Humen resource management. Communications Officer at Care International - Essay Example

?Section Introduction In order to establish if the chosen candi selected for a particular position in the organisation is the right one, it isimportant to consider a number of factors. When management fails to get a proper match, both employee performance and satisfaction suffer (Robbins, 1993).There is need to match individual characteristics with the requirements of the job and this can be done through a job analysis. This is the foundation for many human resources programs as it provides the basic information about the requirements of the job as well as forecasting on the needs of the job. Therefore, this HRM portfolio seeks to evaluate the significance of job analysis and design with regards to sustainability of organisations during the contemporary period and the discussion is centred on the position of Communication’s Officer at Care International. As such, the portfolio is structured as follows: the first section looks at the description of the job and organisation, the second section focuses on job analysis plan as well as discussion about the link between job analysis and design and sustainability of an organisation’s human resources. The last section focuses on outlining job descriptions in modern workplaces. The role of Communications Officer is mainly concerned with gathering as well as disseminating information about the activities in which the organisation is involved in. As highlighted, Care International is a Non Governmental Organisation that is concerned with offering humanitarian assistance to families that have been impacted by natural disasters. This organisation seeks donations on behalf of people who have been affected by natural disasters from different organisations and these are distributed to the people in need. The organisation is also involved in assessing the magnitude of natural disasters in different situations and it coordinates the efforts of the other organisations towards provision of relief to people who have been affected. The organisation operates in different parts of the country and it sources its donations from different organisations. The donations are distributed to the people in need through different agents across the country. The job is very strategic to the organisation in various ways. A Communications Officer role is to interact directly with the people in order to gather information about those in need as well as to establish the nature of problems they are facing. This person is also responsible for communicating vital information about the organisation to different stakeholders that may be involved in its operations. For instance, the Communications Officer will also be responsible for speaking on behalf of the company about various activities it is involved in to different stakeholders. This person is also responsible for disseminating any information or correspondence with other employees in the organisation. The incumbent person for this particular position should possess effective communication skills, both verbally and written since he or she deals with vital information about the organisation. This position is people oriented hence there is need for selecting the right person since the image of the organisation is portrayed through the Communications Officer. Section 2: a. This section outlines a job analysis plan that details the method going to be used to conduct an analysis for the post of Communications Officer. The first step is concerned with outlining the role expectations of the Communications Officer in the organisation. This step helps to define the role expectations of this incumbent person with regards to the duties going to be performed. In as far as planning is concerned, this role is very important given that it enables the recruiters to select the ideal candidate from a pool of potential job applicants. For instance, a Communications Officer has to possess effective communication skills in order to be able to execute this particular type of job. Defining the position also helps to determine the level of competence among the prospective candidates. Having outlined the role expectations of the Communication Officer, it becomes imperative to specify the qualifications needed in order for one to be able to get the job. In this particular case, the minimum qualifications should be a degree in journalism and communication or any other related qualification. The other important stage in designing a job analysis plan is related to choosing the method of conducting the actual analysis. In this particular case, the individual interview method is ideal given that it has several advantages as going to be discussed below. Selected job incumbents are extensively interviewed and the results of a number of these interviews are combined into a single job analysis. b. There is little doubt that the interview method is the most widely used selection device that organisations rely upon to differentiate candidates (Robbins, 1993). An interview method carries a lot of weight given that its results tend to have a greater influence on the selection process. A candidate who poorly performs in an interview is likely to fail given that he or she would have failed to satisfy the requirements for the job. This method is widely used as it enables the recruiters to come closer to the prospective job candidates. The candidate is given the opportunity to show his or her level of competence to perform the task. In some cases, applicants may tend to exaggerate their qualifications and this selection method is advantageous in that the applicant is given the platform to show that he has the true qualities for the position. This method is very ideal in that the candidate is in a position to prove that he has the potential to carry out the expected tasks. According to Carell et al (1995), interviews are good for assessing the candidate’s intelligence, level of motivation, and interpersonal skills. Whenever performance is concerned in senior positions, this method is ideal given that the applicant is given the opportunity to clearly outline his or her expectations from the organisation. The applicant is given the chance to show his skills with regards to the position. In case of the post of Communications Officer, the incumbent candidate is given the opportunity to prove if he or she possesses effective communication skills as expected by the organisation. The other advantage of this method is that all information about the applicant as well as his expectations of the job is gathered which is vital for designing a job as going to be illustrated below. c. In order to establish the link between job analysis and design, it is imperative to begin by defining the concepts in order to gain a clear understanding of their meaning. Basically, job analysis is the process of identifying the tasks, responsibilities and context of a role, and the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes or other characteristics required to perform the job (Stone, 2012). This is a stage by stage process of obtaining information that is vital in order to establish if the candidate is capable of performing the activities that are needed for taking that job in an organisation. On the other hand, a job design is regarded as the way a job is structured in order to motivate the employees or to appeal