Lesson - 9

STAFFING
Objectives: After studying this lesson, you are able to ;

•.. know the purpose of staffing

•.. identify the elements of staffing
(~ understand the recruitment process
•.. explain the selection and its process
•.. understand the induction process

Structure:
9.1 Indtroduction
9.2 Nature
9.3 Purpose of Staffing
9.4 Elements of Staffing
9.5 Summary
9.6 Key words
9.7 Self Assessment Questions
9.8 Further Readings

9.1. Indtroduction
. Executives often talk of people that they are vital and the most invaluable assets to a business organiza-
tion. But, the pitiable thing is that they are never shown on the balance sheet. The accounting aspect about
human element of the organizations has been a big question of controversy. While accounting aspect of human
element may be a subject of debate, there is no doubt in recognising that this human element determines the
success (or) failure of an enterprise. Staffing (or) Human resource management as a managerial function is one
that is used when we want to talk abouttil6:importance of "people" to an organisation.

Many management writers make staffing, an integral part of the managerial function - "Organising". But
here, it is intended to deal with this 'staffing' seperately. Staffing is defined as, "Filling and keeping filled,
positions in the organization structure". [H.Knoontz]. This includes man power planning recruitment, selec-
tion, placement, promotion, training and development etc., importantly. Staffing is the process of matching the
jobs with capable people. It is attracting, developing and evaluating people at work. It is determination of what
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people, what quantity people, and what quality people also. .

9.2 Nature: The following describe the nature of staffing.

* It is concerned with employees / human element

* It covers all level personnel (or) people
* It's concern is to help the people
* It is inherent in all organisations.
* It is not ad-hoc but a continuous activity
* It attempts to secure willing co-operation of people for the attainment of organisational goals
* It is development oriented
* It is an integrating system in that it binds all people in the service of the organisation.
* It is an auxiliary service in the sense that it renders several services to the other important (line people)
people in the organisation.
* It is all pervasive
* In Particular, staffing is related to other managerial functions Viz., planning, organising and directing.

9.3. Objectives / Purposes of Staffing :·Staffing seeks to help the organisation achieve organisational
goals. In that process, it does the following.

It helps the organisation reach its goals

It helps the organisation employ the skills and abilities of work force efficeintly
It helps the organization in supplying well trained and motivated employees for goal accomplishemt.
It helps the people in the organisation maximise job 'satisfaction
It helps employees enjoy a better quality of working life
It helps the organisational members in getting adequately informed of human resource policies
It helps the organisation with the most economical organization struture in terms of optimum number of
employees
It helps organisational members in securing several opportunities for advancement.
9.4. Elements of Staffing:
Manager in charge of staffing may care for the following elements in the staffing process.
* Human resource planning (HRP) or man power planning (MPP)
* Job Analysis (JA)
* Recruitment
* Selection
* Placement and Orientation
* Training and Development' I.L

* Performance Appraisal
* Promotion etc.
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These elements, except HRP and J .A., are discussed in gre~teliA~tail in the following sections.

9.4.1. Human Resource Planning: , ,

Briefly, it is the process of getting the right number of-people qualified to suit to the.jobs at the right time. It
consists of the following steps in a large sized organization. ,

(i) Forecasting the demand for human resources with some. methods like : managerial judgement, ratio trend
analysis and, work study techniques.
(ii) Forecasting the supply of human resources by taking stock of inventory of human resources on hand,
potential additions and losses (or) wastages of human resources. ~'} ~"
supply forecast = present inventory of HRs. + potential additions - potential wastages.
(iii) Estimating the net human resource requirements
(iv) Preparing action plans for Redeployment, retrenchment etc.
(v) Preparing action plan for recruitment, development etc.
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(vi) Modifying organisational plans

(vii) Preparing retention plans etc.,

9.4.2. Job Analysis (J.A) : In order to materialize the objectives of HRP, it is very much essentialto have
knowledge about the requirements of jobs to be filled up. Staffing will be incomplete in the absence of this
knowledge. So, job analysis comes here. It is a process of gathering information about a job. It is reducing the
jobs to writing. This JA also is a step by step process and it includes multiple steps-as under.

