Unit 2: Chapter 8

Question 1

What are the roles of the human resources department ?

Answer 1

recruitment and selection, wages and salaries, industrial relations, training programmes, health and safety, redundancy and dismissal

Question 2

What is recruitment?

Answer 2

the process from when identifying the business needs to employ someone up to the point they have applicant arryiving at the business

Question 3

What is employee selection?

Answer 3

the process of evaluating candidates for a specific job and selecting an individual for employment based on the needs of the organisation

Question 4

When is recruitment needed?

Answer 4

employee leaves job, new business starting, expanding business

Question 5

What are the functions of a job description?

Answer 5

applicants know what the job entails, allow job specification to be drawn up, refer to employee is job has been done effectively

Question 6

What is the recruitment process?

Answer 6

1. vacancy arises
2. job analysis
3. job description
4. job specification
5. job advertised in appropriate media
6. application forms and shortlisting
7. interviews and selection
8. vacancy filled

Question 7

What do job descriptions contain?

Answer 7

job title, department, responsible to and for, main purpose of job, main duties, occasional duties, conditions of employment, training and promotion

Question 8

What are the requirements of a job specification?

Answer 8

level of education and qualifications, amount/type of experience, skills knowledge and aptitude, personality

Question 9

What is internal recruitment?

Answer 9

when a vacancy is filled by someone who is an existing employee of the business. it is advertised in the company noticeboard/newspaper and it is suitable for employees who want a promotion

Question 10

What are the advantages of internal recruitment?

Answer 10

quicker and cheaper, personal already known to business, motivating to get promotion

Question 11

What are the disadvantages to internal recruitment?

Answer 11

no new ideas and experiences, rivalry for promotion, quality of internal candidates are low

Question 12

What is external recruitment?

Answer 12

when a vacancy is filled by someone who is not an existing employee and will be new to the business, and the vacancy is advertised beyond the business itself

Question 13

What are some types of external recruitment adverts?

Answer 13

local newspapers, national newspapers, specialist magazines, online recruitment sites, recruitment agencies, government run job centres

Question 14

How do applicants apply for a job?

Answer 14

in writing by filling out a form, letter or a CV/resume

Question 15

What is a CV?

Answer 15

curriculum vitae

a document written in a standard format that contains a summary of somebody’s qualifications, experiences and qualities.

Question 16

What stage is the interview?

Answer 16

selection stage

Question 17

What should a CV include?

Answer 17

name, address, phone number, email address, nationality, education + qualifications, work experience, positions of responsibility, interests, names/addresses of referees

Question 18

What must you write in a letter of application?

Answer 18

why the applicant wants the job, why applicant feels they are suitable

Question 19

What are referees?

Answer 19

when an applicant is shortlisted they are asked to give a name + address of a referee. someone from your past who writes a confidential reference/opinion on your suitability, honesty and reliability as an employee/student. the applicant cannot see what has been written.

Question 20

What is the role of an interview?

Answer 20

to find the best applicant in the shortest amount of time, the applicants ability to do the job and their personality/character - whether it is an advantage or disadvantage and if they will fit in

Question 21

What are the types of interviews?

Answer 21

one-to-one
two-to-one
panel interview (more than 2 to one)

Question 22

What are the selection tests?

Answer 22

skills test, aptitude test , personality test and group situation test

Question 23

Why might an employer use selection tests?

Answer 23

basic interviews may be unreliable and someone may do well in an interview but lack the abilities to do well at work. selection tests measure their skills and qualities that must be needed on the job

Question 24

What does shortlisting do?

Answer 24

increase the chance of choosing applicants as well as saving money when recruiting

Question 25

What factors must you keep in mind when recommending which workers to employ?

Answer 25

work experience, education and qualifications, age and internal/external

Question 26

What are part-time employees?

Answer 26

employees considered to be between 1-30/35 hours of work a week

Question 27

How do you reject unsuccessful clients?

Answer 27

when there are applicants who did not get the job you must inform/notify them that they didn’t get it through an email, call etc and thank them for applying

Question 28

What are full-time employees?

Answer 28

employees that usually work 35 hours or more a week

Question 29

What are the benefits of part-time workers for the business?

Answer 29

more flexible work hours, easier to ask to only work at busy times, easier to extend operating hours, fits in with children raising, reduces business costs, easier to make redundant in some countries

Question 30

What are the limitations of part-time employees for the business?

Answer 30

less likely to seek training, takes longer to recruit 2 part-time than 1 full-time, less loyal, less likely to get promoted, difficult to communicate when not at work

Question 31

What is the importance of training?

