2.

4 - Motivation

Key Vocabulary:
- Motivation: Giving employees a reason, or incentive, to want to perform well for the
business.
- Financial Motivation: The use of financial incentives to encourage employees to perform
well. Ex: bonus
- Non-Financial Motivation: The use of non-financial incentives to encourage employees to
perform well. Ex: delegation

Financial Motivation:

- Salary: Financial rewards set at a fixed annual rate but paid on a monthly basis.
- Advantages:
- Provides job security: Since their payment is guaranteed.
- Workers know that they will receive a regular income: Which can be
beneficial for financial planning and personal budgeting.
- Disadvantages:
- Employees might not always be maximally motivated as they may not feel
the need to go above and beyond in their performance.
- They know that if they do more or less the same amount of work every
month, they will receive their fixed salary; this can reduce productivity.

- Wages (time based): Staff is paid per hour of work (daily or weekly).
- Advantages:
- In case workers need to stay over hours, they will receive extra payment.
- Workers feel their time and work is being valued.
- Disadvantages:
- The pay workers receive is not linked to the amount of output they produce;
therefore, they might ‘go slow’ in order to make sure they work over hours
to receive more income.

- Wages (piece rate): Staff is paid per unit/batch of output (daily or weekly).
- Advantages:
- Workers know that if they are more productive, they will be rewarded for
that.
- They see that their work has a tangible monetary value.
- Disadvantages:
- Workers might concentrate more on quantity produced and less on quality.
 - This might increase costs for the business as quality check/assurance
systems would need to be put in place.

- Commission: Staff is paid with respect to their sales results – an employee gets a percentage
for each unit sold.
- Advantages:
- Employees are driven to achieve higher sales, benefiting both the individual
and the company.
- Workers will try to achieve the best sales results possible, which would
result in a higher financial reward, while the business benefits from higher
sales.
- Disadvantages:
- External factors affecting sales (recession, inflation) affect the income of the
workers, which is demotivating; there’s nothing they can do in case they
can’t sell more goods because of recession or inflation.
- Employees might prioritize personal gains by making arrangements with
customers that put the organization in a disadvantageous position. (a banker
might give out a short-term loan to a business without previously checking
whether the business can pay for it, which is disadvantageous for the bank).

- Profit-related pay: The income of the employee depends on the profitability of the
company.
- Advantages:
- It can be motivating for the workforce as they’re tied to the company’s
profitability.
- If the business shares the profit of the whole organization with the staff, this
gives them a sense of ownership over the business and belonging. The
success of the company = Their success.
- Disadvantage:
- External factors affecting sales (and thus profitability) of the business
automatically affect employees, which can prove to be demotivating as they
have no power over the factor causing decreased sales.

- Performance Related Pay: Payment rewards for employees (in individual, teams or as a
workforce) based on the certain goals met. Such as: pay rise, performance bonus, gratuity (a
monetary gift or reward that an employer gives to an employee as a token of appreciation
for their extended service or exceptional performance, often provided upon retirement or
the conclusion of employment)
- Advantages:
- Establishes incentives for employees to excel and meet specific goals.
- Fair, since their hard work is rewarded.
- Helps to develop a performance culture since it creates an environment
where everyone strives to excel and contribute to the success of the
company.
- Disadvantages:
 - Setting unattainable goals can lead to stress and demotivation.
- Inappropriate for jobs where quality overrides quantity (ex: doctors).
- In the pursuit of financial rewards, non-financial motivators like recognition
or personal development may be overlooked, impacting overall job
satisfaction.

- Employee share ownership schemes: Rewards for employees by giving or selling them (at a
discounted rate) shares in the company. This works well because that way, success of the
company has a direct financial benefit to shareholders.
- Advantages:
- Providing employees with shares in the company fosters a sense of
engagement and commitment, as their financial interests are directly tied to
the company's success.
- Employees who own shares are more likely to stay with the company for the
long term, contributing to a stable and experienced workforce.
- Share ownership creates a sense of responsibility among employees, as they
recognize that their decisions and actions can directly impact the value of
their shares.
- Disadvantages:
- While the scheme aligns employees with the company's success, the direct
financial benefits might not be immediately apparent, and employees may
need to wait for a profitable exit to realize gains.

