 The success of any organization doesn’t

depend upon the physical and financial

resources but it depends upon the
utilization of these resources by human
resources. So, hardworking efficient people
are the most important asset of an
organization for its success. Staffing
function is concerned with the bringing
right and efficient people in the
organization
 Staffing is a managerial function of filling and
keeping filled positions in the organisation
structure which is achieved by identifying
number of employees required followed by
recruitment, selection, placement, promotion,
appraisal and development of personnel.
 Staffing function gives more emphasis on the human
elements such as attitude, aptitude, commitment,
loyalty while selecting the right person for the right job.

 Researches on various aspects of staffing such as

recruitment, selection, compensation, incentives,
training and development are utilized for better results.

 Staffing function has been assumed on greater

importance these days because of rapid development of
technology, increasing size of organization and
complicated behaviour of human beings.

 It ensures the optimum utilization of human resources

by way of avoiding surplus of workforce and prevents
under utilization of personnel.
 It avoids disruption of work by indicating in
advance the shortage of personnel.
 This function improves the job satisfaction and
morale of the employees through objective
performance appraisal and fair rewarding system.
 All other resources will become waste if there is
no right kind of personnel working in the
organisation
 In small organisation, no doubt, the number
of personnel will be less as well as the volume
of staffing activities and its complexity will be
limited to certain extend (i.e. confined to
recruitment, selection, compensation and
welfare). So, it will be possible for all the line
mangers to perform all duties related to
employees in small organisations.
 But, as organizations grow into large size and number of
persons employed increases, the duties related to human
resources will become more complex and the volume of
human resource activities will extended to large extend
such as Estimation of human resource requirement,
Recruitment, Selection, Training, Development,
Maintenance, Compensation, Incentive plans, Protecting
health and physical conditions, Liaison with government
and trade unions, Providing social security, welfare
activities, Review and audit of personnel policies etc.
So, separate department called as human resource
department consisting of specialized experts is very much
required in large organization.
 The evolution of human resource management can
be understood from the following points.
 Due to the emergence of industrial revolution, trade
union activities became very active.
 The trade union activities forced the management to
appoint a separate person, called as Labour welfare
officer, who will act as a link between employer and
employees and his role was limited up to the welfare
of employees only.
 Then, due to the introduction of factory system,
large number of labourers was employed under one
roof which further forced the management to
appoint one more person known as personnel officer
who was given responsibility of Recruitment,
Selection and Placement of persons
 Then, as a final stage, due to the importance of
human relation approach and frequent changes
taking place in the various factors of business
environment, the employees had to be trained,
developed and updated to latest knowledge in
order to take the challenges of the organisation.
 So, this requirement of human relation approach
led to replacement of personnel manager to human
resource manager who has to be assisted by
various experts in different fields such as
Sociology, Psychology, Economy, Anthropology,
Technology etc. All were collectively grouped under
a department called as “Human Resource
Management
1. Estimating the manpower requirements:-

 For the purpose of understanding the

manpower requirements, the organisation has to do two
analysis such as workload analysis and workforce
analysis.