(i) Organisational analysis

(ii) Selection of Representative Jobs
(Hi) Collection of JA data
(iv) Preperation of Job Description (JD)
(v) Preperation of Job Specification (or) Employee sp~cification (1.S. / E.S.)
{vi) Overall picture of various jobs is essential. For this, entire organisational structure, is to be studied.
Organisation charts will serve the purpose.
(vii) Since it is costly to analyse all jobs, some sample in jobs is drawn.
(viii) By observation (or) interview method, the required job data are collected. '.
(ix) J.D. is all about what job doer does and doesn't do. JD is a written statement of what the job holder does,
how it is done, under what conditions it is done, why it is done. where it is done, what are the materials /
machines needed to do? Hence, it is all description about the Job.
(x) Job specification (JS) is the next step. While JD is all about the Job, JS is all about the Job doer or job
holder. JS describes the persons and personality to be processed to do ajob. So, it ~sa written statement of
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personal attributes in terms of traits, skills, training experience connected with the Job.

Remaining elements of Staffing are discussed in the following sections:

9.4.3. Recruitment .:.

An important operational activitY:l~\W.etaken up by staffing manager is recruitment. As people / personnel
are required to staff the orgnisation strueture, recruitment comes to lime light.

Edwin B. Flippo defines that "Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees a~d
stimulating them to apply for Jobs in an organisation. Still a more comprehensive definition can be tried.
Dale Yoder puts it as - "Recruitment is a process to discover the sources of manpo.;e-r:to meet the requirement
of the staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in adequate numbers to
facilitate effective selection of an efficient working force".

Briefly, recruitment is discovering competent people for actual (or) expected positions in the organisational
structure,

The above definitions may be summarised as under

* It is not a single event activity.
It is a linking activity.
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* It is a positive one as it develops a pool of all competent persons
* Basic purpose of recruitment is to locate the required people
* Recruitment is a crucial and critical job as it has to reconcile several conflicting things and comply
with a lot of legislative framework.

Steps in the Recruitment process: The following steps are involved in the process of recruitment.
* Organisational goals / objectives are to be carefully analysed and understood.
* Manpower plans must be made reacty.•
A beginning for recruitment is made where the MPP. ends.

* Action plan preperation by the man power planner stating that demand forecast is greater than sup-
ply forecast implying that there is fresh need for personnel in the organisation.

* Locating and developing the sources of required people is to be made.

* Prospective people with desired competencies are to be identified in these sources.

* Informing and inviting these competent people to apply for these positions in the organization.

* Attracting and enticing the candidates to think of our organisation with some strategies in which the
applicants are possibly interested.
* Evaluating and approving this recruitment system from time to timebased on the results and feed back

Elements of Recruitment:
Important Elements are:
(i) Recruitment policy
(ii) Organisational arrangement
(iii) Sources of prospectives
(iv) Preperation for recruitment
(v) Methods of recruitment
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(i) Development of Recruitment Policyj.Policy isgla guideline for decision making. So recruitment
policy is a guideline as to how, recruitmentfunction is t6'~b~performed. The main purpose of this policy is ro
see that the actual performance is in agreement with the planned performance. This policy indicates the con-
cern and commitment of the organisation towards several aspects viz., handicaped people, sons-of-soil, minor-
ity groups, women, friends and relations of the employees, promition from within etc. The policy sought to be
formulated must help the organisation find and employ the best people, help the intemals retain themselves
with the organisation, must provide facilities and opportunities for personal growth on the job.

A Recruitment policy can be said to be good when it is :

* In complimentwith existing public policy and legislation on having and employment aspects the economy.
* able in providing needed job security and continous employment,
* able to integrate organisational and individual needs,

* able to give freedom to utilise and develop skills and knowledge on the job.
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* able to encourage M;{thy and responsible trade unions.

* able-to meet changing needs of the organisation.

(ii) Organisational Arrangement:

I
Every large sized corporate body now - a-days maintains a seperate dept. by name human resource manage-
ment dept. personnel management dept. to take up the recruitment activity.

This recruitment organisation can be organised in a centralised manner (or) in a decentralised manner.
It is also based on the economics and disecr nimics associated with it. But, in this organisational arrangement,
the responsibility to recruit does lie always with the line managers of the departments while, our stafflHR
personnel managers do render the necessary assistance in this recruitment activity.

(iii) Sources : Principally, there are internal and external sources from which, the desired people can be
drawn. Again, it is also a matter of policy. Much debatable issue it is.
(a) Internal Sources:
They may include:
i) Present employees
ii) Retired and retrenched people that like to get back,
iii) Dependents and relatives, of the diseased people,
iv) Transfers and promotions into, etc.

Advantages:
* Morale and motivation are high.
* Personnel Turnover is contained.
* It promotes loyalty and committment.
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* Less costly. \
* Good relations between organisation elld,trade union are developed.
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* It is a good retention policy with regard to talented personnel.

Disadvantages:

* Newness and modem-dynamism may not be available in the internals.

The supply of fully developed personnel may not be adequate to meet the larger demands of chang-
*
ing environment etc.

(b) External Sourcese Advantages:

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* Wide supply of Human resources,

* Best selection is rendered possible
.* This source is never exhausted .
* It is costly. etc.,
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Disadvantages:

* People take lot of time to get oriented to the organisational climate I culture I environment new
* Loyalty is doubtful etc. .
(iv) Preperation for Recruitment: This is all about Job Specifications in Job Analysis. These specifica-
tions.may be :
Physical - Mental - Emotional and Social - behavioural.
This is due to the fact that people recruited and selected must have to ultimately match with job demands.
These Job demands men be about the above several aspects .

.(v) Methods of Recruitment:

Possibly, all methods come classified as :

* Direct Methods * Indirect, Methods * Third Party Methods

(a) Direct Methods: These Methods include sending recruiters to educational and professional institutions.
employee cont~cts with public, manned exhibits, waiting lists etc.

(b) Indirect Methods: These are recruiting through advertising in News papers, T.V., Radio, in trade and
professional Journals etc.

(c) Third Party Methods: These methods use various agencies for the purposes of recruitment. They may
comprise of : Pvt-:employment exchanges, state agencies, placement offices of schools / colleges / universities,
professional associations, recruiting firms, management consulting firms, friends, relatives, indoctrination semi-
nars for college / universtity professors, trade unions, temporary help agencies, casual labour, deputations etc.,
I

Thus, Recruitment is to create a .big pool of eligible recruits, giving rise to-the other managerial function -
selection. ~

Recruitment practices in India: Indian industries mostly depend upon the following pratices.

* Internal sources

* Public (or) Government Employment exch~dges

* Campus Recruitments' 'Jlf'

* Advertisements
* Executive search agencies
Contractors

* References made by the existing people etc.,

9.4.4. Selection: This managerialfunction begins where recruitment ends. Selection is all negative while
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recruitment is all positive. "Selection is the process of examining the applicants with regard to their suitability
for the given jobs and choosing the best from the suitable candidates ~nd rejecting the others. n It is then an
activity of picking ~nd choosing the best from a big pool of eligible recruits to suit to the organisational
requirements.
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Qualitative and Effective Selection : Should this selection process be effective and meaningful, the-
following essentials must be cared for.

* There must be standard personality of personnel to be matched with that of the candidates for seleo-
tion, based on job.I or) employee specification supplied by the Job Analysis professionals.

* There must be good number of recruits to make the selection better. Supply must be good.

