CH-4-6 Human Resources Planning And Recruitment – Management of Human Resources: The Essentials : Book Guide

This Document Contains Chapters 4 to 6 CHAPTER 4 HUMAN RESOURCES PLANNING AND RECRUITMENT REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (p. 111) 1. Describe the costs associated with lack of or inadequate HRP. (p. 76) Lack of or inadequate human resources planning within an organization can result in: • Significant costs – both tangible and intangible. For example, unstaffed vacant positions can lead to costly inefficiencies, particularly when lengthy training is needed for new hires to reach acceptable performance standards. Requiring employees to work extra hours to perform the duties of such vacant positions or to compensate for understaffing can lead to lower productivity, fatigue, stress-related illnesses, and accidents, as well as incurring overtime premium costs. There are also costs associated with overstaffing. For example, if large numbers of employees are being laid off, extended notice periods are required in many jurisdictions, as well as severance pay. • Situations in which one department is laying off employees, while another is hiring individuals with similar skills, which can have a devastating impact on morale and productivity. Ineffective planning hinders the ability of the HR department to develop effective training, development, and career planning programs. • Inability to accomplish short-term operational plans and/or long-range strategic plans. 2. After analyzing the human resources implications of an organization’s strategic plans, what are the three subsequent processes involved in HRP? (p. 76, see Fig. 4.1) The 3 processes are: • forecasting future human resources needs – demand • forecasting availability of internal and external candidates – supply • planning and Implementing HR programs to balance supply and demand (gap and solution analysis) 3. Discuss the pros and cons of five of the approaches to dealing with a labour surplus from both the organization and employee perspectives. (p. 90-91) Students should cover five of the following: • Hiring freeze with attrition – the number of employees slowly shrinks but company has no control over who stays or leaves. Employees have to take on additional work as others leave. • Early retirement buyouts – requires a lot of money up front and some people that the company doesn’t want to leave might want to do so. Employees may see this a chance for a windfall especially if they are high demand skills. • Job sharing – keeps good employees in the organization. This may suit employee lifestyle and give better work life balance • Work sharing – this enables the company to keep workers. Employees still have some job income but also receive EI benefits. • Reduced workweek – keeps workers and reduces cost but hard to estimate the amount of workers needed. Employees still have some income. • Layoff – immediately cuts HR costs. This may be the worst option from the employee perspective. 4. Differentiate between replacement charts and succession plans, and explain in which situation each is preferred. (p. 124 – 125, Fig. 5.3) Replacement charts are a visual representation of who will replace whom in the event of a job opening. Such charts typically indicate age and replacement status of potential internal candidates. Replacement status consists of two variables: (1) present performance – gleaned from performance appraisals and (2) promotability – based on information provided by the employee about future career aspirations, and a subjective assessment by the employee's immediate supervisors regarding likelihood of future success. Succession plans list likely replacements for each position and their relative strengths and weaknesses, as well as information about current position, performance, promotability, age, and experience. While replacement charts provide an excellent quick reference tool, they contain very little information. These are best used when the need is to demonstrate whether a sufficient number of potentially qualified candidates exist for each key position. Many firms prefer to use succession plans for more in-depth discussions because they contain information that will help decision-makers choose between candidates. 5. Discuss various methods of easing the burden of a layoff or termination. (p. 91) To ease the financial burden of layoffs some organization offer supplemental unemployment benefits (SUBs) which are a top-up of EI benefits to bring income levels of temporarily laid-off workers closer to their regular on-the-job pay. When employees are being permanently terminated through no fault of their own, organizations tend to offer severance pay, either because of legal requirements or in order to avoid wrongful dismissal lawsuits. Severance packages often include continuation of benefits for a specified period of time. Two other methods are golden parachute clauses in executive contracts and outplacement assistance to help displaced workers to find new employment. 6. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting from within the organization. Identify and describe the three tools that are used in this process. (p. 96-98) Filling open positions with inside candidates has several advantages: • employees see that competence is rewarded, thus enhancing commitment, morale, and performance. • having already been with the firm for some time, insiders may be more committed to company’s goals and less likely to leave. • managers are provided with a longer-term perspective when making business decisions. • it is generally safer to promote from within, since the firm is likely to have a more accurate assessment of the person’s skills than would otherwise be the case. • inside candidates require less orientation than outsiders. Disadvantages associated with recruiting within the organization include: • employees who apply for jobs and don’t get them may become discontented. • managers may be required to post all job openings and interview all inside candidates, even when they already know whom they wish to hire, thus wasting considerable time and creating false hope on the part of those employees not genuinely being considered. • employees may be less satisfied and accepting of a boss appointed from within their own ranks than a newcomer. • it is sometimes difficult for a newly chosen leader to adjust to no longer being “one of the gang.” • there is a possibility of “inbreeding” reflected in a tendency to make decisions “by the book” and to maintain the status quo, even when a new and innovative direction is needed. The three tools most frequently used are job postings, HR records and Skills inventories Job Posting is a process of notifying current employees about vacant positions via designated bulletin boards, employee publications, special-announcement handouts, the company’s intranet, or a 24-hour telephone number. Content of job postings includes job title, duties, qualifications, hours of work, pay range, posting date, and closing date. As illustrated in Figure 4.6 (p. 98), there are advantages and disadvantages to using job postings. Human resources records are often consulted to ensure that qualified individuals are notified, in person, of vacant positions. An examination of employee files may uncover: employees who are working in jobs below their education or skill levels; people who already have the requisite KSAs or persons with the potential to move into the vacant position if given some additional training. Skills inventories are an even better reference tool. Whether computerized or manual, referring to such inventories ensures that qualified internal candidates are identified and considered for transfer or promotion when opportunities arise. 7. Brainstorm the advantages of external recruitment. Discuss the risks associated with external recruiting. (p. 98-100) The advantages of external recruitment include: • generation of a larger pool of qualified candidates, which may have a positive impact on the quality of the selection decision. • availability of a more diverse applicant pool, which can assist in meeting employment equity goals and timetables. • acquisition of skills or knowledge not currently available within the organization and/or new ideas and creative problem-solving techniques. • elimination of rivalry and competition caused by employees jockeying for transfers and promotions, which can hinder interpersonal and interdepartmental cooperation. • potential cost savings resulting from hiring individuals who already have the skills, rather than providing extensive training. The risks associated with external recruiting are having to deal with a high volume of applicants, many of whom are unqualified, dealing with candidates who are “testing the market” but are not serious about taking the job if offered, and having to deal with dissatisfied internal candidates who believe that they should receive preference in hiring. HRIS, especially applicant tracking software can help to make the process more efficient. Organizations should ensure they have sound reasons for external recruiting and be open to discussing employee concerns about limited career opportunities. By definition outsiders are less known to the organization so verifying information is critical; candidates are motivated to display themselves in the best possible light and may not reveal all information and in some cases will openly misrepresent their qualifications. 8. Explain the difference between an Internet job board and a corporate career Web site. (p. 103) A job board (e.g. Workopolis.com, Monster.ca, HRSDC Job Bank) is open to all employers and employees seeking to fill a position. A candidate can post his or her resume online, and employers can access this database and search for the best match. Typically, employers pay a fee to post their positions. The corporate Web site is specific to that corporation. The positions posted are open positions within that organization and have been approved by the HR department to be posted. Potential candidates can view the possible positions online and apply. Many firms use applicant-tracking systems to power their Web sites. Combined with resume databases, corporate Web sites can help companies create a pool of candidates who have already expressed interest in the organization. Some jobs on corporate career websites are only open to current employees. 9. Under what circumstances should a private employment agency be used? (p. 104-105) Private employment agencies are often called upon to provide assistance to employers seeking intermediate- to senior-level clerical staff, and professional, technical, or managerial employees. Such agencies take an employer’s request for recruits and then solicit job seekers, relying primarily on advertising and walk-ins/write-ins. They serve two basic functions: expanding the applicant pool and performing preliminary interviewing and screening. To match the employer’s job specifications with the abilities and interests of potential applicants, agencies may perform a range of functions, including: advertising; testing for skills, aptitudes, and interests; interviewing; and reference checking. It should be noted, though, that the amount of service provided varies widely, as does the level of professionalism and the calibre of staff. 