Employee Participation Verses Employee Involvement
Employee participation can be related to the pluralist approach to working. It understands that there are different groups and view points in the organisation (Befort, 2009). Therefore employee participation exists to reduce conflict.
It is achieved by giving employees opportunities to have a say in what decisions are made. New legislations now exist to ensure this is the case, giving employees in all organisations the right to receive consultations with employers or comities. The company must keep its employees informed of any important changes within the company.
Employee Involvement focuses more on encouraging all employees to think in the same way, and want the same results that the management want. This is a unitarist way of looking at organisations. Employers will look for individuals who will put commitment over conflict.
There are many good ways that employers can motivate their employees through involvement in decision making.
When a company issues staff with their own shares in the company, the employees may find they become entitled to a right to vote on company share holder decisions. Tesco reward their staff with shares, to motivate them, and make them feel more involved in the company.
Some companies will discuss the topic of work-life balance with their staff. The organisation may then find ways to improve this balance for the employees. For example, some larger organisations will run crèches and nurseries for the parent workers, so that they have a more convenient working life.
Corporate social responsibility creates a community within an organisation. Companies that agree to get involved and promote employee activities make their employees feel valued. The employees recognise that a wall has been removed between them and management, when the full organisation shows support in their interest (CIPD, 2010).
Social Networking
‘Twitter’ is a networking site which gets used by businesses for recruitment and communication. It has an application called ‘promoted tweets’ (Arthur, 2010). The application works a bit like the Google search engine, in that people can search Twitter for posts which relate to their needs.
Businesses have gotten on board with this. By creating profiles with notifications about certain needs, people can find the business, and get in contact. Also, the employer’s current employees can follow the businesses profile, and be updated about any new information in the company.
References:
Arthur, C (2010) Twitter unveils ‘promoted tweets’ ad plan. [online]. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/13/twitter-advertising-google [Accessed 4 May 2010]
Befort, S. F. (2009) Invisible hands, invisible objectives. 1st ed. Stanford: Stanford University Press
CIPD (2010) Employee communication. [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/comconslt/empcomm.htm [Accessed 4 May 2010]
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
Reward
Rewarding Equally in an Organisation
From September 2007 to September 2008 I worked for a company called ABC Costume Hire.
The other staff and I would be rewarded with nice coffee, cookies, and other treats when sales and hires were high, to show that our place in the organisation was appreciated. We also received a 50% discount on all purchases, as well as free access to the costumes.
The managers would often take the staff out for dinner on special occasions. For example: Christmas, birthdays and leaving doo’s.
As the company was quite small, all the tasks were shared, and it was therefore hard to decipher who performed the best. However, this didn’t matter as the full organisation would be included in all rewards. People were happy to share rewards, as they were usually socially oriented prizes anyway.
This social atmosphere and the size of the company meant that everyone saw each other as friends as well as colleagues.
Rewards Despite Underperformance
Chief Executives are often known to receive large bonuses. Sometimes they receive them despite their organisation underperforming. Often this is seen as unethical, and frowned upon, but there are some pro’s to giving them bonuses despite poor performance.
The bonuses will encourage the executives to stay with the organisation, thereby reducing staff turnover.
It is easier to keep and motivate the same executives, rather than introducing new ones. New executives would have to be trained and gain experience in order to perform their role at their best. This would possibly be more costly than the bonus, and may result in an initial slump in performance from others in the organisation.
There may be an environmental or circumstantial reason why the organisation underperformed, and therefore the underperformance won’t have been the Chief Executives fault. It would not be fair to remove their reward because of reasons beyond their control.
There are, however, also reasons why the Chief Executives should not get the bonuses.
The money used for bonuses may have come from investors or tax payers. If an organisation being supported by public shares or the government is not making a justifiable profit, or increasing its share value, it cannot justify the bonuses.
If the company didn’t achieve the objectives, do the people in charge really deserve to be paid bonuses? If there is something wrong with their leadership skills, then they should not be in that position in the first place.
Rewarding Teachers
There are many financial and non-financial ways in which primary school teachers can be rewarded and motivated.
Financial rewards:
Receiving bonuses for high grades from students would be very rewarding (Democratic Staff of the House Education and Labour Committee, 2007).
When bought better teaching or learning equipment by the school, the teacher will feel like they can better their teaching methods or routines, and progress.
Professional development, such as training courses, will make the teacher more qualified, and therefore feel like they have a better understanding of their role. They will also feel that they can make a more valuable contribution to their organisation.
Non-financial motivation:
Seeing evidence that they have had an impact on the kids they have taught will motivate most teachers. If the students are successful with their tasks, the teacher will feel proud that they inspired the children to work hard.
Being given time by management for team for tasks is very important. Feeling like there is not enough time to perform tasks makes any job feel half done. So the more time to explore a subject or work on a project the better, as there will be more to show for the efforts at the end.
