Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Business > Human Resource Management (Unit 6) > Flashcards

Human Resource Management (Unit 6) Flashcards

(53 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What are human resource (HR) objectives?

A

Targets relating to the workforce that support the achievement of overall business goals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are examples of HR objectives? (6)

A

Employee engagement and involvement

Talent development

Training

Diversity

Alignment of values

Number, skills and location of employees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are internal influences on HR objectives? (2)

A

Corporate objectives

Organisational culture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are external influences on HR objectives? (2)

A

Market changes

Technological change

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is labour turnover? What is the formula?

A

Labour turnover is the % of staff who leave a business over a period.
Formula = (Number of staff leaving ÷ Average number of staff) × 100

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is labour retention and how is it calculated?

A

Labour retention = (Number of employees staying ÷ Total number of employees) × 100

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the formula for labour productivity?

A

Labour productivity = Output per time period ÷ Number of employees

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the formula for employee costs as a % of turnover?

A

(Employee costs ÷ Revenue) × 100

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the formula for labour cost per unit?

A

Labour cost per unit = Total labour costs ÷ Units of output

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the main features of organisational design? (6)

A

Job design

Delegation

Span of control

Chain of command

Authority

Centralisation vs decentralisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is centralisation?

A

Centralisation is when decision-making is kept at the top levels of the hierarchy — usually by senior management at head office.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is decentralisation?

A

Decentralisation is when decision-making is delegated to lower levels of the hierarchy, such as branch managers or team leaders.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the advantages of centralisation? (2)

A

Decisions are made quickly.

Greater consistency across the business.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the disadvantages of centralisation? (2)

A

Less local responsiveness.

Can reduce motivation of local managers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the advantages of decentralisation? (2)

A

Empowers employees and managers.

Better responsiveness to local conditions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is span of control?

A

The number of subordinates reporting directly to a manager.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is employee engagement?

A

The emotional commitment an employee has to the organisation and its goals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is Taylor’s scientific management theory?

A

It suggests workers are motivated by money and work best when tasks are simplified and measured.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is Mayo’s Human Relations theory?

A

It highlights the importance of social needs and working conditions in motivating employees.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A

A five-level pyramid of human needs: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is Herzberg’s two-factor theory?

A

It divides factors into hygiene (which prevent dissatisfaction) and motivators (which drive satisfaction and performance).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the advantages of Taylor’s theory? (2)

Study These Flashcards
A

Provides clear structure and goals to maximise productivity.

Encourages efficiency through financial incentives like piece-rate pay.

23
Q

What are the disadvantages of Taylor’s theory? (2)

Study These Flashcards
A

Can lead to boring, repetitive jobs and low morale.

Assumes money is the only motivator, which is too simplistic.

24
Q

What are the advantages of Mayo’s theory? (2)

Study These Flashcards
A

Highlights the importance of teamwork, communication, and social needs.

Can improve job satisfaction and employee engagement.

25
What are the disadvantages of Mayo’s theory? (2)
Difficult to measure social factors and their effect. Assumes all employees are motivated in the same way by group belonging.
26
What are the advantages of Maslow’s theory? (2)
Emphasises that employees have different types of needs, not just financial. Encourages holistic approaches to motivation (e.g. safety, esteem, etc).
27
What are the disadvantages of Maslow’s theory? (2)
Difficult to identify exactly which level an employee is at. People may not move up the hierarchy in a fixed order.
28
What are the advantages of Herzberg’s theory? (2)
Distinguishes between what satisfies and what prevents dissatisfaction. Focuses on job enrichment as a long-term motivator.
29
What are the disadvantages of Herzberg’s theory? (2)
May not apply to all types of jobs (e.g. low-skilled roles). What motivates one person may not motivate another.
30
What are trade unions?
Organisations that represent employees in negotiations with employers over issues like pay and working conditions.
31
What is collective bargaining?
Negotiation between employers and employee representatives (like unions) on key employment matters.
32
What are employee representation methods?
Works councils Employee committees Trade union involvement
33
What are the benefits of good employer–employee relations? (3)
Increased motivation and loyalty. Improved productivity. Fewer disputes and lower absenteeism.
34
What are the potential drawbacks of employee representation? (2)
Slower decision-making. Risk of conflict between managers and staff.
35
What is recruitment?
The process of attracting, selecting, and appointing suitable candidates for jobs within an organisation.
36
What is training?
Training involves improving an employee’s skills and knowledge to help them perform better in their current role.
37
What are the advantages of training? (3)
Improves employee performance. Increases motivation and confidence. Can reduce errors and waste.
38
What are the disadvantages of training? (2)
Can be expensive and time-consuming. Risk that employees may leave after training.
39
What is Hard HRM?
A management approach that views employees as resources to be used efficiently — focusing on control, output, and cost.
40
What is Soft HRM?
A management approach that treats employees as valuable assets and focuses on development, motivation, and communication.
41
What are the advantages of Soft HRM? (2)
Higher staff motivation and retention. Encourages creativity and innovation.
42
What are the disadvantages of Hard HRM? (2)
May lead to low employee morale. Higher staff turnover and less loyalty.
43
What are the advantages of Hard HRM? (2)
Can reduce labour costs by tightly controlling wages, hours, and staff numbers. Decision-making is fast and consistent due to top-down control.
44
What are the disadvantages of Soft HRM? (2)
More expensive due to investment in training, development, and benefits. Slower decision-making due to greater employee consultation.
45
What are the 7 stages of recruitment (Infiltrate Palaces And Reclaim Stolen Sacred Artifacts.)
1. Identify vacancy 2. Write job description and personal specification 3. Advertise vacancies 4. Review applications 5. Shortlist candidates 6. Selection - testing centres/interviews 7. Appointment
46
What is internal recruitment
Occurs when candidates for a job role are people who already work for an organisation
47
What are the advantages of internal recruitment(5)
Lower Recruitment Costs Improved promotion opportunities motivate staff Quicker process Known abilities of candidates Shorter induction period
48
What are the disadvantages of internal recruitment (3)
Reduces talent available Limits number of applicant Potential to cause friction between candidates
49
What is external recruitment
Occurs when candidates fir a job role are people from outside the organisation.
50
What are the advantages of external recruitment (4)
Increases talent available Provided new ideas Introduces expertise from elsewhere Increases number of applicants
51
What are the disadvantages of external recruitment (3)
Increases recruitment costs Can upset internal candidates May be difficult to assess skills and personality
52
What does improving the recruitment process lead to (6)
More applicants Higher calibre recruits Lower training costs Improved staff motivation Increased labour productivity Lower future recruitment costs
53
What are the options for selection (3)
Interview Psychometric/Aptitude test Assessment centre

Business (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions