CHAPTER FIVE

THE STAFFING FUNCTION

MEANING AND NATURE OF STAFFING

Staffing is the executive .function of recruiting, selecting, training, developing, promoting, and retiring
subordinates. It is the responsibility of every manager. The benefits of staffing are:
 Staffing helps in discovering and obtaining competent personnel for various jobs
 Staffing makes for higher performance by putting the right man on the right job.
 Staffing ensures the continuous survival and growth of the enterprise through the development of successive
managers.
 Staffing helps to ensure optimum utilization of human resources
o Avoids over manning
o Avoids shortage of manpower in advance
 Staffing improves job satisfaction and morale of employees through objective assessment and fair rewarding
of their contributions.
Generally, the purpose of staffing function is to ensure that the right number and the right type of people are
working on the right jobs at the right time and right place.

ACTIVITIES IN STAFFING FUNCTION

The major activities in the staffing function include:

1. Manpower planning.
2. Recruitment
3. Selection
4. Placement
5. Induction/ orientation
6. Training and development
7. Performance appraisal

Manpower planning /human resource planning/

Manpower refers to the quantity and quality of workforce. Manpower planning is the process of forecasting the
number and type of personnel whom the organization will have to hire, train, and promote in a particular period in
order to achieve its objectives. It involves determining objectives, policies, programs, and procedures in relation to
human resources. It refers to planning for the future personnel needs of the organization.

Manpower planning process

The process of manpower planning consists of the following steps:

1. Forecasting manpower requirements: This refers to anticipation of the requirements of manpower for a
particular future period of time in terms of the number, type and quality of people. Three stages are involved in
projecting future manpower needs.
A. Determine replacement of lost manpower. Based on past experience, the human resource manager
should calculate the rate of loss of manpower due to leave, retirements, quits, transfers, deaths,
discharges etc.

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 B. Determine the need for new manpower. Based on workload analysis,' the manager needs to
determine the new manpower required.
C. Determine the abilities/ skills required for the efficient performance. Job specifications and job
descriptions are prepared to determine job requirements and the quality of needed personnel. Job
description is an organized, written and factual statement of job contents in the form of duties and
responsibilities of a particular job. Job specification is a formal statement of minimum acceptable
human qualities required for the successful performance of a job.
2. Preparing manpower inventory/manpower audit. It refers to the analysis and assessment of the current human
resources in terms of the size and quality of personnel available.
3. Identifying man power gaps: In order to identify the manpower gap, the existing number of personnel and their
skills are compared with the forecasted manpower requirement
4. Formulate manpower Plans: This involves developing appropriate and detailed policies, programs and
strategies for recruitment, selection, training, promotion, retirement, and replacement.

Example
Production budget......................................................................................... 100,000 tons
Standard man hours / ton……………………………………………….. 50 hours
Productive hours per worker in the year........................................................ 2,000 hrs
Allowance for absenteeism and turnover...................................................... 500 workers
Existing manpower……………………………………………………..… 2,200 workers

Determine the new manpower

Solution
Total planned hours = 100,000 x 50 = 5,000,000
Number of workers required = 5,000,000/2000 = 2500 workers
Number of workers required...................................................2500
Add: allowance for absenteeism and turnover ................. 500
Total requirement...................................................................3000
Less: existing manpower........................................................2200
New workers.......................................................................…800 workers

Recruitment

It is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulates them to apply for jobs in the
organization. The purpose of recruitment is to attract potential employees with the necessary characteristics
and in the proper quantity for the jobs available. It is generally viewed as a positive process. The sources of
recruitment include:

1. Internal sources

These consist of transfers and promotions of present employees. A transfer refers to the shifting of an employee
from one job to another without a drastic change in the responsibilities and status of the employee. On the other
hand, promotion involves shifting an employee to a higher position carrying higher responsibilities, higher status
and more pay. Transfer is a horizontal shifting while promotion is a vertical shifting.
Advantages

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 o Improve employees' motivation, loyalty and security and morale
o Less expensive (no induction training)
o Simplifies the process of selection and placement
o Lower level employees are encouraged to look forward to higher ranks.
o Develops better employee-employer relationships
Disadvantages
o Involves danger of in breeding by stopping infusion of new blood into the organization
o Reduces the area of choice
o Limits the pool of talents
o Does not provide an equal opportunity to all people to compete for jobs
o Encourages favoritism and nepotism
o Encourages complacency

