Chapter 6 Staffing

Staffing is the managerial function of filling and keeping filled positions in the organisation structure.

The two important sources of recruitment are Internal source and External source.

In the given situation, the workers need to be trained to handle expensive, hi-tech and sophisticated machines. For this, vestibule training method would be the most appropriate.

The poor quality of work was due to lack of knowledge about proper operation of the machinery. Accuracy can, therefore, be improved through appropriate training, where workers should be taught to operate the machinery properly.

In the above case, to overcome the mentioned problem the workers need to be trained to handle the new machines. And for this, vestibule training method would be the most appropriate.

Vestibule training means to learn their jobs of the equipment they will be using but the training is conducted away from the work floor.

Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organisation.

An important part of the selection process, which must be emphasized here, is conducting personality tests on the individuals. This test gives cues to a person’s emotions, reaction, attitude and value system. Thus, it helps to ensure that the selected candidate is honest and suitable as per the requirements of the job.

In order to complete the order in time, more people are required at short notice. Thus, labour contractor should be approached, who can provide a large workforce at a short notice.

Training and development is an attempt to improve the current or future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform through learning, usually by changing the employee’s attitude or increasing his or her skills and knowledge. But both have different perspectives.

Internal source of recruitment refers to recruitment from within the organisation, from the existing staff and employees. The internal sources of recruitment are considered to be more economical than external sources of recruitment because of the following reasons:

1. Simple process: the process of selection and placement becomes simpler, as the background of the candidate is already known.
2. Facilitate training: Transfer from one job to another facilitates training of employees.
3. No induction training: Employees selected from within the organisation do not need induction training.
4. Filling deficiencies: It helps to fulfill the deficiency of one department with the surplus of another.
5. Inexpensive: Recruitment from internal sources does not require much time, money and effort.

No organisation can be successful unless it fills and keeps the various positions filled with the right kind of people for the right job. It means that for any successful organisation it will need to place the person for a job according to the skill required to perform that job so that they can ensure better performance. And this can be done through the staffing process. Different types of jobs required different skilled personnel to perform it. And if the skill of the person doesn’t match with the job then they can’t perform it successfully. So it is necessary for the organisation to assign the job to the person with required skills. And this will result in more productivity and the organisation can be run more efficiently and smoothly.

Staffing function deals with the human element of management. It is important because the performance of an organisation depends upon its human resource, its competence and motivation. But, as organisations grow and number of employees increase, a separate department called Human Resource Department (HRD) is formed. It consists of specialists for all areas related to human Resource Management. It includes many specialised activities and duties to be performed by HR personnel, which are as follows:

1. Recruitment means searching for eligible candidates.
2. Analysing jobs, collecting information about jobs to prepare a job description.
3. Developing compensation and incentive plans.
4. Training and development of employees for efficient performance and career growth.
5. Maintaining labour relations and union management relations.
6. Handling grievances and complaints.                           
7. Providing social security and welfare of employees.
8. Defending the company in lawsuits and avoiding legal complications.
9. To maintain a good working environment in the organisation.

Therefore, staffing is basically extended to what is known as Human Resource Management (HRM), in order to attain specialisation in the area of human resource.

Selection is the process of identifying and choosing the best person out of a number of prospective candidates for a job.

A well organized selection process of personnel involves the following steps:

1. Preliminary screening: It helps the manager to eliminate unqualified or unfit job seekers, based on the information supplied in the application forms.

2. Selection test: An employment test is a mechanism that attempts to measure certain characteristics of individuals. These characteristics range from aptitudes, such as manual dexterity, to intelligence, to personality, etc.

3. Employment interview: Interview is a formal, in-depth conversation, conducted to evaluate the applicant’s suitability for the job, through an interview, an interviewer seeks to obtain maximum information about the interviewee and the interviewee seeks information about the job and the company.

4. Reference and background checks: Many employers request names, addresses and telephone numbers of references for the purpose of verifying information and gaining additional information of an applicant.

5. Selection decision: The final decision has to be made from among the candidates, who pass the tests, interviews and reference checks.

6. Medical examination: After the selection decision and before the job offer, the candidate is required to undergo a medical fitness test. The job offer is given to the candidate, who is physically and mentally fit for the job.

7. Job offer: The next step in the selection process is issuing a job offer to those applicants, who have passed all the hurdles. It is made through a letter of appointment to confirm his acceptance, and communicating to him the reporting date and time.

8. Contract of employment: When a candidate accepts the job offer, the contract of employment is made, which is in a written form and includes job title, duties, responsibilities, date when continues employment starts and the basis for calculating service, rates of pay, allowances, hours of work, leave rules, sickness, grievance procedure, etc.

