A PROJECT REPORT ON RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION (IBM INDIA GURGAON) FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRA UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF .. (Mr. Vikas Sir)
A PROJECT REPORT
ONRECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
(IBM INDIA GURGAON)
FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTFOR THE AWARD OF
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRA
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF..
(Mr. Vikas Sir)
SUBMITTED BY
Kumari Deepa
SRM UNIVERSITYINSTITUTE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Submitted In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of Business
Administration
Academic Guide Submitted by:Faculty Name – Vikas Sir Student Name – Kumari DeepaDesignation – HR Registration No -35110
SRM University MBA (Batch 2010 – 2012) NCR Campus, Modinagar
Institute Of Business Management Certificate
It is to certify that Candidate Enrollment number 35110050042 D/O Shri GOPAL PRASAD BARNWAL is a beneficed student of M.B.A. at SRM University. To the best of our Knowledge dissertation report titled “A STUDY OF RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION” submitted by her original contribution. The study was conducted at IBM INDIA GURGAON.
Dean, IBM Project Guide
Date-: Date-:
DECLARATION
I, Kumari Deepa hereby declare that this research report entitled
“A STUDY OF RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION”, has been
completed based on actual study carried out by me in IBM INDIA,
and this has not been submitted to any other University towards
any other degree.
I am presenting an authentic report of my work, carried out under
the guidance of Mr. SUMIT KUMAR WATAS (HR Manager) , This
research report is original & the information, data & fact furnished
their in are actual, based on study carried out by me.
KUMARI
DEEPA
ACKNOLEDGEMENT
The topic for research is well known topic but always
having a great scope of study. This was interesting to
have undergone the project in this era of education.
Every accomplishment needs the support of a number of
Mentors .I would also like to thanks to Mr. SUMIT K
WATAS (MANAGER HR IBM) who was having a continuous
supervision on my project. I
dedicate this Project Report to my Parents.
KUMARI DEEPA
PREFACE
The importance of an academic course would gain advantage and acceptance of the
true form, only through practical experience. Hence it is quite necessary to put the
theories into talk.
My project is based on people Awareness. The topic of my project is “A STUDY OF
RECRIUTMENT AND SELECTION”.
Practical exposure for the MBA students is very necessary because what they study
in the classroom is not the reality. Situation in the market is unknown and very
much unpredictable. So the practical experience is very much necessary this is
made possible with the Dissertation report in IBM INDIA.
I have tried my best to collect useful information , analyze and present an
unbiased and impeccable report
Table of Content
1 Introduction•Concept of the Research Area• Conceptual framework• Selection of research topic• Review of literature2. Company Profile•Brief on IBM•Vision
•Values•About the promoters3. Objectives of the Study4. Research Methodology•Hypothesis•Research design•Tools/techniques used in the study•Scope and limitations of the study5. A critical analysis of past study conducted6. Scope for further studies7. Conclusions & Suggestions
INTRODUCTION OF RECRUITMENT
AND SELECTION
Definition and Meaning
Recruitment
According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Recruitment is
the process of searching the candidates for
employment and stimulating them to apply for
jobs in the organization”
Meaning:
Recruitment is the activity that links the
employers and the job seekers. A process of
finding and attracting capable applicants for
Employment
Selection
ACCORDING TO THOMAS STONE “Selection is
the process of Differentiating between
applicants in order to identify and hire those
with a greater likelihood of success on the
jobs.”
In simple words………..
It is the functions perform by the management
of selecting the right employees at the right
time after identifying the sources of human
resources, searching for prospective employees
and stimulating them to apply for jobs in an
organization.
The objective of the selection decision is to
choose the individual who can most
successfully perform the job from the pool of
qualified candidates.
EXPLANATION
Employees well selected and well placed would not only contribute to
the efficient running of the organization but also offer significant
potential for future replacement.
Recruitment is concerned with both engaging the required number of
people, and measuring their quality. It is not only a matter of
satisfying a company’s needs; it is also an activity, which influences
the shape of the company’s future. It is a process that not only helps
to select and fill a vacancy physically, mentally, and
temperamentally but also helps to develop an employee into a
desirable employee. Selection process searches persons with
potential who would grow in the organization.
The organizational practices in selection in India vary considerably.
The private and public sector organizations differ in their selection
practices. Selection for public sector undertakings is governed by the
principles laid down in 1961 (Prasad, 1973) and are operationalised
by Public Enterprises Selection Board, Union Public Service
Commission, National Institute of Bank Management, Subordinate
Services Commission, etc.
The process of selection begins with the understanding and definition
of the job to be performed by those involved in selection. These are
then converted into job specifications (qualifications), which are
made public. Job opportunities should be publicized in such a way
that they enable the organisation to draw upon prospective
candidates from a wide cross- section of the society.
Systematic and planned selection helps the organisation to derive
the following advantages.
1. It helps to generate only relevant applicants through a self-
selection process on the part of the potential applicants. It thus
saves time and money.
2. Careful selection is functional in choosing highly motivated
employees and thus develops a culture of a committed way of
work life. Pareek and Rao (1981) suggest that through proper
selection of new entrants it is possible to build a desirable culture
and desirable norms in the organisation. Once such a culture is
established it also influences the new entrant’s orientation.
3. Proper selection also ensure high degree of satisfaction among the
employees by letting they know that their capabilities are being
properly utilized and that they are now wasting their time and
talent. This feeling is likely to raise the morale of the employees
and may result in higher levels of commitment and productivity.
4. It ensures supply of the right type of personnel in a short duration
of time.
5. In any selection there are chances of selecting a wrong person and
also chances of losing a right person. Both are equally costly to
the orgnaization. Systematic selection ensures minimization of
such errors:-
• Error of omission
• Error of commission
1. It helps build the image of the organization. It ensures purely
objective, merit- related selection and hence establishes an image
of impartiality. This attracts more qualified and better candidates
to the organisation.
2. Systematic selection is a tremendous blessing for human
resources information systems. It provides a useful data bank for
personnel audit and research, and potential for upward mobility in
the organisation.
The process of Selection consists of three stages: Recruitment,
Screening and Selection
Recruitment
The first stage in selection is to make the vacancies known to a large
number of people and the opportunities that the organisation offers.
The process of attracting people to apply is called recruitment.
Recruitment is also defined as a process of searching for prospective
employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs. It is different from
selection, which begins after recruitment has ended. While
recruitment, is a process of attracting people selection is a process
of choosing a few among those who have been attracted.
The need for recruitment may arise out of the following situations.
1. Vacancies due to transfer, promotion, retirement, termination,
permanent disability, or death.
2. Creation of vacancies due to expansion, diversification, growth, or
job re-specification.
Recruitment is done by using a number of methods.
1. Employment Agencies
There are a number of private employment agencies like Ferguson
Associates, ABC Consultants, SB Billimoria, who register for
employment and can furnish a list of suitable candidates when
sought by employers from their data bank. Generally, these
agencies, these agencies also recruit on behalf of the organisation
without necessarily disclosing the identity of the organisation. They
go as far as short-listing the candidates for organisation but the final
decision is taken by the representatives of the organisation.
1. In terms of cost this might turn out to be cheaper than the
organizations doing it themselves. The time and man hours saved
by the company executives in processing and short-listing the
candidates could perhaps be utilized elsewhere by the
organization.
2. Up to a certain point the organizations identity remains unknown.
On the other hand, there is always the risk of losing out in screening
some person whom the representatives of the orgnaization would
have liked to meet.
