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KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF OPEN LEARNING
CBA 608: HUMAN RESOURCES EMPLOYMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
BY LUCY MUGWERE
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION
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PART 1: RECRUITMENT AND
SELECTION
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LESSON 1 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE
WORKPLACE
Introduction
Before we begin studying the topics required of us in this course, I feel that
it is important that we remind ourselves about what the field of human
resources management entails.
What is Human Resource Management?
Several authors have offered various definitions of Human Resource
Management. Let us examine some of these definitions .By examining each
of these definitions we will get more insight into what human resources
management really is.
Human Resource Management can be defined as the management of
activities undertaken to attract, develop, motivate and maintain a high
performing workforce within an organization. Human Resource
Management involves moving towards corporate goals by integrating the
desires of individuals for growth and development with organizational goals.
(Bowin & Harvey, 2000)
Graham (1998) has defined human resource management in this way
Human Resource Management concerns the human side of the management
of enterprises and employees relations with their firms. Its purpose is to
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ensure that the employees of a company i.e. its human resources are used in
such a way that the employer obtains the greatest possible benefit from their
abilities and the employees obtain both material and psychological rewards
from their work. Human Resource Management is based on the findings of
work psychology and uses the techniques and procedures known collectively
as personnel management i.e. that part of human resources concerned with
staffing the enterprise, determining and satisfying the needs of people at
work and the practical rules and procedures that govern relationship between
employees and the organization.
Gary Dessler (1997) defines Human resources management as the practices
and policies you need to carry out the people or personnel aspects of your
management job.
These include:
- Conducting job analysis
- Planning labor needs and recruiting job candidates.
- Selecting job candidates
- Orienting and training new employees.
- Managing wages and salaries.
- Providing benefits and incentives.
- Appraising performance.
- Communicating (interviewing, counseling, disciplining)
- Training and developing
- Building employee commitment
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Human Resource Management may also be defined as a process consisting
of the acquisition, development, motivation and maintenance of human
resources.(Decenzo, 1998)
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The Human Resource Management model shown below shows the Human
Resource Management components. It reflects the major activities existing
within the functions of acquisition, development, motivation and
maintenance.
Figure 1 HRM Components
ACQUISITION
- Human ResourcePlanning
- Recruiting-Internal- External
- Employee
Socialization
DEVELOPMENT
Employee training Management
Development Career Development
EXTERNAL
INFLUENCES
MAINTENANCE
Safety and Health Employee/Labour
Relation
MOTIVATION
Job Design Performance
Evaluation Rewards Job Evaluation
Compensation/Benef
Source: Adapted from Meg Isaac Sternberg Organizational Model for
Human Resource Planning (Unpublished paper, Baltimore, 1984)
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right number and kinds of people, at the right places, and at the right times,
capable of effectively and efficiently completing the work required so that
the organization can achieve its overall objectives. The onset of much of the
human resources planning is job analysis. If human resource planning,
uncovers the need to hire additional employees, one must discover potential
applicants. This requires locating candidates recruiting sources, which we
shall discuss in the lesson on recruitment. These potential applicants must be
screened to identify job applicants who are likely to be successful if hired.
We shall also discuss the selection process and specific selection devices.
The acquisition function is completed when the selected applicants have
been placed in the organization and have adapted to the organizations
culture and their work environment.
The organizations culture conveys how things are done and what matters.
When employees have adapted to the organizations culture they have
learned the ropes. This is also called socializing the new employee.
3. Development of Human Resources
Competent employees will not remain competent forever. Some are
minimally qualified upon entering the organization but require additional
training or education. Others enter the organization capable of performing at
an optimal level but their skills become obsolete over time. And of course,
organizations change over time, and management must ensure that there is
an appropriate match of individual abilities with organizational needs for the
future. Each of these issues is considered in the development function.
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Employee training gives individuals specific skills that they will use on the
job. Management development looks at practices for ensuring a continual
flow of managers.
These 3 topics.
- Employee training
- Management development
- Career Development
are the focus of the course.
When human resources have been developed effectively, one can expect to
have competent employees with up-to-date skills and knowledge.
3. Motivation of Human Resources
High performance depends on both ability and motivation. Many employees
with extraordinary talents do not perform satisfactory because they will not
exert the necessary effort. Therefore we desire to have capable employees
who are also highly motivated.
If a person is to perform effectively extrinsic factors such as job design,
working conditions, job security must be seen as satisfactory. But that alone
is not enough. Many people also look for intrinsic factors such as
achievement, recognition and responsibility from their work. For individuals
who place high value on intrinsic factors, the absence of these factors can
reduce ones willingness to exert high degrees of effort.
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But other factors can also influence motivation. The performance appraisal
process and its outcome will affect an employees motivation. People expect
their work to be objectively evaluated if they think their efforts will be
unfairly judged, motivation will decrease.
So its important to consider performance appraisals and how they are done.
Furthermore the rewards or punishments that follow the appraisal will influence
motivation. Rewards, compensation administration, benefits are considered in
the motivation function. Discipline too has an effect on motivation.
At this juncture if we have effectively motivated the individual who has up to
date skills and knowledge we can expect to have a competent employee who
desires to exert a high level of effort.
4. Maintenance of Human Resources
The objective of the last function is to retain people who are performing at high
levels. This requires that the organization provide safe and healthful working
conditions and satisfactory labor relations. If these activities are performed
effectively we can expect to have competent employees who are committed to
the organization and satisfied with their jobs.
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Summary
In this lesson we have seen what comprises the field of human resource
management is. We have examined various definitions but we can simply
define it as a process consisting of the acquisition, development, motivation and
maintenance of human resources. We also examined the various components of
the field of human resources management.
Questions
1.What is human resource management and how does it relate to the
management process?
2.What specific functions does the Human Resources Manager perform?
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LESSON 2 RECRUITMENT
Introduction
One of the most important Human Resource activities is the recruiting process:
the attracting of a high performing workforce. We exist in a society of large,
medium and smaller organizations. In these organizations, managers and
employees work together to accomplish goals that are too complex to be
achieved by any single individual. Before the organization can hire employees
it must locate and attract people who want the job. More and more it is
recognized that the most significant factor in determining the success of any
organization is the quality of its people.
As Nations Bank CEO put it Employees are our number one priority. They
will continue to be. If you look after employees they will look after customers.
And that is good for shareholders.
HRM activities focusing on recruitment of new employees are becoming a toppriority in organizations.
Emphasizing the essential nature of the recruiting function in todays business
environment, Peter Drucker notes that every organization is in competition for
its most essential resource; qualified, knowledgeable people
An organization needs to hire the most qualified people it can at the most
competitive price. Before an organization is able to hire an individual it must
locate qualified applicants who are looking for work.. How does a company
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Figure 2: Steps in the recruitment and selection process
Once you have been authorized to fill a position, the next step is to develop an
applicant pool probably using internal recruiting or one or more of the
recruitment. sources we shall discuss next.
