Recruitment and Selection Policies and Procedures - Assignment Example

Recruitment and Selection policies and procedures in UK based firm Initially, it is imperative to begin the discussion with the clarification of whatthe two terms under discussion specifically means. We start off with the term ‘recruitment’, it is the process of attracting qualified candidates from whom it is possible to select and appoint competent workers. Whereas, ‘selection’ is the process which involves the application of appropriate methods with the aim of selecting and appointing competent people in the firm. The recruitment process involves using means such as advertisement in local or national newspaper or specialist journal, placement ads on corporate websites, through head hunters or other recruitment agencies, internally through promotions, word of mouth i.e. referral based, and for fresh positions via campus recruitments. The selection process is more rigorous and depending on the nature and intricacy of the job, competence of the staff involved in the selection, the costs and benefits associated with the position to be recruited for and most importantly, the time factor. The methods for selection includes just sorting through resumes, conducting tests to judge individual’s or potential employee’s aptitude, intelligence, trainability and personality, group discussion, interviews and also the assessment centers. Each will be elaborated in detail going forward. Some issues also emerge in the selection process, these will be discussed soon. Recruitment As discussed earlier, recruitment process begins from identification of the need that the organization needs to fill in a certain vacancy up to the point where the organization receives the application forms or has to decide between whom to hire for the position. The firm has option to recruit either internally from within the firm or external sources. Hiring candidates from within the organization has its own advantages. Firstly, hiring from inside saves the organization considerable amount of money and time because individuals within the organization already has an idea regarding what the company is like, an in depth knowledge of its products and services and how a business functions overall. Thus, lesser investments might be required to develop the fit that is required; thus, saving potential time and the money that is required for training a completely new (external) recruit. More important, these internal promotions incentivize people to worker harder and move up the organizational ladder, they become more committed and work harder within the organization. Secondly, since a firm very well knows the individual’s strengths and weaknesses as the person has served in the organization for quite some time, all the areas are pre-assessed; when in fact, hiring an outsider has risks attached to it and success might only be on the resume and not the person’s practice itself. But, obviously, the advantages do not come alone; some of the disadvantages to the internal recruitment practices for the firm starts with replacing the position of the person which has been left vacant due to the promotion. Besides, hiring an outsider might bring in more diversification to the organization’s skills, which might otherwise be limited because of phenomenon such as groupthink. As opposed to the internal recruitment, externally recruiting helps firms to hire people who are diversified in talent and in experience; but has its own disadvantage such as the firm may end up hiring someone who is ineffective and unsuitable for the organization. Selection Whereas, recruitment was a one way step, selection is a two way process of communication and establishment of a positive psychological contract; the sole aim being contacting and employing the best people for the job. The selection process results in either of the two outcomes, it either results in hiring of effective employees or rejection or exit of the non competent employees. The selection process is always faced by limitations such as validation, review and organizational constraints. For selection usually more than one method is adopted depending on factors that we also mentioned earlier such as nature and type of the job, costs and time available. The selection method involves sorting through curriculum vitae, tests, interviews, assessments etc. Some of the issues that emerge are validation. By validation we mean whether the method assess all the relevant and the required aspects of the job; whether the method is correct predictability of past and future results of the selection methods employed, this is absolutely critical criteria for the determination of which is the best method for the selection of a candidate. Other important thing is the reliability of the method adopted i.e. is the method consistent over time and is it free of random error or not. Example under consideration Russell Jones & Walker is a leading national firm of solicitors dedicated to upholding the legal rights of individuals. It was founded in the 1920s and since then has focused on and continues to be, people and those who represent them. The firm has grown from a trade union roots into a respected national organization with nine offices across England and Wales, and an associated office in Scotland. Its reputation is built on the range of expertise offered by its partners and staff and on the scope of their practical experience. It represents clients across a range of areas from personal injury work to commercial and criminal litigation; from employment to defamation and reputation management; and from clinical negligence to family law. They listen to their clients and use this insight and their legal experience to deliver the best possible results. They have an open, friendly, and responsive approach ensuring that their needs are paramount. The procedures, communication, and response systems have been developed to ensure that clients are offered constructive advice and innovative solutions. The emphasis is on client service, privacy and honesty. The firm under consideration is Russell Jones and Walker, the firm is aims at becoming the equal employment opportunity employer and hence, any form of discrimination is avoided because it is considered unlawful and unfair, further, any victimization on the basis of disability, race, religion, nationality, ethnic, or national origin not devoid of any other demographic factors (such as age, gender, marital status, social background), any trade union activity in which the person is involved or sexual orientation. When recruiting Russell Jones and Walker make sure that talent pool and skills available throughout the country are considered; this is in the firm’s best interest and the potential employees who are more likely to become a part of the organization. Thus, the local community in which the company is in operations is highly regarded when any employment opportunity in the organization emerges. Once the employees are recruited, and become a part of Russell Jones and Walker, it is made sure that individuals are treated fairly and equitably and when selecting decisions are purely based on objective and the job related criteria. Thus, keeping in view the above mentioned policy at Russell Jones and Walker, a typical process starts with job analysis, followed by job description and person specification which is later followed by review by the selection panel and implementation of selection tools. Now, we will elaborate the process in detail step by step: 1. Job analysis: The firm fully evaluates how the job or that particular position is strategically important for the organization and how much is it financially feasible for the organization to fill in that vacancy. This helps form the basis for job design, working arrangements and practices. 