2. Advertisement
It is the most widely used method for generating applications. Its
reach is very wide. Different mass media could be used to make
people aware of the opportunities. There are special journals and
magazines that cater to different market segments and putting an
advertisement in them may generate a large number of relevant
applications. However, in preparing and advertisement, lot of care
has to be taken to ensure that some self-selection among applicants
takes place. In other words, only qualified people should think of
responding to advertisements.
A good advertisement has to be specific and clear-cut in what it is
looking for. Subramanian and Devi (1984) studied 496
advertisements published in the Hindu during 1981. Public sector
enterprise inserted as many as 125 out of 496 advertisements. Their
results revealed that public sector enterprises provided better job
descriptions, job specifications, compensation details, qualifications,
age and selection procedures as compared to private sector
enterprises.
A good, carefully worded advertisement can also help in building the
image of the organisation.
3. Campus Recruitment
While campus recruitment is a common phenomenon in the West, in
India it has made its mark rather recently. Many organisations send
their representatives every year to national institutes of higher
learning like Indian Institutes of Management,Indian Institutes of
Technology and similar others. I In fact many institutes have regular
placement offices which not only send out the profiles of graduating
students, but also help the visiting company representatives in
administrative details. The organizations have definite advantages
through campus recruitment. First, the cost is low; second, they can
arrange interviews at short notice,; third, they can meet the teaching
faculty; fourth, it gives them an opportunity to ‘sell’ the
organisation to a large student body who would be graduating later,
as well as establish a goodwill through presentations and distribution
of company material. One of the drawbacks of campus recruitment
for employing organizations is that they interview candidates who
have similar experience and education.
4. Deputation
Deputation refers to sending an employee to another orgnaization for
a short duration of two to three years. Deputation is a pretty
common method of recruitment in the public sector organizations
and government agencies in India. It also takes place in the private
sector when an employee is sent to another unit of the same group
for some time. However, deputation in Indian context is generally,
seen with reference to public sector organizations and government
agencies. Deputation is useful because it provides ready expertise
and the organisation does not have to incur the initial cost of
induction and training. Since the deputation period is generally
limited to two to three years, it is often a handicap.
5. Professional Association
Very often, for certain professional and technical positions it may be
useful to go to professional associations (e.g. All India Management
Association). An application routed through these associations would,
perhaps, be better in terms of qualification as some of these
association themselves do a preliminary screening. In India, this is
not a very common practice and those few that do provide this kind
of service have not been able to generate a large number of
applications.
6. Word of Mouth
Sometimes it may be more economic, both in terms of time and
money, to pass the word around about the possible opening. This
could be done either through individual employees or unions. It often
serves the purpose of keeping the union involved in recruitment and
ensuring industrial harmony.
7. Casual Applications
Often the organisation receives self- solicited applications seeking
suitable opportunities. Many organizations I keep a live file of such
casual unsolicited applications and whenever a befitting position
opens, invite them to apply through formal channel. One major
problem with this method is that such people apply to a number of
organizations, and when they are needed by the organisation, either
they are absorbed by other organizations or are not interested in the
position.
8. Raiding
Raiding is a technical term used when employees working elsewhere
are attracted to joint organizations. The organizations are always on
the lookout for qualified professionals, and are willing to offer them a
better deal if they make the switch. There are always some
employees who are professionally very competent, but dissatisfied
with something or the other in the organisation. They form the ‘easy’
group to attract. The other group is formed of those who are equally
competent but are quite satisfied with their present position. To
attract them, the organization has to offer a very lucrative package
of perquisites. Whatever may be the means used to attract, often it
is seen as an unethical practice and not openly talked about.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
PERSONNEL/ HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODEL
Economic
Forces
Labor
Markets
Laws and
Regulations
Labour
Unions
EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
PERSNNEL/HUMAN
RESOURCE
ACTIVITES
PERSONNEL / HUMAN
RESOURCE
OUTCOMES
INDIVIDUALS
Ability Motivation
Support Activities
Analyzing Individuals
and jobs
Assessing Outcomes Attraction
Human Resource
Planning
Performance
Functional Activities Retention
External Staffing Attendance
JOBS Requirement
Rewards
Satisfaction
Internal Staffing and
Development
Compensation Other
Labour Relations
Work Environment
THE TWO FACE OF SEARCHING AND SCREENING
Individual
Organisation
Activate search
Activate search
Make inquiries and apply
Applicant 600
Communicate job openings and attributes
Screen applicants
Screen opportunities
Continued interest
Continued interest
Reject
Reject
Potential hires
Closed internal Recruitment System
Under a closed internal recruitment system, employees are not made
aware of job vacancies. The only people made aware of promotion or
transfer opportunities are those who oversee placement in the human
resource department, line managers with vacancies, and contacted
employees. The way a vacancy is typically filled under a closed
system is shown below.
Manager notifies human resources of vacancy
CLOSED INTERNAL RECRUITMENT SYSTEM
Human resources searches filed for candidates
List of candidates given by human resources to manager
Position filled by manager
Open internal recruitment system
Under an open internal recruitment system, employees are made
aware of job vacancies. Usually this is accomplished by a job posting
and bidding system.
An open system gives employees a chance to measure their
qualifications against those required for advancement. It helps
minimize the possibility of supervisors selecting only their favorite
employees for promotion or transfer. Hidden talent s often uncovered.
OPEN INTERNAL RECRUITMENT SYSTEM
Manager notifies human resources of vacancy
Human resource posts job opening
Manager fills position
Manager interviews candidates
List of candidates given by human resources to managers
Human resources screens candidates
Human resources receives bids from interested applicants
An open system may, however, create unwanted competition among
employees for limited advancement opportunities. It is a very lengthy
and time- consuming process to screen all candidates and provide
them with feedback. Employee morale may be decreased among those
who are not advanced.
Targeted system of internal recruitment
Under a targeted system, but open and closed steps are followed at
the same time. Jobs are posted, and the human resources department
conducts a search outside the job posting system. Both systems are
used to cast as wide a net as possible. The large applicant pool is
then narrowed down by KSAOs. Seniority eligibility, demographics,
and availability of applicants.
A targeted system has three advantages; a thorough search is
conducted, people have equal opportunity to apply for postings, and
hidden talent is uncovered.
SCREENING
In the overall process of selection, screening comes after the
recruitment is complete. Screening is a process of reducing the
number of applicants to a few who have better chances of selection
than those screened out. Screening is generally done on two counts-
eligibility and suitability.
Eligibility is to see if the applicants fulfill the minimum qualifications
stipulated n the recruitment announcement. Those who do not
qualify are straight away eliminated from the selection. It is difficult
to decide on the criteria suitability. One can choose only those with a
high percentage of marks, but that is not always a guarantee for
good performance. A judgment has to be made looking at the job
specifications. In general, those distant from job specifications are
screened out in the first round itself.
Screening can be done by using a variety of methods. Some of these
method are discussed below:
1. Preliminary applications
On the basis of minimum information in a preliminary or self-
prepared application, screening could be done. Only those who
qualify at this stage are sent a comprehensive application blank. If
this facility is not available, then the information provided in the
comprehensive application blank itself becomes the basis for
screening.
2. Tests of De-selection
Many organizations in India are now using psychological tests to
deselect a number of applicants. If the number of applicants is large,
higher cut- off scores are set to reduce the number to a manageable
size. These are generally tests of intelligence and environmental
awareness. In many academic institutions, banks, etc., this is a
common practice. The cut- off point is determined by a general
formula of a number of vacancies multiplied by four. The idea is to
get four times the number of vacancies, call them for interviews,
group discussions, or any other subsequent methods of selection.