10. Describe the advantages of using online application forms or résumé repositories as part of the recruitment process. (p. 95-96) Whether print or online there are several advantages to application forms. • Candidate comparison is facilitated by having information in a uniform manner • The information is what the organization specifically requests • The application for, if done on site, provides an example of the candidate’s own work • Authorization for reference check is generally given on an application form • Applicants are asked to acknowledge that their information is true and accurate • Allows for collection of employment equity information Having application forms completed online with storage of candidate résumés in an online repository has a number of other advantages including reduced risk of lost applications, increase exposure level of the job to potential candidates in many different locations, reduced likelihood of biases, and it allows candidates to complete and review their application 24/7. CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS (p. 112) 1. A number of quantitative and qualitative techniques for forecasting human resources demand were discussed in this chapter. Working in groups, identify which strategies would be most appropriate for (a) small vs. large sized companies, (b) industries undergoing rapid change, and (c) businesses/industries in which there are seasonal variations in HR requirements. (p.84-88) A suggested approach would be to have students create a matrix (table) with techniques down the left hand side and the four criteria (small, large, rapid change, seasonal variation). Considerations include availability of historical data, validity of historical data in terms of projecting future trends, in-house expertise in different methods, and owner/manager preferences. Small firms may not have the data or expertise to take on the more sophisticated quantitative techniques, but could use trend analysis and possibly scatter plots. In large organizations, needs forecasting is primarily quantitative in nature. Highly trained professionals in these organizations would be familiar with ratio and regression analyses in addition to trend analysis and scatter plots. In contrast, small firms may be more comfortable using the nominal group technique, drawing on the expertise of employees, managers, and owners. Industries undergoing rapid change will find the nominal group technique, and/or the Delphi technique to be particularly helpful in modifying the projections from quantitative techniques which require input from experts in order to project alternate scenarios. Trend analysis and the qualitative techniques are well suited to the needs of businesses/industries in which there are seasonal variations in HR requirements. 2. Suppose it has just been projected that, because of a number of technological innovations, your firm will need 20 percent fewer clerical employees within the next five years. There are currently 122 clerical positions in the company, split between three departments of equal size. Retirements at this level are projected to be roughly 2 percent per year. Annual voluntary turnover and involuntary turnover for Department A is 2 percent and 5 percent respectively; Department B is 3 percent and 3 percent; and Department C is 5 percent and 0 percent. Do you project a labour shortage or surplus in the next three years for clerical positions? What actions would you take in this situation? (p. 88-92) Step 1: Determine how many positions have to be eliminated within 5 years. 20 percent of 122 positions = approximately 24 positions that have to be eliminated by the end of the five year period. Step 2: Determine whether attrition (retirements and turnover) will take care of this surplus without the need for further action Clerical attrition through retirement = 122 * 2% * 5 years = approximately 12 positions (half those needed) will be eliminated via this route if you implement a hiring freeze and do not replace these workers Clerical attrition through turnover = approx. 37.5 positions will disappear if you implement a hiring freeze when t vacancies occur due to voluntary or involuntary turnover. The breakout by department is as follows. Department A: 122/3 = approximately 41 employees * 7% turnover rate * 5 years = approx. 15 positions Department B: 122/3 = approximately 41 employees * 6% turnover rate * 5 years = approx. 12.5 positions Department C: 122/3 = approximately 41 employees * 5% turnover rate * 5 years = approx. 10 positions In total almost 50 positions will disappear through attrition if you implement a hiring freeze in all cases. If you follow this path you will end up with a labour shortage of about 26 positions. Step 3: Rather than implementing a complete hiring freeze, you will have to be more specific in terms of which clerical positions (level, nature of work, department’s strategic importance) should be refilled when attrition occurs and which ones should not be refilled. This is a tough decision that may not be well understood by employees or by the managers of “losing” departments. Alternatively you could turn to overtime and/or contract/temporary employees rather than permanent hires 3. Suppose that you are the HR manager at a firm in which a hiring freeze has just been declared. The plan is to downsize through attrition. What steps would you take to ensure that you reap the advantages of this strategy, while minimizing the disadvantages? (p. 90) The major advantage of attrition is that it does not require separating any employees involuntarily. Potential drawbacks of this strategy include the following: • It can be a slow method of reducing numbers. • The organization may have no control over who stays and who leaves. Thus, valuable high performers may leave, while less needed or lower-performing employees stay. • Remaining employees may be overburdened with work or lack necessary skills, resulting in decreased or inferior performance. • Stagnation may occur due to the lack of new skills and ideas because no outsiders are hired. To reap the advantages of this strategy while ensuring that the organization does not lose high performers or individuals with highly needed skills, you could provide current employees with the opportunity for training and development to broaden and enhance their KSAs, based on needs identified through HR planning. This would allow them to take on more value-added tasks and shift to more strategic roles as they become available. Engaging remaining employees in career management discussions may help to make them feel that they have a future with the organization, so they might be less likely to leave after they receive additional training. However some employees will take their new KSAs to the job market and search for opportunities outside of the organization. 4. What potential problems may result if the employer branding value proposition presented during the recruitment process is not reinforced once the new recruit is working for the organization? What could organizations do to avoid this situation? (p. 9394) An employee’s psychological contract (set of expectations of what will happen/what they will get) forms during the recruitment and selection process. If this contract is breached because value was misrepresented then this may create disenchanted employees who may leave and badmouth the organization or stay and create a negative environment for their co-workers. This has a financial impact by costing the company money for wasted hiring costs or lowered productivity. The company should make sure that all policies and practices are clearly aligned, with everyone walking the talk. 5. What potential problems could be created by offering referral bonuses to existing employees? (p. 100-101) Some of the potential problems associated with employee referrals include the potential of inbreeding and nepotism to cause morale problems, and dissatisfaction of employees whose referral is not hired. Perhaps the biggest drawback, however, is that this method may result in systemic discrimination in workplaces that are not diverse, since employees tend to recommend individuals who have backgrounds similar to their own, in terms of race, ethnicity, religion. In addition, employees may put forward candidates who don’t work out once on the job, especially if the bonus is paid for the referral and not for the performance of the candidate in the months immediately after hiring. Teaching Tip: Survey students to find out who would refer a friend or family member if a referral bonus was offered, first without a performance condition and second with a performance condition. Students can also discuss how much money would motivate them to refer people from their social network, especially in terms of posting a job opportunity via Twitter or Facebook. 6. As the labour supply gets tighter and tighter, would you be in favour of loosening requirements of foreign-trained professionals (for example, doctors, professors, accountants, engineers) to become immediately qualified in Canada? Why or why not? Identify the underlying assumptions in the position you took. (p. 100-109) Among the issues to be considered are the diversity of qualification internationally and the need to maintain or meet professional standards in Canada. Consideration of alternatives could include an across-the-board loosening of requirements versus a more differentiated approach. Foreign-trained professionals could sit a “challenge” examination to demonstrate their skills and abilities that could bring them into the labour force rapidly. Otherwise, the initiative of Manitoba supported by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists provides a viable alternative. Students may raise issues in regards to their own future career prospects versus the immediate and urgent need to fill professional positions e.g. family doctors. 7. What are some of the specific reservations that a 30-year-old candidate might have about applying for a job that requires managing a workforce that is on average ten years older than he or she is? (p. 107) Discrepancy in age and experience may lead to unsubstantiated perceptions that older workers will be out of date, resistant to change, and “coasting” towards retirement. In fact older workers are highly motivated, have a strong work ethic, good people skills and a willingness to work in a variety of roles. Many older workers have chosen not to take on managerial responsibilities, so the age difference is irrelevant as long as the manager shows that s/he knows what they are doing and can earn their trust and respect. The key to managing a multigenerational team is to integrate new skills and knowledge while showing respect for proven abilities. 8. Assume you are the HR manager in a highly homogenous company that now wants to better reflect the diversity of the target client group in its employee population. What must you consider as you think about implementing your new recruitment strategy? (p. 107-109) Considerations include assessing why current recruitment strategies have not produced a diverse workforce to date and identifying alternate sources and methods for outreach that encourage a broader range of candidates. Working in partnership with organizations and associations may be more effective and efficient than trying to go it alone as they have the contacts, channels and expertise in communicating with their members. At the same time, you must be aware of a possible backlash from current employees who believe they or their family members will have limited opportunities in the future, especially if nepotism has been part of the corporate culture in the past. You should closely monitor results from different external recruitment methods by using yield ratios to see which methods are most effective in making your workforce more diverse and are cost-effective (time and money) at the same time. Last, but not least, you should not go so far as to open up the organization to claims of discrimination by members of designated groups or on prohibited grounds. Transition to a more diverse workforce is likely to be a gradual process; unless you have to satisfy federal government targets. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES (p. 112- 113) 1. Contact the HR manager at a firm in your area and find out whether or not the firm uses any of the following: (a) skills/management inventories, (b) replacement charts or summaries and (c) a succession plan. Prepare a brief summary of the information gathered. Once you have completed these tasks, form a group with several of your classmates. Share your findings with the group members. Were there similarities across firms? Did company size seem to make a difference in terms of strategies used for forecasting the supply of internal candidates? Can you identify any other factors that seem to play a role in choice of forecasting techniques used? Skills/management inventories tend to be fairly common. Replacement charts or summaries are more common in large firms, as are succession plans. Firms with global operations tend to place increased emphasis on succession plans. Students should collect information on which methods are used for which type(s) of positions (i.e. what is the lowest level position for which succession planning is carried out). 2. Form teams of three or four people. Your instructor will assign you a position on the following statements: “All employees in an organization should be aware of their personal standing with respect to replacement charts and succession planning.” Formulate your arguments to support your assigned position and then debate the statement with an opposing team as instructed. The purpose of this exercise is to help students understand the different interests that employers and employees have about who is being groomed to move ahead. Allow 5-10 minutes for the students to brainstorm their positions (for or against this statement) and then have the two sides debate. The debate should raise issues of whether knowing how you are viewed by the organization would affect your performance, turnover intention or other attitudes and behaviours. Sometimes ignorance is bliss but on the other hand information is power; you can make your own choice as to whether you will move on or accept the status quo. Alternate exercise: this exercise can be done as a large class discussion. To spur discussion you might want to ask the students how they would feel if they found out that they were on or off the replacement chart or succession plan and their best friends at work were in the opposite position. This can send all the wrong messages to employees. 3. Go to your university’s or college’s career centre and gather information on all the services they provide. How many companies come to recruit students through the centre each year? What services does the centre provide to employers seeking to hire graduating students? Employers seeking to hire summer students? Employers seeking to hire students for internships? Many students never use campus career centres, relying on other sources for information for their job search, so this will be an eye-opening exercise for many. Debrief their findings and discuss what new information they have learned about support for students looking for work. Generate a discussion about why they do and don’t use campus career services. 4. Given the importance of networking to recruitment success, organize the class around core jobs that students would like to have. In each group, brainstorm sources of networking. Poll the group to determine how many people in the group are taking advantage of each available network. Highlight reasons for low involvement and brainstorm ideas about how these challenges can be overcome. Potential networking sources include employee referrals, former employees, concentrated job fairs at educational institutions, professional and trade associations, labour organizations, and military personnel. Challenges may include the fact that “networking” has negative connotations about being “pushy”, students may not know that they could be connected to these networks through other people that they know, and networking in recent years has come to mean social media. Many campus career centres offer networking opportunities with alumni and workshops on “how to network”. Students may procrastinate and figure that they’ll take advantage of these later on, but tomorrow never comes. It’s never too early to start networking! 5. Considering the current economic situation and using the following list of jobs, identify all of the sources that could be used to recruit qualified applicants: • Registered Nurses to work in the critical care unit of a new regional hospital • Carpenters to work on a new home building project • Chief Financial Officer for an international engineering firm with a head office located in Vancouver • Retail sales associates to work in an urban clothing chain • Customer service representatives to work in a bank branch • Bilingual administrative assistants for Canadian financial services company operating internationally The purpose of this exercise is to have students brainstorm different ways to attract new talent. It can be done in small groups or as a large class discussion. Encourage students to think outside of the box. This is an opportunity to discuss some of the different means of getting qualified workers such as: carpenters – if want licensed carpenter must go through the union, otherwise you can ask for referrals from people who have had someone do carpentry work in the past, for bank reps – could hire students part time and use social media to interact with potential applicants (page 100-109) CHAPTER 5 SELECTION REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (p. 138-139) 1. Explain the differences among criterion-related validity, content validity, and construct validity. (p. 120 – 121) Validity in the context of selection is an indicator of the extent to which data from a selection technique, such as a test or interview, are related to or predictive of subsequent performance on the job. Separate validation studies of selection techniques should be conducted for different subgroups, such as visible minorities and women, in order to address differential validity. Criterion-related validity is the extent to which a selection tool predicts or significantly correlates with important elements of work behaviour. Demonstrating criterion-related validity requires proving that those who do well on a test or in an interview, for example, also do well on the job, and that individuals who do poorly on the test or in the interview receive low job-performance ratings. Content validity is assumed to exist when a selection instrument, such as a test, adequately samples the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job. The closer the content of the selection instrument is to actual samples of work or work behaviour, the greater the content validity. For example, asking a candidate for a secretarial position to demonstrate word processing skills, as required on the job, has high content validity. Construct validity is the extent to which a selection tool measures a theoretical construct or trait deemed necessary to perform the job successfully. Intelligence, verbal skills, analytical ability, and leadership skills are all examples of constructs. Measuring construct validity requires demonstrating that the psychological trait or attribute is related to satisfactory job performance, as well as showing that the test or other selection tool used accurately measures the psychological trait or attribute. 2. Describe five different types of testing that may be used in the selection process and give an example of each. (p. 121-127) Testing types include Cognitive abilities, motor and physical abilities, personality and interests, achievement, work sampling, assessment centre, situational, micro assessment, physical examination and substance abuse 3. Describe any four activities involved in a management assessment centre. (p. 126) Examples of the types of activities and exercises involved include: an in-basket exercise; a leaderless group discussion; management games; individual presentations; objective tests; and an interview. In a management assessment center, several activities are typically conducted to assess various skills and competencies of candidates. Here are four common activities: 1. Group Discussions or Group Exercises: This involves candidates participating in discussions or problem-solving tasks within a group setting. Assessors observe how candidates interact, communicate, negotiate, and contribute to the group dynamic. The aim is to evaluate teamwork, leadership potential, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively. 2. Role-Play or Simulation Exercises: Candidates are given scenarios or case studies relevant to managerial roles and are asked to act out specific roles or situations. This could involve resolving conflicts, handling difficult conversations, making strategic decisions, or managing a team. Assessors evaluate candidates' decision-making abilities, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and their capacity to handle real-life managerial challenges. 3. In-Tray or Inbox Exercises: Candidates are presented with a simulated inbox containing various tasks, emails, memos, and reports that a manager might encounter in a typical workday. They are then asked to prioritize tasks, make decisions, delegate responsibilities, and respond to different situations under time constraints. Assessors evaluate candidates' organizational skills, prioritization abilities, time management, and capacity to handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously. 4. Presentation or Case Study Analysis: Candidates are given a topic or case study related to the industry or specific business challenges, and they are required to analyze the situation, develop recommendations, and present their findings to a panel of assessors. This assesses candidates' analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, presentation skills, and their capacity to articulate ideas persuasively. These activities are designed to provide a holistic assessment of candidates' managerial potential, covering various aspects such as leadership, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. 4. Name and describe the pros and cons of the three different types of interview structures. (p. 128-129) Unstructured interview – allows interviewer to follow up on comments and points of interest but may not result in consistent information from all candidates. Structured interview – provides for consistent questions of all candidates but doesn’t allow for flexibility in follow up questions and may seems mechanical Mixed (semi-structured) interview uses standardized structured interview questions and candidate specific ones to provide specific comparable information as well as job specific candidate information 5. Explain the difference between situational and behavioural interviews. Give examples of situational and behavioural interview questions. (p. 129) Content of the Interview – Interviews can also be classified according to the content of their questions. A situational interview is one in which the questions focus on the individual's ability to project what his or her behaviour would be in a given situation. The underlying premise is that intentions predict behaviour. The interview can be both structured and situational, with predetermined questions requiring the candidate to project what his or her behaviour would be. The behavioural interview or behaviour description interview (BDI) is gaining in popularity. This technique involves describing various situations and asking interviewees how they behaved in the past in such situations. Thus, while situational interviews ask interviewees to describe how they would react to a situation, the BDI asks interviewees to describe how they did react to situations in the past, giving specific examples. The underlying assumption is that the best predictor of future performance is past performance in similar circumstances. Open-ended questions – primarily situational and behavioural – should then be developed for each of the KSAs to be assessed during the interview. Situational questions ask candidates to indicate how they would respond to a hypothetical situation that could actually occur on the job. Behavioural questions request specific examples of past behaviour. Job-knowledge and worker requirements questions should also be included. 