Management of people (Unit 4) Flashcards
What is recruitment
Recruitment is all about attracting applicants to apply for a job vacancy.
What are the stages of recruitment
identify a job vacancy;
carry out a job analysis;
prepare a job description;
prepare a person specification;
advertise the job;
distribute application forms.
What does it mean to identify a job vacancy
Simply to find a role in the business that needs to be filled
Why may there be a vacancy in a business
an employee is:
retiring;
going on maternity leave;
taking a career break;
going off long-term sick;
leaving for a job elsewhere.
during busier periods throughout the year more staff are needed, e.g. many retailers take on extra staff at Christmas to cope with an increase in demand.
What does it mean to carry out a job analysis
This is looking at the role of a job within an organisation, and the responsibilities and skills that will be required of an applicant.
What is a job description
A job description will give information about a job, for example:
tasks and duties;
pay;
working hours;
contract type;
holiday entitlement;
company benefits, e.g. bike to work scheme.
What is a person specification
A person specification gives information about the personal criteria required for a job, for example:
skills;
qualities;
qualifications;
experience.
These criteria can be classified as essential (an applicant has to have them) or desirable (an applicant doesn’t have to have them, but would be at an advantage if they did).
Describe the advertising the job stage of the recruitment process
An organisation will need to make applicants aware of a job either internally, within the organisation, or externally, outwith the organisation.
What are the advantages of internal recruitment
less expensive than external recruitment;
employees can be more motivated if they have a chance to be promoted;
applicant will already be known in terms of the skills and qualities that they possess;
there is no need to follow as many processes when appointing someone, e.g. induction training.
What are the disadvantages of internal recruitment
a lack of new ideas or new systems knowledge being brought in, e.g. efficiency improvements;
there may not be anyone who is right for the job;
there will still be a job vacancy to fill.
What are the advantages of external recruitment
new employees can bring in new ideas or new systems knowledge
more applicants to choose from;
there is no follow-on job vacancy to fill as the person is coming from outwith the business.
Describe the distributing application forms stage of the recruitment process
An organisation will send out application forms to all applicants who wish to apply for a job, although many organisations will increasingly ask applicants to apply online.
What are the disadvantages of external recruitment
can be expensive to advertise on job websites;
internal applicants may feel undervalued if they do not get the job;
the person is not known to the organisation and may not be the correct person for the job;
can be a more time-consuming process as there may be a more thorough process to go through.
What is selection
Selection involves choosing the correct person(s) for a job.
What are the common stages in the selection process
Every organisation will have a different selection process which may involve one or more of the following:
reading application forms, CVs and references;
shortlisting candidates;
interviewing candidates;
testing candidates;
choosing the successful candidate(s);
notifying unsuccessful candidates.
What is an application form
An application form is created by an organisation and will require an applicant to answer the questions asked by the organisation.
What is a CV
A CV is created by an applicant themself and will list information about them, such as their education, work history, and hobbies and interests.
What is a reference
A reference is written by a previous employer or teacher and will describe an applicant’s attendance, punctuality and suitability for a job.
Explain the “shortlisting candidates” stage of the selection process
After reading through all of the application forms, CVs and references, an organisation will make a list of which applicants to include in the next stage of the selection process.
What is an interview (in selection)
An interview is a meeting between a candidate and an organisation.
What are the advantages of interviewing candidates
see how a candidate copes under pressure;
ask a candidate questions regarding items on their application form or CV;
put a face to the name, and see the body language and the personality of a candidate;
candidate has an opportunity to ask any questions about a job or organisation.
What are the disadvantages of interviewing candidates
can be a time-consuming process for an organisation;
some candidates can be nervous in an interview and not perform as well as they could;
candidates might say the correct things in an interview but not be the correct person for the job.
Other than face to face how can businesses carry out interviews
Organisation may use online platforms such as Teams, Zoom or Skype to carry out interviews.
Describe thje testing candidates stage of the selection process
Testing involves assessing the skills and abilities of a candidate. This can involve testing:
attainment;
numeracy;
problem-solving;
intelligence;
fitness, e.g. to join the police you must pass a fitness test;
medical, e.g. to become a pilot you are required to pass a medical test which is carried out by a doctor or a nurse.
Describe the choosing a successful candidate stage of the selection process
An organisation will choose the most suitable candidate(s) and will organise a start date and training dates. A new employee will receive a contract of employment within 12 weeks of starting the new job which they will have to sign to say that they agree to the terms and conditions of the job.
Describe the notifying unsuccessful candidates stage of the selection process
Unsuccessful candidates will be informed of the decision and may be provided with feedback about why they weren’t offered the job or what they should look at improving for another interview or test.
What is training
Training is teaching employees new skills or updating their existing skills.
