Human Resources

Introduction

Hiring a customer care manager

Human Resource Planning involves systematic forecasting organisational future demand and supply of human resources and development of an effective approach for ensuring the employees skills are utilized with reference to the organisational strategic objectives (Evans, 2001). Therefore, this is the avenue through which an organisation identifies its current and future needs in terms of human resources. Since the customer service manager is an employee of an organisation, this is the best approach that can be used in selecting an individual for that position. The fact that this approach is based on current and future prospects; it is the best avenue of ensuring the needs of an organisation are met in the current as well as future business environment (Conaty & Ram, 2011). Since the current strategies of organisations are customer focused, selecting a customer service manager that will provide an effective link between the organisation’s present and future business aspects will help in sustaining competitiveness of an organisation. Hence, the use of human resource planning in the process of selecting a new customer service manager will ensure that the selected individual has skills and capabilities of meeting the current and future organisation’s strategies that relate to customer management. Several approaches are necessary in the process of selecting the best individual for such a job.

First of all, the use of job analysis is one of the ways that a human resource manager can ensure an individual selected for a certain job is suitable. It involves the collection of information about the work environment, outcomes, necessary skills, responsibilities, and duties of a specific job (Evans, 2001). This is an important step in developing background information used for deciding on the qualities that should be searched for in an employee. Job analysis is divided into five stages that can be very effective in the identification of the requirements of a customer care manager. The initial stage is the planning stage, which enables effective setting of objectives of the job analysis. In this case, it will be used in recruitment of a human resource manager. This is then followed by preparation and introduction phase, which involves the identification of the job under review. The third phase is the actual process of job analysis. It is initiated once the preparatory stages are completed. At the end of the job analysis, the fourth stage, which involves the development of a job description and specifications, is initiated. The final stage involves the periodic maintenance and updates of the job description and specifications environment, outcomes, necessary skills, responsibilities, and duties of a specific job (Evans, 2001). This is very essential in this case since the current customer care manager is yet to retire and changes to the job specifications may take place before a replacement is made.

Furthermore, once job analysis comes to an end, the process of searching for a candidate for a job opening is initiated. It involves various approaches that are selected based on their effectiveness. In this incident, the use of internal and external advertising is the best approach of selecting passive candidates for the post. Advertising has been selected as the most appropriate approach in identification of candidates for the named job due to its wide applicability and accessibility (Evans, 2001). Internal communication channels such as notice boards and internal emails provide a cost effective way of ensuring all the employees of an organisation are aware of the job opening. Externally, advertisements can be done on numerous platforms such as the company’s website, newspapers, TV and many other online platforms. Advertising will enable the organisation to access a huge number of participants so as to have a multitude of participants who have varied expertise. This is important in the process of selecting the best person that meets the job specifications and descriptions.

Once a customer service manager has been selected, proper induction and retention strategies must be initiated to ensure the employee lasts long in the organisation and meets the organisation’s expectation. Induction allows an organisation to define its expectations clearly as far as the roles of a customer service manager are concerned (Evans, 2001). As much as effective induction serves as one of the major employee retention strategies, other strategies include a sense of involvement, recognition, setting out performance expectations, developing performance feedback and application of good leadership practices by the top management (Evans, 2001). This will ensure that the selected individual knows that what he/she is doing is correct and is appreciated by the organisation; a vital tool for employee motivation and hence retention.

Moreover, the process of selecting a successful candidate for a job in an organisation is normally affected by external environmental factors. This company is located in the UAE and, consequently, the political and economic environment of UAE will directly influence the process of selecting a successful candidate for the named job. For instance, the UAE is currently undergoing Emiratization, which has increased the government pressure for organisations to select Emiratis as preferred candidates in meaningful organisational positions (UAEInteract, 2013). On the other hand, the UAE has one of the largest expatriate populations globally who are well skilled and capable of handling such challenging positions. Though the government offers the locals a competitive advantage for such lucrative positions, it is quite challenging to select an individual in such a competitive job market. Furthermore, the success of an employee in an organisation is based on long-term investment on the employee by the organisation. The current labour laws in the UAE are very dynamic and are undergoing changes that may affect sustainability of an employee in an organisation especially in cases where a non-UAE national is to fill the post (UAEInteract, 2013). Such a case may result to short-lived career of an employee in the organisation thus destabilizing the performance of an organisation in such an important sector. Consequently, the process of selecting a candidate should not only focus on the experience and skills of the employee, but also future prospects with regard to labour laws and policies.

