Managers and Professionals form just under 20% of Deltas’ workforce, and clearly have an affect on the extent to which the business is successful. They will normally be found at the top of the businesses organisational and internal structures, responsible for devising strategies and delegating responsibility. They can also often be found in supervisory roles, ensuring that employees are working to an appropriate standard. The business must therefore, plan adequately for the recruitment and selection of such personnel, and ensure suitable staff can be found locally.
According to table ‘a’, which considers the projected occupation demand, for particular occupation groups. The net requirement for Managers and Professionals will increase by around 127.97%, the highest out of all occupation groups. In simple terms, between 1997 and 2005, more Managers and Professional must be recruited, than staff in any other occupation group.
Table ‘b’ considers the projected qualification demand for staff in particular occupation groups. It states that Managers and Professionals will form the highest qualified occupation group, with over 60% educated at degree or professional level.
This data has certain implications for the recruitment of Managers and Professionals within Delta. It illustrates that staff in this occupation group will be in extremely high demand, not only by Delta, but also by other similar business operating in the local area. The data also illustrates that Managers and Professionals will not only be in extremely high demand, but they will also be very well qualified. Just below 10% were not academically qualified at all. It is important to understand that this will mean Managers and Professionals will be very expensive to recruit and maintain. They are in high demand will therefore demand high salaries, which must be accompanied by good working environments. The majority will be highly qualified, which will only contribute to what they will expect from an employer in terms of job satisfaction and self-realisation. These negative implications will make the labour market for Managers and Professional increasingly competitive between employers, which can only benefit the staff themselves. It may also result in the business having to employ staff of a low quality as a result of an increasingly competitive market and mounting recruitment and selection costs. However, table ‘b’ does illustrate that potential Managers and Professional are increasingly becoming qualified to a high standard, which can only benefit a business that can afford such personnel. It can only make the market more competitive.
In an attempt to respond to such data, Delta should re-enforce its focus towards internal recruitment, which involves recruiting staff internally. This will motivate current staff and help to strengthen the businesses culture. It will also save on recruitment and selection costs. Internal recruitment will ensure that those promoted will have the necessary skills and knowledge needed to fulfil their position, and it is likely that those promoted will have a clear understanding of what the job entails. When recruiting internally, it is likely that those promoted will not be very highly qualified, which means they are cheaper to maintain in terms of their salaries. However, it is important to recognise that those who are promoted, may need to undertake some kind of practical or academic training programme to be in a position to fulfil their responsibilities. This can be expensive, but as already stated, long-term training and developing costs, clearly outweigh the benefits of short-term recruitment and selection. A vacancy filled through internal recruitment will always result in another vacancy to fill, although it may not be so challenging to find a suitable employee locally. I believe internal recruitment would be the most suitable method for responding to the increasingly competitive market for Managers and Professionals.
A1, How is external labour market information useful to the business when planning recruitment?
Delta finds external labour market information very useful when planning human resources for the business. Data may directly affect recruitment to the organisation and will normally help to give an indication whether the business is likely to find suitable employees locally.
External labour market information may be used to assess whether local organisations are looking for similar types of staff, and determine how competitive the market for labour is. The business will then respond to this information by deciding to recruit internally or by not recruiting at all.
If many businesses are looking for similar types of staff, then it is likely that recruiting and selecting the right staff will be very expensive and may not be cost efficient in proportion to the return the business is likely to receive.
External labour market information is useful when assessing future demand for a particular occupation group and helps the business to plan its human resources long into the future.
It is used to monitor demographic trends in an attempt to realise the likely hood of finding local personnel to fulfil future and current vacancies. It may also be used to assess skills shortages in certain areas, so that the organisation can get an idea of any future training and development, which may be needed to ensure staff can do their jobs properly. In employment areas where skill shortages are significantly high, the market for this labour will be very competitive, and the business will need to plan how it intends to appeal to such personnel.
E3, Key features of recruitment documents
Examples of all recruitment document explained can be found as an appendix in this report.
Job Description
A job description will list the main requirements of a job. Delta is beginning to use job descriptions for almost every job they have – from caretaker to managing director.
In drawing up a job description there are a number of approaches that may be applied by the Human Resource Department. These have been listed below:
- The line manager may draw up a description of what the job entails,
- the existing jobholder can do it or
- the Human Resource Manager can interview the jobholder and the line manager to find out what the job involves.
In most cases, Delta believes it is best to use a combination of all three approaches.
Once information has been collected, using a combination of the approaches listed above, it will be necessary to draw up the document itself.
As stated by Delta, the main features of a job description are:
- The job title
- The location of a job
- A brief outline of what the employing organisation does
- The main purpose of the job
- A detailed list of the main tasks required in a job
- The standards the job holder will be required to achieve
- Pay and other benefits
- Promotion prospects
- The person to whom the jobholder reports
- The person(s) who report(s) to the jobholder
Person Specification
A person specification will set out the qualities of an ideal candidate in contrast to the job description, which sets out the duties and responsibilities of a job.
In order to devise a person specification, Delta uses a ‘seven-point plan’. This bases the person specification upon seven separate groups of characteristics:
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Physique, health and appearance – this includes grooming, looks, dress, sense, voice, hearing and eyesight as well as general health matters.
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Attainments – this includes educational qualifications, vocational qualifications and job experience.
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General Intelligence – this may be estimated via IQ tests and by assessment of general reasoning ability.
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Special aptitudes – any skills a potential applicant may require, including skills with words or with numbers.
