Industrial Psychology: Chapter 6

Recruitment

The process of acquiring applicants who are available and qualified to fill positions in the organisation

Recruitment sources

•Internal sources (internal applicants)

Employee relocation

Glass ceiling

•External sources (external applicants)

Peter Principle

Advantages of internal recruitment

Increases the morale of current employees, knowledge of the person and employee records, chain effect of promotion is possible, need to hire only at entry level, usually faster and less expensive than external recruitment, employee becomes productive sooner, little or no orientation

Advantages of external recruitment

Application pool is higher, new ideas and contacts are brought into organisation, reduces internal fighting, minimizes peter principle

Disadvantages of internal recruitment

unhealthy competition among existing employees, inbreeding resulting in no new ideas developing, morale problem for those not promoted, strong management development programme is needed

Disadvantages of external recruitment

Destroys the incentive of current employees to strive for promotion, the individual’s ability to fit in with the rest of the organisation is unknown, increased adjustment problems, takes longer for the individual to become productive, comprehensive orientation is required

Internal recruitment methods

Job posting- a system in which the employer provides notices of job openings and employees respond 

External recruitment methods

Direct applications

Employee referrals

University/campus recruiting

Private employment/recruitment agencies

Advertising

Direct mail

Rerecruiting

Radio, TV and internet/ e-recruiting

E-recruitment, online recruitment & the use of technology in recruitment

Advantages of internet recruiting

cost effective, organisation can find applications quickly, easy, bigger pool of applicants, systems can be used to screen the applications recieved, detailed info can be provided to potential applicants about the job

Disadvantages of internet recruiting

Too many unqualified applicants may apply, not always the suitable method for all jobs, candidates may provide false information, not all suitable candidates use the internet to search for jobs

Hiring Alternatives

•Assigning overtime

•Temporary help

Leasing employees

Selection - HR Responsibility

•New employment legislation makes this process more complicated

•Centred in the HR department

•Involves individuals from other departments

•Effective selection influences productivity

•Technology has become integrated into selection process, especially since COVID-19

The selection process

Setting organisational goals and objectives, job design, criteria used to determine success on the job, job descriptions and job specifications (details about the job and the person), recruitment efforts, instruments/techniques used to identify most suitable applicant to select for the job

Steps in selection

1. Initial screening

2. Application form

3. Interviews

4. Employment tests

5. Departmental reviews

6. Background checks

7. Medical examination

8. Job offer

Initial screening

•Removing obviously unqualified/undesirable applicants

•Critical job specifications or requirements of EEA

•CV red flags

•CV tracking system

Application blanks/forms

•Information obtained is compared to JS to determine if there is a potential match

•Weighted application blank

•CV method

Uses of application blank

Interviews and Questionnaires

determine if the applicant has the ability to perform the job and to be motivated to perform the job and to determine if the applicant's needs match those of the organisation

Types of interviews

Panel interview

Structured interview (directive/patterned)

Unstructured (not advisable)

Pre-employment testing

•Reliability: The consistency with which a test measures an item.

•Validity: The extent to which a test actually measures what it says it measures.

•Employment Equity Act Section 8 of Chapter II

•Managerial selection devices

Assessment centres

In-basket techniques

Reference checks

•Personal references

•Previous employers

Medical examination

•After job offer has been made

•Contingent to passing the medical examination

•EEA Section 7(1) and (2) & Section 50(4)

-Can test if it can be justified

The Selection Decision

•Compensatory selection: All applicants who pass the initial screening will be tested, interviewed etc.

•Multiple hurdles selection: Applicant needs to pass each hurdle (step)

Selection and Technology

•HRIS is used in the recruitment & selection process

•Storing resumes of applicants electronically

•Internet & search engines used during recruitment & selection

•HRIS & other software used to keep track of applications & scores during selection

Recruitment strategies in a diverse workforce

•Non-traditional recruitment strategies:

Training programmes for disadvantaged groups

Mentoring

Learnerships/apprenticeships and mentoring programmes

Career exhibitions

Telerecruiting

Diversity data banks

Talent acquisition