But first let us define recruitment.
Defining Recruitment
Recruiting may be defined as the process of seeking, attracting and identifying a
pool of qualified candidates in sufficient numbers to fill current and future work
force needs.
Recruitment is the first part of filling a vacancy; it includes the examination of
the vacancy, the consideration of sources of suitable candidates, making contact
with those candidates and attracting applications from them.
Recruiting is therefore the discovering of potential candidates for actual or
anticipated organizational vacancies. Or from another perspective it is a linking
activity, bringing together those with jobs to fill and those seeking jobs.
The ideal recruitment effort will attract a large number of qualified applicants
who will take the job if it is offered. It should also provide information so those
unqualified applicants can self-select themselves out of job candidacy. A good
recruiting program should therefore attract the qualified and not attract the
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unqualified. This dual objective will minimize the cost of processing
unqualified candidates. The recruiting process is generally aimed at finding a
pool of applicants with abilities desired by the organization.
Successful recruiting involves attracting an adequate number of qualified
candidates within a specified time frame.
The vacancy may arise because of some new or increased activity. Then in all
probability the need for the new employee has been established and a job
specification complied. The majority of vacancies however occur as
replacements for people who have left the company or as the final event in a
chain of transfers or promotions following on a re-organization.
Even if the vacancy arises and is filled internally ,in the end the vacancy has to
be filled from an external source.
Note: the vacancy may be filled from an internal or an external source.
Both the external and internal sources have various advantages and
disadvantages.
Internal Recruiting
Internal recruiting seeks applicants for positions from among those currently
employed. Most organizations seek to fill positions with current employees.
Organizations can use job or skills inventories for identifying applicants for job
openings. It is however unlikely that the Human Resource Manager is aware of
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all employees who are interested in a job opening. One method of solving this
problem is:
1. Job posting or job bidding- announcements of positions are made available
to all current employees through company bulletin boards and other
information sources.
2. Referrals Another internal source of recruitment, is one in which present
employees are asked to encourage friends or relatives to apply. This is an
often-used tool for small organizations.
Before determining how many outside candidates to hire you must forecast how
many candidates for your projected job openings will come from within your
organization from the existing ranks.
A qualification inventory can facilitate forecasting the supply of inside
candidates. Qualification inventories contain summary data like each
employees performance record, educational backgrounds and promotability
compiled either manually on in a computerized system. Qualification
inventories on hundreds or thousands of employees cannot be adequately
maintained manually. .Many firms computerize this information.
Computerized information systems. A number of packaged systems are
available for accomplishing this task. Some employers use personnel
replacement charts to keep truck of inside candidates for their most important
positions. These show the present performance and promotability for important
positions.
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The advantages of filling a vacancy internally rather than externally are:
1. Better motivation of employees because their capabilities are considered and
opportunities offered for promotion.
2. Better utilization of employees, because the company can often make better
use of their abilities in a different job.
3. It is more reliable than external recruitment because a present employee is
known more thoroughly than an external candidate.
4. A present employee is more likely to stay with the company than an external
candidate.
5. Internal recruitment is quicker and cheaper than external.
Although recruiting may bring to mind employment agencies and classifieds
ads, current employees are often your largest source of recruits.
Some surveys have indicated that up to 90% of all management positions are
filled internally.
Filling open positions with inside candidates has also other advantages:
Employees see that competence is rewarded and morale and performance may
thus be enhanced. Having already been with your firm for some time inside
candidates may be more committed to company goals and less likely to leave
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.Promotion from within can boost employee commitment and provide managers
a longer-term perspective when making a business decisions.
It may also be safer to promote employees from within since you are more
likely to have a more accurate assessment of the persons skills that you would
otherwise.
Inside candidates may also require less orientation and training than outsiders.
Yet promotion from within can also backfire.
Employees who apply for jobs and dont get them may become discontented;
informing unsuccessful applicants as to why they were rejected and what
remedial actions they might take to be more successful in the future is thus
essential.
Similarly, many employers require managers to post job openings and interview
all inside candidates .Yet the manager often knows ahead of time exactly whom
he or she wants to hire and requiring the person to interview a stream of
unsuspecting inside candidates is therefore a waste of time for all concerned.
Groups may also not be as satisfied when their new boss is appointed from
within their own ranks as when he/she is a newcomer; sometimes for instance it
is difficult for the newly chosen leader to shake off the reputation of being one
of the gang
Perhaps the biggest drawback however is inbreeding. When an entire
management team has been brought up through the ranks, there may be a
tendency to make decisions by the book and to maintain the status quo, when
an innovative and new direction is needed.
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Balancing the benefits of morale and loyalty with the drawback of inbreeding is
thus a challenge.
To be effective, promotion from within requires using job posting, personnel
records and skill banks. Job posting means posting the open job and listing its
attributes like qualifications, supervisors, working schedule and pay rate. Job
posting which is basically posting of job openings on company bulletin boards
is an effective recruiting method. Forecasting the supply of inside candidates is
especially important for succession planning. Succession planning refers to
plans a company makes to fill its most important executive positions.
External Sources
Very many vacancies are filled from external sources even when an internal
candidate is transferred or promoted. The final result is usually a vacancy
elsewhere in the company, which has to be filled from outside.
External recruitment can be time consuming, expensive and uncertain, although
it is possible to reduce these disadvantages to some extent with forethought and
planning.
External sources can be divided into 2 classes:
Those which are comparatively inexpensive but offer a limited choice e.g.
walk-ins, unsolicited applications.
Those which are comparatively expensive but give the employer access to a
wider range of candidates e.g. advertising, use of private agencies.
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Even when unemployment is high certain categories of employees who possess
scarce skills are difficult to find and the employer may have to use the more
expensive means of recruitment. Other types for example unskilled workers can
be found very easily using inexpensive means, the problem then lies in selecting
the suitable candidate from among a very large number of applicants.
Let us consider several external sources of candidates.
1. Advertising as a Source of Candidate
The most popular method of recruitment is to advertise the vacancy and invite
candidates to apply to the company. To use advertisements successfully you
need to address 2 issues.
- The media to be used.
- The ads construction
The selection of the best medium-be it the Daily Nation, the Times or a
technical journal depends on the type of positions for which you are recruiting.
To recruit professionals for example a C.E.O or Accountant you should choose
a suitable medium like the East African Standard, for blue collar help you may
choose other more suitable medium. It would not be appropriate for example to
advertise for the position of CEO on a placard outside the factory building or in
the classified help-wanted section of the dailies nor would it be appropriate to
advertise for a sweeper in the Times. You must always choose the correct
medium
For specialized employees you can advertise in trade and professional journals.
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One draw back to this type of trade paper advertising is the long lead-time that
is usually required; there may be a month or more between insertion of the ad
and publication of the journal.
Some media for example the Nation is particularly good for its wide
geographical coverage such that the entire country can be targeted for coverage.
