CH-6 STAFFING

Q. Explain the steps involved in the process of selection.

Ans. Steps in the process of selection:
1. Preliminary Screening:
In this step the candidates who do not fulfill the required basic qualification are eliminated
by the manager on the basis of information supplied in the application form. The
preliminary interview is generally brief & helps in rejecting unfit or unsuitable candidates.

2. Selection Tests:
Individuals differ in certain characteristics like level of mental ability, personality traits,
likes & dislikes etc. The differences can be analysed with the help of various psychological
& trade tests. Selection test is the mechanism that tries to measure the characteristics like
intelligence, personality, etc.

a. Intelligence Test: An intelligence test helps to measure the level of intelligence

quotient (IQ) of an individual. This test is conducted to find out learning ability &
the ability to make decisions & judgements. It is one of the psychological tests.
b. Aptitude Test: It measures individual’s potential for learning new skills. It measures
the individual’s potential or capacity to acquire skills.
c. Personality Test: This test is conducted to observe how an applicant reacts to real
life situation. They provide clues about the person’s emotions, his reactions, maturity
& value system etc.
d. Trade Test: It measures the actual skills possessed by an individual. It is also known
as achievement test or proficiency test. These tests are used to measure the level of
knowledge or the proficiency of an applicant in the area of respective profession.
e. Interest Test: These tests are used to know the pattern of interest, i.e. – the areas in
which the individuals show special concern, fascination & involvement.

3. Employment Interview:
Interview is a formal in-depth conversation conducted to evaluate the applicant’s suitability
for the job. The main purpose of employment interview is:

a. To find out the suitability of the candidate.

b. To seek more information about the candidate.
c. To judge the communication skill of the candidate.
d. Where the selection test is not conducted, interview is important.
4. Reference & background check:
Before finally selecting the candidate, the prospective employer verifies the information
given in the application & gains additional information about the applicant’s family
background, past employment, education, personal reputation, police records, etc.
Generally, the references are the previous employers, teachers, university professors & the
known persons who hold respectable position in some organization.

5. Selection Decision:
The final selection of the candidate is made from among the candidates who had
successfully cleared the tests, interviews & reference checks. As the concerned manager has
to take work from the new employee his views will also be considered while taking
selection decision.

6. Medical Examination:
Before giving the job offer, the selected candidates are required to undergo a medical fitness
test to know their physical capabilities to meet the job requirements.

7. Job Offer:
Job is offered to the candidate through the appointment letter which contains the date of
joining.

8. Contract of employment:
When the candidate accepts the job offer certain documents are executed by the employer &
the candidate.

a. Attestation Form: (given by the employee) It is the document which contains

certain important details about the candidate which are attested by him. It is the
valid record for future reference.
b. Contract of Employment :( given by the employer) It is the document which
contains certain important details prepared by the employer which contains the
basic information about the job title, duties, responsibilities, date of joining, basic
pay & allowances, leave rules, disciplinary procedure, grievance procedure &
termination of employees.

Q. Define staffing. Write various steps involved in staffing process.

Ans. Staffing is the managerial function of filling & keeping filled the positions in the
organizational structure. The various steps involved in staffing process are:

1. Estimating the Manpower Requirements (Manpower Planning):

For performing various jobs, the organisation has to appoint various persons with specific
set of educational qualifications, skills, experience, etc.
 Manpower requirement is to be estimated, which has two aspects:
a. Number of employees
b. Type of employees

Manpower planning involves two techniques:

i. Workload analysis: It refers to assessing the number & type of human resources
necessary for performing various jobs & achieving organisational objectives.
ii. Workforce Analysis: It refers to finding the number & type of human resources which
are available.

These two techniques show whether the organisation is under-staffed, over-staffed or

optimally staffed. In case of over-staffing, some employees may have to be removed
or transferred. In case of under-staffing, recruitment is necessary. The manpower
requirement is to be translated into job description and desirable profile of the
candidate. i.e. – education, desired, qualification, experience, personality
characteristics, etc.

2. Recruitment:
It is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for
job in the organization. On the basis of job description and candidate’s profile, the
advertisement of ‘situation vacant’ is developed and displayed on the factory gate or office
gate or it is published in print media or flashed in electronic media. Management has to use
both internal and external sources of recruitment. Internal sources are used to a limited
extent and external sources are used for fresh talent and has wider scope.

3. Selection:
It is a process of choosing from among the pool of the prospective job candidates developed
at the stage of recruitment.

The purpose of selection process is:

a. To get the best candidate for the organization.
b. To enhance the prestige of selected candidate.
The organization follows the selection process which consists of many steps from
preliminary screening to contract of employment.

4. Placement and orientation (Induction):

When the selected candidate occupies the post for which he has been selected, it is known
as placement. Orientation is the process of familiarization or socialization of selected
employee at the workplace. It is also known as induction. Orientation means introducing a
newly selected employee to his superiors, subordinates, colleagues.

