Barriers to effective selection in employment process

The main objective of selection is to hire people having competence and

commitment. This objective is often defeated because of certain barriers. The
impediments or barriers to effective selection of people at work can be explained as
under:

1) Ineffective Recruitment:

Sometimes selection process gets affected

due to ineffective recruitment initiatives. If the recruiter fails to attract qualified
candidates (in recruitment process) then it is obvious that right candidate will not
be selected (in selection process). Therefore, ineffective recruitment will definitely
influence selection.

2) Perception:

Our inability to understand others accurately is probably the

most fundamental barrier to select right candidate. Selection demands an individual
or a group to assess a candidate comparing competencies of others, in order to find
out the right persons for the jobs. But our views are highly personalized. We all
perceive the world differently. Our limited perceptual ability is obviously a stumbling
block to the objective and rational selection of people.
3) Stereotyping: This is one of the most common barrier to selection. In
stereotyping, we generally categorize the candidates such as:

All professors and teachers are absent minded

All females are basically sincere and honest
All civil servants are boring
Candidates with Science background are intelligent etc.
This leads to biased selection of candidates.

4) Gender Issue: Gender issue also hampers effective selection. In early days,
men predominately held managerial jobs and if those jobs are viewed as being
primarily masculine in nature, such stereotyping may produce negative reaction in
selecting right candidates.

5) Age/Race Issue: In many selections, age and race of the candidates are
considered rather than their skills, abilities or experiences. This leads to bias
selection.

6) Halo Effect: Another barrier to selection is halo effect, which can be

negative or positive. In hallo effect the personal characteristics influence or
overwhelms the interviewers and this lead to wrong selection.

7) Quota System: Quota system also influences effective selection.

8) Fairness: Selection requires that no individual should be discriminated based

on religion, region, race or gender. But the less number of women and other less
privileged sections of society in the middle and senior management positions and
open discrimination in job advertisements and in the selection process would
suggest that all the efforts to minimize inequity have not been very effective.

9) Validity:

Validity refers to tests that help to predict job performance of an

incumbent. A test that has been validated can differentiate between the employees
who can perform well and those who will not. However, a validated test does not
predict job success accurately. It can only increase possibility of success.

10) Reliability: A reliable method is one, which will produce consistent results
every time it is conducted. Like a validated test, a reliable test may fail to predict
job performance with precision.

11) Pressure:

This occurs when politicians, bureaucrats, relatives, friends, and

peers try to influence on the selectors to pick particular candidate. In public sector,
this barrier mostly influenced a good selection.

12) Nepotism/Favourism:

This is one of major/common barrier to

effective selection in both public and private sectors.

13) Cost and time:

Sometimes due to insufficient time and budget, right

person cannot be selected.

Training Needs Assessment Survey

What is Training Needs Assessment?

Needs Assessment: the process to identify "gaps" between current performance

and department/organizational objectives.
An assessment process that serves as a diagnostic tool for determining what
training needs to take place. This survey gathers data to determine what training
needs to be developed to help individuals and the organization accomplish their
goals and objectives. This is an assessment that looks at employee and
organizational knowledges, skills, and abilities, to identify any gaps or areas of
need. Once the training needs are identified, then you need to determine/develop
objectives to be accomplished by the training. These objectives will form criteria for
measures of success and utility.
This analysis can be performed by managers who are able to observe their staff and
make recommendations for training based on performance issues or gaps between
performance and objectives. This analysis can also be performed on an

organization-wide level by Training and Development managers who survey the

organization to identify needs.

A needs assessment is a systematic process for determining and addressing

needs, or "gaps" between current conditions and desired conditions or
"wants". The discrepancy between the current condition and wanted
condition must be measured to appropriately identify the need. The need can
be a desire to improve current performance or to correct a deficiency.[1

training needs assessments

Training needs assessment is a systematic inquiry of training needs within an
organization for the purposes of identifying priorities and making decisions, and
allocating finite resources in a manner consistent with identified program goals and
objectives.[40] Though beginning with training as the desired solution, it has been
argued, diminishes the value of the needs assessment, the popularity of the term
"training needs assessment" has made it part of the training and adult learning
lexicon.[41]