The advertisement can become the first stage in selection by describing the job
and qualifications required so comprehensively that borderline candidates will
be deterred from applying and good candidates encouraged.
The small amount of research that has been done in this field shows that
information about the job contributed much more to the effectiveness of an
advertisement that its style or size. There is also general agreement that
including the word training in an advertisement increases the response.
Advertising may be also made more effective and less expensive if the
following principles are observed.
a. The advertisement should contain a job specification and job description in
miniature, including the following:
- Job Title
- Description of job and employer
- Experience, skills and qualifications required.
- Age range
- Working conditions e.g. wage/ salary, fringe benefits
- Training given
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- What action the candidate should take e.g. write a letter, telephone for an
application form, etc.
b. It should appear in the appropriate publication e.g. professional journal for
specialists.
c. Experiments should be made to test the response for different sizes
headings, wordings, page position, day of the week.
d. Careful records should be kept showing
- Which publication was used
- Which date and day of the week
- Which position on the page
- Which style and size
- Names of the candidates replying to each advertisements
- Names of the candidates who are selected for the interview
- Name of the candidate who was successful.
e. The response should be analyzed so that advertising expenditure can be
directed towards the publication and style of advertisement which give the
best result for a particular type of vacancy.
f. Rejected candidates should be sent a prompt and courteous letter;
Inconsiderate treatment will eventually detract from a companys reputation
and adversely affect the response to future advertisements.
The small amount of research that has been done in this field shows that
information about the job contributes much more to the effectiveness of an
advertisement than its style or size.
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Sometimes other considerations besides cost and response must be kept in
mind. The company may decide that small advertisements are not consistent
with its prestige or image and that large advertisements must be used even
though they can be shown to be wasteful. In this case part of the cost of the
advertisement should logically be paid out of the companys general
advertisement account as it is concerned as much with public relations as with
recruitment.
On the other hand, prestige of the company can sometimes be made use of; a
recruitment campaign is very often more successful if it follows a national
advertising campaign for a new product which has brought the company into
the public eye.
Other media, which may be used in advertisement, are billboards, subway and
bus posters, radio and television. For example radio is best when multiple jobs
are involved, such as staffing a new facility. Ads need to be carefully prepared.
If the company name is used, too many people may respond and screening
procedures for a large number of applicants can be costly. This is one of the
decisions in preparing a recruiting advertisement.
In addition the firm must be careful not to violate EEO requirements by
indicating preferences for a particular race, religion, national origin or sex..
While most employers know that discriminating ads are generally illegal,
questionable advertising still appears. Therefore, its important to remember that
ads that are sex-specific (calling for man, woman) are questionable as are sex-
related gender terms like yard man, repairman or ads implying a certain age (
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such as student, recent graduate or referee). Similarly also terms like bilingual
or Japanese are also questionable. Employers using ads like these may have to
defend their rationale for limiting their search to the type of person identified in
the ad.
2. The Internet
Many company recruiters are now using the Internet as an easy and subtle
method to contact employed job candidates. This controversial turn is not
restricted to the highly aggressive technology companies but is now spreading
to airlines, banks, oil and biotechnology companies. Some companies have
websites where they post vacant positions.
It is fast and one can recruit globally.
3. Employment Agencies as a source of Candidates
There are 2 basic types of employment agencies.
1. Government owned agencies
2. Privately owned agencies
Private agencies which are run as commercial enterprises for supplying
employers with candidates for jobs are also of 2 main types.
i) Office staff employment agencies-which mainly deal with clerical, typing
and office machine operator vacancies.
ii) Selection agencies for senior staff which usually undertakes the complete
recruitment process and the first stages of selection for managerial and
professional vacancies. The agency analyzes the job, prepares job and
personnel specifications, advertises, sends out application forms, and
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There are several other reasons to use as employment agency for some or all of
your recruiting needs advantages like
cut down on your interviews
Interview only the right people
Selecting only the most qualified candidates for your final living process.
Employment agencies are no panacea. For example an employment agency
prescreens applicants for your job but this advantage can also backfire. The
employment agencies screening may let poor applicants by pass the preliminary
stages of your own selection process.
Unqualified applicants may thus go directly to the supervisors responsible for
the hiring, who may in turn naively hire them.
Such errors show up in high turnover, absenteeism rates, morale problems, low
quality and productivity. Suitably successful applicants may be blocked from
entering your application pool.
To help avoid such problems
1. Give the agency an accurate and complete job descriptions.
2. Periodically review data on accepted/rejected candidate.
3. Specify devices/tools the employment agency should use in screening.
4. Develop a long-term relationship with one or two agencies.
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4. Head Hunting
Very senior managers are sometimes recruited by a process known as
executive search or head hunting. Its advocates believe that the best
candidates are not those who reply to advertisements or look for new jobs in
other ways but those who are successful in their present jobs and are not
thinking of moving elsewhere.
On receipt of a commission from a client the headhunter will search for
potential candidates.
i) In competing businesses (possibly obtaining names from company
reports brochures)
ii) In the membership lists of professional bodies, trade association year
books.
iii) Through confidential head hunting networks.
Selected individuals are then approached discreetly and following a discussion
regarding the job and its remuneration, one or two of them are introduced to the
client firm.
Advantages to Headhuntingare:
1. Headhunters should possess expert knowledge of the salary levels and fringe
benefits necessary to attract good calibre candidates. Also they will analyze
the vacancy, and offer an opinion about the type of person required, will
conduct initial screening, administer psychometric tests etc.
This saves the client many administrative and advertising expenses.
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2. Possibly, top managers already in employment will not bother to read job
advertisements, newspapers and other conventional means and so might not
be reached by these means.
3. Senior managers prepared to make a move sometimes make this known to
leading headhunters even though they would not openly apply to competing
companies.
4. If a targeted candidate does not want the job, he/she may suggest someone
else who is equally suitable and who may be interested.
5. Recruiting firms are assured that candidates presented to them will almost
certainly be well equipped for the vacant position.
6. The anonymity of the recruiting organization is preserved until the final
stage in the procedure.
Criticisms of Executive Search Include:
1. Headhunting is highly disruptive to successful businesses, which stand to
lose expensively-trained senior manager.
2. It can be used to avoid equal opportunities laws on recruitment and
selection.
3. A headhunted individual might subsequently be enticed by other headhunted
to leave his/her new firm after a short period.
To avoid this some companies attach golden handcuffs to senior
management positions i.e they pay large cash bonuses, which are only
available to executives who stay with the firm a certain number of years.
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finding one who will really do the job. Therefore be prepared for some in-depth
dissecting of your request.
Guidelines:
1. Make sure the firm you hire is capable of conducting a thorough search.
2. Meet the individual who will be handling your assignment.
3. Ask how much the search firm charges.
4. Choose a recruiter you can trust
5. Talk to some of their clients.
5. College Recruiting as a Source of Candidates.
Many promotable candidates are originally hired through college recruiting.
