Flashcards · 8132 · Topic 4

Human resources flashcards

19 cards on Topic 4, subtopics 3.4.1 to 3.4.4. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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Organisational structure and chain of command: Organisational structure: how the business is arranged, with roles, responsibilities and reporting lines. Chain of command: the route by which authority passes from senior to junior staff.
Span of control, with an example: How many staff report directly to a single manager. 35 mechanics and 5 team leaders: 35 ÷ 5 = a span of 7.
Tall structure versus flat structure: Tall: many levels, narrow spans, long chain of command, slower communication, close control, higher wage cost. Flat: few levels, wide spans, short chain, quicker communication, more independent staff, lower wage cost.
Delegation and delayering: Delegation: handing a task and the authority to decide it to a lower level (the manager stays accountable). Delayering: taking out a layer or layers of management.
Centralised versus decentralised decision-making: Centralised (decisions at the top): consistent, tight control, but slow and may demotivate. Decentralised (decisions lower down): fast, locally informed, motivating, but decisions may differ between sites.

Internal versus external recruitment: Internal: cheaper, quicker, a known person, motivates staff, but a narrow choice, no fresh ideas, and creates another vacancy. External: wider choice and new ideas, but costly, slower and an unknown person.
Job description versus person specification: Job description: about the job, with its title, duties and responsibilities. Person specification: about the person wanted, with qualifications, skills, experience and qualities.
Types of employment contract: Full time: a standard full working week. Part time: fewer hours. Job share: one job split between two people. Zero hours: no guaranteed hours; flexible and low cost when quiet, but uncertain income for the worker and less loyalty.
The stages of recruitment and selection, in order: Job analysis, job description, person specification, advertise, shortlist, selection methods (interview, tests, assessment centre, references), then offer and contract.
Why do businesses recruit, and what are the benefits of an effective recruitment process?: Reasons: growth, replacing leavers, new skills, new roles. Benefits: high productivity from the right skills, high quality output or customer service, and staff retention, which saves repeated recruitment costs.

Financial methods of motivation: Salary: a fixed yearly sum. Wage: an hourly rate × hours worked. Commission: a percentage of sales. Profit sharing: employees receive a share of profits.
Salary £1,500 a month plus 3% commission on sales of £20,000. What is the total pay?: Commission = 3% × £20,000 = £600. Total = £1,500 + £600 = £2,100.
Non-financial methods of motivation, and why motivation matters: Methods: styles of management, training, greater responsibility, fringe benefits. A motivated workforce brings staff retention and high productivity. Named motivation theories (such as Maslow) are not examined in 8132.
Profit sharing: 12% of a £40,000 profit is shared equally among 16 staff. How much does each receive?: 12% × £40,000 = £4,800; £4,800 ÷ 16 = £300 each.
When do financial methods of motivation work best, and when do non-financial methods matter more?: Financial methods suit low-paid staff and sales roles. Non-financial methods (management style, training, responsibility, fringe benefits) matter more where pay is already fair. A mix often works best.

Induction, on-the-job and off-the-job training: Induction: settles new staff, covers rules and safety. On the job: cheaper, relevant, but the trainer's output falls and bad habits can pass on. Off the job: expert teaching and qualifications, but dearer and the worker is absent.
Benefits of training the workforce: Increased productivity, the ability to cope with changes in technology, increased motivation, staff retention, high-quality goods and good customer service.
Why is induction training useful?: It settles new staff in, covers rules and safe working, gets them productive more quickly and helps keep them. Its drawback is the time before real work starts.
How do you choose between on-the-job and off-the-job training for a business?: Say which suits the business and give a reason from the case (cost, size, technology, risk to customers), then weigh the alternative. Off the job suits specialist skills or work where errors in front of customers are costly.