6. Briefly discuss any five common interviewing mistakes and explain how such errors can be avoided. (p. 130-132 Poor Planning – Many selection interviews are simply not carefully planned. An interview will be unsuccessful if the interviewer does not have specific selection criteria in mind or has failed to plan strategies for assessing the criteria chosen. Lack of planning often leads to a relatively unstructured interview in which whatever comes up gets discussed. Since the end result may be little or no cross-candidate job-related information, the less structured the interview is and the less reliable and valid the candidate evaluation will be. The importance of planning and the costs associated with poor planning should be addressed in a training session. Once trained, the key to avoiding this problem is allowing sufficient time for preparation. Snap Judgments – One of the most consistent findings in the interviewing literature is that interviewers tend to jump to conclusions – make snap judgments – during the first few minutes of the interview or even before the interview begins based on the candidates’ test scores or résumé data. This problem can be avoided through proper training and the use of a structured or mixed interview. Having a panel rather than a sole interviewer can also help to prevent this problem. Negative Emphasis – Jumping to conclusions is especially troublesome when the information the interviewer has about the candidate is negative. For example, in one study, the researchers found that interviewers who previously received unfavourable reference letters about applicants gave the applicants less credit for past successes and held them more personally responsible for past failures. Furthermore, the interviewers' final decisions to accept or reject applicants were always tied to what they expected of the applicants based on the references, quite aside from their interview performance. In other words, interviewers seem to have a consistent negative bias. They are generally more influenced by unfavourable than favourable information about the candidate. Also, their impressions are much more likely to change from favourable to unfavourable than vice versa. There are several strategies for avoiding this problem. One is to train interviewers. Another is to ensure that interviewers are not provided with the results of reference checking and/or employment tests until after they have conducted interviews and evaluated interview performance. Halo Effect – It is also possible for a positive initial impression to distort an interviewer's rating of a candidate, such that subsequent information is judged with a positive bias. This is known as the halo effect. The best strategy for ensuring that this error doesn't occur is interviewer training. Using a structured or semi-structured interview also helps to prevent the interviewer from being unduly influenced by an initial favourable impression, since questions are prepared in advance and must be followed. Poor Knowledge of the Job – Interviewers who do not know precisely what the job entails, and what sort of candidate is best suited for it, usually make their decisions based on incorrect stereotypes about what a good applicant is. They then erroneously match interviewees with their incorrect stereotypes. All interviewers should be involved in establishing the selection criteria. Doing so requires careful examination of the job description and specifications, which should result in a fair degree of familiarity with the job and the human characteristics needed to perform it. Contrast (Candidate-order) Error Contrast or candidate-order error means that the order in which applicants are seen can affect how they are rated. In a number of studies, only a small part of the applicant's rating was based on his or her actual potential. Most of the rating was based on the effect of having followed very favourable or unfavourable candidates. Strategies for avoiding this mistake include proper training; allowing time between interviews; using a structured or semi-structured interview format to ensure that all candidates are asked the same key questions; taking detailed notes; and completing an interviewee evaluation immediately following each interview, by using an evaluation form based on the selection criteria prepared in advance. Influence of Nonverbal Behaviour – Interviewers are often influenced by the applicant's nonverbal behaviour. In fact, nonverbal behaviours often account for more than 80 percent of the applicant's rating. This is of particular concern since nonverbal behaviour is tied to ethnicity and cultural background. An applicant's attractiveness and gender also play a role. Proper interviewer training, the use of a structured or mixed interview format, and having a panel can help to avoid this error. Diversity training can also be of assistance, since it can make potential interviewers more comfortable in dealing with candidates of diverse backgrounds. Leading – Some interviewers are so anxious to fill a job that they help the applicant respond correctly to their questions by telegraphing the expected answer. Interviewer training, having pre-set questions, and using multiple interviewers can help to prevent this error. Too Much/Too Little Talking – If the applicant is permitted to dominate the interview, the interviewer may not have a chance to ask his or her prepared questions and often learns very little about the candidate’s job related skills. At the other extreme, some interviewers talk so much that the interviewee is not given enough time to answer questions. One expert suggests using the 30/70 rule: During a selection interview, encourage the candidate to speak 70 percent of the time, and restrict the interviewer speaking to just 30 percent of the time. (page 192) Similar-to-Me Bias – Interviewers tend to provide more favourable ratings to candidates who possess demographic, personality, and attitudinal characteristics similar to their own. 7. Why is the supervisory interview so important in the selection process? (p. 136) The immediate supervisor is generally responsible for making the final selection decision. If the initial selection interview involves a one-on-one interview with a member of the HR department only, rather than a series of sequential interviews or a panel-based interview, the two or three top candidates typically return for a second interview with the immediate supervisor. There are a number of reasons for this: (1) The supervisor tends to know the technical aspects of the job best and is the most qualified to assess the applicants' job knowledge and skills. (2) The supervisor is typically best equipped to answer any job-specific questions. (3) The immediate supervisor generally has to work closely with the individual selected and must feel comfortable with that person. (4) If the supervisor is involved in the decision they tend to be more committed and take more responsibility for that person’s success. CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS (p. 239) 1. If you were asked to design an effective selection process for retail sales representatives working on a 100 percent commission basis, which of the steps described in this chapter would you include and why? Justify any steps omitted and explain why the quality of the selection decision will not be compromised by their elimination. I would recommend the use of a multiple-hurdle strategy, in which some candidates would be eliminated at each step. The steps that I would include are as follows: • preliminary reception of applicants – in recognition of the fact that selection is a two-way street. • initial applicant screening – to narrow down the applicant pool by eliminating any candidates lacking the must criteria and determining which are worthy of further consideration. • a selection interview, involving a panel (including the supervisor) and a semi-structured format, focusing on behavioural and situational questions – to increase the validity of the process, minimize errors, and save time and money so that the candidates would only have to come to the firm for one interview. • selection testing – work sampling to assess the ability to prioritize tasks, organizational skills, ability to work independently, and interpersonal skills (ensuring that any such testing is clearly job-related and thus high in validity); and perhaps a General Aptitude Test Battery; a situational test valid for retail conditions; and an Emotional Intelligence test as success in retail sales work is related to effective relationships with clients. • background investigation and reference checking – I would obtain written permission to check the educational qualifications and previous employment history of finalist candidates – to verify the accuracy of information provided on application forms and résumés and validate the information obtained during the other steps; and to avoid the time and legal costs associated with a wrongful dismissal suit or in parting company with an unsuitable employee and the significant damages associated with negligent or wrongful hiring. • a realistic job preview – to ensure that candidates have an accurate impression of the job demands, the organization’s expectations, and the work environment, and to avoid having someone accept the job offer and quit shortly thereafter due to reality shock, especially as he/she would be working on a 100 percent commission basis. • making the hiring decision based on an evaluation of all of the information gleaned – using tests that are objectively scored and a candidate rating sheet based on the weighted want criteria to increase validity and reliability. • candidate notification – extending a job offer by telephone to the successful candidate, giving him or her an opportunity to think over the offer, and following up with a written offer of employment – to avoid a hasty decision, later regretted, and/or a misunderstanding regarding terms and conditions of employment. This step would also involve notifying finalists who were not selected as a matter of courtesy and as a public relations gesture. • Evaluating the selection process – to assess whether or not the process has resulted in a high-quality, productive sales representative and to perform a cost/benefit analysis. • Some of the selection testing strategies discussed in Chapter 5 are not appropriate for sales jobs and have therefore not been recommended. A medical examination and drug testing were deliberately omitted due to their questionable accuracy and/or the legal/ethical concerns associated with them. Similarly, tests of motor and physical abilities were not considered relevant. • The only step in the process that was not included is the supervisory interview, which is not required since the supervisor will be a member of the interview panel. I have suggested that interviewing precede testing but these two steps could occur in reverse order. 