IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Employers association

Employers association

Employers association are groups of employers who join together to give benefits to their member. Businesses join together to form their own association, and members pay an annual subscription fee in return for the benefits they would receive.

Examples include

• National Farmers Union
• Society of British Aerospace Comapnies
• Federation of Samll Businesses
• National Federation of Builders

Advantages of joining an employers association

• They represent employers and negotiate with the trade unions on behalf of their members.
• Provide services to members for example statistical information, and advice or help with recruitment, training, health, safety and industrial relations problems
• Act as pressure groups on the goovernment to try to influence their policies.

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Worker participation

Worker participation

Worker participation refers to the influence that workers had on decision-making at management level. Representative workers of influence achieved this through their work on the various management-employee committees.

Advocate workers of influence used formal, individual meetings with management to influence their thinking. Informal workers of influence give input to management thinking in informal arenas such as articles in the newsletter and informal discussion where they exchange information with management.
Participation requires that management share information about the operation of the plant, the marketplace and the needs of customers and suppliers.
Worker participation, is defined as

a situation in which workers have obtained or been given the right to take part in managerial decision-making

It includes management seeking worker input to decision-making and workers offering input to managers for consideration in decision-making.

Benefits of workers participation

Worker participation, may be expected to have the following benefits

• Effect of dampening employee grievances
• Lower labour turnover
• Improved motivation levels
• Increased Productivity and efficiency
• Less conflict between management and employees and thus better employer-employee relations
• Contribution to decision making

Ways of Participation

One view is that workers or the trade unions should, as equal partners, sit with the management and make joint managerial decisions.The other view is that workers should only be given an opportunity, through their representatives, to influence managerial decisions at various levels.I
In practice, the participation of workers can take place by one or all the methods listed below:
1.Board level participation
2.Ownership participation
3.Complete control
4.Staff or work councils
5.Joint councils and committees
6.Collective Bargaining
7.Job enlargement and enrichment
8.Suggestion schemes
9.Quality circles
10.Empowered teams
11.TQM
12.Financial participation

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Industrial actions

Types of Industrial Actions

• Strike: when employees refuse to work
• Picketing: When employees stand outside the workplace and prevent the smooth functioning of the firm. E.g. they may stop the movement of Lorries in and out of factory.
• Work to Rule: It is when workers purposely follow all the rules in order to delay the progress of work.
• Go slow: It is when the employees work at a very slow pace.
• Non-cooperation: It involves workers refusing to follow a new procedure or rule.
• Overtime ban: It is when the employees refuse to work overtime or for additional hours of work apart from their normal working hours.

How a conflict could be resolved?

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic ; Types of training and its objective

What is training?

Training involves improving the skills, knowledge and attitudes of employees so as to become more efficient and productive.

Objectives of Training

• Improve the efficiency of workforce
• Make workers multi-skilled and flexible
• Introducing a new process or new machinery
• Reduce wastage of material and time
• Adapt to change

Types of Training

Induction Training

It involves introducing a new employee to its work environment. Usually, it includes

• introduction to colleagues,
• explaining the firm’s activities,
• procedures followed in the organisation,
• explaining the organisational structure,
• place of working etc.

On the Job training

A worker gets training by watching a more experienced worker doing the job. It is common for unskilled and semi-skilled jobs. Thus the worker gets trained while he is performing his regular duties.

Off the job training

This is when a worker goes away from the place of work to attend a special course. The training can be in the form of a seminar, workshop or a college course. Off the job training is usually conducted for managerial level employees.

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Recruitment and Selection Process

Recruitment and Selection Process

The recruitment process starts with a vacancy arising.

Job analysis and description

Once a vacancy arises the human resource manager will first identify and record the responsibilities and tasks which are related to the job. After analysing the responsibilities and tasks they are noted down which becomes the Job description for the job. It includes:

• A job title
• Department of the business in which the new employee would work
• Details of the tasks to be performed
• Responsibilities involved
• Place in the hierarchical structure
• Methods of assessing the performance

Job Specification

On the basis of Job description, a job specification is made. It is a document which outlines the requirements, qualifications and qualities, skills and knowledge required for the job. It is also known as person specification.

