theme 2.5 making human resource decisions Flashcards
what is a hierarchical organisational structure
-A hierarchical structure has many layers of management, and businesses with this structure often use a ‘top-down’ approach with a long
chain of command
-managers have narrow span of control
what is a flat organisational structure
-A flat structure is an organisational structure with only a few layers of management.
-managers have a wide span of control
-usually used by small businesses
what is span of control
the number of staff that a manager has responsibility for
what is the chain of command
the route by which instructions and communications flow from the top to the bottom of a business, explaining who is answerable to whom
what is delayering
a process where a business removes layers of its management to make its structure more flat
what is delegation
a process where tasks are given to members of staff, where often managers give tasks to employees further down the chain of command
what are subordinates
members of staff below a manager in the chain of command
what is a Centralised management structure
business decisions are made at the top of the business or in a head office and distributed down the chain of command
. It is often used in retail chains.
what are the advantages of a centralised management structure
-consistency across the business
-the business has a clear direction
-operations and decisions are closely controlled and managed
-the chain of command and accountability are clear
what are the disadvantages on a centralised management structure
-it can demotivate employees
-a standardised approach may not work in all business locations
-it may lower productivity
what is a decentralised management structure
A decentralised approach is where a business allows decisions to be made by managers and subordinates
further down the chain.
what are Advantages of a decentralised management structure
-improved employee motivation
-allowing managers lower down the chain to make decisions to suit their local area and customers
-more responsibility for employees
what are the Disadvantages of a decentralised management structure
-consistency is not achieved across the business
-managers can make ineffective decisions
-may negatively impact sales and overall business performance
what is the impact of insufficient communication on efficiency and motivation
can negatively impact efficiency and motivation, employees may not fully understand what is required of them or what is happening across the business as a whole. This may have a negative impact on overall business performance and decrease the productivity
what is the impact of excessive
employees may receive too much communication in general, or they may receive the same message via multiple channels. This can often cause employees to become confused or feel stressed or overloaded
what are some barriers to effective communication
-poor explanations
-poor spelling and grammar
-incorrect language
-technology issues
-poor structuring of information
-use of jargon, technical language or slang
-lack of understanding
what is full time working
employee working more than 35 hours per week, often spread over five days each week
what is part time working
employee working for only part of the working week, or anything less than full time.
what are flexible hours
Flexible-hours workers may work any number of hours up to full time, so they may be either full or part time.
what is a permanent contract
A permanent contract is one that has no fixed end date. The employee may stay within the business until either they decide to leave or the job role no longer exists.
what is a temporary contract
A temporary contract is one that has a specific end date, where the worker is only employed for a certain period of time
what is a freelance contract
A freelance contract is usually one where a self-employed
individual is engaged to carry out a specific piece of work over a defined period of time