Role of HRM in Selection Process - Essay Example

Role of HRM in Selection Process Introduction The selection process is usually centred in the human resource (HR) department and it is widely believed that employee selection via interview can help an organisation to attract staff and encourage high work performance though to a certain extent, the interview technique may be seen as less reliable. Against this background, the aim of this essay is to discuss and evaluate this assertion with the aim of appreciating the theoretical functions of HRM in the running of the day to day activities of the organisation. The discussion will also encompass the critical evaluation of social, cultural and environmental influences on HRM policies in different organisations. An effort to create an understanding of the factors that influence HR policies in international organisations will be made in this discussion of the above mentioned subject. Selection process In order to critically discuss the above assertion, it is imperative to begin by explaining the meaning of selection as well as that of interview so as to gain a clear understanding of the HR function with regards to the concept of selection which is one of the basic tenets of HRM in an organisation. Selection involves choosing the best applicant from a pool of candidates who have applied for a position in the organisation taking into consideration the requirements of the job and that of the organisation (Armstrong 1999). Thus, to select is to discriminate whereby a suitable candidate will be selected from a group of applicants. Of particular concern is the issue of how to discriminate fairly and more particularly, how to achieve this in the context of the human resources procurement process (Swanepoel 1998). It is always advocated that this process must be free from bias for the effectiveness of the organisation’s performance. This process forms the core function of the HRM and it determines the organisation’s future effectiveness in its performance. In general terms, for discrimination to be fair, the criterion used to differentiate must be relevant to the business objectives of the organisation and to their achievement (Swanepoel 1998). The process whereby the new entrants to the organisation’s workforce are identified, attracted and screened takes place within the larger context of the organisation’s strategies and goals. Therefore, this selection process involves making a judgement not mainly about the applicant but about a good fit between this person and the job offered. The human resources approach posits that organisational goals and human needs are mutual and compatible: one set need not be gained at the expense of the other (Carell et al 1995). In most cases, these elements are interrelated and they often affect the function of human resources management. Research has shown that almost half of the employees who quit their jobs voluntarily within their first year in USA cite wrong fit as the reason (Grobler et al 2006). Selecting the right people in the first place is advantageous in that the new entrants will be likely to be productive given that they will have shown the enthusiasm to be part of the company which can spell their productiveness in the future. Role of HRM in selection process In some cases, it is argued that there is no poor or safe method of determining the best person to fill any position since there are many subjective factors that are involved. This process is perhaps at the heart of HRM function whereby it can be noted that if the selection process is well administered, the employee will be able to achieve personal career goals and the organisation will immensely benefit from a productive, satisfied employee. Basically, the selection process pulls together organisational goals, job design and performance appraisal as well as recruitment (Armstrong 1999). The ultimate stage often involves determining the appropriate selection device that can be used in the selection process. These range from interviews, tests or any other related device so as to allow the HRM to select the best candidate possessing the desired traits, characteristics and skills. This is a process which requires careful consideration given that the effectiveness of the organisation is strongly dependent on the quality of the employees it hires. Interview technique Among the different selection devices available, the interviewing technique is seen as more reliable and it is widely believed that employee selection via interview can help an organisation to attract staff and encourage high work performance. Initial screening of the candidates is done on the basis of reviewing the CVs available and an interviewing technique is one of the methods available for use in the final selection of the candidate to be hired. One of the most common instruments for selecting employees is the employment interviews. The aim of the interview is to determine the applicant’s degree of suitability for a job by matching the information given by the applicant to the job requirements. Grobbler (2006) posits to the effect that the main purpose of the interview is to determine three things about the applicant : (1) does the applicant have the ability to perform the job? (2). Will the applicant be motivated to be successful? (3) Will the applicant meet the needs of the organisation? Types of interviews Interviews mainly range from unstructured to structured forms. Structured interviews are mainly comprised of two essential features such as careful and systematic planning where there is use of a skilled interviewer (Carrel et 1995). This kind of interview is designed on the basis of the requirements of the job for which the selection is taking place. It is widely believed that a systematic approach to a given problem is likely to produce reliable results compared to something randomly done given that there will be proper planning first before engaging in an interview. The interviewer will gather as much questions and information as possible to ask the applicant and ascertain if he has the qualities to perform. The interviewers will also be able to ascertain if the applicant meets the needs