Poeple Flashcards
What is the role of the Human Resources department?
The HRM department is tasked with dealing with any issues related to the management of staff (employees).
What are the reasons for changes in the workplace?
New staff may be needed for the following reasons:
- To meet increasing demand for existing products
- To develop new products to satisfy demand
- To assist in opening new branches/stores
- To respond to flexible working arrangements
Existing staff may be removed or leave because of the following reasons:
- To respond to failing sales of products (redundancy)
- To take up positions in other businesses
- Retirement, sick leave or maternity leave
- The business needs different employees with new skills
What is recruitment?
Recruitment is the process of identifying vacancies and encouraging applications from suitable applicants.
What is selection?
Selection is the process of choosing the best person for the job.
List the stages of the recruitment process in order
Identify a job vacancy
Carry out a job analysis
Prepare a job description
Prepare a person specification
Advertise job
Describe identifying the job vacancy
The HRM department will perform a review and consider where and if vacancies exist. For example:
- A business may need to provide short-term cover for periods of high demand (Christmas hols) or illness.
- Long term vacancies may be available due to business growth or retirement of employees.
Describe job analysis
The vacancy will be looked at in detail as well as the tasks, duties and responsibilities required to do the job effectively.
Using the job analysis, two documents used in recruitment are created:
- A job description
- A person specification
Describe job description
A job description will give candidates more information about the specified tasks of the job.
Information may include:
- Job title/department
- Duties of the job
- Responsibilities
- Pay / Working Hours
- Line manager
Describe a person specification
This document describes the skills, qualities, qualifications and experience the ideal candidate should have in order to fill the post:
Some skills, qualities and experience may be essential, whereas, others may only be desirable.
List the methods of internal advertisements
E-mail
Notice boards
Staff meetings
Intranet
What are the advantages of internal recruitment?
- Vacancies can be filled quickly
- Motivating for staff to be given an opportunity for promotion
- Employer will know member of staff and their ability
- Can save induction and training costs
- Cost of advertising is low
What are the disadvantages of internal recruitment?
- Limited pool of candidates
- No fresh ideas
- A better person for the job may exist externally
- Will need to fill another vacancy which has been created
List the methods of external advertisement
Newspaper (local and national)
Specialist magazines
Internet adverts
Job centre
Recruitment agency
Online job sites
TV/Radio
Career/Job Fairs
What are the advantages of external recruitment?
Attract a wide range of candidates
Can be targeted to potential applicants with specific skills
Introduce new skills/ ideas to the business
It avoids creating a further vacancy in the organisation
What are the disadvantages of external recruitment?
Expensive
Time consuming
Risky - new employee is unknown to organisation
Can be demotivating for existing staff as they feel there is no chance of internal promotion
List the stages of the selection process in order
Application Form
CV’s
Interviews
Testing
Assessment Centre
References
Job Offer
Describe an application form
An application form is a document produced by the employer, containing questions that applicants answer to provide details of their skills,experienceandqualities. (Theseare commonly completed online)
By using an application form, every applicant answers the same questions, making it easier to compare their answers against those of an another applicant.
Describe CV’s
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document which can be completed by hard copy or electronically
A CV will list a persons personal details, work experience, qualifications and personal experiences
The main advantage to the applicant of preparing a CV is that it can be personalised and may offer applicants a better opportunity to ‘sell themselves’
Describe selection for interviews (shortlisting)
Not all applicants will be invited for interview
A leet (short list) is drawn up of suitable candidates based on
- Application form/CV
- References
Information in these documents is checked against the job description and person specification to select the most appropriate candidates for interview.
Describe interviews
Interviews are designed to compare the applicants responses to questions against set criterial
Interviews can take various forms, over the telephone, with one manager (one-to one), with one manager after another (successive) or in front of a number of people at the same time (panel).
What are the advantages of interviews?
Interviews find out how an applicant reacts under pressure
Interviews give an indication of the applicants personality and character
What are the disadvantages of interviews?
Some applicants can train specifically for interviews and say what the interviewer wants to hear but may not be the best person for the job.
Interviews can be stressful – this means high quality employees may underperform in the pressure of an interview.
Describe testing
In addition candidates can be assessed using tests:
- Aptitude Tests
- Attainment Tests
- Psychometric Tests
- Medical Tests
- Intelligence Tests
Describe amplitude tests
This assesses if the candidate has the abilities and personal skills for the specific job e.g. customer service assistant roleplaying a scenario with a difficult customer
Describe attainment tests
This allows candidates to demonstrate a particular skill against a benchmark e.g. ICT skills against a required standard
Describe psychometric tests
This assesses the candidates personality and mental suitability for a job by testing verbal and numerical reasoning. - There are no right or wrong answers, instead it gives an insight into how the candidate thinks and if they would fit the culture of the business
Describe medical tests
This measures physical fitness and is required for certain jobs e.g. footballer, fire service
Describe intelligence tests
This measures a candidates mental ability, used for jobs where candidates may be solving problems
What are the advantages of testing?
Verifies the claims made by candidates
Tests suitability of the
candidate against benchmarks e.g. person specification
Comparisons can be made
between candidates
What are the disadvantages of testing?
Results can be unreliable if carried out by untrained staff
Candidates may underperform due to nerves
They can be very time consuming to carry out
Describe assessment centres
Businesses use assessment centres to see a a large number of candidates at the same time
Candidates take part in a variety of team building and role play exercises
The business can study applicants to assess their suitability for the vacancy and how they interact with others
This reduces the chance of interviewer bias as a number of managers will be involved in the process
What are the advantages of assessment centres?
Allows a business to really scrutinise applicants over a longer period of time
Assesses how applicants interact with others
Assesses how applicants react to role-play scenarios that mimic real work situations
Reduces the chance of interviewer bias as the results are a reflection of a number of tests
What are the disadvantages of assessment centres?
A venue may need to be hired which can be expensive
Several mangers will be offsite to conduct and supervise tests, resulting in less production time
Extensive planning and preparation is required which costs the business money and time
Describe references
References are written statements from previous employers or other reliable people e.g. guidance teacher
It is used to confirm that the person applying for the job is who they say they are and are reliable
References should be honest, open, truthful and unbiased
What is training?
Training means to improve the skills or knowledge of staff within a business
What are the advantages of training?
Employees become more competent at their jobs
Employees become more flexible
Employee motivation increases
Employees become more productive
Changes become easier to introduce
The organisation’s image improves
There are fewer accidents as staff are aware of procedures
There is reduced waste as less errors
Customers are satisfied with the goods they buy and service they receive
What are the disadvantages of training?
Once trained, staff may leave for better paid jobs
Financial cost of training can be high
Work time is lost when staff are being trained
Output is lost when staff are being trained
Quality of training must be high for it to have a positive effect
After training staff may be in a position to command higher wages once better skilled
List the different types of training?
Induction Training
On the Job Training
Off the Job Training
Describe induction training
Induction Training is given to all new employees when they begin employment.
Induction training:
- Develops an awareness of the organisation’s policies and procedures
- Allows an opportunity to become familiar with working environment and colleagues
- Provides an Introduction to the job and duties involved
Describe on the job training
On the Job Training – takes place at the employee’s normal place of work while the employee is doing the job.
Methods:
- Observation – one employee watches and learns as another carries out tasks
- Coaching – an employee is observed by another and given assistance to complete tasks
- Job Rotation – an employee moves to different departments carrying out different tasks.
Describe off the job training
Off the Job Training – employees are trained away from their normal place of work.
For example, college, university or training centre
Viewed as expensive and results in loss of production
Describe apprenticeships
An apprenticeship is a method of paid on-the-job where the employee learns skills and gains valuable knowledge.
Alongside on-the-job training, apprentices spend some working hours completing classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider which leads to a nationally recognised qualification.
Traditionally they were for ‘trade’ jobs (plumbing, joinery etc) but can now also be used for administration and business roles.
What are the advantages of apprenticeships?
Professional qualifications can be gained
Training is specifically tailored to suit the firms needs and job role
Less costly as training takes place while performing the job
What are the disadvantages of apprenticeships?
Involves a high degree of supervision from experienced staff members which can be time consuming
Apprentices may make mistakes while they are training which may harm the reputation of the company
Apprentices are paid a wage while they are training
No guarantee of job security once apprenticeship is completed
Describe graduate training schemes
Graduate training schemes are programs offered by companies to people who have recently gained a degree qualification from University.
They normally last between one and two years and allow the graduate to experience different aspects of the business throughout their training.
Depending on the employer and the individual scheme the graduate may undertake a specific role or spend time working in different areas of the organisation, for example finance, human resources, sales and operations.
Describe graduate schemes
Opportunities for graduates are available with a wide variety of employers, including those in accountancy, law, engineering and banking as well as public sector organisations such as the National Health Service.
