Assessment of Systematic Process of Recruitment and Selection - Term Paper Example

? Assessment of systematic process of recruitment and selection Contents Introduction……………………………………………………………………………3 Recruitment and Selection…………………………………………………………….3 Role of Diversity on the process of Recruitment and Selection……………………….5 Role of Social Media on the process of Recruitment and Selection……………………8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….9 Introduction A person is an integral part in an organization. Organizations cannot operate without their human resources. In the contemporary, complex, competitive world, the choice of the most appropriate individual for a position has far reaching connotations in the organization’s functioning. Employees well selected would not only contribute to the efficient operation of the company but also offer momentum latent for future replacement. Hiring is an essential aspect of human resource planning which assists in the determination of the number and individuals the firm requires. Organizations strive to attain a diverse workforce. Human resource has continuously evolved, giving diversity in organizations a new face. Though different organizations have different meanings and definition of diversity, contemporary diversity in work places engrosses more than the conventional view that centers on races and gender (Bohlande & Snell, 2011). Changing markets and demographics of labor force have necessitated organizations to intensify their diversity recruitment programs. Diversity in recruitment programs in organizations plays a significant role (CIPD, 2012). Moreover, social media are imperative in recruitment and selection, in the contemporary world. Social media connect people from different parts of the world and have dramatically changed recruitment. Gone are the days when recruitment was narrow and local. This paper critically evaluates the systematic process of staffing, and significance of diversity and social media in the process. Recruitment and Selection The recruitment process of any organization is often the first contact an individual has with the organization, bearing in mind that all participants are already or might also become customers of the organization (Farnham, 2010). A successful recruitment is dependent on finding the right people to make a positive input in the principles and objectives of the company. Aptitude and competence is the core basis of the selection process in order to make an input into the organization's efficacy (Kew & Stredwich, 2010). Different authors and scholars have given the term “recruitment” different meanings. In an organization, recruitment ceases to play a part when the organization ceases to exist. In reference to Stone (2002), recruitment process refers to the process of enlisting people and outsourcing for competent people for employment. This process starts when employers seek new recruits and ends when the applicants submit their applications. This results to a pool of applicants from which the employer selects the best candidates. The main aim of recruitment and selection is to get the right person for the right job position. Authors and scholars have argued that selection resolutions are the most significant decisions of an employer. This is because they influence the employer’s aptitude to attain targets, the superiority of products and services conveyed to the consumer and the welfare of the company team (Taylor, 2005). The ability of an organization to succeed in its goals depends on how well it can identify the various activities that must occur and the quality of the individuals selected to perform them (Marchington & Wilkinson, 2008). It is the responsibility of management to ensure that both activities and personnel are appropriate. By carefully analyzing the purpose, responsibilities and qualifications of each job, the selection process can be made more efficient and fruitful (Perkins & White, 2008). For an organization to recruit and select the most appropriate candidate, the management should analyze and design requirements for the job position through three processes, which are job analysis, job description and job specification. Baum (2006) notes that job analysis consists of “observing and studying a job to determine its proper content, duties and responsibilities, and the conditions under which the work is performed, as well as its relationship to other jobs, and skills, training, attitudes, and abilities necessary to perform such a job.” Job description details the job itself and should include job detail and location, job summary to give the prospective employee a quick but concise explanation of the job content, and comprehensive listing job duties (Bohlande & Snell, 2011). An explanation of the number of people directly supervised and their job titles should be given for the jobs that require a supervisory responsibility. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) note that job specification is a declaration of the human prerequisites essential to perform a task. This includes experience, education, physical effort, training and skills, communication proficiency, and sensory demands, and hand-foot coordination. Marchington and Wilkinson (2008) recommend that any potential hazards to life and limb related to the job should be clearly spelled out. The nature of the hazards and their probability of occurrence should be considered. Role of Diversity in Recruitment and Selection It is vital to be conscious of equal chances legislation and how favoritism can occur in the staffing process. Managers need to ensure that their recruitment and selection processes are valid and nondiscriminatory (SHRM, 2012). It is imperative for organizations to embrace diversity in their recruitment and selection processes. Daniels and MacDonald (2005) note that diversity involves the inclusion of ethnic and racial minority groups, women, disabled people, older people and people for whom English is not a native language, in recruitment and selection process. Needless to say, diversity involves embracing people from different geographic locations, religion, recreational habits, income, work experience, parental and marital status and different educational background. According to Daniels and MacDonald (2005), diversity recruitment plays a significant role in an organization’s profitability and growth. In the contemporary, competitive business environment, having people from all walks of life is a competitive advantage and a source of power. This is because in order to appeal to the large customer base, the organizations require employing people from all walks of life. Taylor (2005) asserts firms can tap into their specialized knowledge and insights about the market place by hiring a diverse work force. Diversity in recruitment is an imperative facet in an organization that desires to build a quality work force. The available talent and the demographic transformations influencing labor will necessitate the growth of diversity recruitment in the near future (Skillsoff, 2012). Organizations, firms and companies will have to adapt to the transforming