Theme 1- Approaches to Staffing Flashcards
Definition of staff as an asset
They are something a business has that is valuable
How can staff add value to a product?
Through their skills and ability
- ensures high quality products are produced efficiently
- excellent customer service = customers willing to pay higher
What is the benefit of businesses treating staff as a valued asset
Motivates staff and increases their productivity
Why are employees a cost to a business
- remuneration ( payment for work they do)
- minimum wage increases each year
- cost involved in recruitment, training and staff welfare
- severance ( when they leave the firm)
What is dismissal?
An employee could be dismissed if they breach their contract of employment. Choice of employer not employee.
What is redundancy?
Occurs when an employees job is no longer required. This costs businesses money.
Flexible workforce
The variety in ways in which employees work and the different contracts they can be offered.
Can also refer to employees being multi- skilled.
Why is employing more part time workers beneficial for a business?
Means they have more staff who could come in to cover absent workers
How many hours do full- time workers do?
At least 35 hours a week
Pros and cons of zero hour contracts
Pros- employers don’t waste money paying for labour when it isn’t needed
- employees can work around commitments
Cons- staff under no obligation to accept work so it could be hard to find enough staff in busy times
Difference between permanent and temporary contracts
A permanent has no end date but a temporary does
Why are temporary contracts beneficial
can cover a particular job ( due to sickness or maternity leave )
Why are permanent contracts beneficial?
More motivating due to financial security
Home working
- Employees work from home some or all days of the week
- can save travel costs
- work around commitments
- distractions
- Businesses may gain from freeing up a desk or office space
- difficult to monitor performance
Flexible hours
- Workers complete a set number of hours that suit them
- usually core hours in the day
- improves motivation
- Harder to set up meetings
Outsourcing
- can outsource tasks to external businesses
- employers don’t have to invest money in training staff
Multi- skilled workforce
- employers can employ fewer workers, lowers recruitment costs
- workers can be moved between jobs so absent staff can be easily covered (maintains output)
- increases motivation which increases productivity
- additional training costs
- cost of labour may increase
Why is successful employer-employee relationship beneficial?
- Maximises cooperation and minimises conflict
- increases employee motivation and productivity and increases cost for businesses
Individual bargaining
- When individual employees negotiate with their employer about their pay and working conditions
- Bargaining for pay provides a financial incentive to the employee to work productively
- used for flexible working arrangements
Collective bargaining
- when a group of employees are represented by workforce representatives
- workforce representatives negotiate pay and working conditions with the employers
- E.g: trade unions
- Trade unions can take actions in the workplace to protect/ improve conditions
- Trade unions can also take action at a national level