of the organisation. Thus, the reason for conducting the interview in this case is to obtain the precise job related information about the applicant. The procedure for the structured interview provides for the framework that can be used in the interviewing process and the questions asked will be asked to all the candidates. In this case, the chances of bias will be minimal given that all the applicants will be asked the same structured questions and the one who will prove that he has more knowledge about the job and the organisational requirements will stand better chances of grabbing the opportunity to win the job. The unstructured is poorly organised type of interview where there is no attempt to explore specific areas for information about the applicant. Indeed, it is a noble idea that the prospective candidate has to first meet the HRM panellists in a face to face situation through an interview but it has been argued that this process has got its own flaws though it is somehow helpful in the selection process. In the event that the organisation relies on unstructured interviews, then this kind of technique used for selection must not be considered as the sole method of selection but perhaps can be used in conjunction with other methods such as a written test before proceeding to the interview. The main problem with this kind of the interview is that it is biased as it does not seek to obtain objective knowledge related to the job from the interviewee. The discussion will be more of informal which might not guarantee that once the prospective employee has been hired, he will be productive or that he will perform to his or her best for the benefit of the organisation. Role of HRM in selection Despite all these problems, there is still a need for the HRM in particular to meet face to face with the applicant to ensure that the applicant will fit in with the organisation. Most of the people have a tendency of exaggerating their information when they write their CVs so the interviewing technique is seen as a more ideal technique to solicit for personal information about the candidate’s qualities as well as his knowledge about the company to establish if he is the most suitable person for the job offering available. It is a noble idea for the HRM to have an encounter with a prospective candidate in form of an interview so that they will be better positioned to make informed decisions about the person they will seek to hire on the basis of first hand information they will obtain from him. Indeed, the effectiveness of the employees determine the effectiveness of the organisation and its competitiveness in view of the way other organisations will be operating. In spite of some of the short comings of the interview technique, it can be seen that it is one of the most effective techniques that can be implemented in the final stages of the selection process. Thus, the interview is here to stay and the onus is on the manager to improve the success of the interview or to continue fooling himself. The value of the interview can be increased by well trained and skilled interviewers to ensure that they obtain adequate information so as to ensure a proper fit between the worker and the work. An organisation that is concerned about its competitiveness should select the right people in the first place and an interviewing technique is one viable technique about soliciting for personal information that will reflect the true qualities of the ideal person to be hired in view of the fit to the job requirements. Stages in the selection process The selection process is comprised of different stages and most of the information about a prospective candidate is available on a CV. In some cases, there may be tendencies of exaggerating that information so the purpose of the interview will be to get final details about the applicant especially about training, experience, goals and values in relation to the job offered. The other purpose of the interview is to check thoroughly the background of the prospective candidate to see if he can be able to meet the requirements of the job. An applicant who will be able to satisfy the interviewers is likely to be groomed to meet the organisation’s expectations which in turn will help in improving his or her performance. Serious people about getting the job are concerned about satisfying the interviewers that they will be able to positively contribute to the overall performance of the organisation as a whole. In some cases, personal information contained in CVs may be biased and the interview is one viable method that will provide the platform for the HRM to get more details about the prospective candidate’s competencies to fit in with the requirements of the job. Some people may be highly qualified but they may lack the required experience to execute the job so the interview will help to probe for such personal and often private information which can only be obtainable through verbal communication in a face to face situation. A candidate must not be selected on the basis of his or her level of education and qualifications but there are also some personal traits that make people different from the others. This also helps determine their suitability to certain job positions compared to the other applicants. Significance of culture In view of the above argument, it can be noted that HRM policies in organisations are not only limited to recruitment and selection but they extent to include other facets of the organisation such as dealing with the welfare of the employees that also includes solving conflicts, motivating the employees as well as doing performance appraisals among other things. Thus, social, cultural and environmental factors influence HRM policy in different organisational settings in many ways and they also affect the HR policy at international level. According to Werner et al (2003), culture can be loosely defined as a way of doing things by an identified group of people. Two different cultures namely organisational culture and the culture of the local people in the area where an organisation is operating ought to be taken into consideration when the HRM is shaping its