How Human Resource Theory Informs the Recruitment Process - Coursework Example

How Human Resource Theory Informs the Recruitment Process Introduction Human resource comprises the individuals who make up the workforce in an organisation, economy, or the business sector (Amos, 2008). The term ‘human resource’ is used interchangeably with the term human capital, labour, manpower, and talent. The human resource of an organisation is the embodiment of knowledge from individuals that contribute to the daily running of a business (Amos, 2008). Employees are viewed as assets of an enterprise from a corporate perspective. The value of human resource is enhanced by development. Human resource management involves the practices of recruiting, overseeing, and managing the workforce of an organisation (Randhawa, 2007). The human resource management of an organisation is comprised of individuals who carry out the functions of managing the human capital in the organisation. Recruitment is an important function of the human resource department (Randhawa, 2007). In an organisation, the human resource department is constantly managing and overseeing the operations of the human capital. Furthermore, the human resource department hires suitable individuals for different positions within the organisation and it is also fires individuals who are deemed as acting against the desires and objectives of the organisation. The gap created when an employee is fired prompts the organisation to hire individuals once more, and this task of recruiting new employees is delegated to the human resource department (Randhawa, 2007). Before new employees are recruited into the organisation, the human resource department posts an advert informing the public about the availability of various job opportunities. Once individuals apply for the job openings, the human resource department then assesses the various individuals through interviews in order to select the most appropriate individuals for the job. The human resource department works with certain theories when handling the recruitment process. The influence of human resource theory on the recruitment process will be discussed in the paper. The Human Resource Theory The recruitment process in a majority of organisations relies greatly on the theory pertaining to human resource management. The HR theory guides the recruitment process in the organisations. With the theories, the HR department can attract, select, train, assess, and reward employees in an organisation (Jackson et al. 2011). However, it is important to note that the theories work in regard to the labour laws of a country (Jackson et al. 2011). HR theory informs the recruitment process of organisations. Through such HR theory, the human resource department obtains information necessary for the recruitment process. For instance, through relevant theories, the department can focus on the job recruitment process, specification of person to the job profile and recruitment methods. It is important that the HR department in any given organisation adhere to the HR theory when recruiting individuals into their workforce. Through the theory, important aspects of the recruitment process such as job advertisement, person specification and the entire recruitment process are considered. Job advertisement enables the applicants and prospective employees to understand the job profile and job requirements before applying for the job (Torrington et al. 2008). An organisation can communicate its expectations to the applicants beforehand by placing job advertisements. Individuals willing and able to work in the company can then apply for the job opening. Person specification is an important aspect of the recruitment process (Torrington et al. 2008). Through person specification, the right individual is selected for the right job opportunity. This is critical in the functioning of the business. By placing the best individual in the best spot, maximum productivity in the organisation is achieved. Job Advertisement In organisations, employment opportunities present themselves on a daily basis. The main reason for this occurrence is the fact that organisations hire and fire individuals once the individual fails to meet their objective. Individuals who do not fit in their job profiles are fired as the organisation seeks better personnel to handle the job (Searle and Skinner, 2011). When such job openings present themselves, the organisation seeks employees by advertising the job openings in the company. The HR department usually advertises job opportunities along with the requirements that prospective candidates must possess in newspapers, television, radio, and at times on the internet (Searle and Skinner, 2011). These job advertisements target individuals with the specified qualifications. Through advertisement, the organisation can pick out the suitable candidates for the position that is available (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2011). In addition, the organisation can successfully deter unsuitable candidates for the said job openings. In line with the HR theory, the organisation can come up with good job adverts that can successfully attract the most suitable candidates (Searle & Skinner, 2011). For example, the human resource department of an organisation can come up with job adverts that are accurate, short, honest, positive, and relevant. Accuracy enables the job advert to give the applicants a precise description of the job opportunity. Short adverts are the best as they only contain the needed details (Searle & Skinner, 2011). With honesty, the applicants of the job opportunities are informed of the job requirements beforehand. Honesty in advertisement enables the human resource department of an organisation to avoid making claims that will later prove to be false to the applicants. Positivity in advertisement enables the applicants to develop a positive feeling about working in the organisation (Randhawa, 2007). Lastly, relevance is of much importance in the advertisement of job opportunities. The HR department is supposed to provide only the relevant details in the job advertisements (Torrington et al, 2008). With relevant details, the prospective applicants of the job openings can then apply for the job positions accordingly as they can assess their personal qualifications and suitability to the job opening. A job advert should contain details about the organisation (Amos, 2008). In creating the advert, the HR should supply the applicant with details and information such as the organisation or brand name, outline of the job details, working conditions, special factors affecting the organisation, required experience and the financial rewards (Amos, 2008). The application process and expectations should also be outlined clearly in the advertisement. Recruiting The recruitment process in many organisations entails rigorous steps and procedures. The human resource department in many organisations is influenced by various HR theories during the recruitment process of various employees. Various processes in relation to HR theories are discussed below. Person Specification Offering employment to an