2. External sources

Where all vacancies cannot be filled from within, external sources are used to fill the positions. The advantage of
extern sources is that it provides wide choice and brings new blood to the organization. However, it is not without
limitation. The major limitation is that it is expensive and time consuming.
The various external sources of recruitment are:
a. Advertisements
b. Employment agencies
c. Educational institutions
d. Recommendations by other people
e. Causal callers
f. Direct recruitment

Selection

Selection involves screening or evaluation of applicants to identify those who are best suited to perform the jobs. It
divides the candidates in to two categories.
1. Those who will be employed
2. Those who will not be employed
Selection is described as a negative process. The proper selection of employees will go a long way towards
building a stable work force and eventually reducing labor costs. When selected personnel are suitable to the job
requirements, their efficiency and productivity will be high. Such personnel will have job satisfaction and high
morale. Rates of absenteeism and labor turnover will be low.

Steps in selection procedure

In order to achieve the purpose of selection, a well-planned and suitable selection procedure is required. This
procedure involves the following steps:
1. Application Blank: It is a brief written resume of the name, age, address, education, occupation, interests,
experiences etc of the candidates. It provides basic information about the prospective employee, which is helpful at
the time of interview. It reflects the candidate's personality and his/her desire for the job. First inference about the
candidate can be made.
2. Employment test: It is designed to measure selected aspects of the candidate's personality and to predict how
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 well the applicant is likely to perform the job (the fitness of a person to a job)
Some of the employment tests include:
a. Intelligence test: It is used to measure the mental capacity of an applicant in terms of his memory,
reasoning ability, power of understanding, verbal comprehension, word fluency etc.
b. Aptitude test: Aptitude refers to the latent ability or the capacity of individuals for learning the skills
required performing the job. Aptitude test is used to measure an individual potential for development.
c. Personality test: It measures the temperament, maturity, initiative, judgment, emotional balance and other
personality traits of an individual. It helps in weeding out candidates who may not be able to go along
with other people.
d. Proficiency test: It is designed to measure the level of knowledge, proficiency or skill already acquired by
an individual in a particular job. It is also called performance, ability, achievement, or trade test.
e. Interest test: It is designed to identify the likes and dislikes of the applicant for different jobs.
3. Employment interview
4. Physical / medical examination
5. Checking references
6. Final approval

Placement
Placement is the process which involves putting or posting the selected candidates on appropriate jobs. It involves
assigning specific jobs and work places to the selected candidates. In placement, employees are assigned to jobs
that are most suitable to them. New employee is given a particular job to perform on the basis of his/her abilities,
aptitude, skills etc. The purpose of placement is to match the worker and the job, or to place right man on the right
job. The advantages of correct placement are:
o Placement improves job satisfaction and productivity
o Placement reduces labor turnover
o Placement reduces absenteeism

Induction/ orientation
When an employee is hired, two processes are started. These are induction and orientation. Although the terms
"induction" and "orientation" are used interchangeably, in some cases, there is a difference between the two.

Induction: - is a socializing process by which the organization seeks to make an individual its agent for the
achievement of its objectives and the individuals seeks to make the organization an agency for the achievement of
his personal goals. The purpose of induction is to provide the new employee with the necessary information about
the company i.e
o The duties and benefits of employment
o Company history
o Company products/services
o Organization structure
o General company policies
o Location of departments and employee facilities
o Personnel policies and practices

Orientation
Orientation is a socializing process by which new employee is provided with information about work environment
and operating realities. Specifically, orientation involves:
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 o Rules, regulations and daily routines
o Grievance procedures
o Safety, measures
o Standing orders
o Employee activities, benefits and services
Generally, if induction and orientation programs are not undertaken formally, the new employee may form wrong
impression. Thus, first impression is the last impression.

Who orients new employees?

Different persons may be involved in orientation of new employees. The most common are:
1. Human resource manager
2. Operating manager
3. Union officials
4. Public relation officer
5. Experienced co-worker
In medium sized and large organizations, both operating manager and human resource manger run the orientation.
However, in small organization, operating manger performs all orientations.

