The human resources office
THE HUMAN resources office is the centre of an organisation and it works closely with other departments within the organisation. The functions of the human resources office include the following: Recruiting employees. Orienting and training new employees.
Determining how to compensate employees.
Providing incentives and benefits. Settling complaints and grievances. Disciplinary procedures. Appraising performance. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF NEW EMPLOYEES
Recruitment i. Advertising post ii. Shortlisting iii. Interviewing iv. Testing v. Selecting
Employment i. Letter of contract ii. Promotion iii. Transfer iv. Layoff v. Dismissal
Training i. Induction ii. Orientation iii. In-house iv. Special programmes for individuals
Evaluation i Performance/Appraisal ii. Reports Welfare i. Pension schemes ii. Superannuation schemes iii. Insurance iv. Canteen
The recruitment of employees can be done either internally or externally. Internal sources consist of employee referral and promotions from within, whereas external sources are more varied and consist of the following: unsolicited applications, advertising, employment agencies, grapevine and electronic media. The selection process usually involves: a) Processing of applications. b) Shortlisting (selection of an approved number of applicants for interviewing).
c) Interviewing (by one or more persons). d) Testing (if necessary). e) Notifying successful applicants by telephone and a follow-up letter.
A contract of employment is prepared for the successful applicant. It sets out the terms and conditions of employment, and so a personal file should be prepared with the following records – application letter/form, letter of appointment, contract of employment, performance evaluation, periods of absences/vacation/ sick leave, medical certificates, record of transfers/promotion, copies of certificates/transcripts, reference/testimonials, and résumé. ORIENTATION
Orientation is usually undertaken by the human resources office to help the employee adjust to his/her new environment within the shortest possible time, and provides information on the following:
The structure of the organisation Policies
Services
Wages and salaries Working hours Benefit plans Training opportunities Appraisal system
The newly hired employee will be asked to submit:
National insurance number (NIS) Tax registration number (TRN) Medical record References
INDUCTION
The induction programme is planned by the department in which the new employee will actually commence work so that the employee can adjust to his new job as quickly as possible. During the induction programme, the employee is provided with information on: Responsibilities of the job Specific duties
The department in which he/she will be employed
Facilities available Promotional opportunities Operation of basic equipment
The aim of this training is to familiarise the employee with the important aspects of the job and safety precautions to follow.
TRAINING
Organising training programmes is an essential feature of the work of the human resources department. The programme may be an ‘in-house’ one that is done by selected staff, or it may be one in which persons from outside the organisation are recruited to undertake the training programme. The period of training depends upon the complexity of the training involved.
Training is beneficial to both the employer and the employee. Some of the benefits of training include:
Better understanding of the organisation and its goals.
Improved performance and morale. Improved problem-solving techniques.
Introduction of ideas which can save time and money.
EVALUATION OF EMPLOYEES
In evaluating an employee, the following factors are considered: Scholastic background Attendance/punctuality Job knowledge Attitude
Quantity and quality of work performance
Reliability
Initiative Adaptability Decision-making ability Evaluation techniques may vary in different organisations. Be good, and see you. Hyacinth Tugman is an independent contributor. Send comments to kerryann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com.