This is therefore an important source of management trainees, as well as
professional and technical employees. There are two main problems with
campus recruiting. First it is relatively expensive and time consuming for the
recruiters. Second recruiters are some times ineffective or unprepared. Many
recruiters often do not screen their student candidates. For example students
physical attractiveness often outweighs more valid traits and skills. One main
function as a recruiter is screening, which means determining whether a
candidate is worthy of further consideration and then attract to your firm.
A sincere and informal attitude, respect for the applicant as an individual and
prompt follow up letters can help you sell the employer to the candidates.
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Many employers maintain connection with universities, colleges and schools
but candidates are usually available from these sources only at one time of the
year.
Computerized Employee Databases
Some firms sell resume databases. Organizations can quickly and efficiently
gain access to prospective applicants by using a database.
In general data bases can be classified into 5 categories:
1. Databases maintained by executive search firms.
2. Data bases maintained by University alumni groups.
3. Databases owned by private agents .
4. Corporate data bases.
5. Databases open to the general public.
Organization can also gain access to a large pool of potential applicants by
developing partnerships with government affiliated job services
Walk-ins
Direct applications made at your office- are a major source of applicants.
They should be treated with respect. Remember to always give a positive image
of your firm as a recruiter.
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Recruiting a more diverse work force
It is not just socially responsible, it is a necessity.
Older workers as a source of candidates
Is it practical in terms of productivity to keep old workers on?
The Answer is Yes!
Age related changes in physical ability, cognitive performance and personality
traits have little effect on workers output except in the most physically
demanding tasks.
Similarly creative and intellectual achievements do not decline with age andabsenteeism drops as age increases.
Older workers also usually display more company loyalty than youthful
workers, and tend to be satisfied with their jobs and supervision and can be
trained or retrained as effectively as anyone.
However the company must do several things to make it an attractive place in
which the older worker can work specifically:
- Examine your personnel policies
- Develop flexible work options
- Create or redesign suitable jobs
- Offer flexible benefit plan
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Other Recruiting Sources
More and more employers are turning to relatively non-traditional sources of
applicants.
Moonlighters
Moonlighters have often been shunned by employers on the assumption that
workers with full-time jobs at other firms might not have the required
commitment to a second employer. Yet more employers are finding that
moonlighters take a second job because they must and that their commitment
to their second employer is thus high enough to do their jobs well.
Retired and exiting military personnel are another source that a firm may
consider
Note:
Line and staff cooperation in recruitment as in all other functions is essential.
The HR manager who recruits and initially screens for the vacant job is not
usually the one responsible for supervising its performance. He must know
exactly what the job entails and this, in turn, means speaking with the
supervisor involved. For example the HR Manager might want to know
something about the behavioral style of the super visor and members of the
work group.
Is it a tough group to get along with, for instance? He/ she might also want to
visit the worksite and review the job description with the supervisor to ensure
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that the job has not changed, ensure the description was written and to obtain
any additional sight to the skills) and talents the worker will need.
Summary
Recruiting may be defined as the process of seeking, attracting and identifying a
pool of qualified candidates in sufficient numbers to fill current and future work
force needs. Recruitment is the discovering of potential applicants for actual or
anticipated organizational vacancies.
One can consider several external sources so as to build a pool of applicants:
advertising ,the internet ,employment agencies, headhunting, college recruiting
walk-ins, moonlighters, retired or military personnel.
Certain influences constrain managers in determining recruiting sources:
a) Image of the organization
b) Attractiveness of the job
c) Internal policies
d) Union requirements
e) Government requirements
f) Recruiting budgets
Popular sources of recruiting employees include
a) Internal search
b) Advertisements
c) Employee referrals/ recommendations
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d) Employment agencies
e) Temporary rental services
f) Schools, colleges and universities
g) Professional organizations
h) Casual or unsolicited applicants
In practice recruitment methods appear to vary according to job level and skill.
Questions for review
1. What is the dual objective of recruitment?
2. What factors influence the degree to which an organization will engage in
recruiting ?
3.What specific constraints may prevent a manager from giving the best
candidate?
4. What recruiting source gets the most acceptable candidates?
5. Why would a company pay a private employment agency to recruit
candidates for a position when a public employment agency provides its
services for free?
6.What are the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting through?
a) Internal search
b) Employee referrals
c) Casual or unsolicited applicants
7.How can a professional association reduce the supply of qualified labor?
8. What are the most popular recruiting sources for unskilled jobs?
9.What are the most popular recruiting sources for managerial jobs?
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Discussion Questions
1. Compare and contrast 5 sources of job candidates.
2. Discuss how equal employment laws apply to personnel recruiting activities?
3. What types of information can an application form provide?
ACTIVITY
Working individually or in-groups develop an application form for the position
supervisor of manufacturing operations. Compare the application forms
produced by different individuals or groups. Are there any items that should be
dropped out due to equal em0ployment opportunity restrictions?
Are there any items you would add to make your application form more
complete?
Activity
Working individually or in groups develop an application form for the position
of customer service representative.
Compare the application forms provided by different individuals or groups.
Discussion Questions
1.An organization should follow a promotion from within policy.
Do you agree or disagree?
2.When you go looking for a job upon college graduation.
What sources do you expect to utilize? Why?
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4. What improvements might you expect in the make up of an organization
human resources as a result of having an affirmative program?
5. The best candidates are the ones who are hard to find. That is why it is
imperative to pay a service to find these people Do you agree or disagree?
Discuss,
6 Compare and contrast 5 sources of job candidates
6. What types of information can an application form provide?
8. Discuss how equal employment laws apply to personnel recruiting activities.
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Importance of Selection
The selection process is a critical one for any manager. One must take into
account not only the fact that an incorrect decision can lead to a tremendous
cost in terms of resources and opportunity, but also that many people will be
affected by the decision.
The right choice can mean growth and increased productivity for the entire
work group associated with the new hire. The wrong selection can result in
months of frustration, repetitive training, documentation and low morale prior
to the eventual termination of the recently hired person, after which the
selection process begins all over again. Employee selection is a decision that
needs to be made right the first time.
Although this is true in organizations of any size, the imp act of a wrong
selection decision is magnified in a smaller firm. In a larger organization, one
inappropriate placement can perhaps be reassigned or retrained in the smaller
organization. There may be no such luxury in a smaller organization. Selection
is critical.
Hence employee selection is important firstly because your performance always
depends in part of your subordinates.
Employees who havent the right skills or are abrasive or obstructionist wont
perform effectively and your performance in the firm will suffer. The time to
screen out undesirables is before they are in the door, not after.
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Secondly effective screening is important because it is costly to recruit and hire
employees. The total cost of hiring a manager is very high once search fees,
interviewing time, reference checking and travel and moving expenses are taken
into consideration.
