8.
Recruitment, Selection and Training of Workers
The Role of the H.R. (Human Resource) Department
● Recruitment and selection: attracting and selecting the best candidates for
job posts
● Wages and salaries: set wages and salaries that attract and retain
employees as well as motivate them
● Industrial relations: there must be effective communication between
management and workforce to solve complaints and disputes as well as
discussing ideas and suggestions
● Training programmes: give employees training to increase their productivity
and efficiency
● Health and safety: all laws on health and safety conditions in the workplace
should be adhered to
● Redundancy and dismissal: the managers should dismiss any
unsatisfactory/misbehaving employees and make them redundant if they are
no longer needed by the business.
Main Stages in recruitment and selection of employees
1. The business identified the need for a new employee and carries out a job
analysis.
2. A job description is produced
3. A person specification is produced
4. The job advertised
5. Application forms and job details are sent out
6. Completed applications are received
7. A shortlist is selected from all of the applicants
8. The shortlisted candidates are interviewed
9. The right candidate is selected
Recruitment
Job Analysis, Description and Specification
Recruitment is the process from identifying that the business needs to employ
someone up to the point where applications have arrived at the business.
A vacancy arises when an employee resigns from a job or is dismissed by the
management. When a vacancy arises, a job analysis has to be prepared. A job
analysis identifies and records the tasks and responsibilities relating to the
job. It will tell the managers what the job post is for.
Then a job description is prepared that outlines the responsibilities and duties
to be carried out by someone employed to do the job. It will have information
about the conditions of employment (salary, working hours, and pension scheme),
training offered, opportunities for promotion etc. This is given to all prospective
candidates so they know what exactly they will be required and expected to do.
Once this has been done, the H.R. department will draw up a job specification, a
document that outlines the requirements, qualifications, expertise, skills,
physical/personal characteristics etc. required by an employee to be able to
take up the job.
Advertising the vacancy
Internal recruitment is when a vacancy is filled by an existing employee of the
business.
Advantages:
● Saves time and money- no need for advertising and interviewing
● Person already known to business
● Person knows business’ ways of working
● The business already knows the strengths and weaknesses of applicants
● Employees can become more motivated when they see that there is a chance
of promotion
Disadvantages:
● No new skills, ideas and experience coming into the business
● A better candidate may have been available from outside the business
● Jealousy among workers
● There will be still be a vacancy to fill, unless the employee’s previous job has
become redundant.
External recruitment is when a vacancy is filled by someone who is not an
existing employee and will be new to the business. External recruitment needs to
be advertised, unlike internal recruitment. This can be done in local/national
newspapers, specialist magazines and journals, job centres run by the government
(where job vacancies are posted and given to interested people; usually for unskilled
or semi-skilled jobs) or even recruitment agencies (who will recruit and send along
candidates to the company when they request it).
Advantages:
● External applicants might bring new ideas and this can improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of the business.
● There will be a wider choice of applicants with different skills and experience.
● It avoids the risk of upsetting employees when someone who is internal is
promoted.
Disadvantages:
● It takes longer to fill the vacancy.
● It is more expensive than internal recruitment because of advertising costs
and the time spent interviewing candidates.
● External applicants will need induction training, which increases their
expenses.
When advertising a job, the business needs to decide what should be included in the
advertisement, where it should be advertised, how much it will cost and whether it
will be cost-effective.
When a person is interested in a job, they should apply for it by sending in a
curriculum vitae (CV) or resume, this will detail the person’s qualifications,
experience, qualities and skills.The business will use these to see which candidates
match the job specification. It will also include statements of why the candidate
wants the job and why he/she feels they would be suitable for the job.
Selection
Applicants who are shortlisted will be interviewed by the H.R. manager. They will
also call up the referee provided by the applicant (a referee could be the previous
employer or colleagues who can give a confidential opinion about the applicant’s
reliability, honesty and suitability for the job). Interviews will allow the manager to
assess:
● the applicant’s ability to do the job
● personal qualities of the applicant
● character and personality of applicant
In addition to interviews, firms can conduct certain tests to select the best
candidate. This could include skills tests (ability to do the job), aptitude tests
(candidate’s potential to gain additional skills), personality tests (what kind of a
personality the candidate has- will it be suitable for the job?), group situation tests
(how they manage and work in teams) etc.
When a successful candidate has been selected the others must be sent a letter of
rejection.
The contract of employment: a legal agreement between the employer and the
employee listing the rights and responsibilities of workers. It will include:
● the name of employer and employee
● job title
● date when employment will begin
● hours to work
● rate of pay and other benefits
● when payment is made
● holiday entitlement
● the amount of notice to be given to terminate the employment that the
employer or employee must give to end the employment etc.
Training
Training is important to a business as it will improve the worker’s skills and
knowledge and help the business be more efficient and productive, especially
when new processes and products are introduced. It will improve the workers’
chances at getting promoted and raise their morale.
The three types of training are:
● Induction training: an introduction given to a new employee, explaining
the firm’s activities, customs and procedures and introducing them to their
fellow workers.
Advantages:
● Helps new employees to settle into their job quickly
● May be a legal requirement to give health and safety training before
the start of work
● Less likely to make mistakes
● Trained production workers are more efficient.
● Training helps workers to develop their abilities and reach their
potential.
● easier to recruit new workers and to keep existing workers.
● Training can improve customer service.
● A well-trained workforce improves a business’s competitiveness.
Disadvantages:
● Time-consuming
● Wages still have to be paid during training, even though they aren’t
working
● Delays the state of the employee starting the job
Methods of training
● Induction
● On-the-job-training
● Off-the-job-training
Induction training: a form of introduction that allows employees and new hires
“learn the ropes” of their new job or position and get started easily.
Induction training introduces the new workers to:
● Their work colleagues
● the organisation structure and their role and responsibilities within the
structure
● the health and safety procedures in the workplace
● the facilities available to workers, for example canteen facilities
On-the-job training: occurs by watching a more experienced worker doing the
job
Advantages:
● It ensures there is some production from worker whilst they are
training
● It usually costs less than off-the-job training
● Workers are producing output while training
Disadvantages:
● Workers might pick up any of the experienced worker's bad habits.
● Workers might not learn the most up-to-date methods.
● Workers make more mistakes when learning and this increases
waste.
● It slows down the production of the experienced worker.
Off-the-job training: involves being trained away from the workplace, usually by
specialist trainers
Advantages:
● Workers learn the latest methods and techniques.
● It does not disrupt the production of other workers.
Disadvantages:
● It can be expensive, especially when the training is provided by a
private training provider.
● The worker does not produce any output during training.
