Recruitment, Selection, Retention of Employees - Coursework Example

Recruitment, Selection, Retention of Employees Name Course Instructors Name 4th May 2010 Human resource management requires utilisation of numerous skills to ensure productivity is championed and employees are satisfied by their contributions to the organisation. Thus, this paper analyses employment recruitment, selection and retention strategies within an organisation that has five thousand employees. Nature and significance of employee recruitment Recruitment may be defined as the process that is used by organizations and businesses to locate and attract job seekers in order to fill positions within the organisation. This means that an effective and appropriate recruitment approach is a useful requirement for an organisation and ensures the entire process competes effectively with limited human resources (Thuermer, 2006). Therefore, for an organisation to capitalise on competitive advantage, it is prudent for these organisations to choose the most appropriate recruitment method that bests picks the best pool of candidates easily and cost effective. Usually, five steps that an organisation follows to ensure that they achieve the right recruits: Identify the job opening Job openings may be identified in different forms ranging from employees resigning to openings due to development. The major problem that usually occurs is the period in which the entire process of employing applying for an opportunity to the time when he is employed. For example, screening of the employee, posting of applications letters until the time the employee resigns from the other job and for the entire process to run smoothly, hence it is a demanding process (Branham, 2005). This generally means that it is the requirement for HR department to identify openings in advance and be able to plan for short and long-term recruitment processes. Projection of future openings enables HR to strategise and implement recruitment strategies. Some of the questions that HR should ask themselves include: Are new positions budgeted for? Is business development may contribute to the requirement of new employees? Is there any chance of expected turnover and the number of turnover Strategies to fill the job opening The organisation may decide whether to employ a new employee or use alternatives such as providing overtime to complete the tasks needed. Moreover, other strategies that exist include job redesign and job elimination. In the case the organisation decides to fill the vacancy, the organisation is forced to address two issues which are recruitment of candidates external or internal, or/and outsource the process. Identification of the target population The next step is determination the type of population to fill the vacancy. In defining the target population, the organisation is forced to address two issues, which are deciding whether to specify on specific applicant segment or specification of worker requirements (Falcone, 2006). This means that the organisation is supposed to identify requirements of the position that include salary range, reporting relationship, the duties and competencies of new recruits. All these information can easily be obtained through job analysis and job description. In the case of internal recruitment, some questions that should be asked include should the post be open for all employees or should the organisation utilise a discrimination criteria (Thuermer, 2006). Notification of target group After the specific applicant population has been identified, it is imperative to determine means of notifying these individuals regarding the vacant position. The organisation may utilise two strategies, which are high-involvement and low-involvement. Low involvement brings into consideration capabilities and capacities of the organisation such as products, services and brand of the organisation while high involvement includes strategies such as detailed recruitment advertisements. Determination of specific means of informing the targeted population includes the use of job postings, employee referrals, campus college interviews, and Internet job sites. Meet with the candidates The final step is for the qualified candidates to be brought for the assessment procedures and interviews. The candidates should be provided with information about the organisation since failure for not providing for such information could be detrimental in the process of recruitment. Without appropriate information, the candidate may decide to accept an offer without knowing all the aspects resulting in job dissatisfaction or may refuse the position without knowing the attractive features of the job. Employee Turnover Employee turnover is a situation that occurs when employees decides to voluntarily leave their jobs and thus should be replaced. Usually, turnover is represented as a percentage of employees leaving the job verses total workforce. For example, fifty percent turnover means that a half of the employees of an organisation left the job within the year (Falcone, 2006). Nevertheless, turnover should be differentiated with other aspects that make employees to leave their positions such as layoffs, termination and employer’s discretion responding to changes in business conditions. The severity of employee turnover usually fluctuates between businesses and industries, and also it depends on economic health of places where the companies are located. Those organisations that have advanced technologies, successful industries usually report low turnover rates while other