- Fringe payments (perks): Financial benefits to employees in addition to their wage or salary
(ex: free car, health insurance, discounts).
- Advantages:
- Offering additional benefits, such as a free car, health insurance, or
discounts, fosters loyalty among employees who feel appreciated and
valued by the company.
- Fringe payments help meet employees' safety needs, providing them with a
sense of security and contributing to their overall wellbeing.
- Extra benefits contribute to the overall wellbeing of workers, creating a
positive work environment and making them feel valued.
- Disadvantages:
- Providing perks can be costly for the company, impacting its bottom line and
potentially affecting financial resources available for other purposes
(opportunity cost).
- Higher-ranking individuals may receive significantly more expensive
benefits, creating a disparity that could lead to dissatisfaction among lower-
ranking employees.

Non-Financial Motivation:
- Empowerment: Usually takes the form of managers giving their employees more
responsibility and involving them in (or giving them) decision-making (powers).
- Advantages:
- Involves giving employees more responsibility and involving them in
decision-making, making them feel valued and significant in the
organization.
- The opportunity to contribute to decision-making often serves as a
motivational factor, as employees recognize the impact of their
contributions on the business.
- Can be seen as a pathway to promotion, encouraging employees to invest
more in their roles and responsibilities.
- Disadvantages:
- Employees, when given decision-making powers, might make choices that
are not in the best interest of the business, posing a risk.

- Teamwork: Involves putting employees in groups where employees are encouraged to work
collaboratively with each other in order to fulfil a task.
- Advantages:
- Collaborative work in teams can stimulate employees, fostering a sense of
engagement and motivation as they work together towards common goals.
- Teamwork aligns with Maslow's theory, addressing social needs by creating
a sense of belonging and shared effort within the team.
- Disadvantages:
- The failure of a team can have widespread implications for the entire
organization, affecting productivity and outcomes.
- Issues within a team can negatively impact the organization, affecting overall
morale and productivity.

- Job enrichment (type of job enlargement): This is an attempt to give employees greater
responsibility and recognition by expanding their role in the production process; involves
giving an employee more work to do of a similar nature.
- Advantages:
- Expanding an employee's role in the production process provides them with
more recognition for their work, aligning with various motivation theories.
- The acknowledgment of their contributions can be a strong motivator,
enhancing job satisfaction and engagement.
- Disadvantages:
- Not all contexts or roles can accommodate job enrichment, especially for
low-skilled workers in repetitive jobs who may not find expanded roles
motivating.

- Job rotation (type of job enlargement): This involves an employee changing jobs and tasks
they do from time to time, in order to give them a greater sense of the whole production
process.
- Advantages:
 - Allows employees to experience different tasks and departments, helping
them understand the significance of their daily tasks in the broader business
context.
- Disadvantages:
- Implementing job rotation might incur costs for the business, particularly in
terms of training employees for different roles and departments.

Motivation Theory:

Theorist Theory Findings

Taylor Scientific management Pay, above all is the main

source of motivation

Maslow Hierarchy of needs Levels of human needs, from

physiological to self
actualisation

Herzberg Two-factor theory Hygiene factors (which do not

motivate alone) and
motivators

Adams Equity theory Workers are motivated if there

is fairness in remuneration
packages

Pink Drive theory Autonomy, mastery and

purpose are the drivers of
motivation in modern societies
of the 21st century

Taylor:
- Employees are primarily motivated by money.
- Productivity can be improved by aligning output and efficiency targets with remuneration.
- Division of labour (scientific management): breaking down different aspects of a job or task
and assigning different people to each particular part of the work.
- Piece rate system: workers are paid a standard level of output and receive a higher rating
they exceed that level.
- Drawbacks:
- Ignores the non-physical contributions of workers.
- Hard to measure in some professions.
- Ignores non-financial factors that motivate people.
- Fails to acknowledge that workers can be innovative and independent.
- Entails monotonous tasks, leading to employee dissatisfaction.
- Sets clear goals for the workforce and the consequences of their work are
transparent.
 - Gives workers a sense of target.
- Does not take into account individual differences.
- Views workers as machines with only financial needs.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

Maslow’s theory is based on the hierarchy of needs, where every level of that pyramid
has a certain class of needs.

- Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are the basic ones as they are concerned with survival.
- Once these are satisfied, the worker moves to the next level, and once a level is ‘passed’, the
needs on that level become less important.
- In practice, very few manage to reach the top of the pyramid, because in order to do so, all
other needs must be fully satisfied.
- Advantages:
- Based on the level an employee is on, business can see what rewards are suitable for
him.
- Workers feel like they are being taken care of, which increases productivity and
motivation.
- Disadvantages:
- Difficult for business to decide on a specific reward.
- Difficult to determine when a particular level of needs has been satisfied.
- Not feasible for all jobs to provide all levels of the hierarchy.
- The levels of the hierarchy are difficult to quantify.
- Freelance workers do not have many of these things, but can still be motivated and
successful.
- The model neglects to suggest what happens to people with all of these things, such
as Bill Gates.

Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory:

In Herzberg’s motivation theory, there are two sets of factors affecting people’s motivation:
- Hygiene factors:
 - These are factors that need to be in place in order to remove workers’
dissatisfaction with their job.
- These represent pay, working conditions, company policies, relationship with higher
levels of the hierarchy, treatment at work etc.
- Improving these factors should remove dissatisfaction, but it will not motivate the
workforce.
- If these are not met however, there will be a fall in productivity.
- Motivators:
- These are factors that give workers job satisfaction.
- They represent a sense of achievement, chance of promotion, recognition of effort,
responsibility etc.
- Improving these will make the workers more motivated and will lead to increased
productivity.
- Job enlargement: giving workers variety in what they do.
- Job enrichment: giving workers more complex, challenging tasks to exploit
their potential.
- Job empowerment: delegating decision making to workers over their areas
of job, helping to boost morale.
- Advantages:
- Job enrichment.
- Makes clear for the business what needs to be done in order to remove
dissatisfaction and improve motivation.
- Disadvantages:
- Job enrichment may be expensive and difficult to organise.
- Workers may get used to improved pay/conditions and take these things for
granted.
- Does not apply to all occupations such as low skilled/ paid jobs.
- Research sample included only high skilled workers, therefore findings don’t
necessarily apply.
- Not all employees want extra responsibility or stress.

Adam’s equity theory:

- Workers will naturally compare their efforts or rewards to those of others in the workplace.
- The degree of equity in an organisation is based on the ratio of inputs (contributions made
by the employee) to outcomes (financial and non-financial rewards).
- Degrees of equity:
- Equity norm: workers expect an equitable remuneration for their contribution in
their jobs.
- Social comparison: workers determine what is fair based on comparisons of their
inputs and outcomes with those of their peers.
- Cognitive distortions: workers who feel undercompensated become demotivated so
might withdraw any goodwill, resulting in altering their effort or outputs.
- Disadvantages:
- Equity is subjective.
- Some people may be more sensitive to equity.
 - Neglects to include demographic, psychological, and cultural variables.
- Scale of equity can only be so useful.

Pink:
- Pink’s motivation theory relies on what psychologists call the ‘third drive’.
- This suggests that businesses need to stimulate the intrinsic motivation which occurs when
someone gets satisfaction from an activity itself, without threats or rewards from the
outside.
- He identified three factors of the self-determination theory that motivate people :
- Autonomy: workers need to be autonomous in order to be more motivated, which
means that businesses need to provide an environment that permits employees to
shape their own professional lives. This is done through flexibility of businesses;
flexibility on when, how, who and what their employees do.
- Mastery: businesses need to provide learning opportunities for their employees,
where they will be able to be innovative. Employees will gain mastery when they are
given tasks that matter to them and are neither too easy nor too difficult.
- Purpose: people are motivated when they are able to see benefits of their work. In
order to achieve this, businesses need to emphasise their purpose, and show the
workers that they contribute to this purpose, which will in turn increase their
motivation.

Recruitment, Selection and Training:

There are two different types of recruitment:
- Internal Recruitment:
- The process of hiring an existing employee for a different role in the company.
- Advantages:
- Motivation for existing employees as they have opportunities for promotion.
- Reduced recruitment costs.
- Disadvantages:
- Further recruitment required.
- No new skills, qualities or experience.
- External Recruitment:
- The process of hiring a new employee into the company.
- New skills, qualities and experiences are brought into the company.
- Cost of recruitment and selection.

