Hrmt20024 Managing Human Resource- Retail Assessment Answers

Recruitment and selection process:

HR strategies of retail industry:

As stated by Chen (2011), an organization requires appropriate recruitment and selection process for the purpose of recruiting the right employee at the right position of the company. In Woolworths the recruitment and selection process depends on the jobs or positions available in the organization. For the purpose of determining the available jobs and position in the organization, HRM department examine the availability of candidates for the corresponding position, and also the merits and expertise of the candidates. According to Dessler & Teiche et al. (2004), it is the responsibility of HR department to conduct the recruitment and selection process for the purpose of maintaining the regularity in the staff position and also for getting the best performance from selecting employees.

For the purpose of conducting the successful recruitment and selection process, it is necessary that HR department consider both internal and external recruitment which not only help the organization in saving its time but also allowed that fresh ideas enters in the organization. Additionally, recruitment policy is also necessary for the purpose of filling up the human resource gaps within the organization, increase the productivity, and also helps in conducting the operations smoothly.

According to Arlot and Celisse (2010), recruitment policy adopted by the Woolworth also identifies the Woolworth objectives which are determined by organization. All these factors helps he HR department of Woolworth in understanding the recruitment requirement of the organization, and it also influence the recruitment policy of the company. At starting stage, policy related to recruitment states the framework for the purpose of completing the recruitment process in the organization. As stated by Nkhungulu Mulenga and Van Lill (2007), Program of recruitment for filling the positions in the Woolworth is implemented successfully. Woolworth plays fairly in this process and follows the recruitment policies for the purpose of attracting the candidates to attain the recruitment sessions.

HR planning challenges:

Labor supply:

Various sources are there through which labor is supplied to retail industry such as graduates from VET and a higher education option which also includes school based programs. However, retail industry does not state any definite qualifications for important job positions in the retail sector. This scenario is also showed in the profile of current workforce, and this can be understood through example that in 2011 almost 71% of the workers of retail sector do not hold a post-school qualification (ABS, 2012). As stated previously, lack of qualification requirement attract the people who seeks casual and part time work towards the retail sector. There are number of employees who are presently working in the retail sector and also attending school or university. Generally, people indulged in retail sector for working on casual and part time basis and for the purpose of getting necessary skill training. This is the biggest challenge faced by the retail industry that usually, employees work in this industry for casual basis and they do not consider it as permanent job.

There are number of employees who are selected through traineeship or through a Training Package qualification which does not include traineeship. It also includes internal or unaccredited training programs. Managers generally develop and promote the recruitment process through their internal programs, and these programs were developed on the basis of the needs of the organization. There are number of managers who complete a Certificate IV qualification, or achieve a degree or Masters of Business Administration, some with a retail specialization (Hart & Stachow 2007).

There is one more issue related to recruitment process in retail industry that is completion rates in retail. Data of NCVER shows completion rates of around 45 per cent of sales workers in 2007, which is compared with a non-trade occupations average of 50.3 per cent. The productivity commission states, because of the high level of non-completion in retail may be partially due to the fact that retail qualification is not considered as prerequisite for employment (Nickson & warhurst, 2011).

Demographic changes:

Traditionally, retail industry mainly employed the large number of younger people, women, and casual part-time staff as compared to other industries. From the point of view of employer, this has provided the necessary flexibility for the purpose of meeting changing seasonal demands and also for customizes the shifts. From employee point of view, retail industry allowed them to accompany their part-time and casual work with their job for the purpose of allowed them to give time to other activities such as study, home duties and caring. Demographic changes also provide useful transition from study to work which provide the opportunity of the development of opportunity skills. However, there are number of issues which affect the employment and recruitment practices in the retail industry. It is considered that there is dramatic increase in the number of older Australians which includes people aged 65–84 set to double and the number over 85 set to quadruple by 2050.

This demographic change decreases the pool of young workers which result in higher unemployment rate. There are currently five working age people for every person over 65, and this is conducted to almost have by the year 2050 to 2.7. Population of Australia of Median age is reflected to increase to 38.7–40.7 years in 2026 and to 41.9–45.2 years in 2056 (Guest, 2003).

