BUS 335 STAFFING ORGANIZATIONS

Week 1 Discussion" Please respond to the following:

Think about a time when you were part of a staffing process. Describe the situation using
as many details as possible. Then, recommend three (3) areas in which the staffing process
could have been improved. Justify your answer.
I was once part of the staffing process for a previous employer. We provided recruitment tests,
training to the staff, and evaluated their performances according to their job functions. The
staffing process implemented worked well but adjustments could be made. Tools for human
resource management needed improvement. Orientation for new hires needed to include formally
introducing the new hire to the staff. Training programs for new hires and existing staff needed
to be updated due to changing work conditions. Selecting and training new hires is vital to work
conditions.
COMMENT: My current company used to hire solely out of need under the old management
regime. The new regime hires out of need as well but they also consider other factors such as
character, work ethic, previous employment history, and an overall feel for the potential new
hire. This helps eliminate dead weight employees like the ones we are now stuck with from the
old regime. Being selective from the beginning of the hiring process helps the productivity of the
company.
"Week 2 Discussion" Please respond to the following:
Select two (2) out of the five (5) discussion questions presented on page 37 of your textbook.
Answer your chosen questions, and justify your answers.
4. What are examples of how staffing activities are influenced by training activities? Compensation
activities?

Staffing activities can be influenced by training activities through implementing procedures that the staff
will experience. Potential new hires should be assessed for the job function they will be given. A
stockroom laborer should be assessed for organizational skills, physical, and mechanical assignments
rather than training the new hire for clerical duties.

Staffing activities can be influenced by compensation activities by attracting talented skilled individuals
for employment opportunities. If the salary for a certain job title is below the salary of other
competitors in the same market this will make it difficult to attract talented individuals for employment.
Employees should be able to see the connection between their work and compensation for that work. If
employees do not feel like their work is creating results, they will feel a lack of inspiration and will not
see how they are an asset to the company.

2. Why is it important for the organization to view all components of staffing (recruitment,
selection, and employment) from the perspective of the job applicant?

It is important to view all components of staffing from the perspective of the job applicant because it
helps the employee to better understand the potential job requirements and to analyze if applicant is
suitable for the job. These components help identify and attract job applicants to the company. Through
the recruitment, selection, and employment process staffing should educate the potential new hire on
about the company. Recruitment, selection, and employment help to better match an individual for the
job requirements based on their skill set and abilities.

COMMENT: It is difficult to argue that certain staffing decisions are more important than others. All
are important. But certain situations may be associated with certain strategic staffing decisions being
particularly important. For instance, if a company needed to maximize its flexibility it would be
beneficial to use the strategic staffing decision involving the core vs. flexible workforce. But if a
company wants to enhance employee retention, the company would apply the external vs. internal
hiring strategic staffing decision.

"Week 3 Discussion " Please respond to the following:

Go to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website and select one (1) case
from the list. Then, assess the major federal provision that was violated. Recommend at
least three (3) action steps to avoid making a similar violation as hiring manager.
One case from the list is race hiring. The major federal provision that was violated is discrimination
of American Africans regarding promotions. Promoting employees from part time to full time
employment based on race, violated federal provision of non-discriminative employment. Actions a
hiring manager can take to avoid similar violations is to promote staff based on merit, consider
promoting all staff into various into all job functions, and advertise positions for a greater pool of
applicants.
COMMENT: It is always beneficial to seek feedback after not being selected for a position. HR
management can provided needed advice so that the employee can make adjustments and sharpen
interviewing skills. But if the employee feels that they were not selected for a position due
to discrimination then that employee should communication concerns with human resources as well.

"Week 4 Discussion" Please respond to the following: Based on the case study Age
Discrimination in a Promotion (Pg. 83 - Pg. 85), identify three (3) considerations that the
Best Protection Insurance Company (BPIC) could include in the promotional process that
it utilized to avoid future legal issues. Provide support for your rationale.

The Best Protection Insurance Company could include in the promotional process posting a
formal written job description and description of job qualifications. Expectations and
requirements for qualifying will be clear for all interested to apply.
BPIC can devise a plan, evaluation, and interview process keeping detailed records of each
candidate’s resume. This process can display qualified individuals from unqualified individuals
preventing age discrimination.
Human resources should be involved in the recruiting and interviewing process and not just
department heads. Human resources can provide tenure and performance information to
department heads. This is important when selecting candidates and also employees for
promotion.
Age discrimination can create an intimidating work place environment and interfere with work
performance, morale, and advancement opportunities for older employees. Understanding age
discrimination and the problems that can occur can help avoid discrimination in the workplace.
Some strategies to avoid age discrimination should include a revision of the company’s culture,
preventive trainings, revision of hiring/screening processes, benefits and retirement policies, and
a commitment to provide a supportive work place for employees of all ages. Trainings can raise
employee’s awareness of discriminatory practices and encourage changes in behavior.
WEEK 5 Suggest two (2) staffing strategies that organizations can utilize to maintain
sustainability and minimize the impact of a significant percentage of the workforce
approaching retirement age. Support your rationale with specific examples of such
strategies.
Structuring a diverse workforce can help decrease the impact of retiring age employees. Retiring
age employees can provide employees with years of knowledge and skills. Retirement also
provides opportunities for promotions.
Many retiring age employees do not fully retire. They may retire from one employer and gain
employment with another employer. Retired employees can benefit from retirement while
receiving a salary and health benefits from new employer. Companies can provide retiring
employees options with flexible hours in an attempt to retain seasoned employees on staff.
COMMENT: Concern for the aging workforce involves public and the private networks. When the
millions of baby boomers which is about 40 percent of the country’s workforce leave the workforce it
will lead to a large number of vacancies to be filled and skilled workers. Some of these aging working will
have to continue further in the workforce. Companies need to formulate strategies to address the job
vacancies and lack of skilled workers. Formulating strategies to create an environment suitable for a
multigenerational workforce will help to retain aging workers past their retirement age.

