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Recruitment & Selection

Recruitment involves the utilization of organizational practices in


order to influence the number and types of individuals who are willing
to apply for any job vacancies, while it could focus on the internal or
external labor market (Rynes, 1991).
Selection is the process of choosing, with the utilization of the
appropriate methods, the best candidates for the organizational
position we want to fill. The importance of selection to organizations is
very clear as it identifies those individuals who have the ability to
perform a job well (Gatewood, Field & Barrick, 2008; Rioux & Bernthal,
1999).
Main objectives of each recruitment process:

Increase the pool of job applicants at a minimal cost.


Ensure that the organization compiles with legislative requirements.
Improve the selection process.

Gatewood, D.R., Field, S.H. and Barrick, M. (2008), Human Resource Selection, 6th Edition, Thomson South-western, Thomson learning Academic
resource Center, pp.1-10.
Rioux, M.S. and Bernthal, R.P. (1999), Recruitment and Selection Practices: Survey Report, Development Dimensions International, HR Benchmark
Group, Issue 2, Vol. 2, pp. 1-10.

Recruitment & Selection

Internal Recruitment
An internal recruitment strategy is characterized by promoting
employees from within an organization to fill upcoming positions.
External Recruitment
An external recruitment strategy is one which a human resources
department will systematically search the employee pool outside its
own employees to fill positions.

Internal & External Recruitment Sources

Recruitment & Selection

Recruitment & Selection

Job Analysis
The management of a business need to determine what work needs
to be done. Job analysis concentrates on what job holders are expected
to do. It provides the basis for a job description, which in turn influences
decisions taken on recruitment, training, performance appraisal and
reward systems.

Job Description
A broad, general, and written statement of a specific job, based on the findings
of a job analysis. It generally includes duties, purpose, responsibilities, scope, and
working conditions of a job along with the jobs title, and the name or designation
of the person to whom the employee reports.
Job description usually forms the basis of job specification.

Job Specification (Person Specification)

A statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for


satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or
function.
Job specification is derived from job analysis.

Training & Development (T&D)


Definitions
A planned, continuous effort by management to improve employees competencies
and capabilities, and to enhance organizational performance (Mondy et al. 1999:
254).
An organized learning experience provided by employers within a specific period of
time to bring about the possibility of performance improvement and/or personal
growth (Nadler & Nadler, 1990: 6).
Training is a planned process to modify attitude, knowledge or skill behavior
through learning experience in order to achieve performance in an activity or range
of activities, while development is a learning process, with a longitudinal character,
which helps employees and organizations to acquire knowledge and to develop
skills, so to use them in the future where more responsibilities and initiatives may be
required (Maund, 2001).
Consequently, it is obvious that training focuses on improving individuals
competences, capabilities, skills and behaviors so being able to effectively perform
their jobs, while development gets a more future-oriented role of developing
employees
knowledge
to direct
and manage
job
Nadler, L. & Nadler,
Z. (1990). Developing
Human Resources:
Concepts future
and a Model.
3 assignments.
Edition, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, p.6.
rd

Mondy, W., Noe, M. and Premeaux, R. (1999). Human Resource Management. 7 Edition, London: Prentice-Hall International, pp.254264.
Maund, L. (2001). An Introduction to Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. Palgrave Publications, New York.
th

Aims of T&D
The purpose and aims of a successful T&D program can be summarized into the
following:

Help new employees with induction training to become familiar with the job
requirements;
Develop new and existing employees skills, competences and capabilities so to
improve their performance (Marchington & Wilkinson, 2000);
Enhance employees knowledge, and to constitute to positive changes in their
behaviors and attitudes so to facilitate organizational change more effectively
(Garvin et al., 2008);
Build of a more efficient, effective and highly motivated team, which could
enhance the business competitive position and could also improve employees
morale.
Introduce workforce and ensure adequate human resources into new systems and
innovative working methods (Roberts et al., 2011);
Enhancement of a company's ability to adopt and use advances in technology
because of a sufficiently knowledgeable staff;
Build and maintain a learning environment and culture within the organization, so
to enhance organizational performance that will eventually result to improved
customer service, better quality, satisfaction, increased profitability,
organizational
efficacy
efficiency
etc.;organization?, Harvard Business Review, Vol.51, No.2, pp.109-116,
Garvin,
D.A., Edmondson, A.C.
and Gino,and
F. (2008).
Is yours a learning
2008.
March
The
creation of a pool of readily available and adequate replacements for
Marchington, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2000). People Management and Development. 2 Edition, London: Chartered Institute of Personnel
nd

Benefits derived from T&D


Many studies (Roberts et al., 2011; Gandolfi, 2009, 2006; Acton & Golden, 2003;
McNamara, 2001; Motwani et al., 1994) demonstrated specific benefits that a
business receives from T&D, including:

Enhanced job satisfaction, morale and motivation;


Increased productivity with lower production costs;
Increased efficiency resulting in financial gains;
High capacity to adopt new technologies and methods;
Enhanced innovation in strategies and products/services;
High customer satisfaction rates through enhanced customer quality services;
Increased organizational competitiveness and flexibility;
Reduced employee turnover;
Flexibility of manpower from one role to another;
Match of the organizational realities to recruiting promises;
Decreased need for supervision.

