Recruitment and Selection - 1 | Commerce & Accountancy Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• Personnel management, though in existence for almost seventy years, has recently undergone a significant shift in its perceived importance. The growing complexity and size of organizations have led to the emergence of multiple layers of bureaucracy. Recognizing the escalating costs associated with manpower, organizations have embraced a new perspective known as strategic human resources management. This approach takes a broader and more integrated view of the personnel function, aiming to align it with the long-term strategies of an organization and exploring ways to facilitate the achievement of those strategies and goals.
• Moreover, a heightened focus on careers and life satisfaction has prompted organizations to reassess traditional assumptions about career planning. This reevaluation is driven by the desire to provide employees with more alternative career opportunities and to consider their lifestyle needs when transferring them from one location to another, a trend especially evident in the hospitality industry.
• This unit delves into the concept of selecting individuals based on their merit and provides insights into the various stages of the selection process until individuals are assigned to specific jobs. Understanding the significance and requirements of each stage is crucial for grasping the intricacies involved. The unit emphasizes the need for care and caution at each stage to ensure successful completion and highlights potential pitfalls to prevent the selection of unsuitable candidates. Given the hospitality industry's demand for a highly professional approach to deliver quality services, recruitment and selection at all levels must be executed with utmost care.

Some Definitions

Here, we outline the four sequential steps that are taken before an individual embarks on their training for the assigned job:

1. Recruitment: This process involves identifying potential employees, encouraging them to apply for specific jobs within an organization. It is a proactive step that entails inviting individuals to submit their applications, aiming to build a pool of eligible candidates from which the most suitable person can be selected.
2. Selection: The selection process involves evaluating applicants to assess their suitability for a given job and choosing the best candidate from those deemed suitable. Notably, this process has a negative aspect as it entails rejecting certain candidates.
3. Placement: Placement involves determining the job that best suits a selected candidate and assigning that particular job to them. The ideal goal is to match the right person with the right job, leading to reduced turnover, absenteeism, accident rates, and improved morale, motivation, and overall work quality.
4. Induction: Induction is the process of introducing an employee to both the job and the organization. The primary objective of induction is to familiarize the new employee with the company, instilling a sense of pride in their association. This is often referred to as 'orientation' or 'introduction.'

Essentials of Recruitment Policy

• Formulating a recruitment policy is a crucial managerial task that requires the active involvement of employees at all levels. It is a complex process that should consider the values and objectives of various groups to enhance the efficiency of working relationships within an organization. Additionally, the policy should align with employees' needs to achieve the organization's overarching objectives.
• Recruitment is the process of identifying and selecting sources to acquire employees, employing effective measures to connect with prospective employees who will contribute to an efficient workforce. An organization's recruitment program encompasses five key elements: the recruiting organization, recruitment process, manpower requirements forecast, development of manpower sources, and techniques for utilizing these sources.
• The recruitment policy outlines objectives and provides a procedural framework for implementing the recruitment program. It may cover various issues such as internal promotions or transfers, especially in government and public sector organizations where quotas are often established. While the personnel function is related to the recruitment system, the ultimate responsibility for recruitment should ideally rest with the line managers, with consultation from the staff or personnel department.
• Personnel managers must consistently assess and enhance recruitment methods in response to the evolving business environment and demands. This is particularly true in the dynamic hospitality sector, where trends change rapidly, posing challenges that personnel managers need to convert into opportunities. A robust recruitment program involves evaluating each source and technique based on the quality of personnel it has provided.
• Evaluation procedures should include assessing existing employees in terms of job success, evaluating sources that have yielded good or poor employees, and reviewing the methods used to assess their relative values.
• In today's hotel establishments, regardless of size, it is essential to establish a clear recruitment policy within the organization. Ad hoc measures like hiring based on word-of-mouth recommendations or personal favors are not conducive to organizational growth.

The Process of Recruitment

• After outlining the processes in the previous section, we will now provide detailed explanations for each one separately in the upcoming sections. In this section, we will focus on recruitment.