2. Assume that you have just been hired as the employment manager in a small manufacturing firm that has never done any selection testing. Write a memorandum to the CEO describing the types of tests that you would recommend that the firm using in the future. Also list some of the legal and ethical concerns pertaining to such testing and how such concerns can be overcome, and the benefits to the firm in using the recommended testing. The following types of information should be presented in memo format: Introduction I would strongly recommend that we include testing as one component of our selection process. Such testing is a common screening device used by organizations for both hiring and promotion purposes. Such tests may assess specific job-related skills, as well as general intelligence, personality characteristics, mental abilities, interests, and preferences. They may involve a demonstration of skills, a simulation, or a written exercise. Testing techniques provide efficient, standardized procedures for screening large numbers of applicants. The use of tests to assist with hiring and/or promotion decisions has been increasing. In a recent study involving 202 Canadian firms, two-thirds of the respondents indicated that they use at least one type of testing method in their selection process to supplement interview results. Types of Tests Recommended I would recommend that we consider using the following types of tests: Aptitude tests, which measure the applicant's aptitudes for the job in question – that is, the applicant's potential to perform the job once given proper training. I would recommend the use of the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) for most positions, and the use of specific aptitude tests for those applying for engineering department and machine shop jobs. Tests of Motor and Physical Abilities as related to the job in question. Tests in this category range from the Crawford Small Parts Dexterity Text, which measures the speed and accuracy of simple judgment, as well as the speed of finger, hand, and arm movements, to a Functional Abilities Evaluations (FAE), which measures a whole series of physical abilities – ranging from lifting to pulling and pushing, sitting, squatting, climbing, and carrying – and is particularly useful for positions with a multitude of physical demands. Achievement Tests for many of our office jobs, since they measure what a person has learned – for example, knowledge and/or proficiency acquired in areas such as sales, accounting, marketing, or HRM. In addition to job knowledge, achievement tests can measure the applicants’ abilities. A keyboarding test is one example. The work sampling technique, which measures how a candidate actually performs some of the job’s basic tasks, and thus work samples are among the best predictors of job performance. Candidate scores are compared to their actual performance to validate the test. Once validity has been established the organization can use it for selection without having to validate it each and every time. Management Assessment Centres for senior management positions only. In a two- to three-day management assessment centre, the management potential of 10 or 12 candidates is assessed by expert appraisers observing them performing realistic management tasks. Examples of the types of activities and exercises involved include: an in-basket exercise; a leaderless group discussion; management games; individual presentations; objective tests; and an interview. Micro-assessments, which involve each applicant completing a series of verbal, paper-based or computer-based questions and exercises that cover the range of activities required on the job for which he or she is applying. In addition to technical exercises, participants are required to solve a set of work-related problems that demonstrate their ability to perform well within the confines of a certain department or corporate culture. Exercises are simple to develop because they are taken directly from the job. • evaluated the following morning Legal/Ethical Concerns There are a number of ethical and legal concerns about selection testing. A few of the key ones include avoiding intentional or systemic discrimination on prohibited grounds and ensuring systems are bias-free and do not have an adverse impact on members of the four designated groups (see Appendix 5.1, p. 141 – 143). In addition selection procedures should be carefully designed and administered to avoid liability for negligent or wrongful hiring (e.g. hiring candidates with false credentials). Companies should avoid “fishing expeditions’ through social media in order to avoid bring non-job related information into hiring decisions. Suggested guidelines are: 1. Ensuring all selection criteria and strategies are based on the job description and specification. 2. Do not Ask questions that, directly or indirectly, violate human rights legislation. 3. Obtaining written authorization for reference checking from prospective employees, and check references carefully. 4. Save all records and information obtained about the applicant during each stage of the selection process. 5. Rejecting applicants who make false statements on their application forms or résumés. 6. Treat all applicants in the same manner regardless of personal factors Benefits of Such Testing The use of valid tests can significantly assist in the selection of the most qualified candidate and increase output substantially. According to researcher Stephen Cronshaw, for example, the utility for a single year of testing Canadian Armed Forces’ clerical applicants was $50 million. 3. Describe strategies that you could use to: (a) establish rapport with an extremely nervous candidate; (b) get an interviewee who is rambling “back on track”; (c) clarify a statement made by an applicant during an interview; and (d) obtain detailed reference information from an individual who seems reluctant to say much. a) To begin the interview, I would greet him or her politely, confirming his or her name; shake hands; introduce myself and explain my position; invite him or her to be seated in a comfortable chair next to me and offer him or her a glass of water. Then, to help him or her relax, I would take a few minutes to ask questions about the hobbies and interests identified on his or her résumé and/or application form, such as interest in sports or gardening, etc., or another nonthreatening topic such as the weather. I would then confirm that he or she has received and has had an opportunity to read a copy of the job description and take a few minutes to describe the job, as well as provide the candidate with the opportunity to ask questions. If the candidate still seems to be nervous, I would take a few minutes at this point to provide some information about the department and company as a whole, once again providing an opportunity for questions. When the candidate seems more relaxed, I would suggest that we get to the heart of the interview. First, I would explain the process (a semi structured interview involving mostly behavioural and situational questions, such that all candidates will be asked primarily identical questions to facilitate comparison, with a few candidate-specific job-related questions based on his or her résumé and application form). I would also explain that I will be taking notes, and the reasons for doing so, and suggest that he or she is welcome to take notes, as well, if so desired. b) To get a candidate back on track, there are several techniques I could use. One is simply to say “That’s very interesting. However, I’d like to focus more on your job-related skills. Could you provide me with an example of a time when you . . .” Another would be to pick up on something that the individual stated and redirect the discussion. For example: “You said that you particularly enjoyed working for Joe. Could you please describe the characteristics that made him such an effective supervisor?” or “You said that you particularly enjoyed working for Joe. Could you please describe the specific knowledge and skills you acquired while working for him that would be relevant to our _______ position?” c) To obtain clarification, I could repeat the candidate’s statement with an upward inflection at the end, turning it into a question. For example: “Joe was an excellent supervisor?” Alternatively, I could simply ask the candidate to expand on his or her answer. I could also make a statement such as “I believe you stated that . . . Have I interpreted your statement correctly?” d) I would reassure the reference provider that anything he or she said would be treated as highly confidential and explain the importance to the firm of obtaining accurate, honest reference information. If he or she seems concerned about possible legal repercussions, I would explain the principle of “qualified privilege” (page 135). If he or she still seems reluctant to say much, I would explain that inability to obtain reference information will mean that we cannot offer the candidate a job. 4. Alberta oil and gas companies are using pre-employment substance abuse testing even though it is prohibited. Their argument is that because they have multi-billion-dollar projects underway with a lot of potential for accidents, environmental damage, and so on, they want to be sure that they are not hiring employees who have substance abuse problems. They know that their young, transient, and relatively wealthy oil sands workforce commonly abuses drugs and alcohol. How could this situation be resolved in the spirit of the law on accommodating disabilities? This question may provoke some lively discussion. The key issue is that companies cannot discriminate for substance abuse unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement, such as the safety and health of other persons. In such a case, a medical examination may be conducted after the written offer of employment as a condition of employment. In the event, however, that an occupational requirement cannot be argued, the question arises whether the employee is engaging in substance abuse to the point of disability. If so, the company could provide treatment for people showing up in an impaired state. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES (p 139) 1. Design a semi-structured interview questionnaire for a position with which you are extremely familiar, basing the candidate-specific questions on your own résumé. Ensure that behavioural, situational, job-knowledge, and worker-requirements questions are included. Once you have done so, select a partner. Role-play two selection interviews – one based on your questionnaire and the other based on your partner’s questionnaire. The individual who wrote the questions is to play the role of interviewee, with his or her partner serving as the interviewer. Do not forget to build rapport, ask the questions in order, take effective notes, and bring the interview to a close. Once you have completed the two role plays, critically evaluate each of the interview questionnaire. Prior to developing interview questions, selection criteria must be identified and divided into two categories: musts and wants. The wants should be weighted. To avoid the possibility of legal challenges, all questions developed should relate directly to these criteria, including those that are candidate-specific. An alternate way to tackle this exercise, especially if students do not have substantial work experience is to have them pull a job description/specification from the HRDSC NOC and use that as a basis for developing a questionnaire. Either way, completing this exercise requires an understanding of the following: Situational questions ask candidates to indicate how they would respond to a hypothetical situation that could actually occur on the job. For example: On this job, it is fairly common to encounter a customer who believes that you have charged him or her the incorrect amount for a product – in other words, that the computer-generated price showing on the cash register is not the price that he or she saw in the product display area. How would you handle this situation? Behavioural questions request specific examples of past behaviour. For example, this job requires a great deal of customer contact. Tell me about a time in one of your previous jobs when you had to pacify a very irate customer. Please be very specific. Job-knowledge questions assess whether candidates have the basic knowledge needed to perform the job. Often they deal with technical aspects of the job. For example, please describe your experience in working with computerized cash registers. Please explain how to override an incorrect price. Worker-requirements or willingness questions gauge the applicants’ motivation and willingness to perform under prevailing working conditions. For example, since the store is open twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, you will be expected to work shifts and weekends. Does that pose any problems for you? The steps involved in conducting an effective interview are described on pages 132-134. To judge the effectiveness of the interview questionnaire, the following points should be kept in mind: (1) All questions must be directly related to the selection criteria. A helpful phrase to keep in mind to ensure that questions focus on the job description is “This job requires . . . ” (2) Most questions should be open-ended. (3) Questions that can be answered with one word (such as “yes” or “no”) should be avoided. (4) Most questions should be situational and/or behavioural, since such questions are high in validity. 2. Create an offer of employment for the successful customer-service representative at a call centre, outlining the terms and conditions of employment. Keep in mind that a copy of the letter should be signed and returned by the new hire and that a signed letter of offer becomes an employment contract. Included in the offer of employment should be information regarding the job title and duties, agreed-upon starting date and time, information about probation period and salary review date, and information on benefits and services that will be provided. Attaching a copy of the job description and specifications as well as the benefits plan booklet is a good strategy, since the letter itself can then be kept fairly brief. If attached, reference should be made to these documents in the letter of offer. The signature section should include a statement regarding acceptance of the terms and conditions of employment as outlined in the job description and specifications, and agreement to abide by the company’s policies and procedures. 3. Using the NOC job description and the competency job analysis you created earlier in the course, for either a university or college professor, develop two situational and two behavioural interview questions along with an outline of a “good” answer for each that you expect from the interviewees. Share and critique both questions and answers. Discuss how taking the time to complete this activity can help in candidate selection The purpose of this exercise is to give the students practice in developing interview questions and “good” answers based on specific job tasks. Provide students with the framework for each type of question, e.g. “Tell me about a time when...” and “What would you do if...” using one of their jobs as an example. Then probe for the answer they would expect to hear from a good candidate. Have students critique each other’s questions and answers. Debrief with reference to the value in doing this work up front. Remind them that once it is done it only needs to be reviewed and tweaked the next time they are hiring. Remind them that knowing how to do this is also useful to them as job applicants as they prepare for interviews. PART THREE: DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCES CHAPTER 6 ORIENTATION AND TRAINING REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (p. 169) 1. Prepare an orientation checklist for your current or most recent job. Refer to content of orientation programs on page 148-149. Specify who will be responsible, what, where and when each part of orientation will occur. 1. Introduction to Company Culture and Values: ● Provide an overview of the company's mission, vision, and core values. ● Familiarize new employees with the organizational culture and expected behaviors. 2. Workplace Policies and Procedures: ● Review company policies on attendance, punctuality, dress code, and workplace conduct. ● Explain procedures for requesting time off, reporting absences, and addressing grievances. 3. Facility Tour and Safety Protocols: ● Conduct a tour of the workplace, highlighting key areas such as restrooms, break rooms, and emergency exits. ● Review safety protocols, including evacuation procedures, first aid kits' locations, and reporting hazards. 4. Job Role and Responsibilities: ● Clearly outline the new employee's job title, role, and reporting structure. ● Provide an overview of job responsibilities, performance expectations, and key performance indicators (KPIs). 5. Training and Development Opportunities: ● Introduce available training programs, both internal and external, relevant to the new employee's role. ● Discuss opportunities for skill development, career advancement, and continuous learning within the company. 6. Technology and Tools Familiarization: ● Provide access to necessary tools, software, and equipment required for the job. ● Offer training on how to use company-specific software systems and technological resources. 7. Benefits and Compensation Overview: ● Explain employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and any other perks offered by the company. ● Clarify payroll procedures, including pay schedule, deductions, and employee assistance programs. 8. Organizational Structure and Communication Channels: ● Outline the company's organizational hierarchy, departmental structure, and communication channels. ● Explain how information flows within the organization and how employees can communicate with supervisors and colleagues. 9. Employee Support Resources: ● Introduce HR personnel who can assist with any administrative or personnel-related queries. ● Provide information on employee support services, such as counseling, wellness programs, and employee assistance programs. 10. Feedback and Follow-Up: ● Encourage open communication and feedback from the new employee regarding the orientation process. ● Schedule follow-up meetings to address any remaining questions or concerns and ensure a smooth transition into the new role. By following this comprehensive orientation checklist, we aim to ensure that new employees feel welcomed, informed, and equipped to contribute effectively to the organization from day one. 2. Choose a task you are familiar with – such as mowing the lawn or using a chat room – and develop a job instruction training sheet for it. The JIT sheet should cover, what, how and why for each step, not just what or how. The sheet should be very detailed, assuming that the individual does not know the nature of the job 3. Ali Khan is an undergraduate business student majoring in accounting. He has just failed the first accounting course, Accounting 101, and is understandably upset. Explain how you would use performance analysis to identify what, if any, are Ali's training needs. The first thing that needs to be determined is if this is a "can’t do" or a "won't do" situation, which is the heart of performance analysis. (p. 156) It is possible that, as a first-year student, Ali has spent too much time socializing and not enough time studying. This would indicate a need for training on studying skills and setting priorities. It is also possible that Ali really does not have the basic skills that he needs in order to be successful in this course, something that could be assessed through testing. The first step is to compare his performance to others or to a standard (e.g. class grades, answers to exam questions). If knowledge gaps or skill deficiencies in using a particular method are apparent, then remedial training or courses would be appropriate. A third possibility is that Ali simply does not have the interest or natural inclinations for success in the accounting field, which could be determined through interest and aptitude testing. If this is the case, training is not appropriate; rather, Ali should be counselled to change majors. 4. Think about a job that you have had in the past. For this job, identify which training technique was used and reflect on reasons why you think that system was used. Next, select a different training technique from the chapter that you think would have been good to use, providing a justification as to why this would be a suitable technique. Most students will have experienced on-the-job training and believe this is the best way to go. However, there is a role for other techniques that also have advantages (e.g. not reliant on trainer, more consistent and flexible). The emphasis should be on a mix of techniques and quite likely blended learning (traditional face-to-face and e-learning). 5. Describe why career planning and development has become more strategically important. Give a brief outline of what organizations are doing to take a more strategic approach in this area. (p. 161) Due to the aging workforce and shifts in occupations and employment patterns, increasing competition for talent is expected to create a serious challenge for retaining high-potential employees. New graduates have high expectations of their employers and will leave if not given developmental opportunities. Increased need for employees who are interested in global carer, in virtual work and in carer that involve continuously changing technology. Other talent shortages include local leadership in Asia Pacific and an impending managerial shortage in many countries due to Baby Boomer retirements. Career planning and development programs can help attract new employees and maintain employee commitment while developing competencies that support the organization’s strategy. 