What are the advantages of graduate schemes?
Graduates are raw talent that can be moulded to learn the skills and knowledge specificto thebusiness
The attractive salary and promotion opportunities are motivational to graduates
Successful completion of the programme can lead to a full-time position
Gives Graduates real working environment experience
What are the disadvantages of graduate schemes?
Graduates command higher salaries than staff without degrees
The schemes often have to unpick irrelevant university knowledge and re-teach ‘real world’ business
Not all graduates on the programme are guaranteed full-time jobs, increasing staff turnover
Describe continuing professional development (CPD)
Most organisations understand that training should NOT be a one-off occurrence.
CPD is a term used to describe the learning activities that professionals engage in to develop and enhance their skills and remain up to date in their chosen field of work.
CPD combines different methods of training, such as training workshops, conferences and events, e-learning programmes and learning from best-practice.
By completing CPD the business will be more efficient and productive, resulting in them being more competitive.
A record of all CPD training is kept for employees to evaluate and build on.
What are the advantages of continuing professional development?
Improves the skills of staff which can lead to better quality goods or service
Motivates staff as they are better able to do their job and feel the company is investing in their training
Ensures the organisation keeps staff up to date with mandatory training requirements
What are the disadvantages of continuing professional development?
May take people away from their work in order to complete training
Can cost the organisation money to send workers on training courses
Describe work based qualifications
Businesses can also offer staff the chance to gain formal qualifications while working.
Employees will learn the skills required to gain the qualification while carrying out their job.
In the workplace with some days spent at a local college when required.
What are the advantages of work based qualifications?
A minimum time away from the workplace
Both employer and employee benefit from completion of assignment projects
Increased confidence which makes employee time more effective in the workplace
A qualification being awarded after a period of study
Training is specifically tailored to suit the firms needs
Training takes place in the work place so minimal cost to the organisation
Employees can gain a recognised qualification
Standard of work can improve through training
Employee has a better chance of promotion or a wage rise when qualification is gained
What are the disadvantages of work based qualifications?
Qualifications can take a long time if completed on a part-time basis
Employee may leave the organisation once qualification is gained
Costly to pay for people to carry out the training
Describe corporate training schemes
Corporate training schemes are intense programmes of training that will equip staff with enhanced skills so that they are in a good position for a promotion.
Some corporate training schemes can include ICT, leadership/management, time management, communication or customer service.
What are the disadvantages of corporate training schemes?
Can be time consuming to carry out the training required
Can be costly for the organisation to provide training and subsequent wage rises
What are the advantages of corporate training schemes?
Standard of work can improve through training
Employees will be more motivated
Describe virtual learning environment
A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is an E-learning system that simulates a real-life classroom. It is web based and allows staff and learners to communicate without being in the same physical environment.
What are the advantages of virtual learning environment to the employer?
Less time is spent away from the work place by employees which improves productivity and reduces costs
Travel costs are eliminated as employees can access the VLE anywhere provided they can access the internet
Development of employees will increase motivation and reduce staff turnover
What are the advantages of virtual learning environment to the employee?
Increased flexibility as the VLE can be accessed at any time, for example during the commute to work
Employees learn at their own pace and can refer back to virtual lesson materials as many times as they require
Social space on the VLE allows employees to interact with staff and other learners through discussion forums or chat
Homework and assignments are completed and returned online, which is cost and time-effective
Improve chances of career progression
What are the disadvantages of virtual training environment?
Some employees may be reluctant to learn in a virtual environment, preferring to learn in the traditional way
If the internet or the network hosting the VLE is down materials cannot be accessed.
Describe staff development
Staff development is the process of helping employees to reach their full potential. It will include training in their existing jobs but more importantly it will allow employees to train in other areas and develop new skills.
Training and development needs are usually identified through the appraisal system.
Describe staff appraisal
Appraisal is the main method used to establish an employee’s training and development needs
It is used to review performance over a period of time – usually 1 year
One-to-one meetings between employee and line manager
Goals are set at the meeting which will be reviewed at the next meeting the following year
What are the main objectives of using staff appraisal?
Identify future training needs
Consider personal development needs for the individual
Improve the performance of the employee
Provide feedback and constructive criticism to the employee
Identify individuals who have the potential for promotion or have additional skills that can be used in the future
Review pay
Name the other appraisal systems
One to one
Peer to peer
360 degree
Describe one to one
Face to face with line manager
Usually part of a formal process
Describe peer to peer
A colleague in the same position carries out the evaluations
More informal
Describe 360 degree
Involves self- evaluation
Allow for a more rounded evaluation with contribution from a number of different people e.g., peers, mangers and customers
What are the advantages of appraisals?