What are the advantages of training
employees will be more skilled at their jobs and will provide a higher-quality product or a higher-quality service to customers;
fewer errors will be made, resulting in less wastage;
fewer complaints and returns will be made;
a business can gain a good reputation and attract high quality staff;
employees will feel more valued if a business is seen to be investing into them.
What are the disadvantagges of training
employees may have to spend time away from their workplace;
can be a time-consuming process;
can be expensive for an organisation if it has to pay for the training;
employees may receive training and then leave for another organisation.
What are the 3 main methods of training
Induction training
On the job training
Off the job training
What is induction training
Induction training is given to new staff when they start at an organisation
What information is typically covered in induction training
company policies and procedures;
health and safety, e.g. what to do if there is a fire drill;
a tour of the business;
an introduction to key people and teams;
an introduction to their tasks and duties.
What is on the job training
On-the-job training is training which takes place within a workplace. This usually involves a less experienced employee working alongside an experienced employee.
What are the advantages of on the job training
employees are in the workplace and can continue with their work;
cheaper than off-the-job training as no courses have to be paid for;
less time-consuming than off-the-job training.
What are the disadvantages of on the job training
employees that provide training may not be qualified instructors;
employees that provide training may have picked up bad habits which will be passed on;
training may be interrupted due to it taking place in the workplace.
What is off the job training
Off-the-job training is training which takes place outwith an organisation, e.g. at a training centre or college.
What are the advantages of off the job training
training is given by qualified instructors;
employees can receive recognised qualifications;
fewer interruptions compared to on-the-job training.
What are the disadvantages of off the job training
employees are away from the workplace which will result in lower production;
more expensive than on-the-job training as courses have to be paid for, which can be expensive;
can be time-consuming as some courses may last longer than a year.
What are the advantages of induction training
Employees will settle quickly into the job
Employees will be made aware of important health and safety issues before starting the job
Employees will understand who the main personnel in the organisation are
What are the disadvantages of induction training
Takes time so reduces output
What are 5 methods of on the job training
Coaching
Role play
Job rotation
Shadowing
Demonstration
Describe coaching
An experienced member of staff will work through a task step-by-step with an employee. The experienced member of staff or ‘coach’ will support the employee through the learning process by passing on their knowledge and skills.
Describe role play
Role play involves acting out a scenario to see how an employee would perform under certain conditions. This will allow the employee to practise appropriate ways to deal with situations that may occur in the workplace.
Describe job rotation
Members of staff can be rotated or moved through different jobs within the organisation so they acquire a range of skills from each department or job role.
Describe shadowing
Shadowing is when an employee observes another employee working to gain a better understanding of how they do their job. This is usually for a set period of time such as a few days.
Describe demonstration
Demonstration is when an employee watches a task or a particular process being carried out and then attempts the task/process themselves.
What are training centres
A training centre is a location specifically designed for training. Staff are sent to training centres to learn new skills.
What are financial incentives
payment systems which a business may use to pay staff.
Describe a salary and its key features
A salary is when an employee’s annual wage is divided up into twelve equal payments which are made every month.
This allows employees to have a guaranteed monthly income.
However, it does not encourage employees to work harder or work longer hours.
Teachers are usually paid in this way.
Describe time rate and its key features
Time rate is when employees are paid per hour they work.
This encourages employees to work longer hours, but does not reward them for hard work.
Retail staff are usually paid in this way.
Describe piece rate and its key features
Piece rate is when employees are paid per item produced.
This can motivate employees to produce more items, but does not always mean that they will produce items to a high standard.
Employees may be paid a basic salary as well.
This payment system is usually used in factories.
Describe overtime and its key features
Overtime is when employees work more than their contracted hours.
Employees may be paid double time or time and a half for example.
Overtime rates can be used when employees are working bank holidays or an organisation needs to finish an order for a customer on time.
Describe bonus and its key features
Employees are given an extra payment, or bonus, for reaching sales or production targets.
Some organisations may give employees an extra payment at Christmas as a reward.
Employees are paid their bonus on top of their existing wage.
Describe commision and its key features
Employees are paid a percentage of a product’s sale value, otherwise known as commission.
This is paid on top of a basic salary.
This payment system is usually used in car showrooms and call centres.
What are the common financial incentives
Salary
Time rate
Pieec rate
Bonus
Commision
Overtime
What are common non financial incentives (name and briefly describe 4)
Allowing staff to work in teams to complete tasks.
Providing staff with good pay and conditions.
Organising regular meetings with staff.
Organising a works councils, which is made up of equal numbers of employees and management and allows employees to discuss work-related concerns.
Providing training opportunities.
Identifying staff who are ready for promotion.
Offering reward schemes, e.g. employee of the month.
