Nat 5 Business - HR

What is the purpose of the job description?

- Helps the organisation prepare the advert for the job - Helps applicants to decide whether they are suited for the job or not

What is the purpose of the person specification?

- Helps the organisation to determine which candidates will be suitable for the job - The business can use it as a checklist in the interview process - Lets the applicant decide whether they are suited to the job - do they have the essential qualities and qualifications? - Helps potential candidates prepare for the interview.

Outline 3 different methods of interviews?

- One-to-one - one candidate interviewed by one person - Panel - one candidate interviewed by a group of people - Group - several candidates interviewed as a group by a group of people.

Name 7 roles that human resources do?

- Recruiting and selecting staff - Training and developing staff - Motivating staff and promoting good working relationships - Making sure employees are paid correctly - Dealing with discipline issues - Having safe working conditions -Making sure they meet the needs of employment laws.

Describe a bonus.

-An extra amount on top of salary or time rate -Could be paid for reaching a target -It is also a financial method of motivating staff

Outline 4 different types of testing.

-Aptitude test - to measure a particular skill , e.g numeracy, literacy, IT -Personality/phychometric tests - to identify what type of person the candidate is and how they will fit in to the existing team -Medical test - to measure level of physical fitness -Assessment centres - where candidates are assessed in a variety of ways over a period of time, looking at their ability to work in a team, problem solve, lead others and so on.

How do businesses motivate their staff?

-By using financial incentives -By using non-financial incentives

Give 3 disadvantages of interviews.

-Can be expensive and time consuming to carry out -Some people who would actually do the job well don't preform well in interview situations -Interviewer may be biased

Give 3 disadvantages of Off-the-job training.

-Can be very expensive to use outside trainers -Some of the training may not be relevant to your business -Staff attending a course will not be completing their normal work.

Describe 4 methods of On-the-job training.

-Cascading - Employees cascade training information to colleagues -Coaching - Being taken through a task step by step and is helped by a trainer or a coach -Demonstration - Trainee watches a task being demonstrated and then completes it themselves. -Role-play - Acting out or demonstrating a role or a scenario to provide a demonstration of how to perform in a particular situation.

Give 2 advantages of On-the-job training.

-Cheaper than using outside trainers -Training will be specific to the needs of the business

Give 3 advantages to interviews.

-Content of the applicant's application form and CV can be checked. -Applicant gets the opportunity to ask questions -Get a better idea of the applicant's personality.

Describe 3 different methods of Off-the-job training.

-Courses - Held at training centres, colleges, universities -Online courses/distance learning - Complete courses in their own time -Apprenticeship - Staff may attend college for part of the week and the rest is on-the-job.

Describe salary.

-Fixed amount per year -Same amount paid each month of the year

Name 6 flexible working practices.

-Flexitime -Homeworking -Job share -Condensed hours -Part-time work -Temporary contracts

Describe Induction training.

-Given when new employees start a job -Gives an introduction to the business, their job and basic health and safety procedures

Outline 4 financial incentives of motivating staff.

-Giving regular pay rises -Offering a bonus when staff reach a particular target -Offering commission depending on how much staff sell -Giving staff the chance to be part of a profits share scheme.

What are the benefits of training staff?

-Helps staff to learn a range of skills and produce better quality products for the customers -Staff skills are kept up-to-date and developed, making them more able to adapt and change -Helps the business to keep good quality, motivated staff as they will be happy they get the chance to develop and prepare for promotion -Gives the business a reputation as a good employer and more able to attract quality staff.

what are the benefits of flexible working practices for the employee?

-Improved job satisfaction -Flexibility allows staff to achieve a better work/life balance and to accommodate family conditions -Staff have more control of working times and can reduce time spent travelling in rush hour traffic -Extra flexibility and more control will help to alleviate stress.

Describe 3 different methods that can be used during the selection process.

-Interviews - a short-list is created from all the applications -References from previous employers/schools/colleges may be used. -Specific tests can be carried out - personality, medical, skills.

What are advantages of internal recruitment?

-Members of staff is know to the business already. -They have already been trained by the business. -Cheaper, since the cost of advertising the job is much less. -Staff may be motivated by the opportunity to gain promotion.

Describe commission.

-Paid based on amount of sales made -The more sales, the more commission -It is also a financial method of motivating staff.

Describe piece rate.

-Paid for each item produced -Usually on top of a low time rate salary -The more you make, the more you get paid -It is also a financial method of motivating staff

describe 3 impacts that can occur when industrial action takes place.

-Production may be stopped and the business would struggle to meet demands. this means their customers could go elsewhere and this could also damage the reputation of the business -Delays in production. this could lead to customers cancelling orders and this means sales revenue will fall. -Business has a poor image in the community. this means the business may find it difficult to recruit staff in future.

Give 2 disadvantages of On-the-job training.

-Quality of the training may be poorer -Member of staff is still carrying out their normal duties too so perhaps can't focus completely on the training

Name 6 example of ways staff can be paid (payment systems)

-Salary -Time rate -Overtime -Piece rate -Bonus -Commission

what are the benefits of flexible working practices for the employer?

