Election and retention proceduress

Introduction

The success of a company is dependent on its efficiency which in turn is dependent on its workforce. In today’s competitive business landscape, it is critical for an organisation to possess an excellent talent pool capable of steering the firm in the correct path. The present report discusses the recruitment and selection procedures that will be adopted by the Purple Mail Company for hiring new staff. The company is currently having several administrative, management and leadership issues. Hence the following paragraphs also speak about the leadership and management skills that the managers of the company will require to motivate employees.

Task 1: Use of recruitment, selection and retention procedures

1.1 Prepare the documentation for recruitment and selection process It is identified that PMC needs to hire two new financial assistance. For this, the finance department sent a draft with the job description and person specification for the position of the management of the company. The management then sent an approval via an electronic copy of the position description, specification and advertisement to the HR department. The JD of financial assistant position stands as below: Job Title: Finance Assistant

Job Purpose: Assisting the Finance Manager to manage, process and troubleshoot different transactions and accounts

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Processing and preparing business and financial forms to check account balances, facilitate purchases, etc.
2. Performing regular calculations for generating evaluations and reports as asked by Finance Manager
3. Creating, sending and following up on invoices
4. Reviewing and adhering to departmental budgets
5. Collecting and entering data into different financial spreadsheets
6. Reconciling errors or discrepancies discovered by interacting with clients and/or employees
7. Collecting information for preparing employees’ payroll payment
8. Reviewing and auditing financial reports and statements, ensuring all data entries and calculations

Job Specification:

Skills –

1. Outstanding mathematical skills
2. Understanding of accounting principles and standards
3. Knowledge of data privacy standards
4. Sound communication and interpersonal skills
5. Familiarity with business practices and principles
6. Critical thinking ability
7. Analytical skills
8. Proficiency in MS Office

While undertaking the recruitment and selection process, there are some legal, regulatory and ethical considerations that need to be considered. The impact of some of the relevant laws on PMC is discussed below: Sex Discrimination Act – PMC needs to abide by the statutes of this Act. If any applicant qualifies for a job position, whether female or male, the company cannot discriminate on the grounds of their gender. In addition to this, the difference in salaries when the offer is made should be based only on skill and knowledge and never on the gender of the person (Ladkin and Buhalis, 2016). Race Relation Act – If the advertisement containing the job vacancy calls for a specific nationality or race, then it would be a violation of this Act. Any individual having the legal permission to work in the UK is eligible to apply for a job irrespective of his race or nationality. Health and Safety Act – The organisation is responsible for the health and safety of all those employed by it. Hence, when hiring for the new position, the eligible candidate must be extended all health and safety related benefits (Karim, 2013). Ethical considerations – It is important to follow ethical practices during the process. The decision of selection should be based on natural justice and merit rather than on nepotism and patronage.

1.3 You are to evidence yourself that you a part of the selection process Being the HR Manager, I was a part of the selection process. My roles and responsibilities in the entire process included the following:

1. Developing recruitment plan
2. Reviewing the information about the candidate and determining whether he/she meets the minimum eligibility criteria.
3. Shortlisting candidates based on the above step
4. Selecting the search committee
5. Preparing for the interview by preparing the questions to ask, providing copies of the resume to each panel member and evaluating every shortlisted interviewee against the criteria for selection.
6. Conducting the interview by following a standard interview setting and format for all candidates.
7. Conducting background checks on the shortlisted candidates.
8. Making the offer and negotiating the salary structure.

Evaluate your own contribution to the selection process My contribution to the recruitment and selection process can be evaluated on three grounds i.e. quality of hire, recruitment cost ratio and time to fill the position. Looking at the quality of the candidates hired, they were the most qualified and experienced from the list of resumes we received. In addition to this, not much time and money had to be invested in their training as they possessed the requisite knowledge about the job. The position was filled within a reasonable time, and hence it can be said that no extra help from outside hiring agencies had to be taken. Moreover, the cost of recruitment was also well within the budget assigned to the process.