Selection process: Since selection is a process of selecting a few and rejecting some of the recruits, several
steps (or) stages (or) hurdles are introduced in the selection process. Candidates for selection will be allowed
to proceed to the next stage in the selection process, when they are successful in the preceeding stage (or)
hurdle. That is why, this method of selection itself is known as "successive hurdles" method. So, a good candi-
date is one who is successful in all these hurdles. Dale Yoder cited already, calls these hurdles "go, No-go"
gauges. The number of hurdles and complexity of selection are very much in proportion to the level ofheirarchy
and responsibility of the :positions for which. this selection function is intended. There are no hard and fast rules
that these hurdles shall be arranged in a particular order. Any other order, as a matter of convenience, is
suggestible. The reievent figure follows.
Preliminary
Interview

Interview

Testing

Work History

Reference checks

Physical Examination

.I Recommendation

Interview with Supervisor

Figure 9.1 : Successfully Hurdles in selection process

(A) Initial Screening (or) Preliminary Interview : This is a crude screening process done by a
junior excutive in an informal way, in which candidates for selection may be informed of the nature of Job and
the organization also may get such details as educational back ground, experience if any, expertise, emol~
ments etc., to flna out if the candidate is a suitable one and also to filter the candidates as it is a costly unwanted
process to allow all candidates to undergo different stages. The candidate will be given an application form to
fill in and submit. if he is suitable to be tried.
(B) Application form : There is no any standardized form of application to be used by all in a general
manner. This differs from organisation to organisation. This is the medium through which, the candidate has to
primarily describe himself about his candidature and suitability to particular job advertised in news papers.
Care is to be essentially taken to avoid evidences of any discriminatory attitudes, by designing these applica-
tion forms, with some reference to nationality, place, caste, religion, place of birth etc.

Application form is known by different names such as Application Blank, Bio-data, Resume, curriculum
Vitae (CV) etc. While filling up (or) writing an application for a job, much care needs to be lakes by the
candidates as insufficiency of information in the application blank may sometimes result in rejection of the
candidates.

(C) Interview: This is the most significant stage in the entire selection process. It is a oral examination. It
is a dramatic scene where there are two important people viz., interviewer and the interviewee. Both are ex-
pected to know more about each other. The main purpose is to appraise the personality of the candidates to
findout the- most suitable. This gives a direct opportunity to see the candidates. It is a lengthy fact finding
exercise. Interviews are of several types: Formal, informal, non-directive, depth, stress interviews etc .•

(D) Tests: These tests are normally called Psychological tests as Psychologists have contributed these tests
in order that the organisations in need of personnel, may be helped to find out the suitable candidates. The
purposes for which these tests are employed are many and varied as : Selections, Placement, Promotions,
Performance and Potential appraisals. '
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Some Guidelines : Selectively these tests have to be employed as per Dale S. Beach in Personnel Manage-
ment.

* These Psychological test are only, in additiontcjhe normal selection procedures.

* Tests alone do not decide.

* To find out candidate's weaknesses, the tests may be used.

* Tests shall live up to concepts of testing viz., Reliability and Validity.
* Tests can be held in the failure of other procedures for selection.
* Much reliance on these tests is not always good, as there can't be any linear I proportionate relation
between the test score and Job success.

Testing concepts: These are reliability and validity concepts.

Reliability: The test administrators have to make it sure and certain that-their test is a reliable one, before it is
employed. Reliability is with regard to the level I degree of consistency of test score obtained throughout
series of measurements. If the person obtains same result repeatedly. the test can be considered reliable. Dale S.
Beach opines that the reliability Co-efficient should be between + 0.85 and + 1.00
 Validity: A test is said to be valid when it is able to mesure what it is supposed to measure.

Eg. An intelligence test is valid test when it is really able to measure the level of intelligence.

Types of Tests:
(a) Intelligence Tests (b) Potential Ability Tests
(c) Personality Tests (d) Interest Tests
(e) Simulation Tests (f) Integrity Tests

,(a) Intelligence Tests: These tests seek to measure the knowledge acquired by virtue of a training and devel-
opment pro/gramme and by the job experience also. Here, there are two types.

(i) Trade Tests: This seeks to verify the level of knowledge of the candidate in using type writers, calculators,
other small mechanical equipments like computers etc. These are mostly oral.