-Staff are happier, more motivated and as a result, more productive for the business. -Absenteeism is lower and staff are more likely to stay with the business as a result of them being satisfied with their job -the business will be seen as an attractive employer to work for and therefore attract more candidates for jobs. -More homeworkers means the business can save money on equipment, furniture and so on.

name 5 different type of industrial action.

-Strike action -Picketing -Work to rule -Overtime ban -Go slow

What are advantages of external recruitment?

-There is a larger number of candidates to choose from. -Will bring in different skills and experiences and ideas to the business. -More chance of getting the right person for the job.

Give 5 different reasons why training is necessary for staff.

-To get an introduction to the business and where they will be working -To give basic health and safety information -To give them the skills needed to carry out their job -To train them how to use a piece of equipment -To continually develop and up-date their skills

Give 3 advantages of Off-the-job training.

-Training is given by specialist and experience trainers -More ideas and contacts can be generated by meeting people from other businesses -Training may result in gaining qualifications

Describe Off-the-job training.

-Training takes place outside the business the employee works for -Can be provided by specialist training companies or by a local college.

Describe On-the-job training.

-Training takes place within place within the business the employee works for -More experienced staff show another member of staff how to complete a task -Presentation/demonstrations may be given to staff

Describe overtime.

-Working more than the minimum hours -Overtime hours usually paid at a higher rate -It is also a financial method of motivating staff

how is technology used for training

-interactive training courses online -online demonstrations of equipment

Describe time rate.

-paid an amount per hour worked -the more hours you work, the more you get paid

give 5 examples of laws that businesses must follow.

-the equality act -national minimum wage act -the health and safety at work act -health and safety (display screen) regulations -Employment rights act

how is technology used in legislation

-using internet websites to keep up-to-date with current legislations.

how is technology used in the recruitment and selection process.

-word processing of all documents, eg job description -advertising jobs online eg, s1jobs.com -job applications submitted electronically

What are the stages involved in the recruitment process?

1. Identify the job vacancy 2. Do a job analysis 3. Create a job description 4. Create a person specification 5. Advertise the job 6. Send out application forms.

Describe 6 non-financial incentives of motivating.

1.Praising good work/appraisals and reviews - form positive working relationships and reward good work with praise - positive feedback in appraisals with line manager 2.Training opportunities - encourage employees to develop their skills - employees will be motivated by being given the chance to develop 3.Working in teams and team building - employees can motivate each other by working together 4.Offering flexible working practices - offer things like part-time work, job share and flexitime to give staff more control over their working hours 5.Giving staff extra responsibilities and opportunities for promotion - enriching the job they do gives staff more job satisfaction and increases motivation 6.Staff social events - help staff to form good relationships and therefore improve motivation at work.

describe job share.

2 or more people share the same job

Describe the 1st stage in the recruitment process - Identify job vacancy.

A vacancy will arise in a business when an employee leaves for another job, they may have a promotion or they may be leaving because they have been fired or are retiring. Also, if there is an unusually high demand, then the business may need extra staff or if a member of staff will be absent for a long time then this absence will need to be covered

How do you answer a compare question Compare piece rate with time rate as methods of calculating wages (2 marks)

ALWAYS SAY WHERE AS! Piece rate is where they are paid by the units produced WHERE AS time rate is where employees and paid by the hour Piece rate means the more units produced the higher the pay WHERE AS time rate means the more hours worked the higher the pay

Describe the 6th stage in the recruitment process - Send out application forms.

An application can be either be on paper or online and/or by sending in their Curriculum Vitae (CV). Application forms will ask for basic information such as their personal details, education and qualification, work experience, interests/hobbies and names of referees who will give a reference about the candidate. CVs are prepared by applicants and give a summary of what the applicant has achieved in their working life to date.

What is a short-list of candidates?

Based on the information in them, along with the requirements of the job description and person specification, the business will go through the process of short-listing the applicants. This narrows down the number of candidates who will then be interviewed.

describe temporary contracts

Employing staff to cover busy periods e.g. christmas

How do you answer an explain question? Explain the impact of industrial action on an organisation (2 marks)

Identify problem, describe how that impacts the business, identify problem, describe how that impacts the business Production could stop. This mean that the business can't meet demands so customers go elsewhere. Organisation can't recruit staff. This is because they have a poor reputation.

Name 3 different types of training.

Induction, On-the-job, Off-the-job

Why is it important that the Human Resources department completes the recruitment and selection process effectively?

It is really important that the Human Resources department completes the recruitment and selection process effectively since this ensures that they select the right staff which, in turn, helps the business be more successful.

What does recruitment and selection cover?

Recruitment and selection covers all the processes involved in hiring new staff.

What is recruitment?

Recruitment involves encouraging people to apply by advertising the job and asking applicants to send in an application form/CV.

What is selection?

Selection involves choosing the best person for the job by going through application forms, interviewing and testing applicants.

How are successful interviews carried out?

