Factors that Influence Employee Selection - Research Paper Example

?Running head: Factors that influence employee selection Factors that Influence Employee Selection Introduction Modern globalized economies have seenit fit to perfect capital expenditure strategies and marketing and advertising techniques to a mindless and robotic insistence. That is, as much variants as these coefficients may throw an entrepreneurs way, they seem to be able to field all pitches and bat out an eventual homerun. With the cutthroat environment that the globalized market has seen fit to establish, skill, education and even technical know-how have not only served the purpose of sustaining the day to day operations of business entities but have actually evolved into necessary weapons in the race to the top spot. But the fact remains that the business strategies and marketing approach, once set, could only do so much for the corporation. Coupled with the fast changing world, business entities must be capable of evolving well into the modern times by way of progressive policies and restructured operational systems. In this manner, entrepreneurs and top corporate executives have often deemed it necessary to inculcate new ideas into their mandate so as to bring about the necessary transformation into their businesses. Oftentimes, these same executives resort to the utilization of their human resources to effectuate needed changes. What then is the most appropriate and effective manner of seeking the most promising assets that a corporation must undertake? What are the steps needed to establish an intensely competent and motivated roster of professionals? Management of Human Resources Many business owners utilize their human resources as the means to attain advantage over their competitors. But the fact remains that most of them are unable to maximize the full potential of this approach due in large part to the manner by which employee selection and staffing is conducted (Ployhart, 2006). Oftentimes, business entities undertake to acquire personnel on a piecemeal basis resulting to a somewhat failure of integration in the workplace or a multiplicity of directives that result to uncertainty and even internal struggle (Wan, Hoskisson, Short and Yiu, 2011). In such manner, the one thing sought by business entrepreneurs to resolve their problem of corporate degeneration has invariably transformed into a massive dilemma that could only be resolved by an extreme restructuring of the organization. Heinz Weihrich (1983.) stated in his work, “The Management of Human Resources,” that human resource planning and development must not be taken as a miniscule aspect of the management of the affairs of the corporation. Weihrich believes that human resource must be considered as the primal and most significant facet of the organization as the overall functioning of the corporate systemic processes depend on the people that comprise the corporation. Furthermore, human resource must be taken as a situational occurrence that when carried out properly sends out a positive external environment that is more receptive to progress and more resilient to changes (Weihrich, 1983). In this manner, it must be taken to note that the internal condition of the business determines its external associations attributed to efficient functioning and competent execution of the personnel of their designated responsibilities. As such, the management and top executives must implement an effective personnel selection and staffing policy so as to ascertain an organized and effective internal interaction. Steps Towards an Efficient Internal Affairs The process of endeavoring to effectuate an effective personnel selection and staffing must commence with the institution of a diagram itemizing the intended structural transformation in the personnel roster. Weihrich contends that there are ten (10) steps to follow so as to ascertain that the staffing and personnel selection will be undertaken following a detailed procedure affording the best possible outcome. The steps involved are: (1) the creation of an enterprise plan; (2) the establishment of an organizational plan; (3) the determination of the number of managers required; (4) the conduct of the management inventory; (5) the performance of an analysis of the needs of the managers from the internal and external standpoint; (6) conduct of layoffs, demotions, early retirements or other alternatives; (7) the recruitment, selection, placement and promotion of qualified personnel; (8) the appraisal of the managers; (9) training and development; and finally, (10) leading and controlling the established employee roster. The creation of an enterprise plan involves the determination of possible and future business opportunities for the corporation and the targeted objectives set to be attained. From this, the business entity must likewise establish possible alternative channels by which the corporate goals may be attained. This would include additional projects or business transactions, new businesses, new-found technology, substitute systemic process, operational devices and intended expansion to other projected key areas. The next step to be undertaken is the creation of organization plans to establish the blue print of the operations so as to identify the fundamental core of the venture thereby permitting the sawing off of the edges not deemed to be vital activities. After such, the undertakings deemed to be the necessary facets of the industry are identified, the executives must then endeavor to categorize such according to the manner and matter of its inclination (Klimoski, 2009). That is, the re-classification of the departments must be done to eradicate stagnant areas (Klimoski, 2009). Then, managers are designated to take over the established departments to perform the tasks delegated to the specific department assigned to them. In this manner, the high executives are able to identify key areas of the business which would require quantity and quality of personnel. The executives will also be able to determine if there is a need to hire additional managers to oversee the created departments. After all, the number of managers depends on the base organizational