High levels of trust from managers within the school may allow teachers flexibility with the curriculum they teach. Being allowed to explore tangents which move slightly off the beaten track, shows that the management have confidence in that teacher.
If I were a teacher, I think the thing that would motivate me the most would be the opportunity to be flexible with the curriculum. This is because the subject can be made more personal at the teachers end, and they can be proud to teach the topic, rather than just feel bound by regulations and requirements. Tight rules in teaching can have an opposing effect and de-motivate.
References:
Democratic Staff of the House Education and Labour Committee (2007) Rewarding teachers for excellence. [online]. Available from: http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/20070917PerformancePayFactSheet.pdf [Accessed 3 May 2010]
From September 2007 to September 2008 I worked for a company called ABC Costume Hire.
The other staff and I would be rewarded with nice coffee, cookies, and other treats when sales and hires were high, to show that our place in the organisation was appreciated. We also received a 50% discount on all purchases, as well as free access to the costumes.
The managers would often take the staff out for dinner on special occasions. For example: Christmas, birthdays and leaving doo’s.
As the company was quite small, all the tasks were shared, and it was therefore hard to decipher who performed the best. However, this didn’t matter as the full organisation would be included in all rewards. People were happy to share rewards, as they were usually socially oriented prizes anyway.
This social atmosphere and the size of the company meant that everyone saw each other as friends as well as colleagues.
Rewards Despite Underperformance
Chief Executives are often known to receive large bonuses. Sometimes they receive them despite their organisation underperforming. Often this is seen as unethical, and frowned upon, but there are some pro’s to giving them bonuses despite poor performance.
The bonuses will encourage the executives to stay with the organisation, thereby reducing staff turnover.
It is easier to keep and motivate the same executives, rather than introducing new ones. New executives would have to be trained and gain experience in order to perform their role at their best. This would possibly be more costly than the bonus, and may result in an initial slump in performance from others in the organisation.
There may be an environmental or circumstantial reason why the organisation underperformed, and therefore the underperformance won’t have been the Chief Executives fault. It would not be fair to remove their reward because of reasons beyond their control.
There are, however, also reasons why the Chief Executives should not get the bonuses.
The money used for bonuses may have come from investors or tax payers. If an organisation being supported by public shares or the government is not making a justifiable profit, or increasing its share value, it cannot justify the bonuses.
If the company didn’t achieve the objectives, do the people in charge really deserve to be paid bonuses? If there is something wrong with their leadership skills, then they should not be in that position in the first place.
Rewarding Teachers
There are many financial and non-financial ways in which primary school teachers can be rewarded and motivated.
Financial rewards:
Receiving bonuses for high grades from students would be very rewarding (Democratic Staff of the House Education and Labour Committee, 2007).
When bought better teaching or learning equipment by the school, the teacher will feel like they can better their teaching methods or routines, and progress.
Professional development, such as training courses, will make the teacher more qualified, and therefore feel like they have a better understanding of their role. They will also feel that they can make a more valuable contribution to their organisation.
Non-financial motivation:
Seeing evidence that they have had an impact on the kids they have taught will motivate most teachers. If the students are successful with their tasks, the teacher will feel proud that they inspired the children to work hard.
Being given time by management for team for tasks is very important. Feeling like there is not enough time to perform tasks makes any job feel half done. So the more time to explore a subject or work on a project the better, as there will be more to show for the efforts at the end.
High levels of trust from managers within the school may allow teachers flexibility with the curriculum they teach. Being allowed to explore tangents which move slightly off the beaten track, shows that the management have confidence in that teacher.
If I were a teacher, I think the thing that would motivate me the most would be the opportunity to be flexible with the curriculum. This is because the subject can be made more personal at the teachers end, and they can be proud to teach the topic, rather than just feel bound by regulations and requirements. Tight rules in teaching can have an opposing effect and de-motivate.
References:
Democratic Staff of the House Education and Labour Committee (2007) Rewarding teachers for excellence. [online]. Available from: http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/20070917PerformancePayFactSheet.pdf [Accessed 3 May 2010]
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Training and Developement
When a retail chain needs to organise a training program for new employees, it must answer three main questions. What techniques will be used to teach skills and information? Where is the most ideal place to perform the tasks? And how can the information be analysed? It is worth taking into consideration the main audience of people who will be benefiting from the training. For example, new graduates, who may be going into full time work for the first time, will need an induction week, so that they can settle into the company and feel they have a secure place within the organisation. An induction week will also give the company a chance to assess the graduates’ performance, and decide whether or not they are right for the placement.
What to Include in an Induction Week
There are three important experiences that ought to be present in any induction week. These include simulation, discussions and practices, as well as lectures and talks.
