Recruitment

Definition
Recruitment is a 'linking function' - joining together those with jobs to
fill and those seeking jobs. It is a 'joining process' in that it tries to
bring together job seekers and employer with a view to encourage
the former to apply for a job with the latter.

The basic purpose of recruiting is to develop a group of potentially

qualified people. To this end, the organization must communicate the
position in such a way that job seekers respond. To be cost effective,
the recruitment process should attract qualified applicants and
provide enough information for unqualified persons to self-select
themselves out.

Recruitment involves searching for and obtaining potential job

candidates in sufficient numbers and quality so that the organisation
can select the most appropriate people to fill its job needs.
Aims of Recruitment
The aims of recruitment are:

♠ to obtain a pool of suitable candidates for vacant

posts

♠ to use and be seen to use a fair process

♠ to ensure that all recruitment activities contribute to

company goals and a desirable company image

♠ to conduct recruitment activities in an efficient and

cost-effective manner
Environment Affecting Recruitment

The Economic Environment

Economic conditions quietly influence the recruitment process in all organizations. The
sudden boom in the financial services sector in India, especially from 1991 onwards,
has contributed to the growing demand for MBA/CA/CFA/CWA students. The demand
for engineers, especially in the manufacturing sector, has not kept pace and most
engineers had to make a beeline for finance/marketing degrees or diploma to encash
the job opportunities.

The Social Environment

Major social changes in the past two decades have caused organizations to place increased
emphasis on recruitment. Modem employees look for a satisfying career in place of 'just
a job'. If the opportunities for career growth are missing in an organization, they do not
hesitate to leave and go in search of greener pastures outside. To ward off such threats,
companies nowadays emphasize opportunities for training and development and
progression through a series of jobs within the same organization. They also try to
present a more realistic picture of the job and the encouraging career openings to
prospective employees through innovative recruitment campaigns. If the organization is
not aware of and is insensitive to prevailing social values and norms, the recruitment
efforts could go off the track.
Environment Affecting Recruitment

The Technological Environment

New technologies create new jobs. The existing jobs undergo a rapid change. As a
result, applicants with unusual combination of skills and knowledge must be found.
The Liberalization Programme after 1991 brought about rapid changes in the fields
of banking, electronics, telecommunications, automobiles, software and pharma
industries, etc. Several old jobs have disappeared almost suddenly. At the same
time, there is a chronic shortage of people with requisite skills and knowledge
especially in the fields of software, telecommunication, insurance, etc. In such a
scenario companies have to step up their recruitment efforts to compete
successfully for a small number of suitable candidates.

The Political Environment

Political compulsions, constitutional provisions covering reservations for special
groups, providing employment to "sons of the soil" especially in states like Andhra
Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Arunachal Pradesh; offering jobs to displaced persons whose
lands have been acquired in order to set up projects of national importance - also
come in the way of recruiting people, based solely on qualifications, skills and
experience. Factors such as influence of unions, recommendations of friends and
relatives of management also play an important role in influencing recruitment
policies followed by a firm.
Environment Affecting Recruitment
The Legal Environment

The different legislative policies governing child labor, night shift work, bonded labor,
contract labor, reservation, 'sons of the soil' have brought the legal environment to
be a major item to be looked into carefully by all companies intending to recruit
people for various positions. Let us examine the issues more elaborately:

The Factories Act, 1948: The Act prohibits the employment of women (night work,
underground work, carrying heavy loads, etc.) and child labor (below 14 years of
age) in certain jobs
.
The Apprentices Act, 1961: The Act provides for a machinery to lay down syllabi and
specify period of training, mutual obligations of apprentices and employees, etc.
The responsibility for engagement of apprentice lies solely with the employer. The
apprentice, after serving a contractual term of training, can be taken on regular rolls.
The Act, as amended in 1986, provides for revised rates of compensation during
the apprenticeship period and for failure on the part of the employer to execute the
terms of the contract.
Environment Affecting Recruitment
The Employment Exchanges Act, 1959: The Act requires all employers to
notify the vacancies arising in their establishments to prescribed
employment exchange before they are filled. The Act covers all
establishments in Public Sector and nonagricultural establishments
employing 25 or more workers in the private sector.

The Contract Labor Act, 1970: The Act is applicable to every establishment
(contractor) employing 20 or more persons. It tries to regulate the
employment conditions of contract labor in certain establishments and
also provides for the abolition of contract labor in certain circumstances.
Bonded Labor System (Abolition) Act, 1976: The Act provides for the abolition
of bonded labor (system of forced labor to liquidate debts payable to
parties who are bent on exploiting the vulnerability of the victim) or his
family members.
The Child Labor Act, 1986: The Act prohibits the employment of children
below 14 years of age in certain employments. This has become a serious
issue in India recently when German firms refused to accept carpets
exported from Uttar Pradesh, objecting to the employment of child labor in
the carpet industry.