HR Recruitment, Job Analysis, and Employee Discipline

Anti-Discrimination Policies in Recruitment and Selection

Organizations must be vigilant about the terms on which a job is offered, including opportunities for promotion, training, incentives, and other similar benefits. Management must be careful not to refuse employment to a candidate because of a disability, and must equally avoid refusing promotions or training on account of disability, since the employee is protected under the law and the company may be sued for acting against it. The organization must also be prepared to make any special arrangements necessary for a disabled person so that he or she may be able to carry out duties at an optimum level. All complaints of discrimination can be addressed to an Employment Tribunal. [10]

When the management of an organization requires firm legal advice on the various policies that protect employees from discrimination and safeguard their rights in the workplace, it can contact bodies such as the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission, the Equality Challenge Unit, and Opportunity Now. However, management is expected to ensure that these policies are followed within the organization and that all employees are aware of them, so that violations do not occur and a peaceable working environment is maintained. In addition, all policies must be reviewed periodically, and any changes must be accommodated so that there is no room for dispute at a later stage.

When a job vacancy arises, the first step is to determine the qualifications required of the candidate. The next step is to advertise the vacancy using a wide variety of available resources, such as the media or the Internet, using clear and consistent language so that candidates understand what is expected of them. The third step is to call candidates for an interview and test them according to the rules established by the human resources department. References must be checked thoroughly, along with other checks such as credit and criminal background checks. Once these steps are completed, the candidate can be formally recruited. Throughout this process, the company must bear in mind all the various policies protecting employees against discrimination. The other employees must also be aware of these policies, and when this awareness is achieved and the candidate has been chosen, the company will have successfully completed the process of selection and recruitment. [11]

Job Evaluation: Purpose and Advantages

The primary aim of job evaluation, also referred to as job analysis, is to provide a dependable and thorough assessment of the value of a job within the workplace, and to rank it according to the demands it places on the employee responsible for its completion. In short, a job evaluation provides the human resources department with the details needed to establish a properly organized grading structure. Importantly, it is the job itself that is evaluated in this system, not the employee. This requires the use of several established techniques of job analysis, as well as assessments and comparisons with similar jobs, so that management is aware of the level of experience required to carry out the job efficiently and the degree of responsibility that the employee must be given to complete it successfully. Notably, the volume of work, the ability of the individual, and the number of persons needed to complete the job do not fall within the scope of job evaluation; only the complete assessment of the job itself is carried out. [12]

In the past, job evaluation was intended only for white-collar workers and not for manual laborers or other similar employees, but today it is widely used by almost all modern organizations as an integral part of their working methods. The popularity of job analysis is largely attributable to the high levels of competition in today's business world, where an accurate assessment of grading levels is a practical necessity for determining unit labor costs and for demonstrating to employees their importance in the functioning of the organization.

There are several additional advantages of a job evaluation system. When a company's grading structure requires review, this method can be used to arrive at an appropriate figure. When a grading system is already in place, job evaluation can help management establish its credibility and practicality through comparison. It can also help management incorporate new jobs into an existing grading structure, and it enables the organization to match its jobs with those of external employers and compare pay structures. A job analysis will also help management identify and eliminate any inconsistencies in the company's pay structure where jobs are arranged illogically. However, when a bonus or incentive scheme is not functioning well, job evaluation should not be attempted, as this falls outside the intended purpose of the analysis. [13]

Job analysis can be an extremely important employment tool that, if used well, will bring about better working conditions for employees and employers alike, and provide better benefits for management by offering an objective basis for hiring, evaluating, recruiting, training, and accommodating employees, including those with disabilities. A proper job analysis will reveal to management the true purpose of the job, the functions the job entails that the employee must perform to the best of their ability, the setting in which the employee must work, and the qualifications the employee must possess in order to carry out duties efficiently. A set of questions can be asked by members of the organization so that the process of job evaluation can be carried out efficiently and purposefully.

Conducting a Job Analysis

The first issue is generally this: what is the contribution of the job toward the achievement of the overall goals of the company? This requires examining what activities actually make up the entire job, whether all activities are necessary, and whether the number of activities can be reduced. For example, a company secretary might type, file papers, answer the telephone, and take dictation from a senior. The question is whether these activities can be reduced in number, and what the inter-relationship between each activity is. Is it necessary that all activities always be performed in a set order, or can the order be changed for greater efficiency? What physical actions does the job entail — does it require sitting, standing, or other movement? How many employees generally perform the same or similar functions, and can these activities be redistributed among other employees to improve organizational efficiency? How much time does the employee typically spend on each task, and can this time be reduced without affecting the quality of the work? When some tasks are performed less frequently than others, does this affect overall job success, and would more frequent performance improve outcomes? [14]

If one basic function were eliminated from the job, would the job be adversely affected? What is the general consequence when a particular task is not completed on time — would it affect the overall efficiency of the organization? After these analyses are completed, the next step is the analysis of the job's location, or job setting. This includes examining where the job is performed on a daily basis, whether the work is organized for maximum safety and efficiency, whether the employee can obtain all necessary materials with ease and comfort, what movements are required of the employee in the course of their duties, and what the physical conditions of the job setting are — for example, whether the workplace is very hot, cold, noisy, dirty, or humid. [15]

The social conditions of the job must also be taken into account: whether the employee works in a group with people from different backgrounds or works alone, whether the employee is isolated, and whether deadlines are being met. The qualifications of the employee and the question of whether the employee is physically fit enough to perform certain demanding tasks must also be analyzed — for example, what physical requirements such as cleaning, driving, or lifting heavy objects are involved. Does the worker possess the necessary skills to perform the job well, such as the ability to read, write, draw, or communicate effectively? If not, is it possible to provide training within the organization or externally, and does the company cover the expense that such training would entail?

If training were not immediately possible, would the employee's previous experience and existing skills compensate for the lack of expertise in the current role? When the answers to all or some of these questions are obtained by the human resources department, management can proceed with analyzing the data and conducting a full job analysis. This analysis will assist management in developing objective interview questions for the selection and recruitment process, in writing accurate job descriptions that give a true picture of the role, and in appraising the performance of current employees impartially and without prejudice. [16]

Conclusion

When there is good discipline in the workplace, the result is motivation and well-being for both the employer and the employees of the organization. It is a fact that discipline is among the most difficult issues faced by any employer, as it involves many judgmental considerations of right and wrong, fair and unfair. Nevertheless, discipline must be maintained, and a well-informed human resources management team will benefit greatly from understanding all the various disciplinary policies and measures available today. Taken together with sound recruitment practices and rigorous job analysis, a fair and consistent approach to employee discipline forms the cornerstone of effective human resource management.