2.5 Making Human Resource Decisions Flashcards
All 51 cards in this deck
What is a hierarchical organisational structure?
A structure with many levels of hierarchy, a long chain of command and narrow spans of control.
What is a flat organisational structure?
A structure with few levels of hierarchy and a short chain of command, so each manager has a wide span of control.
What is the span of control?
The number of employees a manager is directly responsible for.
What is the chain of command?
The line of authority along which instructions and information pass from the top of the business down to the bottom.
What is delayering?
Removing one or more levels of hierarchy, usually middle managers, to make the structure flatter.
True or false? A business with a tall hierarchical structure passes messages from directors to shop-floor staff more quickly than a flat business.
False. A long chain of command means messages take longer to travel and are more easily distorted.
What is the difference between centralised and decentralised decision making?
Centralised: decisions are made by senior managers at the top/head office. Decentralised: authority to decide is passed down to branches or lower levels.
Give one advantage to a business of decentralised decision making.
Local managers can make faster decisions that suit local customers, and staff feel trusted so are more motivated.
Give one effect of insufficient communication in a business.
Staff are unclear what to do, so mistakes are made and efficiency falls, and they feel left out so motivation drops.
True or false? The more messages a business sends its employees, the more efficient it becomes.
False. Excessive communication causes information overload, so time is wasted and important messages are missed.
Give two barriers to effective communication.
Any two: using the wrong medium, jargon or technical language, too long a chain of command, language or cultural differences, faulty technology.
What is the difference between a full-time and a part-time employee?
A full-time employee works a full working week (around 35+ hours); a part-time employee works fewer hours than this.
What are flexible hours (flexitime)?
A working arrangement where employees can vary when they work, choosing start and finish times around agreed core hours.
What is the difference between a permanent and a temporary contract?
A permanent contract has no end date; a temporary contract runs for a fixed period or task, e.g. maternity cover or seasonal work.
What is a freelance worker?
A self-employed person hired to do a specific piece of work, paid per job rather than employed by the business.
Give one way technology has changed ways of working.
It allows remote working — staff work from home using email and video calls, saving travel time and office costs.
What is a job description?
A document produced by the business setting out the duties and responsibilities of a particular job.
What is a person specification?
A document produced by the business setting out the skills, qualifications and qualities the ideal candidate should have.
What is an application form?
A form written by the business and filled in by candidates, so every applicant answers the same questions.
What is a curriculum vitae (CV)?
A document written by the applicant summarising their personal details, qualifications, work experience and skills.
True or false? A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document produced by the business at the start of the recruitment process.
False. The CV is produced by the applicant; the business produces the job description and person specification.
What is internal recruitment?
Filling a vacancy with someone who already works for the business, e.g. by promoting or moving an existing employee.
What is external recruitment?
Filling a vacancy with someone from outside the business, e.g. through job adverts, websites or recruitment agencies.
True or false? Internal recruitment brings new ideas and skills into the business.
False. That is a benefit of external recruitment; internal recruitment only moves people the business already has.
Give one reason a business might choose internal rather than external recruitment.
It is cheaper and quicker, and the candidate is already known and familiar with how the business works.
What are the steps a business takes to recruit externally?
e.g. filling a shop assistant vacancy- Write the job description and person specification: duties of the shop assistant and skills needed.
- Advertise externally: job website or local advert.
- Shortlist from applications/CVs, interview, then select and offer the job.
What are the main responsibilities of directors in a business?
Setting the aims and objectives and making major long-term strategic decisions; they answer to the owners/shareholders.
What are the main responsibilities of a senior manager?
Running a department or function — putting the directors' plans into action and managing its budget and staff.
What are the main responsibilities of a supervisor or team leader?
Overseeing the day-to-day work of a small team — allocating tasks, checking work and reporting to a manager.
What is the role of operational staff?
Carrying out the day-to-day work that produces the goods or delivers the service, e.g. serving customers or making products.
What is the role of support staff?
Working in areas such as HR, IT, finance or admin to help operational staff and managers do their jobs.
What is formal training?
Structured training delivered by a qualified trainer, often away from the job and sometimes leading to a qualification.
What is informal training?
Unstructured training picked up on the job from more experienced colleagues, e.g. shadowing or watching a co-worker.
What is self-learning as a method of training?
Where employees train themselves at their own pace, e.g. using online courses, videos or manuals.
What is a performance review (appraisal)?
A meeting where a manager and employee discuss progress against targets, agree training needs and set new targets.
Give one reason why training employees improves staff retention.
Trained staff feel valued and more confident and can gain promotion, so fewer leave and recruitment costs fall.
Why do businesses retrain employees when they introduce new technology?
So staff can use the new equipment or software correctly and productively, avoiding errors and wasted investment.
True or false? Training staff is a cost to the business in the short term as well as a benefit.
True. Courses and trainers cost money and output is lost while staff are away; higher productivity and quality come later.
Give two benefits to a business of having well-motivated employees.
Any two: higher productivity, better retention (lower staff turnover), easier to attract new employees.
What is remuneration?
The total financial reward an employee receives for their work, e.g. their wage or salary.
What is a bonus?
An extra payment on top of normal pay, given for good performance or for meeting a target.
What is commission?
A payment to an employee based on a percentage of the value of the sales they make.
What is promotion as a method of motivation?
Moving an employee to a more senior job with more responsibility and usually higher pay.
What are fringe benefits?
Extras given to employees on top of their pay, e.g. a company car, staff discount or private healthcare.
True or false? Job enrichment is a fringe benefit.
False. Job enrichment is a non-financial method; fringe benefits are financial extras such as a company car.
What is job rotation?
Moving employees between different tasks or jobs to add variety and reduce boredom.
What is job enrichment?
Giving employees more challenging, interesting tasks and greater responsibility within their job.
What is autonomy as a method of motivation?
Giving employees the freedom to make their own decisions about how they do their work.
Give one reason a business might spend money on training rather than give a pay rise to motivate staff.
Training raises skills and productivity as well as motivation, whereas a pay rise increases costs permanently and its motivating effect soon wears off.
True or false? In a flat structure managers usually have a wider span of control than in a tall hierarchical structure.
True. With fewer levels, each manager supervises more subordinates.
True or false? Once an employee has finished their induction training, a business does not need to train them again.
False. Businesses provide ongoing training for all employees, e.g. when new technology is introduced.