Successful interviews are carried out by trained interviewers over a set length of time. Every candidate should be treated in the same way, asked the same basic questions and measured against the same set of criteria. This will make the interview process fair.

describe homeworking.

Technology now means that staff can do their work from home.

What is a reference?

The business may also request a reference from previous employers or schools. They will be asked about the applicant's qualities and skills, their attendance and experiences.

What is the Human Resources function in a business?

The human resources function in a business deals with all matters to do with managing the employees (the staff). Employees play a very important part in the success of any business and so it is important to have the right staff and then look after them.

Describe the 3rd stage in the recruitment process - Create a job description.

The job description lists information about what the job involves. This includes: Job title, location of work, holiday entitlement, duties, pay, working hours, who you report to - your line manager, responsibilities.

Describe the 4th stage in the recruitment process - Create a person specification.

The person specification outlines the type of person the business needs to do the job. This will cover the qualities and skills they should have as well as any particular qualifications and experiences he/she requires. These features can often be split into 2 categories - Essential and Desirable. Essential means that the applicant must have these features and desirable mean that it would be even better if the applicant had these features too.

When does the selection process begin?

The selection process begins after the application forms have been received.

Describe the 2nd stage in the recruitment process - Do a job analysis.

This is where the job is broken down and an assessment is made of the tasks, duties and responsibilities that the person who gets the job would be doing. By doing this, the business can then used this information to go on and compile the job description and the person specification.

What is internal recruitment?

This means that the job will be advertised to people who already work for the organisation and gives them opportunity to go for promotion or a change of role. The jobs will be advertised by posting on the organisation's intranet or on notice boards or by sending an e-mail to all existing staff.

What is external recruitment?

This method opens up the job to people outside the business and will be advertised in the press, online, in job centres, amongst others.

What are the costs of training staff?

Training staff adds costs of the business because of the cost of the course, employing staff to cover for those being trained and paying expenses for trainers. In addition, while employees are being trained, they are not producing work.

Why are these different methods used in the selection process?

Using all these different methods helps the human resources department to ensure that they decide on the best person for the job using as much information as possible.

Describe the 5th stage in the recruitment process - Advertise the job.

Using the information in the job description and person specification, the business now advertises the job. This can be done internally, externally or, often, a combination of the 2.

what rules must any information about employees must be held under?

any information stored about employees must be held under the rules given in the data protection act. for example, any data held must be: -obtained fairly and lawfully -kept accurate and up-to-date -kept secure -available to the person it relates to

describe part time.

Working less than full-time hours

What ways can interviews be carried out?

face-to-face, over the phone or by using internet meetings.

what can happen if relationships between employee and employer break down?

it is important for management in businesses to build effective relationships with staff to ensure a motivated and productive workforce. However, if employees are unhappy with their conditions at work, then they may take, through their trade union, Industrial action.

what are spreadsheet softwares (e.g MS Excel) used for in human resources.

may be used to calculate pay/time sheets

describe flexitime.

staff can chose start to finish times but must be in during core-time

What are the 8 stages of selection?

stage 1 - Collect CVs/application forms. stage 2 - Creating a short-list/leet of suitable applicants. stage 3 - Compare the application forms to the job and person specification. stage 4 - Seek references from previous employers. stage 5 - Testing to provide additional information as to a candidate's suitability. stage 6 - Interviews on a one-to-one or panel basis. stage 7 - Successful candidate(s) informed/make the final choice. stage 8 - Unsuccessful candidate(s) informed.

describe the equality act

the equality act has 9 different characteristics (which include race and ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation, gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnerships) which employers cannot discriminate against.

describe the national minimum wage act.

this law sets a minimum rate of pay that different ages of workers must receive from businesses

describe the health and safety at work act.

this law sets out a number of things that employers (managers) and employees (workers) must do to keep the workplace safe and prevent accidents and injuries.

describe the health and safety (display screen) regulation.

this law sets out a number of things that employers must do to protect any staff that are using computer equipment

describe the employment rights act

this law sets out the following basic rights for employees - a written employment contract - a minimum employment contract - minimum redundancy payment - right to not be unfairly dismissed

describe picketing

those on strike may often take part in demonstration at picket lines while they are on strike

what are database software (e.g. MS Access) used for in human resources.

to store information about employees

how is technology used in human resources.

to store information about employees. for example, a database package could be used to store each employee's personal details. this allows management to edit, update, sort, search or specific employee records and generate reports much faster that if using paper records. also, spreadsheet package could be used to record employee pay details.

what are presentation softwares (e.g. MS Powerpoint) used for in human resources.

training staff

what are word processing softwares (e.g. MS Word) used for in human resources.

used to prepare documents such as the application forms, job adverts, letters to applicants

describe work to rule.

where staff only work the hours/duties stated in their contract

describe go slow

where staff reduce their productivity by working slower than normal.

describe overtime ban

where staff will not work any extra hours

describe strike action.

where staff withdraw their labour and do not go into work

describe condensed hours

working full number of hours but in less days e.g. 4 days instead of 5