6. Briefly describe each of the five aspects of the new approach to career development. (p. 163-165). Note that the fourth edition focuses on four aspects of the new approach, so identifying occupational orientation, which is still valid but less predictable, is assumed to make up the five. In addition to identifying occupational orientation(s), four aspects of the new approach include activities that help the organization to: a. Identify skills and aptitudes – education-based skills, experience-based skills, general aptitude test battery (GATB) b. Identify career anchors – concerns or values that a person will not give up (Schein): eight anchors, of which one may be dominant: technical/functional, managerial competence, creativity, autonomy/independence, security, service/dedication, pure challenge, and lifestyle c. Focus on life trajectories – person builds life and career simultaneously, often seeking work-life balance; involved shifts in career development thinking: • From traits and states (internal factors) to context (external factors) • From prescriptive to process – frequent job change, no more single lifelong choice • From linear to non-linear – career plans require more frequent updating • From scientific facts to narrative evaluations – employees self-assess, interpret and make meaning of their own life experiences • From describing to modelling –career forecasting has to model different configurations and monitor interacting variables d. Become a learning organization – organization actively creates, acquires, and transfers knowledge, modifying behaviour to reflect new knowledge and insights; employees at all levels engage in lifelong learning 7. What are the six main types of occupational orientation? (p. 163) Using the Vocational Preference Test, Holland identified six personality-driven orientations: a. Realistic - attracted to occupations that involve physical activities requiring skill, strength, and coordination. Examples include forestry, farming, and agriculture. b. Investigative - attracted to careers that involve cognitive activities (thinking, organizing, and understanding) rather than affective activities (feeling, acting, or interpersonal and emotional tasks). Examples include biologists, chemists, and college professors. c. Social - attracted to careers that involve interpersonal rather than intellectual or physical activities. Examples include clinical psychology, foreign service, and social work. d. Conventional - favours careers that involve structured, rule-regulated activities, as well as careers in which it is expected that the employee subordinates his or her personal needs to those of the organization. Examples include accountants and bankers. e. Enterprising – attracted to verbal activities aimed at influencing others Examples include managers, lawyers, and public-relations executives. f. Artistic - attracted to careers that involve self-expression, artistic creation, expression of emotions, and individualistic activities. Examples include artists, advertising executives, and musicians. 4. What is a career anchor? For each of the five career anchors explain why you think each is important today? (p. 163) A career anchor is a concern or value that an individual will not give up if a choice has to be made. Schein identified eight career anchors: a. Technical/Functional - their career decisions enable them to remain and grow in their chosen technical or functional fields, rather than go into general management. b. Managerial Competence - show a strong motivation to become managers, convinced by past experience that they have the skills and values required to rise to high responsibility general-management positions requiring analytical, interpersonal, and emotional competence. c. Creativity – often successful entrepreneurs who have a need to build or create something that is entirely their own. d. Autonomy and Independence - driven to be on their own, many also have a strong technical/functional orientation. Often become consultants, business professors, freelance e writers, or proprietors of a small retail business. e. Security - mostly concerned with long-run career stability, will do what it takes. to maintain job security, a decent income, and a stable future (retirement program and benefits). Geographic security, maintaining a stable, secure career in familiar surroundings more important than pursuing superior career choices, whereas, organizational security means letting employers decide what the employees’ careers should be. f. Service/dedication - need to do something meaningful in a larger context. Information technology has made global problems, such as the environment, overpopulation, and poverty, highly visible (growing number of people) g. Pure challenge - define their career in terms of overcoming impossible odds, solving unsolved problems, and winning out over competitors (small number of people). h. Lifestyle - define their careers as part of a larger lifestyle integrating two careers and two sets of personal and family concerns (growing number of people). CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS (p. 169) 1. "A well-thought-out onboarding program is especially important for employees (like many recent graduates) who have had little or no work experience.” Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement. Orientation programs are important for all employees. New employees can suffer from a significant amount of anxiety during the first few days on the job, as they find themselves in an environment and culture with which they are not familiar. Those with little job experience, however, may find it especially difficult to adjust to the job and work environment without an effective orientation program, since they may have very unrealistic expectations, having had little basis for comparison, and are more likely to suffer from reality shock than individuals with more prior work experience. A well-developed orientation program can help to socialize such employees, and introduce them to important organizational values and norms, such that their chances of easing smoothly into the organization are significantly increased. (p. 209 - 210) 2. What do you think are some of the main drawbacks of relying on informal on-the-job training for teaching new employees their jobs? (p. 158) The main drawbacks related to informal OJT include: • not every employee will get the same basic information; in fact, some may not get basic, fundamental information • the quality of the training is highly dependent on the training skills of the employee who supervises the OJT, and that person's skills and training are usually not in the area of training • the new employee may get false information or inappropriate socialization depending on who is assigned responsibility for providing the training • OJT – whether formal or informal – is not suitable in many cases. Sometimes, for example, it is too costly or dangerous to train employees on the job. 3. Most training programs are not formally evaluated beyond a reaction measure. Why do you think employers do not measure the impact of training on learning, behaviour, and results more often? (p. 160-161) Reaction measures are easy to obtain through end-of-session surveys, and are handled by HR, whereas controlled experimentation requires advance planning, development of pre-tests and post-tests and more involvement by front-line supervisors and managers. Learning evaluation knowing beforehand what the desired level of knowledge/skill should be after training. In addition, learning evaluations are most valid if control groups are used, which raises issues about who gets training first and who gets to be the control group. Behavioural evaluation requires cooperation of the workplace that may involve time and commitment from supervisors. Finally, desired results achieved through training have to be chosen a priori based on established linkages to knowledge/skills, but are influenced by many variables other than the training. Often organizations are unclear about their reasons for training, and if a thorough needs assessment is not carried out, the evaluations at the three levels beyond reaction cannot be conducted. 4. Would you tell high-potential employees that they are on the “fast track”? How might this knowledge affect their behaviour? How might the behaviour of employees who are disappointed in not being included in management development activities be affected? Telling employees that they are on the fast track might motivate them to contribute at an even higher level but, in some cases, could make them become complacent and actually contribute less thinking that promotion is guaranteed. They may also start treating other employees differently. Telling employees that they are not on the “fast track” may be a relief to some with technical/functional orientations who are not seeking advancement to general management positions. However, employees who believe they have the skills and aptitudes to perform well in higher roles may be demotivated and leave the organization if other types of developmental activities are not offered by the organization. 5. How do you think employees are going to respond to the new focus on career planning, given the emphasis in recent years on “being in charge of your own career”? The emphasis on entrepreneurial career planning would be embraced by those who are not satisfied waiting for the organization to determine their fate, but could be very frightening for those without the four key skills: self-motivation, independent learning, effective time and money management, and self-promotion through networking. Organizations need to provide opportunities and support for both types of employees through training and career planning programs. EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES (p. 169-170) 1. Obtain a copy of an employee handbook from your employer or from some other organization. Review it and make recommendations for improvement. (p.148-149) Answers to this question will vary depending on the size of the organization from which the employee handbook was obtained. Handbooks prepared by corporate head offices may be quite elaborate. When the head office is in the U.S., the handbook may not have been rewritten for Canadian employees, thus containing material that is not applicable. While reviewing the handbook, students should keep in mind its purpose in the orientation process. Information on the purpose and content of orientation programs on p. 211, as well as the orientation checklist in Figure 8.1, will provide some helpful background material. One thing that students should look for is whether steps have been taken to ensure that the handbook contents do not represent a contract. Hints to ensure legal compliance found on page 198 include: • Using disclaimers to make it clear that statements of company policies, benefits, and regulations do not constitute the terms and conditions of an employment contract, either express or implied. • Avoiding statements that could be viewed as legal and binding commitments, such as “No employee will be fired without just cause.” A common error when preparing employee handbooks is not keeping the intended audience in mind. The literacy levels of the audience must be considered, as well as clarity and use of jargon. Because handbooks can become quickly outdated and printing revisions can be costly, some firms provide their “handbook” online, rather than in print-based format. After reviewing the employee handbook provided by my employer, several recommendations for improvement have been identified to enhance its effectiveness in orienting and training new employees: 1. Clarity and Consistency: Ensure that the language used throughout the handbook is clear, concise, and easily understandable. Avoid jargon or technical terms that may confuse new employees. Additionally, ensure consistency in formatting, font style, and layout for a professional and cohesive appearance. 2. Comprehensive Content: Ensure that the handbook covers all essential topics relevant to employees, including but not limited to, company policies, procedures, benefits, expectations, and code of conduct. Consider incorporating sections on organizational culture, mission, and values to provide employees with a deeper understanding of the company's ethos. 3. Accessibility and Distribution: Make the handbook easily accessible to all employees, whether in print or digital format. Consider distributing it electronically via email or through the company's intranet to ensure easy access for remote or mobile employees. Additionally, provide new employees with a printed copy during the onboarding process for reference. 