Workforce Planning

Question 1

Workforce Planning

Answer 1

Firms recruit, select and train staff in different ways with varying degrees of success.
Without the right staff with the right skills, a business cannot make enough products to satisfy customer requirements which is why organisations draw up workforce plans to identify their future staffing requirements.

Question 2

Reasons for Workforce Planning

Answer 2

Eg, a business may develop plans to recruit a new IT Manager when the current one plans to retire in eight months time. Other reasons for requiring new staff include:
- employees may be promoted and have to be replaced
- workers move to another job
- workers may decide to resign/quit

Question 3

Recruitment

Answer 3

The process by which a business seeks to hire the right person for a vacancy.

Question 4

Job Analysis

Answer 4

Before advertising the job, a job analysis is conducted to see if the position has to be filled at all.
A job analysis identifies the roles and duties undertaken in the position.

Question 5

Job Descriptions

Answer 5

…explain the work to be done and typically set out the following:
- job title
- location of work
- main tasks of the employee

Question 6

Person Specifications…

Answer 6

…list individual qualities of the person required,
eg; qualifications
experience
skills
These elements are arranged into two categories:
essential & desirable
From this a view of the ideal candidate will be formed.

Question 7

Internal Recruitment

Answer 7

Involves appointing existing staff. A known person is recruited.
ADVANTAGES:
- internal candidates abilities are already known
- they know the culture
- they need less training
- process is quicker and cheaper
- internal promotion is good for overall staff morale
DISADVANTAGES:
- the pool of candidates is limited
- no new ideas are brought in
- creates another vacancy that needs to be filled
- unsuccessful candidates may be resentful or demotivated

Question 8

External Recruitment

Answer 8

Involves hiring staff from outside the organisation. They will bring fresh ideas with them but they are unknown to the company - will they fit in?
ADVANTAGES:
- external candidates can bring in new ideas
- large pool of candidates to choose the best one from
- external candidates may have wider range of experience
DISADVANTAGES:
- no prior knowledge of how candidates perform on the job
- process is expensive as job adverts cost money
- process can be slow and lengthy

Question 9

Selection Methods

Answer 9

Managers must decide on the best method to assess and select applicants for a job.

Question 10

Application forms

Answer 10

The initial recruitment tool. Applicants have to complete and answer background details and general questions about their suitability for the job.

Question 11

CVs or Curriculum Vitaes

Answer 11

Also used, though usually with a cover letter.

CVs are calling cards to show off a person’s best attributes or skills.

CVs follow distinct sections such as Education, Qualifications and Work Experience. They run normally no longer than two pages.

Question 12

References

Answer 12

Normally the current line manager and another person who can vouch for an applicant’s character.

Depending on the job, references may only be asked for when the job has been offered to the successful candidate.

Question 13

Interviews

Answer 13

The most common selection process used in the UK.

They can take the form of one-to-one interview or a panel interview with several interviewers asking the questions.

Interviews are a series of questions which try to establish if the candidate will fit in. Will the candidate do a good job for for the organisation?

Question 14

Tests

Answer 14

may take several forms:

IQ Tests - measure a candidate’s mental skills including their numeracy, literacy and problem solving skills.
Psychometric Tests - used to find out a candidate’s personality and involve a series of statements to which a candidate would strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the statement. Conclusions on the candidate’s personality can be drawn from his/her responses.
Medical/Fitness Tests - measure a candidate’s physical suitability for a job.
Attainment Test - a demonstration of a learned skill. A secretary may be tested on her ability to type 100 words per minute without error.
Aptitude Test - measures a candidate’s natural abilities related specifically to a job.