Human Resource Management Flashcards
What are tasks of the human resource management?
-recruit by attracting staff with correct skills/qualities to apply for vacancies.
-select best candidate to fill a vacancy and complete a job role.
-reduce staff turnover by ensuring job satisfaction to retain staff.
-run staff training and development opportunities on an on-going basis.
What are some issues of concern workforce planning?
-forecast so may not be accurate and could still end up with skills shortage or excess staffing in some areas.
-key person dependency if a worker leaves creating a staffing gap that is difficult to fill.
-trained staff may leave and go to rivals as they are a better worker with more skills.
What are some benefits of using workforce planning?
-gaps in current staffing identified so action taken to fill including relevant training or recruitment- helps to prevent staff stress.
-forecasting staffing requirements identifies potential issues with over or understaffing and need for retraining, redeployment or redundancy.
-correct staff in post so production not halted and skills/expertise available when required- helps to meet consumer demand.
Staffing forecast to meet demand
-prediction of demand and trends.
-organisation aims.
-how many staff needed to achieve aims.
-what’s skills will be required.
-where- functional areas the staff will be needed in.
Current situation in organisation
-analyse internal staffing.
-current staffing levels- identify gaps.
-internal demographics- qualifications, age, length of service, training.
-predicted staff changes- turnover and loss including retirement, gap leave, maternity leave.
Review and plan internal supply- what actions can be taken to use existing staff?
-promotion of existing staff.
-training/development of current staff.
-changing structure to redeploy.
-replacement of staff.
Review and plan external supply
-general population demographics- ageing with fewer young workers.
-government policies e.g. education, immigration, apprenticeships.
-education provision- school, college, universities- what is the quality of the workforce.
-external agency help find suitable staff e.g. job centre, recruitment agency, training centres.
What are advantages and disadvantages of internal recruitment?
✅lower costs to fill the vacancy as no ad or agency costs to pay
✅quicker process than external as fewer stages involved in filling the vacancy
✅no induction training required as worker already familiar with the organisation
✅reduced risk of wrong worker being chosen as skills/qualities are known and have already assessed as suitable
❌no new ideas and experiences brought into the organisation
❌less likely to change routines as they feel familiar to them
❌another vacancy is created which will take time and money to fill
❌jealousy/rivalry from other employees who sent formal colleagues being their line manager so strained relationships
Methods of the organisation directly approaching suitable candidates to fill a vacancy
-headhunt- by making contact with a worker directly and possible offering incentives to move organisations.
-college/university- with the milk round being used to recruit the best graduate trainees to join organisation.
What are advantages and disadvantages of external recruitment?
✅new ideas and experiences brought into the organisation possibly from a rival so reduction in competitors advantage
✅wider pool of better candidates more likely the best appointment will be made
✅less tension and avoids jealousy as colleagues aren’t promoted over another
✅another vacancy is not created that will take time and money to fill
❌cost of advertising and/or agency fees
❌lengthier procedure so more time and money spent on the process to fill vacancy
❌employers know less about external candidate whose skills and abilities are unknown so the org is taking a risk
What are advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face interviews?
✅gathers additional information on potential employees abilities
✅helps to compare how candidates perform in a pressurised and stressful situation
✅allows the interviewers to check appearance, communication and interpersonal skills
❌can prepare for the interview do candidates perform well but may not be capable of doing the job
❌interviews are stressful so candidates may not perform to their full potential
❌management time involved particularly if panel and the need to co-ordinate schedules
What are the different tests held to assess candidate abilities?
-attainment tests- assess a candidates current skills level against a set standard so the candidate can prove what they are capable of.
-aptitude tests- measure the potential of a candidate to develop the necessary skills for a particular jobs role by assessing their natural abilities.
-IQ tests- are used to assess candidates’s mental abilities including their numeracy, literacy, and problem-solving abilities.
-medical tests- assess the physical health of the candidate and most jobs will require a candidate to prove they are healthy.
-fitness tests- checks the fitness level of the candidate and must be passed if the role requires certain levels of physical strength.
-psychometric tests- gives the most complete picture by comparing personality, attitudes and character to the role.
What are advantages and disadvantages of testing?
✅provides a measure so allows an objective comparison of candidates
✅more information about skills and qualities than found in an interview
✅helps decide candidates suitability for a position so stops poor appointment
❌all tests take time to set up and complete which carries an additional financial cost
❌results need to be analysed which can delay the selection process
❌qualitatively data generated as no right or wrong answer so important to be objective when interpreting data
Why do successful organisations prioritise training and staff development?
-upgrades employee skills or teaches them new skills which improve their ability to carry out their job and productivity.
-develops multi-skilled winters who carry out a wider range of take increasing flexibility in staffing and providing greater cover for absent staff.
-promotes change so improves competitiveness and responsiveness to market conditions.
-make employees feel valued as they are being invested in- improves job satisfaction.
-make employees feel valued as they are being invested in- improves job satisfaction, staff motivation and overall performance.
Disadvantages of not training and developing staff
❌increase in time and expense to find trained staff to fill vacancies from outside
❌lower staff morale and motivation as staff feel undervalued by the organisation
❌increasing in redundancy as staff skills become obsolete so need to be ‘paid off’
❌falling productivity because the staff make mistakes or take longer to do tasks