4. Legal Compliance: Ensure that all policies and procedures outlined in the handbook comply with relevant federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Regularly review and update the handbook to reflect any changes in legislation or company policies to avoid legal liabilities. 5. Interactive Elements: Consider incorporating interactive elements such as hyperlinks, infographics, or videos to enhance engagement and understanding among employees. Interactive elements can make the handbook more engaging and memorable, leading to better retention of information. 6. Feedback Mechanism: Establish a feedback mechanism for employees to provide input or suggestions for improving the handbook. Encourage employees to share their feedback anonymously or through designated channels to ensure transparency and continuous improvement. By implementing these recommendations, the employee handbook can serve as a valuable tool for orienting and training new employees, providing them with essential information and resources to navigate their roles effectively within the organization. Additionally, an improved handbook can contribute to a positive employee experience, fostering a sense of clarity, consistency, and alignment with organizational values and goals. 2. Working individually or in groups, follow the steps in Figure 6.3 and prepare a training program for a job that you currently hold or have had in the past. The material presented on pages 154-161, will assist students in developing a training program. Helpful hints on writing job descriptions can be found in Chapter 4. This exercise is fairly straightforward, and will provide students with an opportunity to work through the process of developing a training program and selecting the training technique(s) that best fit the situation. To avoid lengthy delays over which job to work on, you can assign each group a familiar job (e.g. restaurant server, supermarket cashier, or lifeguard) 3. In small groups of four to six students, complete the following exercise. WestJet has asked you to quickly develop an outline of a training program for its new reservation clerks. Airline reservations clerks obviously need numerous skills to perform their jobs. (You may want to start by listing the job’s main duties, using the information provided below). Produce the requested training outline, making sure to be very specific about what you want to teach the new clerks, and what methods and aids you suggest using to train them. Duties of Airline Reservation Clerks: Customers contact airline reservation clerks to obtain flight schedules, prices, and itineraries. The reservation clerks look up the requested information on the airline’s flight schedule systems, which are updated continuously. The reservation clerk must deal courteously and expeditiously with the customer, and be able to quickly find alternative flight arrangements that provide the customer with the itinerary that fits his or her needs. Alternative flights and prices must be found quickly, so that the customer is not kept waiting, and so that the reservations operations group maintains its efficiency standards. It is often necessary to look under various routings, since there may be a dozen or more alternative routes between the customer’s starting point and destination. Conduct a needs assessment as outlined in pages 154-157. Develop the learning objectives (p. 156-157) and determine how you will evaluate the training (pages 161). Based on outcomes from the needs analysis, select the training techniques (pages 157-161). Note that the timeline is very tight, so validation will have to be streamlined. Given this job, it would be high risk to just implement without a small pilot study. Evaluate the training results and revise the course. 4. Working in groups of four to six students, complete the following exercise: Determine who in your group knows how to make paper objects such as cranes, boxes, balloons, ninja darts, fortunes, boats, etc. Select one person who is willing to be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist your group in developing an on-the-job training program to make one product. Using the expertise of your SME, develop, document (refer to the sample job instruction template earlier in the chapter), and validate a training plan to make the chosen product. Modify the documented plan as required after your pilot. Ensure that everyone in your group has a copy of the plan and can reliably make the product to standards. Once this is accomplished, each group member will pair up with a member of another group that made a different product. Each person in the resulting dyads will train his or her partner on how to make the products using the training plan and sample he or she created. Debrief the exercise as instructed. The purpose of this exercise is to give students the opportunity to work through an entire training development and implementation simulation in one hour. The only materials required are 8 ½ by 11 inch pieces of paper. If you can provide coloured paper, this adds to the fun. As students begin the training and documentation advise them that they can document in a way that makes most sense for them, using both words and illustrations. The first run training and documentation takes between 35 and 45 minutes. The one-on-one training usually takes 10 - 15 minutes. Debrief: Ask students to individually answer the following questions that may be written on the board or posted on a PowerPoint slide: • What did they find difficult in the initial learning and documentation session? Some may have felt overwhelmed with trying to learn a new skill and document at the same time. • What did you like about the way the first trainer (SME) did the training? What would you have preferred be done differently? • Was your training plan full and complete? • What was different about learning in groups and individually? • What did you like about the way the second trainer (SME) did the training? What would you have preferred be done differently? • What are the most important insights and questions you are taking away from this exercise about developing and implementing training? 5. Review the Web site of a provider of management development seminars, such as the Canadian Institute of Management. Obtain copies of recent listings of seminar offerings. At what levels of management are its seminar offerings aimed? What seem to be the most popular types of development programs? Why do you think that is the case? Depending on the source from which information is obtained, there may be a wide variety of development offerings. They are likely primarily aimed at middle- or upper-level managers, although some organizations offer programs suitable for entry-level managers. The Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario, for example, offers a wide variety of seminars on topics ranging from "Interviewing Skills for Selection and Appraisal" to "Benchmarking the HR Function" to "HR Applications on the Internet.” The most popular programs may cover any number of different subjects. According to Canadian training expert David McQuaig: “In a world of increased volatility and instability, there is only one absolute certainty: more people will need more training for more jobs than ever before in history. A survey of top executives in 23 countries found that management development and increasing employee knowledge through training are considered to be the twin pillars for future business success. A 1999 Conference Board of Canada survey found that job-specific technical skills training, professional skills training, and computer literacy/applications training are the top three areas for training in Canadian companies. Most seminars involve a lecture format, supplemented by a question-and-answer session or small group discussions. The reason for the popularity of the lecture format is the ease of offering the program; the ability to offer it to much larger groups, thereby increasing the profitability of the program; and the fact that most people are accustomed to the lecture format. 6. Review all positions you have ever held. Below each position, identify core knowledge, skills, and abilities that you learned in each position. Next, identify a career you would like to be actively engaged in over the next three years. Under the future career, outline core knowledge, skills, and abilities the position would require. Now reflect on your own career trajectory to highlight your history of skill development and identify any gaps that may exist for you to advance to your desired career in the future. Students can draw on both paid and unpaid positions in order to identify patterns over a longer period of time. Students may need to make very specific items more general in order to see patterns of knowledge, skill and ability development. E.g. volunteer tutoring and being a shift/team leader both involve skills in teaching and training others. In terms of assessing KSAs for future careers students can look up job descriptions and job specifications on the HRSDC National Occupational Classification (see Ch. 4). ore Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: ● Knowledge of company products and services ● Excellent communication skills for interacting with customers ● Problem-solving abilities to address customer inquiries and concerns ● Time management skills to handle multiple customer interactions efficiently ● Ability to use CRM software for logging customer interactions and maintaining records Position: Marketing Intern (Summer 2017) Core Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: ● Basic understanding of marketing principles and strategies ● Research skills for market analysis and competitor research ● Writing skills for creating marketing materials such as blog posts and social media content ● Creativity in generating marketing ideas and campaigns ● Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment Future Career: Marketing Manager (2024-2027) Core Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: ● In-depth knowledge of marketing strategies and trends ● Leadership skills to manage a team of marketing professionals ● Data analysis skills for interpreting marketing metrics and making informed decisions ● Strategic planning abilities to develop comprehensive marketing campaigns ● Strong communication and presentation skills for pitching ideas to stakeholders Reflection on Career Trajectory: ● My experience as a Customer Service Representative provided me with a solid foundation in communication, problem-solving, and time management skills, which are valuable in any career. ● The Marketing Internship allowed me to gain insights into marketing principles and develop research and creative skills. ● Looking ahead to the role of Marketing Manager, I can see that I need to further develop my leadership abilities and deepen my understanding of marketing analytics and strategic planning. ● To bridge these gaps, I plan to pursue additional training in leadership development and data analysis while seeking opportunities to take on more responsibilities in my current role. Additionally, I aim to participate in cross-functional projects that expose me to strategic decision-making processes within the marketing department. By reflecting on my past experiences and identifying areas for growth, I am confident in my ability to progress towards my desired career as a Marketing Manager over the next three years. Solution Manual for Management of Human Resources: The Essentials Nina D. Cole, Gary Dessler, Nita Chhinzer 9780132114905, 9780133807332, 9780134305066