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Interests – states whether the applicant should be intellectual, practical, social or a mixture of all.
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Disposition – this is an assessment of a persons’ acceptability by other people, leadership qualities, the persons’ emotional stability and self-reliance.
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Circumstances – factors such as age, whether single or married, whether mobile or not.
The seven-point plan requires managers to distinguish between essential and desirable qualities under each of the seven headings.
The application form
This is a commonly used method of selection. Delta devotes much of its time to producing better application forms, capable of extracting more accurate information from applicants. A typical form will require details on addresses, next of kin, education, training, qualifications, work experience, non-work interests and the names of referees from whom the organisation can collect personal recommendations.
C2, Analysis of key recruitment documents in relation to the purpose of each document.
Job Description
When devising a job description, there are a number of methods available to Delta, which have been listed as part of E3.
Delta has stated that instead of using just one of these methods, it uses a combination of all three.
Clearly, if the existing jobholder was solely responsible for drawing up a job description they may produce a biased perspective of what the job involves. It could be predicted that most people would exaggerate the importance of their position and the effort and ability required to fulfil that position.
On the other hand, if the line manager was responsible for drawing up a description of what a job entails, it is likely they would miss out many small but important tasks, which are only obvious to the jobholder.
By taking a broad approach to devising job descriptions, Delta is allowing itself to itemise all the tasks involved in a job accurately and is also more likely to be in a position to allocate a proportion of the working week to each task.
The list of tasks and the relative importance of each one is important for several reasons. In carrying out the appraisals for employees a manager cannot appraise his/her employees if he/she does not know what the job involves. When analysing the job for training needs the manager must be able to see what tasks the job involves so that he/she can determine what training may be required. In planning the size of the workforce for the future, it will be necessary to know exactly what tasks each job involves in case the re-allocation of tasks is required. When determining pay, analysis of and comparisons between job descriptions means that each job can then be allocated a pay rate. This process is known as ‘job evaluation’. Clearly none of this is possible without good quality and detailed job descriptions.
Once the relevant information is collected, the document itself must be formulated. The main features of a job description, as stated by Delta have also been included as part of E3. It is important to understand the quality of information in relation to the purpose of each document.
The job title (point 1) is important as it is vital applicants know exactly what job they are applying for. This will normally be kept broad, which is important if employees are to be in a position to carry out a wide range of tasks.
The location of a job (point 2) makes clear where the vacancy is available. This is a vital requirement as it may be exposed in areas other than that in which the vacancy is available. Potential candidates will immediately dismiss the vacancy if it is unsuitable, reducing the need for short-listing candidates that are not in a position to do the job properly.
A brief outline of what the organisation does (point 3) may help to attract high quality candidates who perceive the organisation as having a responsible nature. It may also reduce the need for short-listing candidates who have issue with the method by which business is conducted
The main purpose of the job, a detailed list of the main tasks required in the job and the standards that the jobholder is required to achieve (points 4, 5 and 6) are the most important features of any job description, as they ensure that anyone interested in applying knows what they would be required to do if offered the job.
Pay, benefits and promotional prospects (points 7 and 8) are needed to draw in high quality applicants.
Finally, the person to whom the jobholder reports and the person(s) who report(s) to the jobholder (points 9 and 10) give the applicant a clear idea of the position of the job within the whole organisation.
Person Specification
A person specification is used to set out the qualities of an ideal candidate.
There are seven separate groups of characteristics on which a person specification is based. It is important to understand the quality of information in relation to the purpose of each document.
Physique, health and appearance (point 1), is important for a number of reasons. Some jobs will require candidates to have a specific level of physique or health, for example manual roles in the organisations export warehouse. Some jobs particularly those in customer facing areas will have certain requirements with regard to appearance (grooming, look and dress). If a vacancy involves talking on the telephone, there may be special considerations to be made with regard to a candidates voice projection and hearing capabilities.
Attainments (point 2) include educational qualifications, vocational qualifications and any previous work experience an ideal candidate may have completed. Some qualifications are necessary to be in a position to fulfil certain vacancies, particularly those that require knowledge in specific areas, such as administration or management. They also provide an appropriate source for short-listing applicants who may have acquired qualifications or work experience as stated by the person specification.
General Intelligence (point 3) may be assessed via IQ tests and by assessment of general reasoning ability. Some positions will require a higher level of intelligence than others, and in some cases, where training and development is applicable to ensure a newcomer has the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out his/her tasks, a specific level of intelligence may be outlined as part of the person specification.
Special aptitudes (point 4) will list any skills a potential applicant may require to fulfil the vacancy. These skills would include any skills with words or with numbers.
Interests (point 5) give an idea of the type of person ideally suitable for the vacancy, for example, a person’s interests can help to classify someone as intellectual, practical, social or a mixture of all three.
Disposition (point 6) is an assessment of a persons acceptability by other people, leadership qualities, the person’s emotional stability and self-reliance. These are all important considerations when recruiting a new employee, outlining basic psychological criteria, which may be used to select a candidate.
Circumstances (point 6) include factors such as age, whether single or married, whether mobile or not. These factors will be specified only in relation to the vacancy that is available, if it is needed to ensure the candidate is in a position to carry out his/her tasks.
E3, Factors to consider when planning to fill a vacancy
Filling a vacancy
Vacancies for jobs within Delta may exist for one of several reasons. It is possible that a new job is made available due to the expansion of the organisation or an employee has retired or been dismissed. Internal promotions may have occurred – the vacancy arises because the previous holder has been given a better job in the same organisation. Someone may have died – sadly there are some employees die whilst during their working lives. There may be restructuring of the business, which means there are gaps to be filled in the organisation. Someone may have left because they do not like the job or have found a better job elsewhere.
