HR Essentials: Workflow Analysis, Planning, and Recruitment
Workflow and Job Analysis
- Purpose: Provides a means for the manager to understand all the tasks required to produce a number of high-quality products, as well as the skills necessary to perform those tasks.
- Output: Product/service, the organization’s picture, HRM department – analyzing customers inside the company and products they desire from HRM functions.
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Work Process:
- All tasks should be performed.
- Tasks broken down into each person’s activities.
- Identifying workloads or the situation of being overstaffed.
- Inputs: Raw inputs, equipment, human skills, and efforts necessary.
Methods for Job Analysis
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | Simple, including information that might not appear on a written form. | Distortion of information. Time-consuming and costly. |
| Questionnaire | A quick, efficient way to obtain information from a large number of employees. Less costly. | Question misinterpretation, high non-response rates, and inaccurate information. |
| Observation | Useful when jobs consist mainly of observable physical activities, e.g., assembly-line worker and accounting clerk. | Not appropriate when the job entails a lot of mental activity (lawyer, design engineer). Distortion of information if an employee is aware of the observation. Key roles can’t be observed. |
HR Planning
Process: Forecast of labor supply and demand → Forecast labor surplus or shortage → Goal setting and strategic planning → Program implementation and evaluation.
Forecasting Labor Demand
- Organization-wide estimate for total demand.
- Unit breakdown for specific skill needs by number and type of employee.
Forecasting External HR Supply
Factors affecting external supply:
- Net migration for an area.
- Individuals entering and leaving the workforce.
- Individuals graduating from schools and colleges.
- Changing workforce composition and patterns.
Forecasting Internal HR Supply
- Effects of promotions, lateral moves, and terminations.
- Succession analysis → Succession plan.
Managing Labor Surplus and Shortage
To reduce surplus: Downsizing, pay or hour reductions, demotions, transfers, work sharing, hiring freeze, natural attrition, early retirement, retraining.
To avoid shortage: Overtime, temporary employees, outsourcing, retrained transfers, turnover reduction, new external hires, technological innovation.
Recruitment and Selection
- Applicant Job Interest: Individuals wanting employment can indicate interest in a number of ways (mail, fax, in person, internet).
- Pre-employment Screening: To determine if applicants meet the minimum qualifications for open jobs before they have the applicants fill out an application (Electronic pre-employment Screening).
- Application Forms: Served as a record of the applicant’s desire to obtain a position, a basic employee record for applicants who are hired, and provides the interviewer with a profile of the applicant that can be used during the interview. It can also be used for research on the effectiveness of the selection process.
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Assessment:
- Testing: Helps select qualified employees. Examples include ability (cognitive, physical, psychomotor, work sample), personality, honesty, and integrity.
- Interview: To obtain additional information and to clarify information gathered throughout the selection process. Two levels: Initial (to see if they meet minimum qualifications) and in-depth interview. Examples include structured interviews (behavioral, situational), less structured (non-directive, stress).
- Background Investigation: Failure to check the backgrounds of people who are hired can lead to embarrassment and legal liability.
- Medical Exam/Drug Test: To determine their physical and mental capabilities for performing jobs.
- References: Provide a valuable snapshot of a candidate’s background and characteristics.
- Making the Job Offer