In conclusion, the competitiveness of an organisation is founded on selecting a human capital that can effectively meet the strategies and objectives of an organisation and employing strategies that will ensure the lowest rate of employee turnover as it is very costly for an organisation to change its workforce periodically (Merkel, 2010). The above process has identified the main areas of concern that should I will focus on when selecting a suitable and sustainable customer service manager for an organization. It is evident that not only skills and competencies are assessed in selecting an individual, but also a country’s labour laws and policies. Accordingly, when selecting a suitable candidate who will drive an organisation’s future successes, the above selection procedures should be followed coupled with effective induction and retention strategies.

References

1. Evans, A., 2001. Staff recruitment and retention: strategies for effective action – Review, Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing.
2. UAEInteract, 2013. Social Development – Employment: UAE, Retrieved from http://www.uaeinteract.com/news/default3.aspID=39
3. Merkle, J. 2010. Management and Ideology. California. University of California Press.
4. Conaty, B & Ram C. 2011. The Talent Masters: Why Smart Leaders Put People before Numbers. London. Crown Publishing Group.

Buhler (1999) states: the most important part of the role change for HR is a change in the perspective of managers throughout the organisation. Managers must view their HR counterparts as true strategic partners rather than as administrative support appendages to the company. When managers utilize their human resource partners to their full extent, they can realize much higher levels of performance in their own units (Buhler 1999). Failure to take advantage of the human resource department talents and expertise is a failure to fully utilize the resources available to the unit/firm.

While a manager would probably never fail to utilize physical resources available, the same view should be taken of the human resource department services (Buhler 1999). The changing perspective must extend to include all the functions performed by the HR department. Ultimately, managers must view all these functions from a strategic perspective by which they can better meet their own unit objectives. These functions include recruitment, selection, orientation, training, development, job analysis, job design, performance appraisal, compensation and benefits.

Each of these functions can play an integral role in assisting the managers of the firm. The second major change required in strategic perspective is the recognition that all managers in the firm are essentially human resource managers. The responsibilities for human resource activities have been delegated throughout the organisation over a long period of time. Every manager must take the responsibility for effectively and efficiently utilizing all their people. In today’s world, this is no longer the exclusive responsibility of the human resource department.

The human resource professionals must see their role as providing expertise to support the efforts of the line managers of the firm (Buhler 1999). The relationship between line managers and human resource professionals (staff) has been viewed as adversarial in the past. Today, however, the new perspective requires each side perceive the relationship as an interdependent one – a relationship whereby each needs the other. Each of these sides brings a very distinct set of skills and abilities to the table which will complement each other.

This interdependence requires each side learn more about the other’s knowledge. That is, human resource professionals must learn more about the actual business and the external environmental issues which impact it. And the operations managers must learn about the HR issues. This is especially important today as more of the responsibilities for HR functions fall on the shoulders of the line managers. The human resource department is considered a boundary pning unit. This means this is a department that can provide a critical service to the organisation in scanning the external environment.

The human resource department can specifically gather information concerning the labour market conditions and the general environment for human resources. This is significant information for the firm to integrate into their decision making process if they are to remain competitive and attract or retain the necessary talented employees for their organisation. This external information combined with internal information enables the decision makers to arrive at better informed decisions to remain competitive (Buhler 1999).

With this information, the firm can decide whether to lead, lag or match the competition’s policies with regard to their human resources. Building new capabilities is critical to the future success of organisations. HR must take the lead in helping managers identify the core knowledge, skills and abilities required to support the company’s competitive advantage. Then with the utilization of a well-developed strategic human resource plan, the line managers and human resource professionals can outline recruitment and selection strategies to ensure the necessary people are in place when needed.

The HR department can act as a control mechanism creating consistency across business units to ensure closely aligned strategies that work towards the attainment of corporate objectives. Interactive information systems are providing line managers with the support (in terms of tools and processes) necessary to deliver many of the human resource functions now being delegated to them – traditionally performed by the HR department professionals (Buhler 1999).

Introduction

1. What social, economic and/or cultural conditions give rise to the HR issues in this case?

Experiencing change: New markets and relocated managers raised components in Jaguar, which means it is taking over the luxury carmaker market world-widely by finding a local partner to consolidate social position. Government support for research and development to ensure the industry’s strength is important.

Strategic HRD/HRM: According to contextual and dynamic framework Garavan (2007), Jaguar changed global environment from national conditions to multinational; therefore job value and uniqueness have been transferred from internal customers or suppliers to external.

Cultural comparisons: Jaguar needs to take consideration of uncertainty avoidance due to cultural environment changed in new market. Reward options are keys to impact recruitment in the background of cultural diversity.

2. Which three module topics do you intend to address within your answer to Assignment 2, and why have you chosen these?

Experiencing change: Life is a journey with full of change. Transition and resistance happened everyday in organisations. Change is uncertain and what is present today maybe absent tomorrow. The movement with strategies creating opportunities for a better future is what organisation needs to experience.

