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A LEVEL BUSINESS - ALL > 1.4a managing people > Flashcards

1.4a managing people Flashcards

1
Q

which two perspectives can an employer see their employees from?

A

-being a cost
-being an asset

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2
Q

what does seeing employees as a cost mean?

A

-treat employees simply as a resource of the business.
-link with business planning & costs

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3
Q

what does seeing employees as an asset mean?

A

-treat employees as the most important resource in the business
-a source of competitive advantage
-employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly

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4
Q

pay of workers: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - pay workers the minimum
a - provide good remuneration packages

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5
Q

sick/holiday pay: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - provide the minimum legal sick/holiday pay
a - give reasonable holiday and sick pay

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6
Q

working conditions: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - provide basic working conditions
a - invest in improving the working conditions

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7
Q

job retention/security: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - find ways to maximise output while minimising staff costs

a - provide workers with job security

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8
Q

training: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - see training as an unnecessary cost and one of the first things to be cut when in financial difficulty

a - see training as an important investment

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9
Q

decisions & responsibility: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - centralise decision-making
a - delegate responsibility

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10
Q

employee motivation: employees as a cost (c) vs employees as an asset (a)

A

c - give little thought to employee motivation

a - take care in developing policies that motivate staff

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11
Q

define flexible working?

A

-working arrangements where there are a variety of options offered to employees in terms of working time, working location and the pattern of working

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12
Q

different methods of flexible working:

A

-remote working/home working
-outsourcing
-job share
-part time
-temporary contract
-zero hour contract
-multiskilling

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13
Q

benefits of a flexible workforce:

A

savings on costs:
↳ a business can reduce office expenses if it does not have to provide office and other accommodation for so many employees or if staff can work from home

helps with staff retention & motivation:
↳ lots of evidence that flexible working results in better job satisfaction and higher staff morale

to reflect the changing profile of the UK workforce:
↳ more women in the labour market and an ageing population – as a result, it is increasingly common for staff to have caring responsibilities outside work

developments in tech:
↳ it is now simple and cost-effective for employees to be able to access their employers online and communicate digitally with colleagues

high demand:
↳ increasing need for businesses to be able to deliver services to customers on a 24/7 basis
↳ flexible working makes it easier for businesses to offer extended opening hours

to meet employment legislation:
↳ the law allows certain groups of employees the legal right to request flexible working

-parents can look after children & students can have a better work-life balance

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14
Q

drawbacks of flexible working:

A

-lower employee productivity

-can decrease employee morale

-it can be harder for managers and employers to keep track of what their employees are doing

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15
Q

what is multiskilling?

A

-staff are allowed to carry out a variety of tasks rather than specialise
-enables greater use of job rotation (with subsequent benefits for motivation)
-common in service industries
-puts a greater requirement on training

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16
Q

advantages and disadvantages of multi skilling:

A

advantages:
-improved productivity
-efficient resource utilization:
↳ instead of hiring specialized employees for every task, multi-skilled individuals can handle multiple responsibilities, reducing the need for excessive staffing. this leads to cost savings and efficient resource utilization

disadvantages:
-increased workload and stress → may decrease job satisfaction
-training and development costs
-multiskilling can lead to divided attention and reduced task completion efficiency due to less focus

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17
Q

what is outsourcing?

A

-one or more business process is done by an external provider
-someone else other than the company does the work

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18
Q

what is offshoring?

A

the work is done overseas

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19
Q

quality: outsourcing (o) vs in house (ih)

A

-easier to ensure quality and trace problems if done in-house (ih)

-specialist will have greater experience and better equipment (o)

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20
Q

cost: outsourcing (o) vs in house (ih)

A

(ih)
-in-house departments don’t have to make a profit – so might be cheaper
-maybe too small to obtain economies of scale
-easier communication

(o)
-supplier likely to achieve economies of scale
-extra costs of communication

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21
Q

speed: outsourcing (o) vs in house (ih)

A

easier to schedule work or production to fit in with business needs (ih)

speed of response can be set as a requirement of the outsourcing contract
(o)

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22
Q

what is job share?