Alternatives to filling a vacancy
The Human Resource department is under constant pressure to justify the filling of a vacancy because it will save the organisation money if they do not. There are several alternatives to filling a vacancy, which include overtime by remaining employees, restructuring of the work, employing part time staff and increasing the use of machinery and technology. All have benefits and disadvantages.
At this stage it is important the Human Resources Manager looks critically at the job description and person specification for this vacancy. From these documents (later examined) it will be possible to decide how far it is practical to rely on these options instead of filling the vacancy.
Filling the vacancy – finding the applicants
If it is decided that the vacancy will need filling, then the next stage will be where to look for candidates. There are only two sources of candidate – internal and external.
Internal candidates
Unless the vacancy is for the lowest grade job possible, there will be internal candidate who are interested in the vacancy for promotion.
An organisation with a reputation for internal advancement will find it easier to motivate staff, whereas in organisations where internal advancement is rare, staff will be less committed to their work and may be preoccupied with external job applications. The organisation is also more likely to attract candidates of high quality if they see that there is a future career in it. Internal candidates know the organisation and what will be expected of them, and they can become effective in the new job very quickly.
Although there is bound to be bitterness from other internal candidate who did not get the job, they will at least feel that there will be other future career opportunities in the organisation and that they may get a promotion at a later date.
When recruiting internally, the organisation will not need to rely upon external references – accurate information will be available from department heads and other colleagues.
Successful candidates may suffer role conflict in that they are now senior to people with whom they worked with as equals – there may be problem for them in asserting their authority. It is also possible, that an employee promoted internally may be expected to pick up the new job in an unreasonably short space of time. Filling a vacancy always leaves another vacancy to fill.
External candidates
There are clear advantages of recruiting candidates externally. There is a much wider range of people from which to choose and newcomers bring a flow of new ideas into the organisation. A newcomer is not associated with the old policies of the organisation, and for this reason it is always a good idea to bring people in from outside if a change in the organisational culture is planned. It is also likely that newcomers will be more flexible, which is more useful to the organisation and they may bring skills and management techniques from their former employers, which Delta may wish to adopt.
There are also many disadvantages of filling a vacancy via the use of external candidates. It is far more expensive than internal recruitment. It also takes time for a newcomer to get used to his or her employer, and therefore the newcomer will not be performing effectively for the initial period. People who move between jobs have a better idea of their market value than people who stay with the same organisation for a long time, and they make best use of this by threatening to leave unless they receive pay rises or rapid promotion. Employers have to rely heavily on the references of other employers, and in reality, these can be quite unreliable – people are sometimes given good references by their employers simply to help get rid of them.
E3, Factors to consider when carrying out interviews
An interview is normally the final stage in the process of filling a job vacancy. Interviews are arranged for almost every kind of job. The process of shifting through recruitment documents means that only a small minority of applicants are short-listed for an interview. Interviews take up time of those managers who have to carry them out, which can be costly to business.
If an interview is conducted in a poorly thought out and badly structured manner, it can reflect on the organisation, perpetuating a derogatory image. An interview requires careful planning.
Planning an interview
It is vital an interviewer clearly understands his or her objectives. To some it may seem obvious but one key objective is to fill in the gaps, which are left once the information from application forms, CV’s and references have been explored. It is important to note those points raised in the application form that are of particular importance, for detailed, in-depth discussion.
An interviewer must decide if the vacancy requires just one interviewer or two or even a panel of four or five. There may be advantages and disadvantages to either approach.
One to one interviews may put an applicant at ease allowing him/her to talk more naturally. However, a single interviewer may lack the depth and range of knowledge of a panel of experts. A single interviewer may suffer from bias and can be highly prejudiced.
If there is more than one interviewer, the panel should ensure that there is a planning meeting beforehand to decide how the questioning will be shared out. An image may be tarnished if interviewers interrupt or contradict each other, or repeat the same question more than once.
Practical points for interviewers
An interviewer must make sure that clear instructions are sent to the applicant, stating the precise time and venue for which the interview is scheduled. Sometimes a map and a list of hotels may be useful for those coming from far away.
If possible interviews should be planned so that applicants are interviewed almost immediately once they have arrived. Allowing them to leave as soon as possible.
If a test is required, administrative arrangements should be made.
The facilities will also have to be organised well in advance. An interview room and a comfortable waiting room with freely available tea and coffee are important. If interviews take all day, applicants should be offered lunch.
Carrying out an interview
As a rule the ‘talking split’ in a job interview should be 20% for the interviewer and 80% for the interviewee. The interviewer can learn much more about the interviewee if he/she listens than if he/she talks. Listening is not just not talking, it is also the art of conveying to the applicant that you are interested in what they are saying, together with the ability to make the occasional comment which encourages them to say a lot more.
An interview should always begin with a number of friendly questions in order to set the candidate at ease. More detailed questions can then be asked in relation to the vacancy itself.
At the end of an interview, the interviewer should give the candidate an opportunity to ask a few questions in order to resolve any queries they may have.
After an Interview
Once all candidates have been interviewed, one or more must be selected according to vacancy requirements. Interview panels can sometimes find it hard to choose between the final two or three applicants and although they need to know the outcome of the interviews as soon as possible, there should be a thorough analysis of all the information collected about each of them. Key points that must be considered before selecting an applicant include attainments, experience, disposition and reference letters.