Research has shown that 1:4 ratios for selection give enough
margins for choice. Although this ratio is not always strictly adhered
to, it is a common practice.
3. Screening interviews
Another method of screening is to have a short duration interview
with all the candidates and then decide who should be asked for a
comprehensive interview at a late date. This is a good technique,
provided the number is not large. Many companies in campus
interviews use this technique.
While screening does help to reduce large numbers to manageable
proportions, it also has the possibility of losing some applicants who
could have performed well in the subsequent selection. With more
clear understanding of job description, however, this risk could be
reduced.
SELECTION
Managing Recruitment and Selection System
ATTRACT
ENGAGE
TRANSACT
SATISFY
RETAIN
Selection is choosing a few from those who applied. Some selection
is:
1. Application Banks
This is first methods in IBM, used for collecting information from the
applicants. The general purpose of application blanks, according to
Athreya (1968), is to “secure desired factual information from an
applicant in a form convenient for evaluating the applicant’s
qualifications”.
Purpose of Applications Blanks: Lipsett, Rodgers and Kenter (1964)
have identified three purposes of application blanks: preliminary
screening, aid in interview, and a selection device in its own right. A
wider application shows that the application blank serves the
following purpose.
1. The provide the candidates first formal introduction to the
company. Prior to receiving the application, the company knows
nothing about him/her.
2. They generate data in uniform formats and hence make it easy to
make cross comparison of the applicants.
3. They generate data that can serve as a basis to initiate a dialogue
in the interview. This may be true for both preliminary and final
interviews. Areas that need to be further explored are identified
on the basis of blank also provide leads for subsequent interviews.
4. Data in the application blank can be used for purpose of analysis
and research in personnel. In addition, some minimum data on
employees selected have to be stored for subsequent use.
5. Since the major part of the application blank is structured, the
responses could be pre-coded for computerization. This is
particularly useful when a large number of applications are
generated and there are time and resource constraints.
6. Often application blanks require the applicants to provide
information in an unstructured way (i.e. “anything else you would
like to mention” or “state in your own handwriting why you wish
to be considered for this post”, etc.). This gives a very useful clue
to the organizing and presentation abilities of the applicant.
7. Sometimes the application blanks are designed with weight ages
assigned to various items in the applicants blanks based on past
experience. These are called weighted application blanks.
Contents of application blanks: Though the information sought in
applicant blanks may vary according to the level of the position and
the organization, most application blanks seem to contain the
following kinds of information.
1. Personal data- name, date and place of birth, address sex and
other identification marks.
2. Marital data- whether married, number of children, whether
spouse is working, education of the spouse and children, other
dependents, etc.
3. Physical data- height, weight, general health condition, whether
physically handicapped, etc.
4. Educational data- various levels of formal education, years, and
marks obtained, distinctions, subjects taken, merit awards,
scholarships, etc.
5. Employment data- past experience, years, position, company,
salary, promotions, professional courses attended, nature of
duties, reasons for leaving previous jobs, membership of
professional bodies and associations.
6. Extra academic data- sports and games, NSS, NCC, level of
efficiency achieved in extra academic activities, prizes, hobbies
and interest, pastime activities etc.
7. References- names of two or more people who can credentials by
way of the suitability of the candidate to the announced position.
Generally, they are ex-employees or ex-teachers, and the references
consist of a free-floating letter.
2. Interview
Interview is, perhaps, one of the most widely used method of
selection. A survey by Spriegeland James (1958) conducted on 236
firms in USA in 1930 and a second survey by the same authors
conducted on 852 firms in 1957 showed that 94 per cent and 99 per
cent organizations, respectively, used interview as a method of
selection. Unfortunately we do not seem to find a similar survey in
the Indian context, but if one talks to the representatives of ten
organizations, chances are that nine out of ten would be using
interview as a method of selection.
Interview is one of the few situations where a candidate comes face-
to-face with the representatives of the organization. It is, thus, seen
as an interaction between the interviewer and the applicant and a
situation in which both participate. Tharp (1983) explains the
rationale of the interview process when he says, “Only through the
interview process can a manager gather sufficient data to be able to
predict whether a candidate will be successful in the position for
which he or she is being considered.
A face-to-face interview has several advantages which are not
otherwise available.
1. To an organization it may provide a situation to verify certain
information given in the application blank.
2. There are certain areas where information can be sought only
through interview. For example. How does one evaluate the
motivation and commitment? Or hopes and aspirations.
3. In an interview setting the applicant also gets an opportunity to
explain certain things which he may not like to put on paper.
Additionally, he can seek information on the organization, its
future plans, and his own growth prospects in the organization so
as to help him take a well informed decision.
4. Interview, provides an opportunity of two-way interaction
facilitating the gathering of complete information to take
meaningful decisions.
5. Interview provides an overall picture of the applicant which comes
as piecemeal when other methods are used. A well conducted
interview that puts the applicant at case and provides an
environment where the applicant can talk freely about himself,
helps generate information that would provide useful insight into
the personality of the applicant as a whole.
There are different methods of interviewing applicants. These
methods vary according to the purpose of interview and the
nature of position for which the applicants are interviewed.
3. Business Games
For positions where decision-making is the most important
components, some techniques are developed to assess the decision-
making ability of the applicants. These are called business games.
Applicants for supervisory or managerial positions are put in a
simulated exercise of actual decision- making. A problem is provided
to them along with all the necessary information and constraints. The
applicant is asked to make a decision and the quality of this decision
is judged by how well the applicant has processed the information
provided to him. One example of business games is the “in-basket”
techniques.
IN-basket technique for selecting managers was developed by Lopez
(1966). It consists of providing the applicant with background
material on the organization such as its history, organization
structure, operating procedures, roles, financial data, targets, and
past achievement, etc. It helps to set the applicant in a more of less
realistic situation. Along with this information a set of problems are
provided. In basket is like an in-treay in an office where the incoming
papers are placed. The problems contained in the in-tray by way of
memos, letters, and reports are related to each other in some way
and are also related to a master plan. The idea is that the decision
taken should be in consonance with the overall reality of the
organization and should not be an isolated case (Jaffee, 1971_. Once
the exercise is over the applicant’s judgment and performance is
evaluated. The applicant explains the decisions that he took and why
he took those decisions.
It is a powerful technique for selection, particularly for the
managerial cadre and provides insight into the applicant’s abilities
and behavior. However, the development of such an exercise is time
consuming. Often the exercise may not be taken seriously by the
participants; hence the behavior may not be very spontaneous.
In the Indian context this excise is quite often practiced but as part
of interview. Here the interviewer may provide a situation to the
applicant and ask him to indicate what he would do and why.
However, as an independent selection tool its use has been nominal.
4. Group Discussion @IBM
Another frequently used technique for the selection of supervisory
and management staff and particularly for management trainees in
India is known as leaderless group discussion or just group
discussion. Before the individual, face-to-face, interview takes place
a group of applicants ranging from six to ten are either provided a
company situation or a topic on which they are allowed some times
to discuss among themselves. The discussion is preceded by a
preparation time which provides an opportunity to the applicants to
think of the subject matter and evolve strategy of making their
contribution.
Group discussion is generally unstructured. There are no
predetermined expectations of who will perform what role seen is
how the group takes its shape, what is this shape, and who has
contributed most to this. Depending upon the job expectation a
variety of things could be examined. Generally, the quality of
content, its delivery time management, interpersonal competence,
and behavior in the group are assessed. The assessment is done by
more than one person who is also members of the interview panel.
These assessments are done independently.