policies. In this regard, the role of the human resource department thus becomes even more important in the context of operating in areas with different cultural backgrounds as it has a bearing on the way the organisation will perform and operate on a daily basis. It is the role of the HRM to ensure that the organisations have a culture. It can be noted that organisations operate in a dynamic environment during the current period and it is characterised by various factors such as competition, economic, social as well as political factors. These factors affect the operations of an organisation in many ways and it is widely believed that the concept of human resources management plays a pivotal role in the growth of a company. Thus, “HRM is a system of philosophies, policies, and practices that affect the people who work in the organization. It includes activities related to staffing, training and development, performance review and evaluation as well as compensation,” (Jackson et al 2001:242). It can be noted that people are the most important resource in the production of goods and services and are capable of determining the way an organisation can operate. Human resources approach The human resource approach is more ideal as far as company growth is concerned. This is a twofold approach through which the organisation benefits in two ways where it seeks to increase its effectiveness as well as increasing the satisfaction of the workers. As noted already, the human resource is the major driver of the organisation and its development hence measures should be put in place that are meant to ensure that the need for the organisation to achieve its goals as well as satisfying the needs of the employees are balanced which can be a long term guarantee of organisational growth. Thus, recruitment efforts seek to fulfil the needs of both the applicant as well as those of the organisation. For this reason, the recruitment and selection of the human resources is a very critical HR function which seeks to ensure that the long term plans and goals of the organisation are achieved which also promotes growth of the company. A company which is more concerned about its development should treat the employee as a valuable asset rather than just an ordinary person who works with instructions from the superiors all the time within a particular organisation. Workers should be able to meet certain standards of performance so as to ensure that they achieve the organisational goals set. Measures such as training the workers to meet the expectations of the organisation’s operations ought to be put in place so as to ensure that the organisation maintains its competitiveness through the use of effective employees. It is also the role of the HRM to take into consideration the social needs and interests of the employees in order to form meaningful policies that will reflect these. Human resources development Selecting the right candidates in an organisation is not an end in itself in as far as company growth and development are concerned. There is need for constant human resources development (HRD) so as to ensure that the employees keep pace with the changing environment obtaining on the ground. HRD refers to all the methods used by an organisation to help its employees to develop their skills at work (Kleynhans R. et al 2007). This is about choosing the skills that need to be developed in the employees so that they will develop their performance standards. As discussed above, if the organisation selects the right people first through the interviewing technique, there will be need for the HRM to ensure that training and development are tools used in this process so as to ensure that the workers are able to face different challenges at work. Indeed, organisations operate in a dynamic environment hence the need to take a holistic approach so as to be able to keep pace with any changes that can be witnessed in the environment in which the organisation operates. HRD is very important since it improves the effectiveness of the employees who in turn improve the organisation’s competitiveness and effectiveness. Competition is another factor that affects the operations of an organisation hence the need to develop the employees who form the back bone of the organisation. In order to achieve this feat, training and development can be implemented with the aim of trying to overcome the weaknesses that may cause them to perform below capacity. There is also need for the HRM to be influenced by the need for learning in the organisation when they formulate their policies. Development of the organisation can also be achieved through learning. Jackson and Schuler (2000), described learning as the process where the employees gain knowledge from others through interaction and this helps the organisation to remain viable. Learning is mainly concerned with creativity and innovation, which is about creating positive change about the operations of the organisation. Therefore, there is need for HRM to develop a free organisational climate that is accommodative and promotes creativity and innovation. Knowledge management One very important aspect that must help the HRM shape their policy is the fact that organisations concerned about their growth and development should run on the basis of knowledge management than employees doing the work using their hands. There is need for the employees to gain knowledge or given the opportunity to acquire the necessary skills needed in the dispensation of their duties. Vygotsky (1962, 1968) suggests that social growth is caused mainly by social interaction normally referred to as socialisation and this in turn will also lead to easy management of that knowledge created. Psychologically, an individual can use his mind to learn something with the aim of gaining knowledge while external factors can as well play a vital role in influencing the creation of knowledge. The development of knowledge is meant to improve the operations of a target group which share common values and norms in an organisation. Knowledge management is very essential in ensuring the viability of an organisation especially during the current period