Week 6 Discussion" Please respond to the following: Use the Internet to research
companies that utilize external recruiting processes. Next, based on your research, provide
three (3) characteristics of a job where external recruitment would be ideal. Next,
determine two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of using each recruiting process.
Support your position with specific examples of the identified advantages and
disadvantages.
The company selected for the discussion purpose is Waddell & Reed, a boutique financial
planning and investment firm based in Kansas City, KS. The position that Waddell & Reed uses
an external recruiting process for its financial advisor. Three characteristics of the financial
advisor position that make external recruiting ideal are financial advisors need to have solid sales
and marketing skills, be analytical, and be good with people.
There are several advantages and disadvantages Waddell & Reed faces while using an external
recruiting process. Two advantages of using an external process is it gives the recruiters access
to a wide range of experienced, qualified candidates and it allows Waddell & Reed to introduce
the career of a financial advisor to upcoming graduates. Specific examples of this can found in
the process that Waddell & Reed recruiters use LinkedIn to network with other advisors at
competitive firms and how management at local firm conduct “career showcases”; seminars
where 10-15 upcoming graduates come to learn about beginning a career as a financial advisor.
Two disadvantages Waddell & Reed faces during their external recruiting process is they have to
interview a tremendous amount of unqualified candidates and network with dozens of
experienced advisors before the get a quality hire. It isn’t uncommon to have a career showcase
with 15 applicants in attendance and end with up only 1 or 2 qualified applicants. It is also
normal for recruiters to network with an experienced advisor for over a year before he considers
changing firms and joining Waddell & Reed. The recruiting team has to cast a wide net via
multiple outlets to land a few number of quality financial advisors.
COMMENT: Some substantial advantages of external recruitment is getting an inflow of often
completely new ideas with an employee who have not been exposed or overexposed to your
corporate culture. A new employee may bring information or methodologies from her former
employer that can be integrated into your best practices. External job recruiting allows for
rebalancing and may lead to team stability, as teams may remain intact when hiring externally.
WEEK 7 Please respond to the following: Select three (3) out of the five (5) discussion
questions presented on pages 302 and 303 of your textbook. Answer your chosen questions,
and justify your answers.
3. Compare and contrast a closed internal recruitment system with an open internal
recruitment system.
With an open system, the employee is aware of job openings through a job posting and
bidding system. With a closed system, the only individuals who are aware of promotions,
job openings, or transfer opportunities are those who oversee placement in the human
resources department, line managers with vacancies, and contracted employees. The
closed system is faster and less expensive. The open system attracts more potential
candidates decreasing the chances that talent will be overlooked and motivate migration
of labor from jobs that are critical and difficult to fill. Whatever system may be specified
within a labor agreement or contract must be adhered to since such agreements and
contracts are legally binding.
4. What information should be included in the targeted internal communication
message?
Information included in a targeted message should involve tailoring the message to a
specific audience. The message should attract experienced internal employees. The
rewards offered can be taken directly from the job benefits package. Also, the targeted
internal communication message should match the abilities and the desires of the target
audience as closely as possible for maximum effect in attracting talented applicants.
COMMENT: Conflict and high turnovers can result from unclear promotion policies.
Promotions based on an employee’s skills and performance and not favoritism is important for
having an effective promotion policy when advancing employees. Employers can avoid
difficulties and discrimination by consistently applying promotion policy standards.