individual requires that an individual meets the particular requirements. This process has to be carried out with a lot of discretion so that the person who gets the job is the most appropriate for the position. A person specification has all to do with eligibility, qualifications, merit, and communication (Armstrong, 1998). Eligibility For the recruitment process, an individual has to be the most suitable for the job that is being offered. All the needed requirements for an individual to qualify for the job opening must be met by the applicant. The human resource department of a particular company has to come up with certain requirements that must be met by a person before going through the process. This is the most crucial stage in the sense that the established procedures determine if the applicant should go to the next stage of the recruitment process (Armstrong, 1998). Qualifications When a job is advertised, there are certain academic qualifications that have to be met before one can be accepted for the job. In this sense, based on the job offered, the company defines the qualifications needed for the job (Kleynhans, 2009). In the event that a person falls short of meeting the qualifications, the person is considered as not suitable for the job opening. Companies emphasize that merit should be considered because excellence is the key to success (Kleynhans, 2009). This process is critical to the extent that employing a person who is below the average level in terms of qualifications discredits the company in a bad way. Knowledge and skills An academic qualification does not necessarily imply that one is skilled and knowledgeable in a particular field. Research has shown that some people are employed with excellent academic qualification but when it comes to practical application they fail to deliver (Kleynhans, 2009). A person may be good in theory but fails to impress when the theory is to be put into practice. To this extent, it is critical to note that when recruiting an individual, the person has to be knowledgeable and skilled. This in a sense means that one has to be a master of the job that they apply. It is important that the person is aware of the details of the job and what is expected of them when applying for the job. Communication The language spoken by the person seeking a job opportunity must be taken into account prior to taking the job. The person should be able to communicate with colleagues in the office and with clients both in the office and in the field. In the event that the person is not able to communicate, then the person is deemed to have failed the process (Durai, 2010). The recruitment process In human resource management, the most critical part is identifying suitable individuals to fit the job vacancies in the company. This process, therefore, entails advertising for positions and attracting persons based on the requirements of the advertisement. Determination of the person’s eligibility then ensures that the result is the HR department finding the right person for the job. To this end, the recruitment process involves filling a vacancy by finding the right people to fill the positions. Before an individual is accepted in an organization, they are vetted to ensure that they are suitable for the position (Durai, 2010). Job analysis When a vacancy is created and is to be filled, the first critical step is the analysis and evaluation of the specifications of the job. This means that the job opportunity has to be checked with reference to the qualifications (Durai, 2010). This is necessary as it allows room for adjustment in terms of requirements and qualifications for the job opportunity. Sourcing The third stage of the recruitment process entails search of individuals to fill the job opportunities. Advertisements can be done within the company internally or externally to the public. The essence of this process is to attract many individuals for the job openings. When the scope is wide, it is possible for the company to get the best set of employees. Diversity is of much importance when seeking individuals who are to fill the various positions (Pask, 2007). Vetting The people attracted for the purpose of filling the positions have to go through a vetting process. This is to determine the competence of all individuals, with respect to the job that is being offered. This process is crucial and enables the company to weed out people who are considered to be below the average level. Hiring This is the process of filing the respective positions that are vacant within the company. In this process, the person’s qualification is not questioned but rather the merit of the individual is considered. This means that the most suitable person for the job has successfully passed through the appropriate processes and is selected as the most suitable individual for the job opportunity. This is the most crucial stage of the recruitment process because then the company is considered to have passed the test in filling a vacancy (Durai, 2010). Conclusion The recruitment process entails a number of issues that are very critical to the human resource department. Job advertisement is the first step that defines the recruitment process. It announces the intention of the company in filling a position. A person’s specification in regards to the advertised job profile is necessary as the best suited individuals are selected for the advertised job opportunities. The recruitment process becomes the last stage that brings an employee on board (Cornelius, 2001). The processes that are involved in the recruitment process are critical and should not be assumed or bypassed by the human resource department. It is important to note that having the most suitable person for the job requires an elaborate procedure by the HR department. When the processes are strictly adhered to, a company is assured of filling a vacancy with the right set of personnel. Companies have to consider all procedures and HR theory to ensure that the recruitment processes are not flawed in any way. References Amos, T. (2008). Human resource management. Wetton, Cape Town, Juta. Armstrong, M. (1998). Managing people: a practical guide for line managers. London, Kogan Page. Cornelius, N. (2001). Human resource management: a managerial perspective. London, Internet Thomson Business. Durai, P. (2010). Human resource management. Chennai, Pearson. Retrieved from: . Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S., & Werner, S. (2011). Managing human resources. Mason, Ohio, South-Western. Kleynhans, R. (2009). Human resource management: fresh perspectives. Cape Town, Pearson/Prentice Hall South Africa. Pask, R., & Joy, B. (2007). Mentoring-coaching: a guide for education professionals. Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill/Open University Press. Randhawa, G. (2007). Human resource management. New Delhi, Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. Searle, R., & Skinner, D. (2011). Trust and human resource management. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar. Torrington, D., Hall, L., & Taylor, S. (2008). Human resource management. Harlow, Financial Times Prentice Hall. Read More