There are three levels of a training needs assessment:

Organizational assessment evaluates the level of organizational performance. An
assessment of this type will determine the skills, knowledge, and ability needs of an
agency. It also identifies what is required to alleviate the problems and weaknesses
of the agency as well as to enhance strengths and competencies. Organizational
assessment takes into consideration factors such as changing demographics,
political trends, technology, and the economy.
occupational assessment examines the skills, knowledge, and abilities required for
affected occupational groups. Occupational assessment identifies how and which
occupational discrepancies or gaps exist, as well as examining new ways to do work
that could fix those discrepancies or gaps.
Individual assessment analyzes how well an individual employee is doing a job and
determines the individual's capacity to do new or different work. Individual
assessment provides information on which employees need training and what kind.
[40]

The benefits of training needs assessments are:

Puts training needs in context of organizational needs (business drivers)

Validates and/or augments sponsors ideas about the need for training
Ensures training design will respond to need
Identifies non-training issues influencing performance
Ensures survival of training function
Establishes foundation for post-training evaluation

Conducting a training needs analysis

Conducting a needs analysis is usually done to gauge what training is needed for
new employees or to identify and find solutions to:

Problems with performance

New system, task or technology
An organizational need to benefit from an opportunity[42]

Organizational training needs

There are many tools to gather information about employee performance, which
work best in different circumstances.

Observation: First hand observation and analysis in a setting in which the

observer is not interfering with normal productivity. Used to gather first hand data
about an employee's strengths and weaknesses.

Interviews: Using a series of predetermined questions to gauge opinions and

perceptions. This tool allows the employee to comment on their performance,and
allows the interviewer to ask in depth questions about performance.

Questionnaires: Allows for a big picture of the environment by asking

respondents identical questions. Allows for more respondents than individual
interviews, and takes less time. The data collected can be analyzed in a more
quantitative way than with interviews.

Job Descriptions: Study of all responsibilities of a certain job to define an

employees expectations and responsibilities, allowing for more thorough training
and supervision.

The Difficulty Analysis: identification of an employee's duties that cause

them the most difficulty, and allowing for more training in those areas.

Problem Solving Conference: A conference setting that allows employees

and other staff to identify a plan for a new task or technology and mold the training
to it.

Appraisal Reviews: Within a performance review, questioning the employee

about their duties and training. Allows supervisor to uncover reasons for poor
performance.

Analysis of Organizational Policy: reviewing the organization's policy on

training, and the amount and type of training offered to employees.

When using any of these methods, these three things should be kept in mind:1.
These tools should be used in combination, never rely on just one
2. They may be used to identify training needs in different groups or types of
employees
3. They should be applied to individual employees because of variation in training
between employees.[43]

Job Analysis Methods

Most Common Methods of Job Analysis

Observation Method: A job analyst observes an employee and records all his
performed and non-performed task, fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and
duties, methods, ways and skills used by him or her to perform various duties and
his or her mental or emotional ability to handle challenges and risks. However, it
seems one of the easiest methods to analyze a specific job but truth is that it is the
most difficult one. Why? Lets Discover.
It is due to the fact that every person has his own way of observing things.
Different people think different and interpret the findings in different ways.
Therefore, the process may involve personal biasness or likes and dislikes and may
not produce genuine results. This error can be avoided by proper training of job
analyst or whoever will be conducting the job analysis process.
This particular method includes three techniques: direct observation, Work
Methods Analysis and Critical Incident Technique. The first method includes direct
observation and recording of behaviour of an employee in different situations. The
second involves the study of time and motion and is specially used for assemblyline or factory workers. The third one is about identifying the work behaviours that
result in performance.

Interview Method: In this method, an employee is interviewed so that he

or she comes up with their own working styles, problems faced by them, use of
particular skills and techniques while performing their job and insecurities and fears
about their careers.
This method helps interviewer know what exactly an employee thinks about his
or her own job and responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis of job by
employee himself. In order to generate honest and true feedback or collect genuine
data, questions asked during the interview should be carefully decided. And to avoid
errors, it is always good to interview more than one individual to get a pool of
responses. Then it can be generalized and used for the whole group.