The cost of hiring non-executive employees, although not as high
proportionally, is still high enough to warrant effective screening.
Goals of Selection
The basic goal of selection is to hire the employees most likely to attain high
standards of performance. HR managers and all involved in the selection
process most concentrate on the most promising candidates, being as selective
as possible. Identifying potential employees is a highly developed art if not a
science. In the past this meant selecting candidates who had the skills the
company needed now.
Now it means selecting employees who can function at a high level in one jobor with one work group today and later be trained or promoted as needs dictate.
An effective selection process has several goals including:
1. Developing a high performance workforce one which can implement
organizational strategy and achieve bottom line results within legal
considerations
2. Increasing the rate of return on recruiting costs (selection expense as an
investment to reduce turnover, training and receive a good value for salary
expenditures.
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3. Selecting top performers who will be able to attract others like themselves
and continue a winning process.
4. Legal Implications and Negligent Hiring -Good selection is also important
because of the legal implications of ineffective or incompetent selection.
Equal employment legislation guidelines and court decisions require you to
systematically evaluate the effectiveness your selection procedures to ensure
that you are not unfairly discriminating against minorities, women, the
elderly or handicapped.
Secondly, courts are increasingly finding employers liable for damages when
employees with criminal records or other problems take advantage of access to
customer homes or other similar opportunities to commit crimes. Hiring
workers with such backgrounds without proper safeguards is called negligent
hiring.
Examples of such cases
In one Ponticas V. K. M.S Investment -an apartment manager with a pass key
entered a womans apartment and assaulted her. Negligence by the owner and
the operator of the apartment complex in not properly checking the apartment
managers background prior to hiring him was found to be the cause of the
womens personal injury.
In another case Henley S. Prince George Comly an employee who turned out to
have a criminal background murdered a young boy; management, aware of the
mans prior murder conviction was held liable.
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5. Keep in mind the need to balance the applicants privacy rights with others
need to know when damaging information is discovered.
6. Take immediate disciplinary action if problems develop.
The Selection Process
In many organizations employee hiring is a continuous process. There are
continuing vacancies due to retirement, turnover and other normal attrition.
Even an organization that is downsizing may well be hiring in specific areas.
The selection process begins with the application blank and ends with a
successful hiring decision. The purpose of the selection process is to
differentiate among applicants to predict likely job performance. The selection
process must meet the criteria of efficiency and effectiveness .This is reflected
in measures of absenteeism, turnover, retention and promotion.
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The selection process can be illustrated by the diagram shown next:
The Selection Process
The Application BlankStep 1
The Screening Interview
The employment Interview
Step 2
Step 3
Employment Testing
Reference Checks
Step 4
Step 5
The Conditional Employment DecisionStep 6
Step 6
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The Final Employment Decision
The Physical ExaminationStep 7
Step 8
STEP 1
The Application Blank
The application blank provides an opportunity to gather certain basic selection
data in a short time period. Whatever methods of recruitment are used the
candidate should be asked to fill in an application form. Firstly to ensure that no
important details are omitted and secondly to provide information about the
candidate in a logical and uniform order.
Several surveys suggest that all organizations, except the very smallest have
applicants complete an application form.
Once the initial screening has been completed, applicants are asked to complete
the organizations application form. The amount of information may be only the
applicants name, address and telephone number. Some organizations require
the completion of a six to ten page comprehensive personal history profile.
In general terms, the application form gives a synopsis of what applicants have
been doing their adult life their skills and their accomplishments.
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The application blank is probably the best known form to most employees and
is the most widely used it can be verified for accuracy, it is easy to use and it
has face validity. Perhaps because of this general familiarity its significance in
human resource work is often overlooked or taken for granted. The unfortunate
result may be that the information collected is not fully utilized.
The application form/blank has a variety of uses. It is not only the basis of
selection but its the fundamental document in an employees personnel record
and has legal importance in the contract of employment.
Application forms are also useful for
1. Projecting a favorable image of the recruiting organization.
2. Obtaining names and addresses of people to contact when future vacancies
arise.
3. Researching the effectiveness of various recruitment advertising media.
4. Monitoring the effectiveness of equal opportunities policies.
Evidence indicates that a property validated application blank in the hands of a
human resource specialist increases the effectiveness of a companys selection
process. After all, the purpose of using the application blank in the first place is
to assist in predicting the likely future success of the candidate.
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The application form/ blank becomes a key link between recruiting and the final
selection process for 3 reasons.
1. It provides the usual record keeping information, date, name, ID no, home
address and telephone number and who to contact is an emergency (name,
address, phone no.
2. It contains information to be used in evaluating the candidate, education,
work history and references.
3. It contains the sign-of section where the recruit agrees to certain
conditions by signing their name and dating it. For blue collar jobs and
possibly other positions, a common statement is
In the event of termination, the employee will promptly return all comp
any property
4. Other affirmations include the truthfulness of statements, falsehoods which
will lead to termination and permission to contact references. An important
disclaimer that may be included (depending upon the laws) in this section
concerns employment at will. That is the company may terminate
employment at any time with or without good cause.
Further the company may change human resource policies regarding pay,
benefits and employment unilaterally without the persons consent.
Any oral statements causing a person to accept employment that are
inconsistent with the employee handbook or company policy are to be
considered invalid. Finally the applicant, by signing the disclaiming, releases
the company from any liability.
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In most organizations, application blanks provide an initial screening process.
Before making application forms too detailed, several factors should be
considered.
First, excessively long and complex forms may discourage potential applicants
second, all items should be job related.
Finally all questions most adhere to guidelines set forth by the equal
employment opportunity laws. Basically, any application form question which
could which could be constructed as discriminating against a protected class
must be demonstrably job related, or it must be eliminated from the application
blank.
The application blank can therefore serve many purposes at once. The
disclaimers such as the employment at will clause may help if it later
becomes necessary to dismiss an employee.
But the main purpose is to aid in the selection process; with this in mind you
can see why some application blanks are complex such as the weighted
application blank.
The weighted application form appears to offer excellent potential. The WAB is
a form designed to be scored as a systematic selection method. The purpose of
the WAB is to relate characteristics to job performance.
To create such a form, individual form items such as no. of years of schooling,
no. of previous jobs, no. of months on last job, reason for leaving last job,
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salary increase over all previous jobs military experience, are validated against
performance and turnover measures and given appropriate weights.
Let as assume for example that management is interested in developing a
weighted application form that would predict which applicants for the job of
insurance claims adjuster will, if hired, stay with the company. They would
select from their personnel files the application forms from each of two groups
of previously hired adjusters-one a group that had a short tenure with the
organization (adjusters that stayed less than one year) and the other, a group
with long tenure (say 5 years or more).