Simulation such as short films could be used. By showing certain situations, employee relationships, and reasons why it’s a good company to work for, the graduates will gain a high opinion of the company, a better belief in the organisation, and improve their own levels of self respect in their job position.
Discussions and practices will enable new employees to discuss how to approach certain situations, and then perform role plays to practice the approaches. This will give them experiences to reflect on and use to their advantage at a later date. Also, it will help the group form team relationships, as role plays could be seen as a team building exercise.
Lectures and talks offer question and answer sessions between people from the company and graduates. The people answering questions should include a panel made up of workers and representatives from all levels of the organisation. By the panel containing such a wide variety of employees, the new workers will feel there is at least one person who can answer honestly, and share the questioner’s viewpoint. Not only will this give answers and knowledge, it will also improve the graduates trust in the company, as they will feel like they have networked, and therefore feel like an equal member of the organisation.
Best Places to Train
Dependant on the activity, each activity will have an ideal setting.
It would be good for some of the activities to take place in the other established stores of the retail chain. By gaining experience in a store while it’s being run, the new employees will be able to make observations and learn from what they see. Also a hands on approach to the job will be beneficial, as they will better learn routines.
The headquarters of the organisation or its meeting rooms would also be used. Some discussions and learning activities will be inappropriate for the shop floor, and so a more private environment may be more suitable. The graduates will be away from distractions, and therefore may be more focused on the topic or activity.
Evaluation of the Inductions Effectiveness
The organisation should make sure that the majority of results can be measured quantitatively. Quantitative results are easier to measure than qualitative results, because they are in the form of numbers and statistics. Therefore, comparisons between graduates cannot be bias, and are simple to make.
Line Managers must take the time to have a private discussion with each of the graduates. It is essential that both parties can feel confident that they will work well together, and so the manager must attempt to break down the walls which separate them, and get to know the individual a little better.
A report or grade sheet should be filled out privately by the graduates, explaining how the training process felt for them. This can then be used by the Human Resources department to edit future inductions. The reports will indicate what was beneficial to the induction process, and what was a waste of time and money.
What to Include in an Induction Week
There are three important experiences that ought to be present in any induction week. These include simulation, discussions and practices, as well as lectures and talks.
Simulation such as short films could be used. By showing certain situations, employee relationships, and reasons why it’s a good company to work for, the graduates will gain a high opinion of the company, a better belief in the organisation, and improve their own levels of self respect in their job position.
Discussions and practices will enable new employees to discuss how to approach certain situations, and then perform role plays to practice the approaches. This will give them experiences to reflect on and use to their advantage at a later date. Also, it will help the group form team relationships, as role plays could be seen as a team building exercise.
Lectures and talks offer question and answer sessions between people from the company and graduates. The people answering questions should include a panel made up of workers and representatives from all levels of the organisation. By the panel containing such a wide variety of employees, the new workers will feel there is at least one person who can answer honestly, and share the questioner’s viewpoint. Not only will this give answers and knowledge, it will also improve the graduates trust in the company, as they will feel like they have networked, and therefore feel like an equal member of the organisation.
Best Places to Train
Dependant on the activity, each activity will have an ideal setting.
It would be good for some of the activities to take place in the other established stores of the retail chain. By gaining experience in a store while it’s being run, the new employees will be able to make observations and learn from what they see. Also a hands on approach to the job will be beneficial, as they will better learn routines.
The headquarters of the organisation or its meeting rooms would also be used. Some discussions and learning activities will be inappropriate for the shop floor, and so a more private environment may be more suitable. The graduates will be away from distractions, and therefore may be more focused on the topic or activity.
Evaluation of the Inductions Effectiveness
The organisation should make sure that the majority of results can be measured quantitatively. Quantitative results are easier to measure than qualitative results, because they are in the form of numbers and statistics. Therefore, comparisons between graduates cannot be bias, and are simple to make.
Line Managers must take the time to have a private discussion with each of the graduates. It is essential that both parties can feel confident that they will work well together, and so the manager must attempt to break down the walls which separate them, and get to know the individual a little better.
A report or grade sheet should be filled out privately by the graduates, explaining how the training process felt for them. This can then be used by the Human Resources department to edit future inductions. The reports will indicate what was beneficial to the induction process, and what was a waste of time and money.
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Performance Management
Measuring Performance at University
There are two easy ways to measure performance. Quantitative measurements are usually based on numbers or statistics, while qualitative means to judge something with opinion (Bernard, 2006).
Lecturers measure performance quantitatively. This is because they will measure progress through grade reflection. For example, getting a First in an assignment means I’m doing well.
They may also reflect quantitatively on my attendance. A high percentage of lecture attendance shows good commitment from a student to the course or module.