 Workload analysis means the assessment of

number and type of human resources necessary for the
performance of various jobs and accomplishment of
objectives.
Workforce analysis would reveal the number
and type of human resource presently
available within the organisation as well as
helps to understand whether the organisation
is overstaffed or understaffed. A situation of
overstaffing will make the organisation to for
employee removal or transfer whereas a
situation of understaffing would necessitates
the organisation to start the recruitment
process
 Here, the important thing is that before going for
recruitment stage, organisation has to develop the
two important statements mentioned below:
 Job Description which consists of the nature and
characteristics of the various jobs.
 Desirable profile of the occupant of the job which
consists of desirable qualifications, experiences,
personality etc.
 Recruitment is defined as the process of
searching for prospective employees and
stimulating them to apply for jobs in the
organisation.
 The organisation has to disclose
the contents of job description and
desirable profile of the occupant developed
in the previous stage in the advertisement
called “situation vacant”. The advertisement
may be displayed in the Factory gate or in
print media or flashed in electronic media.
Both internal sources and external sources
of recruitment should be explored.
 Selection is the process of choosing from
among the pool of prospective job
candidates developed at the stage of
recruitment.
 Selection serves two important
purposes mentioned below:
 Organisation gets best among the available
 Enhances the self-esteem and prestige of
those selected.
Selection involves the series of tests and
interviews, employment contract which is a
statement containing the terms and
conditions of employment.
 Placement means putting the selected
candidates on right job. It is the process of
matching the candidates with the most
suitable jobs. The placement is done after
considering various factors such as skills
required, location of job, employees
knowledge, marital status, home town,
interest etc.
 Orientation means introducing and
familiarizing newly appointed candidates
through following manners:
 Brief presentation about the history of the
company
 Introduction of superiors, subordinates and
his colleagues
 Taken around the work place
 Familiarizing the policies, rules and
regulations
 Various facilities available.
 Training means act of improving knowledge
and skills for doing a specific job. The
employees are imparted training to improve
their performance and to update their
knowledge to match the requirement of
external environment.
 Development means growth of a
person in all respects. It is a process by
which managers and executives acquire not
only skills and competence of present job
but also the capabilities for future tasks of
increasing difficulty and scope
 Following three aspects of staffing will be
discussed in details
 Recruitment
 Selection
 Training and Development
 Meaning and Definition:-
 Recruitment means inducing or
attracting more and more candidates to
apply for vacant job positions in the
organisation.
 Recruitment has been defined as
the process of searching for prospective
employees and stimulating them to apply
for jobs in organisation.
 The various activities involved in the
process of recruitment are given below:
 Identification of the different sources of
labour supply
 Assessment of their validity
 Choosing the most suitable source or
sources
 Inviting applications from the prospective
candidates
 There are two important sources of
recruitment:
 Internal source of recruitment
 External source of recruitment
 It means the filling up of vacant job positions
of the organisation by using the existing
employees of the organisation and no
outsiders are permitted.
 Two methods of internal source of
recruitment have been discussed below
 Transfer involves shifting of an employee from one
job to another or from one department to another
or from one shift to another without any
substantive change in the status, responsibilities
and salary. Mainly the place of working is changed.
E.g.: Transfer of clerk from Accounts department to
Purchase department.
Transfer can be used in the organization for
following purposes;
 Shortage of suitable personnel in one
branch or department may be filled through
transfer from other branch or department
 To avoid the termination of employees as
an act of punishment
 To remove individual problems and
grievances
 To train the employees for learning
different jobs
 Promotion refers to the shifting of
employee from the lower job position to the
higher job position carrying higher
responsibilities, increasing authority level,
status, prestige, pay and facilities.
 The main objective of promotion is to
improve the motivation, loyalty and
satisfaction level of the employees.
 A promotion at higher level may lead to a chain of
promotion at lower levels. This motivates the
employees, which lead to increase the commitment
level, loyalty and satisfaction of employees.
 It simplifies the process of selection and placement
 It is a more reliable way of recruitment since the
candidates are already known to the organisation.
 People recruited within organisation do not need
orientation program.
 Shortage of personnel can be adjusted by transferring
personnel from surplus department.
 It is more economical and fewer amounts spent in
training as well
 The scope of induction of fresh talent and
infusion of new blood will be reduced.
 Frequent transfers may reduce the
productivity of employees
 Employees may become lethargic if they
are sure of time bound promotion.
 A new enterprise can not use the internal
source and no organisation can fill all its
vacancies from internal sources.
 There will be only limited choice
 When the candidates from outside the
organisation are invited to fill the vacant job
position, then it is known as external
recruitment
 Common methods of external sources of
recruitment is discussed in the following
slides
 Sometimes the organisations paste notice
specifying the details of jobs available at
the gate of their office, factory or
workshop. The people who are interested in
those jobs walk in for interview. This
method is inexpensive and suitable for
unskilled or semi skilled job positions, e.g.
Sweeper, peon, casual workers etc.
Generally, they are paid remuneration on
daily wage basis
 Generally, large organisations maintain an
application file consisting of unsolicited