Cultural comparisons: When organisations globalize, most of work finished through people located in different nations. Collaboration and coordination of employment is the noticeable trend. Therefore the importance of cultural comparisons is rising up.

Coaching: Leadership is an art and ensures the continuation of the organisation. Stimulate effectiveness by enabling others to reach both personal and institutional potential. Managers emphasize coaching as a key part to sustain leadership effectiveness.

3. Which academic journal articles will you examine, and why have you chosen these

Experiencing change: Smollan (2006) published different perspectives to change in organizational behaviour. Conway (2008) explores the relationship between HR practices and commitment to change. Bunker (2008) responded to change and help people move forward.

Cultural comparison: Ferner (2011) used large-scale representative surveys to examine key aspects of control in multinational companies. Lamond and Zheng (2009) pointed critical view on Chinese HRM issues. Cantwell and Zhang (2011) summarised the relationship between multinational corporations and local economic systems.

Coaching: Kirkbride (2006) illustrated innovative range leadership model and how this model developed leadership. Cole (2011) reviewed the latest management developments from cutting-edge research. Pollitt (2011)explained coaching initiative and the results it achieved.

References:

Bunker, K. A. (2008) “Responses to Change: Helping People Manage Transition”. Leadership in Action, vol.28, No.5, pp.15-17

Cantwell, J. and Zhang, Y. (2011) “Innovation and location in the multinational firm”. International Journal of Technology Management, vol. 54, No.1, pp. 116-132

Cole, G. (2011) “Why leaders are key to their own development”. Human Resource Management International Digest, vol.19, No.2, pp. 19-23

Conway, E. (2008) “HR practices and commitment to change: an employee-level analysis”. Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 18 Issue 1, pp.72-89

Ferner, A. (2011) “HRM structures and subsidiary discretion in foreign multinationals in the UK”. International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 22 Issue 3, pp. 483-509

Garavan, T. (2007) “A Strategic Perspective on Human Resource Development”. Advances in Developing Human Resources, vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 11-30

Kirkbride, P. (2006) “Developing transformational leaders: the full range leadership model in action”. Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 38 Issue: 1, pp.23 – 32

Lamond, D. and Zheng, C. (2009) “A Critical Review of Human Resource Management Studies (1978-2007) in the People’s Republic of China”. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol.20, No.11, pp.2194-2227

Pollitt, D. (2011) “Coaching drives performance improvement at GM Europe”. Human Resource Management International Digest, vol.19, No.1, pp.10-11

Smollan, R. K. (2006) “Minds, hearts and deeds: Cognitive, affective and behavioural responses to change”. Journal of Change Management, vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 143-158

“How can Human Resource Management contribute to the success of an engineering business? ”

Although there is no widely acknowledged definition for the term Human Resource Management, as far as I can understand it Human Resource Management is an approach to personnel management that sees people as the key resource of a company. In short it is a system that believes it is important to communicate well with employees and include them in what is going on with the organization, to increase the commitment and help them to identify with the organization.

HRM specifically is a body of functions and policies that shape the work environment and control the relationship with employees. Some functions contain alternative methods or practices from which managers can choose. The key functions in HRM are; Planning the HR needs of the organization, particularly for the future. Integrating HRM with the organizations strategic management process and co-ordinating clusters of HR practices to achieve the desired goals. Staffing correctly; obtaining the correct people with regards to their skill set, abilities, knowledge and experience.

Some practices involved within this are HR planning, Job analysis, Recruitment and selection. Developing skills, to ensure that workforce can perform satisfactorily in their jobs and can advance within the organization. To identify employee’s key skills and where they are competent the ‘Performance appraisal’ practice can be employed. Motivating employees through reward system, this can be done through performance appraisal, job evaluation. Designing and maintaining work systems that are safe and promote workplace wellness and employee health so as to fulfil health and safety legislations and retain a capable workforce.

Managing relationships between employees, it covers a wide range of practices that can be used to create a better co-operation between employees and also a better feeling of involvement/participation. It also extends to co-operation with unions if they are involved. Managing change for the future by helping others be able to envision and understand the change, along with setting expectations for performance and helping develop the capability to reorganize and reallocate resources (including people). Evaluating the value of the entire HR system y designing procedures and processes that measure it. All of these functions and practices are underpinned by legislation. In a practical application typically a company would set out organizational objectives and then decide on a strategy in order to achieve those objectives. In the context of an Engineering company/business the strategic focus could, for example, be on the following:

1. Ensure effective training and development of all staff in order to ensure flexibility and competence within roles.
2. Develop effective communication between employees and between departments/functions.
3. Develop mechanisms to cope with future environmental change including social, political and technological.

