Comparing Proactive and Reactive Approaches to HRM

Ch Muhammad Irfan +92-345-4426176 International Management Skype: ch.irfan786
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Topic: Compare reactive approach with proactive approach of HRM. Quote
advantages and disadvantages:
- Proactive Approach:
Proactive behavior involves acting in advance of a future situation, rather
than just reacting. It means taking control and making things happen rather than just adjusting to a
situation or waiting for something to happen.
- Reactive Approach:
Reactive is when you deal with things that happened when you are not
prepared.
Following are the advantages and Disadvantages of reactive strategy:
Advantages:
o Low Cost
o Fast
o Low Risk
o Product need established
Disadvantages:
o May Loss First Mover advantage
o Competitors may mislead you
o Market may not match your product’s life cycle
Following are the advantages and Disadvantages of proactive strategy:

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Topic: List all approaches of HRM and compare reactive approach with proactive
approach of HRM:
o Strategic Approach
o Human Resource Approach
o Management Approach
o System Approach
o Proactive Approach
- Similarities :
The main similarity between proactive and reactive HR is that both are integral in
strategic HR, which has become prominent in the early 21st century. Companies need to proactively
develop procedures but have an efficient system to deal well when surprise issues occur. Both approaches
involve processes of dealing with employees and their concerns. In each type, HR professionals and
managers want to keep employees happy so that production is high.
- Differences :
Timing is a key difference between proactive and reactive HR. Proactive HR plans are
typically implemented before issues come up. Proactive approaches include intentionally hiring certain
employees and paying what it takes to motivate employees. Reactive approaches more often involve
waiting until employees complain to fix pay or motivation problems. In an April 2011 Foster Thomas article,
Kristin Rueber explains that proactive HR also may involve payroll and employee audits that catch issues
before they fester. She describes a particular situation in which a company paid a non active employee for
about 12 years because it failed to review payroll files proactively.
List all approaches of HRM and discuss any two with examples:
Approaches of HRM:
o Strategic Approach
o Human Resource Approach
o Management Approach
o System Approach
o Proactive Approach
- Strategic Approach
HR management must contribute to the strategic success of the
organization. If the activities of managers and the HR department do not help the organization achieve its
strategic objectives, resources are not being used effectively.
- Human resource approach
HR management is the management of people. The importance and dignity
of human beings should not be ignored for the sake of expediency. Only through careful attention to the
needs of employees can organizations grow and prosper.
- Management approach
HR management is the responsibility of every manager. The HR
department exists to serve managers and employees through its expertise. In the final analysis, the
performance and well-being' of-each worker are the dual responsibility of that worker's immediate
supervisor and the HR department.

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- Systems approach
HR management takes place within a larger system: the organization.
Therefore, HR efforts must be evaluated with respect to the contribution they make to the organization's
productivity. In practice, experts must recognize that the HR management model is an open system of
interrelated parts: Each part affects the others and is influenced by the external environment.
- Proactive approach
HR management can increase its contribution to the employees and the
organization by anticipating challenges before they arise. If its efforts are reactive only, problems may be
compounded and opportunities may be missed.
Topic: What are the personal objectives of Human Resource
management? Give Examples
HRM is useful not only to organization, but the employees working therein, and also the society at large
also find it useful. The objectives can be as under:
- Organizational Objectives:
HRM is a means to achieve efficiency and effectiveness. It serves
other functional areas, so as to help them to attain efficiency in their operations and attainment of goals to
attain efficiency. Acquiring right man for the right job at right time in right quantity, developing through
right kind of training, utilizing the selected workforce, and maintaining the workforce is the organizational
objectives of HRM. Succession planning is an important issue to be taken up as a contemporary
organizational objective.
Example: HP HR department found that it could enhance its contribution to the organization through
sophisticated information system that allow department to cut 35 Million a year from its budget. Simply
stated and HR department exists to serve the rest of the organization.
- Functional Objectives:
HRM performs so many functions for other departments. However,
it must see that the facilitation should not cost more than the benefit rendered.
Example: HP changed its ratios of HR staff members to employees from 1 per 53 down to 1 per 75 without
violating the company’s long standing no layoff policy.
- Personal Objectives:
In today’s world there is shortage of requisite talent. Employees are
encouraged by competitive firms to change the jobs. HRM has the responsibility to acquire, develop, utilize,
and maintain employees. This would be possible only when the HRM helps employees to achieve their
personal goals to get their commitment. Creating work-life balance for the employees is a personal
objective.
Example: society may limit HR decisions through laws that address discrimination, safety and other areas of
societal concern.
- Societal Objectives:

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HRM must see that the legal, ethical, and social environmental
issues are properly attended to. Equal opportunity and equal pay for equal work are the legal issues not to
be violated. To take care of farmers (whose land has been acquired for the factory) and tribal’s (who are
displaced by industries and mining companies) are the ethical issues.
Topic: Discuss what is job analysis with special references to job description, job specification and job
standards give examples
Job analysis is primary tool in personnel management. In this method, a personnel manager tries to gather,
synthesize and implement the information available regarding the workforce in the concern. A personnel
manager has to undertake job analysis so as to put right man on right job.
There are two outcomes of job analysis:
1. Job description
2. Job specification
The information collected under job analysis is
 Nature of jobs required in a concern
 Nature/ size of organizational structure
 Type of people required to fit that structure.
 The relationship of the job with other jobs in the concern
 Kind of qualifications and academic background required for jobs.
 Provision of physical condition to support the activities of the concern.
For example- separate cabins for managers, special cabins for the supervisors, healthy condition for
workers, and adequate store room for store keeper.
A personnel manager carries analysis in two ways:
1. Job description
2. Job specification
- JOB DESCRIPTION:
JOB DESCRIPTION is an organized factual statement of job contents in the form of duties and
responsibilities of a specific job. The preparation of job description is very important before a vacancy is
advertised. It tells in brief the nature and type of job. This type of document is descriptive in nature and it
constitutes all those facts which are related to a job such as
 Title/ Designation of job and location in the concern
 The nature of duties and operations to be performed in that job
 The nature of authority- responsibility relationships
 Necessary qualifications that is required for job.
 Relationship of that job with other jobs in a concern
 The provision of physical and working condition or the work environment required in performance
of that job.
- Job Specification:
JOB SPECIFICATION is a statement which tells us minimum acceptable human qualities which helps to
perform a job. Job specification translates the job description into human qualifications so that a job can be

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performed in a better manner. Job specification helps in hiring an appropriate person for an appropriate
position. The contents are
 Job title and designation
 Educational qualifications for that title
 Physical and other related attributes
 Physique and mental health
 Special attributes and abilities
 Maturity and dependability
 Relationship of that job with other jobs in a concern.
Job Standards:
A Job Standard is a description of the scope, key responsibilities, and knowledge and skill requirements of a
specific job level within a family. In UC Berkeley's job structure, jobs with similar duties will share a common
job standard.
Conclusion:
From the above statements, we can justify the importance of job analysis and its related products. Both job
description as well as job specification is important for personnel manager in personnel management
function. Therefore, job analysis is considered to be the primary tool of personnel management.
Topic: What barriers you, as HR manager expect from employees about overseas
assignments? Give example
CHALLENGES OF HRM IN MODERN MANAGEMENT face by HR managers:
The environment faced by HR management is a challenging one; changes are occurring rapidly across a
wide range of issues. A study by the Hudson Institute, entitled Workforce 2020, has highlighted some of the
most important workforce issues. From that and other sources, it appears that the most prevalent
challenges facing HR management are as follows:
- Globalization:
Growing internationalization of business has its impact on HRM in terms of
problems of unfamiliar laws, languages, practices, competitions, attitudes, management styles, work ethics
etc. HR managers have a challenge to deal with more functions, more heterogeneous functions and more
involvement in employee’s personal life.
- Workforce Diversity:
With the increase in competition, locally or globally, organizations must become
more adaptable, resilient, agile, and customer-focused to succeed. And within this change in environment,
the HR professional has to evolve to become a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate, and a
change mentor within the organization. In order to succeed, HR must be a business driven function with a
thorough understanding of the organization’s big picture and be able to influence key decisions and
policies. In general, the focus of today’s HR Manager is on strategic personnel retention and talents
development. HR professionals will be coaches, counselors, mentors, and succession planners to help
motivate organization’s members and their loyalty. The HR manager will also promote and fight for values,
ethics, beliefs, and spirituality within their organizations, especially in the management of workplace
diversity.