Job Advertisement

After completing the person specification (job specification) the vacancy is advertised. It can be advertised internally (on the company notice board or newsletter) or may be advertised externally in a newspaper or magazine. The advertisement will usually contain the elements of a person specification with additional information like the name and profile of the company, date and time of interview, address of the company and the contact person etc.

Applications received and shortlisted

Once a job is advertised, there might be hundreds of application received. All of the applications received might not be suitable for the job. Thus a short listing of the applications will be done. The applications most near to the job specification will be called for interview and those who do not qualify the criteria will be rejected.

Interview

The shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview to verify their qualifications, personal qualities and aptitude for the job. It may involve a face to face discussion between the interviewer and interviewee. The firm may also conduct skill test, aptitude tests or personality test if it deems fit so.

Selecting the suitable candidate

The candidate who scores the maximum in the interview will be selected for the job and given an appointment letter.

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Manpower Planning

Manpower Planning

It involves the planning for the future and finding out how many employees will be needed in the future by the business and what types of skills should they possess.
It depends on the following factors

• The number of people leaving the job
• The projected growth in sales of the business
• Technological changes
• Productivity level of the workers

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IGCSE BUSINESS STUDIES Topic : Functions of Human Resource Department

Functions of Human Resource Department

A typical Human Resource Department is carries out the following functions:

Manpower Planning

It involves the planning for the future and finding out how many employees will be needed in the future by the business and what types of skills should they possess.

It depends on the following factors

• The number of people leaving the job
• The projected growth in sales of the business
• Technological changes
• Productivity level of the workers

Job analysis and Job description

HR Department is also involved in designing the Job analysis and Job description for the prospective vacancies.

A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job.

Job descriptions are written statements that describe the:

• duties,
• responsibilities,
• most important contributions and outcomes needed from a position,
• required qualifications of candidates, and
• reporting relationship and co-workers of a particular job.

Determining wages and salaries

HR Department is also involved in conducting market surveys and determining the wages and salaries for different position in an organization. These decision may be taken in consultation with top management and the Finance department.

Recruitment and Selection

One of the most important jobs HR department is to recruit the best people for the organization. This is of crucial importance as the success of any organization depend on the quality of its workforce. Details regarding the recruitment and selection procedure can be found here.

Performance Apprasial

Once the employees are recruited , the HR Department has to review their performance on a regular basis through proper performance appraisals.

Performance appraisal is the process of obtaining, analyzing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee. The focus of the performance appraisal is measuring and improving the actual performance of the employee and also the future potential of the employee. Its aim is to measure what an employee does.

On the basis of performance appraisal the HR Department will set up an action plan for each employee. If the employees needs any training then he provided that.

Training and Development

HR department is constantly keeping a watch over the employees of the organisation. In order to improve the efficiency level of the employees they have go undergo regular trainings and development programmes. All trainings and development needs are carried out by this department. Training might include on the job or off the job training. Find more information on training here.

Employee welfare and motivation

Happy employees mean a healthy organization. HR Department conducts various employee welfare activities which might include employees get together, annual staff parties etc. HR department also reviews organizational policies and its impact on the motivation of the employees.

Addressing employees grievances

HR department is the link between the workers and the management. Employees grievances related work environment are usually entertained and resolved by the HR Department.

Labour management relations

For the smooth operation of any organization, it is crucial to have good labour management relations. HR department has to ensure that these relations are cordial. In case of any labour-management conflict the HR Department will play a vital role in bringing both management parties to the negotiation table and resolving the issue.

Implementing organizational policies

HR Department has to coordinate with line manager and see that the organizational policies are being implemented in a proper manner. Disciplinary action can be initiated against employees who are not following organizational rules and regulations. All these actions are conceived and implemented by the HR department.

Dismissal and redundancy

HR Department has to take firm actions against employees who are not following the organizational code of conduct, rules and regulations. This can result in the dismissal of the employee.

Sometimes, an organization may no more require the services of an employee. The employee may be made redundant. HR Department has to see that organizational and government regulations are being followed in this process.

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