workforce planning Flashcards
what is workforce planning?
the process of identifying future workforce requirements and putting systems in place, for example training or recruitment, to ensure that staffing needs are met
what are four benefits of workforce planning?
- Encourages managers to prepare and plan for changes rather than simply react to them.
- Gaps in the current staffing levels are identified.
- Avoids under staffing – ensures sufficient workers to carry out the different functions of the business.
- Avoids overstaffing which is costly to the business
what is internal recruitment?
involves appointing existing staff, a known person is recruited
what are five benefits of internal recruitment?
- 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
what are four costs of internal recruitment?
- the pool of candidates is limited
- no new ideas are brought in
- unsuccessful candidates may be resentful or demotivated
- creates another vacancy that needs to be filled
what is external recruitment?
involves hiring staff from outside the organisation
what are three advantages of external recruitment?
- 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
what are three disadvantages of external recruitment?
- no prior knowledge of how candidates perform on the job
- process is expensive as job adverts cost money
- process can be slow and lengthy
what are five selection methods?
- application form
- CV
- selection interview
- attainment tests
- assessment centers
application form
- consist of pre-prepared questions set by the organisation.
- Allows an organisation to easily compare potential candidates
CV
- a summary of a candidate’s education, qualifications and previous employment history.
- can be compared to the person specification to determine if the candidate has the adequate skills and experience for the position
selection interview
- can be face to face, panel, by telephone and online through Skype or via social media platforms.
- In-depth response can be gained from candidates who can say more about their skills and experience than is on their application form.
- Can help to indicate a candidate’s communication skills, appearance, personality, etc
attainment tests
- Can measure the knowledge and skills of a candidate required for the position.
- Performance of candidates can be directly compared
assessment centers
- Candidates attend an assessment centre where testing provides extra information on their suitability for the job through practical assessments.
- Testing allows an organisation to see how a candidate copes under pressure, how they work as part of a team, etc.
- The aim is to find out about a candidate’s true personality and abilities, not just what they say about themselves.
- types of test include aptitude tests, IQ tests, psychometric tests, physical fitness and health tests
what are five different testing methods that can be used to select staff?
- Attainment test - allows candidates to demonstrate their skills, useful for making comparisons
- Aptitude test - assesses if a candidate has the natural
abilities/personal skills needed for the role, can assess if staff will be the correct fit for a role - IQ test - measures an applicant’s mental ability and intelligence, can provide information for easy comparison
- Psychometric test - assesses an applicant’s personality and
mental suitability for a job, there are no right or wrong answers, test gives an insight into how an applicant thinks would fit into the organisation - Fitness test - assesses physical ability which may be required for
certain jobs, for example police, armed forces