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- Technological advances:
There is a challenging task of adapting workplace to rapid technological
changes which influence the nature of work and generate obsolescence Advanced technology has tended
to reduce the number of jobs that require little skill and to increase the number of jobs that require
considerable skill, a shift we refer to as moving from touch labor to knowledge work. There is new-new
working technology. In this situation organizations have to change it technology. New technology creates
unemployment and in other hand, there comes scarcity of skilled manpower. Like this, technological change
brings difficulties and challenges in organization.
- Changes in political and legal environment:
Changes in political and legal environment means changes in political
parties and rules regulation due to which new laws are come and you have to follow all laws while doing
business. Many changes taking place in the legal and political framework within which the industrial
relation system in the country is now functioning. It is the duty of human resource and industrial relations
executives to fully examine the implication, of these changes and brings about necessary adjustment within
the organization so that later utilization of human resource can be achieved. It is the responsibility of
Human Resource manager to anticipate the changes and prepare organization to face them without any
breakdown in its normal functioning.
- Changes in the Economic Environment:
This includes examination of the impact of a number of factors on
production. Some of the key factors are the scarcity of raw materials and other inputs including power and
electricity, encouragement of the culture of consumerism, increasing consumer awareness and demand for
quality products, continuing upward trend in the inflationary pressures with decrease in the purchasing
power of rupee and its spiraling effects in the ever increasing aspirations of workers for higher wages and
other material benefits and mounting costs on the employee welfare and other benefits. In an inflationary
economy, the resources tend to become scarce and the costs of machine, materials and labor multiply.
These push up the capital and running costs.
- Revolution in Information Technology:
Information technology has influenced HRM through human resources
information systems (HRIS) that streamline the processing of data and make employee information more
readily available to managers. More recently, there has been and in the future there will be impact of
revolutionary computerized information system in the management it covers two primary areas Application
of computer in the managerial decision making process
1. Use of electronic computers managerial decision making process
2. In future computerized information system will have increasing impact at the coordinate and strategic
levels of organization
- Organizational Restructuring
Many organizations have restructured in the past few years in order to become more competitive. Also,
mergers and acquisitions of firms in the same industries have been made to ensure global competitiveness.
The “mega-mergers” in the banking, petroleum, and telecommunications industries have been very visible,
but mergers and acquisitions of firms in many other industries have increased in recent years. As part of the
organizational changes, many organizations have “right sized” either by (1) eliminating layers of managers,
(2) closing facilities, (3) merging with other organizations, or (4) out placing workers. A common

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transformation has been to flatten organizations by removing several layers of management and to
improve productivity, quality, and service while also reducing costs. As a result, jobs are redesigned and
people affected. One of the challenges that HR management faces with organizational restructuring is
dealing with the human consequences of change. The human cost associated with downsizing has been
much discussed in the popular press: a survivor’s mentality for those who remain, unfulfilled cost savings
estimates, loss of loyalty, and many people looking for new jobs.
Write a note on Followings:
Workforce Diversity:
Similarities and differences among employees in terms of age, cultural background,
physical abilities and disabilities, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.
The benefits of workforce diversity management
- Strengthen cultural values within the organization
- Enhance corporate reputation
- Help to attract and retain highly talented people
- Improve motivation and efficiency of existing staff
- Improve motivation and creativity among employees
- Enhance service levels and customer satisfaction
Approaches to overcome workforce diversity
There are two major approaches
1) Individual approach to manage diversity
 Learning
 Empathy
2) Organizational approach to manage diversity
 Testing
 Training
 Mentoring
Topic: Discuss all three steps involved in job analysis:
Job analysis is a process of collecting information related to various aspects of the job. It collects and
analyses the information associated with job description and specifications. Following steps are involved in
job analysis:

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– Information Collection:
This is the first step of job analysis under which required information related to various aspects of jobs are
collected. Information is obtained through different methods such as interview, observation, questionnaire,
critical incidents etc. It is associated with preparation of plans and programs and assignment of
responsibilities to the concerned person.
– Review Background Information
This is the second step of job analysis process under which the previously collected information is reviewed
to design organizational charts, current position descriptions and specifications, procedures, manuals and
process charts. These help in detailed assessment of job.
– Selection of Representative Position to Be Analyzed
Analyzing all jobs at a time is complex and costly affair. So, only a representative sample of jobs is selected
for the purpose of detailed analysis. Under it, the job analyst investigates to determine which organization
managers or employees require job analysis. He should also determine for what purpose the job must be
analyzed.
– Analysis of Jon by Collecting Data
Under this step of job analysis process, a job analyst obtains the data and information related to the
selected jobs. The information is collected on the job activities, required employee behaviors, working
conditions, human traits and qualities, abilities of performing the job and other various dimension of the
job. Data can be collected either through questionnaire, observation or interviews.
– Develop Job Description
In this step of job analysis, a job description schedule is developed through the information collected in the
above step. This is the written statement which describes the prominent characteristics of job along with
duties, location and degree of risk involved in each job.
– Develop Job Specification
Developing the job specification is the last step of job analysis process under which a detailed specification
statement is prepared showing minimum requirement of each job. A job specification summarizes the
personal qualities, traits, skills, knowledge, and background required to perform specific task. It also
involves the physical and psychological attributes of the incumbent.

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Topic: What steps are involved in HR planning?
Explain in detail
Steps in Human Resource Planning (explained with diagram)!
Human resource planning is a process through which the right
candidate for the right job is ensured. For conducting any process, the
foremost essential task is to develop the organizational objective to be
achieved through conducting the said process.
Six steps in human resource planning are presented in diagram:
– Analyzing Organizational Objectives:
The objective to be achieved in future in various fields such as
production, marketing, finance, expansion and sales gives the idea
about the work to be done in the organization.
– Inventory of Present Human Resources:
From the updated human resource information storage system, the current number of employees, their
capacity, performance and potential can be analyzed. To fill the various job requirements, the internal
sources (i.e., employees from within the organization) and external sources (i.e., candidates from various
placement agencies) can be estimated.
– Forecasting Demand and Supply of Human Resource:
The human resources required at different positions according to their job profile are to be estimated. The
available internal and external sources to fulfill those requirements are also measured. There should be
proper matching of job description and job specification of one particular work, and the profile of the
person should be suitable to it.
– Estimating Manpower Gaps:
Comparison of human resource demand and human resource supply will provide with the surplus or deficit
of human resource. Deficit represents the number of people to be employed, whereas surplus represents
termination. Extensive use of proper training and development program can be done to upgrade the skills
of employees.
– Formulating the Human Resource Action Plan:
The human resource plan depends on whether there is deficit or surplus in the organization. Accordingly,
the plan may be finalized either for new recruitment, training, interdepartmental transfer in case of deficit
of termination, or voluntary retirement schemes and redeployment in case of surplus.
– Monitoring, Control and Feedback:
It mainly involves implementation of the human resource action plan. Human resources are allocated
according to the requirements, and inventories are updated over a period. The plan is monitored strictly to
identify the deficiencies and remove it. Comparison between the human resource plan and its actual
implementation is done to ensure the appropriate action and the availability of the required number of
employees for various jobs.
Topic: Discuss any two forecasting techniques for determining demand of HR for
organization:

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– Demand Forecasting:
Demand forecasting is a quantitative aspect of human resource planning. It is the process of estimating the
future requirement of human resources of all kinds and types of the organization.
FACTORS AFFECTING HR DEMAND FORECASTING
Human Resource Demand Forecasting depends on several factors, some of which are given below.
o Employment trends
o Replacement needs
o Productivity
o Absenteeism
o Expansion and growth
There are number of techniques of estimating/forecasting human resources demand:
Managerial Judgment
Work Study Technique
Ratio-trend Analysis
Econometric Models
Delphi Model
Other Techniques
- Executive or Managerial Judgment
Executive or Managerial Judgment method is the most suitable for smaller enterprises because they do not
afford to have work study technique. Under this method the executives sit together and determine the
future manpower requirements of the enterprise and submit the proposal to the top management for
approval. This approach is known as ‘bottom up’ approach.
Sometimes the members of top management sit together and determine the needs on the advice of
personnel department. The forecasts so prepared sent for review to the departmental heads and after their
consent approved the need. This is known as ‘top down’ approach. The best way is the combination of the
two approaches. Executives at both levels equipped with guidelines sit together and determine the human
resources need of the organization.
- Work Load Forecasting:
It is also known as work load analysis. Under this method the stock of workload and the continuity of
operations are determined. Accordingly the labor requirement is determined. The workload becomes the
base for workforce analysis for the forthcoming years. Here due consideration is given to absenteeism and
labor turnover. This method is also known as work study technique. Here working capacity of each
employee is calculated in terms of man-hours. Man-hours required for each unit is calculated and then
number of required employees is calculated.
The example is given below:
(a) Planned annual production = 2, 00,000 units
(b) Standard man-hours required for each unit = 2 Hours
Topic: What Does HRIS stands for? Discuss the functions and importance of HRIS for
organizations:
A HRIS, which is also known as a human resource information system or human resource management
system (HRMS), is basically an intersection of human resources and information technology through HR
software. This allows HR activities and processes to occur electronically.
– Payroll