applications which the job seekers leave
with reception as well as the applications of
suitable candidates who were not selected
in previous year’s selection process. This
application file is considered as waiting list.
Whenever there is a job vacancy, the
suitable candidates from the waiting list are
called It is also an inexpensive
 The most common and popular method of
external recruitment is advertising in
newspapers and trade and professional
journals. Through advertisement, more
information about the organisation and job
can be given. It gives the management wider
range of candidates.
 For the job of an accountant, the
advertisement can be given in chartered
accountant journal and for unskilled and
lower rank positions, the advertisement can
be given in local or regional newspapers. But,
for senior positions and skilled jobs,
advertisement is given in national level
reputed newspapers
 Employment exchanges act as middlemen
between job seekers and the organization
having vacant job positions.
 The job seekers leave their Bio-Data with
the employment exchanges and when
organization approach employment
exchanges, suitable candidates are sent.
Thus, employment exchanges help to match
personnel demand and supply.
 Government employment exchanges charge
no fees whereas private employment
exchanges charge commission.
 In technical and professional areas, private
agencies and professional bodies appears
to be doing remarkable work on selecting
suitable personnel from external sources.
These agencies compile Bio-Data of a large
number of candidates and provide the
organization specialized and efficient
people who can occupy managerial,
technical and professional job positions.
These agencies are having many experts
who are specialized in manpower
requirements and charge fees or
commission for their services
 Many big organisations maintain a close
liaison with the universities, colleges,
management institutes and vocational
schools to recruit qualified personnel for
technical, professional and managerial jobs.
Senior managers of organisations visit
various professional institutions to prefer
fresh graduates, because they can be
molded according to the requirement of the
organisation. E.g. MBAs, Computer
programmers, Engineers are generally
selected in campus recruitment
 Many firms encourage their employees to
recommend the names of their relatives,
friends and other known people to fill the
vacant job positions. The organisations
prefer such recommendations by trusting
the goodwill of the present employees. The
organisations can catch hold of existing
employees if there is any problem with the
new employee recommended by him.
 The contractors are the people who keep in
touch with the labour in villages and rural
areas and whenever there is vacancy or
requirement for labour in factory or in
construction site, they bring the labourers
from villages as well as from outskirts of
city areas and supply them to businessmen.
The labour contractors charge commission
for the same. This method is suitable only
for unskilled workers and labourers.
 In internet, there are certain websites
specifically designed and dedicated for the
purpose of providing information about both
job seekers and job openings in various
organisations. These websites can be visited
by job seekers as well as by the companies.
E.g. Naukri.com, Monster.com, Jobstreet.com
etc.
 With external recruitment fresh and new
talent come to the organisation.
 Through external recruitment the
organisation gets wider choice.
 By using external recruitment the
management can get qualified and trained
persons.
 Through external recruitment when
outsiders join the organisation, this
develops a competitive spirit in existing
employees of organisation.
 The morale of existing employees goes
down or falls.
 the new employees may not adjust in the
rules and regulations of the organisation
which means more chances of turnovers
 It is expensive as to invite the outsider to
apply for the job, companies have to bear
heavy burden of advertising.
 External recruitment takes long time to
select suitable personnel
 Meaning:-
 Selection can be defined as
discovering most promising and most
suitable candidate to fill up the vacant job
position among the pool of prospective job
candidates developed at the stage of
recruitment.
 In selection, the number of rejected
applicants is generally more than the selected
candidates that are why selection is
considered as a negative process. The
important steps in the process of selection
are as follows;
 The selection process begins with screening
and detailed investigation of the applicants.
While scrutinizing the applications, the
managers compare the qualifications and
capabilities specified in application form
with the requirement of vacant job position.
The applications proving the match between
both only will be considered for the next
stage in selection and the remaining
unsuitable applications will be rejected.
 The types of test to be conducted depend on the
requirement of the organization. The common types of
tests conducted by the organizations are given below:
 (a) Intelligence test: This is one of the important
psychological test used to measure the level of IQ,
person’s learning ability or the ability to make decisions
and judgments, person’s alertness in terms of
reasoning, memory, comprehension etc.
 (b) Aptitude test: These tests are designed to
measure the potential of individuals to acquire new
skills, capacity to develop in future.
 (c) Personality test: This test provides clues to a
person’s emotional balance, his/her reactions, maturity
and value system etc. It has to be designed and
implemented with utmost care.
 (d) Interest test: Interest test is used to know the
pattern of interest or involvement of a person in a
particular kind of work.
 Interview is a formal, in-depth conversation
conducted to evaluate the applicants’
suitability for the job. There are some
qualities which can be judged only through a
face-to –face talk with candidates. The
interviewer is to seek information about the
interviewee by asking job related and general
questions
 Many employers request names, addresses
and telephone numbers of references of at
least two responsible persons for the purpose
of verifying information and gaining
additional information on an applicant.
Previous employer, University professors,
known persons can act in references
 The personnel department will send the list of
the selected candidates who have passed
tests, interviews and reference checks. But,
the final selection has to be made by the
