HMB - MP

• Workforce Planning


  Forecasts staffing deciding how many and what types of workers are required and when
• Steps in workforce planning

  1. Analyse potential demand for goods/services and decide staffing needs

  2. Conduct staffing forecast to identify shortfall/surplus

  3. Analyse current workforce profile

  4. Close staffing gaps through recruitment, training, retention

  5. Review and make changes
• Too few staff may mean the reputation of the business will suffer whereas too many staff will increase costs and reduce competitiveness
• Reasons for workforce changes - New staff may be needed for


  • Meeting increasing demand for existing products
  • Developing new products to satisfy demand
  • Assisting in opening new stores/factories
  • Helping enter new markets
  • Responding to flexible working arrangements
• Reasons for workforce changes - Existing staff may be removed or leave for


  • Responding to falling sales/demand
  • Taking up positions with competitors or other local employers
  • Retiring, taking sick leave, going on maternity leave
  • Business needs different employees with new skills
• Internal Recruitment


  Vacancies are open only to existing employees
• Ways to advertise internal vacancies

  • Staff Noticeboard
  • Organisation's Intranet
  • Internal email to all or selected staff
  • Company newsletter
• Advantages of Internal Recruitment


  • Vacancies can be filled quickly
  • Employees already know how the business works and have shown ability
  • Costs of advertising are reduced
  • Less training may be required
  • The employee is known and can be trusted
  • Employees will be more motivated
• Disadvantages of Internal Recruitment


  • Opportunity to bring in new ideas or skills is lost
  • May not be a suitable person as applicants are from a limited pool
  • Another vacancy will be created which will need to be filled
  • Competition for jobs may cause conflict
• External Recruitment


  Adverts are placed outside the business and any suitable person may apply
• Ways to advertise external vacancies


  • Job Centre
  • Newspaper Adverts
  • Websites such as Indeed
  • Recruitment Agencies
• Advantages of External Recruitment


  • New blood brings new ideas
  • A large number of people may apply giving a wider choice
  • Recruitment agencies can carry out this work quickly
  • Using specialised media helps find people with particular skills
  • Avoids creating further vacancy in the organisation
  • Avoids jealousy and resistance from internal candidates
• Disadvantages of External Recruitment


  • Unsuccessful internal candidates may be demotivated
  • Time consuming to check many applications
  • Can be expensive to advertise and carry out selection
  • Greater risk of picking the wrong person
  • Conflict may arise between external candidates
  • Induction training required for external candidates
• Comparison of Internal vs External Recruitment


  • Cost - Internal less costly
  • Time Taken - Internal quicker
  • Knowledge of Applicant - Internal know applicant, External unknown
  • Knowledge of Organisation - Internal know organisation, External don't know
  • Introduction of New Ideas - External can bring new ideas, Internal may not
• Advantages of Application Forms

  • Useful for comparing responses
  • Questions can be specific to organisation's requirements
• Disadvantages of Application Forms


  • Does not reveal the candidate's interpersonal skills and qualities
• CVs


  A document produced by each individual that details their skills, qualifications, qualities, work experience and personal experiences
• Advantages of CVs


  • Can allow a candidate to show their personality and individuality
• Disadvantages of CVs


  • Will be different for each candidate making comparisons difficult
• Types of Interviews


  • One-to-one
  • Successive
  • Panel
• Advantages of Interviews


  • Find out how applicants react under pressure
  • Give an indication of the applicant's personality and character
• Disadvantages of Interviews


  • Applicants can train specifically for interviews and say what the interviewer wants to hear
  • Interviews can be highly stressful and applicants may underperform
• Types of Testing


  • Aptitude tests
  • Attainment/Proficiency Tests
  • Personality tests
  • Medical tests
  • Intelligence Tests
  • Physical Fitness Tests
• Advantages of Assessment Centres


  • Allows the organisation to really scrutinise applicants over a longer period
  • Assesses how applicants interact with others and react to role-play scenarios
  • Reduces the chance of interviewer bias
• Disadvantages of Assessment Centres


  • Venue and multiple managers needed, which is expensive
  • Careful planning and preparation required, which takes time
• References


  Information on the candidate's prior performance provided by a person nominated by the applicant
• Trial period/shift


  The applicant being employed for a short period of time before being offered the position permanently
• Training and Development


  Ensuring staff develop their skills and knowledge to motivate them and improve their capabilities
• Advantages of Training and Development

  • Improves product/service quality
  • Motivates staff and helps them adapt to change
  • Reduces workplace accidents
  • Can attract high-quality staff
• Disadvantages of Training and Development


  • Can be costly
  • Can lead to lost production time
  • Staff may leave after being trained
  • Staff may demand higher wages
• Types of Training


  • Induction
  • On-the-Job
  • Off-the-Job
• Methods of Training


  • Apprenticeships
  • Graduate Training Schemes
  • Corporate Training Schemes
  • Work-Based Qualifications
  • Continuing Professional Development
• Advantages of Apprenticeships


  • Professional qualifications can be gained
  • Training is tailored to the firm's needs
  • Less costly as training takes place while performing the job
• Disadvantages of Apprenticeships


  • High degree of supervision required
  • Apprentices may make mistakes harming the company's reputation
  • Apprentices are paid a wage while training
  • No guarantee of job security
• Advantages of Graduate Training Schemes


  • Graduates are raw talent that can be moulded
  • Attractive salary, benefits and promotion opportunities are motivational
  • Successful completion can lead to a full-time position
  • Organisations can decide where best to employ graduates
• Disadvantages of Graduate Training Schemes


  • No guarantee of a job at the end
  • Time consuming to carry out the on-the-job training
  • Graduates command higher salaries
• Advantages of Corporate Training Schemes


  • Organisation benefits from highly skilled staff
  • Staff are motivated, which lowers staff turnover
  • Standard of work can improve
• Disadvantages of Corporate Training Schemes


  • Can be costly for the organisation
  • Work time can be lost throughout the training
  • Time consuming to carry out the training
• Advantages of Work-Based Qualifications


  • Training is tailored to the firm's needs
  • Training takes place in the workplace so minimal cost
  • Employees can gain a recognised qualification
  • Standard of work can improve
  • Employee has better chance of promotion or wage rise
• Disadvantages of Work-Based Qualifications


  • Qualifications can take a long time if part-time
  • Employee may leave once qualification is gained
  • Costly to pay for the training