In this example strategic focus is on developing a flexible organization that can adapt to change in the environment and has a good communication structure in order to achieve this. Intel is a good example of a company in the Engineering business world whose business competitive advantage is its speed and flexibility in meeting the changing needs of various market niches.

Given the extremely short product life cycle in this industry, there is a pressing need, according to Andy Grove, CEO of Intel, to channel resources swiftly from declining areas into emerging/growing areas. In these scenarios technological and financial resource transfer can be done quickly, but people are the hardest part of the system to redeploy. In order to develop and encourage continuing success the business must develop a HRM strategy that focuses on the correct HR areas in order to maximise competitiveness.

To develop a successful HRM strategy, the business strategy must first be understood (Key driving forces of the business [technology, competition etc. ], Implications of these driving forces and the fundamental contribution of people in the business). From here a mission statement can be developed that relates to the people side of the business, establishing what they contribute. Analysing the organization (Culture, Organization, People, HR systems) and the external business and market environment will determine potential performance, skill issues etc. and highlight opportunities/threats.

For each critical issue options can be generated considering the consequences of possible actions. From this a set of broad objectives can be created that can be split into specific HR areas, for example, Management, training/development, communication etc. The choice of strategy will have a big effect on the company’s success. Smaller companies will have to choose different objectives, for example, it is more expensive for a smaller company to offer effective training to their workforce, so a better option would be to select and recruit the correct staff.

This is illustrated by Small to medium sized companies in China, which were found to have focused their HR efforts on selection and recruitment, performance-based remuneration and employee involvement in decision-making. This may be working well for these SME’s but for future success it would be a good idea to develop effective training/development programmes in order to further develop their employee’s skills. The problem here is that in order to compete with other companies there has to be compromise in certain areas.

SME’s can’t always provide effective/quality training because of the cost, but over a longer period of time the cost-benefit ratio can be swung in a positive way as effective training can mean future development for the organization. In terms of Engineering industry this can provide greater benefit as development in certain skill areas, and skilled workers in general are essential for business growth. Problems can arise here though as if employee’s leave for other, better paid jobs once they have had training and developed skills in certain areas, the companies lose out on work time and incur costs.

Another focus of HRM is to develop the central role of managers and also to prevent the view from workers as ‘us and them’ with regards to managers and help create an ‘us and us’ view. Cost can be controlled to a degree within a larger business by developing the roll of line managers as people managers, this cuts down the need for HR persons and helps to create a more ‘personal’ environment for employees. This is shown by Hewlett-Packard (HP) who relatively recently have been moving back towards developing the central role of managers.

Primarily the role of the HR department now is to facilitate, measure, and improve the quality of management and teamwork, not to provide an avenue for managers to abdicate their responsibilities for people. HRM also helps to develop workers ability to manage themselves, many companies now are emphasizing flexibility and cohesion through team based activities and self managed work teams. One of the largest and most successful companies in the electronic engineering world, Apple, are a good example of focusing on self managed work teams and creating very strong employee-company bonds.

By facilitating the development of self-managed work teams, HR departments can remove themselves from the intermediary role and allow employees to be self-determining. The HRM system can provide great success for an engineering business. It provides a method to narrow down the problems within an organization relating to the people within it, and create specific areas to focus on headed by generalised terms to provide an easy to follow and implement strategic plan.

It has many advantages, such as the ability to create a flexible work environment, focusing on specific areas of the business to maximise competitiveness. However it also has some disadvantages, for example if quality training for workers is provided at great cost to the business, without proper precautions in place it is possible for trained employees then to leave and obtain better paid jobs with their provided training. In many of the examples illustrated here it is possible to see that there is strong links between the success of an engineering company and the use of HRM.

Without effective management of people the business can fail to achieve its goals or sufficiently succeed in its market. The many different aspects of HRM allow enough flexibility and variation to allow a business to select and develop specific areas to meet its needs, for example Intel has a built a flexible structure for its employees to allow the business to move in and out of growing/declining markets.

LG ELECTRONICS LTD {draw:frame} A great working environment will allow you to exercise and develop all of your skills, and you’ll be duly rewarded too! LG Electronics creates working environments that enable all its employees to demonstrate their capabilities, focus on their own work, and create value. HR Principles {draw:frame} Creativity and autonomy An individual’s creativity is the basis for value creation. LG Electronics respects diversity and autonomy, allowing each of its employees to exercise their creativity to the full. Emphasis on competence

Competence is the basis for performance. LG Electronics sees competence as the most important factor in its personnel decisions. Performance-based rewards Rewards based on performance are essential for human motivation. LG Electronics evaluates performance results fairly and rewards them accordingly. Equal opportunities Equal opportunities build trust among people. LG Electronics ensures equal opportunities regardless of gender, race, age, religion, or nationality. Long-term perspective Maintaining a long-term perspective is the foundation for LG’s human resources policies.

