Human Resources Flashcards
Stages of recruitment process (6 steps)
- Identify a job vacancy
- Job analysis
- Job description
- Person specification
- Decide to advertise internally or externally
- Advertise the job
Describe seven selection methods
- Application forms - Collects relevant information from the candidate
- CV’s - Short written summary of applicant
- Testing - Find out if they are suitable for the job
- Presentations - Assess candidates knowledge and how well they can cope under pressure
- Interviews - Ask questions and find out about the person
- References - A written statement from previous employers to give information about the applicant
- Successful candidate can them be offered the job, unsuccessful candidates are let know what has happened
Psychological tests
Intelligence tests - Standard tests which results can be measured and compared. Designed to measure thinking ability
Personality tests - identify individuals principal personality traits (eg introverts and extroverts)
Name six flexible working hours
- Part time working
- Flexitime
- Career breaks
- Working from home
- Job sharing
- Shift swapping
Describe induction training
On the first day, or shortly after starting work, staff will be invited to an induction course. Introduces employees to the firm, it’s organisation and its procedures
Describe on the job training
Training arranged within the firm wither by the department manager of HR manager. Carried out by experienced worker.
- Demonstration - showing employee how to do the job
- Coaching - more intensive method - close working relationship
- Job rotation - several jobs in succession, gain greater experience
- Projects - project team, take part in new activities
Advantages and disadvantages of on the job training (6 points)
+ Cheaper than external courses, no travel costs
+ Employees more relaxed when trained in own environment
+ Production still continues while training takes place
- Training and coaching is a specialist skill in itself, trainer needs to have skill and knowledge of firm
- Trainer may not be given the time to spend with the employee to teach them properly
- Trainer may possess bad habits and pass these to the employee
Describe off the job training
Employees trained away from their normal role, carried out by specialist trainers.
- Day release - employee takes time out from normal working hours to attend local college or training centre
- Distance learning/ evening classes
- Block release courses - involve several weeks at local college
- Sponsored courses in higher education
- Self study
Advantages and disadvantages of off the job training (6 points)
+ Training is expertly given
+ Employee can focus on training - not distracted by work
+ Opportunity for employee to gain qualification
- Employee needs to be motivated
- Generic courses - may not be relevant
- More expensive than on the job - costs in transport and course itself
Advantages of virtual learning environments for employer (3 points)
- Less time is spend away from workplace, improves productivity
- Travel costs are eliminated
- Development of employees will increase motivation and decrease staff turnover
Advantages of virtual learning environments for employee (5 points)
- Increased flexibility - accessed any time
- Learn at own pace
- Social space on VLE - communicate with other staff
- Homework and assignments are completed and returned online, less time consuming
- Improve chances of career progression
Disadvantages of virtual learning environments (2 points)
- Some employees may be reluctant to learn in a virtual environment, prefer learning traditionally
- If the Internet of the network hosting the VLE is down materials cannot be accessed.
Job enlargement
Job enlargement involves adding extra, similar, tasks to a job. In job enlargement, the job itself remains essentially unchanged.
Employee rarely needs to acquire new skills to carry out the additional task.
Job rotation
Job rotation involves the movement of employees through a range of jobs in order to increase interest and motivation
Job enrichment
Job enrichment attempts to give employees a greater responsibility by increasing the range and complexity of tasks they are asked to do and giving them the necessary authority.
Works council
Works councils are groups of employees who are given time out of their normal work routine to meet and discuss decisions made by the business.
Worker director
This is when an employee is invited into the board to ensure workers have an input into the decision making process.
Consultative committees
Employee participation involves management actively encouraging staff to assist in running and improving business procedures and operations.
