The theories of Human Resource Management focus on recruitment and selection methods and highlight the advantages of interviews, general evaluation and psychometric tests as employee selection processes. The recruitment process can be internal or external or also online and involves the stages of recruitment policies, advertising, job description, job application process, interviews, evaluation, decision making, selection of legislation and training (Korsten 2003 , Jones et al, 2006).
Examples of recruitment policies within the healthcare sector and business or industrial sectors could provide information on how recruitment policies are established and management objectives are defined. Successful hiring methods include a thorough analysis of the position and job market conditions and interviews, as well as psychometric tests to determine the potentialities of applicants. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs) also focus on interviews and evaluations with an emphasis on job analysis, emotional intelligence in new or inexperienced candidates, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Other selection techniques that have been described include various types of interviews, tray exercise, role play, group activity, etc.
Recruitment is almost critical to any management process, and failure to recruit can create difficulties for any business, including an adverse effect on its profitability and inappropriate levels of staff or skills. Inappropriate hiring can lead to labor shortages or problems in management decision making and the hiring process itself could be improved by following management theories. The recruiting process could be improved in sophistication with the Rodgers seven-point plan, the Munro-Frasers five-time rating system, psychological tests, personal interviews, etc. Recommendations have been given for specific and differentiated selection systems for different professions and specializations. A new national selection system has been proposed for psychiatrists, anesthetists and dental surgeons within the UK health sector.
However, hiring is not just a simple selection process and requires extensive management decision making and planning to employ the most suitable workforce. Competition among business organizations to recruit the best potential has increased the focus on innovation and management decision making and the selectors aim to recruit only the best candidates who follow the corporate culture, ethics and specific climate of organization (Terpstra, 1994). This would mean that management would specifically look for potential candidates capable of teamwork, as being a team player would be crucial in any junior management position.
Human resource management approaches within any business organization focus on meeting corporate goals and realizing strategic plans by training staff to ultimately improve business performance and profits (Korsten, 2003). However, the hiring process does not end with the application and selection of the right people, it involves maintaining and retaining the chosen employees. Despite a well-developed recruitment and selection plan and the involvement of a qualified management team, the recruitment processes followed by companies can face significant obstacles in implementation. Human resource management theories can provide insight into the best approaches to hiring, although companies will have to use their internal management skills to apply generic theories within specific organizational contexts.
Bibliography
Jones, David A .; Shultz, Jonas W .; Chapman, Derek S. (2006) Recruitment through job advertisements: The effects of cognitive elaboration on decision-making International Review of Selection and Evaluation, Volume 14, Number 2, pp. 167-179 (13)
Korsten AD (2003) Development of a training plan to ensure that employees keep up with the dynamics of facilities management Journal of Facilities Management, Volume 1, Number 4, pp. 365-379 (15)
Papers For You (2006) “P / HR / 254. HRM: recruitment and selection methods”, available at http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprthrm18.htm [22/06/2006]
Papers For You (2006) “E / HR / 21. Using relevant frameworks and theories, critically evaluate the recruitment and selection evaluation processes used by an organization with which you are familiar. How do you contribute to the performance of the organization?” , Available at http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprthrm18.htm [21/06/2006]
Shipton, Helen; Fay, Doris; West, Michael; Patterson, Malcolm; Birdi, Kamal (2005) Managing people to promote innovation, creativity and innovation management, volume 14, number 2, pp. 118-128 (11)
Terpstra DE (1994) HRM: A Key to Competitiveness Management Decision, Volume 32, Number 9, pp. 10-14 (5)