WEEK 8 "Assessment Methods" Please respond to the following: Determine three (3)
advantages and three (3) disadvantages of using traditional predictors (e.g., resume-bio
presentations, interviews, reference checks, etc.) versus substantive assessment methods
(e.g., personality tests, cognitive tests, integrity tests, etc.) when selecting new employees.
Three advantages of using traditional predictors versus substantive assessment methods
are:
1. In person interviews help you access who you are potentially hiring. Substantive
assessment methods do not give the personal or gut feeling factor.
2. Checking references give an idea on potential hires previous performances. Assessments
do not give answers to the avail needed to make a decision.
3. Resumes can serve as an advantage and disadvantage. The resume partially shows the
integrity of a potential hire. The disadvantage is the resume may omit things that deem
detrimental for their employment or the candidate may list things they may not seem too
good but can be explained.
Three disadvantages of using traditional predictors versus substantive assessment
methods are:
1. As stated before resumes can be a disadvantage because resumes can be manipulated to
reflect an appealing potential hire but in actuality they may not have experience in the
area they are applying for.
2. A potential new hire may falsify presentations. The potential new hire may be able to
present well but may actually lack the computer or research skills.
3. KSAO’s is also a disadvantage. The potential new hire may lack experience but has
learned the correct response because these are things that may be studied to answer
correctly.
Next, select the one (1) assessment method that you believe is the most reliable for
hiring new employees, and specify two (2) benefits of utilizing your selected method
within an organization. Justify your response.
Face to face interviews are more personable. Energy and vibes that people exude can give a
feel for the individual. First impressions are very important and can also give an idea of the
individual’s comprehension, problem solving skills, and communication skills.

COMMENT: Cognitive ability tests assess abilities involved in thinking, reasoning, perception,
memory, verbal, mathematical ability, and problem solving. These tests pose questions designed
to evaluate applicants' potential to use mental processes to solve work-related problems or to
acquire new job knowledge. Some cognitive ability tests sum up the correct answers to all of the
items to obtain an overall score that represents a measure of general mental ability. Cognitive
tests can be administered to large groups of people at one time.
WEEK 9 "Internal Selection Factors" Please respond to the following:
Choose three (3) internal selection factors that you believe would be most reliable for
promoting employees within an organization. Next, describe two (2) reasons why an
individual should consider these three (3) factors when promoting employees within an
organization. Justify your response.
Three important selection factors that would be most reliable for promoting employees within an
organization are job performance, attendance, and or skill/education level. Meeting or exceeding
in areas of job performances, reliability/dependability in areas of attendance, and innovative
ideas as well as successful execution of those ideas in the area of skill/education level are
considerations for promotion for employees.

Based on the case study, determine what you believe are the three (3) primary weaknesses
in BioGlass Inc’s promotion policy. Next, describe two (2) solutions to address the
identified weaknesses. Then, provide one (1) method for preventing similar problems in the
future. Support your rationale with specific examples of such strategies.

Three primary weaknesses in BioGlass Inc’s promotion policy is failure to promote employees
based on the three internal selection factors of job performance, attendance, and skill/educational
level. BioGlass Inc. promoted Tom based only on his performance in the sales department.
BioGlass Inc., did not take into consideration any other employees. Also, the company did not
consider the possible challenges Tom would face as a manager. When promoting internally it is
important to consider more than one candidate, skills and the ability to adapt to changes.

COMMENT: Job applicants differ based on education, work experience, personality, ability,
and skill levels. Effective employee selection is a vital component for a successful organization.
Employee job performance important in determining how successful an organization will be.
Effective selection can maximize the probability that its new employees will have the skills
necessary to do the jobs they were hired to do.

Week 10 Go to BizFiling’s Website and read the article titled “Identifying and Addressing
Employee Turnover Issues,” located at http://www.bizfilings.com/toolkit/sbg/office-
hr/managing-the-workplace/employee-turnover-issues-tactics.aspx. Next, examine your
current job position or a job position with which you are familiar. Then, choose three (3)
significant factors that you believe have contributed to employees leaving the organization.
Next, suggest three (3) methods organizations could utilize to retain their employees.
Support your rationale with two (2) examples of such factors / methods.
A job position that I am familiar with involves caseload work for a state agency. Three
significant factors that contribute to employees leaving the organization are lack of monetary
compensation, overwhelming caseloads, and very low morale. Three methods the agency could
utilize to retain employees is to restructure salary packages, decrease caseloads by hiring of
additional staff, and rewarding staff for meeting individual/company goals.

Based on the case study Retention: Deciding to Act (Pg. 718 – Pg. 720), determine whether
the major complaints presented in the case study are the true reason for Wally’s Wonder
Wash’s high turnover rate. Then, suggest two (2) reasonable retention strategies that
Wally’s Wonder Wash could implement. Justify your rationale. Note: Remember, turnover
is not always about salary. Therefore, please present strategies that would not involve pay
increases.
The major complaints presented in the case study about Wally’s Wonder Wash’s high turnover
rate has more to do with the amount of tasks for the positions. Wally’s Wonder Wash should
distribute the tasks among the service specialist, attendants, and detailers to prevent staff from
being overwhelmed. Wally’s Wonder Wash should also develop and implement training
programs to cross-train and build confidence in the workforce.

COMMENT: My office manager is strictly about numbers and meeting office goals. One of the
two supervisors is always encouraging management to show appreciation for the staff. When
monetary compensation is not an option management should focus on other ways to keep or
improve moral.