What are the stages of Maslow’s theory of motivation (5)
- Physical survival - food, water, shelter, clothes etc
- Safety - people want to feel safe and secure from harm
- Love and belonging - people enjoy the company of others. Managers should encourage team events
- Self esteem - people want to feel valued by others
- Self actualisation - people want to feel like they’re achieving something
Herzberg’s hygiene factors
Hygiene factors - things the business has to provide to keep workers contented. Clean, quiet and safe working conditions - adequate breaks
Motivating factors - things that will encourage workers to do their best - praise, career advancement
If the hygiene factors are poor then the motivating factors will not work
McGregor’s theory X and theory Y
Theory X managers:
- workers are motivated by money
- workers are lazy, selfish, dislike work and lack ambition
- workers need to be controlled and coerced by managers
Theory Y managers:
- workers are motivated by many needs
- workers can take pride and responsibility in doing a good job
- management should trust workers and help them do their best
Taylor’s Scientific Management
- workers were lazy and only interested in earning money
- carried out time and motion studies to find the most efficient way to perform a task
- managers were then appointed to make sure the task was carried out exactly how planned
- believed it would improve productivity
- unsuccessful due to boredom
Mayo’s Human Relations School
He thought workers were motivated when managers took a personal interest in them eg, decision making
Problems with motivation theory
- some theories contradict with one another
- many theories were developed a long time ago and are different to how managers deal with things now
- everyone is different - so no single theory is likely to motivate every employee
Benefits of a well motivated workforce
Better productivity Lower levels of absenteeism Lower levels of staff turnover Improved industrial relations Good reputation
Describe the three main leadership styles (3)
Autocratic leaders - make decisions without consulting their team members even when their input would be useful. Style can be demoralising, lead to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover
Democratic leaders - make final decisions, include team members in the decision making process. Encourage creativity, and this increases motivation and high job satisfaction. Not always effective when decisions need to be done quickly
Laissez- faire - give team members freedom of how they should do their work, and how they should set their deadlines. Don’t really get involved. Can lead to high job satisfaction but can be damaging is team members don’t manage time well.
The role of management (4 points)
- Meeting with trade union representatives
- Having an employee representative on the board of directors
- Having regular meetings to inform employees of decisions forming a works council
- Holding formal appraisals
Appraisal
This is a report on how well an employee is progressing. Usually carried out once a year by the employees line manager
Explain the benefits and costs of employee relations
+ usually happier
+ more motivated
+ committed to the goals of the business
+ more accepting of change
- less cooperation of the workforce
- more industrial action
- a poor image for the organisation and its customers
Describe 5 types of industrial action
Work to rule: employees only carry out the work that is stated in their contract of employment
Overtime ban: employees only work the hours required by their contracts
Sit in: occupying the business premises but not undertaking any duties
Strike action: labour withdrawn and the business will be unable to continue with production or meet customer needs
Go slow: reducing normal speed of work
What is the role of ACAS (advisory, conciliation and arbitration service) - 4 points
- Preventing or resolving employment disputes
- Conciliation in actual or potential complaints before industrial tribunals
- Providing information and advice
- Promoting good practice
Describe the health and safety at work act 1974
This act places responsibility on employers and employees to maintain safe working conditions. Employers must take reasonable care to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the employees.
Describe the equal pay act 1970
This act states that is a woman is doing the same broadly similar work to a man, then she is entitled to the same rate of pay and the same terms of employment eg, holiday entitlement, sick leave, working hours
Describe the equality act 2010
The equality act 2010 simplifies the current discrimination laws and puts them all together in one piece of legislation. It identifies nine protected characteristics including - age, disability and race
Describe the national minimum wage regulations 1999
The national minimum wage sets minimum hourly rates that employers must pay their workers. It covers almost all workers in the UK. There are three aged based rates and an apprentice rate.
Describe six types of payment
- Salary - same amount each month
- Bonus - employees may be set targets and if they’re achieved they receive a bonus payment
- Time rate - Paid certain amount for each hour
- Overtime - when employees work additional hours they will get additional payment
- Piece rate - employees are paid for each product they make
- Commission - paid depending on how many of a product they sell.