Task 2 Understanding the styles and impact of leadership

Explain the skills and attributes needed for leadership There are some essential leadership skills and attributes that a leader must possess. These include the following: Decision-making skills – Every company is confronted with challenging situations that demand sound decision making. Hence a leader should have the knack of making judicious decisions at the correct time (Mencl, Wefald and Ittersum, 2016). Communication skills – Good leaders know how to effectively communicate with the workforce at both lower and higher levels in the organisation. Understanding how to explain the projects and tasks clearly to the team members whilst communicating the significance of the department’s work in the achievement of overall objectives is a critical skill. Leaders who are proficient at communicating, keep the employees informed when updates or changes take place (Davis, 2016). Team Building skills – Motivating the staff to work together, instead of competitively can lead to improved morale and greater productivity. A sound leader knows that success cannot be achieved without teamwork. Hence, he/she provides ample opportunities for the team to bond, sets realistic targets and develops team spirit among the team members (Dessler, 2011). Delegating skills – Leaders who take up several tasks by themselves are likely to struggle in getting even one thing done correctly. There is a misconception that delegation of tasks is a weakness; however, it is symbolic of a good leader. Drives for outcomes – Good leaders have a high perseverance level and are result oriented. They can be trusted about getting things done. Have a strategic outlook – It is important for a great leader to hold a long-term perspective and not get bogged down by trivial matters. While such leaders may be tactical when required, they a strategic perspective critical to direct their business in the best possible future (Davis, 2016).

There are varied kinds of leadership styles, each proving to be effectual based on the given situation, preferences, beliefs, people involved and their attitudes. The most common leadership styles are discussed below with examples: Laissez Faire – A leader following this style does not exercise direct supervision of staff and fails to give timely feedback to the team. Highly trained and experienced employees, for e.g. a team of senior managers working on a project, requiring little or no supervision can be led through laissez-faire leadership style. However, this style obstructs the development of workers who need supervision (Lipman, 2015). Autocratic – This leadership style enables the leader to take decisions alone without inviting input from the team members. Complete authority and power rest with the leader and no one questions the decisions taken by such a leader. This leadership style works well with workers require close supervision for e.g. labourers working at the shop floor level in manufacturing factories etc. (Mantle and Lichty, 2012). Participative – Usually known as the democratic style, this leadership welcomes and accepts the input from team members, however, the responsibility of taking the eventual decision is the leader. When an organisation must make changes within its workplace or work-related policies, then this leadership style enables workers to embrace change smoothly as they have a role to play in the process (Baskin and Aronoff, 2011). Transactional – Leaders using this style delegate some tasks to be performed on the team and give punishments or rewards based on the performance outcomes. Leaders set performance goals by coordinating with the teammates and the staff follow leader’s direction to achieve those goals. Such leaders are normally found in big bureaucratic firms where things are done as per the status quo (Lipman, 2015). Transformational – This style relies on great levels of communication between the leader and his followers to achieve goals. Leaders encourage their team members to improve efficiency and productivity via high visibility and communication (Mencl, Wefald and Ittersum, 2016).

In a workplace environment, replete with administrative, management and leadership problems, staff turnover is likely to be high because employees do not have faith in the management policies. They do not feel motivated to work, and hence there is a dire need for PMC to keep the motivation level of its employees high. The below-mentioned steps can be taken by the company to motivate its staff:

1. Monetary benefits serve as a great source of encouragement. At the completion of the appraisal period, the top performers can be given some bonus quarterly and annually based on their rating. This will motivate everyone to give a good performance (Davis, 2015).
2. Another way to motivate the staff to achieve the goals is to empower them. When the employees will have a higher involvement and stake in goal setting and the authority to plan their tasks they are likely to feel connected and will perform better (Bossler, 2016).
3. Communication needs are required to be upgraded at all levels. When the staff knows what exactly is happening with the company they have a better clarity of how their actions contribute to the company’s success. Keeping the employees informed as well as listening to their concerns keeps them in the loop (Ladkin and Buhalis, 2016).

Task 3 Be able to work effectively in a team

An organisation is composed of a group of people, and the achievement of its goals is possible only through the combined and collaborative efforts of everyone. People need to work as a team, and hence the importance of teamwork for PMC cannot be denied. Stated below are some of the benefits of teamwork for PMC: Increased efficiency – Teamwork is helpful in augmenting the efficiency of employees. Every team member can concentrate on perfecting the task assigned to him/her. The time taken to complete a project will thus be reduced producing high-quality output (Stacey, 2009). Results in innovation – With the problems facing the company, there is an urgent need for some innovative solution. Brainstorming in a team is among the best means of getting new ideas and finding better solutions. Building trust – Team building helps in developing trust among the members of the team. When one of the team members is not present, others can take on that responsibility. PMC requires the trust to solve the problems faced by it. This can be attained by encouraging team building in the company (Dyer, Dyer and Dyer, 2010).

