External and Internal Recruitment Methods - Assignment Example

Human Resource Planning Name: Number: Institution: Instructor: Date: Evaluate the role of Atkinson's model of the flexible firm as a tool for Human Resource Planners preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Game. Flexibility in a firm depends on whether it affects the organizational operation or the contractual arrangement1. The main difference between organizational flexibility and contractual flexibility is that organizational flexibility is reversible while contractual flexibility is not reversible2. The reversibility found in contractual flexibility arising from the fact that contractual flexibility only modifies the arrangement of individual workers3. When dealing with flexibility in firms, it is common to assume that there is no pre-planned strategy set for achieving the objectives. Rather, the flexibility results from an opportunity, such as taking advantage of high levels of unemployment. There are four components of the move towards flexibility within the Atkinson's model of the flexible firm. These include numerical flexibility, functional flexibility, financial flexibility and distance flexibility4. In numerical flexibility, the firm’s management has the ability to alter the labor so as to go in line with the demand. In functional flexibility, the firm has the ability to train and assign labor depending on the tasks. In financial flexibility, the firm has the ability to alter the pay structure depending on the firm’s performance. In distance flexibility, the firm has the ability to replace the permanently employed labor with other types such as self employment, sub contracting and wage employment, depending on the firm’s state. Moreover, Atkinson5 divided workers into two groups; core and peripheral groups. The core group of workers is permanently employed by the firm and is mainly affected by the functional flexibility. On the other hand, the peripheral group is not permanently employed by the firm. Therefore, this group is usually affected by the numerical and the distance flexibility of the firm when need arises. There are various reasons as to why firms implement flexibility. These include the need to maintain a competitive stand in the market, the need to keep changing, the changing technology and the organizational structures of the firm6. The increasing global market has made firms to always seek the competitive advantage so as to survive. As such firm implement flexibility mainly to remain competitive in the market. However, the changing technology has also been a pulling force for firms to become flexible. In the London 2012 Olympic Games, the London Committee for the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) has been assigned the responsibility of planning, organizing and delivering the event. Since the games are held every year in a different city, it is assumed that this is a temporally committee and that the opportunity is a short term one. In other words, the committee and the team involved in planning, organizing and delivering the events are only short lived. Following the LOCOG’s values of inspiration, distinctiveness, delivery, teamwork, respectfulness, and openness, it is clear that the games are expected to stand out and be distinct. As such, there is need for the human resource planners to implement flexibility. To be successful, the human resource planners of the 2012 London Games should understand the Atkinson's model of the flexible firm and understand the need to become flexible. This need arises from the nature of the firm. This understanding will enable the planners to decide how to employ labor, either core or peripheral. Moreover, this will help the games organizers in deciding whether to employ organizational or contractual flexibility. There are several tasks that shall be involved in the games. Functional flexibility shall enable the Human Resource planners to train and deploy labor depending on the various tasks. As such, to make the objectives to be SMART, there is need to be functional flexible. Evaluate a range of recruitment and selection methods that games organizers could use in order to attract the right number and caliber of employees and volunteers. Recruitment and selection of the rightful employee for any given job are crucial for success in every firm. In order to meet its objectives fully as well as uphold the values of LOCOGS, it is important that the right people should be selected for the jobs. There are various methods that LOCOGS can apply so as to find the best suited employees and volunteers. These include: External recruitment methods This would require that the game organizers develop a relationship with guidance and career counselors, and ask for their assistance in recruiting and selecting the candidates for open positions. These guidance and career counselors are referred to as recruitment agencies. This applies especially to the positions that require specific skills. In this method, the game organizers approach the professionals and ask them to list open positions. These professionals then conduct the recruitment and selection of the candidates. However, the team organizers should be ready to finance for the services since sometimes these services are quite expensive. Internal recruitment methods In this method, the game organizers perform the recruitment and selection process for themselves. Here they list all the skills and experience that the candidates must posses for the various posts. When the candidates have applied for the various positions, the game organizers then assess the suitability of the candidates and select those who qualify for the positions. Selection from previous games’ employees Since the Olympic and Paralympics games are held every four years in different cities, it shall be assumed that this is not the first time that the games are being held. It shall also be assumed that there are several activities that are usually done in common in every city during the games. As such, the game organizers for London 2012 games should request for the people who were involved in the other games. The game organizers then conduct a selection process among these people depending on their vision and values. By doing this, the game organizers will be assured of getting skilled and experienced people for the various positions. Training institutions In this method, the game organizers approach those institutions that they believe train the people they need. They request for former trainees that the institutions feel can perform the work effectively. Then, the game organizers select, from those proposed by the institutions, those that are best suited from the work. If the game organizers decide to carry out the recruitment and selection process themselves, it is important that the candidates should be critically assed so as to get the best person. Recruitment process could be used to narrow down the applicant pool so that the selection method finally pinpoints the ideal candidate. The game organizers could use either or a combination of these methods so as to select the ideal candidate. The game organizers could perform selection interviews, where the candidates are fully analyzed to establish the skills and experience. Moreover, the candidates’ willingness to work and learn is assessed. The game organizers can perform psychometric test to assess the reasoning and understanding capacity of the candidates. By doing this, the best candidates are selected for the job. The game organizers can perform ability testing on the candidates. This involves testing the ability of the candidates to perform the task, either by paper or practically. By paper testing, the candidates are subjected to written questions about what they are expected to do. This tests the theoretical knowledge of the candidates. However, the skills and competencies of the candidates is not tested. In practical testing, the candidates are subjected to practical tasks so as to determine their skills and competencies, thus the ability to do the work. Consider any aspect of employment legislation that would need to be addressed when employing new recruits and the consequences of impinging against the relevant legislation. Employment laws stretch from the time of advertising the vacancies by the employer to the time the employment has been terminated. There are various legislations that are involved during the recruitment period7. When recruiting new employees, the employers should advertise and select in a non-discriminatory method. The job should not be addressed to a specific race, sex, religion, or age neither should the selection process be based on the factors. However, there are some provisions upon genuine requirement for the job. If the employer is found to have shown discrimination at the time of advertising and selecting of the employees, he is liable to fines. At the time of selection, there should be equality in all the candidates. Therefore, all candidates should be subjected to a standardized selection process o that no one candidate is favored over another candidate. The employer must select the candidate that is best suited for the job. Failure to follow a fair selection process puts the employer at the risk of compensating the discontented candidates. Once the new employee has been selected, the employer must ensure that the necessary documents have been availed and signed by the employee. Such documents include the employment law contracts. Failure to do so might put the employer at a risk of claims raised by the employee, even if the claims might have no merit. Bibliography Atkinson, J, Flexibility: Planning for a Uncertain Future, Manpower Policy and Practice. 1985. UKeducation. What is the Flexible Firm. Retrieved from: http://www.ukeducation.org.uk/qdocsview.asp?ID=1341 Victoria,M, Employment Law: Staying on the Right Side of Employment Law When Employing New Staff, 2011 Read More