Managing People in Engineering - Assignment Example

Managing People in Engineering Section 1 LO1. Explain the processes and procedures involved in people management a. Explain how workforce planning is used to assess staffing requirements. The use of workforce planning in assessing staffing requirements is one of the various functions of this process. The process seeks to identify and address the inherent gaps between the present-day workforce and human resource needs. The process assesses staffing requirements by, firstly linking human resource planning together with strategic planning. This ensures that is proper alignment of human resources with the strategic goals and objectives of the agency. Secondly, workforce planning understands how the mission of the agency changes over time, as well as how these changes affect workplace requirements. Further, it understands the changes in the workforce with regard to demographics, skills, interests as well as performance. Workforce planning also capable of identifying various gaps in capability, as well as understanding the suitability of the current workforce for the purposes of future job needs. In addition, this process develops strategies, for example recruitment, retention as well as training for the purposes of addressing needs of staff, according to the gaps (1). b. Analyze how the general employment environment affects effective workforce recruitment and selection. The general employment environment plays a major role in workforce recruitment and selection. For recruitment and selection processes to be successful the employment environment has to be inclusive, whereby, for example, there is support by staff for processes such as agency workforce diversity initiatives. Environment includes the external environment- this refers to the various factors that affect the ability of a manager to attract, as well as recruit new workforce. Employment environment refers to factors such as the style of management, work-life balance as well as learning and development factors. c. Outline the processes and procedures carried out when recruiting and selecting personnel for a given engineering post For successful recruiting and selection to be achieved, the following processes and procedures are carried out. The first process involves short-listing. This involves making assessments of the applications of candidates to establish their suitability for the engineering post, which is done according to the job description and the person’s specification. After short-listing, persons are required to fill application blanks, which record qualifications, experiences as well as any other necessary specialty. This is an important selection process as it provides important information which can be used to properly identify the person and develop appropriate inferences with regard to his suitability. What follow is employment tests, which are carried out to match the physical, mental as well as temperamental pattern of the individual. These include intelligence tests, aptitude tests, proficiency tests and personality tests. After success in these tests, the other process is the employment interview. This process is carried out to establish the candidate’s suitability, look for more information with regard to the candidate, and more importantly, to provide an accurate picture to the candidate of job details, for example organizational policies. Interviews are also carried out because they provide a face-to-face contact between the candidate and employer, allowing the employer to assess the various personality traits of the candidate. Before the final selection is done, the process of checking references is carried out. References hold responsible positions in respectable organizations, which is why it is important for the organization to make an investigation of the references given by the candidate. Once successful, a physical and medical examination of the candidate is made. This is an important step conducted sometimes earlier in the selection process to avoid time and expenditure that may be incurred when selecting medically unfit candidates. The success of this process propels a candidate to receive the appointment letter, which has the date by which the candidate is required to join the organization. Section 4 LO4. Explain industrial relations and legislation within an employment relationship a. Describe contractual regulations of employment. A contract of employment is provided by the employer to the employee and forms the basis of the employment relationship. The majority of employment contracts do not require being in writing, although employees are legally entitled to a written statement of the major terms and conditions of employment. These include items such as working hours, pay and holidays. There are contractual regulations classified into the following categories: general work regulations; regulations that concern hazardous machinery; and regulations that control hazardous processes. b. Justify the use of employment practices in an engineering organization. The use of employment practices is very important in an engineering organization. This is because they help in maintaining a good quality of life which encompasses work-life balance as well as work satisfaction. Modern-day employment practices such as, for example, telecommuting, is very relevant in engineering organization. The adoption of information technology to help workers work away from their offices has preceded the emergence of global work. This practice enables an organization to benefit from employee skills of workers that are located in distant locations without having to have them at the organization. c. Explain the constraints imposed by legislation on termination of employment. Employee termination is referred to as the release of an employee against his or her will. Legislation has various constraints that can keep employers from terminating an employee, even when it becomes necessary to do so. Legislation with regard to termination of employment is usually a reflection of labor market conditions as well as societal values in a specified period. A major constraint is that this legislation restricts hiring new employees. It is considered a hindrance of the ability of an organization to improve and respond to flexibility to change. Additional constraints include onerous dismissal costs that make employers reluctant to recruit new staff. d. Examine and report on the main features of current employment legislation. Current employment legislation is made up of the following features: firstly it is employment rights. Current employment legislation has various legal rights, which include the right to a written statement, which should be provided within the first two months of beginning employment. An employee is also entitled to maternity leave and pay, paternity leave and pay, as well as adoption leave and pay. The employee also enjoys the right not to face unfair dismissal, which works together with the right for the employer not to operate an unfair dismissal and disciplinary policy. In addition, current employment legislation also features health and safety legislation, as well as equalities and discrimination law. Under the health and safety legislation, every worker has a right to work in a workplace environment where risks to their safety and health are controlled in a proper manner. Under this legislation, employers are required to decide what could harm the employee and establish precautions to stop it. Employers are also required to explain to the employer how risks are controlled and tell them of the person responsible for this to happen. Further, employers should consult with the employees and work with them, together with their safety representatives in ensuring that everyone in the workplace is protected from harm. References 1. Loots, Philip and Charrett, Donald. Practical Guide to Engineering and Construction Contracts. s.l. : CCH Australia Limited, 2009. Read More