2. Job description and person specifications: Every job has its own job description that details what the job demands of the person and what tasks need to be performed against which a person’s performance will be reviewed as a part of the annual appraisal. The person specification states the necessary skills that are required to perform the job. The firm has a standard job description form which is used. The requirements as stated by the job description and person specification form the part of the selection criteria for the vacancy as well. Since Russell Jones and Walker’s policy requires diversity thus it is preferred that job holder have wider knowledge and understanding of responsibilities under these policies and plans. Now, we come to the recruitment stage: 3. Formation of a selection panel: In the company there are specialized group of people who judge and make decisions about whom to hire and whom not to. Thus, a selection panel comprised of concerned people is set up. These people are well trained in the Recruitment and Selection training course. In addition, to the professional recruits, on the selection panel are also the people normally who directly supervise the job; as the person can judge whether the person is suited technically for the job or not. 4. Recruitment method: Since, the company is specialized in its task it prefers hiring on the basis of referrals and word of mouth as opposed to any other; it has preference for experienced personnel rather than new recruits. Thus, on campus recruitment is not a considered option; resumes (Curriculum vitae) are invited through advertisements; appropriate media is selected on the basis of evaluating how effectively it can be reached to all members of the community that are the target audience. Cost and effectiveness are the main reasons that influence the choice regarding which media is to be opted for. The networking involved direct recruitment or tapping people on their shoulder. Internet recruitment is also an option but is not a preferred choice for the Russell Jones and Walker. The resumes usually are not accepted but a standard application form that makes it oblivion to evaluate the candidates applying for the job. An application form has a standard format that covers the demographic, academic, work experience and other relevant fields. The advertisement clearly states the timing until the individual candidates are allowed to apply for a particular job. 5. Applications received: After the advertisement is placed or the relevant candidate pointed out through the referral, the potential individuals are required to fill in the standardized form that is earlier mentioned; the applicants showing their concern in a certain post will receive a recruitment pack that is kind of a term sheet specifying the job description, person specification, and the minimum targets that are to be met until the end of the performance year (appraisal time). 6. Short listing the candidates: All the application forms received as the efforts made in the earlier stages are scrutinized in detail and it is made sure that none are rejected or accepted on the basis of racism, religion, cast, creed, gender etc. In fact, the objective criteria that is matched with the person specification that is defined in one of the earlier stages. Some standards are set and likert scales are developed to evaluate a person on the given criterion. No candidate is rejected on the basis of being physically handicapped as far as the candidate meets the minimum cut off criteria that is similar for all across the board. Russell Jones and Walker aims to show that the company is taking positive steps to employ disabled people.  In its recruitment practices, all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy will be interviewed and considered on their abilities. It ensures that when new vacancies arise, person specifications and job descriptions are reviewed to ensure that they contain no unjustifiable discriminatory requirements or preferences.  Reasonable adjustments are always made to ensure that disabled people are given an equal chance of applying for positions within the organization.  All partners ensure that they examine requests for reasonable adjustments in relation to the job itself with an open mind to what can be achieved with flexibility and a willingness to change.  All staff involved in the recruitment process is aware of the organizations duty not to discriminate against disabled applicants. When recruiting and retaining employees with disabilities, it is ensured that partners make use of the good practice information available, and where necessary seek advice from disability agencies and the Employment Service.  7. Selecting the candidates: The selection panel makes a pre agreement regarding which methods will be used in assessing and selecting the candidates; all methods are related to the criteria mentioned in the person specification to judge an individual against it. No matter, what selection methods are used, face to face interview are conducted; these methods are so designed that they discourage any form of biasness embedded in a certain method. Interviews are a form of social encounter, more than a selection tool; interview may be structured or unstructured, the questions asked may be open or closed ended and more experience based than future oriented. Some of the questions are standardized and later probed into depending on the responses of the individual. Rather than testing the individual’s competence at work, the aim of the interview is to get to know the person better and better. Assessment centers involve assigning an individual to a certain task, in Russell Jones and Walker’s case exercises and case studies to evaluate a certain situation. A person is judged on his or her intelligence, integrity and honesty in deriving at a conclusion and not ignoring the competence that a person has proved or shown. Results also show that the assessment centers are used by approximately 65% of the UK based firms because of their high level of predictability. 8. Appointment: An offer of employment is made to the potential likely candidates who have passed all the assessment and the selection criteria; this is the candidate who is considered to be the best by the selection panel. The selected person is then made an offer and the term sheet given; the term sheet is open for negotiations among the candidate and the Russell Jones and Walker. Negotiations may be conducted with the potential target for things likely pay, other fringe benefits, job requirements and target. Employment offers are normally accepted or rejected on phone, the person is then called on to sign the appointment letter formally. But, the appointment is on pre conditioned on the basis of reference checks and the clearance of all other pre employment formalities. Some of the pre employment formalities or checks include obtaining references, check for any pre criminal offence, medical checks, asylum and immigration clearance; verification of academic and qualifications are also made as a part of the standard operating procedure. The appointment letter also contains terms to the leaving the organization. Conclusion: The recruitment and selection policy and procedure so discusses for Russell Jones and Walker is in line with their diversity objective and the attainment of the best people in their organization. The process may be rigorous but it complies with their goal of being the best in town in terms of services; no compromise is made in selecting the best lot of the people in the firm. Important areas, that are looked for in the candidates is the honesty, integrity and intelligence that comes with maturity by being into that profession. The candidate should have the energy and the grace to go far beyond with the enthusiasm and the optimism. The person should also energize others by inspiring others and taking them along on the path to success. Read More