Positive feedback can be given which motivates employees
Targets will be set for the employee which motivates them and gives them a goal to work towards
Training needs can be identified which can motivate staff and ensure their work improves further
Employees can be identified for promotion
Strong relationships are formed between managers and employees as they are given the opportunity to have a professional discussion
What are the disadvantages of appraisals?
Negative feedback can be given which demotivates employees
An employee might be set unrealistic targets which puts them under pressure
Some employees may feel they are being checked up on
Appraisals are time consuming to carry out which will result in lost work time during the day when they are being conducted.
Describe the methods of motivation
Motivation is the level of willingness by an individual to increase their effort
Management can use various motivation methods in attempt to motivate employees including:
- Fair pay
- Payment methods such as commission, piece rate, performance related pay or overtime
- Non-financial incentives such as company cars, discounts and private healthcare
- Permanent contracts
- Good working conditions
Some employees will need more than good pay and conditions to be motivated at work
Advanced motivation methods include:
- Staff appraisals (covered previously)
- Recognition – ‘employee of the month’ scheme
- Development opportunities – management training schemes or opportunities for promotion
- Empowerment – giving the staff the authority to make their own decisions
What are the benefits of motivating staff?
Increased productivity from employees
Better quality products
Better standard of customer service
Reduced staff absenteeism and poor time-keeping • Reduced staff turnover
Improved employee relations and fewer grievances
Describe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow suggested that humans have 5 sets of needs which come in a particular order. As each level of need is satisfied, the desire to fulfil the next set kicks in.
You need to fulfil the need at the lowest level before you can move to the next level.
List the Maslow pyramid from bottom to top
Physiological
Safety
Social/belonging
Esteem
Self-actualisation
Describe physiological needs
A living wage, access to toilet facilities and running water
Basic life needs: food, water, shelter, sleep, air, warmth
Describe safety and security needs
Safe working conditions, job security, fair wages, pension
Safety from harm, employment security, health
Describe social and belonging
A good team atmosphere, friendly supervision, social events
Friendship, family, affection, work group
Describe esteem
Recognition of ones achievements if front of peers, a job title that stands out from others, company car, private office
Self-esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of others
Describe self-actualisation
Opportunities for creativity, decision making, promotion opportunities, opportunities for leadership
Morality, problem solving, personal growth
Describe Frederick Herzberg motivation factors
Herzberg believed that employees are influenced by two sets of factors:
- Hygiene Factors
- Motivational Factors
Describe hygiene factors
These will not motivate employees but if they are absent they can lower motivation.
These factors can be anything from clean toilets, lunch breaks, staff room, reasonable level of pay, company policies and job security.
Describe motivations factors
These will not necessarily lower motivation if they are absent but can be responsible for increasing motivation.
These factors are linked to the needs at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy and could involve rewarding employees with status and recognition, target setting, potential for promotion and delegated responsibility.
List the hygiene factors
Administration
Company policies
Fair pay
Interpersonal relationships
Organisational structure
Security
Supervision
Working conditions
Working machinery
List the motivational factors
Achievement
Advancement
Challenging work
Empowerment
Profit sharing
Promotion prospects
Recognition
Responsibilities
Target setting
List the different leadership styles
Autocratic
Democratic/participative
Laissez-faire
Describe autocratic leadership
Authority and control is retained by the leader, managers will tell employees what to do
Obedience is expected without question
What are the advantages of autocratic leadership?
There are clear expectations of what needs to be done
Decisions can be made quickly
Works well when the manager is the most skilled or knowledgeable in the team
What are the disadvantages of autocratic leadership?
There is no opportunity for delegation or empowerment, demotivating some staff
There is a lack of creativity in decision making as it is retained with senior management
Describe democratic leadership
Communication and employee participation are key, managers let employees have a say in decision- making.
Leader shares problems by setting up teams and the leader makes decisions but explains the reason why.
What are the advantages of democratic leadership?
Employees feel motivated as they have a say in decision making
The manager has the final say but employees can contribute which can encourage creativity and help solve complex problems
Employees are more flexible and prepared for promotion if they have had expanded roles and responsibilities
Employees are more accepting of change as they are involved in decision making
What are the disadvantages of democratic leadership?