The job descriptions and person specifications are also used to make the final selection. From these documents a list of selection criteria is devised applicable to the job. Candidates will then be awarded a mark out of ten for each of the criteria. Results will be analysed allowing the panel to see where they have similar marks and where they differ slightly. They then need to discuss these differences and make a final decision.
When telling unsuccessful applicants they have failed to get the job, it is important to be polite in order to maintain a respectable image for the organisation.
The successful applicant should be notified first of all. They may be looking for other jobs and may turn down the offer. It is wise to wait a day or too before notifying unsuccessful candidates, as they may have to be re considered for the vacancy.
E4, Key aspects of training and developing staff and its importance to the business
Training may be divided into two categories: ‘on the job’ training or ‘off the job’ training.
‘On the job’ training
This means the employee acquires their training or development in the workplace itself. Many people prefer the direct link with their job, as they can see how their training or development contributes to their work.
‘Off the job’ training
This means attending courses away from the workplace. This type of training is important to an employee’s career development as well as forming an integral part of a training programme.
Non-transferable and transferable skills
Skills acquired by employee’s can either be transferable or non-transferable. All types of training or development fall under one of these two headings.
Non-transferable skills
These are skills only applicable to the job held. They are of little use in any other job.
Transferable skills
These are skills that may be used in a wide variety of jobs.
People with transferable skills are more useful to employers because they learn a job quickly and may therefore be cheaper to train.
This ability to use skills more widely is called positive transfer.
Types of training
Induction training for new employees
An induction is a way of introducing new employees to the organisation, its way of life and its ‘culture’.
A successful job applicant will normally be provided with some kind of induction training.
Induction training will normally involve a tour of the building to show the newcomer to all of the important areas including the canteen, sick room, pay office, toilets and car parking. They will also be introduced to important members of staff, such as pay clerks and those responsible for first aid.
They must be introduced to their new workplace, - the specific area in which they will operate.
It may also be necessary to tell them some background information about the organisation.
Initial training
Initial training is used to ensure that the new employee can carry out his/her role in a competent manner. All new employees are given training immediately after the induction procedures have been carried out.
Updating training
Employees must learn new skills in order to replace those that may have become redundant.
There is a ‘culture’ of training in which employees are increasingly expected to update knowledge and skills on a regular basis.
Multi-skill training
Multi-skill training is the process by which Delta aim to ensure employees are trained to do several jobs rather than just one.
It allows an employee to do the work of somebody who is absent through illness or on holiday.
Employees are more motivated because doing several jobs is usually more interesting than doing just one; where an employee is able to do several jobs it increases their value to the organisation and makes them feel more appreciated and secure.
Open learning centres
In order to encourage off the job training, Delta provision the use of open learning or self learning centres where employees can study a range of topics in their spare time. These will often be work related (time management or business communications).
The idea is to get employees to realise the importance of keeping up to date with new developments industry and in their own particular areas of work.
Training courses
‘In house’ training courses
This is where employers run courses within the organisation. Courses will normally be held in an ordinary office room owned by the organisation. ‘In house’ training courses will be offered when no other alternatives are viable, - an example would be the organisations induction programme.
In house courses are relatively cheap as there is no need to employ outside trainers and lecturers. The course content may be tailor made for the organisation and references and examples to highlight points can be related to everyday work. There is no time wasting. There isn’t a need to get to know people as everybody knows one another.
External courses
There are times when it is necessary to send staff to do courses elsewhere. This may be with another employer or at a specialist-training centre.
One of the main benefits of using external courses is that staff can be brought together with specialist trainers/tutors who would never be available to an in-house course chiefly because of the high costs involved. Course members from several organisations may get together, enabling them to learn more about each other and their respective organisations. Trainers place great value on the benefits of being away from the workplace, - course members are in a comfortable peaceful environment, isolated from any distractions.
External courses will normally be quite expensive as costs include accommodation and the payment of guest speakers.
Vocational and professional courses
Internal and external courses will often be supported by courses run by local colleges and universities. These courses can provide essential knowledge to reinforce what is learnt in the workplace and on in-house training courses. College courses include vocational courses and professional courses:
Vocational courses
Vocational courses provide qualifications in job related skills. Standards may be assessed in the workplace or in the college by various examining bodies.
Professional courses
All professions can be associated with professional training schemes, which can be used to help an employee acquire relevant qualifications that may help to develop their career. Colleges may be given permission to run the courses and the students will sit exams normally set by professional bodies.
Developing employees
Delta use several techniques to help promising young employees to develop their abilities and give the managers a better idea of where the employees’ future may lie:
Job rotation
Job rotation allows employees to widen their knowledge and enhance their practical skills that may be used to contribute to business objectives. It may result in some employees being qualified to do more than one job.
Job enlargement
Giving employees extra tasks gives management a better idea of their true capacity, stamina and ability.
Job enrichment
Adding more interesting and difficult tasks to do the job. This may be done with an employee who demonstrates high potential, to see just how capable he or she really is.
Understudying
An employee may be asked to act as an assistant to a senior manager. This gives the employee an insight into senior management and may be used to groom able employees to move rapidly into a top job.
Mentoring
This is where an experienced senior manager is allocated to a young employee in order to help them structure their career within the organisation. Their mentor passes on their experience, insight and wisdom. They will advise young employees on how to deal with a range of managerial problems, but are not there to help them improve specific skills.