(ii) Work Sample Tests: Sometime, a candidate may be given a sample of a real piece of work to be done. He
rn+his-perforrnance are observed while-hej~~Qe Job. Thus, candidates are tested.
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(b) Potential Ability T~ These t~~tsJ!~arth'the hidden talents / skills like-reasoning and me~hanical (or)
musical aptitude. These are sev~ypes.

(i) Mental Tests: Intelligence quotient is sought to be measured which may help us in/knowingwhether the
person in question has mental capacity to deal with any new problem. They may also determine fluency in
laQ~e, memory, speed ofperc~p~ion etc., i .

(ii) Mech~cal Aptitude: Specially, these tests are employed to select people (apprentices, maintenance
workers. mechanical technicians etc.,) who are good at learning particular mechanical work.

(Hi) Psychomotor Tests: (Skill Tests): These are employed to examine mental dexerity (or) motor ability, to
select workers, to ~ake up semi skilled, repetitive jobs like assembly work, packing, testing etc.

(c) Personality Tests-i Since Personality is influenced by several variables, people use these tests to detect
some important traits. The Job performance may be effected by traits like Self confidence, optimism, sociabil-
ity, sympathy, integrity, conformity, objectivity, patience, stability etc, Types of these tests are as under. These
are used to select mostly managerial personnel.

(i) Objective Tests: They seek to find out neorotic tendencies, dominance, self confidence etc.,

(ii) Projective Tests : These tests measure the trend and line of thinking of candidates for selection for a
particular aspect. The thought (or) idea expressed is always based on the names and personality; of theindi-
viduaL

(iii) Situation Tests: These tests observe the behavioural aspects of people, in varied situations, created in the
tests.

(d) Interest Tests: This seeks to know about the inventory of likes and dislikes of the candidates.

(e) Simulation Tests: Sometimes, for selecting and offering training to some candidates, people are exposed
to a closely dUpJ:ie~tedenvironment.i or) mechanical equipments. In this simulated atmosphere, the candidates
are tested. This-is mostly used for managerial level personnel. ·
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(0 Integrity Tests: This is very much self explanatory. These tests find out the degree of integrity on the part
of candidates.

(i) Formal Interview: It is completely structured, planned, programmed etc., Every inch of this programme is
scheduled. Accordingly, things take place as per that understanding reached. In most of the Govt. sector com- ;
panies and Pvt. sector also, this-is-The most prominent type.

(ii) Informal Interview: This interview is very casual and not structured and planned in any manner, It is less
serious one. No rules and regulations are there to be followed.

(iii) Non -directive : The interviewer doesn't give any direction about what the candidate has to express.
Instead of that, he is left free to talk about anything in which, he is interest. Interviewer is only a silent patient
listener only. This is designed to let the interviewer speak out freely.

(iv) Depth Interview: It is very much self explanatory. Based on the application blank and claims~made there,
,

the interviewer goes deep into that subject and measures the depth of knowledge.
/

(v) Stress Interview: This is aspecial type of interview as it has a special purpose to be met. The purpose of
this is to find out a candidate who is able to withstand all stresses and strains, ups and downs of a particular job.
So, the model of interview also is slightly different. The candidate is disgusted upto the maximum possible
extent with all silly and non-sensical questions.

(E) Reference checks: This is one of the steps in the selection process. It is an important source of
information by which, background information can be had from the colleges (or) s~pools where the candidates
got education previous organisations, SOme officials known to himetc.A great deal of information about the
real personality aspects of the person in questions can be had by this. That is why, the candidates are expected
to give two reference names in the application blank.

(F) Physical Examination (Medical) : The last but one stage is this medical exmination when ;t person
is successful in all the proceding stages, he will be sent for this htirdle as physical fitness also is equally
impartant aspect.

Ojbectives sought to be met are :' .-,::;j;;

• Fitness of the candidate to the Job

• Discovering the disabilities if any ',,~,
• Preventing from the employment of people suffering from some con~agious diseases etc.

