After you have read the article, complete the following:
Identify and analyze the challenges in staffing, especially with regards to personnel selection practices.
Identify the best approaches to successful recruitment.
HR.W4.ASS
Strategic recruitment remains one of the most important functions of human resource
department. Finding suitable candidates in the 21 st century is important for most companies’
success. The right employees require appropriate personnel selection practices. This discussion
focus on the challenges in staffing more so, when it comes to personnel selection practices and
identifies the best approaches to ensure successful recruitment.
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Organizations face different staffing related challenges that halt innovation and
productivity. Some of these challenges manifest through personnel selection practices. These
challenges range from competition for applicants, labor shortages, increased knowledge work,
wok diversity, recruiting, and maintaining high skill talent among any others (Shafique, 2012).
Recruiting is an expensive process and it becomes more expensive if the applicants recruited or
hired lack sufficient skills to handle tasks assigned. Organizations lose millions of dollars for
hiring inappropriate candidates (Oracle Human Capital Management, 2012). According to Oracle
Human Capital Management (2012), the financial impact of hiring a candidate that performs is
10-100 times the person’s salary. Currently, it is very important to hire candidates with
exceptional talent in their respective areas to add value to the organization. However, this is not
always the case, as there is limited number of available talents. This therefore, presents a
challenge when selecting candidates.
The other challenge is failure of the organization to deploy the best recruitment strategies
or methods to attract the right candidates that posses right skills and knowledge to perform a
certain job (Shafique, 2012). This challenge arises when human resources department lacks
sufficient skills and competent to recruit candidates (Douglas, 2012).
The challenge of retaining these candidates is not addressed sufficiently during their
recruitment. People will need assurance of better remunerated and conducive working conditions
when being recruited something that many organizations fail to give because they lack sufficient
resources to motivate their employees (Ployhart, 2006). This contributes to negative perception
of the candidates about the organization resulting to recruitment of less qualified candidates.
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Another challenge is competition for the candidates by leading organizations (Tarique &
Schuler, 2008). This competition leads to selection of candidates that may not be able to deliver
as expected. It also contributes to increased cost of hiring that sometimes affects financial
position of the company negatively (Shafique, 2012). Related to this challenge is labor shortage
that organization grapples with. Even though, the number of applicants may be higher, they may
not be qualified to perform certain tasks leading to challenges in the recruitment that eventually
affects performance and productivity of an organization. Work diversity is also a challenge that
faces many companies when selecting personnel. Different jobs require candidates with certain
skills and knowledge to execute them well. Sometimes, it becomes very difficult for the
company to recruit different people with skills in various fields because of the cost factor and
this affects organization productivity and operation.
The only way to overcome these challenges is to embrace best approaches that have
bored positive results. Organization must continue to meet their staffing needs and for this
reasons, they must understand how to go about this. Organizations must actually consider their
goals and requirements when recruiting (Ployhart, 2006). They must look at their business plan
and its relation to its human resource planning before sending out an advert. Having a plan for
recruitment process is important since recruitment goals are developed from the business goals.
Is important to understand the position of the business; whether it is growing, stagnated, or
declining. This information makes staffing needs more explicit. The information as well allows
the organization to determine the number of employees to hire as skills, ability, knowledge, and
experience needed to handle the job is listed. The recruitment method to use is as well identified
if this information is available.
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Method of recruitment are categorized as internal and external. Internal methods include
job positing and bidding, and employee referrals, while example of external methods includes
use of self employed workers, colleges, universities and many others. Planning therefore, ensures
that the method used ensures selection of the most qualified and competent candidates that can
handle the job well.
It is also important to remain professional when writing recruitment advertisements.
These advertisements are important as they communicate about the company. The job advert
should be short and precise, and written in positive wording. It should have an introduction, the
job advertised and main duties, the qualification of the candidate and finish with information on
benefits, career development, atmosphere, environmental, and other important requirements such
as date of interview (Shafique, 2012).
There should be no discrimination of the applicants on any ground based on race, sex,
and color of skin as this is illegal. The advertisement should adhere to the employment
regulatory standards. This will enhance the public image of the company and as well ensure that
competent and qualified candidates apply for the job. The Equal Opportunities Commission
(EOC) has published Codes of Practice that should act as a guide (Shafique, 2012). Other bodies
such as Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), and Commission for Racial
Equality (CRE) as well have sufficient guidelines that organization must abide to avoid going
against the law when recruiting.
It is therefore; wrong to victimize or unfairly discriminate candidates when recruiting
staffs. The candidates have a right to data privacy, hence organization should not disclose any
personal information to third parties without the consent of the candidates to use the information
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for another purpose from the intended one (Shafique, 2012). Is important that organizations
request certain information such as selection records, references, and personal details when need
be and ensue that they protect the same. It is also important to ensure that the process remain
open to all the candidates that feel they have the capabilities to execute the work (Douglas,
2012). The interviews and other methods of candidate assessment should as well not be violated.
In conclusion, staffing is very important function of human resource management. It
requires proper planning and adoption of suitable strategies to overcome challenges discussed.
The best practice of staffing such as planning and aligning recruitment process with the goals of
an entity will go miles in ensuring that organizations recruit competent candidates that can
impact positively to the organization.
References
Douglas, K. S. (2012). Staffing for End of Life: Challenges and Opportunities. Nursing
Economic$, 30(3), 167-178.
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Oracle Human Capital Management. (2012). Best Practices for Recruiting the Best Talent.