Means of orientation and induction

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 o Lectures o Handbooks o Pamphlets
o Discussions o Manuals
Advantages of orientation and induction

1. To reduce the start-up costs for new employees: Recruiting new employee involves additional costs because
new employee is not as efficient as the experienced employee. This inefficiency is considered to be start-up
cost. An effective orientation program can reduce this inefficiency, and in turn, reduces start up costs.
2. To reduce the amount of anxiety and hosing a new employee experiences: Anxiety refers to fear of failure on
the job. The new employee may develop the fear that he/she will not perform the job properly. This fear
could be aggravated when old employees hose the new employee. Effective orientation can alert the new
employee to hosing and reduces anxiety.
3. To reduce employee turnover: An employee who developed fear about his/her inefficiency may decide to quit
his/her job. In the absence of orientation this problem may recur. In order to avoid such problem, the
organization needs to have a good orientation program.
4. To develop realistic job expectations: The job expectation of new employee may be too high or too low. The
two extremes are very dangerous. Orientation enables the new employee to incorporate the job and its work
values in to his/ her self-image.
5. To develop positive attitudes toward the employer: The new employee may have negative attitude toward
his/her employer before joining the organization. This negative attitude can be changed to positive attitude
through effective orientation.
6. To develop job satisfaction: A new employee is satisfied if he/she knows very well what is expected of him/her,
how to perform it, and what reward is available for good performance. With out orientation a new employee
may not have the chance to know these things. Thus, orientation can playa great role of this regard.

Training and development

Very often the terms "training" and "development" are considered as synonymous. Really speaking, there is a
difference between the two.
Training: It is the process of increasing the knowledge and skills of an employee for doing a particular job. It
implies imparting technical knowledge, manipulative skills, problem solving ability and positive attitude. The
purpose of training is to enable the employees to get acquainted with their present/prospective jobs and also to
increase their knowledge and skills and to modify their attitude. Training is not a one-stop process, but continues
throughout the career of an individual. TraL.1'1ing is job-oriented (job-centered).
Development: It refers to the growth of an individual in all respects - physically, intellectually, and socially.
Development is career bound. Development of individuals is the consequence of training. In other words, training
is the cause whereas development is the consequence.

Types of training
Training may of several types. Some of them are:
1. Orientation training. It seeks to adjust newly appointed employees to the work environment
2. Job training. It refers to the training provided with a view to increase the knowledge and skills of an
employee for improving performance on the job.
3. Safety training. It is intended to provide training to minimize accidents and damages to machinery. It
involves instruction in the use of safety devices and in safety consciousness
4. Promotional training. It involves training of existing employees to enable them to perform higher level
jobs (Positions)
5. Refresher training - It involves training given to employees in the use of new methods and techniques.
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 This type of training is given when existing techniques become obsolete due to development of better
techniques
6. Remedial training. It is designed to correct the mistakes and shortcomings in the behavior and
performance of employees.

Methods of training

1. On-the-job Training (OJT)

Under this method, the worker is trained by his immediate supervisor or by an experienced employee in a real
work situation. The trainee is told (explained) the method of handling tools, operating the machines etc.
Some of the advantages of OJT are:
o The trainee learns in the actual job environment
o Supervisor takes an active part in the training program
o The training is relatively cheaper and convenient
The disadvantages of OJT are:
o Training involves some interference in the normal work routine
o No uniformity in training because every supervisory is a different training unit
o Very time-consuming
o Tendency to ignore principles and theory in favor of immediate results
o Inappropriate for a large number of people at the same time
On the job training is considered to be the most effective and the oldest method of training the operative
personnel. One best example of OJT is job rotation.

2. Apprenticeship Training
It refers to giving instruction, both on and off the job, in the practical and theoretical aspects of the work required
in a highly skilled occupation. Its weakness is that the trade union fails to take into consideration individual
differences in learning time because of the trade union that determines the time that the person serves as
apprentice. Apprenticeship program contains both on-the-job and classroom training. The theoretical aspect of the
job is learnt in the classroom, but its skills will be learnt on the job. Wages of apprentices are less than experienced
q. employees.

3. Vestibule Training
Vestibule Training is a training in which the trainee learns the job in an environment that simulates the real
working environment as closely as possible. The limitations of vestibule training are:
 It is expensive
 Trainee may face adjustment problem.

4. Off- the -Job Training

Off- the -job training includes all over training other than apprenticeship, vestibule training, and on-the job
training. It can be done in organizational classrooms, vocational schools or else where. Off- the job training may be
conducted using confidence/Discussion, programmed instruction, case method & simulation. Programmed
instruction is used if the objective of training is knowledge acquisition. On the other hand, case method of training
is used if the intention is to improve the problem-solving skills. Conference approach requires the trainer to give a
lecture and involve the trainee in a discussion of materials to be learned. Programmed instruction is a technique for
instructing without the intervention (presence) of human instructors.
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