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AQA A-level Business > Human Resources > Flashcards

Human Resources Flashcards

1
Q

What is HRM?

A

Human resource management is the design implementation and maintenance of strategies to manage people for optimum business performance

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2
Q

What do functional objective set for human resource management need to be?

A

Consistent with the corporate objectives it’s kids to remember that human resource management is a strategic approach

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3
Q

How does human resource management meet the strategic needs of the business?

A

Uses a variety of tools which knead together in an integrated way

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4
Q

Define HR objectives

A

The target pursued by the human resource management function that fit in with the overall corporate objectives of the company

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5
Q

What are the values of setting objectives?

A

Means of judging the performance of the business
Source of motivation
Helps the business image
Maintains the employee performance

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6
Q

How does judging the performance of the business help the business?

A

So you can see if the business is being successful track progress make changes help business achieve corporate objectives

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7
Q

How does a source of motivation help benefit the business in terms of setting objectives?

A

For employees, if rewards are linked to achievements of objectives

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8
Q

How does help in the business image as a value of saying objectives?

A

If it seems to have high and clear expectations of it some point

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9
Q

Explain commenting employee performances value of setting objective

A

It’s a vital competitive weapon for many tertiary base businesses clear objectives and ensure the business has the right number of skilled and engaged in employee

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10
Q

What are the seven main HR objectives?

A

Labour productivity
Number and location of businesses workforce
Employee engagement and involvement
Training
Talent development
Diversity
Alignment of values

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11
Q

ExPlain labour productivity

A

Quantity of the products that employees should produce over a specific period of time

It can help control the costs as the higher of the labour productivity lower the unit cost helps business business competitive comp

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12
Q

Explain the number in the location of the businesses work force

A

businesses need to have sufficient employees to ensure can meet the needs of its customers and provide the best quality

Is the workforce the right size in the right location and will it assist in providing high-quality community services? Some businesses opt for employees to work remotely?

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13
Q

Explain employee engagement and involvement

A

Businesses benefit from having engaged employees in terms of improve performance

Employee involvement means employees contribute to decision-making

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14
Q

Examples of employee engagement and involvement

A

Intellectual engagement – thinking hard about the job and how to do it better
Effective engagement – feeling positively about doing a good job
social engagement taking opportunities to discuss work related improvements with others at work

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15
Q

Explain training and give examples

A

Improving skills and knowledge of the workforce improves performance
Long-term benefits

Examples are induction on the job and off the job

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16
Q

Explain talent Development and example

A

Focuses on fulfilling the potential of employees with their ability and potential to shape the businesses future performance

Key people to retain manage and develop talents

Trainingfor future jobs and promotion

Examples are mentoring and coaching

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17
Q

Explain diversity

A

Aims to treat people as individuals and will value the benefits that diverse individuals and groups in a workplace may offer to a business

He do race gender religion, age

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18
Q

Explain alignment of values and give examples

A

Values are referred to as core values and they underpin how employees behave and influence the decision as they make

Core values should be embedded into workforce

I believe the specific mode of conduct is preferable to an opposite or contrary mode of conduct

Examples are Sainsbury’s where quality is the mostimportant core value

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19
Q

What Are HR strategies

A

This is the medium to long-term plan implemented to achieve the HR objectives

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20
Q

Why are hr strategies important

A

Competitive advantage to the business
changes an organisation structure as business becomes flatter and employees have more responsibility. Psychological approach to motivation means people want more than just a highly paid job.

21
Q

Define hard HR

A

Treating employees simply as a resource of the business like machinery and buildings

22
Q

What are the features of hard HR?

A

Short-term changes in employee numbers (recruitment redundancy
Minimal communication from the top down
Motivation focuses on financial methods (Taylor scientific approach
Little empowerment of delegation
Taller organisational structure
Autocratic leadership style

23
Q

advantages of hard hr

A

More cost-effective workforce – if labour used effectively
Quicker decision-making by senior manager

24
Q

Disadvantages of hard HR

A

High absenteeism and high labour turnover – difficulties with employee retention – potential damage to business reputation

25
Q

Define soft hr

A

Treats employees as the most important resource in the business and the source of competitive advantage

26
Q

What are the features of soft HR?