The recruitment process:

- Advertisement:
1) Create a Job Description and Person Specification.
2) Advertise through company or third-party website.
- Recruitment Agency:
1) Create a Job Description and Person Specification.
 2) Select a candidate from short-list provided by the recruitment agency.

Selection:
- When selecting the right employee, the business must follow a process that fairly ensures
the correct candidate is recruited.

Costs of Recruitment and Selection:

- On average, it costs a business $1850 to recruit a new employee.
- The costs include:
- Advertising the job ($400)
- HR administration ($200)
- Time taken to interview/select the right candidates ($800)
- Recruitment agency fees ($450)

Stages in the Recruitment Process:

1) Determine the number and type of employees required.
2) Conduct job analysis for each vacancy to identify the various duties and responsibilities
involved.
3) Create a job description and person specification.
4) Advertise the vacancy (internally and/or externally) to attract suitable applicants.
5) Draw up a shortlist of the most suitable applicants for the interview.
6) Decide on the most suitable candidate(s) using appropriate selection methods.
7) Appoint the successful candidate and inform those who have been unsuccessful.

Training:
- After the candidate has been selected, they need to be trained:
- On-the-job Training:
- Training done while the employee is doing their normal job while at the
workplace.
- Ex: A senior employee helps the junior employee comprehend all the tasks
and acquire new skills needed to carry out the job efficiently.
- Advantages:
- Cost effective: using in-house specialists.
- Training is more relevant as it is specifically for the firm.
- Reduces disruption to daily operations as it is on site.
- Helps establish relationships and promote teamwork.
- The location is convenient for workers and trainers.
- Disadvantages:
- Trainees might learn inefficient or wrong practices if there isn't
consistent guidance and monitoring from the organization.
- Internal trainers may lack up to date training.
- Trainers cannot complete their own work whilst training new
workers.
- May be incomplete as not all necessary aspects or skills required for
the job are covered.
 - Productivity may be low until all skills are learnt.
- Induction Training:
- Training provided to a new employee to ensure they are familiar with key
aspects of the business.
- This usually involves health and safety, understanding key policies and
procedures and learning to use basic systems.
- This is a type of on the job training.
- Advantages:
- Establishes expectations and good working habits from the start.
- Helps new workers understand the corporate culture.
- Speeds up settling in process.
- Employees feel confident in their new role, ensuring that they are
able to complete their role effectively from the start.
- Disadvantages:
- Can be time consuming.
- Key staff need to be freed from their duties.
- Information overload for new recruits.
- Induction can be lengthy in large firms.
- Off-the-job Training:
- Training that happens outside working hours, where the employees are
being trained away from the job.
- This could involve workshops, conferences etc.
- Advantages:
- Experts who may not exist internally are able to be used.
- A wider range of training can be provided.
- There are no distractions from colleagues at an offsite venue.
- Networking can take place, so employees can meet new people.
- Disadvantages:
- There is a potential loss of output whilst workers attend the offsite
training course.
- Hiring specialist trainers can be very expensive, and
transport/accommodation costs may add cost.
- It is debatable whether all skills are transferable to the business.
- Finding time for staff to get off work can be difficult.

Labour Turnover:
Labour Turnover:
- Refers to the proportion of employees who leave the business.
- Labour turnover is presented as a %.
- The labour turnover rate per time period is calculated by using the formula:

-
- Example:
 - If a restaurant starts the year with 24 employees, and by the end of the year, 4 have
left, the labour turnover can be calculated by: (4/ 24) x 100 = 16.67%
- The remaining employees have been retained.

Practice questions:
1) A school has 90 teachers at the start of the year. 10 leave. What is the labour turnover for
the school?
(10/ 90) x 100 = 11.11%

2) A warehouse has 400 employees in various positions, throughout the year 63 employees
leave the business. What is the labour turnover for the warehouse?
(63/ 400) x 100 = 15.75%

3) Challenge: A company starts the year with 100 employees. Halfway through the year, they
employ another 100. By the end of the year, 20 employees leave. What is the labour
turnover?
(100 + 200) / 2 = 150 (average number of employees)
(20/ 150) x 100 = 13.33%

Reasons why an employee might choose to leave a business:

