1.4 MANAGING PEOPLE

Question 1

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
What is HR Approaches?

Answer 1

the overall way in which a business treats its staff
has a direct impact upon the levels of performance, motivation of employees and mangament styles
there are 2 opposing HRM approaches:

HARD HRM - Staff as a cost
~ staff are treated as a resource that must be managed in order for the business to control costs and output

SOFT HRM - Staff as an asset
~ staff are treated as an asset to the business that can contribute and help the business achieve its objectives

Question 2

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
What are the difference between Soft HRM and Hard HRM?

Answer 2

SOFT HRM:
- opportunites for staff development
# training # internal promotion
- empowerment
- consultation
- greater autonomy and responsibility
- flatter organisational structure

HARD HRN:
- control mechanism
# judgemental appraisals # centralised # decision making # tall organisational structure
- fixed term contracts
- minimum wage
- external recuritment

Question 3

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
What are the pros and cons of Soft HRM?

Answer 3

PROS:
- more motivated staff
- faster decision making
- increased profitability
- higher productivity

CONS:
- increased pay to workers - lower profitablity
- required trust which can be hard to build -> takes time
- taken advantage of ‘ free-rider’ as staff might not be focused on completing tasks

Question 4

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
What are the pros and cons of Hard HRM?

Answer 4

PROS:
- faster decision making
- focused on task and outcome
- meet deadlines and targets
- known what your staff can / cannot do

CONS:
- no trust or loyalty built between staff + management
- higher levels of mistakes
- lower motivation
- higher staff turnover, leading to increased costs

Question 5

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
How does it work flexible workforce?

Answer 5

• important to be able to mathc workforce skills, size and location to business needs
• neccessary for a business to run smoothly and be able to match supply to demand
  ~ enabling all aspect of the business to function
  ~ meet new challenges to the business
  ~ meet seasonal fluctiations
  ~ respond to changes in the workforce
• a flexible workforce will help a business match the workforce to the business’ needs

Question 6

1.4.1 Approaches to staffing
What is multi-skilling?
How can multi-skilling be achieved?
How does this contribute to a flexible workforce?

Answer 6

workers are given the scope and ability to carry out a scope a variety of tasks

this can be achieved by encouraging through the use of job rotation. Staff carrying out a number of task with the same difficulty

workers can be equipped with skills needed for when there are absencees etc which minimises the distruption in the workforce and loss of production. also workers may be motivated y new challenge and opportunites