Recruitment strategies:

Woolworth considered the recruitment process in similar manner as they considered other aspects of the company, and they do that by putting the candidates through evaluation process for the purpose of finding the best. Therefore, recruitment strategy of Woolworth takes 2 to 8 weeks in Woolworth.

In Woolworth, candidates who applied for positions in head office and Management submit their applications through Careers Website. After then selected applicants undergo the process of telephonic and face-to-face interviews, risk assessments and psychometric assessments. Those candidates who applied for positions in store and supply management fill the application and also submit their CVs. After that selected applicants will then be informed and interviewed through telephonic and competency based panel interview, risk assessment and literacy and numeracy assessments.

There are number of external a factor which affects the recruitment strategy of Woolworths and selection procedures of the company, and these factors are also considered by the other employers engaged in the retail industry. For a fair recruitment it is necessary to consider the following factors while framing recruitment strategies: 

• Social factors- according to Cordner and Cordner (2011), social factors strongly impact the process of recruitment and selection in Woolworths and this is because this company is the prestigious company which require best candidates for the organization.
• Legal factors- as stated by Van den Brink et al. (2006), HR department of the Woolworth and any organization operates in retail industry must follow the rules and regulations of the company and also of the government such as international law of employment and labor laws framed by government. It is necessary that organization must follow the laws and regulations for ensuring better performance and for avoiding the legal consequences.
• Political factors- according to Jack Chen (2011), it is necessary for the organization to consider the political factors related to the organization for the purpose of ensuring fair recruitment and selection procedure in the organization. In case of Woolworth, political laws and regulations of Australia need to be focused and abided by it (Wheatly, 2010). 

Conclusion:

Woolworth performs he recruitment and selection process for the purpose of getting best human resources in their organization to perform their work. It is recommended to the Woolworth that company mainly focus on its cost on the incentives and appraisals of the existing employees. However, it is also important for organization to focus on the HR department policies and also strengthen these policies for the purpose of ensuring fair process of recruitment in the organization. Fair recruitment helps the organization in attracting more employees which not only increase the manpower of the organization but also help the organization in filling the gaps. It not only increases the productivity but also increases the employee retention.

References:

Arlot, S. and Celisse, A. (2010). A survey of cross-validation procedures for model selection. Statist. Surv, Volume 4(0), pp.40-79.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012). Survey of education and work, cat. no. 6227.0, ABS, Canberra; Deloitte Access Economics, 2012, unpublished data.

Clark, M. (2010). Experiencing recruitment and selection. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, Volume 38(1), pp.137-139.

Cordner, G. & Cordner, A. (2011). Stuck on a Plateau?: Obstacles to Recruitment, Selection, and Retention of Women Police. Police Quarterly, Volume 14(3), pp.207-226.

Dessler & Teicher., Dessler, G. and Teicher, J. (2004). Recruitment & selection”, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.. Pearson Education Australia.

Guest D. et al., (2003), ‘Human resource management and corporate performance in the UK. British Journal of Industrial Relations, Volume 41, No. 2, p.299.

Hart C & Stachow G, (2007). Employer perceptions of skills gaps in retail: Issues and implications for UK retailers. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Volume 35, No. 4, p. 281.

Jack Chen, E. (2011). A revisit of two-stage selection procedures. European Journal of Operational Research, Volume 210(2), pp.281-286.

Jack Chen, E. (2011). A revisit of two-stage selection procedures. European Journal of Operational Research, Volume 210(2), pp.281-286.

Nickson D & Warhurst C. (2011). Soft skills and employability: Evidence from UK retail. Economic and Industrial Democracy, volume 33, No. 1, p. 79.

Nkhungulu Mulenga, C. and Van Lill, B. (2007) “Recruitment and Selection of Foreign Professionals In the South African Job Market: Procedures and Processes”, SA j. hum. resour. manag., Volume 5(3), pp. 78-96.

Van den Brink, M., Brouns, M. & Waslander, S. (2006). Does excellence have a gender?”,Employee Relations. Volume 28(6), pp.523-539

Wheatley, S. (2010). Making the Right Investment – Recruitment and Selection”, Legal Information Management. Volume 10(04), pp.279-282.