Mistakes can be made if workers are not skilled or experienced enough to participate in decision making
Some employees can be less productive than they would be under an autocratic manager
Decision making process is longer
Requires an effective leader in order to avoid conflict
Describe laissez-fair leadership
A rough translation of the French phrase is ‘let it be’.
Managers with this style leave employees to it and do not interfere
The team is expected to set its own goals and resolve its own problems
What are the advantages of laissez-faire leadership
Managerial wages can be reduced as less need for management
Reduction in stress for managers
Large amount of trust in employees
Leads to increased motivation
This can create a very relaxed work environment
What are the disadvantages of laissez-faire leadership
Lack of direction can lead to objectives not being met
Poor quality output can occur as less control
Competent employees may request financial rewards for taking on more responsibility
Can only work in highly professional environments where worker are self- motivated, such as creative industries or technology companies.
What factor affect leadership style?
The task
Time available
Skills of staff
Motivation of staff
Leader’s own personality
Group size
Corporate culture
Describe the task - leadership style
A complex task such as deciding on new company policy will require more direction from management (autocratic); a creative task such as designing new packaging would benefit from a hands off approach (laissez-faire).
Describe time available - leadership style
There may be little time to complete a project which means less time for discussion on how to achieve it, so a more autocratic style will be needed.
Describe the skills of staff - leadership style
Highly skilled and competent staff will need less supervision and direction, so a democratic approach will work.
Describe the motivation of staff - leadership style
Highly motivated employees (Theory Y) can be trusted to have the self-discipline to make their own decisions and complete tasks without instruction and supervision.
Describe the leaders own personality - leadership style
May lack personable qualities and automatically lead in an autocratic style; or may be too friendly and nice to be autocratic.
Describe the group size - leadership style
Democratic styles can lead to confusion if the number of staff in the group is too large. Large groups benefit from the clear direction of autocratic leadership.
Describe corporate culture - leadership style
The culture in an organisation can persuade managers to use specific styles, for example an open and relaxed environment lends itself to a laissez-faire approach.
Describe the health and safety at work act 1974
Employers must take reasonable care to ensure health, safety and welfare of all employees. E.g.
- Health and safety policy
- Provide protective clothing, training and instruction on safety issues
- Maintenance of machinery and equipment
Employees must take reasonable care to ensure their own and others health and safety. For example, co-operate with H&S policy and
report accidents
Describe the characteristics of the equality act 2010
The act covers nine protected characteristic that cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly.
These are:
Age
Disability
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion or belief
Gender
Sexual orientation
Describe the equality act 2010
The Equality Act sets out a variety of discrimination types
- Harassment – behaviour deemed offensive by the recipient due to a characteristic
- Victimisation – When someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a grievance
- Direct Discrimination – A job advertised as ‘not for males’
- Indirect Discrimination – All staff must wear trousers indirectly discriminates against women
- Associative discrimination – Discrimination against someone because they are associated with someone who possesses a protected characteristic
- Discrimination by perception – thinking someone has a characteristic and discriminating against them
Describe the national minimum wage act (NMW)
The NMW is the minimum rate per hour workers under 25 are entitled to by law
- The rate paid is dependent on age e.g. age 16-18 receive £4.35/hr; age 18- 20 receive £6.15/hr
Describe the national living wage (NLW)
The NLW is the minimum pay per hour most workers over 25 are entitled to by law
- It is against the law for employers to pay less than the NMW or NLW
- Any increase in the rate will increase the costs of the business and reduce their profits
- It an employer does not pay the NMW or NLW a worker could take out a grievance against their employer
- HMRC can fine the business up to £20,000 per underpaid employee
Describe the use of technology in Human Resources
- Internet – to advertise vacancies online
- Video conferencing – to interview candidates
- Databases – to store employee records
- E-mail – to arrange meetings, training etc.
- E-diaries – to arrange meetings and appointments more effectively ❑VLE – training purposes (previously covered)
- ICT such as laptops etc to allow employees to work remotely ❑Presentation software – to present training sessions to employees
- Online testing can be used to test a large number of candidates and they can be automatically marked, saving time.
What are the advantages of technology in HR?
Better monitoring and control is possible through the use specific software
Training can be better supported, making it easier to provide and administer
What are the disadvantages of technology in HR?
Financial costs, including initial set up as well as ongoing replacement of hardware and software
Employees in the HRM department will need training and support when implementing the use of new technology