- Challenge:
- Employees often seek challenges to keep their work engaging and stimulating.
- Lack of challenging tasks can lead to boredom and dissatisfaction.
- Example:
- An employee may leave a job if they feel their skills are underutilized, and
they are not being given opportunities to learn or grow in their role.
- Location:
- The geographical location of a job can significantly impact an employee's decision to
stay or leave, considering factors like travel time, family obligations, or personal
preferences.
- Example:
- A professional might decide to leave a job if the workplace relocates to a
distant location, causing difficulties in maintaining work-life balance.
- Advancement:
- Employees often seek opportunities for career progression.
- If they perceive limited opportunities for growth within the current organization,
they might consider leaving.
- Example:
- An ambitious employee may resign if they consistently see others being
promoted over them without clear reasons or if there are no pathways for
career development.
- Money:
- If employees feel they are not adequately rewarded for their efforts, they may
explore other opportunities.
 - Example:
- An employee may decide to leave if they receive a job offer with a more
competitive salary or better benefits than what their current employer
provides.
- Pride (or personal and professional reasons):
- Employees may leave a business due to personal or professional values
misalignment, lack of recognition, or dissatisfaction with the company's culture.
- Example:
- Someone might resign if they feel the company's values contradict their
own, or if they believe their contributions are not acknowledged or valued.
- Security:
- Uncertain economic conditions, company instability, or fears of layoffs can drive employees
to seek more stable employment.
- Example:
- An employee may decide to leave if the company frequently undergoes
restructuring, leading to concerns about job stability and future prospects.

High labour turnover:

- High labour turnover implies that employees are not staying in the firm for an extended
period.
- This could be due to various factors that demotivate the workforce, leading to reduced
productivity.
- The constant need for hiring new staff provides additional costs for the business.
- The reasons for high turnover may include aspects like demotivation, low compensation and
benefits, or unskilled staff.
- Identifying and addressing these issues is crucial for improving retention and reducing the
associated costs.

Low labour turnover:

- Low labour turnover indicates that employees tend to stay with the company for a more
extended period.
- This loyalty can foster a sense of stability, and existing employees may be more motivated to
contribute to the business.
- However, a very low turnover may also suggest a lack of fresh perspectives and innovation.
- Introducing new workers can bring in fresh ideas, encourage innovation, and contribute to
the overall progress of the business.
- Striking a balance between stability and the infusion of new talent is essential for sustained
growth and development.
Appraisals:
- An appraisal (also known as a performance review or performance appraisal) is the formal
procedure of assessing the performance and effectiveness of employees in relation to their
job description and the organization’s business objectives.
- The line manager (the appraiser) conducts the appraisal with reference to the roles and
responsibilities of the employee (the appraisee).

Key reasons of conducting appraisals:

- Assess and record an employees performance in line with their job description and
professional targets.
- Assist employees in reflecting on their own performance and contributions at work.
- Identify any barriers hindering the performance of an employee.
- Identify appropiate training and development needs of the employee.
- Set new goals for continuous professional development and career progression.
- Aid management in assessing the sustainability of individuals for a pay rise or promotion.
- Provide an opportunity to praise or reward staff for their good work.

- Communication is conducted in a two-way manner so that the line manager and employee
are able to discuss performance targets and identify any areas for improvement.
- The appraiser also provides constructive feedback to the appraisee.
- To support the employee in their professional development, the appraisal process is also
used to recognise any training needs.
- It is common to conduct a performance review at least once a year.
- Typically, employees will set SMART targets that intend to accomplish as part of the
appraisal process:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time bound.

Why conduct appraisals?

- Appraisals are conducted in order to:
- Provide feedback to the employer and employee on the concluding performance.
- Help the employee improve his/her performance at work.
- Hold employees accountable.
- Improve the employee’s motivation and job satisfaction.
- Identify specific training and development needs to support the employee.
- Help with decision about salary increases.
- Identify potential workers for promotion.
- Meet workforce planning needs of the organization.
- However, appraisals can be time consuming and expensive to execute effectively.
 - They can also cause anxiety and stress for employees, especially if their pay and
employment depend on the outcome.

