Human Resources

What is human resource management?

The function of managing employees within a business.

What is recruitment?

The process of finding and hiring suitable employees.

What is internal recruitment?

Filling job vacancies with existing employees.

What is external recruitment?

Filling job vacancies with candidates outside the business.

What is a job description?

A document outlining duties, responsibilities, and tasks of a job.

What is a person specification?

A document outlining the skills, qualities, and experience required.

What is selection?

The process of choosing the best candidate for a job.

What is training?

Developing employees’ skills and knowledge for their job role.

What is induction training?

Training given when a new employee joins a business.

What is on-the-job training?

Training while carrying out the job role.

What is off-the-job training?

Training away from the workplace.

What is workforce planning?

Estimating the number and type of employees needed.

What is labour turnover?

The rate at which employees leave a business.

What is absenteeism?

Employees not attending work when scheduled.

What is motivation?

The drive to achieve goals and improve performance.

What is financial motivation?

Motivating employees through pay and rewards.

What is non-financial motivation?

Motivating through job satisfaction, recognition, and responsibility.

What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A theory of motivation based on five levels of human needs.

What are Maslow’s five levels?

Physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualisation.

What is Herzberg’s two-factor theory?

A theory separating hygiene factors and motivators.

What are hygiene factors?

Factors that prevent dissatisfaction (e.g. pay, conditions).

What are motivators?

Factors that increase job satisfaction (e.g. achievement, responsibility).

What is Taylor’s scientific management?

The belief that workers are mainly motivated by money.

What is Mayo’s theory?

Workers are motivated by social factors and attention.

What is leadership?

The ability to influence and guide employees.

What is autocratic leadership?

Leadership where managers make decisions alone.

What is democratic leadership?

Leadership where employees are involved in decisions.

What is laissez-faire leadership?

A hands-off leadership style.

What is delegation?

Passing responsibility to subordinates.

What is empowerment?

Giving employees authority to make decisions.

What is organisational structure?

The way a business is arranged and roles are organised.

What is hierarchy?

Levels of authority in a business.

What is span of control?

Number of employees a manager is responsible for.

What is centralisation?

Decision-making is controlled at the top.

What is decentralisation?

Decision-making is spread across levels.

What is organisational culture?

The values, beliefs, and behaviour within a business.

What is motivation theory used for?

To improve employee performance and productivity.

What is redundancy?

When employees lose jobs due to restructuring or downsizing.

What is labour productivity?

Output per worker or per hour worked.

What is employee retention?

A business’s ability to keep employees.

What is conflict in the workplace?

Disagreement between employees or management.