Human Resource Management (HRM)

Recruiting and selecting employees

Recruitment is the process from identifying that the business needs to employ someone up to the point at which applications have arrived at the business.
- Internal recruitment is when a vacancy is filled by someone who is an existing employee of the business.
- External recruitment is whena vacancy is filled by someone who is not an existing employee and will be new to the business.
Employee selection is the process of evaluating candidates for a specific job and selecting an individual for employment based on the needs of the organization.

Vacancy arises
Job analysis: Identifies and records the responsibilities and tasks relating to a job.
Job description: Outlines the responsibilities and duties to be carried out by someone employed to do a specific job.
Job specification: A document which outlines the requirements, qualifications, expertise, physical characteristics, etc. for a specified job.
Job advertised in appropriate media
Application forms and shortlisting
Interviews and selection
Vacancy filled

Curriculum vitae (CV), resumés, application forms: A summary of a person’s qualifications, experience and qualities, written in a standard format.
Interviews: A series of questions asked to someone face-to-face or virtually. Used to assess personality, communication skills, and cultural fit.
Testing/assessment centers: Aptitude tests, or practical skills tasks to prove capabilities under pressure.
References: Statements from previous employers confirming reliability and performance history.

Recruitment Type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Internal	Cheaper and quicker, candidate already knows culture, motivates current staff because there is a chance for promotion	No new ideas brought in, creates another vacancy, can cause jealousy/conflict
External	Brings in new skills, fresh perspectives, insights, avoids internal conflicts, more applicants to choose from	High advertising and recruitment agency fees, longer induction/training period needed, risk of hiring someone who doesn’t fit in the culture

A contract of employment is a legal agreement between an employer and employee, listing the rights and responsibilities of workers.
The content:
- name of employer and employee
- job title
- date of the start of employment
- working hrs.
- rate of pay + other benefits (e.g. bonus, sick pay, pension)
- date of payment
- holiday entitlement
- amt. of notice that the employer or employee must give to end the employment

For the employer:
- Reduces labor turnover because expectations are legally set.
- Protects trade secrets.
- Gives a clear framework if they need to dismiss an employee for poor performance.
For the employee:
- Provides job security.
- Ensures they cannot be forced to work extra hrs. without clear pay structures.
- Serves as legal proof if they need to sue for unfair treatment.

Unfair dismissal is when an employer ends a worker’s contract of employment for a reason that is not covered by the contract.
Discrimination at work is when the employer makes decisions that are based on ‘unfair’ reasons (e.g. skin color/race, different religion, opposite sex, age, disabled).
Health and safety is required for businesses. Businesses should provide clean water, proper ventilation, safety gear, and adequate training.
Legal minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer can legally pay a worker.

The importance of training to:
- the business is that it increases productivity, reduces mistakes, improves customer service and makes the business more adaptable to technology changes.
- the employee is that it boosts job satisfaction, increases safety, reduces stress, and opens up promotion opportunities.

Type	Desc.	Advantages	Disadvantages
Induction	Intro given to a new employee, explaining the activities, customs, and procedures and introducing them to their fellow workers.	Workers settle in faster, prevents costly initial mistakes, understands company health & safety	Takes up time on day one, workers are paid while not yet producing anything
On-the-job	Watching a more experienced worker doing the job	Very cheap (no ext. fees), directly relevant to the exact machinery/tasks, remains productive	Bad habits can be passed down, trainee slows down the trainer’s output
Off-the-job	Being trained away from the workplace, usually by specialist trainers.	Taught by true experts, multi-skilled training with no distractions, high-quality development	Very expensive course fees, worker is away ∴ output drops to zero during training, employee might leave for a better job once trained