Since the assess are also members of the interview panel, it provides
them an opportunity to follow up certain points during the face-to-
face interview. This method is extremely useful as it’s generates
some very useful data on the behavior, personality, and leadership
qualities in the group. It is time saving as six to ten applicants can
be observed simultaneously. However, the assessors have to be
careful because vocal applicants with better schooling may score
better because of their delivery. Hence emphasis should be placed
on content and general behavior.
1. Physical Examination
This, as a method of selection, is most useful where physical
strength is most important or where physically handicapped are
employed. Other than providing a sound, hygienic environment and
legally protecting the organization, there does not seem to be any
other reason why physical examination should be undertaken.
SELECTION DECISION@IBM
Calhoun (1967) defines selection as a two-way decision making
process in which both the organization and the applicant match
talent with requirements of the job. While we may not be so much
concerned with the decision-making process of the applicant, a
closer look has to be taken to see how and why an organisation takes
the final selection decision. Monappa and Saiyadain (1979) have
identified four methods of taking selection decision when multiple
methods are involved.
1. Multiple Hurdles
As the name suggests the decision is sequentially taken. Each
method of selection is sequenced as a scale of importance and in
each case a minimum performance is predetermined. All the methods
of selection are hurdles that have to be crossed till the applicant
competes the last hurdle. An applicant must score above the
minimum score in the first hurdle before he goes to the second.
Similarly, he must get the minimum score before he goes to the third
and so on till he has crossed all the hurdles.
One significant advantage of this technique is that at every stage the
number of applicants is reduced. In other worlds, there is a
progressive reduction in the number of applicants and this also
reduces the cost of selection. However, it has the danger of losing
some capable applicants on earlier hurdles because either the cut-off
on these hurdles was arbitrarily set or due to psychological factors
the applicants could not perform well.
2. Profile matching
This method has elements of multiple hurdles because first, a profile
of a successful employee has to be developed. The technique to
develop such a profile is the same as identifying the cut-off score.
Once the cut-0off score of the average successful employee is ready
this can be used against fresh applicants to see who comes closest
to the profile. The most important point in this technique of taking
selection decision is the proximity with the ideal profile. A is the
ideal profile on a variety of selection methods, B and C are the
profiles of two applicants.
The proximity in case of B and C with A is calculated by s using the
statistical technique of correlation of coefficient. If we calculate the
coefficient, we will find a higher relationship between A and B than A
and C, although the profile of C happens to be on much higher levels
than the ideal profile. In terms of decision B would be the most
suited applicant than C despite the fact B has scored less on
interview and application rating when compared to the ideal. C
scored better on all counts and yet would not be selected. The logic
is simple. A successful employee does not have to be the one who
has done exceptionally well on all the selection than another. Hence,
his contribution may be good to begin with but may not sustain long.
This is true of all high fliers in the organization. They soon start
believing that every rule, instruction, policy, etc. is designed to
frustrate them and hence lose motivation.
C
A
B
C
A
B
Interview Score
Group Discussion
Test
Score
Application Rating Score
3. Multiple cut off
The multiple cut off technique the applicant has to score above the
ideal on all the methods of selection. Unless an applicant scores
above the ideal on all the components of selection he cannot be
considered for selection.
The major problem of this technique is that a simple addition of all
the scores above the ideal does not help in ranking the applicants.
One may score better than the other on a given segment and yet it is
possible to get the same total as the other because of variations
elsewhere. Sometimes this problem is solved by giving weight ages
to each segment, multiplying weight ages with the raw scores for
each segment, and then adding them to get a single total. To some
extent this takes care of the intersegment variations. However,
developing weight ages for each segment is a time consuming
exercise and requires a number of statistical exercises in advance.
4. Multiple Regressions
An efficient way of taking care of the problem discussed in multiple
cut- off is to use multiple regression models which have a built-in
facility of taking into consideration the relative contribution of all the
segments. Readymade computer packages are already available and
all one needs to do is to feed the selection data in the computer. This
technique assumes that each score on the selection method is
linearly related to the performance score and that selection scores
have compensatory power. In other words, high score in one makes
up for the low score in the other. This technique is mathematically
very elegant but unfortunately is not practiced quite often in
selection.
SELECTION OF RESEARCH TOPIC
AN IDEAL SELECTION PROGRAM
An ideal selection program is one that effectively links people
requirements into the goals of the firm as shown below:-
People Requirements Goals of a Firm
• Self Directed• Flexible• Multi skilled• Creative• Team oriented
• Reward creativity• Retain talent• Pay at market• Internally equitable• Manage poor performance• Encourage growth
Internal equity is a measure of how an organization values each of its
jobs in relation to one another.
Once an employee has been selected for a particular position in a
firm, he/she must be made aware of exactly what his/her job entails
and how will he/she be rewarded.
An illustration of such a process can be as follows:-
What does the job do
How much is the job worth
Review benefit
eligibility
Determine pay, salary range Determine bonus
eligibilityAppraise performances
Reward through merit, bonus
• These are usually based on the “going rate” for a job.
• The quality of external comparison is critical.
• Not all position exist in all organization thus determining job worth
is difficult.
• Pay levels can jump substantially due to employee shortages.
• A job market value does not always reflect internal equity.
•
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
“The only thing constant in life is change”
The HR revolution as it is called, words like selection strategy and
resource dynamics have crept into the HR vocabulary. Traditionally
business and consequently human resource policies and
organizational structures grew to reflect and self fulfill each other.
However the present scenario is highly evolved and different from
traditional thinking. Today the business has changed and so has the
rationale behind attracting, selecting, rewarding and retaining trends.
A few observations are:-
Today’s Business Traditional Business
Trends
• Flat and de-layered
• Controlled by managers
and employees
• Team focused
• Adaptive, requires
• Built around hierarchy and
grades.
• Controls managers and
employees
mobility
• Flexible, decentralized
• Externally focused
• Job focused
• Slow bureaucratic
• Policy based, structured
• Internal equity is the
driven.
Reward Trends
From To
• Narrowly defined jobs
and job standards
• Inflexible job evaluation
system.
• Hierarchical and rigid
pay structures, where
focus is on next
promotion.
• Consideration of pay
into base pay.
• Broader generic roles,
emphasis on continuous
development.
• Flexible job evaluation.
• Broad banded pay
structure, focus on career
development,
improvement
• Emphasis on “risk” pay.
Williams and Dresher (1992) examined the relationship between
compensation and applicant behavior, although their perspective was
that of the organization and not the individual applicant. Using a
sample of 352 U.S. banks, they examined the relationships between
compensation system attributes (Pay level and the level. And
flexibility of benefits) and recruitment customs, including size of
applicant pool, acceptance rates, and length of time required to fill
positions. The first outcome, size of applicant pool, is the dependent
measure most closely related to the decision to apply. Williams and
Dresher (1992) did not find a significant relationship between pay
level and number of applicants.
The Price Waterhouse study of managerial responses to recruitment
advertisements (cited in Redman and Matthews, 1992) found that 84%
of respondents felt that location was a key determinant of whether
they would apply for a job.
Communication Realism during Recruitment
One of the more critical decisions that organizations must make about
their recruitment practices involves the accuracy, or realism, of the
information they provide. One approach is to “sell” the job and
organization, by portraying them in the most favorable light; in other
by emphasizing positive features and disregarding negative features.
A second approach is to provide complete and balanced information
about the job, revealing both positive and negative features.
Programs intended to deliver such balanced information are known as
“realistic job previews” or RJPs. An extensive stream of recruitment
research has focused on the relative merits of RJPs versus traditional
“selling” approaches.
