On successful completion of this assessment item a student will have demonstrated competence in the following areas:
LO1: Identify the functional areas of Human Resources Management and relate these elements to the achievement of organisational goals.
LO2: Describe concept, models, framework, and tools for understanding Human Resources Management.
Assignment brief
Assignment title Case Study on Recruitment and Selection
Purpose of this assignment
This assignment aimed to give students the knowledge and understanding of how an organization can organize, plan and execute its human resource management in order to be sustain itself. Students will be introduced to the process of workforce planning, recruitment and selection. Students able to explain the importance of having a clear and effective resourcing process so as to ensure human resource with the right competencies and behaviors are brought into the organisation. Students will learn how to evaluate possible alternative methods and then select an appropriate strategy for an organization.
Scenario
You are acting like a business consultant to a growing electronics manufacturer. The client firm has just completed its strategic plan and workforce plan. Your firm assist small businesses to develop efficient plans to achieve organisational goals and superior performance. Your task is to apply resourcing methods you have learnt and get the talented people to work in roles and ways that are closely aligned to organizational objectives. Your answers to the case study given would be expected to cover the following:
Task 1
1.1 Determine the different approaches and the various components for effective resourcing strategy in any organisation.
1.2 Evaluate the environmental factors and the internal dynamics that can disrupt the usual resourcing plan that is in place.
1.3 Assess the effectiveness of the related plan and its countermeasures in relation to workforce planning, recruitment and selection.
Task 2
2.1 Perform an assessment of the workforce planning and execution as a whole
2.2 Identify the strengths and weakness in relation to the context of the organisation dynamics provided
2.3 Recommend the direction and specific measures that can be put in place and carried out for an effective recruitment and selection strategy.
Evidence
checklist Summary of evidence required by student
Task 1 Address the related issues that are enquired upon in relation to the case study and specified in the questions.
Task 2 Provide related answers with sound justification and examples to support whatever arguments you have put forward.
Sources of information:
Any relevant sources such as official website, journals, articles, magazines, newspaper and etc.
MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
CASE STUDY ON RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
Overview of the Case
The area of coverage of this case study is on workforce planning, recruitment and selection. After the strategic plan of the company is done, the plan needs to be executed and evaluated. The organization need to decide on the workforce planning so that it can implement the strategic plan. New resources will be needed and one of the most important resource being human resource. Once it is determined, recruitment and selection usually follow. The case study is about Excellence Sendirian Berhad (ESB). ESB is an electronics company located in the industrial estate. Recently it completed its strategic plan and workforce planning. As the manpower requirements becomes clearer, now is the time for recruitment and selection. The case study below took place at this point in time.
Case Study Details
ESB has completed its workforce forecast and one of the most urgent matter is to employ a capable senior production manager. The operational vice president Mr. Mather is asked by the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) to personally look for a suitable candidate as the current senior production manager has fallen very sick quite suddenly. He is on extended sick leave and is unlikely to resume his duties. The business conditions requires introduction of new products. ESB must find a senior production manager quickly who can provide the leadership to lead the company in the busy years ahead.
Time is pressing and the HR department is also busy with the employment of the lower level staff. Thus the Operational VP decided to get an executive search firm company to help. As he has always rely on his Personal Assistant, Thomas was asked to focus specifically on this matter. This will allow Mr. Mather to attend to many other technical details.
Thomas has to multi-task and the easiest way was to engage an executive search firm. That was how he engaged BOC (Best of Class) company through the Internet to look for a suitable senior Production manager. BOC is well reputed but not experienced in the electronics sector. As Thomas seldom perform “recruiting” tasks, and with budget constraints, he chose the cheaper suite of services offered by BOC. BOC would go through the database of resumes they have and pulled out those resumes BOC deems suitable. Soon resumes arrived from BOC. Thomas retrieved
the job description from the system to match them with the resumes of the candidates. From the comparison of several candidates based on discussion with BOC, candidate “Jarett” seems to stand out.
Thomas was able to secure the candidate Jarett within 2 months from the time the first resume was submitted by BOC till the list of candidates was shortlisted by Thomas. The interview was scheduled where Mr. Mather and BOC’s senior consultant Ms. Lydia were also present. It was like a courtesy interview as Mr. Mather assumed Thomas has carefully screened through while Ms. Lydia assumed that his people would have done the proper reference and background checks. After all Jarett has achieved a senior level and should be “grilled” in an interview. Is this a
right approach? In a few weeks, the candidate Jarett was on board and became an employee of EBS with the title of “Senior Operations Manager”.
Soon the true nature of Jarett shows. Initially he was observing things around him and did take much action. Then signs that he is not so cool about managing people and things start appearing. Eventually he got into “verbal fighting matches” with his people. He started upsetting not only his people but also people from materials store as well as the sales department for different reasons. Things became so bad that three months after joining the company, Jarett’s employment with ESB was terminated. Jarett took legal action and the case is pending.
After Jarett left, there were some internal enquiry. A closer study revealed that in Jarett’s resume, there was some time gaps when Jarett appeared to be unemployed. Additional checks showed he left the company due to his emotional issues. At the same time, due to the time pressure, Jarett did not perform the usual background checks which includes a reference checks and psychometric assessment. It was also discovered that Thomas used an old job description which is not updated. By this time it is too late to do much. The damage is done.
So what could have been done and not done? Should the executive search firms be more careful in doing cross references and investigate his past? Are resumes important for higher positions? Can ECB do something extra even though executive search firms are used? Should there be a better selection process? These would be the areas expected in your answers.
Questions on the Case Study
1. Define what recruitment is and what selection is. What is the difference between the two?
Do you think that when Jarett is recruited through executive firm, the tasks of both recruitment and selection are done by the executive firm?
2. Thomas did not handle the executive search firm well enough. Suggest AND explain three ways where it can be handled better.
On the resume received by Thomas on Jarett, generally what can be done better?
3. Based on the case details, give two observations on the ineffectiveness of the interview done by Mr. Mather and Ms. Lydia.
In what ways can a face-to-face interview achieve what other types of selection methods cannot achieve?
4. Application forms can sometimes elicit better information than resumes as they pose some direct questions that the resume may not address. However resume remain highly popular. Give your opinions in details as to the advantages in using resumes and application forms for both the potential employee and the potential employer.
5. What is the intention of cross references, background checks and investigating the past history of a candidate in this case?
If the intention is given, 5 marks would be awarded. If it is further applied to the case, an additional 5 marks are awarded.
Can ECB psychometric tools be able to assess Jarett’s emotional composure? If these tools are used, what weightage would you give to use it in making decision?
You are expected to research and come up with the answers. This is an open question. Answers with justification should be awarded 10 marks.