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This is the most common feature of any HRIS, and included in any of them. A variety of payroll systems exist
in an HRIS including some that are fully automated and synced with external time clocks and others that
allow each employee to enter their time into the system for managerial approval.
– Benefits Administration
Some figures state that an HR employee could spend as much as forty percent of their time managing
employee benefits. A great HRIS can eliminate the majority of this time completely. Many HRIS programs
will even allow each employee to manage their own benefits, adding a spouse to their insurance or
checking the total of their FSA when they want without having to bother HR at all.
– Training Systems
With the extra time an HRIS will give your HR department, they'll likely be able to devote more time and
energy into developing training strategies to improve your workforce. An HRIS with a training system will
allow your HR department to track and manage all aspects of employee training and is a great feature to
have in any HRIS.
– Recruiting
Your HRIS will also allow your HR department more time to focus on their recruitment efforts. New hires
are valuable, but the recruitment process can be complex. A good HRIS will provide many different features
designed to help your HR department manage each step of the recruitment phase with ease. It's a vital
component to any HRIS, and one that can really improve your overall ROI on employees.
Topic: Discuss all restraints faced by HRM while recruiting in the organization:
Give example
Some of the constraints faced in recruitment are as follows:
An enterprise may not be able to recruit the persons freely even though it offers better salaries and other
amenities.
- Reputation of the Enterprise:
The image of the enterprise in the community largely influences recruitment process. A person may not be
interested to apply for a job in an enterprise whose goodwill is not good.
An enterprise may get bad reputation on account of undesirable attitude of the management, bad working
conditions, etc. Such enterprises do not get sufficient number of personnel even if they offer higher wages.
- Unattractive Jobs:
If the job is boring, hazardous, tension ridden and lacking in opportunities for advancement, very few
persons may be available for such jobs. On the other hand, if it carries good salaries, promotional avenues,
or good working conditions, there may be many persons available for such jobs.
- Organizational Policies:
Internal policies of the enterprise may also act as a constraint on recruitment of new persons. A policy of
filling up higher positions from outside can discourage competent persons to apply in such an enterprise
(because of lack of promotion avenues).
- Trade Union Requirements:
In some cases, agreements with trade union may also act as constraints to employ persons from outside. An
understanding with the union to fill up certain percentage of posts through it will restrict the choice of
management.

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- Government Policies:
Government policies may also act as constraints on recruitment policy. Government legislation may require
reserving certain percentage of posts for weaker sections of society or for persons belonging to specified
castes. Legislation may require the enterprise to recruit new persons only from the lists supplied by
government employment exchange. Such legislations restrict the choice of management in recruiting new
persons.
Topic: Discuss mistakes of interview process in detail. Give examples from daily
life:
If you are looking for a new position or plan to do so in the future, it is important to carefully consider your
interviewing techniques. Following are five common mistakes candidates make when meeting with
potential employers and advice on how to avoid these stumbling blocks:
- Failing to research a company
You will put yourself at a disadvantage before you even walk into an interviewer’s office if you fail to
prepare for the discussion in advance. Primarily, this means learning as much as possible about a
prospective employer.
Hiring managers will assume that you have, at minimum, investigated their organization’s website, so
expand the scope of your research efforts. Use your professional network and industry publications to
determine the company’s business priorities, competitors and market position. This will help you translate
your expertise into concrete examples of how you can make a difference at the firm.
- Saying too little/too much
As you respond to interview questions, you do not want to gloss over vital information but you also do not
want to go into too much detail. Both extremes can create a negative impression with hiring managers. If
your responses are too brief, interviewers may wonder if you are hiding something; if they are too lengthy,
people may tune you out.
- Ignoring cues from the interviewer
One of the most valuable, and underrated, interviewing skills is the ability to listen, pay attention to,
understand and absorb what the other person is saying. If you concentrate too intently on forming your
responses, you can miss critical information offered by the hiring manager.
Throughout the discussion, interviewers may provide useful clues as to what they are looking for in
candidates, allowing you to tailor your answers to their requirements. For example, a chief financial officer
might mention that the company is undergoing rapid growth –– which can indicate a need for employees
who adapt easily to a fast-paced environment and assume challenging demands.
- Not being yourself
Even though you want to customize your answers based on what you learn from the interviewer to
emphasize skills most applicable to the position, be careful not to overstate your case. Not only do you
want to avoid stretching the truth, but the hiring manager may not reveal every aspect that is important for
the winning candidate to possess. In other words, don’t get so focused on saying the “right thing” that you
do not give an accurate portrayal of your skills and interests.