Types of appraisals:
- Formative appraisal:
- Formative appraisals occur regularly, allowing employees to improve performance.
- Line managers provide feedback based on SMART targets, fostering ongoing
development and making adjustments to goals as needed.
- Advantages:
- Enables continuous improvement: As regular feedback allows employees to
make ongoing adjustments.
- Supports employee development: As it provides an opportunity for
managers to support employees with training and development needs
identified during formative appraisals.
- Allows for timely adjustments: As immediate feedback allows for timely
adjustments to goals and tasks.
- Disadvantages:
- May require more time and resources: As conducting regular formative
appraisals may require significant time and resources.
- Constant feedback might be perceived as scrutiny: As constant feedback
might be perceived as scrutiny, potentially affecting employee morale.
- Long-Term Measurement: May cause difficulty in measuring long-term
performance changes due to the ongoing nature of formative feedback.
- Example:
- The line manager providing feedback on an employee's progress in a specific
role or project, making modifications to targets as necessary.
- Summative Appraisal:
- Summative appraisals, in contrast to formative ones, are periodic and often
conducted annually.
- They involve making judgments on whether the employee has met agreed
standards, holding them accountable for their overall performance.
- Advantages:
- Comprehensive Overview: Summative appraisals provide a comprehensive
overview of the employee's performance over a set period.
- Decision-Making: Useful for decision-making processes, such as promotions
and bonuses.
- Clear Endpoint: Sets a clear endpoint for assessment, allowing for reflection
and planning for the future.
- Disadvantages:
- Limited Scope for Immediate Improvement: Since it is conducted
retrospectively, there is limited scope for immediate performance
improvement.
- Potential for Bias: The retrospective nature may introduce bias into the
evaluation process.
 - Anxiety and Stress: Employees may experience anxiety and stress leading up
to the evaluation.
- Example:
- An annual performance review assessing whether the employee has met
expected standards and discussing areas for improvement.
- 360-Degree Feedback:
- 360-degree feedback involves gathering input from various sources, such as line
managers, co-workers, subordinates, and even customers.
- Self-ratings can be included, providing a holistic view of the employee's
effectiveness.
- Advantages:
- Diverse Perspectives: Gathers input from various sources, providing a more
well-rounded assessment.
- Collaborative Improvement: Encourages collaborative and team-oriented
improvement.
- Multiple Perspectives: Offers multiple perspectives on the employee’s
effectiveness and performance.
- Disadvantages:
- Complexity: Gathering feedback from multiple sources through
questionnaires, surveys, and interviews can be complex and time-
consuming.
- Potential for Bias: The inclusion of various perspectives may introduce biases
into the feedback.
- Trust Requirement: Requires a high level of trust in the process to ensure
honest and constructive feedback.
- Example:
- A manager receiving feedback from team members, peers, and superiors
through questionnaires, surveys, and interviews.
- Self-Appraisal:
- Self-appraisal involves employees reflecting on and evaluating their own
performance against pre-agreed standards.
- It encourages self-awareness and helps identify training and development needs.
- Advantages:
- Encourages Self-Reflection: Promotes self-reflection and personal
responsibility for performance.
- Alignment with Goals: Allows individuals to align personal goals with
organizational objectives.
- Enhances Self-Awareness: Contributes to improved self-awareness through
self-evaluation.
- Disadvantages:
- Potential for Bias: Self-appraisals may be subject to bias, as individuals may
overestimate or underestimate their performance.
- Lack of Objectivity: Lack of objectivity compared to external assessments.
- Skill Challenges: Employees may struggle with accurately assessing their own
performance due to a lack of self-assessment skills.
 - Example:
- Employees rating themselves against key performance indicators, preparing
for discussions with their line manager.

The Recruitment Process:

The recruitment process:

- Is the process followed by a business organisation when hiring a new employee.

The main typical steps in the recruitment process are:

