Chapter 7: People Resourcing

Resourcing strategy

is concerned with identifying how many and what sort of employees are required and making plans to obtain and retain them and on how best to employ them.

Strategic resourcing

• is a long-term approach to ensuring an organization has the right people it needs

• Focuses on planning for future workforce requirements aligned with business goals

• Involves strategies for attracting, employing, and developing employees

• Ensures HR strategies are aligned with corporate strategic objectives

• Integrates different HR activities so they work together effectively

Strategic resourcing statement/plan

Resourcing Strategy

A _______ is a declaration of how the organization will ensure it has the people it needs

It outlines the organization’s intentions and actions regarding workforce needs

Based on analysis of:

• The people requirements derived from the corporate plan

• Other internal and external factors that may influence workforce needs

Workforce Planning

• Establishes the organization’s people requirements

• Provides a basis for developing plans to meet workforce needs

• Defines requirements in terms of:

  • Number of employees needed

  • Skills and competencies required

• Considers employment conditions that support effective workforce contribution

• Aims to attract and retain high-quality employees

Number of employees and skills and competencies required

Workforce planning define requirements in terms of:

Rationale of Workforce Planning

• Provides a systematic approach to assessing the number and type of people needed

• Considers labour supply information and environmental scanning

• Serves as a basis for preparing:

  • Recruitment plans

  • Retention strategies

  • Management succession plans

  • Talent management plans

Approaches to Workforce Planning

1. Forecast Activity Levels

2. Scenario Planning

3. Data Collection

4. Analysis

5. Demand Forecasting

6. Supply Forecasting

7. Forecast of future requirements

8. Action Planning

9. Implementation

10. Monitoring and Evaluation

Recruitment

is the process of finding and engaging the people the organization needs.

Selection

is that part of the recruitment process concerned with deciding which applicants or candidates should be appointed to jobs.

Role Profiles

1. Defining Requirements

• Define the overall purpose of the role, including responsibilities and reporting relationships

• Serve as a foundation for recruitment processes

• Include additional details such as:

  • Pay, benefits, and working hours

  • Special requirements (e.g., mobility, travel, unsocial hours)

  • Learning, development, and career opportunities

• Provide the basis for creating a person specification

Person Specification

1. Defining Requirements

• Define the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for a role

• Include both technical and behavioral competencies needed to perform the job

• Provide a framework for competency-based interviews

• Specify expected job outcomes and achievements, such as:

• Developing new markets or products

• Improving sales, productivity, or customer service

• Introducing new systems or processes

Analyze Recruitment Strengths & Weaknesses

2. Attracting Applicants

• Covers key factors influencing attractiveness to candidates, including:

  • Organizational reputation (national or local

  • Pay, benefits, and working conditions

  • Job interest and employment security

  • Training, education, and career opportunities

  • Location of the workplace

• Represents the organization’s employer brand

• Helps identify what attracts strong candidates and how to highlight these strengths in recruitment

• Anticipates potential candidate concerns or objections (e.g., job location, travel demands)

• Supports the use of a realistic job preview to communicate job challenges clearly

• Recognizes that candidates both sell themselves and evaluate the organization

Employer Brand

2. Attracting Applicants

• Defines the _____ as the organization’s image as a “great place to work”

• Helps attract high-quality applicants and become an employer of choice

• Ensures the organization maintains a strong and attractive employer image

Employee Value Proposition

2. Attracting Applicants

• Defines the ______ (EVP) as what the organization offers to attract and retain employees

• Includes both financial rewards (pay and benefits) and non-financial factors

• Emphasizes the importance of non-financial aspects, such as organizational reputation and work experience

• Aims to make the organization a place where people want to join and stay

• Focuses on delivering a positive employee experience

Digital Sources

3. Sourcing Candidates

______

• Corporate Websites

• Networking Sites

• Social Media

• Matching Technology

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Commercial Job Boards

Traditional Sources

3. Sourcing Candidates

______

• Advertising

• Recruitment Agencies

• Recruitment Consultants

• Executive Search Firms

• Educational and Training Establishments

• Recruitment Process Outsourcing

Essential, Very desirable, Desirable

4. Screening Applicants

Criteria for screening applications can be classified as follows:

Essential

applicants will not be considered unless this criterion is satisfied.

Very Desirable

preference will be given to applicants who meet this criterion.

Desirable

applicants who meet this criterion will be given favourable consideration but it is not an essential requirement. However, if a number of applicants meet the first two criteria satisfying desirable criteria would be a factor in making a choice

Processing Applicants

4. Screening Applicants

• Machine learning (AI) algorithms help identify suitable candidates quickly by analyzing hiring patterns

• If no system is available, applications are first recorded in a recruitment database with details like:

  • Name

  • Date received

  • Action taken (reject, hold, interview, shortlist, offer)

• Next step is screening applications to filter candidates

• Final step is creating a shortlist and arranging interviews

Checking Applications

4. Screening Applicants

Some applicants may misrepresent or lie about their education, qualifications, or work history

Studies show this is common; for example, 25% of employers withdrew job offers due to false applications (CIPD, 2008)

Employers should verify applicant information by checking with:

• Universities and colleges

• Professional institutes

• Previous employers

Checking Applications

4. Screening Applicants

______

• Use behavioral interview questions

• Additional verification can be done through organizations like:

