Staffing
Staffing is filling positions with people who have the right skills. This domain tests the staffing process, internal versus external recruitment, the selection steps, and training versus development.
Staffing process
Estimating manpower needs, recruitment, selection, placement and orientation, training and development, performance appraisal, promotion and transfer, compensation.
Recruitment sources
- Internal: transfers and promotions. Cheaper and quicker, motivates staff, but choice is limited and rivalry may grow.
- External: campus placement, advertisements, employment exchanges, consultants, recommendations, web portals. Brings fresh talent but is costlier and slower.
Selection steps
Preliminary screening, application blank, tests (aptitude, trade, personality, interest), employment interview, reference check, selection decision, medical examination, job offer, contract of employment. Recruitment attracts candidates; selection rejects the unfit.
Training vs development
Training builds job-related skills, is short-term and applies to all employees. Development builds the whole personality and career, is long-term and mainly for managers. On-the-job methods: apprenticeship, coaching, internship, job rotation. Off-the-job methods: classroom lecture, case study, vestibule training, computer modelling.
Worked example
A textile unit needs 20 powerloom operators within three weeks, and no current employee has the trade skill. Reasoning: use external recruitment (local ITI, employment exchange) plus vestibule training, because the skill must come from outside and vestibule training gives practice on dummy equipment before the shop floor.
Traps that cost marks
Using recruitment and selection interchangeably; calling vestibule training on-the-job; forgetting that apprenticeship is on-the-job; confusing placement with orientation.