5. Training and Development:

 Every employee wants the opportunities to learn and reach the top. The organization can
attract & retain the talented people by giving them opportunities for career advancement.
So, the organization must facilitate employee learning by giving them training either in
training centers or it may take help from training and educational institutes. Training is the
process of increasing knowledge, skills and abilities of employees to perform specific job.
Development is the process of learning & growth of an individual in all respect.

6. Performance Appraisal:
It means evaluating an employee’s current & past performance by comparing it with the
pre-determined standard. Generally, superior provides the feedback about the employee’s
performance by formal or informal means. This process includes defining the job,
appraising performance and providing feedback.

7. Promotion & career planning:

Manager must design the activities to serve employee’s long-term interest. They must
encourage the employees to grow and realize their full potential. The employees must be
promoted as promotion is very important in employees’ career. Promotion means more pay,
responsibility and job satisfaction.

8. Compensation:
Compensation refers to all forms of pay and rewards going to the employees. Organisation
should develop time based and performance-based wage and salary plan for their
employees. Time based plan means salary and wages are paid either daily, monthly or
annually. Performance based plan means salary and wages are paid according to piece of
work. It may be in the form of direct financial payment like wages, bonus, salary and
commission and indirect payment like employee paid insurance and vacation.

Q. Difference between training & development

BASIS TRAINING DEVELOPMENT
Meaning Training is the process of increasing knowledge, Development is the process of
skills, abilities of employees to perform specific learning & growth in all respects.
job.
Nature Training is a job-oriented process It is career-oriented process
Purpose To enable the employees to improve his/her To enable the overall growth of the
performance on the current job & prepare him employee. i.e – to improve his job
for intended job(futurejob). performance as well as to bring about
overall growth of the personality.`
Duration Its duration is comparatively shorter as it is a Its duration is long as it is ongoing
short process. process & it also includes training.
Level of It is required by supervisory level. It is required by higher managerial
Trainees level.
Focus It focuses on technical skills. It focuses on conceptual & human
ideas

Q. Why is employee training necessary in an organization?

Ans. A. Benefits of Training to an organization:
i. Reduces wastage of efforts and money: Training is systematic leaning which reduces
wastage of efforts and money. Trained employee takes less time to learn about the job,
while an untrained employee uses hit and trial method which leads to wastage of efforts
and money.

ii. Enhancing employee productivity: It enhances employee productivity both in terms

of quantity & quality which leads to higher profit.

iii. Reduces absenteeism and employee turnover: A trained employee knows everything
about the job and is more dedicated towards his job. He would not like to leave his job
because he becomes self-motivated, more regular and loyal towards his job.

iv. Helps in adapting to environmental changes: It becomes necessary to give training to

employees due to fast rate of scientific and technological development. Trained
employee can easily adapt to these environmental changes.

v. Equips the future manager: Training equips the future manager who can take over in
case of emergency.

B. Benefits of Training to Employees:

i. Provides better career prospects: Training improves skills & knowledge of employees
and thus provides better career prospects to him.

ii. Minimises chances of accident: Trained employee becomes more efficient in handling
machines.So there are less chances of accidents.

iii. Helps in earning more: Training helps in earning more because performance level of
trained employees goes up.

iv. Increases employee’s morale: It increases satisfaction and morale of the employees.
Q. What are the methods of training for workers?
Ans. The various methods of training for workers include:
1. On the job methods of training:
It refers to those methods which are used at the workplace, while the employee is actually
working. The trainees learn while doing the job.

i. Apprenticeship Program: It is on the job method of training in which apprentices or

trainees are placed under the guidance of master worker to acquire higher level of
skills. They spend a prescribed amount of time under the guidance of experienced
trainer or guide. They learn by observation and practice to become skilled worker like
plumbers, electricians, iron workers etc. Uniform period of training is offered to both
fast and slow learners. Slow learners may require additional training.

ii. Internship Training: It is a joint program of training in which educational institutions

& business firms co-operate. Selected candidates carry on their regular studies & also
work in an organization to acquire practical knowledge. This method helps in
improving job knowledge and efficiency. Internship training is necessary where
advanced theoretical knowledge is to be backed up by practical knowledge. e.g-
Medical students are sent to big hospitals to get practical training. Some enterprises
which give training may also offer them suitable jobs.

iii. Induction Training: It helps the new employee in settling down quickly into the job by
becoming familiar with people, surroundings, the job and the business. The duration
of this training may be from few hours to few days. The purpose of this training is to
make the new employee feel at home and develop a feeling of belongingness.

iv. Coaching: (Coach or Counsellor instructs the trainee)

v. Job Rotation: (Shifting the trainee from one department to another)