LG’s human resources programs are designed with a long-term perspective and implemented with dedication and persistence. {draw:frame} Training Through its education centers worldwide, LG Electronics offers diverse educational programs to its employees according to rank and job to encourage growth and development and mold them into “the right people” for the company. They do this by equipping them with the professional capabilities that the company needs and enabling them to apply the latest technologies to their work.

Rewards LG Electronics offers its employees a competitive, unique rewards system that takes account of their working situations by nation, region, and job. This rewards system motivates employees to perform better by helping them to enhance their quality of life. LG’s rewards system consists of fixed salaries and flexible salaries. Fixed salaries are determined every year through a fair evaluation process. Flexible salaries are immediate rewards given to individual employees for their performance and competence.

It has become a pervasive and influential approach o the management of employment in a wide range of market economies. There is a difference between HARM (a major management activity) and HARD (Human Resource Development, a profession). You might include HARM in HARD, explaining that HARD includes the broader range of activities to develop personnel inside of organizations, including, for example, career development, training, organization development, etc.

The HARM function and HARD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the “Personnel Department,” mostly to manage the paperwork around ring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the “HER Department” as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.

Components or Functions of A HARM System

The Human Resources Management (HARM) function includes a variety of activities, and key amongst them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs in-house, recruiting and TRAINING the best employees. The functions also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. All these functions are inter-linked, making one dependent on the other.

Basically, in small organizations-?those with fewer than fifty employees – there might not be an HER department, and so a line manager will be responsible for the functions of HARM. In large organizations – those with a hundred employees or more-?a human resource manager will coordinate the HARM duties and report directly to management. The technology in the workplace is changing very rapidly and companies that can’t keep up will drop out of competition. Read about components of staffing

A company which has a high turnover, further training and development of employees will make them more productive, feel better about themselves and the Job and stick around longer. Training and Development Performance appraisals not only assist in determining compensation and benefits, but they are also instrumental in identifying ways to help individuals improve their current positions and prepare for future opportunities. As the structure of training and development programs continues to grow. Improving or obtaining new skills is part of another area of HARM, known as training and development.

Training focuses on learning the skills and knowledge required to initially perform a Job or to improve upon the performance of a current Job, while development focuses on activities that are not Job related, but on broadening the employee’s horizons. To be effective in any organization, training and development must meet a number of goals.; It must be focused on individual training needs that reflect organizational goals in terms of expected performance. ; It must also reflect learning goals or outcomes, outlining what will be accomplished by the process of training. It must e based on sound learning principles, be seen as important by trainees, and be conducted in a manner that maximizes learning. ; Lastly, it must be evaluated to determine effectiveness and to help change and improvement. Trends in Training and Development A number of trends have occurred that reflect the common idea of making training more effective. Some of the most significant trends include the following: ; Customized training reflects the needs of trainees, in terms of the skills and knowledge they currently have and those that they need, along with identifying the unique learning style of each individual.

Having this focus, training can better match each individual’s learning goals and needs, thereby be perceived as more relevant and appropriate by the trainee. ;

An increased development of personalized learning objectives relates to present or future Job requirements and reflects past performance appraisal information. This information can be gained, in part, by conducting a needs assessment for each trainee and can help in designing learning activities that embraces the critical skills and skills for future performance. Use of instructional technologies, such as distance learning, allows individuals to customize earning to their Job situation-?such as the location, the time, access to technology, and so forth. It can greatly assist individuals in their learning, since training content and delivery can be standardized, quickly updated, and constructed so as to require learners to demonstrate the desired competencies as they engage in learning activities. Integration of training and development into the workplace links learning to Job performance. Training outcomes and learning activities are linked to each individual’s Job requirements so that what trainees learn will be reflected in their Job performance. Use of action or performance plans requires trainees to develop a plan outlining how they will implement what they have learned and how they will determine whether this plan will, in fact, improve performance.

It can also be integrated with the performance appraisal process to measure changes or improvements in an individual’s performance. SST. James Hospital and the Citizens Information Service Using SST. James Hospital and The Citizens Information Service as case studies, I came up with the following findings. Staff. It is a major teaching hospital for Trinity College. The relationship between SST. James Hospital and Trinity College is governed by a Teaching agreement freely entered by both parties.

