Business - Human Resources

• Centralisation


  Maintaining control by keeping authority at the senior levels of the organisation.
• Chain of command


  The line through the hierarchy that shows who is responsible for whom from top to bottom of an organisation.
• Contracts of employment


  A legal document that sets out the terms and conditions of the job for the employer and the employee.
• Decentralisation


  Where authority is spread widely through the organisation.
• Delayering


  The reorganisation of the organisation's employees so that there are fewer levels of management.
• Delegation


  Allocating a task to someone who would not normally be responsible for it.
• Employment law


  Rulings that relate to the rights and responsibilities of people who work for a business; they affect the recruitment and selection process and how the business deals with its workers.
• Flat organisational structure


  An organisational structure with a wide span of control and few levels of hierarchy (a short chain of command).
• Fringe benefits


  Additional 'perks' that are in addition to a wage/salary; they are liable to income tax.
• Full time


  Working all the usual hours required of an employee; usually 35 hours or more.
• Hierarchy


  The management structure of a business/organisation showing the levels of responsibility. It is often shown as an organisation chart.
• Induction


  Training given to a new employee when they start a new job; it provides information about the business, its operation and working practices.
• Job analysis


  The process of determining what the job entails, including responsibilities and tasks.
• Job description


  A summary of what the job entails, including job title, duties and who they are responsible for/to.
• Job share


  A system where two employees choose to share a full time job; they receive the salary and benefits on a pro rata basis according to the proportion of the full time hours that each works.
• Motivation


  The reasons people are interested in and committed to their job.
• Off-the-job training


  Employees are trained away from their job, at a college, training provider or the business' training centre.
• On-the-job training


  Employees learn alongside experienced colleagues while they are doing the job.
• Organisational structures


  The way in which the organisation is divided into levels of management, functions and responsibilities.
• Part time


  Working only a proportion of the full time hours.
• Person specification


  Identifies the requirements of the job holder, including qualifications, experience and skills.
• Profit sharing


  A scheme that pays employees an additional amount based on the year's profits.
• Recruitment


  The process of hiring a new employee.
• Salary


  A method of paying employees for their work; based on a fixed annual amount, normally paid monthly.
• Selection


  The process of choosing which applicant to employ.
• Span of control


  The number of people for whom a manager is directly responsible.
• Staff retention


  Keeping staff once they have been employed.
• Styles of management


  The methods used by those in leadership roles to achieve the most effective outcomes from the employees for whom they are responsible.
• Tall organisational structure


  An organisational structure with a narrow span of control and many levels of hierarchy (a long chain of command).
• Training


  Employees learn the skills and techniques needed to do the job or to prepare for a new role.
• Wage


  A method of paying employees for their work based on an hourly, weekly or piece of work basis, usually paid weekly or monthly.
• Zero-hour contract


  A contract of employment where the employer is not obliged to provide any minimum hours of work; the employee is not obliged to accept any work that is offered.
• Commission


  An amount of money paid to an employee that is based on a percentage of the sales he/she achieved; paid in addition to a basic salary.