Providing fringe benefits, e.g. company car, private health insurance, gym memberships.
Offering flexible working practices
What are flexible working practices
homeworking - employees work from home all the time or part of the time.
teleworking - employees work away from the workplace and use ICT to communicate, e.g. a sales rep.
flexi-time - employees can choose their start and finishing times as long as they work their contracted hours and an organisation’s ‘core time’, which is the time at which all employees must be in the workplace, e.g. between 10 am and 2 pm.
condensed hours - employees work their contracted hours but can so over 3 or 4 days instead of 5 days.
job share - two (or more) people sharing one full-time job, e.g. one employee works mornings and another employee works afternoons.
Why might employees undertake industrial action
pay and conditions;
working conditions, e.g. workload;
pension terms and conditions.
What are the methods of industrial action
Strike
Go slow
Sit in
Work to rule
Overtime ban
Boycott
What are the benefits of having motivated staff
increased productivity
lower absenteeism
higher quality production
lower staff turnover
better reputation
Describe a trade union
Trade unions are organisations that employees can join to enable them to have a collective voice. Employees pay an annual subscription to have the trade union negotiate on their behalf.
The role of a trade union is to:
negotiate better pay and conditions
get involved with the resolution of disputes
provide legal and financial support for its members
Describe a sit in
Employees occupy their workplace in order to prevent any work from taking place
What is the impact of a sit in
Production will be stopped leading to customers going to the competition to fulfil their needs/orders
Describe an overtime ban
Employees refuse to work any overtime hours
What is the impact of an overtime ban
Employees refusing to do overtime may lead to deadlines not being met
Describe work to rule
Employees will only carry out the duties that are specifically listed in their contract of employment
What is the impact of work to rule
Decreased levels of production could lead to delays in orders creating a bad reputation for the organisation
Describe go slow
Employees will complete all their duties but at a slower pace
What is the impact of go slow
Customers will be lost due to orders not being produced in the required timescale
Describe a strike
Employees refuse to go to work
What is the impact of a strike
Production within the organisation is stopped which could lead to the organisation being unable to fulfil orders or meet customer demand
Describe a boycott
employees refuse to carry out new duties or use new pieces of equipment.
What are the typical consequences of most industrial action
production may stop;
customer orders are delayed;
an increase in complaints from customers;
customers will go to competitors instead;
bad publicity;
may not attract many applicants when looking for future employees.
What is the purpose of the equality act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 ensures that employees and customers are not discriminated against in the workplace.
This ensures that all employees doing the same job with the same responsibilities receive the same pay, benefits and training opportunities no matter what characteristics they possess. For example, men and women should be paid the same amount for doing the same job.
What are the 9 protected characteristics of the equality act 2010
age;
disability;
gender;
gender reassignment;
marriage and civil partnership;
pregnancy/maternity;
race;
religion;
sexual orientation.
What is the purpose of the health and safety at work act 1974
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ensures that employers and employees have responsibilities for health and safety in the workplace. This covers all aspects of health and safety within the workplace.
What are the responsibilities of the employer under the health and safety at work act 1974
Provide health and safety training to all employees - this can be done through induction training.
Provide protective clothing to employees if required, e.g. hi-viz vests and safety goggles.
Provide toilets and clean drinking water.
What are the responsibilities of the employee under the health and safety at work act 1974
Ensure all accidents are reported and written into up with an accident report form.
Ensure that they adhere to all health and safety training.
Look after their own and others’ health and safety in the workplace, e.g. reporting any spillages or hazards.
What is the purpose of the national minimum wage act 1998
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 sets the minimum hourly rate at which employees must be paid. This depends on the age of employees and usually changes every April.
What is the purpose of hr department
A human resources department is responsible for all staffing matters and will use a variety of different technology
How are databases used by the HR department
databases, e.g. Microsoft Access.
keeping records of employee details;
keeping records of interview times and dates;
keeping records of all vacant posts available;
creating reports, e.g. who are the first aiders within an organisation.
How are spreadsheets used by the HR department
spreadsheets, e.g. Microsoft Excel:
creating staff rotas.
How is presentation software used by the HR department
presentation software, e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint:
providing training to employees such as health and safety updates;
used during induction training for new employees.
How is word processing used by the HR department
word processing, e.g. Microsoft Word:
creating job descriptions and person specifications;
creating letters to send to unsuccessful candidates;
creating staff newsletters.
How is email used by the HR department
e-mail:
sending applicants details of interview dates, times and venues.
receiving application forms and CVs from applicants.
How is videoconferencing used by the HR department
videoconferencing, e.g. Microsoft Teams:
interviewing candidates worldwide;
carrying out training remotely.
How are websites used by the HR department
websites:
advertising job vacancies online.