characterised by the changing environment. According to Andriopoulos & Dawson (2009), managing change, creativity & innovation is the most crucial role for organisations to survive and thrive as we move into a knowledge economy driven. Against this background, it can be noted that the HR manager has a crucial role to play given that he is mainly concerned with dealing with issues related to human resources who are the main drivers of production in an organisation. Human resources management particularly knowledge management in organisations is pivotal in order for them to continue developing. It can be noted that organisations operate in a dynamic environment which is constantly changing and for them to remain viable, change is inevitable in order to be able to keep pace with the developments taking place in the business environment. The human resources are regarded as important in the change process hence the need to take into consideration their needs and wants as part of the change process. Against this background, it can be noted that knowledge management is a virtue as far as managing change, creativity and innovation are concerned. The concept of organisational structure plays a pivotal role as far as managing change, creativity are concerned. According to Schultz (2003), an organisation which has a flat structure and is autonomous in decision making is likely to promote creativity. A flattened structure can help easier communication and information sharing hence, it enhances creativity. HRM plays a pivotal role in an organisation and they need to anticipate forces in the organisation’s external and internal environment. Global/international HRM policies Research has also shown the importance of human resources especially in the changing global environment in which organisations operate and the link with the performance of the organisations. In every organisation, there ought to be rules that guide its operations hence the HRM policies in multi national or international organisations should be standardised so as to work as a guide in formulation of policies with regards to the working conditions of all employees across the globe. If there is uniformity in such policies, it becomes easier for the management to monitor the performance of the employees and it can be easier to formulate as well as implement strategies if there is consensus in the global policies of human resources management for the organisation. The global HR policies to be implemented ought to be accommodative to a diverse range of cultures. With the advent of globalisation, it can be noted that organisations can operate in different parts of the globe and it must always be borne in mind that there are diverse cultures with different values across the globe. It is imperative for the HRM policies to take into consideration the value system of the local people in different host countries since these would form the labour pool. Failure to realize that would negatively impact on the operations of the organisation. The policies that are not compatible with the value system of the employees can be difficult to implement. This is the reason why the HRM would need to establish during their selection process if the potential candidate can be able to adapt to other cultures in the case of global organisations. Global HR policies should enable the HR managers to positively influence their employees to improve on their performance so as to be able to achieve the organisational goals set. Employees are likely to be highly motivated if they are being led by an exemplary person as he would try to establish a free environment in which the workers would not feel betrayed or let down by the introduction of new policies that will discriminate against them. Good policies are likely to promote staff retention across the globe and these managers should put measures in place that treat the employee as a valuable asset to the organisation as a way of motivating them to do their best in as far as performance is concerned. It should always be noted that managers operating in global environments should also be accommodative to different cultural values of different people from different cultural backgrounds since globalisation promotes the migration of labour from different regions to the others. Many people are migrating to different regions across the globe in search of employment and the HR policies in global organisations should be developed in an impartial way particularly when it comes to selecting or hiring the employees. The HR managers of these organisations should not be influenced by such factors as race, gender, religion or culture when selecting employees to join the organisation or when dealing with people already employed by the organisation. Many of them will be from different cultural backgrounds. Managers in different regions ought to be accommodative to diverse cultural values so as to create a peaceful working environment that is characterised by mutual understanding where the employees can freely share their ideas towards the attainment of the organisation’s goals. There is need for constant development of the management in this area as this ensures the smooth operations of the organisation in the face of changing times as well as the business environment. Conclusion Over and above, it can be concluded that the selection process is usually centred in the human resource (HR) department and it is widely believed that employee selection via interview can help an organisation to attract staff and encourage high work performance though it has been noted that to a certain extent, the interview technique may be seen as less reliable. Against this background, the aim of this essay sought to discuss and evaluate this assertion with the aim of appreciating the theoretical functions of HRM in the running of the day to day activities of the organisation. The discussion also noted that there are various factors that influence HR polices both at domestic and international level. References Amos T.L., et al 2008. Human Resources Management. 3rd Edition. JUTA Andriopoulos C & Dawson P. (2009). 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