(A) Preparation for Recruitment 

Before inviting individuals to apply for a job, it is necessary to determine the types of people to be invited and the qualifications and qualities required. This involves establishing "job specifications," which are based on the job description dependent on the nature and requirements of the job.
Job specifications will vary for each job, and they encompass various elements:

• Physical Specifications: Certain jobs may necessitate specific physical features, such as height, body weight, and vision requirements for airline crews. The particular physical abilities and skills needed for a specific job must be specified, covering aspects like height, weight, finger dexterity, voice, poise, hand and foot coordination, and age range.
• Mental Specifications: These include intelligence, memory, judgment, planning ability, estimation, reading and writing skills, thinking and concentration capabilities, scientific faculties, and arithmetic abilities. Different jobs require varying degrees of these abilities, and the more crucial ones should be specified. For instance, a Marketing Manager in a hotel should possess comprehensive knowledge of processes involved in brochure production, distribution channels, guest profiles, trends, etc.
• Emotional and Social Specifications: These involve characteristics that impact an employee's interactions with others, including personal appearance, manners, emotional stability, aggressiveness or submissiveness, extroversion or introversion, cooperativeness, leadership, initiative and drive, skills in dealing with others, and social adaptability. For example, counter personnel in hotels and airlines are expected to have a pleasant and charming personality, while hotel stewards should demonstrate adaptability and service with a smile.
• Behavioral Specifications: Certain management personnel at higher levels are expected to exhibit specific behaviors. Although not formally listed, these behaviors must be considered during the recruitment, selection, and placement processes. For instance, the fate of a company could be jeopardized if the Public Relations Officer displays rudeness, arrogance, and introversion.

(B) Manpower Sources

There are two main categories of manpower sources: internal and external.

1. Internal Sources: This category comprises individuals already on the organization's payroll, including those who were previously employed by the company and may wish to return. It encompasses those who left voluntarily or experienced production lay-offs.
2. External Sources: External sources exist outside the organization and include college students, new entrants to the job market, individuals with diverse skills and abilities seeking employment, retired experienced individuals, and others searching for jobs. This category also involves hiring individuals externally for specific roles, such as guides and tour escorts.

Preferring internal candidates has advantages, enhancing employee morale, fostering loyalty, and inspiring greater effort among organizational members. Additionally, this approach allows employers to evaluate existing employees, who are already familiar with the organization and require no induction. This familiarity increases the likelihood of success, and internal recruitment or promotion is generally less expensive than hiring externally.

However, there are drawbacks to preferring internal candidates, including the risk of inbreeding and discouragement of new entrants. If promotion is solely based on seniority, capable individuals may be overlooked, limiting fresh perspectives and the available talent pool. It may also lead to complacency among employees who assume that seniority ensures promotion.

External sources of manpower also present advantages and disadvantages. They offer a broader market and the opportunity to select candidates based on skills, training, and education, bringing new ideas into the organization. However, there are risks related to loyalty and the desire to stay with the organization when hiring externally. Additionally, the organization needs to make significant investments in the training and induction of externally hired individuals.

Relying solely on one source is not in the organization's best interest. A balanced approach, considering various factors, is essential, incorporating both internal and external sources.

Factors Influencing Promotion Policies

Several factors impact the formulation and effectiveness of promotion policies within an organization. These factors are outlined below:

• Impact on Employee Attitudes and Actions: The promotion policy significantly influences the attitudes and actions of all employees. When employees anticipate the first chance at job opportunities, they tend to feel more secure and align their long-term interests with the organization. However, a widespread application of the 'promotion from within' policy may inadvertently encourage mediocre performance. Organizations must carefully weigh the importance of employee loyalty against the risks associated with mediocre performance.
• Level of Specialization Required: In many organizations, the principal source for promotions may be current employees who have received specialized training. The level of specialization required for certain roles influences whether internal promotions or external hires are preferred.
• Emphasis on Employee Participation: The degree of emphasis on employee participation at all levels is a crucial consideration. New employees from outside, lacking experience within the firm, may take some time to understand the organization's services, products, or processes and participate effectively.
• Need for Originality and Initiative: The organization's need for and availability of originality and initiative also influence promotion decisions. If the organization believes it is cultivating these qualities through training, it may prefer internal promotions. Otherwise, new individuals with different ideas may be sought from outside.
• Acceptance of Seniority Principle: The success of a promotion-from-within policy hinges on the acceptance of the seniority principle, with or without suitable modifications for promotion. If this principle is not accepted, open and competitive selection methods may be more appropriate.