Medical Checkups may include the following:

o Medical history
o Measurements viz., hight, weight, etc
o Special sences - visual and auditory activit~. ;/
o ClincaI Examination: eyes, ears, nose, throat etc.,
o Examination of chest and lungs
o .Blood - Presure.examination of urine and boold, etc.,
/
I ' '

(G) Final Selection Interview: This is the real last step in the selection process lader. This!inte~ is '
with the supervisor (or) the manager under whom he has to work. This step strengthens the relati~ns b~tween
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superior and subordinate. Since the candidate is a successful one in the preceding hurdles, he is formally
selected in this stage.
There, the selection leads to employment finally.
9.4.5. Placement And Probation: When the selection process is completed, people are said to be
employed (or) appointed. Thus, when a candidate comes to the manager (or) the supervisor, the obligation of
the supervisor is to place him on the right job for which he has been selected and he is very much suitable. The
immediate Job is that the candidates may be kept on probation the period of which may be ranging from 6
month to 2 years. In this probationary period, the candidates may be offered training on several related jobs.
The final placement decision is taken on the basis of the initial training received by the trained candidates: If the
performance in training period (or) probation period is not upto the mark of satisfaction of the manager (or) the
supervisor, the candidate may be expected to quit the job. If his performance is excelent, his service gets
regularised. Thus, there are placements made on the basis of the performance in the training period.

9.4.6. Induction (or) Orientation: This is a simple but very important pleasant job to be performed.
This is introducing the freshers to the organisation, members. superiors, peers, department. products, every
_ inch of the organisation, culture of the orgnisation, rules and regulations etc., The main purpose of this pleasant
exercise is to see that the freshers do not feel that they are quite new and strange to the environment. Need for
this arises due to the idea that there is labour turnover at a high level when the people in the orgnisation are not
able to get acquainted with the organisation and environment to the organisation. New comers feel insecure
nervous, hesitant etc., to work for the organisation. So, some informal (or) formal arrangement is necessary to
see that these freshers/ new recruits are at home.

Normally, companies do not give much importance to this assuming that it is an automatic activity that
the seniors perform this. The main purpose is to "sell" the company tothe new employees so that they may feel
proud of their association with the company.

A good programme should cover the following.

• The company, products, history,

• Significance of the products of this company

• Organisation chart / structure

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• His own dept. and his own job

• Policies, rules and regulations,

• Terms ,& conditions of service

• Promotional opportunities

+ Grievance procedures

• Social- benefits

• the organisation totally etc., .

'It may be done by the staff in general and specifically. it may be given by the supervisor also.
· 9.5. Summary: Staffing is normally called human resource management. It is primarly concerned with
human resource planning, job-analysis, recruitment, selection, training and development, wage and salary ad-
ministration.-performance appraisal etc. the main purpose of Staffing is to equip the corporate body with the
best human-resources to help it accomplish organisational goals. The slogan Right men for the Right job, is
accomplished when, Staffing function is effectively performed. Sometimes, in management parlace, this staff-
ing is not separately dealt with and it is made a part of organising managerial function.

9.6. Key Words

1. Staffing: Staffing is filling and keeping filled positions in the organisation structure.

2. Human Resource Planning: It is the process of getting the right number, of people qualified to suit to
the jobs at the right time.

3. Recruitment: It is the process of searching for proseective employees and stimulating them to apply for
jobs in an organisaion. .'

4. Selection: It is the process of examining the applicants with regard to their suitability for the given jobs
and chasing the best from the suitable candidates and rejecting the others.

5. Induction (or) Orientation: This is introducing the freshers to the organisation, members, superiors,
peers, departments, products, every inch of the organisation, culture of the organisation, rules and regula-
tions, etc.

9.7. Self Assessment Questions :

1. What do you mean by recruitment? what sourced do you prefer? Why?

2. Recruitment is positive and selection is negative. Discuss

9.8. Further Readings:

* Personnel/Human Resource Management, Keith Davis

* Personnel/Human Resource Management, Gary Dessler
.'

* Personnel/Human Resource Management, VSP. Rim and PSP. Rao

* Management, Text and cases, VSP, Rao, Hari Krishna'

Dr. G. Satyannarayana