  • Cifas (fraud prevention service)

  • Credit reference agencies

  • Criminal record checks (e.g., Criminal Records Bureau)

• Employers may also compare CVs with social media profiles to check consistency

• Some employers (about 1 in 5) have rejected candidates based on their social media activity

Behavioral interview questions; Cifas

Check applications: Use ______

_____ fraud prevention service

Predict job performance

Selection Methods

The main criterion for choosing selection methods is their ability to ______

• Predictive ability is measured using a validity coefficient (0.0 = no prediction, 1.0 = perfect prediction)

• Research by Schmidt and Hunter (1998) found that different selection methods vary in predictive accuracy

• Personality assessments also show moderate predictive validity (about .37)

Validity coefficient

Predictive ability is measured using a ______ (0.0 = no prediction, 1.0 = perfect prediction)

General Mental Ability (GMA)

is a strong predictor because it helps individuals learn job knowledge faster and more effectively

Structured interviews + intelligence (GMA) test

The best combination of methods for predicting performance is:

Graphology

Some methods, such as _____, are considered ineffective (not valid predictors)

Common selection methods discussed further include interviews, tests, and assessment centres

Structured, Competency-based, Strengths-based, Value-based, Unstructured, Telephone, Video, Interviewing Programme

6. Selection Interviews

Intelligence Tests, Personality Tests, Ability Tests, Aptitude Tests

7. Selection Testing

Assessment centres

8. ________

bring together multiple candidates to be evaluated using different methods over 1–2 days for a more complete assessment of suitability

• However, research shows lower predictive validity than structured interviews combined with intelligence tests

• Are costly and time-consuming, so mainly used by large organizations

• Commonly applied for managerial roles, graduate recruitment, and some sales positions

Job-related exercises, computer-based games (gamification)

Assessment centers

• Use _______- that simulate real work tasks (e.g., role-plays and group exercises)

• May include ______ to test reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills

• Candidates undergo interviews and psychometric testing as part of the process

Person-job fit and Person-organization fit

9. Assessing Canditates

Step 1: _____ - Identify candidates whose abilities and personality best match the job requirements

• _______ may also be considered - Assess how well candidates’ values and personality align with the organization

Decision-making choice

• Step 2: _____ - Select the best candidate if more than one meets the requirements

• Decisions should be evidence-based, but may still require managerial judgement

• Selection is often a best-fit decision, even if no candidate is perfect

Making the Decision

• Avoid hiring unqualified candidates out of desperation; if none fit, restart the process

• If no suitable applicant is found, the job specification may need revision

• Internal candidates may be reconsidered with additional training or development

• Managers should avoid superficial or biased judgments based on appearance or impressions

• Avoid the “like-for-like” bias, where candidates are chosen because they resemble the manager rather than being the most capable for the job

Provisional Job Offer

10. Completing the Process

A. Provisional Offers and Obtaining

References

• After interviews and tests, a _____ may be made via letter, email, or phone

• The offer is usually conditional on satisfactory references

• Employers may keep reserve candidates in case selected applicants withdraw

• Referees are often not in a position to judge future job fit

• Reference requests should focus on simple factual questions

• References can be collected through written forms or telephone checks

• Telephone references may be faster and more reliable, but should focus only on factual information

Offering Employment

10. Completing the Process

The final step in selection is to confirm the job offer after checks are completed

The offer is made only after satisfactory references are received

The candidate must also pass a medical examination, if required

A formal contract of employment is prepared and issued at this stage

Following Up

10. Completing the Process

It is important to ____ with newly hired employees to ensure they have settled in well

Early follow-up helps identify and resolve problems quickly before they become serious

_____ is also used to evaluate the effectiveness of the selection process

If a hiring mistake occurs, it helps determine what went wrong in the process

Talent

• refers to the abilities people need to perform their roles effectively

• Contributes to organizational performance through current job performance

• Includes the capacity to learn, develop, and improve over time

• Reflects future potential to make a significant contribution to the organization

Talent Management

• ensures the organization has the skilled people needed to achieve its goals

• Involves creating and maintaining a talent pool of capable individuals

• Achieved through a talent pipeline that continuously supplies talent

• The pipeline is supported by:

• Resourcing (attracting and hiring talent)

• Talent identification (spotting high-potential employees)

• Talent development (training and growing employees)

Resourcing, Talent Identification, Talent Development

• The pipeline is supported by:

• _____ (attracting and hiring talent)

• ______ (spotting high-potential employees)

• ______ (training and growing employees)

Talent Pool

contains the resources of talented people required by an organization to ensure that vacancies for people in pivotal roles can be filled readily (talent on demand).

Resourcing

is the first step in the direction of creating a talent pool.

It is primarily about ensuring that the organization obtains the right people with the right skills for future roles as well as for immediate vacancies.

Talent Identification

procedures are used to determine who qualifies for a talent pool or has potential to join after development

Initial assessment of talent is usually done by the line manager

This may be followed by discussions with a talent management specialist

High-potential employees may also attend an

assessment centre for further evaluation

Talent development

is the process of helping talented employees build the skills and experience they need to grow and succeed

Focuses on preparing employees to fulfil their potential and advance their careers

Ensures the organization has capable people ready to fill senior and key positions

Supports both individual career growth and organizational succession needs