These old application forms would be screened, item by item, to determine now
employees in each group responded. In this way, management would discover
items that differentiate groups. These items would then be weighed relative to
their magnitude of differentiation. If 80% of the long tenure group had a college
degree while only 20% of the short tenures had such a degree, then possession
of a college degree might be given a weight of 4 but if 30% of the long tenure
group had prior experience in like insurance industry while 20% of the short-
tenure did this item might be given a weight of only 1.
Notice of course, that the procedure would have to be done on every job. Items
that predict long tenure for an insurance claims adjuster may be totally different
from items that predict long tenure for a grocery clerk.
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Other application forms however are the utmost in simplicity. The layout of
application forms varies but most of them contain the following headings,
usually in this order.
It usually starts with instructions on how to complete the form and should
include a statement complete the form and should include a statement that any
applicant who includes unrequested or false information will automatically be
rejected.
An typical application form will therefore include :
a) Job applied for
b) Name, address, telephone number
c) Date and place of birth
d) Nationality
e) Education
f) Training and qualifications
g) Medical history e.g. any serious illness whether disabled.
h) Employment history (names of previous employers, description of jobs held,
dates of employment reasons for leaving.
i) Any other information the candidate wishes to provide.
j) A signature under the words This information is correct to the best of my
knowledge
k) Date
As noted some application forms are complex and others simple.
McDonalds restaurant from time to time, print attractive application blanks and
the place mats!
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The goals here is to get a pool of applicants quickly. What their application
blank lacks in detail, makes up in utility.
A well designed application blank will be legal. The application blank needs to
be as legally defensible as possible.
Step 2: The Screening Interview
The screening interview is usually done after the applicant fills out the
application. The interview is used to determine key information regarding job
requirements in order to get a general impression of the applicant when the
screening interview process is complete, the result should be a satisfactory pool
of candidates. Although many in the company may participate in the interview
process it is still the responsibility of the HR manager to optimize the solution.
Perhaps because so many untrained individuals participate in interviewing,
several studies criticize the validity of the interview as an appropriate selection
technique.
A historic study by W.D Scott found that interviewers for sales positions could
not agree whether the candidates should be placed in the top or bottom ranking.
This amazing result has unfortunately been replicated in other studies. Such
initial studies have continued with may field reviewing 20 years of
interviewing Harvey caupion also finding wise variation among interviewers.
However despite the criticism of the interview its widespread use indicates
the importance it is awarded in selection. This is due in past to the fact that in
an interview, applicants can be asked questions about application black
information and test scores .Also, the interview permits going beyond the
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collected data to probe deeper in areas the company is interested in. This might
include probing into the applicants interpersonal skills, central life interests and
value system as they relate to the job. Will the applicant fit in well with the
work team? An application black will not help answer this key question.
The screening interview effectively fills the gaps that are bound to occur
within the tiem limits for obtaining accurate data. Of course the more exposure
to liability for claws of discrimination.
The screening interview would be the first attempt to discover how applicants
are handling stress in their present environment. This early approach in the
interviewely process world be very appropriate for jobs with high demand and
little control over working conditions. This type of job presents the greatest
health risk to employees.
STEP 3: The Employment Interview
The employment interview is the most widely used selection technique.
Organizations incurs tremendous annual expenses in interviewing applicants.
Despite the costs of research suggesting tat the selection interview is not as
other techniques, it nevertheless plays a very important role in the selection
process.
Several studies suggest that it is one of the most important steps in selection.
Depending upon the importance of the job, an applicant may be interviewed by
one person or by several members of the organization although their is some
doubt about the validity of the interview as a selection method, other
researchers suggest several key features of the interview.
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When interviewing such a job candidate, It should be challenging &
conformational not comfortable & cosy. Values should match those of the
organization. The interviewee may have response that are not politically correct
or not typically expected. This means the candidate is answering the questions
honestly at the risk of not getting the job. Interviewing requires an awareness
of developing trends affecting people. Years of prospering appear to have bred
a culture of risk takers. A measure of those who voluntarily left their taste job is
called the quit rate. If is at its highest now. The glamour of job hopping is at a
record pace.
Dunny the interview the interviewer has certain hard data available assist in
the final decision to accept or reject. Such data may include the application
blank, references, resume, psychological test scores of intelligence and
personality and perhaps background checks. While the mix of these data will
vary, the one constant is that an interviewer will make the initial decision to
accept or reject the candidate. Despite all attempts for objectivity, subjectivity
will be present in varying degrees, contributing in large measure to the selection
of effective performers.
When highly paid professional leaves in a short time this can cost the company
quite a great deal in advertising, travel, interview time, training and other costs.
Few people fail in their new jobs because they cannot do them technically. It is
the soft skills that do them in, yet these are the hard ones to deter mine soft
skills such as personality motivation and creativity is through face to face
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interviews yet the interview is not perfect with corporate turnover averaging
16%.
A study by Harvard University reports nearly 80% of turnover results from
hiring mistake. One must always be careful during the interview process to
avoid any discriminatory bias.
Also, the personal blas of the interviewer needs to be considered to eliminate
as much as possible blased input in the decision making process.
Various interviewing methods have been devise to eliminate a large measure of
this subjective error.
For instance in the structured or patterned interview the interviewers ask a
predetermined list of questioned of all the applicant is similar.
A true structured interview would apply not only to the questions but to the
answers as well.
The answers would be structured similar to a multiple-choice test.
Under these conditioned there would be little or no interview bias. The more
generally used structured interview applies only to the required question with
the applicant replies reflecting
The attitudes and personality of the individual.
Although this format suffers from a lack of flexibility it doe improve the
validity o interviewers judgements.
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The unstructured interview
The candidate controls the flow of topic discussed and the interviewer refrains
from directing the applicants remarks. The interviewer merely nod assent on
repeats statements made by the applicant.
STEP 4
Employment Testing
Another step I the selection process is the employment test. An employment test
is method that attempts to measure certain characteristics of job applicants.
These tests include
-Aptitude tests
-Personality tests
- achievement tests
- Polygraph / honesty tests.
- A test is basically a sample of a persons behavior. Some tests are more
clearly representative of the behavior being sample that others.
- A test must meet certain criteria.
1.Valid-validity is the accuracy with which a test /interview measures what it
purports to measure.
2.reliable-reliability refers to the consistency of scores obtained by the same
person when tested with the identical equivalent tests.
Management assessment centers are situations in which management
candidates are asked to make decisions in hypothetical situations and are scored
on their performance.
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Step 5. Reference checks
One of the final steps in the selection process is to check references. Generally
telephone checks are preferable because they save time and provide for greater
candor, usually the most reliable information comes from immediate
supervisors who are able to report on an applicants prior work attitudes and
performance.
Step 6. The Conditional Employment Decision
At this time a preliminary decision to hire is made. However, final approvals
still is independent upon the results of the physical Examination.
Step 7. The Physical Examination
The physical examination is usually one of the last steps in the selection process
because of costs.
The use of pre employment medical examination varies among industries but
about half of the companies surveyed in one study used pre employment
physical examinations to the test prospective employees.