Answer 31

introduces a new process/equipment, improve work efficiency, improve skills, decrease supervision needed, decrease accidents

Question 32

What are the benefits of training?

Answer 32

increase skills, knowledge and employee attitudes

Question 33

What are the 3 types of training?

Answer 33

induction, on-the-job, off-the-job training

Question 34

What is workforce planning?

Answer 34

establishing the workforce need by the business for the foreseeable future in terms of number and skills of employees required

Question 35

What things must we prepare for by workforce planning?

Answer 35

introduction of automation, falling demand of products, factory/shop/office closure, relocating factory abroad, merging businesses

Question 36

When the number of employees need by workforce planning is decided, how can you reduce the number of employees?

Answer 36

dismissal or redundancy

Question 37

What is dismissal

Answer 37

when the employment of an employee is ended against their will due to not working in accordance to the employment contract

Question 38

What is redundancy?

Answer 38

when an employee isn’t needed anymore and so loses their job. not due to unsatisfactory work. they receive redundancy compensation as they become unemployed

Question 39

How do you know which workers to make redundant?

Answer 39

those who volunteer, those who have worked a short-time at the business, not good enough skills, poor attendance/punctuality/appraisal record, departments who need to lose workers

Question 40

What is induction training and its pros and cons?

Answer 40

introduction given to a new employee and explaining the businesses activities, customs, procedures and introducing them to new workers

helps new employees settle into the job, legal requirement to give health and safety training, less likely to make mistakes

time consuming, wages paid but no work done, delays start of employee commencing job

Question 41

What is on-the-job training and its pros and cons?

Answer 41

by watching a more experienced worker doing the job

individual tuition, cheap, training tailored to specific needs

trainer wont be productive, trainee may adopt bad habits, no training qualifications

Question 42

What is off-the-job training?

Answer 42

being trained away from the workplace, usually by specialist trainers

broad range of skills, cheaper for business as they still work, trainers have up to date skills

high costs, wages paid but less work done, additional qualifications make it easy to lose the job

Question 43

What are the importance employment issues by legal controls?

Answer 43

employment contracts, unfair dismissal, discrimination, health and safety, legal minimum wage

Question 44

What is a contract of employment?

Answer 44

a legal agreement between an employer and employee listing the rights and responsibilities of workers

Question 45

What does a contract of employment include?

Answer 45

name of employer and employee, job title, date when employment begins, hours to be worked, rate of pay + benefits, when payments will be made, holiday entitlement, amount of notice before ending employment

Question 46

What is the impact of an employment contract on the employer and employee?

Answer 46

both know what is expected of them, provides security, legal dismissal allowed if employee doesn’t meet the conditions of contract, employees can seek legal binding compensation if employer doesn’t meet conditions of contract

Question 47

What is unfair dismissal?

Answer 47

when an employer ends an employees employment for reasons not on the contract. it is illegal in many countries

Question 48

Why might an employer unfairly dismiss?

Answer 48

discrimination or the employer wants to reduce without paying redundancy compensation

Question 49

What is an industrial tribunal?

Answer 49

a type of law court that makes judgements and disagreements between companies and their employees

if unfair dismissal occurs employees can take employer to court for industrial tribunal and get their job back of redundancy compensation

Question 50

What is the impact of unfair dismissal on employees and employers?

Answer 50

employer must keep accurate records if want to dismiss employee. employees have security of employment, employee can take employer to industrial tribunal, makes employer less likely to treat employees badly again

Question 51

What are some reasons for discrimination in businesses?

Answer 51

different age, religion, race, disability

illegal in most countries

Question 52

What is the impact of discrimination on the employer and employee?

Answer 52

employees will be treated fairly, gender equality, cannot advertise for specific people (must be wide range), by following laws recruit based on only merit

Question 53

What does health and safety do at work?

Answer 53

protect workers from dangerous machinery, provide safety equipment and clothing, maintain reasonable temperatures, provide hygienic conditions, no excessive long shifts and frequent breaks

Question 54

What is an ethical decision?

Answer 54

a decision taken by a manager/company because of the moral code observed by the firm

Question 55

What is the impact of health and safety on employees and employers?

Answer 55

cost to employer increases, time needed to train workers, workers feel safer and motivated, reduces accidents and injury compensation

Question 56

What is legal minimum wage?

Answer 56

the contract of employment should contain the wage rate to be paid, how frequently wages paid and what deductions must be made from wages

Question 57

What is the impact of legal minimum wage on employees and employers?

Answer 57

prevent strong employers from exploiting employees, encourage employers to train them, encourage more people to seek work, low-paid workers can afford more, increase business costs, employers may not afford redundancy, employees may ask for more