to their interests so that they can put optimum performance in their performance (Callaghan, 1994). As such, it can be noted from the above definitions that there is close link between these two concepts as they have a bearing on the performance of the human resources in one way or the other. Having established the skills, knowledge, abilities and other competencies required for the candidate to perform the job, it becomes imperative to design the job in such a way that it will appeal to the interests of the employees so that they can put optimum performance in their operations. Good working conditions and pay are important but in themselves they cannot create interest in a boring job. Therefore, people wish to be treated as valuable assets to the organisation not just organic machines without ideas or emotions (Callaghan, 1994). If a job is designed in an attractive fashion, then the performance of the employees is likely to be improved as well. If the individual worker gains little satisfaction from the job, that person is less likely to take pride in that particular job which entails that his skills as well as competencies are not being fully utilised. Through a job analysis, information gathered about the skills, competencies as well capabilities is very crucial in that it determines the value of a job which enables the HRM to make informed decisions about compensation as well as other related benefits to the workers (Swanepoel, 1998). A job analysis is used to design aspects such as salaries as well as benefits to the employees. It can therefore be noted that there is a close relationship between a job analysis and design as they complement each other. The job task is also designed on the basis of information that is available from the job analysis carried. With a proper job analysis in place, there are less chances of duplication of roles since all posts are carefully designed to suit the expectations of the individual as well as the organisation. It can be noted that the concepts of job analysis and design are significant in as far as sustainability of an organisations' human resources is concerned. Basically, the process of conducting a job analysis is significant in that it helps to promote good relations within an organisation which is very effective in sustaining its operations. If the tasks are also carefully designed, good relations among the employees are likely to be promoted. These two concepts also help the organisation to be more objective in making performance appraisals as well as determining other factors related to promotion. Decision making is another important aspect in the operations of the organisation which is determined by the concepts of job analysis and design. When these concepts are fully implemented, informed decisions that can contribute to the growth and development of the organisation are likely to be implemented. It can therefore be noted that these concepts can lead to sustainability of the human resources as they would be motivated to put optimum effort in their performance. Motivated employees are productive in their operations as they are aware of the benefits they can get from their work. A sense of belongingness to the organisation is created as they can identify with it. According to Amos et al (2008), employees form the bedrock of the organisation as they are responsible for performing all the tasks. If their tasks are designed in such a fashion that will appeal to their interests, they are likely to be motivated to stay longer in the organisation. The organisation will be in a position to sustain its human resources if they are in a position to stay longer in it. Retention of employees is one good sign that shows that he organisation is in a position to sustain its employees given that they will be motivated to continue working for it due to the benefits they will be getting from it. From this discussion, it can be noted that there is a correlation between job analysis and design as they have a bearing on the performance of the employees. Section 3: a. The position of Communication officer at Care International is related to dissemination of vital information to the employees as well as other external stakeholders. The incumbent person will also be responsible for communicating the policy of the organisation to relevant people. The Communications Officer also has a duty to gather information related to the operations of the organisation from different sources. The Communications Officer will also be responsible for coordinating press conferences to inform stakeholders about the operations of the organisation. b. Advertisement for the Position of Communications Officer at Care International: Suitably qualified candidates are invited to fill the position of Communications Officer at care international. The minimum qualification for this position is a Degree in Journalism and Communication or any related field. A Masters Degree in a related field is an added advantage. The main duties involve: Coordinating all communication processes for the organisation, preparing press releases and coordinating press conferences as well as communicating the policy of the organisation to relevant stakeholders. The incumbent applicant must possess the following qualities: Effective communication skills, both orally and written Deadline driven A team player Ability to work under pressure A clean driver’s licence c. This advertisement will be placed in the classifieds section of local and national press. This is one of the commonest forms of advertising for jobs given that their circulation covers a greater geographical location. According to Callaghan (1994), advertising in press may be expensive but for senior jobs where the widest possible field is required, the cost is justified by alerting a very wide market to the available post. For instance, the position of Communications Officer is regarded as senior since it involves the handling of vital information which affects the operations of the organisation as a whole. Therefore, there is need to reach as many potential candidates for the position as possible. Both local and national papers have classified sections for jobs and vacancies and this particular advertisement can be posted to these particular sections. A national Sunday paper is ideal for this senior position given that a lot of jobs are mainly posted in such kind of newspapers. Newspapers cover a wide area in their circulation and there are chances that the advert will attract the best candidates. It can also be noted that newspapers are regarded as a job market and this is the reason why they are ideal for advertisements involving senior positions. As per tradition, job hunters often buy newspapers to look for advertisements related to the areas of their expertise. Though it may be expensive to place an advertisement in a newspaper, the press is generally affordable hence it is an ideal channel to place an advertisement since there are likely to be many buyers of the paper. Research has shown that newspapers contain vital information as they are capable of carrying large amounts of content in the same edition unlike other forms of media. Therefore, it can be noted that there are many advantages of placing this advert in a newspaper compared to other forms of media. This advert can also be placed in a specialist journal which is frequently used for advertising