Process of Staffing
The staffing process helps to select the right person with appropriate skills, qualifications and experience to recruit them to different positions and jobs in an organisation. Staffing means the process of filling and keeping various roles in an organisation filled. In management, it means the process of recruiting the right person at the right place to increase the efficiency of the organisation. An enterprise with an efficient workforce cannot function properly, so staffing helps an enterprise to acquire a workforce. It includes taking up different people to perform various functions in different departments. It is an important process to run an organisation or a business. This is the first and major step in human resource management. Read ahead to learn more about the Staffing Process from the Commerce Study Materials. Now that we have learned what is Staffing Process, let’s learn about the steps involved in the Staffing Process.
Steps in Staffing Process
Staffing is a complicated process, and it involves various steps, It starts with workforce planning, and ends with the proper recruitment of the employees. It also checks the performance of the employees effectively. For successful staffing in an organisation, a manager has to perform various steps of staffing that are as follows:
Planning the Manpower Requirements: The very first steps of staffing are to evaluate the manpower requirement of an organisation to match the job and positions available in the organisation. It also helps in determining the skills and qualifications required for a specific job in the organisation.
Recruitment of Employees: Once the requirement is evaluated, the next step involves the searching of prospective persons that are eligible for the job and inviting applicants to apply for the positions. In this process, the employer advertises about the openings in the organisation through various media, which makes it easy for the applicants to get to know about the job vacancy and the required skills.
Selection of Employees: The selection process helps in screening the employees and identifying the deserving candidate who will be suitable for a specified job. Therefore, it can be said that the main objective of selection is to identify the right employee for the right job.
Orientation and Placement: Once the right candidates are selected, the organization makes the employees familiar with the working units and working environments through various orientation programs. Then, the placement is done by putting the right candidate at the right place which helps in the proper functioning of the organisation.
Training and Development: Once the placement is done, the next step involves the training and development of employees. Training is an integral part of the staffing process, and it helps the employees to develop their skills and knowledge.
Remuneration to Employees: It is the compensation given to the employees in monetary terms in exchange for the work they do for the organization. It is given according to work done by the employees.
Performance Evaluation: It is an assessment done to evaluate the attitude, behavior, and performance of an employee. These steps of staffing also help in determining the success of the whole recruitment process. It gives the management a clear picture of the success rate of the entire recruitment procedure. This step includes elements like appraisal, promotion, and transfer. The performance of the employee is assessed comparatively to the other employees and also to his own previous performance. Based on these criteria, the employee gets a hike on his pay or a promotion. Sometimes, employees are transferred to another location of the same company and are generally attached with a level up in his position or given certain benefits.
Promotion of Employees: Promotion in simple words means the shifting of an employee to a higher post demanding a more significant responsibility. It not only makes the employee responsible but also keeps him motivated to do his work efficiently. With the promotion, the monetary benefits that the employee receives are also increased, which makes him more efficient to complete the work on time.
Transfer of Employees: As promotion is shifting of the employee to a higher post, transfer refers to the shifting of employees to a different unit or department being in the same position, This is done to develop new skills and knowledge of the employee.
Staffing Process Flow Chart
Staffing is a complicated process, so before starting with the staffing process, the manager has to prepare a flowchart to make the whole process easier and effective. He/She should plan and act according to the staffing process flowchart to make the process a success. The flowchart saves a lot of time and makes it easy to complete the selection and recruitment process.
Benefits of Staffing Process
Every organization needs to have efficient and competent employees to achieve its goals and objectives. The staffing function helps in acquiring such employees for an organization. It not only acquires the employees but also helps in their training and development. The most important feature of methods of staffing in management is that it allows the timely recruitment of the right person in the right place for the efficient working of the organization.
It helps in knowing the organizational requirements and achieving them by recruiting the exact person to do the job.
It helps in recruiting the correct ones, so it helps in improving the quality of human resources, when these people are trained properly, they can function more efficiently. On a whole, it improves the productivity of the organization.
When the employees are trained according to the job requirement, they can work efficiently, this will improve their morale and give them job satisfaction
Training the staff about how to behave with superiors, subordinates, and colleagues helps in building a harmonious working environment at the workplace
Types of Staffing Process
1. Internal Staffing
Filling job roles within the organisation using existing employees.