The Hospital benefits in having access to the best clinical practice and research and being able to attract staff of the highest caliber and the university benefits in having the best possible clinical facilities for its students and clinical staff. The organization has created a dedicated role in relation to equality and diversity three years ago, through the support of the Partnership Committee and has had Diversity Action Plans for the first two years and then participation into cantonal pilot projects promoted by the HOSE. At SST.

James, Training is developed through various training offered. There is usually training and presentation on cultural diversity offered through the induction for all staff, also there is module for student courses (FETA for health care assistants, nurses’ specialist courses), there is also a Cultural Competence half-day module offered twice a month to all front-line staff and to overseas nurses attending the adaptation programmed. On request, also a training module on the appropriate use of interpreters in a health care setting has been delivered to various departments.

There is a Centre of Learning and Development in Human Resources

Directorate at the hospital, which is dedicated to ongoing in-house training. There is a budget within each department for outside training although it is limited. A member of staff has to apply for this and get approval from each individual department. The process is rather very long and the course might actually be over by the time it is approved. The training applied for must be seen to have an impact on the individual’s Job before it can be considered. Some departments within the hospital have more funding than others that is also a limitation.

Most staff does not bother applying for this now cause of the limitations mentioned, even if it would enhance performance. The staff that gets outside training does it for career progression and/or personal development. The Citizens Information Service provides the public with information, advocacy and advice on all rights and entitlements. It is a free, confidential, impartial and independent service that covers a range of subjects including employment, housing, legal matters, health, welfare payments and immigration issues.

The Citizens Information Board (formerly known as Chamomile) is the national support agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on social services. They basically fund the Citizens Information Service and they also organize the training for the staff. They deliver training services to people involved in organizations providing social and civil information to the public. Their training services provide a range of training programmer, both accredited and non- accredited, using a variety of delivery modes to maintain high standards of best practice.

Training programmer are delivered at regional level throughout the country. The training events are planned to meet the needs of organizations within a Regional Training Programmer, the central Training and Development Service deliver skills development courses and new courses of general interest. The Board recognizes the role that training plays in the delivery of information services, in the development of social policy mechanisms and in the support of voluntary organizations which deliver social services.

The Citizens Information Board launches two separate calendars for training annually in order to provide a higher level of service to customers. The current one oversee the period March to June 2007, another calendar will be launched in the autumn to cover the period September to December 2007.

Relevant / specific training that is related to the Citizens Information Service are provided, this ranges from Information Provider’s training to dealing with clients with mental issues.

The Information Providers Training Programmer is a very popular training within the organization, it equip information providers with the skills, knowledge and attitudes in the provision of a free, impartial, confidential and non- judgmental information, advice and advocacy service to the public with regard to sights and responsibilities. There is also induction training for information providers which aims at introducing learners to the principles, policies, procedures and practices of the CICS. The CICS also provide the Staff Well Being Programmer that address stress management, massages staff socializing etc.

Basically, when specific courses have been identified for individuals, either by the Supervisor or oneself, a completed application form is sent by the Supervisor or Manager, to the relevant Regional Training Executive within the JIB (Chamomile). Training applications should be processed through the Training Officer / Supervisor / Development Manager within the CICS to ensure that there is a training record established of the knowledge and skills acquired by staff, and that the courses being applied for are relevant to the applicant.

Each course has a level noted next to it, it’s usually between 1 and 3. This is to indicate the level of experience participants should have reached in order to get full benefit from a course. All courses / training by the JIB (Chamomile) for the CICS are free but for a price to the public. Training and Development Strategy With training and development becoming more systematic, describing the process ND activities required to achieve successful training are broken into three stages, a pre-training stage, training stage and the post-training stage.

They are being used more frequently to explain how training should be designed, delivered, and evaluated. During the pre-training stage, information is gathered to help determine the need for organization needs to make, along with an assessment of what trainees need to meet their performance expectations. From this information, a decision can be made regarding the training gap, for example, the difference between the performance that is desired and the performance that currently exists.

After this assessment is complete, a number of training activities can be completed, including developing training goals or outcomes, determining the appropriate learning activities and strategies, and achieving an understanding and commitment from the trainees for the program or activities. When these activities are performed effectively, the likelihood that the training will be successful is greatly enhanced. During the final stage, post-training, a number of activities are required to follow up on the training, ensure that it is integrated into the workplace, and measure performance changes and the effectiveness of the training.

Although training can be measured through several techniques, the most important and relevant measurement is one that focuses on changes in performance rather than other factors, such as trainees’ satisfaction with the training or what they have learned. Summary and Recommendations Training and development have achieved a high degree of recognition for their importance in helping individuals become better performers and assisting organizations in achieving their goals. The field has become more visible, training processes more clearly defined, and the need for training more evident as societal ND technological changes have occurred.