professional posts. According to Callaghan (1994), the methods of using press as well as specialist journals is advantageous in that these media have expert staff who assist advertisers with layout. This is important because the advertisement will appeal to the interests of many people. Basically, an advert has to appeal to the interests of the targeted people in order to attract the best candidates. An advertisement should also be designed in such a way that it is easier to understand. The other advantage of using the press and specialist journals is that these have a known market readers hence it becomes easier for the company to reach a lot of people. The other advantage of newspapers is that they cover a wide geographical area and there are high chances that job seekers will come across this particular advertisement. National newspapers in particular have a wide readership which increases the chances of the advert for being seen by many people. An advert that is designed in a special way is likely to appeal to many people which increases the chances of the above mentioned organisation to attract a large pool of applicants. d. In most cases, the information obtained from a job analysis leads to another outcome known as job description. According to Grobler et al (2006), a job description is a written statement of what a jobholder does, how it is done and why it is done. Job descriptions are very important in modern workplaces as going to be illustrated below. If a worker is aware of the position he or she holds in the company, then there are limited chances of confusion with regards to duplication of duties since all the positions would be clearly outlined. There is a tendency by some people to cross their functional lines if their jobs are not carefully described and this causes confusion among the employees. In order to promote peaceful coexistence in the organisation, each employee should be aware of his or her expectation in order to avoid confusion. A job description is also vital in modern workplaces in that it is easier to determine the scale for remuneration since all the information about the job is provided in the task. Some people tend to think that their positions are similar to others whilst a closer look shows that they would be different. This often leads to confusion where such people will demand the same payment as the others whilst in actual fact they hold different positions. Therefore, in order to minimise the chances of misunderstandings of such magnitude, it is important for the HRM to give job descriptions so that each person is aware of his role expectations. A person who is aware of his role in an organisation is likely to put optimum effort in his or her performance in order to develop his skills such that he can get promotion. A job description offers a solution with regards to the steps that can be taken in as far as growth and development of an individual are concerned. According to Werner (2007), a job description is important during the contemporary period because it makes processes such as recruitment and selection a bit easier for the HRM in a particular organisation. Suitably qualified persons who meet the description of the job are likely to be selected and these are experienced and they have the knowledge for the available post. Though continuous training and development are important to the organisation, it can be seen that a lot of resources are not wasted through rigorous training of the employees. People selected on the basis of their knowledge for the job are easy to train than those who have little knowledge about the task. It also becomes easier to identify talent when a job is clearly defined in the organisation. When a job is described, employees are in a position to be creative as they are aware of what is expected of them in the organisation. Knowledge about the task can be shared among those people doing the same task which enhances their performance. A job description is also important in that it enables the employees to have a broad understanding of their role expectations in the organisation. It becomes easier for the management to delegate tasks to other employees as they are fully aware of what needs to be done in the organisation. If all jobs in an organisation are described, it becomes easier for the management to manage and control the people. The line of authority is clearly stated as the employees are aware of the person they should report. Duties and responsibilities can be easily assigned given that all people in the organisation know what is expected of them. Job descriptions also help the HRM to shape different positions occupied by different people so as to differentiate their roles. Without a clearly defined job position, it may be difficult to manage the employees and this is the reason a job description is important in modern workplaces. A job description also helps to attract talented employees as they are in a position to match their skills and those required by the organisation. Conclusion Over and above it can be noted that every organisation must recruit and select the best candidate from the pool of applicants available. In order to fill a vacant position, there are various methods that are taken into consideration. As discussed above, a job analysis is used to determine the skills, knowledge as well as capabilities among other factors possessed by an individual with regards to the post available. This strategy is used to select the best candidate and it is based on the information collected about the job. This process is very important as it allows the recruiter and applicant to be in a better position to know the requirements of the job. This helps to reduce conflicts in an organisation as each individual is fully aware of his or her own task. On the other hand, a job design is used to outline the structure of the job and it plays a complimentary role to the process of job analysis. In modern workplaces, a job description is very important given that it helps to minimise conflicts in an organisation since each person will be aware of his role expectations. As illustrated in the portfolio of Care International outlining the position of a Communications officer, it can be seen that a job analysis plays a pivotal role in the selection of the ideal candidate to fill the position. In this particular case, it can be noted that a job analysis, design and description play a complementary role as they are specifically concerned with dealing with issues related to human resources. If these are fully utilised, they contribute towards the sustainability of the human resources in an organisation. The employees are motivated if they are aware of their role expectations which lead to productivity of the organisation. References Amos, TL et al 2008, Human Resources Management, 3rd Edition, JUTA: CT. Callaghan, P 1994, Business, 2nd Edition, Business Education Publishers Limited: London. Carrell, R et al 1995, Human Resources Management: Global Strategies for managing a diverse workforce, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall, USA. Grobler, P et al 2006, Human Resource Management, 3rd Edition, Thompson Learning: London. Robbins, SP (1993, Organisational behaviour: Concepts, controversies and Applications, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall: NJ. 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