Coaching
This is similar to mentoring, however, it is hoped that coaching helps employees to develop their skills in a number of specific management areas. Such skills will include communicating with staff, budgeting, how to appraise staff and how to carry out disciplinary procedures.
Project work
Sometimes a promising young employee will be asked to produce an investigative project. It will normally enable them to develop a greater appreciation for many aspects of the organisation and to get to know senior managers. A typical project may involve the employee devising ways in which costs may be cut, - this may involve proposing redundancies or restructuring the workforce. How they handle people in sensitive areas can give an accurate picture of whether they have potential to take on a more senior post in the future.
Internal and external courses
Potential managers will normally be sent on a wide range of courses to help them and the organisation develop their skills and other abilities. Some courses will provide them with detailed information they need to take on more responsible jobs. A special type of course, called the ‘survival weekend’ is now becoming extremely popular. A group of managers or potential managers are brought together and given tasks to perform in a hostile environment. Tasks might include building bridges across streams, rock climbing or canoeing, - in most cases the aim will be to get participants to work together as a team and to develop leadership skills.
Studying for further qualifications
Delta always encourages full time, able employees to study for further qualifications. This not only increases their knowledge for us at work and value to the organisation. It also demonstrates they have the stamina to complete courses which may be two or three years long.
Delta will not encourage employees to carry out any of the activities listed above, unless it leads to improved career prospect within the organisation.
E5, The purpose of performance management and how the businesses approach may be influenced by motivational theory.
The Purpose of performance management
Performance management involves the regular and systematic assessment of a persons’ work. It is welcomed both by employees and managers so long as it is done fairly and managers are trained how to do it properly.
Performance management helps to identify training needs and it can reveal problems amongst the workforce, for example, any communication problems that could arise as a result of racial or sexual harassment. It could be said that performance management promotes motivation in the workplace and it demonstrates a managers’ willingness to get the best out of his/her workforce. Employees are more likely to perform to their highest potential if they feel it is likely to be recognised as part of an appraisal.
It is important to understand how motivational theory can affect the businesses approach to performance management.
Frederick Taylor and scientific management
Frederick Taylor worked as a factory superintendent in a locomotive axle factory in the USA. From his studies of how people worked making axles he concluded that employees normally got jobs there because they were friends or relatives of the managers, not because they were any good at the job. He also found that employees did not work hard because they thought it would through some of their friends out of work. Employees were given very little instruction on how to do their job properly, so they were done badly. The amount produced and the quality of output was poor.
Employers paid employees as little as they could get away with.
Taylor suggested a few ideas that an organisation such as Delta, may wish to adopt in order to improve matters.
Only money motivates employees to work hard, and therefore, they should be paid on a piecework system – each item made would earn employees a certain amount of money, encouraging hard work amongst the work force.
Properly trained managers should run organisations and supervise employees effectively with firm but fair disciplinary methods.
Employees should be trained to complete specific tasks efficiently. He called this ‘scientific management’, - the beginning of what we now refer to as Organisations or Methods Study or Work Study.
Employees should be properly selected through tests and interviews to make sure they are right for the job; Taylor was one the first people to see the need to do this.
If motivated solely by good pay, then employees would work without questioning what they are required to do.
Many organisations still operate according to Taylor’s theory, but there has been recognition that employees want more from their jobs than job security and good pay. Below I have included more complex theories about what motivates people at work, and they may influence Delta’s approach to performance management.
Abraham Maslow and ‘the hierarchy of needs’
Abraham Maslow stated that all motivation comes from meeting unsatisfied needs of employees. He stated that there is a pyramid of needs, which must be achieved in the correct order, from the bottom to the top of the pyramid (see the diagram below). Basic psychological needs are at the bottom (e.g. food, water) and self-actualisation is at the top.
Once the need is satisfied it ceases to motivate and the next need higher ‘up the pyramid’ comes into play. This implies that the higher level needs have more value than those at the bottom.
Only an unsatisfied need can motivate, and the dominant need is the prime motivator of the behaviour.
How might Delta’s approach to performance management be influenced by Abraham Maslow and the hierarchy of needs?
According to Maslows’ theory, Delta must ensure that employees are paid adequately so they can at least provide for their basic psychological and safety needs (paying for food, mortgages, life insurance). They must ensure that employees have the opportunity for social contact through friendship with colleagues. This may be brought about through the encouragement of teamwork and discontinuing the trend of isolating certain members of staff in private offices.
Esteem will be brought about where there is an opportunity for promotion. There should be, at the very least an opportunity for employees to show that they are capable and are winning respect from other employees. They may also raise employees’ esteem by giving senior managers better cars, smarter offices, nicer restaurants and larger pensions.
Self-actualisation may be much harder to achieve. It means providing the employee with a chance to become everything they ever wanted to become.
It is important to realise that Delta cannot simply offer all of these opportunities to all employees. This would be unrealistic.
Douglas McGregor and theory x and y
Douglas McGregor stated that many managers made sweeping generalisations about the people who worked for them. All employees would be put into a theory x category or a theory y category. They would then manage the organisation using a theory x or theory y management style:
Theory x
This theory is based on the idea that all employees are lazy, un-ambitious and dislike extra responsibilities. They will always resist change of any kind and are totally uninterested in the future success or otherwise of their employer. They are not interested in how the organisation works and just prefer to be told what to do.
Theory y
This is just the opposite. Employees are interested in their work and want to be asked for opinions on how to improve things. They want to be given more responsibility and will naturally work hard without having to be told what to do all the time. They are also prepared to accept change because they understand it is in the employees best interests to move with the times.