demographic makeup of labor force to be competitive in the contemporary business environment. Labor force has become diverse. Minority groups have experienced a high growth rate in their labor force, and the population growth rates of the diverse groups are projected to be higher than that of whites. For instance, Hispanic labor force is estimated to increase by 35% by 2015. On the other hand, Asian American and African American labor forces are expected to grow by 32% and 17% respectively by 2015. Needless to say, women labor force is estimated to have increased by 12 percent by 2015 (HRM Guide, 2012). Authors and scholars have argued that companies with a diverse work force have a competitive advantage. When an organization recruits a diverse work force, the organization has a greater malleability and flexibility in a swiftly changing business environment. In addition, the organization will attract and retain the best talent, reduce turnover costs, low productivity and absenteeism. Daniels and MacDonald (2005) notes that diversity in recruitment assists the organization in gaining a new market share and keeping a greater market share with a diverse customer base. Recruiting a diverse work force fosters a positive community relation. Companies have built a sizeable reputation and established themselves as the best employer by developing exemplary relations and partnerships with minority communities and other groups (CIPD, 2012). In this regard, the company will experience a low turnover and create a positive brand among consumers and the public. In order to build and maintain a diverse work force, organizations offer incentives, acknowledgment and rewards for identifying and hiring diverse people. Increasing employee satisfaction can make the company more appealing to different, diverse groups. On the other hand, establishing college associations is another way of building and maintaining diversity in recruitment. Firms can establish strong ties with student chapters of minority professional associations. Sponsoring students and offering internships to students is an effective way of ensuring diversity in a company’s recruitment process (Daniels & MacDonald, 2005). A successful diversity recruitment and selection process starts with clear objectives. Planning on the building and maintenance of a diverse workforce gives an organization extra edge when the changes come. For a diversity program to be well articulated in the recruitment process, the organization must ensure that its objectives are tailored to the needs, objectives and issues of the company and core principles and procedures (Daniels & MacDonald, 2005). The objectives of the organization must be communicated to all departments of the organization. All employees in the company must be made aware of the importance of diversity in the work force. Moreover, the organization’s human resource personnel must make use of the recent and up to date market research in order to improve the existing diversity recruitment program. A market research will assist the personnel in identifying the demographics of the interested recruits and their job choice resolution criterion. Market research can assist an organization in better understanding the interested candidates (CIPD, 2012). Role of Social Media in Recruitment and Selection Social media are an expanding and increasing medium of communication across nations. Social media comprise Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Myspace etc. Arguably, social media are the fastest global growing communication platform. Nowadays, people spend one or two hours in the social media for both personal and professional purposes. Because of the increased population in the world and nations, getting the right person at the right place and time is tremendously challenging and difficult and costly. Social media refer to websites or any other online communication means used by large groups who share information and create a social connection. Social media are a global medium organizations have used in observing a candidate’s social interactions on the social media. For instance, LinkedIn and Facebook have more than 100 million active members globally. These numbers are increasing extensively. According to authors and researchers, social media are a platform which presents an organization with a large pool of untapped reservoir of talent (Taylor, 2005). In essence, social media provide employers with an opportunity to connect with prospective candidates at a personal level, which gives recruitment a unique dimension since intervention of the Internet. Employers use social media as a recruitment advertising medium that can be moderated to center on recruitment adverts on employment seekers who have shown interest in a subject or company closely related to the position being advertised (Skillsoff, 2012). On the other hand, social media have negatively affected the recruitment process. An organization’s branding can be negatively affected by social media. Research indicates that an organization can lose control of people’s comments and posts on the company’s posts on the recruitment adverts. It is possible to have a person share a post and other friends or contacts comment negatively about the organization or the position being advertised. Moreover, posting advertisements on the social media can jeopardize the company’s authoritative voice (Skillsoff, 2012). An employee in an organization may take up the responsibility of answering comments and posts by friends and give irrelevant or incorrect information. Though social media provide an organization with a great number of audiences, this may be a challenge to an organization that is advertising short term employment (Skillsoff, 2012). For instance, a short term accountant vacancy advert in Facebook seeking a CPA finalist would attract so many people from all corners of the world. Obtaining a person from a different country would entail a lot of paper work and would take more time. Conclusion Recruitment and selection have attained significance in the contemporary organizations. This is because an organization’s future is dependent on them. If suitable employees are selected, the organization will be productive. While recruiting candidates for a job vacancy, it is essential to consider diversity. Diversity is unimpeachable. References Bohlande, G. W., & Snell, S. A. (2011). Principles of human resources management (16th ed.). Cengage Learning. Baum, T. (2006). Human resource management for tourism, hospitality and leisure. London: Thompson. CIPD. (2012). Diversity and equality in recruitment. CIPD. Retrieved  2012, from http://http://www.cipd.co.uk/hr-topics/diversity-equality. Daniels, K., &MacDonald, L. (2005). Equality, diversity and discrimination. CIPD: London. Farnham, D. (2010). Human resource management in context. CIPD: London. HRM Guide. (2012). Recruitment and selection in a business. HRM guide. Retrieved from http://http://www.hrmguide.co.uk. Kew, J., & Stredwich, J. (2010). Human resource management in a business context. CIPD. London. 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