2. Off the job methods of training: It refers to those methods of training which are used
away from the workplace. The trainees learn before doing the actual job.

i. Vestibule Training: Under this method the employees learn their job on the equipment
which they will be using while doing the actual job. But the training is conducted away
from the workplace. Actual work environment is created in the classroom and the
employee uses the same material, files & equipment. This method is generally used
when some sophisticated machinery & equipment are to be handled.
ii. Classroom Lectures/ Conferences
iii. Films
iv. Case Study
 v. Computer Modeling
vi. Programmed Instruction

Q. What are the aspects of staffing?

Ans. Three aspects of staffing are:
1. Recruitment:
It is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for
jobs in an organisation. Recruitment is positive process because it attracts number of
candidates to apply for a given job. Higher the number of candidates, more is the possibility
of getting a suitable employee.

Activities involved in recruitment are:

i. Identification of different sources of labour supply.
ii. Assessment of their validity.
iii. Choosing the most suitable sources.
iv. Inviting applications from the prospective candidates for the vacancies.
The vacant post may be filled up by external or internal sources of recruitment.

2. Selection:
It is the process of choosing the best person from among the pool of prospective job
candidates developed at the stage of recruitment. Selection is the negative process because
in selection, at every stage, many candidates are eliminated and a few move to the next
stage, until a right type of candidate is found.

3. Training:
It is the process of increasing knowledge, skills and abilities of the employees to perform a
specific task or job. The two methods of training are:

i. On the job training method:

a. Apprenticeship Program
b. Internship Training
c. Induction Training
ii. Off the job training method – Vestibule Training

Q. What are the two sources of recruitment?

Ans. Sources of recruitment are classified into two categories
1. Internal Sources: It refers to inviting candidates from within the organization through
transfer or promotion.

a. Transfer (Horizontal Shifting): It involves shifting of an employee from one job to

another, one department to another or from one shift to another without any major
change in the responsibility, status and salary of the employees. It is a good source of
filling the vacancies with employees from the overstaffed departments. It is practically
a horizontal movement of the employees. If there is shortage of personnel in one
branch or department it may be filled through transfer from another branch. It may also
be helpful in avoiding termination and in removing individual’s problems and
grievances. It is also used for training of employees for learning various jobs.

b. Promotion (Vertical Shifting): It involves shifting an employee to a higher position

carrying higher responsibilities, facilities, status and pay. It increases loyalty and
satisfaction of employees and improve motivation.

2. External Sources: All the vacancies cannot be filled through internal sources of
recruitment. The existing staff may be insufficient, or may not fulfill the eligibility criteria
of the jobs to be filled. External sources provide wide choice & brings new blood in the
organisation.

a. Advertisement in Print Media:

Proper advertisement is given in newspapers, business magazines, trade &
professional journals. This source is used when wider choice is required. The
advantage of advertisement is that more information about the organisation and job
can be given. The disadvantage is that it may bring in a flood of response and many
times from quite unsuitable candidates.

b. Web Publishing:
These days internet has become a common source of recruitment. There are certain
websites which are designed to provide information for both job seekers and
organisations which are searching for suitable people. e.g.- monsterjob.com,
naukri.com are commonly visited by both – job seekers and the client organisation.

c. Recommendation of employees:
Sometimes the present employees recommend their friends and relatives for the post.
Such applicants are likely to be good employees because their background is
sufficiently known. The present employee knows more about both the company and
the candidate and he would try to satisfy both.

d. Campus Recruitment:
 Recruitment through educational institutions is known as campus recruitment. Many
big companies keep in close touch with the universities & vocational schools and
managerial institutes to recruit qualified personnel for various jobs. This is popular
source of recruitment for technical, professional & managerial jobs. Now a days, most
of the institutions have their own placement cell with the aim of providing
employment to their students.

e. Casual Callers (Waiting List):

Many business organisations maintain a database record of unsolicited (uncalled)
applicants in their offices. The applications are screened, and the candidates are called
to fill the vacancies, when they arise. The cost of recruitment is very less.

f. Direct Recruitment (Gate Hiring):

A notice is placed on the notice board of the organisation which specifies the details of
the jobs available. Job seekers assemble outside the organisation on the specified date
and the selection is done on-the-spot. This source of recruitment is suitable for filling
casual vacancies of unskilled & semi-skilled jobs. Such workers are known as casual
or badli workers & are paid daily wages. It is inexpensive method of recruitment and
doesn’t involve any advertising cost. It is suitable when some permanent workers are
absent.

g. Advertising on television:
The vacant posts are telecasted on the television. The profile of the organisation where
the vacancy exists, and detailed requirement of jobs are publicized.