Acton, T. and Golden, W. (2003). Training the knowledge worker: A descriptive study of training practices in Irish software companies. Journal of
European Industrial Training, Vol.27, No.4, pp.137-146.
Gandolfi, F. (2006). Personal Development and Growth in a Downsized Banking Organization: Summary of Methodology and Findings. Human
Resource Development International, Vol.9, Issue 2, pp.207-226.
Gandolfi, F. (2009). Training and Development in an Era of Downsizing. Journal of Management Research, Vol.9, No.1, pp.3-14.
McNamara, C. (2001). Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits. April 2001, http://
managementhelp.org/training/basics/reasons-for-training.htm
Motwani, G., Frahm, M. and Kathawala, Y. (1994). Achieving a competitive advantage through quality training. Training for Quality, Vol. 2, Issue 1,

Training Needs Assessment


According to Bee & Bee (2003) the training needs assessment and analysis process is very
important and it is considered crucial for identifying which employees need to be trained; to set
the training objectives; design the appropriate programs so to meet these needs, and allocate
the required time for trainings delivery. Identifying learning needs can be either implemented by
a top-down approach, by viewing the overall organizational performance, organizations current
and future challenges and its plans for change, or by a bottom up approach, by identifying the
way in which individuals and teams are performing and finding the skills gaps required, as shown
within the following graphs (Eraut & Hirsh, 2007, p.65).

Bee, F. and Bee, R. (2003). Learning Needs Analysis and Evaluation. 2nd Edition, London: The Chartered Institute of Personnel and
Development (CIPD), April 2003.
Eraut, M. and Hirsh, W. (2007). The Significance of Workplace Learning for Individuals, Groups and Organizations. The ESRC Centre on

Training Needs Identification


Training needs identification can be assessed by analysing three major human
resource areas: the organization as a whole, the job characteristics and the needs of
the individuals, as presented below (Baldwin and Ford, 1988; Arthur et al., 2003,
p.235). Each dimension can be seen as a useful source of information, so to
successfully identify training gaps and needs (Stone, 2005).

Arthur, W., Bennett, W., Edens, P.S. and Bell, S.T. (2003). Effectiveness of Training in Organizations: A Meta-Analysis of Design and
Evaluation Features. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol.88, No.2, pp.234-245.
Baldwin, L.M. and Ford, J.K. (1988). Transfer of Training: A Review and Future Directions for Future Research. Personnel Psychology,
Vol.41, Issue.1, pp.63-69.

Types of T&D
Generally, there are two broad types of training available to
businesses:
on-the-job and off-the-job techniques. Individual
circumstances such as who, what and why of your training program
determine which method to use, as presented below.

Training Evaluation
Through training evaluations, organizations try to identify whether the training benefits
exonerate the financial investments made in terms of knowledge and skills dissemination in the
work context (Kauffeld et al., 2008; Saks & Burke, 2012), as lack of training transfer results in
exaggerate costs (Laker & Powell, 2011).
In many organizations, training evaluation is focused mere on the trainees reaction right
after a training course (short-term evaluation) (Nickols, 2005). However, in order to determine
the actual training benefits, the long-term training outcomes should also be evaluated
(behavioral changes, transfer to practice, return on investment, individual and organizational
results) (Wang & Wilcox, 2006; Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick, 2006; Giangreco, 2010).
According to Burrow & Berardinelli (2003)
successful evaluations:
Must be objective and target to specific
outcomes on individual, occupational and
organizational levels;
Should be regarded according to the evaluation
criteria that have been set during the designing
and development T&D process;
Have to be matched within the organizational
objectives, philosophy and culture;
Should be reasonable and must be conducted
by trainers within the resources and the
structure of the training program.

Burrow, J. and Berardinelli, P. (2003). Systematic performance improvement-refining the space between learning and result. Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol.15,
No.1, pp.6-13.
Giangreco, A., Carugati, A. and Sebastiano, A. (2010). Are we doing the right thing? Food for thought on training evaluation and its context. Personnel Review, Vol.39,
Issue 2, pp.162-177.
Kauffeld, S., Bates, R.A., Holton, E.F.III and Mller, A.C. (2008). Das deutsche Lerntransfer - System - Inventar (GLTSI): Psychometrische berprfung der
deutschsprachigen (The German version of the Learning Transfer System Inventory (GLTSI): psychometric validation). Zeitschrift Fr Personalpsychologie, Vol.7, No.2,
pp.50-69, Translated by Bing Microsoft Internet Explorer Translator.
Kirkpatrick, D.L. and Kirkpatrick, J.D. (2006). Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. 3rd Edition, San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Laker, D.R. and Powell, J.L. (2011). The differences between hard and soft skills and their relative impact on training transfer. Human Resource Development Quarterly,

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