Methods of Recruitment

Recruitment methods can be broadly categorized into three groups: Direct Methods, Indirect Methods, and Third-Party Methods.

Direct Methods

• Schools and Colleges: Conducting campus interviews for apprenticeships, management trainees, etc. with the assistance of placement officers.
• Employees' Contact with the Public: Informing employees about vacancies, and they, in turn, notify relatives, friends, and acquaintances with relevant qualifications.
• Manned Exhibits: Sending recruiters to conventions, seminars, fairs, and mobile offices to attract potential candidates.
• Waiting Lists: Relying on application files and records of individuals who have expressed interest in jobs.

Indirect Methods

• Advertising: Placing ads in newspapers, electronic media, trade/professional journals, and technical publications to reach a wider audience. Tailoring advertisements for specific job requirements helps attract qualified candidates.

Third-Party Methods

• Commercial and Private Employment Agencies: Hiring agencies specializing in specific operations.
• State Agencies: Utilizing employment exchanges, boards, and recruiting firms.
• Management Consulting Firms: Seeking assistance for recruitment from firms specializing in talent acquisition.

In the hospitality industry, where jobs can be seasonal or have specific requirements for certain periods, third-party methods are often employed. For instance, hotels may approach language schools or guide associations to find candidates with specific language skills or expertise for short-term assignments.

Selection

Selection, as previously discussed, is the procedure of obtaining pertinent information about an applicant to assess their qualifications, experience, and other attributes in order to match them with the job requirements. It is essentially the act of identifying the most suitable individual for the organization's needs.

The Selection Process 

• The selection process entails choosing the most appropriate candidate and rejecting those who are unsuitable or less suitable. This can occur at various stages of the process, serving as screens designed to eliminate unqualified applicants. This approach is referred to as the 'successive hurdles technique.' Figure I illustrates these hurdles.
• Personnel Management expert Yoder terms these hurdles as 'go, no-go' gauges. Those who clear a hurdle progress to the next one, while those who do not qualify are eliminated. Not all selection processes include these hurdles, and their complexity generally increases with the level and responsibility of the position. Additionally, the order of these hurdles may vary between organizations.
  

Initial Screening or Preliminary Interviews

This is a sorting process where potential applicants receive essential information about the job's nature, and simultaneously, information is gathered from candidates regarding their education, experience, skills, salary expectations, etc. If the candidate is deemed suitable, they proceed to the next stage; otherwise, they are eliminated. Initial screening can take place at the organization's employment offices, often conducted by a junior executive in the personnel department. Care should be taken to avoid hasty rejections of suitable candidates. Since this interaction provides a personal connection with the company, interviewers should be courteous, kind, receptive, and informal.
When a candidate is found suitable, they are given an application form to fill out and submit.

Application Scrutiny

• In some cases, applications are requested on a plain sheet, especially when no specific application forms are designed. The applicant provides details about age, marital status, educational qualifications, work experience, and references. Different types of application forms may be used for various employees, such as managers, supervisors, and other staff. Forms can vary in complexity, ranging from simple and general to elaborate and detailed. It is important to avoid including information related to nationality, race, caste, religion, and place of birth to prevent any indication of discriminatory practices. The application form serves as a highly effective preliminary screening tool, especially when applications are received in direct response to an advertisement without a prior interview.
• The application serves two main purposes: (i) assessing the candidate's likelihood of success in the applied job based on the information provided, and (ii) serving as a starting point for the interview. Scrutiny of applications can often lead to the rejection of candidates who lack the required educational standards, experience, or other essential qualifications.