1. Job analysis:
- This is the process of examining what a particular job involves.
- The analysis enables the HR department to determine the roles, tasks, duties,
responsibilities and skills required to do the job.
- The job analysis is needed to formulate the job description and person specification.
- For example:
- A job analysis for an IB teacher might include the need to teach Theory of
Knowledge (TOK), supervise students for their Extended Essay, and
participate in the school’s CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) programme,
in addition to their teaching responsibilities.
2. Job description:
- The job description is a brief document containing particulars of a job.
- It will usually include the job title (e.g., Head of History Department), roles and
responsibilities (e.g., to lead teaching and learning in History), and other duties (e.g.,
to participate in extra-curricular activities at the school).
- The job description enables potential candidates to know what is required of them.
- It also helps recruiters to decide which candidate to hire, based on their ability to
perform the job.
3. Person specification:
- This is an official and concise document that contains details of the attributes and
qualities of the ideal person for a particular job.
- It is based on the job analysis and job description, so outlines the profile of the best
candidate needed to fill a job vacancy.
- For example:
- It will specify the required or preferred qualifications (ex: post-graduate
degree), experience (ex: teaching experience), knowledge (ex: of IB History),
skills (ex: ICT), and personality (ex: good sense of humour).
- The person specification is used to ensure greater objectivity in the selection
process.
4. Job evaluation:
- This is an assessment and review of the value of a job (ex: Head of History) in
relation to other jobs in the organization (ex: Head of Mathematics), so that the
 remuneration and other rewards can be determined in an objective, transparent,
and fair manner.
- Note that this is about the job itself rather than the performance of the person
doing the job.
- A common method of differentiating pay is the use of a salary points scale, which
ranks jobs based on factors such as the level of responsibility, skills, and experience.
- Essentially, a salary scale is used as a measure of the level of importance of each job.
5. Job advertisement:
- Job adverts are formal communications after job analysis announcing the vacant
post.
- They are produced and released after completing the previous four steps in the
recruitment process.
- Note that job adverts can be placed internally (for internal recruitment of staff)
and/or externally, such as in newspapers, employment agencies, online websites, or
through professional head hunters.
6. Shortlisting:
- After the job advert goes out, candidates apply for the vacant post, using any
combination of an application form, covering letter of application and a curriculum
vitae (or résumé).
- This document contains details of the applicant’s educational and professional
qualifications, employment history (work experience), accomplishments, skills, and
personal interests.
- The cover letter is a short introductory letter written by the applicant explaining why
s/he is applying for the role and why they consider themself to be suitable for the
position.
- Shortlisting is the process of employers selecting the most suitable applicants and
inviting them for a job interview.
- The process is based on matching the candidates that best match the job description
and person specification, thereby removing unsuitable or incompatible applicants
from the recruitment process.
7. Interviews:
- Once shortlisted candidates are determined, they are invited for a job interview.
- The interview enables the employer representatives to ask a series of questions to
the applicants in order to assess the extent to which they might fit the job and the
organization.
- Commonly asked questions in a job interview include:
- Why are you interested in this position (job)?
- What do you look forward to when you wake up in the morning and why?
- What are your main strengths and weaknesses?
- Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult person / faced a challenging
situation, and what you learned from the process?
- Why do you want to leave your current position / job role?
- What would your co-workers say about you?
- What are your salary expectations?
- What can you do this year that you were unable to do last year?
 - Where do you see yourself in 5 years' time?
- Why should we hire you?
- For some jobs, it is necessary to include some form of testing in order to select
(appoint) the most appropriate person for the job.
- For example:
- A prospective teacher might be asked to teach a lesson, whilst the recruiters
observe how the candidates interacts with and engages the students.
- Similarly, a candidate applying to be a television newsreader will be asked to
perform several tasks such as reading from a script whilst grasping the
viewers’ attention.
8. Selection:
- Once all candidates for the vacant post have been interviewed, the panel of
interviewers can select the most suitable person to offer the job.
- The panel will refer back to the job description and person specifications, and
consider feedback from the interviews in order to make their decision.
- This keeps the selection process objective rather than subjective - this is important
as hiring the right person raises productivity and eliminates the need to rehire
someone else if the wrong person was initially selected.
- The recruiters also have to observe equal opportunities laws, so cannot discriminate
applicants on the basis of their gender, age, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
9. Background checks and references:
- Before making a job offer, the recruiters need to make final background checks.
- For example:
- Teachers need to have background checks to confirm they are fit to work
with young people, and do not hold a criminal record.
- They also need their qualifications confirmed.
- Most employers will also insist on getting references from two or more referees, one
of whom should be the applicant’s current or last employer.
- These checks and references help to ensure the candidate is honest and truthful.
10. Job offer:
- Finally, once all checks and references are confirmed, the most outstanding
candidate is formally offered the job.
- Once she/he agrees, the human resources manager will prepare a contract of
employment between the employer and employee.
- In some cases, the contract is offered subject to a satisfactory medical test.
- If a successful candidate is chosen and accepts the job offer, the recruitment process
is concluded.