structure of the business and its concomitant corporate mandate. This particular step is in no way limited to the verification of the number of managers to be employed (Klimoski, 2009). This likewise necessitates the establishment of the qualifications of the personnel suitable for the positions available. This third step then requires that the corporate mandate be aligned to the strengths of the assigned manager and the competencies of the personnel to be selected (Klimoski, 2009). Then, as a next step, an inventory of the current available human resources must be made. That is, a review of the list of active personnel must be undertaken so as to afford the corporation with the knowledge of its people asset (Robertson, Iles, Gratton and Sharpley, 1991). The skills, capability and proficiency of the currently active personnel must be assessed so that the top executives and the managers may know how to position their people throughout the organization (Robertson, Iles, Gratton and Sharpley, 1991). Then, an analysis of the needs of the managers must be done in conjunction with their external and internal environment. This means that the corporation must examine the departments and the respective managers detailed to it. If a shortage of managers exists, then a possible recruitment from outside of the corporation must be performed or an internal advancement must be carried out (Robert, 1973). As such, the next step to be embarked on is the conduct of lay-offs and demotions or the offering of early retirement opportunities to qualified personnel or any other similar activities or programs aimed at altering the number of detailed personnel in the corporation. The corporation must be careful in selecting the most suitable alternative to decreasing the extant workforce as it may result in the entry of a new batch of employees not limited to altering the course of the business but is likely to transform the over-all business culture as well (Ployhart, 2006). As such, when vacancies have been created by those who retired or who have been involuntarily discharged, the corporation may then endeavor to fill out the spaces generated by such exit. As a matter of policy, corporations will first identify personnel eligible for promotions and will authorize the movement of such deserving employees before seeking to attract the interest of third party applicants (Robert, 1973). From then on, the business enterprise will then strive to recruit fresh blood into the organization through massive head hunting activities. Marsden (1994) states that the process of personnel selection usually involve the taking of a skills and/or proficiency test, personality and intelligence tests and some medical examinations including complete physical exams and drug and/or alcohol testing. But as much as the employers would resort to such stringent and strict qualifications, the fact remains that most employers prefer the utilization of “letters of reference” in getting their employees. Additionally, a study was shown illustrating the fact that most corporations seek to gain personnel by utilizing the communication-based assessment centers which is characterized by the conduct of a thorough evaluation of the hopeful applicant as opposed to the minute study afforded to the interviewer when conducting the pre-employment interview (Papa, 1989). The study also established that the personnel who underwent the assessment were found to have better interpersonal skills, more productive than their counterparts (those who were subjected to an interview) (Papa, 1989). After this, the designated managers will then be evaluated on the basis of their contribution to the advancement of the business as bounded on by the delimitations set forth by each department (Stevens and Campion, 1999). Also, this process will enable the identification of managers eligible to set another foot higher into the corporate echelon. In the same manner, the managers are tasked to evaluate the performance of their subordinates so as to afford them with a view as to which personnel is deserving of a promotion. Stevens and Campion (1999) maintain that in order ascertain whether there is a proper integration or assimilation of the new players, a test must be conducted to determine the effectivity of the teamwork. Stevens and Campion (1999) espoused the “knowledge, skills and abilities” (KSA) as key determinants in establishing healthy working relationships amongst the team members. Furthermore, it was stated that an effective teamwork is evidenced by the implementation of good conflict resolution strategies, collaborative problem solving techniques, open and honest communication, proper goal setting and suitable planning and task coordination. As such, Stevens and Campion (1999) argue that when one of these undertakings is not being carried out properly, then there is a failure in the assimilation of the new member. Following a determination of the competencies of the employees, the managers are then fit to identify key areas that must be improved on and significant abilities and skills that needs to be honed (Abrams, 2002). As such, the nest step to be undertaken is the conduct of training and development activities (Robertson, Iles, Gratton and Sharpley, 1991). In this manner, the corporation is afforded with an in-depth look of the dynamics of the business from the human resource aspect (Wan, Hoskisson, Short and Yiu, 2011). That is, the corporation is able to isolate essential weaknesses in the potential of the workers and have been provided with the means to remedy the situation. From then on, the corporation may set out into the market competition with a relatively lighter load as issues in the human resource aspect have been keenly satisfied. This action will further serve as another selling point of the corporation as the personnel is provided with a glimpse as to how the business is run and what appears to be the priority of the business in terms of assets. In this manner, an effective leadership example is conducted which, in the long run, be a basis of control and authority over the people. Factors Affecting Human Resource Planning The process of selecting personnel, placing them into key