RJP Effects
The use of RJPs has been recommended because they are expected to
lead to a variety of positive outcomes for the organization, including
higher job satisfaction, commitment and performance, as well as
lower turnover. RJPs may also have immediate effects on recruitment
outcomes in that the provision of negative information may reduce
applicants’ willingness to accept the job. Wantons (1992) argued that
the primary objective of RJPs is to reduce turnover, and most RJP
research reflects this priority.
Breughel (1983) summarized the four mechanisms by which RJPs are
expected to influence turnover: met expectations, ability to cope, air
of honesty/commitment, and self- selection. First, RJPs are supposed
to reduce turnover by lowering initial job expectations to a level
consistent with actual job experience. Employees whose pre-hire
expectations are met are more likely to remain on the job; employees
whose pre-hire expectations are not met are likely to de dissatisfied
with the job and ultimately to leave it. Second, employees who know
that challenges to expect from a job my develop coping skills that
help them meet those challenges, perhaps by planning in advance
how they will respond. Third, recipients of realistic previews may feel
more committed to employers who provide them with realistic
information because they appreciate the employer’s honesty and
because their decision to accept the job was based on complete
information. Finally, RJPs may lead to applicant self selection:
Applicants who are not likely to be satisfied with the job will not
accept job offers, and those who do accept will therefore be more
likely to remain.
Policy-Capturing as an Alternative
Policy capturing is an alternative approach to investigating the role of
attributes in job choice that addresses some of the concerns
associated with direct estimation. Under this approach, research
subjects are presented with a series of job descriptions in which
attribute levels are systematically varied. For each description,
subjects are asked to indicate whether they would accept the job (or
how likely they would be to accept the job). Subjects need not be
asked to explicitly report the importance of specific attributes. Rather,
regression analysis is used to calculate the relative impact the
different attributes had on job choice. This approach has several
advantages over direct estimation. It does not require self- insight on
the part of applicants, it provides a context for the decision by
providing information about attribute levels and variability, and it ties
attribute variation directly to the job choice criterion.
An early example of this technique was provided by Feldman and
Arnold (1978). They presented 62 graduate students with descriptions
of job opportunities that provided information about the following
attributes.
• Opportunities to use ones skills and abilities
• Among of autonomy and independence
• Responsibility
• Providing essential services/ products to the public
• Salary and fringe benefits and
• Schedule flexibility.
Two levels of each attribute were used, with a completely crossed
design resulting in 64 descriptions. Subjects read each description
and indicated how willing they would be to accept the position
described by making a scale ranging from “extremely unwilling” to
“extremely willing”. Regression results indicated that salary and
benefits explained the most variance in willingness to accept the job
(in other words, that salary and benefits was the most important
attribute). Followed by use of skills and abilities, responsibility,
autonomy, having flexible hours, and providing essential goods or
services.
Feldman and Arnold (1978) also asked their subjects to rank order the
importance of the six attributes included in their study. They then
were able to compare direct estimation and policy- capturing results.
The two sets of results did not agree. Most notably, pay, which was
identified as the most important attribute by the policy- capturing
analysis, was ranked by the subjects as fourth in importance (behind
opportunity to use skills and abilities, autonomy, and responsibility).
Subjective Factors: “Fit” Models of Job Choice
The second content- based approach to job choice described by
Fehling 3et al. (1968) as the subjective factors model. This model
employs a matching or “fit” perspective. Its underlying logic is that
individuals have different emotional and psychological needs and that
they will seek jobs that best fit their individual needs.
Delaney and Hassled (1996) provide additional evidence regarding
recruitment’s effect on the bottom line. Using a sample of 590 firms
from the National Organizations Survey, they assessed whether the
ratio of applicants to job openings (a measure of recruitment
intensity) was associated with informants perceptions of
organizational performance. They found that recruitment intensity
was unrelated to perceived organizational performance, a broad
measure incorporating issues such as product quality, customer
satisfaction and new product development. Recruitment intensity,
however, was significantly and positively related to perceived market
performance, a measure focusing on economic outcomes, such as
profitability and market share.
Though many other studies of the relationship between human
resource practices and firm performance have been conducted
(generally with positive results), they generally shed little light on
recruitment issues per se, First, although recruitment has been
identified as a key practice by a number of scholars, it is not always
included in studies of human resource policies impact on firm
performance. Second, because many of the studies are concerned
with examining the impact of integrated programs or bundles of
human resource policies, it is often impossible to disentangle the
results of individual policies, such as those related to recruitment.
Taylor and Bergmann (1987)
Taylor and Bergmann (1987) studied the effect of a single
organizations recruitment activities on applicants at five points
immediately following campus interviews; during the period between
campus interviews and site visits; following site visits; at the time an
offer was extended; and at the time job choice decisions were made.
A wide variety of recruitment variable were assessed, including
variables relating to the campus interview, the site visit, and various
general administrative procedures.
Taylor and Bergmann had two primary hypotheses: first, that job
applicant reactions would be influenced by job attributes, and second,
that they would be influenced by recruitment activities. In addition,
they hypothesized that the strength of recruitment effects would vary
as a function of offer characteristics (how similar this offer was to
others), applicant characteristics (how much work experience they
had), and labor market opportunities (how many alternative
opportunities applicants had). They concluded that recruitment’s
effects were largely limited to the earliest stages of the process. And
that at later point’s perceptions of job attributes explained far more
variance in applicant reactions than did recruiting practices. They
also found little evidence that the strength of recruitment effects
varied as predicted.
This study made several important contributions to the literature.
First, it was one of the earliest studied to consider recruitment
activities that occurred after the initial campus interview, and remains
one of the only studies to investigate the effect of the process by
which job offers are extended. Second, it provided a rich context for
studying recruitment effects by incorporating job attributes as
alternative influences on applicants and by studying factors expected
to moderate reactions to recruitment. Third, it represents an
ambitious attempt to collect longitudinal data and investigate effects
over time, though sample shrinkage severally impaired the author’s
abilities to carry out true longitudinal analyses, as discussed in more
detail.
Context
According to Rynes (1991), important aspects of the recruitment
context include internal factors (such as organizational characteristics
and norms) and external factors (such as labor markets and legal
regulations). To what extent does current recruitment research take
internal or external context issues into consideration?
By and large, the recruitment literature has not been particularly
successful in attending to context issues. Little attention has been
paid to internal organizational factors, such as the organizations
business to internal organizational factors, such as the organizations
business strategy or the overall attractiveness of its jobs. Nor do we
know much about how recruitment issues vary across industries or
across occupations. But these factors could be important
determinants of organizational choices regarding recruitment
practices. They also could be important determinants of
organizational choices regarding recruitment practices. They also
could be important moderators of the effectiveness of specific
recruitment practices. This inattention to organizational context may
simply reflect how infrequently recruitment research is approached
from the organizations perspective, and therefore may not be
remedied until researchers pay more attention to the organization as
an actor in recruitment.
Factors external to the organization have also received scant
attention in the recruitment literature. Most disturbing is the fact that
the influence of labor market forces on recruitment strategies and
recruitment effectiveness has largely been ignored. It seems quite
likely that recruitment goals and outcomes will differ across tight
versus loose labor markets. In addition, recruitment practices and
outcomes may differ significantly depending on the structure and
norms of different labor markets. For example, campus placement
markets, such typically bring together soon-to-be college graduates
and relatively large employers, tend to be characterized by long lead
times (offers extended well before anticipated start dates) and the
potential to accumulate and choose from multiple offers. Markets
involving small employers or experienced hires may be less likely to
permit the accumulation of offers, a factor that might well alter the
role of recruitment. This suggests that the dangers of relying too
heavily on campus placement settings as research sites are twofold: it
focuses our attention not only on a particular kind of applicant but
also on a particular kind of labor market.