Questionnaire Method: Another commonly used job analysis method is

getting the questionnaires filled from employees, their superiors and managers.
However, this method also suffers from personal biasness. A great care should be
takes while framing questions for different grades of employees.
In order to get the true job-related info, management should effectively
communicate it to the staff that data collected will be used for their own good. It is
very important to ensure them that it wont be used against them in anyway. If it is
not done properly, it will be a sheer wastage of time, money and human resources.
These are some of the most common methods of job analysis. However, there are
several other specialized methods including task inventory, job element method,
competency profiling, technical conference, threshold traits analysis system and a
combination of these methods. While choosing a method, HR managers need to
consider time, cost and human efforts included in conducting the process.

Job evaluatin methods

Ranking Methd
Perhaps the simplest method of job evaluation is the ranking method. According to
this method, jobs are arranged from highest to lowest, in order of their value or
merit to the organization. Jobs also can be arranged according to the relative
difficulty in performing them. The jobs are examined as a whole rather than on the
basis of important factors in the job; and the job at the top of the list has the
highest value and obviously the job at the bottom of the list will have the lowest
value.
Jobs are usually ranked in each department and then the department rankings are
combined to develop an organizational ranking.
The variation in payment of salaries depends on the variation of the nature of the
job performed by the employees. The ranking method is simple to understand and
practice and it is best suited for a small organization. Its simplicity, however, works

to its disadvantage in big organizations because rankings are difficult to develop in

a large, complex organization. Moreover, this kind of ranking is highly subjective in
nature and may offend many employees. Therefore, a more scientific and fruitful
way of job evaluation is called for.

Classification Method
According to this method, a predetermined number of job groups or job classes are
established and jobs are assigned to these classifications. This method places
groups of jobs into job classes or job grades. Separate classes may include office,
clerical, managerial, personnel,

Factor Comparison Method

A more systematic and scientific method of job evaluation is the factor comparison
method. Though it is the most complex method of all, it is consistent and
appreciable. Under this method, instead of ranking complete jobs, each job is
ranked according to a series of factors. These factors include mental effort, physical
effort, skill needed, supervisory responsibility, working conditions and other relevant
factors (for instance, know-how, problem solving abilities, accountability, etc.). Pay
will be assigned in this method by comparing the weights of the factors required for
each job, i.e., the present wages paid for key jobs may be divided among the factors
weighed by importance (the most important factor, for instance, mental effort,
receives the highest weight). In other words, wages are assigned to the job in
comparison to its ranking on each job factor.

Point method
This method is widely used currently. Here, jobs are expressed in terms of key
factors. Points are assigned to each factor after prioritizing each factor in the order
of importance. The points are summed up to determine the wage rate for the job.
Jobs with similar point totals are placed in similar pay grades. The procedure
involved may be explained thus:
(a)
Select key jobs. Identify the factors common to all the identified jobs such as
skill, effort, responsibility, etc.
(b)
Divide each major factor into a number of sub factors. Each sub factor is
defined and expressed clearly in the order of importance, preferably along a scale.

Objectives Of Job Analysis

Job analysis is a process which determines the duties and skill requirements of a job.
Hence, it indicates what activities and accountability the job entails. Following are
the main objectives or purposes of job analysis:

1. Job Description
Job description is a job profile which describes the contents, environment and
condition of jobs. It is prepared on the basis of data collected through job analysis. It
provides information relating to activities and duties to be performed in a job. It
differentiate one job from another by introducing unique characteristics of each job.

2. Job Specification
Job specification is another notable objective of job analysis. It includes the
information relating to the requirements of skills and abilities to perform a specific
task. It states the minimum acceptable qualifications that an incumbent must
possess to perform the assigned duty successfully. The job specification statement
identifies the knowledge, skills, abilities needed to perform that task effectively.

3. Job Evaluation
Job analysis also provides required information which are necessary for evaluating
the worthiness of jobs. After the preparation of job description and job specification
statements, it assists for the evaluation of actual performance against the
predetermined standard. Then the deviation (if any) is found out that has taken
place during the course of action. Moreover, it helps to establish the value of
different jobs in a hierarchical order which allows to compare jobs one from another.

