1.4.1 - Approches to staffing

Question 1

Definition of staff

Answer 1

Staff are the employees in a business

Question 2

Definition of staffing

Answer 2

Is the process of hiring, training and supervising employees in a business.

Question 3

What is a benefit of having staff as an asset?

Answer 3

They can increase the value of the output (add value to the product)

Question 4

What is an advantage of treating staff as an asset?

Answer 4

Staff are allowed to participate more in decision making, business is able to respond quickly to market changes, staff have more autonomy over their work which is more motivating for staff.

Question 5

In what ways can staff be seen as a cost?

Answer 5

Recruitment, training, minimum wages, staff salaries and wages, staff welfare, redundancy

Question 6

What is multi-skilling?

Answer 6

Having a workforce that can be moved around from one job to another.

Question 7

What are the benefits of multiskilling?

Answer 7

Need fewer people (less recruitment), more skilled so more valuable, more interesting for staff as jobs are rotated.

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of multiskilling?

Answer 8

Workers become a “jack of all trades, master of none” , businesses lose the benefits of having specialist staff.

Question 9

What is full time work?

Answer 9

A full time worker will usually work 35 hours or more a week, no specific hours that make someone full time or part-time.

Question 10

What are the benefits of full time work?

Answer 10

Staff may be paid more per hour than part time, access to more holiday entitlement, employees are committed to the business and may be more productive, loyal to the business.

Question 11

What are the drawbacks of full time work?

Answer 11

Employees are standing idle if there is a business turndown, less flexible than part-time (no-one to cover late nights and weekends.

Question 12

What is part-time work?

Answer 12

Is someone who works fewer hours than a full time worker, less than 35 hours a week

Question 13

What are the benefits of part time work?

Answer 13

Good way to keep costs down as a business is growing, attract a wider group of people with experience that don’t want a full time job, flexible to respond to changes in demand, part time have the same employment rights as full time workers, availability of part time can attract skilled workers who are unable to work full time.

Question 14

What are the drawbacks of part time work?

Answer 14

Employees may not give the business the commitment and loyalty that a full time worker would, employee may work more than 1 job so that would make them inflexible, employee may leave if they find a full time job.

Question 15

What is temporary work?

Answer 15

Is where the employer only needs extra staff to cover a seasonal period.

Question 16

What are the benefits of temporary work?

Answer 16

Ideal for businesses that need extra workers for a special project, useful to meet seasonal demand and work fluctuations, useful to meet employee shortages, agencies may complete all paperwork.

Question 17

What are the drawbacks of temporary work?

Answer 17

Agency staff may be expensive but it may be cheaper than hiring permanent staff, injury rates are higher with temp workers, all staff will need some kind of training to get them started this costs money and time.

Question 18

What is permanent work?

Answer 18

A permanent contract is the most common type of employment.

Question 19

What are the benefits of permanent work?

Answer 19

Staff will be focused on the business (they will look long-term to build up their professional development profile), higher staff morale as they know they have a secure job, employees have loyalty to the business which reduces absenteeism and increases productivity.

Question 20

What are the drawbacks of permanent work?

Answer 20

Permanent staff can develop negative attitudes to work, or get involved in office politics and may become lazy, uncooperative or disinterested in the business.

Question 21

What is flexible hours?

Answer 21

Flexible working is a way if working that suits an employees needs, e.g. having flexible start and finish times.

Question 22

What are the benefits of flexible working?

Answer 22

Can keep valuable staff from leaving and can also cover busy periods, can accommodate the work life balance needs of employees with busy lives and family’s.

Question 23

What are the drawbacks of flexible working?

Answer 23

Can sometimes confuse suppliers or customers who may want to speak to the same member of staff, the business may need extra staff to cover unmanned periods.

Question 24

What is home working?

Answer 24

Is where employees work at home instead of in an office.

Question 25

What are the benefits of home working?

Answer 25

Gives a good work life balance, employees can work hours that suit their lifestyle, no travelling (reduced costs), no expensive premises to pay for (fixed costs reduced), less stress and tension between employees.

Question 26

What are the drawbacks of home working?

Answer 26

No socialisation between employees (could lack new ideas), there home becomes there work place so employees may find it hard to switch on or off, employees may work more hours than a regular job as they don’t keep track of time they work, need lots of self-discipline to avoid distractions, too easy to be lazy and not work.

Question 27

What is outsourcing?

Answer 27

Is where a business outsources non-core activities to another business for them to complete the non-core activities. It is usually confirmed with a contract.

Question 28

What are the benefits of outsourcing

Answer 28

Better quality, reduced costs, better focus, more flexibility.

Question 29

What are the drawbacks of outsourcing?

Answer 29

Quality (external supplier might fail), loss of expertise, no guarantee costs will be lower.