industries such as fast food restaurants reports a high turnover rates. Causes of employee turnover One of the major causes of employee turnover is the expectation of getting a better pay elsewhere. This phenomenon can be witnessed at all economic ladder from high stress positions to executives to even entry jobs. High turnover s not only associated with pay, but there are other factors that forces employees to leave such as an atmosphere where employees look for reasons to quit. Generally, it means that pay is partly associated with employees turnover but numerous factors usually exists that force employees to shift/switch jobs (Falcone, 2006). Other factor that contributes to employee turnover is management practices. Turnover rates is reported in areas where the employees feel that hey are ignored or undervalued, where they feel they are taken advantage of, or where they feel unimportant or helpless. This means that in those situations where managers are arbitrary, impersonal, and demanding, it exists higher chances of alienation resulting in employee turnover. Moreover, management policies may also contribute into the environment in such factors as whether the employee incentives and benefits appear stingy or generous, or whether the organisation is responsive to employee’s wants and needs. Other major managerial contribution to employee turnover is corporate decisions in events such as layoffs and mergers may make the employees decide to change jobs. Employee turnovers may also be associated with demographic factors especially for women (or men) that are forced o balance between family duties and work requirements at the same time. Some of these people are forced to leave an organisation instead of sacrificing their other responsibilities and interests in order for the job to work out (Thuermer, 2006). In certain circumstances, women decide to quite during situations such as childbirth rather than deciding to take maternity leave. Moreover, women’s perceptions regarding organisation culture or been aware of glass ceiling that may lower expectations of attaining top-level positions may make them decide to leave certain position. These factors generally translate into high turnovers for women in numerous organisations (Buckingham and Coffman, 1999). Retirement is another contributing factor and may contribute to higher rates of turnover due to loss of experienced employees, and such changes may affect productivity, especially in those organisations that has little competition. Nevertheless, work stress may contribute to employee turnover. This is usually evident in service industry where employees are forced to deal with customers who are aggressive, have bad moods, and some of them may be discriminates. This means that an employee will decide to change from service industry to production industry to escape from these challenges (Falcone, 2006). Effects of Employee turnover When the rate of turnover is high, it poses a serious obstacle to the quality productivity, and profitability of the organisation. In the case of small organisations, employee turnover may be disastrous but large organisations may introduce strategies easily to deal with such issues (Leek, 2005). For those organisations that specialises in service provision e.g. account management and management consulting, high employee turnover may be problematic, and it may lad to customer dissatisfaction and may lead to customer turnover since the customer may feel that they are attached to the employee. Additionally, customers may perceive that the quality of the service offered may dip because of change in representative every time. Employee turnover may also be costly for an organisation depending on the type of job the employee was performing before quitting. In simple tasks such as employee fill jars of jam could take about five minutes while training and developing a machinery attendant may take a longer period plus the cost associated (Leek, 2005). Research and studies has shown that employee turnover is also associated with transient workers and usually has lasting effects on those loyal employees who are in the organisation. Some of the studies associated productivity among employees who were managed by management planted individual who resigned from his work/task stating that they were dissatisfied with the organisation and the ob itself. A second group of workers who worked with a manager planted by the organisation since the original manager was ill were able to perform well compared to the planted manager who replaced the manager who had resigned (Delery & Doty, 1996). This means that the employees who worked under the manager who resigned took to heart his/her complainer’s statements rather than those work worked under the manager who was ill since nothing bad was associated with the company. Generally, the bigger concern on employee turnover is the cost associated. It costs employers a lot especially when it comes to paperwork, separation costs, vacancy cost, unemployment, including temporary employees, overtime and replacement costs that includes interview time, advertisement, training, relocation, and decreased productivity (Wellborn, 2004). How to prevent employee turnover Employee turnover can be achieved through reducing those issues that inhibits overall organisation morale (Zemke, 1999). Some of the benefits that can be used to boost morale includes performance reviews, family and work balance, performance based incentives, along with other normal factors such as sick days, paid holidays, and this could translate into