Training is any process by which the aptitudes, skills and abilities of employees to perform specific jobs are increased. It is a process of learning new skills and application of knowledge possessed.

Following are the advantages of training to the individual:

1. Better career opportunities: Improved skills and knowledge due to training leads to better careers for the individual.
2. Earn more: Increased performance by the individual helps him to earn more.
3. Less accident prone: Training makes the employee more efficient to handle machines, thus, less prone to accidents.
4. Increase morale: Training increases the satisfaction and morale of employees.

Following are the advantages of training to the organisation:

1. Less wastage: Training is a systematic learning, always better than hit and trial methods, which leads to wastage of efforts and money.
2. Higher profit: It enhances employee productivity both in terms of quantity and quality and leading to higher profits.
3. Managerial efficiency: Training helps the manager to handle the challenging situation effectively. And it also equips the future manager, who can take over in case of emergency.
4. Reduced absenteeism: Training increases employee morale, reduces absenteeism and employee turnover.
5. Effective response: It helps in obtaining effective response to a fast changing environment.

a. In the above case the external source of recruitment is highlighted as the Kaul consultants have launched websites and advertise their post.

External sources refer to recruitment from outside the organisation, as all positions cannot be filled from within the organisation.

b. Benefits of external sources of recruitment are:

1. Qualified personal: An organisation can attract highly qualified personnel through external sources.
2. Wider choice: External sources create a large pool of candidates to choose from, for the organisation.
3. Fresh talent: External source helps to bring fresh talent or new blood into the organisation.
4. Competitive spirit: New entrants and qualified freshers create a competitive spirit and help to improve performance.

a. Xylo Limited is planning to set up a new plant in India for manufacturing auto components. The prime concern of the company is to hire the manpower, who are highly trained and motivated. In order to achieve the targets, the company should follow the staffing process in this manner.

b. The company is establishing a new unit in India. Thus, they should rely on external sources of recruitment. They should adopt this source and through employment exchange, placement agencies and labour contractors, they will be able to get good staff in the company.

This recommendation is fruitful because through these sources the company will have a wide choice of candidates. They can get the qualified personnel and bring new blood in the organisation who are highly competitive and will work harder to show better performance.

c. Through the recruitment process organisations receive a large number of applications. In order to select the most suitable candidate to perform the job, the selection process is to be considered.

Following steps are to taken in series:

Preliminary screening helps the manager to select from among those candidates who have applied.

1. Preliminary screening: Preliminary screening helps the manager to select from among candidates who have applied.
2. Selection test: It is to be conducted to check the practical knowledge of the candidate.
3. Interview: Interview is to be taken of those candidates, who qualify the test. A panel of experts is called for, to identify the best among hundreds.
4. Selection decision: In this step the candidates who pass the test and the interview are included in the selection list and critically examined whether they are best or not.
5. Medical examination: In this step their medical fitness is examined whether they are physically and mentally fit or not.
6. Job offer: This step is to provide them a letter of appointment, in which terms and conditions are mentioned.
7. Contract of employment: When candidates accept the job offer, they sign the contract of employment. The employer and candidate exchange certain documents as the final process of selection.

a. The human resource manager may face the following problems:

• Lack of trained workforce.
• Lack of sufficient personnel to provide customer services.
• Inefficient maintenance of data.

b. Following steps can be taken to resolve these problems:

• Proper training of the personnel.
• Provision of incentive based schemes.
• Proper data base should be maintained by the company in order to provide efficient service.

Impact on the following steps on the company will be that the productivity and efficiency of the company will be increased and as a result the profits of the organisation will also increase.

a. Ms. Jayshree as HR manager is required to perform the following functions:

• Recruitment.
• Prepare job description.
• Preparing compensation and incentive plans. 4) Arranging training programmes.
• Making welfare schemes for employees.
• Handling grievances of employees.
• Handling labour dispute.

b. She may face the following problems:

• Properly qualified candidates may not be available.
• Demand for wages may go higher.
• After providing training, the workers may leave the organisation.
• Trade unions may bring unreasonable demands.

c. Following steps can be taken by her to perform her job efficiently:

• She should make use of all the possible sources of recruitment.
• She should frequently consult the experts and also observe the policies followed by competitors to recruit and retain the workforce.
• Maintaining cordial relationships with trade unions and encouraging them to act as one big family.

d. Her role is very significant in the organisation. She is a Human Resource Manager and concerned with timely procurement of competent manpower and ensuring its effective and efficient utilization, so as to survive along with the three main objectives; organisational, individual and societal.