positions in the corporation and the over-all management of the affairs of the human resources is affected by a variety of factors. That is, the manner by which human resource management is conducted is influenced in large part, by the corporate mandate, its set goals and objectives, financial capabilities, systemic structure, organizational hierarchy, compensation, policies and even the attendant corporate culture existing in the corporation (Abrams, 2002). Furthermore, conditions outside the workplace likewise affect the management of the human resource of a corporation. This may include societal propensity and the prevailing norm, level of education, political and legal enactments, economic conditions and even religious matters (Abrams, 2002). As such, in order to effectuate an effective selection and staffing, corporations must carefully consider both the internal and external matters that may pose a genuine threat to the conduct of the undertaking (Abrams, 2002). Staffing and Selection Vrendenburgh and Shea-VanFossen (2009) maintain that the human being is a highly subjective specie with a remarkable propensity to adapt to his environment. However, there are certain genetic predispositions that spell out the idiosyncrasies that vary from one individual to the next. These apparent differences then cause competing interests when the people are made to face each other in whatever setting. Vrendenburgh and Shea-VanFossen (2009) further states that in a corporate setting, human resource management is the undisputed key that is seen to level out the discrepancies created by such dissimilarities. That as the people continue to be diverse, the only manner by which a corporation would be able to function towards its set goals is by motivating the employees in a manner that would be deemed applicable to all inclinations and preferences. Furthermore, Jacob, Galinsky and Hill (2008) state that in order to ascertain a smooth functioning of the workplace, six factors must be considered by the top executives by way of human resource management. These are: (1) job autonomy; (2) learning opportunities; (3) supervisor support; (4) peer support; (5) involvement in management decision making; and, (6) workplace flexibility. Jacob, Galinsky and Hill (2008) maintain that the first five factors pertain to the workplace and its viability while the sixth factor related to the ability of the work system to recognize the personnel as an individual whose needs and wants go beyond the boundaries of the workplace. Additionally, it was established that any of the six factors mentioned, that is, job autonomy, learning opportunities, supervisor support, peer support, involvement in management decision making and, workplace flexibility have a direct and positive causal relationship with job retention (Jacob, Galinsky and Hill, 2008). Meaning, these factors spell out the interest of the hopeful applicant to accept a job offer or it may cause a current employee to quit a current post. As a result, the management must be keen on ascertaining the existence of the six factors as these are indicative of the viability of the workplace following the consolation afforded to the staff (Jacob, Galinsky and Hill, 2008). As tools for retention, the management must endeavor to ensure that these six factors are afforded to the workers so as to create a healthy working environment where the personnel would likely stay on longer and commit to the same corporate mandate. After all, the human resource takes up the key position in the over-all success of the undertaking. What Must Be Done The fact of the matter is that the human resource of any corporation takes up the center stage in its entire undertaking as this is the legs by which the conglomerate stands on. As a matter of intrinsic proportions, the people are the main asset of the corporation as they are the pins and bouts through which the operations revolve on. Due to this, the management must take deliberate care in determining the proper personnel who will serve as the machineries that run the operations. Management cannot afford to make mistakes as a step taken towards the wrong path may cause the downfall of the venture. In this manner, ten steps must be done before an all out personnel selection and staffing must be done. The steps involve the creation of an enterprise plan, the establishment of an organizational plan, the determination of the number of managers required, the conduct of the management inventory, the performance of an analysis of the needs of the managers from the internal and external standpoint, conduct of layoffs, demotions, early retirements or other alternatives, recruitment, selection, placement and promotion of qualified personnel, appraisal of the managers, training and development, and finally, leading and controlling the established employee roster. When competent personnel are then placed into position, human resource managers are not free to do well as they please. After all, their task is far from being over. By the mere fact that the personnel are slated in key positions, there then exists a need to ensure that they will remain in position and perform their designated task. In this regard, the managers must endeavor to provide and resolve six issues (Jacob, Galinsky and Hill, 2008). These are job autonomy, learning opportunities, supervisor support, peer support, involvement in management decision making, and, workplace flexibility. When such matters have been addressed, then there will exist a seeming constancy in the workplace following an efficient conduct of human resource management. But the work for human resource managers does not end there. After all, the job will only cease to linger well up to the point where humans are no longer deemed as corporate assets. References Abrams, Michael. (2002). Basics employee retention and turnover: holding managers accountable. Trustee, 55(3), 15 – 18. Ban, C. (2010). Reforming the staffing process in the european union institutions: Moving the sacred cow out of the road. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 76,(1), 5-24. Jacob, J. I., Bond, J. T., Galinsky, E. & Hill, E. (2008). 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