This essay is a review on Derek Stockley’s article related to HRM Recruitment and Selection. These articles are gathered through the internet sources, and supported by facts from two books: Human Resource Management by H. John Bernardin and Joyce E.
A. Russell, and Strategic Human Resource Management by Dennis M. Daley. According to Derek Stockley, poor employee performance costs Australian employers about $4.
3 billion per year. He rooted out that the main cause of this problem is poor employee recruitment and selection practice.Most organizations failed to hire the qualified workers for each job, causing almost an average of 60% of their workers unable to perform their task properly. This is affecting the productivity of the workers which also causing the low productivity level of the production department of any organization.
Employee recruitment and selection is one of the main tasks of Human Resource Management in an organization. Its main purpose is to find the right person for a job (Daley, 2002).During the early years, HRM was disregarded. According to Bernardin and Russell, there are trends related to the increased importance of HRM, and these are the: Declining productivity rate, increasing competitive environment, increased laws and regulations, proliferation of lawsuits related to HR; changes in workforce characteristics, and poor fit between workforce knowledge, skills, and abilities, and job requirements (Bernardin & Russell,1993).In one of Stockley’s article, he cited that recruitment and selection involves many critical elements, but two major elements are: Attracting the right number of candidates through careful targeting of the recruitment advert, and using a variety of methods in the selection process, including practical assessments and role plays relevant to the position description. These facts are undeniable.
Let’s cite examples of each one first. In country X, a newly emerging company is hiring computer skilled workers.The organization used the traditional “newspaper’s classified ads” technique (I am referring to posting job vacancy in newspapers classified ads section). This method is widely used by organizations that could not afford to pay for an expensive way of advertising. When a job applicant read the advertisement, the next problem is accessibility of the location. Some applicants encounter problems in submitting the requirements to qualify for the job.
The result is very clear! The number of applicants is limited to those who were able to submit the requirements at the given period.Are all of those who were able to submit qualified? How lucky if they all did, but what if not? The HR of the organization especially when the hiring is very urgent will be forced to select the best from those who have applied. There are only two problems that could arise from this approach: either the HR will hire partially qualified worker, or will luckily hire a fully qualified worker. It is a mystery as long as the performance of those who were hired is tested by their working performance. On the second element, during applicant screening, are proper approach used?There is what we call a “under the table” approach of hiring.
It does not only talk about money that is involved in hiring proper applicant, there is also what we call “hired by connection” (I am referring to those who were hired by having connection with influential people in the organization. ) This approach is totally against the proper recruitment and selection practice. The proper method should screen applicants by conducting actual performance, or other form of practical assessment. Although the approach is tedious and time consuming, the result is more reliable.That is why according to Stockley, 20% of the effort, produces 80% of the result.
Stockley cited the use of the internet as a recruitment tool. There is a very big advantage of the use of internet because of the scope of its area coverage. When you post your job advertisement on the net, all internet users could have the chance to see your advert especially now that job seekers in local and abroad know that this technique exists. The web allows organizations to posts much information that could attract many job seekers or applicants.
The option of allowing visitors to upload resumes and other credentials that proves their qualifications attracts more applicants. The more applicants, means more chances of selecting the best. This helps a lot in making a pre-selection, or screening those who are qualified to be called for an interview. But it is always true that there are always negative sides in any method. But the point there is, no matter what method is used in advertising, the next procedure always lie on the interview and on the practical role plays, or actual observations, or any form of testing the skills that match the criteria of the job.
Another task of HRM is employee retention. According to Bernardin and Russell, retention of desired workers focuses on managing turnover which involves pay package (salary/wages and benefits) and job satisfaction. Stockley supported this idea on his article “Work Enjoyment Helps Employee Retention. Enjoyment is defined as the pleasure felt from having a good time. Another definition goes “act of receiving pleasure from something” (taken from webdictionary.
com). Every employee does not only want to have a job.At first, of course their main purpose is to have a job in which they could be compensated. But on the long run, it is more on the employer/employee relationship. Stockley presented some important elements involved in job retention below: 1. Giving the right basics – he is referring to giving the employees the proper compensation, collective bargaining agreements they deserve for doing their jobs.
Another factor involve here is providing the appropriate working condition by giving the enough ventilation, safety devices, etc. 2. Remove fear of uncertainty – employees should have the right to their own choice of enjoyment as long as it would not do any harm to others and not against any company policy. 3. Create and maintain a good work culture and climate – the culture should be friendly, work focused by not obsessed. People should have fun when the pressure is off, and work hard when the pressure is on.
This is a picture of a hassle free environment. Everyone is given the chance to enjoy their rights.A prerequisite to employee recruitment, selection, and retention is by conducting a Job Analysis. It is the process of identifying task, skills, abilities, and knowledge requirements, weaknesses and poor job performances, and an aid in identifying proper compensation rate for any job.
According to Daley, it is a two-stage process. First, is identifying essential job tasks or responsibilities. Second, comparing and contrasting the resultant positions and sorts them into categories (Daley, 2002). Proper job analysis helps organization identify priorities in the HRM tasks.KASOC (knowledge, abilities, skills, and other characteristics) can be defined for each job categories or positions which will be the basis for the selection of the appropriate applicant for hiring, and the appropriate employee to be promoted in position, and to be retained during termination (Bernardin & Russell, 1993). Conducting a job analysis is not an easy task as it involves many data collection methods: observation, performing the job, interviews, critical incidents, diaries, background records check, questionnaires (Bernardin & Russell, 1993).
That is still true to retention of employee.Although there are similarities with the concept of the three tasks, the main point in retention is maintaining the loyalty of employees in an organization. It is more on giving employee the kind of satisfaction which is unique from other organization. This satisfaction can be provided in terms of financial and non –financial rewards. During our present economic situation, some companies especially bigger industries are terminating workers as part of cost cutting effort. But the worst thing is there are malpractices that are involve in the HRM procedures of selecting the appropriate employees to be retained.
If only these HR managers will adhere to the proper use of the HRM process, then it will promote a bigger and healthier organization not only in terms of profit, but also in terms of its morale. These three HRM activities are very crucial to the success of an organization. The workforce consisting human employees should be equipped with the necessary skills required for the performance of every task as part of an organization’s. The organization must also supply this workforce with the type of environment in which they could enjoy and feel satisfaction in terms of relationship among co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates.