In the past some unqualified job applicants were eliminated from employment
consideration because of some physical exam result unrelated to the task to be
performed. In the United States this practise eliminated so many otherwise
qualified workers that congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990.
Employers can still required exams after job off has been made, but must be
ready to accommodate applicants who can be helped to do the job.
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Step 8: The Final Employment Decision.
The final step in the selection process is the decision to accept or reject the
applicant based on the results of physical examination. This is an important step
because of the costs of recruiting and selecting, legal considerations the
relatively short probationary time in the most organizations and turnover of
many new employees.
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Summary
This lesson focused on several major selection issues. One is that organizations
operate in a dynamic and changing environment and consequently most be
elective in choosing new employees.
We also discussed the selection process and the ways in which it is used to
improve organizational effectiveness.
In order to match the individuals skills knowledge and abilities to
organizational needs the HR manager must be sensitive to changes in markets,
people and competition and be aware of the need for a continuing source of
adaptive and flexible employees for the organization.
The selection process involves an assessment of an individuals predicted
performance. The steps in the process are typical of most organizations. In a
changing environment, managing human resources effectively involves
selecting and developing a high performing work force. In todays global world
learning now to select a multicultural workforce is an emerging challenge.
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6. To be an effective predictor, a selection device should:
a. Be reliable
b. Be valid
c. Predict a relevant criteria.
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PART 11 : TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT
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LESSON 4 :TRAININGLESSON 4 :TRAINING
Behavioural Objectives
When you finish studying Part 2 on Training you should be able to:
Define training
Explain how to develop an orientation and socialization program.
Describe the basic training process.
Discuss at least two techniques used for assessing training needs.
Explainthe pros and cons of at least five training techniques.
Describe how to evaluate the training effort.
Explain how the learning theory and learning principles relate to training
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LESSON 4A:INTRODUCTION TO TRAINING AND
DEVELOPING HUMAN POTENTIAL
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Define the concept and purposes of training in an organization
Explain why training is important
4A.1 Background Information:
Todays managers face greater challenges than ever to maintain their position
among the top economic powers. Most businesses are realizing their place at the
top is not guaranteed, and that they must find solutions to the declining
productivity, competitiveness, motivation and creativity of the workforce. One
Human Resource Director said, If you want to be a world-class manufacturer,
the greatest resource is the force working for you.
Every organization needs to have well-trained and experienced people to
perform the activities that have to be done. If current or potential job occupants
can meet this requirement, training is not important. When this is not the case, it
is necessary to raise the skills levels and increase the versatility and adaptability
of employees.
As jobs have become more complex, the importance of employee training has
increased. When jobs were simple, easy to learn, and influenced to only a small
degree by technological changes, there was little need for employees to upgrade
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or alter their skills. But the rapid changes taking place during the last quarter-
century in our highly sophisticated and complex society have created increase
pressures for organizations to readapt the products and services produced, the
manner in which products and services are produced and offered, the types of
jobs required, and the types of skills necessary to complete these jobs.
In fact, trainings purposes are broader today than they have been in the past.
Companies used to emphasize production process training-teaching the
technical skills required to perform jobs, such as training assemblers to solder
wires or teaches to devise lesson plans. However, training and development
programs and their objectives changed in the 1980s and 1990s. Employers had
to adapt to rapid technological changes, improve product and service quality,
and boost productivity to stay competitive. Improving quality often requires
remedial-education training, since quality improvement programs assume
employees can use critical thinking skills, produce charts and graphs, and
analyse data. Employees must also use or acquire skills in team building,
decision making, and communication. Similarly, as firms became more
technologically advanced, employees require training in technological and
computer skills (such as desktop publishing and computer-aided design and
manufacturing) And as increased competition has put a premium on better
service, employers have turned abilities to customers-service training to provide
employees with the tools and abilities they need to deal more effectively with
customers, such as effective listening skills. All told, this shift from purely
production-process training helps to explain whey in one recent year an average
production worker received 37 hours of training compared with only 31 hours
in the previous year.
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More employers today are taking advantage of the fact that training can
strengthen employee commitment. Few things illustrate a firms commitment to
its employees more than continuing developmental opportunities to better
themselves, and such commitment is usually reciprocated. This is the reason
why high-commitment firms like Toyota provide about two weeks of training
per year for all employees.
We can therefore say the expansion of trainings role reflects that fact that the
game of economic competition has new rules. In particular, its no longer
enough to just be efficient. Thriving today requires that the firm be fast and
responsive. And it requires responding to customers needs for quality, variety,
customisation, convenience, and timeliness. Meeting these new standards
requires a work force that is more than just technically trained. It requires
people who are capable of analyzing and solving job-related problems, working
productively in teams and switching gears and shifting from job to job as
well.
Unfortunately, a training gap exists and may even be widening. While some
companies IBM, Xerox, Texas Instruments and Motorola, for instance devote
5% to 10% of their payroll dollars to training activities, the average training
investment by U.S. firms (while large in dollar terms) is less than 2% of payroll.
Experts estimate that between 42% and 90% of U.S. workers need further
training to get them up to speed. Unfortunately, in Kenya, when the monies are
low training is the first to be slashed off the budget. In any case, training is
moving to centre stage as a means of improving employers competitiveness.
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Nearly 50 percent of all jobs currently being done in the United States did not
exist half century ago. It is becoming increasingly common for individuals to
change careers several times during their working lives. The probability of
any young person learning a job today and having those skills go basically
unchanged during the forty or so years of his or her career is extremely
unlikely, maybe even impossible.
During the 2000s, employee training will become increasingly important
because of the pressure to reduce costs and increase productivity. The
combination of increasing global competition, an expensive workforce, and
cheap computers has severed the link between economic growth and job
growth. Most companies are learning that they cant compete in world markets
unless they boost productivity and invest in a higher-trained and skilled
workforce. Employee training is a key factor in improving levels of
organisation productivity. Therefore, it is important that the organisation enable
employees to upgrade their skills and knowledge to meet these changing
conditions.
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests workplace training offers a
significant return on the investment. A study reported that firms who spent an
average of $900 per employee increased net salary $386,171 on average per
employee from one year to the next. Firms who spent $275 per employee
increase net salary $245,000. this represents a difference of net sales per
employee of $141,170.
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and then provide links to a variety of course work to fulfil deficiencies. This is
all structured system the employees complete the instruction at their own pace.
In addition, the trend toward high technology in work processes requires
programmable automation of robots and multifunctional machines and a more
highly trained workforce. So the question becomes: How do we train these less
skilled workers to become more effective performers? In the following sections,
we will provide some possible solutions.
From the HRM viewpoint, it is important to recognise that technology dose not
take away jobs. What it does is create more demands on skills, which require
more training programs. In essence, work is an endless experience because
peoples expectations grow.
The issue for employees is not to worry about their present jobs continuing to
exist, but rather whether they will have the new skills for future employment.