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- Failing to take the opportunity to ask questions
Interviews are a two-way street, so be ready with your own questions at the end of the discussion. Prepare
a few before you arrive and write down any additional issues that arise as the conversation progresses.
Make certain you ask specific questions about a company’s mission and business practices and expectations
to determine whether they are realistic and in line with your own preferences. Also find out about the
organization’s long-term priorities and how your contributions would impact those plans.
Topic: Briefly discuss the steps involved in selection process:
Brief details of the various steps in selection procedure are given as follows:
– Inviting applications:
The prospective candidates from within the organization or outside the organization are called for applying
for the post. Detailed job description and job specification are provided in the advertisement for the job. It
attracts a large number of candidates from various areas.
– Receiving applications:
Detailed applications are collected from the candidates who provide the necessary information about
personal and professional details of a person. These applications facilitate analysis and comparison of the
candidates.
– Scrutiny of applications:
As the limit of the period within which the company is supposed to receive applications ends, the
applications are sorted out. Incomplete applications get rejected; applicants with un-matching job
specifications are also rejected.
– Written tests:
As the final list of candidates becomes ready after the scrutiny of applications, the written test is
conducted. This test is conducted for understanding the technical knowledge, attitude and interest of the
candidates. This process is useful when the number of applicants is large.
Many times, a second chance is given to candidates to prove themselves by conducting another written
test.
– Psychological tests:
These tests are conducted individually and they help for finding out the individual quality and skill of a
person. The types of psychological tests are aptitude test, intelligence test, synthetic test and personality
test
– Personal interview:
Candidates proving them successful through tests are interviewed personally. The interviewers may be
individual or a panel. It generally involves officers from the top management.
The candidates are asked several questions about their experience on another job, their family background,
their interests, etc. They are supposed to describe their expectations from the said job. Their strengths and
weaknesses are identified and noted by the interviewers which help them to take the final decision of
selection.
– Reference check:

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Generally, at least two references are asked for by the company from the candidate. Reference check is a
type of crosscheck for the information provided by the candidate through their application form and during
the interviews.
– Medical examination:
Physical strength and fitness of a candidate is must before they takes up the job. In-spite of good
performance in tests and interviews, candidates can be rejected on the basis of their ill health.
– Final selection:
At this step, the candidate is given the appointment letter to join the organization on a particular date. The
appointment letter specifies the post, title, salary and terms of employment. Generally, initial appointment
is on probation and after specific time period it becomes permanent.
– Placement:
This is a final step. A suitable job is allocated to the appointed candidate so that they can get the whole idea
about the nature of the job. They can get adjusted to the job and perform well in future with all capacities
and strengths.
Topic: List all the steps involved in the selection process and discuss features of
structured interview and realistic job previews:
Brief details of the various steps in selection procedure are given as follows:
o Inviting applications
o Receiving applications
o Scrutiny of applications
o Written tests
o Psychological tests
o Personal interview
o Reference check
o Medical examination
o Final selection
o Placement
– Realistic Job Previews
A Realistic Job Preview (RJP) is a recruiting tool used to communicate both the good and bad aspects of a
job. Essentially, it is used to provide a prospective employee a realistic view of what the job entails. This
measure, much like the job-fit measure, is to provide candidates a richer description of the agency and the
job (e.g., work environment, duties, expectations) to help them decide if they are a good match. While the
RJP can be useful for reducing turnover, it should be used as a candidate self-evaluation tool rather than a
traditional selection device (e.g., cognitive ability tests, accomplishment record).
In creating a RJP, there are many factors to consider, including:
– How the RJP will be created (e.g., structured observations, meetings with current employees)
– How the RJP will be distributed (e.g., written material, video, interview)
– How to present both positive and negative aspects of the job (e.g., always follow a negative item
with a positive item)
– When to introduce the RJP (i.e., early or late in the recruiting process)
Structured Interview
This is also known as a formal interview (like a job interview). The questions are asked in a set /
standardized order and the interviewer will not deviate from the interview schedule or investigate beyond
the answers received (so they are not flexible).
These are based on structured, closed-ended questions.

