1.4.1 Approaches to staffing

Question 1

human resources definition

Answer 1

how people within a business are recruited, trained, motivated, led, treated and developed

Question 2

treating staff as an asset definition

Answer 2

• valuing staff

- treating them with respect

Question 3

treating staff as a cost definition

Answer 3

• treat them like a resource

- there to do the work

Question 4

features features of treating staff as an assset

Answer 4

• given a salary (year/monthly)
• more training opportunities > means that they want to invest you
• nicer, safer > better working environment
• fringe benefits e.g. company car, free lunch, staff discount

Question 5

features of treating staff as a cost

Answer 5

• paid a wage per our
• zero hour contracts (paid if you work)
• minimum wage
• piece rate pay > pay per item produced

Question 6

+&- of staff as a cost

Answer 6

+ cheaper- business benefits from lower costs
+ they get scared into working hard so they get the work done
+ some of the things they do e.g. zero hr contract- encourage people to take the job because of the flexibility
- poor reputation
- more difficult to hire staff
- higher labour turnover
- more likely to get strikes, walkouts and protests

Question 7

+&- of staff as an asset

Answer 7

+ more likely to stay in the business if treated with respect
- more expensive e.g. company cars, salaries.

Question 8

type of flexible working

Answer 8

• multi-skilling
• part time
• temporary
• home working
• outsourcing

Question 9

multi-skilling definition

Answer 9

enhancing the skills of employees so that they can perform a variety of jobs within the business
e.g. a cashier at a supermarket who is also able to work on customer service desk

Question 10

part time definition

Answer 10

this employee works less than a normal working tree

e.g. a shelf stacker in a supermarket working 4-10pm Saturday & Sunday

Question 11

temporary definition

Answer 11

this type of worker is likely to be employed on an ad-hoc basis for example in times of high demand.
e.g. a post office worker, employed to cover the Christmas period

Question 12

home working definition

Answer 12

this is where an employee undertakes most of their regular work from home

Question 13

outsourcing definition

Answer 13

this is where the business gets other people or businesses to undertake work that was originally completed in-house.
e.g. a business manufacturing aircraft components that gets another business to undertake the marketing

Question 14

+&- of a flexible workforce

Answer 14

+ can easily respond to a change in demand- allows businesses to have necessary amount of staff needed
& don’t have to pay salaries if demand is low
+ training costs may be lower
- poor communication- can result in errors/ product failure if workers are not getting full information
- demotivation amongst core workers- lack of bonding- cant build relationships if there are too many flexible workers

Question 15

dismissal definition

Answer 15

informally “fired” The termination of employment by an employer against the will of an employee

Question 16

redundancy definition

Answer 16

when a business needs to reduce the size of its workforce or even close entirely