Topic 14 Flashcards
Staff as an asset -> key practices
. Training and development
. Good working conditions
. Employee benefits
. Career progression
. Recognition
Staff as an asset -> advantages
. Improved employee morale and loyalty
. Reduced absenteeism
. Enhanced productivity
. Attracts high-quality talent to business
Staff as a cost -> key practices
. Minimising wages
. Avoiding training
. Zero-hour contracts
. Restrictive policies
. Cost-cutting measures
Staff as a cost -> consequences
. Lower motivation and morale among staff
. Increased absenteeism
. Difficulty in attracting and retaining skilled workers
Types of flexible workforce -> multi-skilling (benefits and drawbacks)
- Training employees to perform a variety of tasks
Benefits:
. Increased efficiency and problem solving speed
. Lower labor costs as fewer employees can handle diverse tasks
Drawbacks:
. Risk of overworking employees
. Employees may feel they are doing too much without sufficient reward
Types of flexible workforce -> part-time and temporary workers (benefits and drawbacks)
Part time -> employees working fewer hours w/flexible schedules
Temporary-> short-term workers
Benefits:
. Reduced fixed labor costs
. Offers business greater flexibility in workforce size
Drawbacks:
. Less loyalty and commitment
. Training temporary staff may be costly and inefficient
Types of flexible workforce -> flexible hours and remote working (benefits and drawbacks)
Flexible hours -> employees can choose when to work within agreed limits
Remote working -> working from home
Benefits:
. Improved work-life balance + reduced commuting costs
. Employers save office space and utilities
Drawbacks:
. Monitoring employee productivity can be difficult
. Lack of face-to-face interaction = collaboration may suffer
Types of flexible workforce -> outsourcing (benefits and drawbacks)
- Delegating tasks or projects to external companies
Benefits:
. Access to specialised skills and expertise
. Reduces labor costs
Drawbacks:
. Loss of control over quality
. Communication issues
Advantages of flexible workforce
. Enables rapid adjustment to changes in demand
. Reduces long-term costs
Increases productivity
Disadvantages of flexible workforce
. Reduced loyalty and morale among temporary workers
. Potential decline in product or service quality
. Ethical concerns with zero-hour contracts or low wages
Dismissal causes and legal considerations
Termination of employment due to employee’s misconduct
Causes:
. Consisten lateness or absenteeism
. Poor job performance
. Breach of company policies
Legal considerations:
. Employers must follow fair dismissal procedures to avoid legal claims
. Employees can file claims for unfair dismissal dismissal
Redundancy causes and legal considerations
Termination of employment due to the role no longer being required
Causes:
. Business restructuring
. Financial difficulties
. Introduction of new technology
Legal considerations:
. Employees may receive redundancy pay based on length of service
. Business should provide support like career advice or training
Employer - employee relationships -> individual approach
