like
Allows them to ask questions
Means they can gain experience
Explain why interviews are limited in usefulness
They factor extroverts not introverts
Might catch someone on a bad day so you don’t see their full potential
Might be some bias
Explain what an organisational chart is
A diagram that shows the hierarchy in a business, usually from top to bottom in terms of seniority
What does an organisational chart show
Who’s responsible for which functions
Who has authority for which subordinates
Lines of communication
How departments are linked
Progression opportunities
Explain span of control
The number of employees for who a manager is responsible for
Evaluate narrow span of control
+ managers have less people to delegate to
+ employees are more motivated because they feel less isolated
- staff may feel watched over
- weaker communication as it has to travel through so many layers
- potentially longer decision making
Evaluate wide span of control
+ more independence and less supervision may be motivating
- staff may perform badly as managers lose control
Explain chain of command
The order of authority and delegation within a business
Explain levels of hierarchy
5e number of layers in a business organisation
Explain line relationships
The vertical relationships between managers and subordinates
Explain staff relationships
The horizontal relationships between a manager and other organisational member to/from who the manager gives receives information
Explain delegation
Where responsibility for carrying out a task or role is passed onto someone else in the business
Explain empowerment
Giving employees the power to do their job
Explain delayering
Process of reducing the number of levels/layers in an organisational structure
Explain centralisation
Where decision-making is made at the top of the hierarchy
Explain decentralisation
Where decision-making is more spread out to include more managers in the hierarchy
Explain the advantages of delayering
Reduces wage costs
More employee responsibility because of increased delegation
Faster communication so quicker decision making
Explain the disadvantages of delayering
Spans of control will widen
Redundancy payments that need to be payed
Damage to staff morale
Explain the advantages of centralisation
Easier to implement common policies and practice for the whole business
Economies of scale and overhead savings are easier to achieve
Quicker decision making
Explain the disadvantages of centralised structure
More bureaucratic because of extra layers in the hierarchy
Lack of authority and reduced manager motivation
Worse customer service and less flexible with board of directors rather than staff
Explain the advantages of decentralisation
Better able to respond to local circumstances
Improved level of customer service
Good way of training and developing junior management
Explain the disadvantages of decentralisation
Decision making may not necessarily be strategic
Harder to ensure consistent practices at each location
No one to provide a strong leadership when needed
Explain organisation by function ( same as organisation by system )
The business is arranged into specialist/functional areas
Explain organisation by product
The business is organised according to the different products made
Explain advantages of organisation by function
Specialists can concentrate on what they do best and share ideas with each other
Less duplication
Explain disadvantages of organisation by function
Conflict may occur over goals, budgets
Segregation of functions means that communication about products different functions are working on are ineffective
Can be difficult to accredit success and/or blame about product performant
Departments can’t identify the outcome of their work
Explain advantages of organisation by product
Easy to see which products are performing well
Each centre has a lot of autonomy which increases motivation
Teams can see direct results of their work
Communication barriers are broken down for specialists
Explain disadvantages of organisation by product
Different products compete for resources which can cause conflict
Duplication of departments can wast resources
Teams may lose sight of overall direction of the business
Distinguish between tall organisational structures
Many layers
Narrow span of control
Long chain of command
Many levels of hierarchy
Distinguish between flat organisational structures
Few layers
Wide span of control
Short chain of command
Few levels of hierarchy
Explain organisation by matrix
Individuals who work across teams and projects as well as within their own department or function. The teams can be temporary or permanent
Explain advantages of organisation by matrix
Improved communication across the entire organisation
Can allow individuals to use particular skills
Avoid the need for several functional departments to meet regularly
Result in greater morale
Encourages cross fertilisation of ideas across departments
A good way of sharing resources across departments
Explain disadvantages of organisation by matrix
Members of teams / projects may have divided loyalties as they report to two line managers
Can put team members under heavy pressure of work
Difficult to co-ordinate / communicate can be problematic
Takes time for members of the team to start working well together
Team members may neglect their functional responsibilities
Explain organisation by division
The business can be geographically separated or by product/service
Explain the advantages of organisation by division
Communication barriers are broken down
Teams become closer to customer needs in that region so should be able to tailor their approach
Can compare the performance of locations
Explain the disadvantages of organisation by division
Duplication of jobs and resources
Brands may lose consistency
Potential conflict for resources
explain what an appraisal is
a formal assessment on an employees performance
explain reasons for carrying out an appraisal
to give staff a focus
make staff feel valued
set standards/expectations
make pay/training decisions
record any issues
explain managerial appraisal
where an employees manager examines and evaluates their performance
explain advantages of managerial appraisal
employees receive expert input from managers
make subsequent actions. such as deciding about promotions, rewards and disciplinary procedures
explain disadvantages of managerial appraisal
managers may not work closely with employees to know their strengths and development areas
input is limited
explain self-assessment appraisal
employees assess their own performance, often using a tick sheet to grade aspects of their work
explain advantages of self assessment appraisal
an individual is often best placed to identify strengths and weaknesses to see what they need to do to improve
explain disadvantages of self assessment appraisal
an employee may be bias and not fill it truthfully
explain peer assessment appraisal
this is when the appraisal is carried out by a work colleague
explain 360 degrees appraisal
involves an employee receiving feedback from several people in the organisations, more appropriate for staff who work in large businesses with multiple teams
explain advantages of 360 degrees appraisal
a broader picture. of performance will be obtained
explain disadvantages of 360 degree appraisal
could end up with too much and conflicting information to base targets upon
managers may not work closely to you
time consuming
explain advantages of peer assessment appraisal
peers have very clear idea on how the employee is contributing to the team because they work closely to each other
explain disadvantages of peer assessment appraisal
appraisal may end up being other overly positive or negative depending on their relationship
explain labour turnover
concerned with measuring the number of employees who have left the business
labour turnover equation
no. of employees left during the year x100 ————————————————————-average no. of employees during year
explain absenteeism
the habitual non-attendance of an employee at their job
absenteeism formula
totals available working days in a month
lateness formula
total no. of scheduled attendances
explain workforce productivity
a measure of output per employee in a period of time
workforce productivity formula
average no. of employees
What are the 4 workforce performance related pay
Piece rate - payed per unit produced
Bonuses
Commission - amount of sales
Pay scale - meets targets to get higher pay
Piece rate formula
Number of products produced x amount paid to workers per product produced
Commission formula
Sale value x commission rate
Explain autocratic leadership
The leader has full control of the decision making and employees have little or no input