What we know about context
Context Issues Evaluation of current
knowledge base
Internal Almost no knowledge
External Almost no knowledge
Overall, then, we know little about how the context in which
recruitment occurs influences its impact. The problem can be
addressed in severally ways. First, recruitment researchers can (and
should) provide detailed information about the context in which their
research was conducted, describing the nature of the organization(s)
involved as well as the type of labor market studied. This information
would enrich our understanding of individual studies, and at the same
time would facilitate meta- analyses examining the role of contextual
factors across studies. Second, individual studies could systematically
examine context issues, for example by simultaneously studying
different labor markets.
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PAST THEORIES
In the changed economic scenario, the prospects of gaining and
maintaining a competitive advantage is extremely essential for
organizations to survive. This can only be achieved if the organization
works as an integrated unit and has a sound recruitment and selection
procedure.
The employees are the most valuable assist of any organization so
utmost care should be taken to develop a sound recruitment and
selection process in orders to attract, engage, satisfy and retain
employees.
Thus the study of recruitment and selection is of extreme importance
as it aims at gaining meaningful insights into the organizations
policies and identifying the gaps that may exist in the current system.
As it has been rightly said “Today’s Recruit is Tomorrows Industrial
Relation Problem”.
COMPANY PROFILE IBM IBM is leader in IT industry it have its operations over 77 countries so HR plays a major role in the development of the company.
In INDIA it has 7 offices in different cities including Gurgaon, Delhi and Banglore.
There are certain salient features of the company:
SALIENT FEATURES
• Productivity is based on personal ability factor.
• Business fluctuates by the week /day /hour.
• Constant fluctuations in short term customer demand.
• Irregular job workflow for the employees.
• Adjusting supply to demand.
• Subjectivity of standards due to concepts like hospitality, service,
cleanliness.
• Complicated pay system-linked with range of skills.
• An in-built quality Vs speed dilemma.
•
HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING
Human Resource Planning is the process through which the management
strives to have the right number and the right kinds of people at the right
places, at the right time to do things which result in both the organization
and the individual receiving the maximum long-range benefit.
HRP consists of a series of activities:
1. FORECASTING future manpower requirements, either in terms of
mathematical projections of trends in the economic environment and
development in industry or in terms of judgmental estimates based upon the
specific future plans of a company.
2. MAKING AN INVENTORY of present manpower resources and assessing
the extent to which these resources are employed optimally.
3. ANTICIPATING manpower problems by projecting present resources into
the future and comparing them with the forecast of requirements to
determine their adequacy, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
4. PLANNING the necessary programmers of recruitment, selection,
training, development, utilization, transfer, promotion, motivation and
compensation to ensure these future manpower requirements are properly
met.
This planning cannot be rigid or static; it is amenable to modification, review
and adjustments in accordance with the needs of an organization or the
changing circumstances.
NEED FOR HRP:
Human resource planning is necessary for all organizations due to the
following factors:
1. To carry on work, each organization needs personnel with the necessary
qualifications, skills, knowledge, work experience and aptitude for work.
These are provided through effective manpower planning.
2. Since a large number of persons have to be replaced due to old age,
retirement, physical incapacitation or mental ailments, there is a constant
need for replacing such personnel.
3. Frequent labor turnover, which arises due to several factors and is
unavoidable, is another factor that makes Human Resource Planning
essential.
4. In order to meet the needs of expansion programmers of the company,
HRP is unavoidable.
5. To meet the challenge of new and changing technology, existing
employees need to be trained or new blood injected in an organization.
6. Human resource planning is also needed in order to identify areas of
surplus personnel or areas in which there is a shortage of personnel.
7.
PROCESS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING:
The process of Human Resource Planning is one of the most crucial, complex
and continuing managerial functions. It is a multi-step process, which
includes various issues, such as:
• Deciding goals or objectives.
• Estimating future organizational structure and manpower requirements.
• Auditing human resources.
• Planning job requirements and job descriptions.
• Developing a human resource plan.
Deciding objectives of HRP:
The ultimate purpose of HRP is to relate future human resources to future
enterprise need so as to maximize the future return on investment in human
resources. In effect, the main purpose is one of matching employee abilities
to enterprise requirements, with an emphasis on the future instead of
present arrangements. The objectives maybe short term (i.e. for one year) or
long term. For example, the short-term objective maybe to hire 15 persons
from Scheduled Tribes for purposes of training. The long term objective
maybe to expand the market, to produce a new product etc.
Estimating the future organizational structure & manpower requirements:
The management must estimate the future organizational structure at a
given point in time. Several factors including business forecasts, expansion
and growth, design and structural changes, management philosophy,
government policy, product and human skills mix and competition affect this
determination.
After estimating the future organization structure, the next step is to draw up
the requirements of human resources, both for the existing departments and
for new vacancies. In determining the requirements of human resources, the
expected losses which are likely to occur through labor turnover-quits,
retirement, death, transfers, promotions, demotions, dismissals, disability,
resignations, lay-offs and other separations-should be taken into account.
Changes in human quality resulting from the experience gained in the jobs
during the period and the training achieved also need to be considered. After
making adjustments for wastage, anticipated and expected losses and
separations, the real shortage or surplus may be found out.
Auditing human resources:
Once the future human resource needs have been estimated, the next step
is to determine the present supply of manpower resources. This is generally
done through what is called the "skills inventory." A Skills Inventory contains
data about each employee's skills, abilities, work preferences and other
information that indicate his overall value to the company. Other methods
used in organizations for this purpose are organization charts, manning
tables, manpower replacement charts etc. They tell us 'what exists in stock'
and what is needed to be added to that stock,' taking into account the
capability, qualifications, experience, skill, knowledge and promotional
potential of employees.
Job Analysis:
Job Analysis includes the preparation of job descriptions and job
specifications.
Developing a Human Resource plan:
This step refers to the development and implementation of the human
resource plan, which consists of finding out the sources of labor supply, with
a view to making an effective use of these sources. The policy has to be
decided upon i.e. should the personnel be hired from within through
promotional plans or should it be obtained from an outside source.
JOB ANALYSIS
Job analysis is the term used to describe a process which involves the
analysis of a job into its component parts or tasks to provide the date
required for a variety of purposes. These include recruitment, management
development, developing organizational and wage structures, improving job
methods and safety and, of course, establishing training needs. The general
principles of job analysis are applicable to all situations, whether in the
factory, the office and maintenance of servicing departments both in plant
and in the field, in fact anywhere where work is being done.
The distinction between these terms is that a job specification states what a
job should be whilst a job description sets out what it actually is, taking into
account the specific knowledge and skills the jobholder brings to it. Clearly
when someone is recruited to a job, he seldom matches the job specification
precisely and often it is necessary to modify the duties and responsibilities to
make use of the skills and knowledge that the new comer can bring to the
position. In some instances the job descriptions of other people in the
department may well be modified in order to accommodate the new arrival
and to optimize departmental performance.
Where we are examining a newly created job, we produce a specification
based on what we think the job should look like. Where the position is
already occupied by an employee, it is possible, with the benefit of the
experience of the jobholder, to write a job description setting out document
should normally cover:
• The scope and purpose of the job and its objectives.
• The work performed in the job: the detailed functions/duties and whether
operational, supervisory, or managerial etc.
• The responsibility for (a) resources, quantified where possible under the
six M’s; manpower, machines, materials, methods, money and minutes,
and stating clearly where accountable: (b) policy decisions, whether
individually or through committees.
