Job analysis, workforce planning, and selection processes in staffing

Job Analysis Selection • Conduct a job analysis. • Outline a workforce planning system. • Create a selection process staffing. Course Assignments 1. Readings • Read Chapter 5 -- 7 Managing Human Resources.

Job Analysis Selection

As InterClean and EnviroTech completed their merger, the operational complexities of the resulting companies significantly increased. At the primary level, one could observe the fact that the organization would no longer simply offer cleaning products, but also cleaning services to the local health care institutions. As a specification, these institutions require the highest possible quality cleaning products and services. Nevertheless, the ability to kill as many germs as possible does no longer represent the main competitive advantage.

The modern day society is extremely dynamic and continually challenges the economic agents to rise up to amounting expectations. While a high quality of the manufactured products and delivered services is imperative, it is no longer sufficient to generate customer satisfaction, and as such sustainability of revenues. The customers are presented with a wider selection and their growing pretentious are as such entitled. They for instance come to make socio-economic demands, such as the operation in an environmentally friendly manner or the generation of social responsibility (Jobber and Lancaster, 2009).

At an internal level, companies have to develop and implement more complex strategic approaches which better serve the needs of the customers, but which also better attract the clients towards the company's products and services. In the case of the organization formed through the merger of InterClean and EnviroTech, the number one priority is that of increasing sales in products, concomitantly with a penetration of the cleaning services industry, as a provider of cleaning services to the health care agencies in the community.

These tasks fall under the responsibility of the sales team, which is just now being created. The first endeavor in this sense is that of conducting a job analysis on the sales position. From this standpoint, the following responsibilities are to be assigned and demanded from the sales team:

Management of information regarding customers, products, opportunities and so on Operation of the organizational databases related to sales, such as customer appointments, deliverables, schedules, sales reports, competition's actions and so on Locating customers and presenting the company's products

Meeting sales agents and maintaining communications with customers to get both feedback, as well as ensure efficient delivery

Improve the skills of the sales team through knowledge transfer sessions and training programs

Constructing, reviewing and otherwise managing customer accounts and records

Continually communicating with other parties- such as customers or other organizational departments -- to improve the sales process

Conducting market research in order to identify the competition's strategies, the customers' responses, market opportunities and threats or collect feedback (The BOLA Project).

In order for the team to be able to complete the above mentioned responsibilities, it is necessary for the members to possess at least the following skills and abilities:

Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. It is crucial for the team members as well as for other organizational parties to gain quick access to information and be able to transmit it in a useful manner.

Vast technical knowledge of the products and services to be sold as well as extensive knowledge of the market in which the products would be distributed and the past, current and prospective customers

Ability to operate informational systems. This requirement is impending as technology and information play a more and more dramatic role in organizational operations

People skills which allow the team members to interact with the customers and stimulate purchases, as well as motivate the other team members to enhance their own performances

Finally, it is also necessary for the sales team members to be able to drive, sit for prolonged periods of time, be willing to travel for job related purposes, be able to close a sale and be able to function under pressure (Staffing and Recruiting Essentials, 2010).

The selection process to sit at the basis of forming a new sales team does not resemble any theoretical model in the specialized literature, but is tailored to the unique needs of the company and the current situation. In this order of ideas, the selection process is composed as follows:

1. Identification of staffing needs and the establishment of the skills required from the future sales team members

2. The analysis of the internal and external media to identify sources of recruiting candidates

3. The identification of the desired candidates from their current employment contexts and the development of an interview with them

4. The decision of selecting the desired candidates; making an employment offer and signing an employment contract.

The main advantage of this selection method is that of reduced costs with the elimination of traditional selection processes. In essence, the manager of the future sales team conducts research on the company as well as the labor force market to identify those people suitable for the position. The disadvantage is that this requires increased amounts of time and efforts from the sales manager, but the advantage of going directly to the targeted candidates. Since these candidates are initially contacted by the sales manager, they already possess the skills required and the real ability to complete the responsibilities of sales staffs. The corresponding disadvantage occurs however when the selected individual refuses the position and the search for a new potential employee has to be launched again.

Based on this selection method, the following five individuals were selected as part of the future sales team:

Janet Durham -- despite her current occupation in HR, Janet possesses vast knowledge in sales and is a valuable asset to the sales team. Additionally, she has a vast experience within the firm and best knows the company's strengths and weaknesses. She would serve in a counseling position.