Objective of job analysis:

Work simplification: - Job analysis provides the information related to job and
this data can be used to make process or job simple. Work simplification means
dividing the job into small parts i.e. different operations in a product line or process
which can improve the production or job performance.

Setting up of standards: -Standard means minimum acceptable qualities or

results or performance or rewards regarding a particular job. Job analysis provides
the information about the job and standard of each can be established using this
information

Support to personnel activities:- Job analysis provides support to various

personnel activities like recruitment, selection, training and development, wage
administration, performance appraisal etc.

5 Different Types of Transfer in the Jobs

Different types of transfer in the jobs are listed below:

(1) Production transfer

Transfers from jobs in which labour requirements are declining to jobs in which they
are increasing (through resignation or otherwise) are called production transfer.
This type of transfer is made to avoid lay-off of efficient employees by providing
them with alternative positions in the same organisation.

(2) Replacement transfer

These are transfers in whom a long- service employee is transferred to a similar job
where he replaces or bumps an employee with shorter service. This type of
transfer is made when all operations are declining but management wants to retain
the long-service employee as long as possible.

(3) Versatility transfer

The versatility transfer (better called rotation) is for the purpose of providing
management with a more versatile group of employees.

This type of transfer will increase the versatility of the employee by shifting him
from one job to another. The employee gets an opportunity for varied job
experience. This helps the employee through job enlargement.

(4) Shift transfer

These transfers are made to remedy the situation. Remedial transfers provide
management with a procedure whereby an unsatisfactory placement can be
corrected. Initial placement might be faulty or the type of job might not suit his
health. In such cases the worker would benefit by transfer to a different kind of
work.

(5) Penal transfer

Sometimes transfer is used as a concealed penalty. This is widely practised in India.

A trade union activist or a trouble-maker or a sea-lawyer may be transferred to a
remote branch where he cannot continue his activities.

Some transfers may involve a decrease in duties and in pay. This type of transfer
should better be called downgrading or bumping, since it is used to protect
employment opportunities for employees displaced from higher rated jobs. They are
downgraded to less desirable jobs, bumping junior employees, who in turn may be
laid off.

Transfers from one job to another may be either temporary or permanent.

Temporary transfers may be due to (i) temporary absenteeism (ii) shifts in the
workload (iii) vacations. Permanent transfers may be due to (a) shifts in the
workload (b) vacancies requiring the special skill of the transferred employee and
(c) ill-health of the employee.

Objectives of hrp

To recruit and retain the human resource of required quantity and quality.
To foresee the employee turnover and make the arrangement for minimizing
turnover and filling up of consequent vacancies.
To meet the needs of the programs of expansion, diversification etc.,
To foresee the impact of technology on work, existing employees and future
human resource requirements.
To improve the standards, skills, knowledge, ability, discipline etc.,
To assess the surplus or shortage of human resources and take measures
accordingly.
To maintain congenial industrial relation by maintaining optimum level and
structure of human resources.

To minimize imbalance caused due to non-avail-ability of human resources of

right kind, right place.
To make the best use of its human resource.
To estimate the cost the cost of human resources.:
What is the purpose of promotion?
he purpose of promotion is to move ahead in the ranks, to gain more experience
and to receive honor and benefits in an organization. When a person is promoted
within a company, he receives recognition in the workplace for his
accomplishments. Promotion is also used to ensure that a business maintains a
diverse workforce and does not discriminate against its workers by limiting equal
access to better positions.

According to the Code of Federal Regulations, every employee must be given proper
consideration for a promotion. A person may receive a promotion by pursuing one,
or a promotion may be a reward for outstanding work performance. When workers
are promoted to higher positions, new hires fill lower positions. An organization may
also need a persons particular skills to obtain success in another department, so
promotion becomes necessary for company advancement.

It is beneficial for employees to witness promotion in a business because it shows

that moving ahead is a possibility and may motivate them to perform better.
Promotion often leads to higher compensation and additional benefits that allow the
employee to live a better lifestyle. Working in the same position for decades on end
can be boring and may lead a person to despise his job; but promotion keeps work
interesting.