A

Strong regular two body communication
Competitive pay performance release rewards
Motivation – greater use of non-financial methods for example empowerment, delegation
Focuses on job design and satisfaction
Flatter organisational structure
Suits democratic leadership style

27
Q

Advantages of soft HR

A

Higher levels of motivation and productivity
Low absenteeism and low labour turnover and high employee retention
reputation as a great place to work

28
Q

Advantages of soft HR

A

Higher employee cost leaves business at competitive disadvantage

29
Q

Define labour productivity

A

Measure the output or number of units produced per employee in a specific time period

30
Q

Formula labour productivity

A

Total output in time period/ no of employees

31
Q

Explain how increased labour productivity helps with business profit

A

Increase labour productivity can mean more output some more sales and more revenue thus more profits

Labour productivity unit cost increase which means a bigger profit margin and this increases profit

if demand is price elastic it can lower selling price which increases total revenue therefore profit

32
Q

How to Improve labour productivity

A

Financial awards such as piece rate bonuses and commission
You could also reduce the size of the workforce by making redundancies , invest in machinery or have a very effective recruitment and selection process
Training
Effective leadership and management process

33
Q

How do you interpret labour productivity?

A

Labour productivity Wage rates labour cost per unit of output is maybe a better guide
Overall productivity depends on capital investment

34
Q

Define unit labour cost- manufacturing

A

Measures the labour cost per unit of output produced based on total labour cost including non-wage cost such as national insurance and pension contribution

35
Q

What is the formula for unit labour cost and given an example?

A

Total cost divided by a number of products produce

Example: represents the amount of money needed to pay employees to make one unit of output

36
Q

Explain unit labour cost

A

If you increase labour productivity unit costs of labour decreases as they have an inverse relationship because output increases depends on labour productivity went up as long as labour cost don’t increase as a quicker speed than the output

37
Q

Define employee cost as a percentage of revenue/turnover-tertiary

A

An important measure of performance for businesses that supply services – where labour costs are a higher proportion of total cost done in manufacturing

38
Q

Formula for employee cost as a percentage of revenue/turnover

A

Labour cost divided by total revenue times by 100

The lower the score, the better as you keep more of the revenue

39
Q

Define labour turnover

A

The percentage of a business employees who leave the business in a specific time period (usually per year)

40
Q

Formula for labour turnover

A

No of staff leaving/total number of staff x100

41
Q

What are the internal causes of labour turnover ?

A

Mistreatment of staff
Reduced pay
Lack of training
Poor management/leadership
Poor working conditions

42
Q

What are the external causes of labour turnover?

A

Increased opportunities outside the business
Set up of or expansion of other firms
Better transport links allowing people to work further afield

43
Q

What are the negatives of high labour turnover ?

A

Investing in recruitment and selection cost
Negative reputation
Loss of productivity while new workers adjust
Time taken to settle in and adopt new firms culture

44
Q

What are the positives of high labour turnover ?

A

New ideas skills to business
Workers with specific skills can be employed rather than trying to train existing workers
Older employees productivity may have fallen and redundancy and retirement may help business

45
Q

What can high labour turnover cause for a workforce ?

A

Generally undesirable but so can too little-it can make a workforce stale and set in their ways. Lacking ideas and unable and unwilling to embrace change . Finding correct balance is key

46
Q

What does the correct level of labour turnover depend on ?

A

The business- if you have skilled workforce that has significant training then a low labour turnover is desirable
Low skilled jobs that are of ten seasonal pay low wages rates and they accept high labour turnover rates . It’s easy to obtain new staff and training is limited

47
Q

How do you reduce labour turnover ?

A

Monitoring and benchmarking to identify if this is the problem

Exit interviews to find out the reason people are leaving the business

Adequate recruitment and selection budget to ensure you hire the right people in the first place

Induction and training

48
Q

Define absenteeism

A

Refers to employees not attending work when they should be there . It isn’t pre planned or authorised like a holiday

49
Q

Formula for absenteeism

A

no of staff absent/ total number of staff x100

AQA A-level Business (14 decks)

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