How might Delta’s approach to performance management be influenced by Abraham McGregor and the theory of x and y?
Managers who take a theory x approach to their employees will have to supervise them very closely and introduce methods to control their behaviour, which may include tight controls on absenteeism and lateness. There will also be very specific rules and regulations with very serious consequences for those who break them. Frequent inspections of work are needed to ensure output is of adequate quality. Naturally, there will be no attempt by management to get employees view on how the organisation can better meet its objectives.
A theory y manager can be very positive about his/her employees. He/she can leave them to do their jobs without supervision and they can rest assured work will be done to the highest quality possible. This can save on costs; quality inspections are not a necessity. It will also be relatively easy to find people who are willing to work longer then normal, with no extra pay. They will relish the opportunity for extra responsibility providing they feel it is contributing to their long-term career prospects. Absence and lateness will be unusual and therefore reduces the need for costly supervision.
Frederick Herzberg and the Two Factor theory
In 1957 Frederick Herzberg devised his ‘motivation-hygiene’ theory, which stated that two groups of factors affect employee motivation.
Herzberg said that certain elements in a job motivate people to work harder. He called these elements satisfiers. They include achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, personal growth and the actual work itself.
Other elements do not motivate employees to work harder. These are called hygiene factors. They include pay and conditions, status in the organisation, job security, benefits (pensions or company cars), relationships with fellow employees and the quality of the organisations managers.
Herzberg’s key point was that hygiene factors do not motivate but if they are not very good then the satisfiers will not motivate either
Even if a job is interesting and gives a person a substantial sense of achievement it will not motivate them properly if they are not earning enough money to live in a reasonable house and cannot feed themselves or their family properly.
C3, The relationship between the businesses training and development programme and its management of performance. How these two functions may or may not be influenced by motivational theory, stated as part of E5.
There is a strong relationship between the businesses training and development programme and its management of performance.
Training and development is aimed at ensuring employees have the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to fulfil their responsibilities. It is also concerned with enabling employees to develop themselves in a way that suits their individual needs. It is generally hoped that the two merge, resulting in a workforce that is more inclined and better equipped to contribute to business objectives.
Performance management is carried out in the form of appraisals. It involves the regular and systematic assessment of an employees’ contribution to the business. A jobholders’ immediate superior will normally carry out the performance appraisal, which includes an examination of the employees’ strengths and weaknesses and the advice given to an employee in relation to his/her future performance. This appraisal report will then be discussed with the employee at an interview, - called an ‘open appraisal’. Appraisals take place at least two times a year for each employee.
Training and development and performance management are closely integrated. Performance management is used to identify training needs amongst the workforce and it provides the most appropriate way of assessing an individual employees’ knowledge and skills in relation to his or her responsibilities. It can also be used to identify certain employees who may seem unmotivated or uninterested in their work.
In response to performance management, relevant training and development will be offered to those employees who are identified as part of an appraisal as having deficient skills and knowledge in relation to the tasks, for which they are responsible. Training and development is likely to be more effective as it is targeted in those areas in which it is needed to help an employee make a more substantial contribution to the business. Those employees who are recognised as being unmotivated or uninterested in their work will also be encouraged to appreciate that they have a vested interest in their own training and development and will in some cases be offered any relevant training or development that the organisation believes may help to increase their motivation or their interest in their work. In some cases, employees may be trained so that they are qualified in areas of work, other than that for which they are currently responsible. This may be because the business perceives that the employee needs to be put in a position that is more stimulating and more rewarding. It is likely that when put in a more demanding position, an employee will be more likely to maximise his or her output, and overall contribution to the business.
When an employee demonstrates potential for promotion, and consistently performs to a high standard whilst working, it will normally be recognised as part of a performance appraisal. In many cases, training and development will be used by the business to keep these employees stimulated and performing to the best of their ability. Where promotion is applicable, training and development will be a vital requirement before an employee is reinstated at a higher position within the organisation.
Performance management will also be used to assess an individual employees’ intelligence, as relevant training and development programmes must be tailored to suit an employees’ potential for learning new skills. These programmes should never be over intimidating, yet they should be intellectually challenging to the person in question. Employees, who arise as being enthusiastic about their education within the business and work consistently hard, are the ones more likely to embark on training and development courses.
In many ways, performance management is used to flag up training and development needs, and ultimately it makes training and development of employees both more efficient and more effective.
There are a number of benefits that arise from the integrated relationship between training and development and performance management. It undoubtedly makes the organisation more competitive and better equipped to meet the needs of customers. Training and development is also more likely to be much more cost efficient when it is targeted in those areas where it is needed most, - it allows the employer to remain selective rather intensive with its training and development programmes. Once any relevant deficiencies amongst the workforce have been identified via performance appraisals, training and development may be used to implement the right attitudes in employees, which can often be as important, if not, more important than knowledge and skills.
The long-term benefits of performance management and training and development outweigh the short-run costs for all sorts of reasons, such as higher morale amongst the workforce, higher skill and knowledge levels, lower labour turnover and reduced recruitment costs. Improved efficiency is achieved as a result of cost savings due to reduced wastage, improved delivery performance, improved quality, reliability and flexibility of the workforce. Performance management and training and development improve communication between employees and managers. It demonstrates the businesses willingness to get the best out of employees and constant recognition for doing a good job will motivate the workforce. Employees are more likely to perform to a consistently high standard if they feel it is likely to be recognised and can also possibly lead to beneficial training and development.