A personal tutor is also going to evaluate performance with these numbers, but is also interested in how the student is feeling about what they are doing. Therefore they will take a more qualitative approach to assessing the student’s progress.
In meeting with my personal tutor, I have been asked questions such as ‘How do you feel you are coping with the work load?’ and ‘How have your interests in the course modules changed since the beginning of the year?’
This approach is more personal, and therefore is motivational, as it feels like there is someone else interested in your outcomes that you can work to impress.
Skills That Make a Good Mentor
An article about mentoring in the Sunday Times explains what is needed from a mentor to a mentee (2008).
A good mentor is someone who has plenty of experience to share with his or her mentee. This will be beneficial to the mentee, who may wish to avoid or achieve certain outcomes. They can learn from and use this experience, so that the same mistakes are not made again, improving chances of success.
The relationship must be an honest and open one between mentor and mentee. Without trust and an ability to listen to what each other have to say, they will be ignorant of each other’s messages, and the relationship will collapse.
Mentors must be insightful and able to analyse things from all angles. Their ability to encourage ideas and strategies out of the mentee will make the mentee feel more in control over what they are doing. Telling them what to do is more likely to reduce a mentee’s self-confidence.
Experience with a Mentor
A man that has been very influential to me over the last two years is the mentor of my band ‘Tramp Etiquette’.
The fact that he is referred to as the ‘Tramp Daddy’ reflects the closeness of our relationship. It is a comical name, and shows that we can be relaxed, as we are connected through friendship as well as professionalism.
As he was previously involved in the music industry he has a lot of advice about it to share with us. This previous experience also means he has improved our connections within the live music scene around London and southeast England. We therefore now have more experience with gigs.
He has also helped to improve our writing skills, by encouraging ideas out of us, and promoting persistence, making us want to challenge ourselves beyond our current abilities.
Mentors are vital for the growth of any individual or business owner. They help us to analyse our own lives and decisions for ourselves, rather than doing it for us. This way we can better understand our outcomes and processes, as if we are seeing them from a less bias viewpoint.
References:
Bernard, H. R. (2006) Research methods in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. 4th ed. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Sunday Times (2008) Entrepreneurs: a mentor can tune your skills. [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article3778514.ece [Accessed 28 April 2010]
There are two easy ways to measure performance. Quantitative measurements are usually based on numbers or statistics, while qualitative means to judge something with opinion (Bernard, 2006).
Lecturers measure performance quantitatively. This is because they will measure progress through grade reflection. For example, getting a First in an assignment means I’m doing well.
They may also reflect quantitatively on my attendance. A high percentage of lecture attendance shows good commitment from a student to the course or module.
A personal tutor is also going to evaluate performance with these numbers, but is also interested in how the student is feeling about what they are doing. Therefore they will take a more qualitative approach to assessing the student’s progress.
In meeting with my personal tutor, I have been asked questions such as ‘How do you feel you are coping with the work load?’ and ‘How have your interests in the course modules changed since the beginning of the year?’
This approach is more personal, and therefore is motivational, as it feels like there is someone else interested in your outcomes that you can work to impress.
Skills That Make a Good Mentor
An article about mentoring in the Sunday Times explains what is needed from a mentor to a mentee (2008).
A good mentor is someone who has plenty of experience to share with his or her mentee. This will be beneficial to the mentee, who may wish to avoid or achieve certain outcomes. They can learn from and use this experience, so that the same mistakes are not made again, improving chances of success.
The relationship must be an honest and open one between mentor and mentee. Without trust and an ability to listen to what each other have to say, they will be ignorant of each other’s messages, and the relationship will collapse.
Mentors must be insightful and able to analyse things from all angles. Their ability to encourage ideas and strategies out of the mentee will make the mentee feel more in control over what they are doing. Telling them what to do is more likely to reduce a mentee’s self-confidence.
Experience with a Mentor
A man that has been very influential to me over the last two years is the mentor of my band ‘Tramp Etiquette’.
The fact that he is referred to as the ‘Tramp Daddy’ reflects the closeness of our relationship. It is a comical name, and shows that we can be relaxed, as we are connected through friendship as well as professionalism.
As he was previously involved in the music industry he has a lot of advice about it to share with us. This previous experience also means he has improved our connections within the live music scene around London and southeast England. We therefore now have more experience with gigs.
He has also helped to improve our writing skills, by encouraging ideas out of us, and promoting persistence, making us want to challenge ourselves beyond our current abilities.
Mentors are vital for the growth of any individual or business owner. They help us to analyse our own lives and decisions for ourselves, rather than doing it for us. This way we can better understand our outcomes and processes, as if we are seeing them from a less bias viewpoint.