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Features:
 Structured interviews are easy to replicate as a fixed set of closed questions are used, which are easy
to quantify – this means it is easy to test for reliability.
 Structured interviews are fairly quick to conduct which means that many interviews can take place
within a short amount of time. This means a large sample can be obtained resulting in the findings
being representative and having the ability to be generalized to a large population.
Unstructured Interview (Just for Reference not the part of question)
These are sometimes referred to as ‘discovery interviews’ & are more like a ‘guided conservation’ than a
strict structured interview. They are sometimes called informal interviews.
An interview schedule might not be used, and even if one is used, they will contain open-ended
questions that can be asked in any order. Some questions might be added / missed as the Interview
progresses.
Features:
Unstructured interviews are more flexible as questions can be adapted and changed depending on the
respondents’ answers. The interview can deviate from the interview schedule.
 Unstructured interviews generate qualitative data through the use of open questions. This allows
the respondent to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a
real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation.
 They also have increased validity because it gives the interviewer the opportunity to probe for a
deeper understanding, ask for clarification & allow the interviewee to steer the direction of the
interview etc.
Topic: Discuss features of internal & external recruitment in any organization:
– Internal Recruitment
The internal recruitment process is the passive career management tool. The organization does not select
employees for the promotion. They can apply for the job vacancy, and they can enrich or change their
career path. The internal recruitment brings the internal fairness and allows to employees to prolong their
career in the organization.
Features of Internal Recruitment:
– Moral
Internal method of recruitment ensures that employees would be preferred over the outsiders; hence, it
yields high morale in them.
– Labor Relation
Internal recruitment brings an efficient labor relation between employees and management as they are
transferred and promoted to desired places.
– Better Selection
Internal recruitment policy provides an opportunity for the better selection of qualified and experienced
personnel who can perform the job well.
– Economy
Internal recruitment method is economical, as the organization need not spend much money for
recruitment of employees from outside the organization.

16
– Better Performance
The transferred or promoted employees can perform better work performance, as they are known with
requirement of skill, knowledge and ability.
– Employee Development
Under internal recruitment, every employee gets an opportunity for transfer and development, which
motivates him/her for higher level of performance. Ultimately, it helps in employee development.
– Less Time
Internal recruitment takes less time in comparison to the external source and methods of recruitment.
Different aspects of an employee are already known, it does not consume much time to appoint him/her in
the organization.
– External Recruitment
The external recruitment enriches the organization. The company cannot exist without the external
recruitment. Each organization has the attrition, fluctuation and turnover. The external recruitment brings
the new potential.
The external recruitment is about the management of the recruitment sources and making the channels
efficient. The external recruitment has to be balanced with the internal recruitment as employees feel the
opportunity to grow.
External recruitment sources and methods have following advantages:
– Wider Choice
With the availability of large pool of qualified candidates, the selection process becomes more competitive
in choosing the best suited candidate.
– Qualified Personnel
External sources of recruitment provide a pool of talented candidates for selection purpose. With the large
pool of potential candidates, it introduces new blood in the organization.
– Fresh Talent
External recruitment facilitates the entry of fresh talents in an organization. It encourages the inflow of new
ideas, knowledge and skills required to perform the tasks.
– Competitive Spirit
External recruitment creates an environment for healthy competition in between internal employees and
external members, who are supposed to be more trained and efficient.
– Environmental Adaptation
Since external recruitment encourages the entry of new skills, knowledge and ideas in the organization, it
helps in accompanying environmental changes.
– Fairness
Being an open process, external recruitment provides opportunity to all prospective candidates to apply for
the vacant position in the organization. This, in turn, widens its options of selection.
Topic: Discuss various issued faced by managers in placement of employees:
Placement is a process of assigning a specific job to each of the selected candidates. It involves assigning a
specific rank and responsibility to an individual. It implies matching the requirements of a job with the
qualifications of the candidate.

