Unit 2 Key Words Flashcards
Motivation
The factors that influence the behaviour of employees towards achieving set business goals.
Labour productivity
A measure of the efficiency of employees by calculating the output per employee.
Absenteeism
Employees’ non-attendance at work without good reason.
Labour turnover
The rate at which employees leave a business.
The theory of economic man
The view that humans are only motivated by money. (F.W. Taylor)
Piece-rate
A payment to employees based on the number of units produced.
Hygiene factors
The factors that must be present in the workplace to prevent job dissatisfaction.
Motivators
The factors that influence a person to increase their efforts.
Job dissatisfaction
How unhappy and discontent a person is with their job.
Financial rewards
Cash and non-cash rewards paid to employees which are often used to motivate employees to increase their efforts.
Non-financial rewards
Methods used to motivate employees that don’t involve giving any financial reward.
Hourly wage rate
A payment to employees based on a fixed amount for each hour worked.
Salary
A fixed annual payment to certain grades and types of staff not based on hours worked or output.
Commission
A payment to sales staff based on the value of the items they sell.
Bonus
An additional reward paid to employees for achieving targets set by managers.
Performance-related pay
A bonus scheme used to reward staff for performing to the required standard.
Fringe benefits
Non-cash rewards often used to recruit or retain employees and to recognise the status of certain employees.
Profit sharing
An additional payment to employees based on the profits of the business.
Job rotation
Increasing variety in the workplace by allowing employees to switch from one task to another.
Job enlargement
Increasing or widening tasks to increase variety for employees.
Job enrichment
Organising work so that employees are encouraged to use their full abilities.
Quality circles
Groups of employees who meet regularly to discuss work-related problems.
Team working
Organising production so that groups of employees complete the whole unit of work.
Delegation
Passing authority to perform tasks to employees lower down the organisation.
Organisational structure
The formal, internal framework of a business that shows how it’s managed and organised.
Functional departments
The main activities of business: finance, marketing, operations, human resources and research and development.
Hierarchy
The number of levels in an organisational structure.
Chain of command
The route through which authority is passed down through an organisation.
Subordinate
An employee who is below another employee in the organisation’s hierarchy.
Span of control
The number of subordinates reporting to each supervisor/manager.
Delayering
Reducing the size of the hierarchy by removing one or more levels - most often middle management.
Centralised organisation
One where all the important decision-making power is held at head office, or the centre.
Decentralised organisation
An organisation where the decision-making powers are passed down to lower levels.
Directors
Appointed or elected members of the Board of Directors of a company who have the responsibility for determining and implementing the company’s policy. Some directors might also have a management role, for example a marketing director.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
A meeting for shareholders that limited companies must hold once every year.
Chief executive officer (CEO)
The most senior manager responsible for the overall performance and success of a company.
Manager
An individual who is in charge of a certain group of tasks, or a certain area or department of business, for example factory manager.
Supervisor
An individual who checks and controls the work of subordinates.
Autocratic leadership
A leadership style where the leader makes all the decisions.
Democratic leadership
A leadership style where employees take part in decision-making.
Laissez-faire leadership
A leadership style where most of the decisions are left to the employees.
Trade union
An organisation of employees aimed at improving pay and working conditions and providing other services, such as legal advice, for members.
Internal recruitment
Filling a vacant post with someone already employed in the business.
External recruitment
Filling a vacant post with somebody not already employed in the business.
Job description
A list of the key points about a job, job title, key duties, responsibilities and accountability.
Person specification
A list of the qualifications, skills, experience and personal qualities looked for in a successful applicant.
Shortlist
A list of candidates who are chosen from all of the applicants to be interviewed for the job.
Induction training
A training programme to help new recruits become familiar with their workplace, the people they work with and the procedures they need to follow.
On-the-job training
Training at the place of work; watching or following an experienced employee.
Off-the-job training
Training that takes place away from the workplace, for example at college, university or specialist training provider’s premises.
Resignation
Termination of employment by the employee, perhaps because they have found a job with a different employer.
Retirement
Termination of employment due to the employee reaching an age beyond which they do not need to work.
Redundancy
Termination of employment by the employer because the job is no longer needed.
Dismissal
Termination by the employer because the employee has broken company rules or isn’t performing work to the required standard.
Communication media
The methods used to communicate a message.
Feedback
The receiver’s response to a message.
Effective communication
Information passed between two or more people or groups, with feedback to confirm that the message has been received and understood.
Two-way communication
The receiver is allowed to respond to the message and the sender listens to the response.