A

two part-time employees) share the work and pay of a single full-time job

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23
Q

advantages of job share

A

-more flexible → better motivation
-less stress → higher productivity

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24
Q

disadvantages of job share

A

-difficulties in supervising and managing employees
-compatibility issues → less productivity

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25
Q

what is a part time job?

A

a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job
(less than 32 hours)

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26
Q

advantages of part time jobs:

A

-less stress/more flexible → motivation
-healthy work life balance
-respond to short term changes in demand

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27
Q

disadvantages of a part time job for an employer:

A

lower engagement:
↳ part-time employees don’t spend as much time at work, so they may not contribute as much to company culture or be motivated to achieve company goals

less dependability:
↳ there’s less involvement, part-timers may feel less beholden to their employer’s needs

managerial stress:
↳ part-time schedules means more workers for managers to supervise and train

-fewer benefits for part timers
-less job security
-

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28
Q

what is a temporary contract?

A

a contractual relationship between an employee and an employer that lasts for a specified period

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29
Q

advantages of a temporary contract

A

-flexible access to specialised skills
-can accommodate changes in demand
-cost effective as employer can protect themselves from high staffing costs during periods of less customer demand

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30
Q

disadvantages of a temporary contract

A
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31
Q

what is remote working?

A

employees doing their jobs from a location other than a central office operated by the employer

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32
Q

advantages of remote working:

A

-better work-life balance → better productivity
-cost savings → less money can be spent on office

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33
Q

disadvantages of remote working:

A

-distractions at home → less productivity

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34
Q

what are the two types of dismissal?

A

-dismissal
-dismissal through gross misconduct

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35
Q

define dismissal

A

the termination of employment by an employer for failing to meet the required standard

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36
Q

examples of gross misconduct

A

theft, physical violence, gross negligence

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37
Q

redundancy

A

there is no work or the position no longer applies (eg: because of a company restructure)

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38
Q

what can happen if an employee is offered voluntary redundancy?

A

they get a pay out

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39
Q

what is employee representation?

A

the right of employees to seek a union or individual to represent them for the purpose of negotiating with management

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40
Q

what is a trade union?

A

an external organisation established to protect and improve the economic and working conditions of workers

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41
Q

what are the main roles of trade unions?

A

-negotiate through collective bargaining
-focus on pay and conditions
-represent members at industrial tribunals
-give workers advice on employment issues
-prominent in public sector

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42
Q

are trade unions are used as before?

A

no, there has been a decline of trades unions membership over past 20 years

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43
Q

why has there been a decline in trade union memberships?

A

-more small businesses
-significant growth in flexible working
-decline in employment in manufacturing

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44
Q

examples of public sector jobs

A

NHS, police, firefighters

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45
Q

benefits of trade unions:

A

-more bargaining power when individuals join
-more productive than negotiating with each employee

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46
Q

what is industrial action?

A

when employees take action against their employer because of a work dispute

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47
Q

what are the 4 types of industrial action

A

-work to rule
-overtime ban
-go slow
-strike

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48
Q

work to rule

A

-employees follow the strict conditions of their employment contract
-no voluntary overtime, no participation in supporting activities
-staff still get their basic pay

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49
Q

overtime ban

A

-employees refuse to work overtime

50
Q

when is overtime ban most and least effective?

A

-significant effect on production capacity during period of peak demand
-ineffective as a bargaining tool during quieter periods

51
Q

go slow

A

employees work at the least-productive pace that is allowable under their employment contracts

52
Q

strike

A

-last resort
-danger for both employer and
-strictly policed by legislation on industrial action

53
Q

how can industrial action affect a business

A

-lost sales & profits from the lost output
-damage to customer satisfaction
-damaged relationship with staff

54
Q

how can industrial action affect employees

A

-lost pay
-potential loss of jobs if the action results in action to cut costs
-possible loss of customer and public support (depending
-

55
Q

what is a works council?