Methods include promotions, transfers, and internal job postings.
2. External Staffing
Hiring candidates from outside the organisation to fill job vacancies.
Methods include job advertisements, recruitment agencies, and campus placements.
3. Temporary Staffing
Recruiting employees for a short-term period to meet specific project needs or seasonal demands.
4. Contract Staffing
Hiring employees on a contractual basis for a fixed duration or specific task.
5. Project-Based Staffing
Recruiting individuals or teams for specific projects, typically for a defined timeline.
6. Outsourced Staffing
Engaging external agencies or firms to manage recruitment and staffing on behalf of the organisation.
Conclusion
The staffing process is crucial for any organization as it ensures the right people are hired, trained, and placed in the right roles. This helps improve efficiency, productivity, and employee satisfaction. By following proper steps like recruitment, training, and performance evaluation, businesses can build a skilled workforce that contributes to their success. Understanding and managing staffing well can lead to better outcomes and a more harmonious work environment.
FAQs on Understanding the Staffing Process in HRM
1. What is the staffing process in management?
The staffing process in management is a sequence of functions aimed at finding, evaluating, recruiting, placing, and retaining the right employees for the right jobs within an organisation. It ensures that the company has a skilled and efficient workforce to achieve its objectives. It begins with manpower planning and continues through training and development.
2. What are the key steps involved in the staffing process?
The staffing process typically involves several key steps to ensure the right talent is acquired and managed. These are:
- Manpower Planning: Estimating the number and type of employees needed.
- Recruitment: Attracting a pool of qualified candidates to apply for job vacancies.
- Selection: Screening and choosing the most suitable candidates from the applicant pool.
- Placement and Orientation: Assigning the selected candidate to a specific job and introducing them to the organisation.
- Training and Development: Enhancing the skills and knowledge of employees to improve performance.
- Performance Appraisal: Evaluating an employee's job performance against set standards.
- Promotion and Transfer: Advancing employees to higher roles or moving them to different roles for development.
- Compensation: Determining fair pay and benefits for employees.
3. What is the main difference between recruitment and selection in staffing?
The main difference lies in their objective and nature. Recruitment is a positive process that focuses on creating a large pool of applicants by advertising job openings. Its goal is to attract as many suitable candidates as possible. In contrast, selection is a negative or elimination process that involves screening this pool to identify and choose the single best candidate for the job.
4. How do internal and external sources of recruitment differ?
Internal and external sources of recruitment differ in where the candidates come from. Internal sources involve filling vacancies from within the organisation, using methods like promotions or transfers of existing employees. External sources involve hiring candidates from outside the organisation through methods like job advertisements, campus placements, or recruitment agencies.
5. Why is performance appraisal a crucial part of the staffing process?
Performance appraisal is crucial because it serves multiple purposes within the staffing cycle. It helps in evaluating an employee's current performance to determine their success in the role. This feedback is essential for identifying training needs, making decisions about promotions or salary hikes, and ensuring that the initial selection process was effective. It acts as a control mechanism for the entire staffing function.
6. Why is staffing considered a continuous process rather than a one-time event?
Staffing is considered a continuous process because an organisation's workforce needs are constantly changing. Employees may leave the company, get promoted, or be transferred, creating new vacancies. Furthermore, business expansion, new projects, and changing technology require the ongoing hiring and development of new talent. Therefore, managers must perform the staffing function continuously to maintain a competent and stable workforce.
7. Beyond simply filling jobs, how does the staffing process function strategically for a business?
Strategically, the staffing process is vital for long-term business success. It ensures the organisation has the right human capital to meet future challenges and opportunities. An effective staffing strategy aligns workforce skills with the company's goals, builds a competitive advantage through talented employees, fosters a positive organisational culture, and improves overall productivity and innovation, directly impacting the bottom line.
8. What are the potential consequences of a poor staffing process for an organisation?
A poor staffing process can have severe consequences. It can lead to hiring unsuitable candidates, resulting in low productivity and poor quality of work. It may also cause high employee turnover, which increases recruitment and training costs. Other negative impacts include decreased employee morale, a disruptive work environment, and ultimately, the failure to achieve organisational goals, harming the company's reputation and profitability.