The majority of the workforce will be willing to engage in performance appraisals and training and development because they see it as adding to their own motivation and enjoyment of work.
It is important to understand how these two HR functions may or may not be influenced by different motivational theories, as stated as part of E5.
According to Abraham Maslow and ‘hierarchy of needs’ Delta must ensure that employees are paid adequately enough to provide for their basic psychological and safety needs before they can expect to be performing at a satisfactory level. They must have the opportunity for friendship with colleagues, which may be brought about by the encouragement of teamwork and reducing the amount of cases in which, certain members of staff are isolated in private offices or departments.
Esteem will be brought about where there is opportunity for promotion. Performance management will be used to identify employees who demonstrate potential for promotion and it demonstrates to employees that the business considers internal recruitment to be a vital consideration. Training and development must also be of a good standard if employees are to be inspired to aim for promotion.
Performance management also provides employees the chance to show that they are winning respect from other employees; a factor considered by Maslow to be important, if a workforce is to be fully motivated.
Self-actualisation is very hard to achieve, as it means providing employees with the chance to be everything they’ve ever wanted to be. However, performance management and training and development provide a step in the right direction. Employees will again, feel more appreciated if their hard work is recognised and if they feel the business is willing to put necessary measures in place to invest into employees and their future.
It is important to realise that it would be unreasonable to expect Delta to provide employees with all opportunities as stated by the Abraham Maslow and ‘the hierarchy of needs’.
According to Douglas McGregor and the theory of x and y. All managers put employees into a theory x or a theory y category. They would then manage their department using theory x or theory y management style.
Managers who take a theory x approach will have to supervise employees very closely and introduce methods to control their behaviour, which may include tight controls on absenteeism and lateness. There should also be specific rules and regulations with very serious consequences for those who break them. Frequent inspections of work is needed to ensure that output is of adequate quality. Naturally, there will be no attempt by management to get employees’ views on how the organisation can better meet its objectives. There will be no commitment made by the organisation to train and develop employees further than ensuring they have the ability to carry out the tasks, for which they are responsible on a day-to-day basis. Performance management will be carried out in a formal manner, with employees being expected to perform at a consistent level. They are not offered the incentive of promotion.
Managers who take a theory y approach can be very positive about their workforce. Employees can be left to do their jobs without supervision and managers can rest assured work will always be done to the highest possible quality. This can save on costs; quality inspections are not a necessity. However, regular performance appraisals will ensure that employees remain motivated and that those employees who make a positive contribution to the business are rewarded accordingly. It is likely that employees are often more willing to work longer than normal, with no extra pay. This is especially useful where an employee may be required to work longer than normal, in order to fulfil their training and development. Employees will relish the opportunity for extra responsibility providing they feel it is contributing to their long-term career prospects. Absence and lateness will be unusual and therefore reduces the need for costly supervision. Once again, although strict regulation are not a necessity, some form of control is needed to demonstrate to employees that their hard work is appreciated.
A2, How can effective Human Resource management make a contribution to improving the competitiveness of the business?
Human Resource management can clearly make a contribution to improving the competitiveness of the business, providing there is effective coordination of the four main functions, for which the Human Resource Department is ultimately responsible. They are Manpower Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development and Performance Management: appraisals.
Manpower Planning is the activity of management, which is aimed at coordinating the requirements for and the availability of different types of employee.
It encourages the business to develop clear links between the business and HR plans, so that the two can be integrated as effectively as possible. It also allows the company to control staff costs and numbers effectively.
Effective Manpower Planning will ensure that all staff are fully utilised to the benefit of the organisation. Staff will be encouraged to take part in work that is challenging. Overtime will only be done when it is vitally necessary and employees will always be properly qualified to do the job for which they are allocated.
Recruitment and selection is one of the most important activities of the Human Resource Department. Employing the right people ensures that the business operates efficiently and can satisfy the needs of its customers.
Training and development ensures that employees have the skills and knowledge needed to fulfil their responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. It also involves enabling employees to develop themselves in the best way that suits their individual needs. It is generally hoped that the two merge, and that by helping employees to develop themselves they will be more inclined and better equipped in helping the business meet its objectives.
Effective training and development makes the business more competitive for a number of reasons. Ultimately, it increases productivity and service to customers. It will also be used to implement the right attitudes in employees, which can be as important as knowledge or skills. The long-term benefits of training and development outweigh the short-run costs for all sorts of reasons, such as higher morale amongst the workforce, higher skill and knowledge levels, lower labour turnover and reduced recruitment costs. Improved efficiency can be achieved as a result of cost savings due to reduced wastage, improved delivery performance, improved quality, reliability and flexibility of the workforce. Also, in many cases, training and development can prove to be much less costly in the long run, than recruiting employees externally.
Training and development will normally be evident in a workforce that is highly motivated.
Performance management involves the regular and systematic assessment of an employees’ work. It also plays a vital part in improving the competitiveness of the business. It helps to identify problems amongst the workforce, for example, communication deficiencies that may occur as a result of harassment in the workplace. It also helps to identify training and development needs, which can make training and development much more effective, as it is concentrated solely in those areas where it is clearly needed, rather than intensively across the whole workforce, where it may be ineffective.