Studies indicate employees will have at least four major job changes in their life
time. Training and retraining programs will be their salvation.
Training is a process that begins with the orientation of the new employee and
continues throughout an employees career. Therefore, it is important that the
HR manager develop training programs to improve employee skills and
performance in a changing labour force. IBM reportedly spends over $1 billion
yearly on the education of its employees.
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What are Training and Development
Training can be defined as the process of teaching new employees the basic
skills they need to perform their jobs. Training gives new or present employees
the skills they need to perform their jobs. Training might thus mean showing a
machinist how to operate his new machine, a new salesperson how to sell her
firms product or a new supervisor how to interview and appraise employees.
Training may also be defined an attempt to improve performance by the
attainment of specific skills such as typing, welding, running a computer and so
forth, to do the current job. The goal of training is to ensure that a number of
job skills will be performed at prescribed quality levels by training employees.
In essence, training is investing in human resources. It tends to broaden the
focus of the employee being training.
Training is a learning experience in that it seeks a relatively permanent change
in an individual that will improve his or her ability to perform on the job. We
typically say training can involve the changing of skills, knowledge, attitudes,
or social behavior. It may mean changing what employees know, how they
work, their attitudes toward their work, or their interactions with their co-
workers or their supervisor.
Although training development are similar, and both critical, there are some
important differences. Whereas training focuses on skills needed to perform
employees current jobs, management development, which we will discuss later
in Part 2 of this module is training of a long-term nature. Its aim is to develop
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current or future employees for future jobs with the organization or to solve an
organizational problem concerning, for instance, poor interdepartmental
communication. The techniques used in both training and development are
often the same, however, and the distinction between the two is always
somewhat arbitrary.
For our purpose, training will be presented as it applies primarily to operate
employees in the organization. By that we mean production, clerical, and
maintenance workers. Our emphasis here is on the development of those
employees who do not supervise the activities of others. What an organization
can do to develop supervisory and managerial employees will be the subject of
the lesson 4 on Management Development in Part 2 of this module.
Purposes of Training
Under favorable circumstances, training has the important dual function of
utilization and motivation. By improving employees ability to perform the
tasks required by the company, training allows better use to be made of human
resources; by giving employees a feeling of mastery over their work and of
recognition by management their job satisfaction is increased. When
circumstances are unfavorable, these results may not be obtained, for example
when the trainees see no purpose in the training, when it is regarded as a
punishment or a sign of displeasure or when the training seems irrelevant to the
trainees needs.
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Reasons for Training
Sometimes training is routine, for example all new employees in certain jobs
automatically go through a training course. More often training is given as a
response to some event, for example.
a) The installation of new equipment or techniques which require new or
improved skills.
b) A change in working methods.
c) A change in product, which may necessitate training not only in production
methods but also in the marketing functions of the company.
d) A realization that performance is inadequate.
e) Labor shortage, necessitating the upgrading of some employees
f) A desire to reduce the amount of scrap and to improve quality.
g) An increase in the number of accidents.
h) Promotion or transfer of individual employees.
Training which is routine and traditional sometimes becomes out of date,
irrelevant or inadequate. A review may show that the purpose, methods and
standards of the training should be changed.
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LESSON 4B : ORIENTING EMPLOYEES
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
Explain how to develop an orientation and socialization training program
Introduction
Once employees have been recruited and selected, the next step is orientation
and training. In this lesson well see that orienting and training employees
means providing them with the information and skills they need to successfully
perform their new jobs. Well start with employee orientation.
What is Employee Orientation
Employee orientation provides new employees with basic background
information about the employer, information they need to perform their jobs
satisfactorily, such as what the work hours are. Orientation is actually one
component of the employers new-employee socialization process.
Socialization is the ongoing process of instilling in all employees the prevailing
attitudes, standards, values, and patterns of behavior that are expected by the
organization and its departments.The new employees initial orientation if handled correctly, helps him or her
perform better by providing needed information about company rules and
practices. It can also help reduce the new employees first-day jitters and the
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reality shock he or she might otherwise experience (the discrepancy between
what the new employee expected from his or her new job, and the realities of
it).
Orientation programs range from brief, informal introductions to lengthy,
formal programs. In the latter, the new employee is usual given a handbook or
printed materials that cover matters like working hours, performance reviews,
getting on the payroll, and vacations, as well as a tour of the facilities. Other
information to be given in an orientation program typically includes employee
benefits, personnel policies, the employees daily routine, company
organization and operations, and safety measures and regulations.
Note that there is the real possibility that courts will find your employee
handbooks contents represents a contract with the employee. Therefore,
disclaimers should be included that make it clear that statements of company
policies, benefits, and regulations do not constitute the terms and conditions of
an employment contract either express or implied. Think twice before including
statements in your handbook such as No employee will be fired without just
cause or statements that imply or state that employee have tenure; they could
be viewed as legal and binding commitments.
The first part of the orientation is usually performed by the HR specialist, who
explains such matters as working hours and vacation. The employee is then
introduced to his or her new supervisor. The latter continues the orientation by
explaining the exact nature of the job, introducing the person to his or her new
colleagues, and familiarizing the new employee with the workplace. An
example of a comprehensive orientation program is presented in the following
box.
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Building employee commitment
Orientation and socialization
In many firms today orientation goes well beyond providing basic information
about such aspects of the job as hours of work. More and more companies are
finding that orientation can be used for other purposes, such as familiarizing
new employees with the companys cherished goals and values. Orientation
thus begins the process of synthesizing the employees and the companys
goals, one big step toward winning the employees commitment to the firm.
Orientation (it is called assimilation) at Toyota Motor Manufacturing USA is
a case in point. While it covers traditional topics such as company benefits, its
mostly intended to socialize new employees, that is, to convert Toyotas new
employees to the firms ideology of quality, teamwork, personal development,
open communication, and mutual respect. It lasts four days, as follows:
Day one. The first day begins at 6.30a.m with an overview of the program, a
welcome to the company, and a discussion of the firms organization structure
and human resource department by the firms vice president for human
resources. The vice president devotes about an hour and a half to discussing
Toyota history and culture, and about two hour to employee benefits. Another
two hours are then spent discussing Toyotas policies about the importance of
quality and teamwork.
Day two. The second day starts with about two hours devoted to
communication training-the Toyota Motor Manufacturing way of listening.
Here the importance of mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication is
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emphasized. The rest of the day is then devoted to general orientation issues.
These include safety, environment affairs, the Toyota production system, and
the firms library.
Day three. This day also begins with two-and-a half to three hours devoted to
communication training, in this case making requests and giving feedback.
The rest of the day is spent covering matters such as Toyotas problem-solving
methods, quality assurance, hazard communications, and safety.
Day four. Teamwork is stressed in the morning session. Topics include
teamwork training. Toyotas suggestion system, and the Toyota Team Member
Activities Association. This session also covers what
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