1.4.1 Approaches to staffing

    Cards (57)

    • Employees are an asset…. means that they are something that a business has that is valuable.
    • What do employees provide that is seen as ‘valuable’ to a business?
      • Efficiency
      • Skills
      • Abilities
      • Add value
      • Customer service
    • As a result of having these valuable employees, what is the impact on the business?
      Pricing
      Reputation
      Innovation
      Product Quality
      Recruitment…
    • And how might the employees feel as a result of being seen as an asset?
      Loyal Productive
      Efficient
      Proud
      Satisfied
      Creative
    • Employees are also a cost
    • Employees get remuneration for the work they do
    • Remuneration
      An amount of money that is paid to somebody for the work they have done
    • Common forms of remuneration
      • wages
      • salary
    • Wage
      Paid to a worker based on the amount of work that they have done e.g. hours in a shift
    • Wage
      Usually for lower-skilled or manual workers e.g. shop workers
    • Salary
      A fixed amount that is usually paid monthly e.g. don't get extra for working more hours/harder
    • Salary
      Usually highly-skilled or not directly making the products e.g. engineers
    • National Minimum Wage (NMW)
      The legal minimum wage that businesses must pay their employees per hour
    • The UK government sets the National Minimum Wage to protect workers from being underpaid
    • Factors affecting National Minimum Wage
      • Age of the worker
      • Whether the worker is an apprentice
    • Brands such as WH Smiths, Argos and Marks & Spencer were included in the list but say that "the breaches were unintentional and had been swiftly remedied"
    • Current National Minimum Wage rates need to be researched and filled in the table in your booklet
    • It is questioned why National Minimum Wage rates differ based on age
    • Aside from remuneration, there are other ways employees cost a business money:
      1. Recruitment
      2. Training
      3. Welfare
      4. Severance
    • Contact of employment

      a legally binding agreement between the employer and the employee. 
    • What would be included in a “contract of employment”?
      • Location
      • Working hours
      • Job title
      • Salary/ wages
      • Star/ end date
      • Holiday entitlement
      • Duties/ responsibilities
      • Sick pay
    • Dismissal
      • Dismissal happens if an employee has breached their contract of employment often informally called being ‘fired’ or ‘sacked’.
      It is the employer’s decision to end the contract, not the employees.
    • Some legal reasons for dismissal:
      • An employee is not capable of doing their job e.g. poor performance
      • An employee has behaved badly (misconduct) e.g. violent or criminal activity 
      • A reason why an employer can’t keep an employee on e.g. lost the right to work in the UK
    • Businesses must ensure that dismissal is a fair procedure e.g. they have tried to overcome issues and have investigated problems thoroughly. 
      The reasons for dismissal must not be linked to any form of discrimination!
    • Redundancy 
      Occurs when the employee’s job role is no longer required
    • Why might a business make redundancies?

      • Reducing the number of staff employed
      • Business is closing down
      • Relocation of the business
      • Increase in the use of technology
    • Redundancies cost money because  the business needs to pay a minimum redundancy payment to employees that have been with the firm for at least two years. There can also be implications on business reputation and future recruitment.
    • How to choose?
      • Last in, first out
      • Asking for volunteers
      • Disciplinary records
      • Staff appraisal markings, skills, qualifications and experience
    • Where possible, asking employees if they want to take voluntary redundancy is a common procedure before choosing who will lose their job.
    • Flexibility in a workplace
      means that a business can match the work done by employees to the needs of the business.
    • Flexibility in the workplace could refer to the different ways that employees work, contract types that can be offered or employees being multiskilled so that they can complete a wider variety of tasks.
    • Which methods can a business use to allow flexible working?
      • Full time/ part time contracts
      • Outsourcing
      • Home working
      • Flexible hours
      • Shift work
      • Zero hour contracts
      • Permanent/ temporary contracts
    • Full time contract
      Employees that work at least 35 hours a week
    • Part time contract
      Less than ‘standard’ hours which can mean more flexibility in terms of covering absent employees.
    • Permanent contract
      A contract which has no end date and provides more financial security.
    • Shift work
      Used when a job role needs filling for more hours in a day than can be completed by a single worker so the hours are split up.
    • Home working
      Employees can work from home some or all days of the week.
    • Flexible hours (flexitime)

      Employees complete a set number of daily/weekly/monthly hours at times that suit them.
    • Zero hour contract
      A business employs a worker but does not offer them guaranteed hours.
    • Outsourcing
      When a business hires out some activities to other businesses rather than doing them in house.
      Ex: hiring them to produce marketing materials or assemble a certain product.