Through designing training and development activities as described above, the benefits outlined, both the intrinsic and the extrinsic can be achieved. Further, when employees learn new skills and acquire new knowledge, they increase their career potential and add extra value to their employers. In both the Citizens Information Service and SST James, it is essential to follow the guidelines below for training and development to be effective and achieving a good return on investment: There should be an assessment of needs. Organization / Job analysis. All training and development activities in both organizations should be tied to their culture and goals. Their mission or goals should be a guideline to the training and development activities. ;

All staff / trainee should see the importance and relevance of the training to them and their performance on the Job. ; A form of assessment should be carried out prior to the training, ensuring that the training and learning process are relevant to what the trainee is required to do in his / her Job. ;The training results need to be integrated into the actual Job on ground.

There is no use sending a staff on a course if it would not reflect on the Job at hand or a future position. ; If training is to be others who have an impact on the performance of trainees. ; In addition, policies and performance reward systems should help to support the training efforts and recognize when performance has improved as a result of training. ; SST James should consider breaking the bureaucratic procedure in the approval of funding for a relevant training / course of employees. This would cut out time wasting and productivity of employee and equally serve as an incentive for Job performance.

What is common in both SST. James and the Citizens Information Service is the multicultural awareness and how well they manage diversity in their workplace. Both Organizations seem to include segments of the population into their work force. The population of both sexes is evenly spread and there are people from all races and nationalities working in both places. The good aspect of it is that both organizations conduct cross-cultural training for employees from both majority and minority groups. The CICS has immigrants and employees with disabilities being employed in all levels of positions.

Recruitment According to Edwin B. Flippo, “recruitment is the process of searching the candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organisation”. Recruitment is the activity that links the employers and the job seekers. In other words, it is a process of finding and attracting capable applicants for employment. The process begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications are submitted. The result is a pool of applications from which new employees are selected. Flippo Edwin B. (1984) Recruitment Procedure

In today’s scenario, the recruitment procedure varies depending upon the nature of the requirement. These procedures require the placement of the right talent at the right place, thereby making the association mutually beneficial for the employer and the employee. There are usually two types of recruitment processes. Recruitment Processes: External and Internal Internal recruitment – The term internal recruitment is defined as the practice of choosing amongst current company workers to fill a position that falls vacant over time.

This may include a change in profile on the part of the employee. Internal recruitment is more economical and less time consuming for the company. External recruitment – In contrast, external recruitment has to do with external candidates applying for an available position. Once the staffing requirements are determined, an organization has to ensure that there are appropriate recruitment systems in place to attract and select candidates of the right caliber. This requires identifying and focusing on each of the critical stages of the recruitment process.

Naturally, the resources spent for the overall selection process are more. The Human Resources Department (HRD) team plays a significant role in the recruitment process steps of every organization. Whenever a vacancy arises in an organization, it is the responsibility of the HRD to place the information in the public domain through the various media, such as newspapers and various job sites. However, it is of utmost importance that the advertisement designed clearly defines the designation, job profile and the concomitant skill set required.

Filtration and Selection of Relevant Resumes As the organization will float the advertisement for the Vacancy, the jobseekers will start applying for the position. After receiving an adequate number of responses from job seekers, the scrutiny process of the resumes begins. This step play an essential role in the recruitment selection process, because selecting the correct resumes that match the job profile, is very critical. Generally, it is done by a competent person who understands all the responsibilities associated with the designation in its entirely.

Candidates with the given skill set are then chosen and further called for interview. Preliminary Selection Techniques Now a days, Online employment screening is a technique employed by certain employers. This technique saves a lot of time and money for the employer. It is an efficient method to assess the skills and knowledge of the candidate with regards to the required skill set. Assessment center technique is another method that includes lots of exercises on problem solving, presentation, aptitudes test and many more.

In this process, employers usually check the different skills of a person. After a candidate has cleared these tests, there is usually a formal round of interview with the HRD, where the discussion that includes salary expectations and subsequent negotiations takes place. Recruitment Interview Job interviews play an important role in the entire recruitment process. It is very important to put the candidate at ease, so as to eliminate initial nervousness and to break the ice. It is better to start with general questions to the candidate, so that he feels relaxed.

Queries should be job related, objective and understandable to the candidate. In this step only candidate demonstrates and assures the panel of his suitability for the post. The recruitment process of an organization ends by finalizing the candidate followed by other joining procedures and formalities. Suvamita Ghosh (2009/2010 Advantages and disadvantages of external and internal recruitment: Advantages of internal recruitment are more than just cutting on advertisement costs because it offers wonderful opportunities for the current staff to further their careers.