• The organizational relationships i.e. position in the hierarchy, cross-
functional interfaces.
• The training and experience needed
• The working conditions, e.g. (a) location; (b) nature of work activity; (c)
hours of work; (d) whether member of a group; (e) health/safety risks.
• The pay scale and conditions of service
• The opportunities for advancement within the organization.
To produce such a document we therefore need to know a good deal about
the job and where it fits into the general scheme of things. If the post is
deemed to be necessary to the future of the organization, it should not be
too difficult to define its purpose. No job should exist without a clear
statement of its scope and intent and the objectives the jobholder is
expected to achieve. For example, the objectives of a personnel manager
may be:
• To promote and maintain sound industrial relations practice throughout
the organization.
• To recruit employees at all levels below first line management in sufficient
number sand of acceptable standards to meet the needs of the manpower
plan.
• To contribute to the formulation of company personnel policies and
agreements and to ensure their effective implementation.
• To establish the training needs of employees at all levels and to take the
necessary steps to see that these need are satisfied.
• To provide a welfare service to employees at all levels and to implement
health and safety policies.
Tabulating the work performed in the job may be more difficult. We can
readily establish whether it is a managerial, supervisory, specialist or
operational job but ascertaining the detailed functions to be performed
requires analysis and may have to be approached in different ways
depending on the job. The process entails the collection and examination of
a good deal of data, some of which will be considered appropriate for
inclusion in the job analysis and some of which will be rejected. Where the
job is already being carried out, one what in which such data can be
accumulated is by discussing it with the jobholder. He should be in
possession of as much information as any one and often he will be able to
offer facts, gleaned form experience, which no one else knows about. Off
course, approaching the employee for such a purpose requires care. He
needs to be put at his ease and reassured as to the reasons for the exercise.
He must not see it as putting him under any threat, for example of being
moved, or worse, of losing his job altogether.
Performance review, whether used as part of a management
development scheme or not, is an effective means of establishing
training needs provided those carrying out the review are competent
to recognize those needs when subordinates do not meet their
targets.
JOB ANALYSIS: THE MOST BASIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
TOOL
Human
Resource Planning
Recruitment
Tasks Responsibilities Duties Selection
Job Descriptions
Training and Development
Job Analysis
Performance Appraisal
Job Specification
s
Compensation and Benefits
Knowledge
SkillsAbilitie
sSafety and
Health
Human Resource Research
SCOPE OF FURTHUR STUDIES
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION@IBM
Recruitment is the process of generating a pool of candidates for a
particular job. IBM announces the job's availability to the market and attract
qualified candidates to apply. The market from which the firm attempts to
draw job applicants can be internal, external, or a combination of the two. In
other words, the firm may seek applicants from inside the organization, out
side the organization, or both.
Selection is the process of making a hire or no hire decision regarding each
applicant for a job. The process typically involves determining the
characteristics required for effective performance on the job and then
measuring applicants on those characteristics. The characteristics required
for effective job performance are typically based on a job analysis, which is a
systematic study and summary of a job depending on applicants scores on
various tests and/ or the impression they have made in interviews, managers
determine who will and will not of offered a job.
Socialization involves orienting new employees to the organization and to
the units in which they will be working. It is important that new employees
be familiarized with the company's policies and procedures and with
performance expectations. Socialization can make the difference between a
new worker feeling like an outsider and feeling like a member of the team.
Socialization
Selection
Recruitment
A proper system of selection and placement helps to achieve the following.
1. A feeling of satisfaction among the employees that their capabilities are
being-properly utilized by the organization and that they are not wasting
their talents. This feeling is likely to raise the morale among employees
and may result in higher levels of commitment and productivity.
2. Supplying the right type of people to the needy department or units
within an organization in short period of time. Such prompt action is
likely to keep up the morale of the departments at high level as the needs
are being attended to more promptly.
3. Minimizing the wastage of human talent, through providing opportunities
for people to apply their capabilities.
4. High level of employee-commitment and by providing them opportunities
to work on jobs that they like and are capable of performing.
5. Availability of data about all employees and their capabilities to facilitate
human resource administration in future including promotions, transfers,
etc.
One wrong person selected for a given job or one wrong placement can
cause a host of problem in an organization. The criticality of selection and
placement increases as one goes up the managerial hierarchy.
Matching the man with his job involves ensuring the following:
1. The persons occupying a particular role, job or position has the
technical, managerial and other capabilities required to perform the
functions associated with that job.
2. If he does not possess some of them, he has at least the potential to
develop them within a reasonable period (which has to be determined
by each organization separately for different jobs) and the organization
is willing to invest in his development.
3. The person has a chance to acquire new capabilities and also use a
reasonable portion of his capabilities in performing the functions
assigned to him with a minimal feeling of his talents being wasted.
SELECTION PROCEDURES AND TECHNIQUES
1. Advertisement
In recruiting new entrant’s advertisement in newspapers and
announcements in institutions where candidates are likely to be available
serves both the purposes of attracting and filtering candidates. It serves the
purpose of attracting the candidate by making known the opportunity to a
number of candidates looking for such opportunities. It serves the purpose
of filtering through a description of the job duties and responsibilities
associated with it, and of capabilities required as measured through standard
indicators like educational background, experience, the emoluments given,
future prospects, etc. Candidates going through such details may decide for
themselves whether they have the required capabilities.
The more details are given are in an advertisement, the better will be the
screening of candidates. Advertisements of jobs for which a large number of
candidates are expected to apply give only broad descriptions. Similarly, not
too specific job descriptions and indicators are presented in advertisements
for higher level managerial positions, as higher level positions require
capabilities not so easily measurable through indicators like degrees, training
courses attended, etc. For example, the ability to coordinate the activities of
various departments.
2) Application Blank
While an advertisement screens out some candidates and attracts the right
kind of people, the application blank serves the purpose of screening out less
potential candidates. Most companies use a standard form of application for
getting details about candidates. While such standard formats are desirable
in terms of getting uniform data about all candidates, and letter of record
purpose, it needs to be supplemented with job-specific application blanks.
The general application blank may elicit all the data required for personnel
records such as name, address, educational background, experience, other
indicators of capabilities, etc.
It is possible to develop weighted application forms that can get a lot of data
about the candidate.
1. Cognitive Ability Tests
Several kinds of cognitive ability tests are used to ensure matching of the
persons with the job. They include knowledge tests, ability tests, aptitude
tests, and simulation exercises. Ability and aptitude tests are the most
commonly used tests.
Tests measuring knowledge or information are the easiest to develop and
most appropriate to use for jobs that requires knowledge of certain things.
Ability tests are used when certain abilities are believed to be critical in the
performance of a job or role for which the candidate is considered. Ability
tests are appropriate for lower level jobs where abilities are quantifiable. For
example, a test a clerical speed and accuracy for clerks, typing and
stenography tests for stenographers. However, higher managerial abilities
like planning, coordinating, organizing, etc., have not been tapped for
assessment. Higher managerial abilities could be accessed through
simulation and other exercises.
Ability test measures the actual capabilities processed by the candidate,
aptitude tests measure the capacity of the person to develop the capabilities
required by the job.
4) Non-cognitive Instruments
Personality tests and other non-cognitive instruments are increasingly being
used to match the person and the job. By non-cognitive instruments in
meant the instruments measuring behavioral dimensions other than
knowledge, intelligence, abilities, aptitudes, and technical skills around
which, traditionally, personnel selection revolved.