References:
Bernard, H. R. (2006) Research methods in anthropology: qualitative and quantitative approaches. 4th ed. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Sunday Times (2008) Entrepreneurs: a mentor can tune your skills. [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article3778514.ece [Accessed 28 April 2010]
Equal Opportunities
Equality and Diversity
Equal opportunities means to eliminate unjustifiable discrimination (Wilson, 2005). Employees should be able to feel they will be supported when treated badly due to stereotyping.
This is why diversity is so important. By attempting to make sure that organisations and groups are mixtures of cultures, races, religions, sexes, and sexualities, more creative and thoughtful contributions can be made to the company.
Merit Verses Positive Discrimination
Janice Turner (2009) published an interview with Margaret Mountford in the Times. Margaret spoke about her feelings on sexism in the business world, and disapproves of positive discrimination.
Her arguments are favourable in that women ought to get the positions because they have the same accomplishments as the men. This is because both men and women obtained the jobs on equal merit. In some industries, women may find it easier to get the position simply because the organisation is trying to balance the numbers of men and women. This is arguably a disadvantage to the male applicants, who may be just as qualified for the job. Therefore, making it an unfair system.
However, it could be said that her arguments are wrong, as women may feel forced to choose between work and family life. By offering opportunities for women to balance both their job position and parental duties, the mother can still be successful.
Also, the ratio of women to men in senior positions may not reflect the national or local ratio. The more reflective the levels of diversity are of the population, the more insight a company will have of its community.
Impacts of the Age Legislation, 2006
Thanks to the introduction of the age legislation in 2006, employers may have found some beneficial changes to their company.
A wider variety of skills could be offered to the company, as different generations may have differences in levels of education or experience.
A more diverse workforce age may encourage and motivate other age groups to stay, as they will not feel the company is only suitable for a certain age group. Therefore, the company may find a drop in staff turnover.
There may be better flexibility, as different age groups may find they have other commitments or a different working stamina. Therefore, more people are likely to work part time, and can cover each others absenteeism’s more easily.
The reason for the legislation was to prevent employers being influenced by stereotypes of different age groups.
Young people are seen positively to be enthusiastic, ready to learn new skills, and in good health. However, they are also seen negatively to be inexperienced, not very committed to their tasks, and distracted with insecurities.
Workers over 50 are positively seen to be highly skilled, knowledgeable and experienced, with good stability and commitment. However, they are negatively stereotyped to be stubborn, and unprepared to adapt and learn new ideas and skills. Also, they are often seen to be less physically able.
Organisations should focus on positive stereotypes when employing new staff. This will help employers to see the applicants as assets.
Forcing all ages to work together and get to know one another’s strengths will encourage the dismissal of each others stereotypes.
Equal Opportunities Within Organisations
British Airways insist that they employ within the guidelines of the equal opportunities legislation, but their employees must have specific capabilities and skills in order to do their job safely and successfully (BA, 2010). Therefore you are hired dependent on personality/behaviour, skills and knowledge.
J Sainsbury’s (2010) have a ‘you can’ program for employees, providing them with job opportunities, qualifications and skills. Therefore, it does not matter who you are, or what makes you different, as the opportunities are open to all employees that wish to excel within the organisation.
Conclusion
Equal opportunities are important, because they discourage unfair prejudices. They mean that jobs and experiences are obtainable by anyone who is prepared to work for them. When the diversity of a companies employees is reflective of it’s local population, it can more easily see and understand how to communicate with its community. This is also good for reducing stereotypes, and shows that differential features do not necessarily reflect ability or behaviour.
References:
BA (2010) BA recruitment. [online]. Available from: http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info48 [Accessed 28 April 2010]
J Sainsbury plc (2010) Corporate responsibility. [online]. Available from: http://www.jsainsburys.co.uk/cr/index.asp?pageid=25 [Accessed 28 April 2010]
Turner, J (2009) Hang in there, Margaret Mansfield of the apprentice tells women. [online]. Available at: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/article6830916.ece [Accessed 28 April 2010]
Wilson, J.P. (2005) Human resource development: learning & training for individuals & organizations. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page Limited
Equal opportunities means to eliminate unjustifiable discrimination (Wilson, 2005). Employees should be able to feel they will be supported when treated badly due to stereotyping.
This is why diversity is so important. By attempting to make sure that organisations and groups are mixtures of cultures, races, religions, sexes, and sexualities, more creative and thoughtful contributions can be made to the company.
Merit Verses Positive Discrimination
Janice Turner (2009) published an interview with Margaret Mountford in the Times. Margaret spoke about her feelings on sexism in the business world, and disapproves of positive discrimination.
Her arguments are favourable in that women ought to get the positions because they have the same accomplishments as the men. This is because both men and women obtained the jobs on equal merit. In some industries, women may find it easier to get the position simply because the organisation is trying to balance the numbers of men and women. This is arguably a disadvantage to the male applicants, who may be just as qualified for the job. Therefore, making it an unfair system.
