CHAPTER 2
Recruitment,
Selection and
Induction
Preview
The importance of job analysis in the recruitment and selection process
The steps in the recruitment process
Selection of new recruits
The issues and problems relating to recruitment and selection
The importance of the contract of employment
Terms to be included in a contract of employment
Reasons for holding an induction programme
Methods and techniques which can ensure an induction programme is effectively
organized
Recruitment
and Selection
Recruitment is the process of attracting
suitable people to apply for job vacancies.
Selection involves choosing the most
suitable candidate from among a group of
applicants
Potential Costs of a Bad
Recruitment Decision
Cost of mistakes, accidents and loss of customers caused by
employees who cannot cope with the job.
Cost of lowered morale among the employee's supervisor and his co-
workers who have to rework his mistakes or take over his tasks.
Cost of defending a claim of dismissal without just cause or excuse,
once the employee has been dismissed.
Cost of recruiting a replacement.
Cost of training a replacement.
1 Make decision to recruit
2 Conduct job analysis
The Recruitment
and Selection 3 Source applicants
Process 4 Collect information on applicants
5 Choose most suitable applicant
6 Offer employment
7 Hold induction
Alternatives to Hiring New Employees
Before hiring, an employer should ask the following questions:
Can the work be outsourced?
Can the work be reorganized and carried out by existing
employees?
Can the work be automated?
Can the work be carried out by existing employees working
overtime?
If an employee is needed, should he or she be hired on a part-time
or full-time basis?
Job Analysis
Job analysis is a technique of
studying a job to identify the skills,
knowledge, experience and other
requirements necessary to perform
a job.
Techniques for Conducting Job Analysis
Questionnaires Interviews Observation
Job Descriptions
Job descriptions are fundamental documents valuable in a
variety of HR functions. Job descriptions can be used in:
Recruitment and selection.
Training
Setting performance standards and
appraisal
Job Descriptions (cont.)
Typical headings include:
Job title, location and grading
Relationships between the job-holder and others
Brief statement on the purpose of the job
List of duties and responsibilities
Terms and conditions of employment to
be given to the job-holder
Negative aspects of the job
Person Specification
Typical information include:
Knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the job
Educational qualifications and work experience required
Physical requirements of the job, if any
Personality requirements, where relevant
Career path
Factors Affection
Recruitment Efforts
The location of the organization
The public image of the organization
The physical working conditions in the organization
The relationships between people in the organization or the
psychosocial environment
Factors Affection
Recruitment Efforts (cont.)
The remuneration package being offered to new recruits
The nternal policies of the organization, including fair
disciplinary practices and whether training opportunities are
made available to employees
Internal Recruitment
Advantages of promotion from within and
transfers of staff:
Employment record of applicant available,
thus accurate assessment is possible.
No induction needed.
Little or no cost involved.
Employees' morale and motivation may
be increased.
External Recruitment
Sources of external applicants:
Employment agencies and consultants.
Campus recruitment.
Employee referrals.
Unsolicited applicants.
Advertising in the mass media.
The lnternet/online recruitment agencies.
The Selection Process
Sources of information:
Application forms and curriculum vitae (CV)/biodata/resume
Reference checks and checks using social media
Tests
Interviews
Assessment centre activities
The Selection Interview
Factors which influence the effectiveness of a selection
interview:
Timing
Venue
Planning
Skills of the interviewer(s)
Questioning techniques used
The Selection Interview (cont.)
Research into selection interviews shows that
they are mostly
Invalid and unreliable
At the very least, interviews should be
combined with other selection techniques.
Issues to be Discussed
Is nepotism to be encouraged or
discouraged?
Should children be permitted to work?
Should older workers be recruited?
What problems may arise if older workers
are hired?
What problems may be faced by employers
when they hire foreign workers?
Offering a
Contract of
Employment
A contract of employment is an agreement
whereby an employer agrees to pay an
employee for services or work performed and
the employee agrees to work for the employer.
Terms and Conditions
of Employment
The terms and conditions of employment offered to an
employee must:
Comply with the employment laws, where
relevant
Be clear and easy to understand, and
Be attractive
Express Terms of the
Contract
Express terms are those terms agreed to by the parties,
whether by way of oral agreement or in writing.
Written terms are usually included in:
The employee's letter of appointment
A collective agreement, where the workers
are represented by a trade union, or
A company handbook
Implied Terms in an
Employment Contract
Terms implied into every employment contract by common
law include:
An employee's obligation to serve the
employer with care, faithfulness and
obedience.
An employer's obligation to provide a safe
workplace and to pay the agreed wages.
Changing the Terms of
an Employment Contract
The terms of a contract of employment
can only be changed by mutual consent.
Ay unilateral change amounts to a breach
of contract.
Types of Employment Contracts
Employment contracts may be described by their
duration:
Duration
Indefinite/ Permanent Fixed-term/ Temporary
Types of Employment Contracts
(cont.)
Employment contracts may be described by the
number of hours worked:
Working Hours
Full-time Part-time
Induction
Advantages of promotion from within and
transfers of staff:
New recruits face 'reality shock'
New recruits are anxious and stressed out.
An effective induction programme helps new
recruits to adjust to their working environment
and helps them become productive team
members in a short period of time.
Induction (cont.)
Issues
How much information and what information should be given to new
recruits?
When should the induction be held?
What problems may arise if the participants are diverse?
What may happen if the information disseminated is not accurate?
Review
The importance of job analysis in the recruitment and selection process
The steps in the recruitment process
Selection of new recruits
The issues and problems relating to recruitment and selection
The importance of the contract of employment
Terms to be included in a contract of employment
Reasons for holding an induction programme
Methods and techniques which can ensure an induction programme is effectively
organized