A

a internal commitee of management and employees who meet to discuss issues relating to conditions, pay and training

56
Q

how are the members of a works council chosen?

A

members are elected from the workforce by the workforce

57
Q

key features of a works council

A

-builds cooperation with managers
-allows the workforce to be heard without trades union representation
-involves employees in key business decisions

58
Q

what is an employee committee?

A

-a group of employees meeting together to focus on specific issues within the workforce
-may not be recognised or attended by managers

59
Q

what is collective bargaining?

A

-a negotiated process where trade unions and businesses discuss and agree on pay, working conditions and other conditions for the benefit of trades union members

60
Q

what is the principle of collective bargaining?

A

workers have more power and influence when negotiating as one body

61
Q

individual bargaining

A

-individuals negotiate their own pay and conditions
-agreements will differ from one worker to the next

62
Q

which businesses are more likely to use collective bargaining?

A

small businesses

63
Q

influences on employee representation

A

-the nature of the work carried out by employees
-the leadership and management style of the boss
-employment legislation

64
Q

the nature of the work carried out by employees & employee representation

A

low-skilled workers are less likely to have a significant input into decision-making.

65
Q

employee legislation & employee representation

A

ICE regulations dictates that employees within EU countries must be consulted on certain aspects of work and employment

66
Q

the leadership and management style of the boss & employee representation

A

autocratic managers may want to limit the input of employees

67
Q

what is mediation?

A

-an independent, impartial person helping two or more individuals or groups reach a solution that’s acceptable to everyone

68
Q

what is the aim of mediation?

A

to restore and maintain the employment relationship wherever possible

69
Q

when is mediation best used?

A

early on in a dispute

70
Q

are the agreements made during mediation legal?

A

agreements are not legally binding, but usually carried out

71
Q

what is conciliation?

A

-used when an employee is making, or could make, a specific complaint against their employer to an employment tribunal
-conciliator discusses the issues with both parties to help them

72
Q

what is arbitration?

A

-an alternative to a court of law
-held in private
- involves an impartial outsider being asked to make a decision on a dispute
-arbitrator makes a firm decision on a case based on the evidence presenteor

73
Q

benefits of good employer-employee relations:

A

-increased motivation → increased productivity
-lower staff turnover → maintain experience → better decision making

74
Q

what is the recruitment process?

A

actively seeking out and finding candidates for a specific position or job

75
Q

stage 1 of the recruitment process:

A

recognise the vacancy:
vacancies become available when someone leaves or when a business grows or changes

76
Q

stage 2 of the recruitment process:

A

do a job analysis:
-the company must identify the specific skills that are needed for the position are identified
-a job analysis helps the company recognise if they need to hire a worker or if they can give the roles to another staff that is currently employed

77
Q

stage 3 of the recruitment process:

A

write a job description

78
Q

what is a job description?

A

a document that HR create stating the duties, pay, location, working hours & working conditions of three job

79
Q

stage 4 of the recruitment process:

A

make a person specification

80
Q

what is a person specification?

A

communicates the skills, experience & qualifications that the candidate needs for the job

81
Q

stage 5 of the recruitment process:

A

-advertise the job
-internally or externally

82
Q

stage 6 of the recruitment process:

A

send out application forms/ask for CVs

83
Q

what is an application form?

A

-sent to those who want the job
-contain questions from the business, to help them gather required information quickly

84
Q

what is a CV?

A

summarise important information (education, qualifications, past employment) about applicants and are made by them

85
Q

costs of the recruitment process

A

-advertising
-interviewing

86
Q

benefits of the recruitment process:

A

can obtained high skilled employees

87
Q

what is the selection process?

A

assessing candidates to narrow down the applicants until you’re left with the best person for the role

88
Q

is the selection process fixed?

A

no, it varies significantly between organisations, businesses must decide on the most appropriate method which will help them to identify the best candidate

89
Q

interviews

A

-involves meeting (face to face or virtually) and asking questions about their skills, experience, and knowledge
-questions should be fixed to ensure that the interview is fair and consistent

90
Q

assessment tasks

A

candidates get the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and suitability for the job
eg: psychometric tests, group exercises, presentations, and interviews

91
Q

what happens when the correct candidate is chosen?