However, it could be said that her arguments are wrong, as women may feel forced to choose between work and family life. By offering opportunities for women to balance both their job position and parental duties, the mother can still be successful.
Also, the ratio of women to men in senior positions may not reflect the national or local ratio. The more reflective the levels of diversity are of the population, the more insight a company will have of its community.
Impacts of the Age Legislation, 2006
Thanks to the introduction of the age legislation in 2006, employers may have found some beneficial changes to their company.
A wider variety of skills could be offered to the company, as different generations may have differences in levels of education or experience.
A more diverse workforce age may encourage and motivate other age groups to stay, as they will not feel the company is only suitable for a certain age group. Therefore, the company may find a drop in staff turnover.
There may be better flexibility, as different age groups may find they have other commitments or a different working stamina. Therefore, more people are likely to work part time, and can cover each others absenteeism’s more easily.
The reason for the legislation was to prevent employers being influenced by stereotypes of different age groups.
Young people are seen positively to be enthusiastic, ready to learn new skills, and in good health. However, they are also seen negatively to be inexperienced, not very committed to their tasks, and distracted with insecurities.
Workers over 50 are positively seen to be highly skilled, knowledgeable and experienced, with good stability and commitment. However, they are negatively stereotyped to be stubborn, and unprepared to adapt and learn new ideas and skills. Also, they are often seen to be less physically able.
Organisations should focus on positive stereotypes when employing new staff. This will help employers to see the applicants as assets.
Forcing all ages to work together and get to know one another’s strengths will encourage the dismissal of each others stereotypes.
Equal Opportunities Within Organisations
British Airways insist that they employ within the guidelines of the equal opportunities legislation, but their employees must have specific capabilities and skills in order to do their job safely and successfully (BA, 2010). Therefore you are hired dependent on personality/behaviour, skills and knowledge.
J Sainsbury’s (2010) have a ‘you can’ program for employees, providing them with job opportunities, qualifications and skills. Therefore, it does not matter who you are, or what makes you different, as the opportunities are open to all employees that wish to excel within the organisation.
Conclusion
Equal opportunities are important, because they discourage unfair prejudices. They mean that jobs and experiences are obtainable by anyone who is prepared to work for them. When the diversity of a companies employees is reflective of it’s local population, it can more easily see and understand how to communicate with its community. This is also good for reducing stereotypes, and shows that differential features do not necessarily reflect ability or behaviour.
References:
BA (2010) BA recruitment. [online]. Available from: http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/?newms=info48 [Accessed 28 April 2010]
J Sainsbury plc (2010) Corporate responsibility. [online]. Available from: http://www.jsainsburys.co.uk/cr/index.asp?pageid=25 [Accessed 28 April 2010]
Turner, J (2009) Hang in there, Margaret Mansfield of the apprentice tells women. [online]. Available at: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/article6830916.ece [Accessed 28 April 2010]
Wilson, J.P. (2005) Human resource development: learning & training for individuals & organizations. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page Limited
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Selection
Selection Methods
When people would apply for the Plaice chip shop in Tring, Hertfordshire, there were three particular stages to the selection process.
As it was mostly first time workers applying from the local sixth form, they would ask for teacher references, as well as references from extracurricular activities to check commitment levels and how the employee fitted in amongst groups. This was a good way to find out if the applicants had any bad history, but there is also a risk that the reference may give a biased interpretation of them.
The interview would be mostly the managers explaining the roles expected of the new employees, and telling them what benefits to expect. The applicant would then have a fuller understanding of the job details, however this does not allow for negotiation or establishing any recognisable interests between employer and employee.
The employee is then invited to a practice shift, where they experienced the job with role play, lead by more experienced employees. At the end of the shift the potential employee could agree to remain in the organisation, or decide it’s not for them before a commitment has been made, which is a good opportunity for the applicant. Although the employer could have potentially wasted their time, they may actually be reducing staff turnover by offering this pre employment experience.
A Successful Interview
In the summer of 2007, I was interviewed for employment with ABC Costume Hire in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. It was an effective interview, because there were two people interviewing, making the interview feel fairer, as there would be less bias from first impressions.
The two bosses introduced themselves, so that it was known and understood what roles they played, and the working relationships that should be expected.
They began with easy questions, such as asking how I found out about the job role.
The fact that there were interests, such as performing arts, and friends of the company in common was important, because it encouraged the employer to seem interested in the discussion.
There was good body language from the employer, as they sat on the counter throughout the interview. It made the environment feel very relaxed.
Opinions on Personality Testing
When interviewing a family member on the subject of personality tests, they had the following opinions.
Personality tests are advantageous because they are predictive of what to expect from an individual's job performance, and help decipher whether or not they are a suitable fit for the organisation.