h. Employment Exchange:
Employment exchange are run by government and it is a good source of recruiting
unskilled and skilled operative jobs. Employment exchange registers the details of job
seekers. The organisation requiring candidates get the details from the employment
exchange and recruit the employees. It is the economical source of recruitment. In
some cases, it is legally compulsory for the organisation to give details of vacancies to
the employment exchange. Thus, employment exchange helps to match personnel
demand and supply by acting as a link between job seekers and employers.

i. Labor Contractors:
Labor contractors maintain close contracts with labor. i.e.- unskilled workers and can
recruit them at short notice. These contractors may themselves be the employee of the
organization. So, whenever they leave the organisation, the workers employed by him
will also leave.

j. Placement agencies & management consultants:

It consists of private agencies and professional bodies. They match personnel demand
and supply by compiling the biodata of large number of candidates and recommending
 suitable names to the client organisations. They charge fees for their services.
Generally, this source is used when extensive screening is to be done. Management
consultants help the organisation to recruit professionals i.e.- Top level and Middle
Level Executives. They maintain the databank of persons with different qualifications
and skills. Sometimes they advertise jobs on behalf of the client organisation.

Q. What are the merits & demerits of internal sources or recruitment?

Ans. Merits of Internal Sources of Recruitment:
i. Motivates and Improves the performance of employees: A promotion at higher level
may lead to a chain of promotions at lower level in the organisation. Thus employees are
motivated to improve their performance through learning and practice. Employees work
with commitment and their satisfaction and loyalty increases.

ii. Easy and economical selection: It is very easy and economical to evaluate the
candidates who are already working in an organisation.

iii. Tool of Training: Transfer is a tool of training the employees which prepares them for
higher jobs. The employees do not need induction training also.

iv. Benefit of transfer: It is beneficial for the organisation to shift the workforce from the
surplus department to the understaffed department.

v. Cheaper Source of Recruitment: Filling the vacancies from within the organisation
through internal sources, promotion and transfer is cheaper than getting the candidate
from external sources.

Demerits of Internal Sources of Recruitment:

i. No fresh talent: If the organisations completely rely or depend on internal promotion to
fill the vacancies then it stops infusion of new blood or fresh talent.

ii. Employee becomes lethargic: If the employees are sure of time-bound promotion, they
become lethargic.

iii. Not useful for new organisation: A new organisation cannot use internal sources of
recruitment. An existing organisation cannot fill all its vacancies from internal sources.

iv. No spirit of competition: The employees do not have competitive feeling because they
are aware of time bound promotion.
 v. Transfer causes fall in productivity: Frequent transfers of employees reduces the
productivity of the organisation.

Q. What are the merits and demerits of external sources of recruitment?

Ans. Merits of external sources of recruitment:
i. Qualified Personnel: The management attracts qualified and trained personnel to apply
for vacant jobs in the organisation.

ii. Wider Choice: When the organisation gives the advertisement, it gets a wider choice.
When a large number of applicants apply from the outside the organisation management
gets a wider choice while selecting the people for employment.

iii. Fresh Talent: The existing staff may be insufficient or may not fulfill the eligibility
criteria of the jobs to be filled. External sources provide wider choice and brings new
blood in the organisation.

iv. Competitive spirit: To compete with outsiders the existing staff will show better
performance.

Demerits of external sources of recruitment:

i. Dissatisfaction among existing staff: When the employees are recruited from outside
the existing employees are dissatisfied and frustrated.

ii. Lengthy Process: Recruitment from external sources take a lot of time. The
organisation has to wait for applications to start the selection process.

iii. Costly Process: A lot of money has to be spent on advertisement and processing of
application.

Q. Why staffing is important?

Ans. Need and importance (or benefits) of staffing:
i. Helps in discovering and obtaining competent personnel: Effective staffing discovers
the talented, experienced and qualified staff which is an asset for the enterprise.
 ii. Ensuring maximum productivity: When right person is put on the right job, it ensures
higher performance or maximum productivity with least wastage. Thus, productivity of
workers also increases.

iii. Continuous Survival and Growth: Through effective staffing and succession planning
it ensures continuous survival and growth of the enterprise.

iv. Optimum utilization of human resources: By avoiding overmanning it prevents

underutilization and labor cost. It also avoids disruption of work because it tells in
advance about the shortage of personnel.

v. Improves job satisfaction and morale of employees: It improves job satisfaction and
morale of employees through objective assessment and fair reward for their
contribution.

Q. What are the special activities and duties which human resource personnel must
perform?
Ans. Special activities and duties which human resource personnel must perform are:
i. Recruitment. i.e. – search for qualified people.
ii. Analyzing jobs, collecting information about jobs to prepare job description.
iii. Developing compensation and incentive plans.
iv. Training and development of employee for efficient performance & career growth.
v. Maintaining labor relation and union-management relation.
vi. Handling grievances and complaints.
vii. Providing for Social Security and welfare of employees.
viii. Defending the company in lawsuits and avoiding legal complication.