A

-they are offered the job
-they sign the contract of employment

92
Q

what is external recruitment?

A

when someone from outside the company is employed

93
Q

methods of external recruitment:

A

-national press, local press
-recruitment agencies
-job centres
-online advertisement

94
Q

benefits of external employment:

A

larger pool of workers
↳ best candidate is likely to be found

fresh ideas
↳ innovation & creativity

don’t need to replace worker

95
Q

drawbacks of external recruitment:

A

-takes longer
-more expensive
↳ advertising

96
Q

whats internal recruitment?

A

when a job is advertised to someone who already works at the company

97
Q

methods of internal recruitment:

A

company intranet, noticeboard

98
Q

benefits of internal recruitment:

A

-cheaper
↳ less advertising

-more informed process
↳ candidate has been known for years

-faster process
↳ process isn’t as prolonged, person starts much quicker

99
Q

drawbacks of internal recruitment

A

-difficult for smaller companies
-can limit creative ideas
-worker’s old job must be replaced

100
Q

evaluation of internal vs external recruitment:

A

dependent of skill of job:
↳ low skill = internal, high = external

101
Q

the 3 types of training

A

-induction
-on the job
-off the job

102
Q

what is induction training?

A

-part of the recruitment and selection process
-new employees need to be trained so they can do their job effectively

103
Q

things that occur during induction training:

A

-presentation/document detailing the aims of the business, health & safety procedures, future training available, the job role
-tour of business premises
-meet existing staff

104
Q

what does the length of induction training depend on?

A

the industry and the job

105
Q

benefits of induction training:

A

employee will be more productive & sooner

106
Q

drawbacks of induction training

A

-time-consuming
-costs are incurred (trainers, training materials)

107
Q

what is on the job training?

A

training that occurs on the work site

108
Q

benefits of on the job training:

A

cheaper
↳ no external costs (eg: trainers)

hands on training
↳ production continues (more output)
↳ confidence

builds relationships & morale
↳ mentor

109
Q

drawbacks on the job training:

A

dependent on mentors ability
↳ may pass bad practice on

can disrupt the mentor
↳ mentor has own job
↳ more time mentoring = less production
↳ may lack focus as the also have to work → training isn’t high quality

can cause friction between team
↳ mentors decreased work may displease employees

110
Q

methods of on the job training:

A

coaching/mentoring, role play, job rotation, shadowing, demonstration

111
Q

coaching (on the job training)

A

a more experienced employee (the mentor) provides expertise, support and guidance to a less skilled on

112
Q

role play training

A

participants act out scenarios under the guidance of a trainer

113
Q

shadow training

A

an employee follows and closely observe another employee performing the role

114
Q

demonstration training

A

an employee will be shown how to do a particular task by a colleague (helps them learn a skill)

115
Q

what is off the job training?

A

training that occurs outside the work site

116
Q

benefits of off the job training

A

the mentors focus is solely on you
↳ high quality training

mentor is an expert
↳ knowledge and experience of teaching

new skills
↳ less pressure means skill can be fully grasped

117
Q

drawbacks of off the job training

A

expensive
↳ must pay trainers, food, accom, travel

not at work
↳ not producing / COUNTER = training may be more beneficial in the long term & outweigh the short term lack of productivity

not bespoke
↳ may not be specific to your business,

118
Q

methods of off the job training

A

-colleges
-training centres

119
Q

colleges (off the job training)

A

formal places of learning where employees can take a specific course
↳ day releases (when an employee is allowed to go to college to study for 1 or 2 days a week)
↳ evening classes
↳ distance learning (not physically presence)

120
Q

training centres (off the job training)

A

a location specifically designed for training

121
Q

when is training needed?

A

-new employees
-new tech
-new health and safety legislation

122
Q

costs in the selection process

A

background checks and visa costs

A LEVEL BUSINESS - ALL (5 decks)

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