If a potential employee is a poor performer, has a dangerous personality, or is inappropriate for the organisation, this will show in the personality test.
In some ways the tests can be better than interviews or reference checks, because these more traditional methods can often be subjective and influenced by bias.
Improving the Selection Process
When testing the abilities of potential employees, the pub The Whiteleaf Cross in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire will do a training shift with the new employee to see if they can cope under pressure from customers.
However, as discovered from experience with other employees, some can often loose commitment, and become slack or tardy.
The pub ought to make more effort to investigate a new employee’s previous experience by contacting references, and finding out what previous employers think of them before inviting them into the organisation.
Conclusion
There are many processes which can be used during selection, none of which are compulsory. All processes harbour their own pros and cons, and therefore it depends on the organisation or job roles which processes are used.
Their predictive validity is rarely 100% effective, and so the more processes that are used on applicants, the more supported the employer’s decision about whether or not to employ them.
When people would apply for the Plaice chip shop in Tring, Hertfordshire, there were three particular stages to the selection process.
As it was mostly first time workers applying from the local sixth form, they would ask for teacher references, as well as references from extracurricular activities to check commitment levels and how the employee fitted in amongst groups. This was a good way to find out if the applicants had any bad history, but there is also a risk that the reference may give a biased interpretation of them.
The interview would be mostly the managers explaining the roles expected of the new employees, and telling them what benefits to expect. The applicant would then have a fuller understanding of the job details, however this does not allow for negotiation or establishing any recognisable interests between employer and employee.
The employee is then invited to a practice shift, where they experienced the job with role play, lead by more experienced employees. At the end of the shift the potential employee could agree to remain in the organisation, or decide it’s not for them before a commitment has been made, which is a good opportunity for the applicant. Although the employer could have potentially wasted their time, they may actually be reducing staff turnover by offering this pre employment experience.
A Successful Interview
In the summer of 2007, I was interviewed for employment with ABC Costume Hire in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. It was an effective interview, because there were two people interviewing, making the interview feel fairer, as there would be less bias from first impressions.
The two bosses introduced themselves, so that it was known and understood what roles they played, and the working relationships that should be expected.
They began with easy questions, such as asking how I found out about the job role.
The fact that there were interests, such as performing arts, and friends of the company in common was important, because it encouraged the employer to seem interested in the discussion.
There was good body language from the employer, as they sat on the counter throughout the interview. It made the environment feel very relaxed.
Opinions on Personality Testing
When interviewing a family member on the subject of personality tests, they had the following opinions.
Personality tests are advantageous because they are predictive of what to expect from an individual's job performance, and help decipher whether or not they are a suitable fit for the organisation.
If a potential employee is a poor performer, has a dangerous personality, or is inappropriate for the organisation, this will show in the personality test.
In some ways the tests can be better than interviews or reference checks, because these more traditional methods can often be subjective and influenced by bias.
Improving the Selection Process
When testing the abilities of potential employees, the pub The Whiteleaf Cross in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire will do a training shift with the new employee to see if they can cope under pressure from customers.
However, as discovered from experience with other employees, some can often loose commitment, and become slack or tardy.
The pub ought to make more effort to investigate a new employee’s previous experience by contacting references, and finding out what previous employers think of them before inviting them into the organisation.
Conclusion
There are many processes which can be used during selection, none of which are compulsory. All processes harbour their own pros and cons, and therefore it depends on the organisation or job roles which processes are used.
Their predictive validity is rarely 100% effective, and so the more processes that are used on applicants, the more supported the employer’s decision about whether or not to employ them.
Friday, 23 April 2010
Recruitment
Websites for Recruitment
This is a review of the on-line recruitment site ‘Fish4Jobs’ (Fish4 Trading Ltd, 2010).
Instantly, the first thing you see is a search box, in which you can enter you preferences of job title, the radius in which you are prepared to travel from home, and the minimum wage which you are prepared to work for. This helps to select the jobs which will appeal to the user, and is really easy to do.
It also has very eye catching boxes advertising jobs for more specific companies such as Morrison’s, First Great Western, and even the Police. This is ideal for people who are just generally job seeking, with no particular career path in mind. The boxes make it clear that the companies advertised have vacancies, and so are made appealing, because the website had recommended them.
Also the site has a really clear toolbar, offering links to advice for things such as CV’s and training.
This site is very easy to find your way around, as it is not over cluttered, and is selective to the user’s preferences.
The Pros and Cons of On-line Recruitment
Pros:
1. The jobs being advertised online can potentially be seen by nearly anyone.
2. People can quickly search for specific jobs through search engines.
3. Online recruitment can be cheaper and less wasteful than printing lots of flyers and posters.
4. People are becoming more and more IT literate.
5. Applicants can be processed much faster than with postal applications.
Cons:
1. If a job requires specifics such as particular qualifications or experience, unqualified people may be applying for a job, despite being wrong for the company.