Internal recruitment could also be a great way of keeping workers who may have been considering a flight from the company, this is advantageous because the cost of training are at most best insignificant and to the worst much less than it would cost if the organization advertised outside. It’s definitely faster and less costly than outside recruitment and it has the added merits because current employees are a familiar entity. Some organizations conduct external recruitment only to discover later that they have a member of staff who doesn’t fit into the general environ and the mission and vision statement of the organization.

The disadvantage of internal recruitment is that the size of prospective applicants is considerably reduced. There is no doubt that outside recruitment provides the organization with a broader skill pool and wider experience than could be the case with internal recruitment. A staff member who responds to the internal advertised position and gets the job might discover that their workmates resent that promotion and that could prove very challenging for them in their newfound positions.

If a company does its recruitment internally, It most probably faces the possibility of having another empty position to fill, and of how to do that. Organizations that heavily rely on inside recruitment might eventually find that they have to advertise outside the organization, the cost notwithstanding. Current staff may fill to be the best candidates for the position regardless of whether they have the necessary expertise and expertise required for the job. Abhishek Agarwal (2008) External recruitment A PREFERENCE! Reasons To advantages. It helps you cquire competitive intelligence about other firms. New hires can help you identify other potential candidates to “poach” from their firm. The new ideas that applicants and new hires bring in stimulate the thinking of others. It keeps our employees on the edge because they know they must compete against outsiders for jobs. Outside hires don’t have political alliances already set up. This can help them implement new ideas without the “baggage” of past political battles. Some argue that hiring “already trained” people is cheaper than developing and promoting internal talent..

The outside recruiting and advertising for outside hires may tangentially help build your brand, send a message that you are growing and also help boost sales. In most cases external hiring adds more to the diversity of the workforce than internal hiring. If the firm is going global, it will undoubtedly line that external “local” hires are superior and performance to internal promotions. On the contrary, there are many disadvantages of external recruitment like, Outside hires can weaken the corporate culture by bringing in counter culture people. External hires often have a longer “adjustment period” and orientation costs are higher.

Customers may feel slighted if they don’t get one of the Firm’s current employees Firms with strategic alliances may anger their partners by “poaching” their talent. Hiring talent away from customers and suppliers may harm your business relationships. Legal issues can occur when hiring intact teams, top technical talent with non-compete agreements. In a competitive market you can’t hire quality talent without a strong recruiting function. Learning internet recruiting and setting up web pages may be prohibitively expensive or time consuming. Dr. John Sullivan (1999)

In order to illustrate the recruitment and selection process, we can take an example of hiring General Manager-Operations for an organization ventured into manufacturing of Electrical Products. The recruitment procedure starts from identifying Job requirements as soon as the recruitment need is finalized. HR Department will draft the job description, job requirements and proposed compensation; develop a budget and timeline for the search process; and then submit these proposals for approval by the full board. The budget should include advertising and candidate other hiring expenses.

Then the committee places ads, screens responses, checks references, develops interview questions, selects candidates to be interviewed, makes travel arrangements for out-of town candidates and conducts interviews. The next step is to shortlist the candidates in order to hire the best for the position vacant. Final round of interview can be arranged with the senior management along with the hiring recommendations. The final results should be notified immediately in order to complete the recruitment procedure with issuing Letter of Intent/Appointment Letter and other joining formalities.

Conclusion Recruitment is essential to effective Human Resources Management. It is the heart of the whole HR systems in the organization. The effectiveness of many other HR activities, such as selection and training depends largely on the quality of new employees attracted through the recruitment the recruitment process. Policies should always be reviewed as these are affected by the changing environment. Management should get specific training on the process of recruitment to increase their awareness on the dangers of wrong placements.

HR practitioners should be on the guard against all the malpractices and advocate for professional approach through out the system. The HR should indicate disagreement in the event that biasing toward certain candidates is creeping in and point out the repercussions that may follow in terms of performance and motivation. It is the author’s conviction that, the recruitment process should be seen in the context of ongoing staff planning that is linked to the strategic and financial planning of the organization.

Nyamupachari Vareta, Recruitment Process: The heart of Human Resources Management Referencing: Flippo E. B. (1984), Principles of Personnel Management (McGraw-Hill International Editions: Management Series) (Internet) Available at. Suvamita G. ,(2010), Recruitment Process Steps, (Internet) Available at . Abhishek A. , (2008), Business: Careers Employment (Internet) Available at . Dr. John S. (1999), The advantages and disadvantages of “External first’ Hiring Process, (Internet) Available at< http://www. ere. net/1999/09/17/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-external-first-hiring-preferences/>. Nyamupachari V. , RECRUITMENT PROCESS: THE ‘HEART’ OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, (Internet), Avalable at: .