The second key need for professional development is teamwork which is crucial for nursing profession as well as for effective leadership to encourage positive healthcare consequences. Effective team working is an essential factor in successful leadership. In support, The Code, Nursing and Midwifery Council (2006), states as nurses you must work effectively as part of a team. Therefore, this is important for my development as a newly qualified nurse. In other to achieve this, I will assess a course of study on team building. It is evident that team building training has positive effects on leadership development and organisation improvement. Engaging in development assessment centres which involve different type of feedback process, group exercises, and writing of reflection will support my leadership development. Action learning in a group meeting under the supervision of a facilitator to set objectives, review progress, share experience and support each other will enhance my leadership development. Practising my team working skill in practice in different context and situation will support my development. Applying the team leading skills acquired in training into my practice will help my development. When I qualify, I will engage in job rotation system to encourage my leadership development. I will also involve in reading books and articles on developing my team working skills. The time frame to achieve this is within nine months (Bramhall, 2014).

PMC faces different situations in its regular organisational tasks. The problems that the company is facing needs to be solved by working as a theme. Managing a team not only means acting as the supervisor, to see that the members are doing their work satisfactorily. It also implies involving the members in a creative role to ascertain that together they will achieve company goals. Working in a team either as a member or a leader entails responsibilities to be addressed. The leader or even a team member for that matter should ensure smooth communication flow (Stacey, 2009). Miscommunication is among the primary reasons of conflicts taking place among the team members. Thus, as the leader or a team member, it is imperative to prevent the causes of occurrence of conflicts. Every team member should be given the opportunity to voice his/her opinion. Individual differences and personality clashes must be addressed while handling the conflict. In these circumstances, all teammates must contribute equally to withstand such challenging situations and prevent the team from falling out (Edmondson, 2012).

Teamwork at PMC is recognised to be very effective in the accomplishment of organisational goals. While working in a busy logistics environment, there is a need for diversity of experience and knowledge. PMC’s team possesses the diversity of experience and team which helps the company to overcome the issues faced by it. The team’s effectiveness also increased as it had a well-planned team orientation process and there was a clear team charter. Both these things helped to establish lucid guidelines and to set clear expectations. As all the team members knew what they were supposed to do and how to do it, the team got a good start on augmenting the performance (Dyer, Dyer and Dyer, 2010).

Task 4 Assessment of the work and development needs of individuals

Planning for the monitoring and assessment of work performance entails the establishment of methods and elements to be undertaken. This method is impacted by both internal and external variables pertaining to work assessment. Factors like quality, cost-effectiveness, creativity, timeliness, personal attributes, adherence to organisational policies, an appraisal from peers and managers are all involved in the evaluation of work performance (Hauck, Gilsan and Troyan, 2013).

The evaluation plan for employees at PMC revealed that the individuals have certain development needs. There is a need for more training and development that can help the employees develop their competencies and professional expertise. Take a deeper dive into A Comprehensive Analysis of Transactional and Transformational Theories with our additional resources.

The evaluation plan for employees at PMC revealed that the individuals have certain development needs. There is a need for more training and development that can help the employees develop their competencies and professional expertise.

The assessment process was successful in predicting the precise data for the parameters pertaining to the work that was undertaken. The process of evaluating work performance has been planned and conducted effectively. The purpose of undertaking the assessment was clearly communicated. The content knowledge of each person performing the work is apparent. Besides the qualification and content knowledge, each employees’ skills were also tested. The methods employed to conduct the assessment were valid. In addition to this, the instruments and processes of assessment that the company used were reliable in meeting the set goals. Moreover, the evaluation process was transparent, clearly communicated and comprehended by the employee. Lastly, the process allowed for feedback which ensured that employees understand their weaknesses and strengths and is involved in the recommendation and improvement process.

Conclusion

To conclude it can be stated that a sound leadership style and teamwork are essential for helping a company realise its business objectives. The work performance of the employees ought to be evaluated on a timely basis with proper feedback so that employees know where their strengths and weaknesses lie and hence can improve upon them.

References

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