lower employee turnover rates (Withers, 2001). Moreover, another factor that may determine employee turnover rate is not only the employee replacement costs but also the company performance. This means if an organisation is not getting the performance that is expected, means that it is prudent to incur replacement cost (Leek, 2005). Key employee retention is important and critical requirement for successful and healthy organization. Many people and managers accept that satisfied and retaining of the best employees ensures product sales, customer satisfaction, reporting to staff, satisfied co-workers, imbedded organizational learning and knowledge, and effective succession planning. These are important factors that many managers know but they employ strategies that are not conducive for employee optimization of their capabilities. This means that managers and leaders should change their perception and ways of leading their businesses. Employee retention is paramount sine it is associated with numerous costs such as investment and insecurity perceived by co-workers, and thus retaining of employees is important. This means that employee retention is a primary measure that can be utilized t gauge the health of the organization. Hence, if the organization is losing important people especially the most product people means that other departments are watching the changing environment, which means that there are higher chances that the other individuals could decide to leave the organization (Wanous, 1989). One of the strategy that can be used to determine the nature and circumstances in which employees decide to leave a job is through interviewing the leaving employee and utilize the regions proposed by this employ to formulate and implement strategies that could prevent or retain the remaining employee. Thus, interviewing leaving employees provides sufficient and useful information to prevent future mistakes or reasons for employees leaving (Wellborn, 2004). Employees should clearly be informed on their roles and responsibilities clearly stating their goals and aims. This means that the quality of supervision is critical in employee retention (Vinokur-Kaplan, Jayaratne, & Chess, 1994). Generally, it means any aspect that supervisor takes and how the employee feel may determine the future of the employee. For example, if an employee feels that he is unvalued increases the chances for him leaving the organization and vice verse is true. Some of the common complains by the employees include lack of clarity about aims, earning potential and performance, and they also complain of failure to hold schedule meetings and failure of providing a clear framework. Moreover, the freedom given to the employee may reduce chances of employee turnover. Those organizations that incorporate employees in decision-making and soliciting ideas from the employees creates conducive environment that reduces chances of employee resigning or changing opportunities. Thus, empowered employees can improve the way organizations operate and hence may contribute to continuous improvement (Buckingham and Coffman, 1999). Another major important aspect that can be utilized to prevent employees from changing positions is skill and talent utilization. For example, a motivated worker is likely contribute to areas beyond their jurisdiction (Delery & Shaw, 2001). For example, a marketing manager may request assistance from external consultants and refuse to give the opportunity to sales representative that has more than seven years in marketing industry and has enough experience that could assist in the way the initiative could be accomplished. Such sales person may likely decide to quite his position and job because his skills and talent are not maximized (Tracy, & Pine, 2000). All employees should be treated equally and thus equality and fairness should be championed. This means chances and opportunities should be provided based on frameworks that are supported by the organisation (Branham, 2005). Therefore, it means that all stakeholders with the organisation should maximise on their opportunities while at the same time been provided with opportunities to improve in terms of career wise (Tracy & Pine, 2000). Usually, the timeframe that is used to change the approach of employee retention and reduces the impact of consequences of managerial shortcomings ranges depending on the nature of the organisation (Collins, 1994). A large organisation should formulate and implement a framework that encourages and champions the views of employees, and thus resulting in the improvement of tasks and productivity of the organisation. This means that the formwork can be one day or even it can take years to implement, which means that clear framework should be in place (Branham, 2005). Reference Branham, L. (2005). The seven hidden reasons employees leave. New York: American Management Association Buckingham M. and Coffman, C. (1999). First, break all the rules. New York: Simon and Schuster. Collins, M. 2001. Recruiting for diversity: Best practices for building re4lationships with historically black colleges and universities. Journal of Career Planning and Employment, 62(1), pp. 17-24 Collins, P. 1994. 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Winefield, H. & Barlow, J. 1995. Client and worker satisfaction in a child protection agency, Child Abuse and Neglect, 10(8), pp. 897-905. Withers, P. 2001. Retention strategies that respond to worker values. Workforce, 80(7), pp. 36-43. Zemke, R. 1999. Don’t fix that company! Training, 36(6) pp. 26-33 Read More