Performance management improves communication between managers and employees. Not only does it demonstrate a superiors’ commitment to getting the best out of his or her workforce, it also provides them with a chance to encourage employees and praise them for doing a good job. Employees are more likely to respond to a vested interest in good quality performance on a day-to-day basis, especially if they feel it is going to be recognised by the organisation as part of an appraisal. Employees may also be unwilling to be the focus of embarrassment, as a result of poor performance in the period before a performance appraisal is scheduled to take place. If ever the business wanted to get rid of an employee as a result of poor conduct, - performance management will provide disciplinary documentation and appraisal records that would identify an employees inabilities or lack of effort in the workplace.
Performance reviews are conducted every six months. They provide managers with an opportunity to set benchmarks and assess employees’ performance in greater detail. This will again, make the business more competitive as employees recognise hard work will be appreciated.
A3, Explain and evaluate the potential conflicts between different Human Resource activities within the business.
The Human Resource function has an important role in ‘motivating staff and delivering training’. However, this role cannot always be fulfilled, as there can sometimes be conflicting interests within the department.
It has an ultimate responsibility to minimize staff costs and wages. It must therefore ensure that financial investment in the workforce is proportionate, to the return the business is likely to receive in terms of output or productivity. There are a number of different ways its responsibility to minimising staff costs and wages can conflict with its role in motivating staff and delivering training.
When attempting to motivate staff, the business must regulate financial costs and ensure employees are paid adequately and not excessively. The business must use other factors such as self-actualisation and esteem as methods for motivating the workforce, in order to ensure expenses are kept low, whilst output and productivity remain high.
It is likely that a number of staff work solely on the basis of the financial reward they are likely to receive. This is an attitude that the business should aim to discontinue amongst its workforce, as it means that in order to have a fully motivated workforce, variable expenses will need to continue to increase.
Training is vital in ensuring that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge needed to fulfil their position within the business. However, the role of the Human Resource Department in minimising staff costs and wages, may conflict with its role in ensuring staff are trained so that they can be fully utilised to the benefit of the organisation.
Training costs must always be kept to an absolute minimum, however, it is important the business does not compromise in ensuring staff are fully trained to be in a position to fulfil all of their responsibilities.
Internal recruitment is one way of avoiding this potential difficulty. It involves recruiting internally and ensures that whoever is promoted knows clearly what the job entails and what will be expected of them. However, when promoting someone up to a management position it may be necessary to ensure they have some practical or academic training so that the business remains competitive. It is likely other businesses will be more willing to invest in recruiting fully qualified personnel externally. It is also likely to be cheaper to appoint and maintain someone recruited internally, as they recognise they are being offered an opportunity to progress, which they would not be offered if they were to move elsewhere.
Training and development of existing employees has been evaluated as being much cheaper in the long term, than short-term recruitment and selection. In an attempt to minimise cost, the business may wish to ensure staff are fully trained in a number of areas, including those in which they do not work on a day-to-day basis. However, staff trained in a number of areas, may expect an increase in pay, or attempt to move elsewhere were they are likely to be paid more.
Training can be very expensive, which is why in many cases it conflicts with the role of HR in minimising staff costs and wages.
The Human Resource Department is also responsible for identifying redundancies and appropriate staffing levels. Again, this can have a negative impact on its commitments to ensuring the workforce is fully motivated and trained.
Identifying redundancies will inevitably mean that some staff will be asked to leave the organisation in an attempt to reduce staff costs or recruit fully qualified personnel externally. Redundancies will leave remaining staff feeling insecure in their position within the organisation, and will undoubtedly affect the extent to which they are fully motivated. It is likely that when staff are made redundant, for whatever reason, remaining staff will feel resentful or spiteful towards the organisation. In such a case, it is likely that output or productivity could fall, and there may be attempts to sabotage the businesses operations.
As a result of the need to make redundancies, the business may feel cautious about investing in its workforce in terms of training and development. It may be likely that more staff will need to be made redundant in the future, and it will be much more costly to make redundant employees who are full trained as a result of the businesses financial investment in their future.
Although the function of HR in identifying redundancies and appropriate staffing levels can sometimes conflict with motivating and training the workforce, it supports the role of HR in minimising staff costs and wages, and is only aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the organisation.
The Human Resource Department is also responsible for carrying out staff disciplinary measures, which can again, conflict with its role in motivating staff and delivering training.
Disciplinary measures will be made in attempt to increase the efficiency of the workforce. It involves penalizing certain members of staff as a result of breaking internal legislation, e.g. arriving consistently late for work or harassment of other employees.
Some members of staff will react negatively to the close scrutiny of their actions, and in some cases, they will rebel against disciplinary measures, which can ultimately lead to them being asked to leave the organisation.
Close scrutiny of staff actions may lead to improved standards of conduct amongst the workforce, as staff realise negative behaviour will not be tolerated. However, some staff will react negatively to the nature of disciplinary measures and feel that it conflicts with the internal culture that has been established within the workforce. It may therefore, have a both a positive and a negative affect on the motivation levels amongst the workforce, depending on the attitude of the employees.
Carrying out staff disciplinary measures can remind members of staff of their position within the business, and it may help them realise they are in a workplace, not a social club!
The carrying out of staff disciplinary measures can also have an affect on the businesses plans for training and development.
It may highlight those employees who demonstrate particular disregard for what the business aims to achieve, and, in some cases, may have an affect on the businesses plans to train and develop certain members of staff.
The business will in most cases, re-consider training and developing those employees who are the constant focus of disciplinary proceedings. However, those employees who consistently avoid the glare of disciplinary proceedings demonstrate commitment, and this is where the business may wish to focus much of its attention, with regard to training and development.