concerned departmental manager. Because, it
is he who is responsible for the performance
of the new employee.
 After the selection decision, the candidate is
required to undergo medical fitness test
conducted by the panel of doctors prescribed
by the organization. If the result of medical
fitness is positive, then only job offer will be
given.
 Job offer is made through a letter of
appointment. Such a letter generally contains
date by which the appointee must report on
duty. The appointee must be given
reasonable time for reporting.
 It is a written document consisting of job
title, duties, responsibilities, date when
continuous employment starts and the basis
of calculating service, rates of pay,
allowances, working hours, leave rules,
grievance procedures, disciplinary procedures
etc. It has to be signed by the employee
 Meaning of Training:-
 Training is the process of improving
the job knowledge and skills of employees so
as to enable them to perform well. It is an
organized activity wherein people acquire
knowledge and skills for doing a specific job
 Development is the process by which
managers and executives acquire not only
skills and competence in their present jobs
but also capabilities for future tasks of
increasing difficulty and scope. It refers to
overall growth of the employees.
 TRAINING  DEVELOPMENT
 1. Teaching technical  Teaching technical,
skill only human and conceptual
 2. Suitable technical skills.
staff  Suitable for managerial
 3. Development of staff
skills already  Development of hidden
possessed by the qualities of employees
employees  Focuses on future
 4. Focuses on present requirement of
requirement of organization.
organization  Individual takes
 5. Superior takes initiative
initiative
 Training is systematic learning always better than
hit and trial methods which lead to wastage of
efforts and money.
 It enhances employee productivity both in terms
of quantity and quality, leading higher profits.
 It equips the future manager who can take over in
case of emergency
 It increases employee confidence and reduces
absenteeism and employee turnover
 It helps in obtaining effective response to fast
changing environment.
 Improved skills and knowledge lead to better
career of the individual.
 Increased performance by the individual
helps him to earn more.
 It makes the employee more efficient to
handle machines which will reduce the
accidents.
 It increases the satisfaction and morale of
employees
 The methods of training are broadly
categorized into two groups:
 1. On the job training methods
 2. Off the job training methods
 This is a method of learning by doing and
suitable only for technical jobs. The
advantage of this method is that the
employees can understand practical
problems. The disadvantage is that it may
lead to wastage of resources. This method
should not be recommended in case the
training involves the handling of very
expensive machines.
 Types of on the job training methods:-
 The various types of on the job
training methods are discussed below
 In this method, there will be a master
worker (trainer) who guides the workers on
the skills of the job and demonstrates the
job also. The trainees will observe the
demonstration carefully and learning the
skills gradually. After getting the
confidence, the trainees start taking up the
job and the master worker becomes the
observer. When trainee becomes perfect,
the master worker leaves by handing over
the full charge of job position to the trainee
workers. The period of training may vary
from 2 to 5 years.
 Under this method, the superior or senior
manager will take the role of coach. The
superior and trainees together will set
mutually agreed goals. Then, the superior
suggests the trainees how to achieve the
goals by giving guidance and instructions.
The performance of the trainees will be
reviewed periodically by the superior. The
superior will suggest required changes in
behavior and performance of the trainees in
order to overcome their weaknesses and
makes their strength more strong
 The educational institutions and the
corporate sectors enter into an agreement
according to which the institutions send
their candidates to various companies so
that they can practice the theoretical
knowledge acquired by them. The
organizations will get people with fresh
ideas and latest knowledge and the
companies have to pay very less amount of
stipend.
 Under this method, the employees are
shifted from one job to another job for
short intervals in order to make them aware
of the requirements of all the job positions.
Further, they may be even shifted from one
department to another department so that
trainees get broader understanding of all
parts of the business and how organization
as a whole functions. This method allows
the trainees to interact with other
employees facilitating future cooperation.
Further, the organization finds it easier at
the time of promotions, replacements or
transfers.
 These methods are used away from the work
place. It involves learning before doing. The
various methods of off the job training
methods are discussed below:
 It is a highly structured way to convey a
message or specific information, rules,
procedures or methods. The use of audio-
visuals or demonstrations can make a formal
classroom presentation more interesting
 Films can provide information and
demonstrate skills that are not easily
represented by the other techniques. It is
generally used in conjunction with conference
discussions.
 Under this method, managers discuss real
problems that they have faced and trainees
are asked to study, analyze the problems and
develop alternative solutions, select what they
believe to be the best solution. The case
study provides the bridge between the
theoretical knowledge and its practical
implications
 It stimulates the work environment by
programming a computer to imitate some of
the realities of the job and allows learning to
take place without the risk or high costs that
would be incurred if a mistake were made in
real life situation
 Vestibule school means duplicate model of
organization. When the expensive and
delicate machineries are involved then
employers avoid using on the job methods
of training. A dummy model of machinery is
prepared to give training instead of using
original machinery. Actual work situations
are created and employees use the same
materials and equipments.
 Under this method, a learning package is
prepared to give general instructions and
specific skills. The information is broken into
sequence of meaningful units.