2. More applications means the business will need to spend more time and money on the selection process.
3. A company cannot limit the adverts so that they are only seen by their target audience.
4. It is very impersonal, and lacks human contact and feedback.
5. Online recruitment is considered to be reactive, rather than pro-active like newspapers or word of mouth.
Effective Recruitment Campaign
On March 18th 2010, a new branch of the supermarket Iceland opened in High Wycombe. For weeks beforehand it had completely covered its shop frontage with posters and signs saying ‘New Iceland opening March 18th – Recruiting now’. This was done in big bold writing, which was brightly coloured and very eye catching.
As it was very central along the High Street in High Wycombe, the majority of the towns people were likely to have seen this advertisement, as people would have had to walk passed it on their way to somewhere else.
By advertising on site, the store created a buzz of interest. As customers, as well as potential employees were anticipating it’s opening. When it did finally open, the shop was packed full of interested new customers, with many staff ready to begin serving them.
Psychological Contract
The psychological contract is a mutual understanding between employees and their management or employers (CIPD, 2010). This is an unwritten agreement for the etiquette of an organisation, regarding commitment and work ethics.
Breaking this agreement can lead to people in the organisation having a negative attitude. Usually this is because they feel they have not been listened to, or perhaps feel insecure in their position.
In order for a psychological contract to be effective, the employee must have a close working relationship with its colleagues. If they don’t, it is difficult to create and maintain a high level of trust between them.
References:
CIPD (2010) The psychological contract. [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed 23 April 2010]
Fish4 Trading Ltd (2010) Job search and recruitment. [online]. Available from: http://www.fish4.co.uk/jobs/ [Accessed 23 April 2010]
This is a review of the on-line recruitment site ‘Fish4Jobs’ (Fish4 Trading Ltd, 2010).
Instantly, the first thing you see is a search box, in which you can enter you preferences of job title, the radius in which you are prepared to travel from home, and the minimum wage which you are prepared to work for. This helps to select the jobs which will appeal to the user, and is really easy to do.
It also has very eye catching boxes advertising jobs for more specific companies such as Morrison’s, First Great Western, and even the Police. This is ideal for people who are just generally job seeking, with no particular career path in mind. The boxes make it clear that the companies advertised have vacancies, and so are made appealing, because the website had recommended them.
Also the site has a really clear toolbar, offering links to advice for things such as CV’s and training.
This site is very easy to find your way around, as it is not over cluttered, and is selective to the user’s preferences.
The Pros and Cons of On-line Recruitment
Pros:
1. The jobs being advertised online can potentially be seen by nearly anyone.
2. People can quickly search for specific jobs through search engines.
3. Online recruitment can be cheaper and less wasteful than printing lots of flyers and posters.
4. People are becoming more and more IT literate.
5. Applicants can be processed much faster than with postal applications.
Cons:
1. If a job requires specifics such as particular qualifications or experience, unqualified people may be applying for a job, despite being wrong for the company.
2. More applications means the business will need to spend more time and money on the selection process.
3. A company cannot limit the adverts so that they are only seen by their target audience.
4. It is very impersonal, and lacks human contact and feedback.
5. Online recruitment is considered to be reactive, rather than pro-active like newspapers or word of mouth.
Effective Recruitment Campaign
On March 18th 2010, a new branch of the supermarket Iceland opened in High Wycombe. For weeks beforehand it had completely covered its shop frontage with posters and signs saying ‘New Iceland opening March 18th – Recruiting now’. This was done in big bold writing, which was brightly coloured and very eye catching.
As it was very central along the High Street in High Wycombe, the majority of the towns people were likely to have seen this advertisement, as people would have had to walk passed it on their way to somewhere else.
By advertising on site, the store created a buzz of interest. As customers, as well as potential employees were anticipating it’s opening. When it did finally open, the shop was packed full of interested new customers, with many staff ready to begin serving them.
Psychological Contract
The psychological contract is a mutual understanding between employees and their management or employers (CIPD, 2010). This is an unwritten agreement for the etiquette of an organisation, regarding commitment and work ethics.
Breaking this agreement can lead to people in the organisation having a negative attitude. Usually this is because they feel they have not been listened to, or perhaps feel insecure in their position.
In order for a psychological contract to be effective, the employee must have a close working relationship with its colleagues. If they don’t, it is difficult to create and maintain a high level of trust between them.
References:
CIPD (2010) The psychological contract. [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed 23 April 2010]
Fish4 Trading Ltd (2010) Job search and recruitment. [online]. Available from: http://www.fish4.co.uk/jobs/ [Accessed 23 April 2010]
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