5) Interviews
Interviews are organized generally in the final stages of selection, after the
top talent among the applicants has been identified through tests and a few
have to be selected from among them. It is generally at this stage that the
top management of administrators of the organization, who have otherwise
little time to spare, come into the picture. This is because they want to
personally ensure that only good candidates are filtered in. Interview is the
most commonly used method of final selection.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT@IBM
Training is the most important function that contributes directly to the
development of human resources. If human resources have to be developed,
the organization should create conditions in which people acquire new
knowledge and skills and develop healthy patterns of behavior and styles.
One of the main mechanisms of achieving this environment is training.
Training is essential because technology is developing continuously and at a
fast rate. Systems and practices get outdated soon due to new discoveries in
technology, including technical, managerial and behavioral aspects.
Organizations, which do not develop mechanisms to catch up with and use
the growing technology, soon become outdated. However, developing
individuals in the organization can contribute to the effectiveness of the
organization.
Training and development are important activities in all organizations, large
and small. Every organization, regardless of size, needs to have well-trained
employees in its workforce who are prepared to perform their jobs.
The term 'training' refers to the acquisition of specific skills or knowledge.
Training programs attempt to teach trainees to perform a specific job and a
particular activity.
The term 'development' usually refers to improving the intellectual or
emotional abilities needed to do a better job.
BENEFITS OF TRAINING:
Training usually is a strategic human resource activity because it plays a
major role in determining the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization.
A successful training and development program will achieve the following
benefits:
• Improve the quality and quantity of work done.
• Reduce the learning time required for employees to
reach acceptable standards of performance.
• Create more favorable attitudes, loyalty and
cooperation.
• Satisfy human resource planning requirements.
• Reduce the number and cost of accidents.
• Help employees in their personal development and
advancement.
• Help organizations to respond to dynamic market
conditions and changing consumer demands.
Different jobs require different capabilities. These capabilities can be
considered under four categories:
1. Technical
2. Managerial
3. Behavioural
4. Conceptual
TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES:
They deal with the technology of the job or the tasks the employee is
expected to perform. They include information, skills and knowledge.
MANAGERIAL CAPABILITIES:
They include the ability to organize, coordinate, plan, monitor, evaluate and
redesign a variety of activities. As managers have the task of getting things
done by others with optimal use of resources for achieving the best possible
results, they need to possess managerial capabilities. Knowledge of
management techniques like PERT, systems analysis, performance
budgeting etc. are evidences of managerial capabilities. Management skills
involve the application of these techniques for better planning, better
coordination, better monitoring, and for better achievement of results.
BEHAVIOURAL CAPABILITIES:
These include leadership skills, ability to motivate others, communication
skills, ability to work as a team member, dynamism, initiative etc. Mere
knowledge of behavioral sciences does not ensure that person has
behavioral capabilities. Attitudes and orientations play an important role in
determining the effectiveness of the employees to a great degree.
CONCEPTUAL CAPABILITIES:
These involve conceptual understanding of one's own tasks in relation to
those of others, imagination, futuristic thinking, model building capabilities
and perception of various tasks and their interrelationships within the
organization and outside it.
TYPES OF TRAINING:
1. Orientation/Induction Training:
The orientation or induction training is given to employees as soon as they
join an organization. The purpose of this training is to orient the employee to
the company and its tasks, to help his role in detail and see the link his role
has with other roles in the company, to help him understand the
expectations of other employees from him, and to give him a feel of the
organization and feel part of it.
The induction training normally does not focus on skill development. It
focuses more on perspective development and understanding of the
organization. Without such understanding of the organization, its mission
etc., the employee may soon feel alienated. Induction training is one way in
which culture and traditions are established and maintained through
socialization of the new employees into the culture of that organization.
2. On-The-Job Coaching:
On-the-job coaching is another way of training employees. This type of
training is given to employees who are new to a given job (not necessarily to
the organization). The purpose of this kind of training is to equip the
employee with the capabilities required to perform various tasks of his job.
This may involve skill training by the supervisor of the employee, either on a
day-to-day basis or periodically. On-the-job training techniques also include
job instruction training, job rotations, internships, coaching and counseling.
On-the-job training should be particularly stressed upon during the early
stages of their careers.
3. Apprentice Training:
Apprentice training is given to those who have just completed their studies
and are about to enter the organizational world. The apprenticeship involves
practical training under the guidance of one or more instructors designated
by the organization to train the trainees.
IN-HOUSE TRAINING:
In-house training programs are programs offered exclusively for the
employees of an organization by the organization. The Training Department
assesses the training needs of various categories of employees periodically,
invite suggestions from the senior executives of that company on the
training needs as perceived by them, keep in touch with the new
developments taking place in the outside world that have relevance to their
own organizational activities and periodically invite outside trainers to train
their employees.
In the in-house training programmers, the training department may use its
own senior employees as trainers or may depend exclusively on outsiders or
may use both sets of resources.
SPONSORED TRAINING:
As most organizations do not have sizeable units of training, it is easier for
them to sponsor a few employees for training by outside agencies.
DISTANCE TRAINING:
Distance training is the training conducted without the trainer being
physically present near the trainee. The most well known forms of distance
training are correspondence courses, auto-teaching machines, programmed
instruction materials, video and audio cassette programs, alumni bulletins
etc. This form of training is useful mainly to keep the trainee informed about
various developments in his field or to acquaint him with new technology,
processes etc.
CONCLUSION
Human Resource departments share a responsibility for improving
organizational effectiveness by analyzing individual and organizational
problems and making adaptive changes. Many HR departments are
responsible for collecting and analyzing information that pertains to these
problems. The results are used to assess the adequacy of present policies
and to suggest necessary changes.
Human Resource research is an important activity of an HR manager.
Research has the advantage of being systematic, objective and purposive.
FUNCTIONS OF PERSONNEL RESEARCH:
Human Resource research serves the following functions:
1. To build upon existing knowledge:
Human resource research is a relatively new field although some work as
been done. A number of topics are still unexplored. Unorganized labor and its
problems, female employment practices, work group performance,
managerial philosophy, motivation etc. are some currently researched topics
in HRD. This can provide a starting point for HR research, as these areas are
important and have implications for the effective functioning of an
organisation.
2. Appraisal of proposed programmers and activities:
Before a change is introduced, it should be ensured that it would be
effective. An organization, for example, maybe interested in replacing
obsolete machinery or introducing a new promotion policy. HR research can
help in predicting the employee response to these changes and their reasons
for their response, whether positive or negative.
1. Evaluation of current and new policies and practices:
Introducing a change in personnel policies or practices is difficult. Once a
change is introduced, the change agent must continuously evaluate its
outcome. In addition to mere evaluation, such research provides suggestions
and clues for revising and making mid-course corrections in policies and
practices.
1. Anticipation of HR problems:
The smooth running of an organization today does not guarantee that it will
remain so in the future. A competent manager is thus one who not only
manages today’s problems but also can foresee problems and take
corrective measures. Therefore, the need for continuous research to
maintain a control over the future cannot be overemphasized.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Human Resource Management• Parag Diwan
• Organizational Behavior (7th Edition)• Fred Luthans
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• Personnel Management (2nd Edition)• Arun Monappa , Mirza S. Saiyadain
• Designing and Managing Human Resource Systems• Udai Pareek , T.V. Rao.
• The Management of Human Resources (4th Edition)• David J. Cherrington.
• Personnel Management • C.S. Mamoria
• Readings in Human Resource Development.• T.V. Rao
• Human Resources Management • R. Wayne Mondy, Robert M. Noe III.
• The Economic Times.
• Human Capital.
• Harvard Business Review.