17
Following are the issued faced by HR managers:
 The difficulty with placement is that we tend to look at the individual but not at the job. Often, the
individual does not work independent of others. Whether the employee works independent of
others or is dependent depends on the type of jobs. Jobs in this context may be classified into three
categories-(1) independent, (2) sequential and (3) pooled.
 In certain cases, jobs are independent, for example, postal service or field sales. Here, non-
overlapping routes or territories are allotted to each worker.
 In sequential jobs, activities of one worker are dependent on the activities of a fellow worker.
 Where jobs are pooled in nature, there is high interdependence among activities. The final output is
the result of contribution of all the workers. Project teams, temporary task forces and assembly
teams represent pooled jobs.
 Independent jobs do not pose great problems in placement, for each employee needs only to be
evaluated relative to the match between his or her capabilities and interests, and those required on
the job.
 But independent jobs are becoming rarer and rarer, as most jobs are dependent (sequential or
pooled). In order to match individuals with jobs, organizations use the assessment-classification
model. In this model, details about the employee’s skills, interests, past performance (if any), and
biographical details are collected.
 Just as individuals are placed in subgroups, jobs are also categorized into subgroups, each subgroup
having identical characteristics. The next step is to match subgroup profiles with job-family profiles
to determine the likelihood of success and satisfaction in a particular job family. Once assignment to
a job family is made, individuals can be placed in specific jobs within the job family after further
counseling and possible assessment.
Topic: Discuss employee turnover and methods to reduce it in any organization with special
reference to supervisor:
Employee Turnover:
In human resource terms, employee turnover is a measurement of how long your employees stay with your
company and how often you have to replace them. Any time an employee leaves your company, for any
reason, they are called a turnover or separation.
Following are the methods to reduce the employee turnover:
– Improving recruitment
Are you hiring people for now or for the future? Look to employ people who are flexible who can meet the
changing needs of the business over time.
– Communicating with employees
There's nothing that makes people feel more uncomfortable than an air of secrecy around the business. Be
open about your business, share your vision of the future and let them know how they fit into the overall
business goals.
– Listening to employees
Encourage your employees to form a committee that can discuss the issues that matter to them and have
representatives who can come to the management team. You won't be able to take on all their suggestions,
but it's important to give them your full consideration. You should also look to run anonymous surveys to
get the ‘real' feelings of your employees.

18
– Increasing benefits
Salary increases are always welcome by employees, but there are plenty of other things you can do you
improve the general workplace morale. Try and relate these to the issues you think your company is having,
for example, if you get the feeling that work-life balance may be an issue in retention rates, offer all
employees and extra day of annual leave.
– Offering praise
Regularly let your employees know they are valued members of the organization. This could be done by
running an ‘Employee of the Week' competition or by increasing the incentives on offer for hitting targets.
Be careful to spread this praise around equally otherwise your staff may become resentful towards a select
few.
– Staff training and development
Regular development plans show your employees that you are thinking about their future. Ensure your
managers are partaking in regular 1-2-1 meeting with their team members to discuss how they feel about
their job, their future, and their general feeling about the working environment.
– Social events —
The most successful businesses are often the ones where there is a good level of camaraderie between
colleagues. There is a fine line between providing opportunities for your employees to connect outside the
workplace and ‘forced fun', but getting employees involved in the planning process will help to create
events they want to attend.
Job Rotation as development tool for HR:
Job rotation refers to a management tool in which an individual, usually a trainee, is taken from one
department to another over a period of years. This allows the individual to train on different aspects of the
job.
Job rotation helps trainees to apply their:
– Knowledge
– Abilities
– Interests
Objectives:
– Reducing Monotony of the job
– Succession Planning
– Creating right-Employee Job Fit
– Exposing Workers to All Verticals of the Company
– Testing Employee Skills and Competencies

19
– Developing a Wider Range of Work Experience
Conclusion:
– Job rotation is not just another transfer in the industry today
– Job rotation strategy required focus on the outcome
– It can be used to settle scores which arises from organizational politics
– It can also be used as a good tool to bring fresh ideas and infuse new energy into the existing roles
and functions

Comparing Proactive and Reactive Approaches to HRM

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