Question 1. Define Human Resource planning (HRP).

Explain the objective and

process of HRP.
Answer:
Human Resource Planning (HRP) can be defined as the method of ensuring the right number
of qualified people, in the right job at the right time to bring the results in an efficient and
effective manner.
In simple words, HRP is understood as the process of forecasting an organisations future
demand for, and supply of, the right type of people in the right number. It is only after this
that the HR department can initiate the recruitment and selection process. HRP is a sub
system in the total organisational planning. Organisational planning includes managerial
activities that set the company objectives for the future and determines the appropriate
means for achieving those objectives
'Manpower planning consists of projecting future manpower requirements and developing
manpower plans for the implementation of the projections.'
Objectives of the human resource planning are:
to maintain the required quantity and quality of human resource required for
an even and well-organised functioning of the organisation.
to forecast the turnover/attrition rates.
to plan to meet organisational human resource needs at the time of
expansion or diversification.
Steps in human resource planning
The basic steps of HRP include the following:
Considering the effect of organisational strategy and objectives on different
units of the organisation in terms of the human resource requirement.

Forecasting the manpower requirements of the organisation by involving the

line managers to decide and finalise the human resource needs of their
respective department. Forecasting may be carried out using mathematical
projection tools or judgements.

Forecasting the quality and quantity of human resource required by each

department/division.

Creating an inventory of present manpower resources.

Matching the current human resources position incumbents incumbents in
the organization
With the numbers required in the future.
Developing an action plan to meet the future requirements in terms of
addition or separation
, in a planned and phased manner. It involves planning the necessary
programs of recruitment, selection, training, development, utilisation,
transfer, promotion, motivation and compensation to ensure that future
manpower requirement are properly met.

Question 2. What are the factors affecting recruitment? What are the
sources of recruitment?

Answer:
Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees and
stimulating them to apply for the jobs in the organisations. It is the process of seeking
and attracting a pool of people from which qualified candidates can be chosen for job
vacancies. Recruitment, as a process, starts with identification of the need for human
resources and ends with getting the prospective employees to apply for the vacancies
available
There are many factors that affect the recruitment programme. These factors can be
classified as organisational or internal factors, and environmental or external factors.
Organisational factors include the following:
Reputation of the organisation-an organisational reputation
depends on its size, area of business, profitability, management,
etc.
The organisational culture and the attitude of its management
towards employees.
Geographical location of the vacant position as potential
candidates might not be eager to work in a remote place unless
they belong to that place.
The amount of resources allocated.
The channels and methods used to advertise the vacancy.
The salary that the company offers also influences the decision of
a candidate.
Environmental factors includes the following:
The situation in the labour market, the demand for manpower, the demographics,
the knowledge and skill sets available.
Stage of development of the industry to which the organisation belongs.
Culture, social attitudes and beliefs also impact on recruitment.
Law of the land and the legal implication.

Sources of Recruitment :
The objectives of recruitment are more likely to be achieved if the recruiting sources
used are suitable for the kind of position that is to be filled. The selection of
recruitment sources should be economical as well. Different sources of recruitment
can be employed, depending on various factors like the level of the position, number
of people required, time available and the funds allocated for recruitment.
Sources of recruitment may be internal or external.
Internal Sources
Many organisations try to identify employees from within the organisation, to be
grooming to take on higher responsibilities. Organisations which go in for an internal
search normally announce the vacancy and display in the notice boards, send
circulars to different departments or inform through the company website.
Candidates from within the organisation respond to job posting by sending in their
applications. Promotions and transfers are also internal sources of recruitment as
candidates are identified within an organisation
Some advantages of internal sources are:
It helps in maintaining good employee relations.
It boosts the morale of the employees (feel important and valued).
It encourages competent and ambitious individuals, as their performance will be
rewarded.
Cost of recruitment is minimal.
Complete information about the employee will be available

External Sources
An organisation will have a greater choice in human resources if it decides to go in for
external recruitment. There are various methods of recruiting from external sources.
Some popular methods are advertisements, campus recruitments, employee referrals,
employee exchanges, HR head hunters etc
There are various external sources:
Advertisement Employment advertisements may be given by an organization in
newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, posters and banners. The important information
that has to be furnished in an advertisement are:
Nature of business and size of the business
Nature of job
Location
Task and responsibilities
Emoluments, benefits and other facilities
Requirements of the job
Last date to respond
Ways to respond e-mail, phone or by post
Employee referrals Employee referrals form a very good source of recruitment
especially for middle and lower level management. Employees who are already
working in the organisation recommend their friends or acquaintances for the vacant
positions in the organisation. Some companies in competitive industries, where it is
difficult to find suitable candidates, even pay their employees if the candidates
referred by them are selected.
Employment agencies Based on the type of clientele they serve, employment
agencies can be broadly classified into public or state agencies, private agencies and
head hunters:
Public agencies Few years ago, employment exchanges were extremely popular in
India. Today somehow they have become out-dated. With changing market needs and
demands for different skills sets, more and more companies and job-seekers are
looking at other options of recruitment.
Private agencies Private agencies do well in dynamic job markets, where companies
explore aggressively for talent and potential candidates. They invite applications from
interested candidates, short listing them or interview them for a second round of short
listing and finally arriving at the list of suitable candidates for the vacant position.
Educational institutes During the placement season, educational institutes turn into
hunting grounds for organisations looking for fresh talent. These educational institutes
offer placement to their students by trying to get few good companies in the market
to their campus for recruitment.
Interested applicants One of the sources of recruitment for an organisation might be
unsolicited applications of candidates interested in working with the organisation.
Such candidates send in their applications to the management either through post or
e-mails and express their interest to join the organisation.
Question 3: What are the main objectives of training? Explain the on the job
and off the job training?
Answer:

Training enhances the skills and capabilities of employees in an organisation. A

successful training programme improves the performance of an employee which in
turn enhances organisational performance.
Training is an essential part of the orientation programme for new recruits in an
organisation.
The main objectives of training are:
Improving employee performance: When an employee is recruited by an
organisation, he might not have all the skills required to carry out his job. Training at
this stage helps him learn his job faster and ensures better performance.
Updating employee skills: It is important for the management to continuously
evaluate and adopt any technological advances that can help the organisation
function more effectively and efficiently.
Avoiding managerial obsolescence: Managerial obsolescence is the failure to
adopt new methods and processes that can improve employee and organisational
performance. Rapid changes in technical, legal and social environments have an
impact on the way managers perform their jobs.
Preparing for promotion and managerial succession: Training helps an
employee acquire the skills required to assume greater responsibilities.
Retaining and motivating employees: One way to motivate and retain employees
is through a systematic programme of career planning and development. Employees
feel cared.
Creating an efficient and effective organisation: A manager who has well
trained and well equipped employees needs to spend less time supervising them.
On-the-job training:
Its a real job environment where the trainee is exposed to actual work situations. The
major advantage of this method is that the trainee gets hands-on experience of the
job that has to be performed. The different types of on-the-job training are:
Job instruction training: In this method trainees can discuss the problems in
performing the job immediately with the trainer.
Apprenticeship and coaching: Individuals seeking to enter skilled trades, like those of
carpenters, electricians etc, are required to go through formal apprenticeship under
experienced employees, before they join their regular job.
Job rotation: In this method the trainee is placed on various jobs across different
functions in the organisation. The trainee gains cross-functional knowledge and is
equipped to take up different jobs.
Committee assignments: In this method, a group of employees are assigned an
actual organisational problem and are asked to find a solution. The trainees develop
their team-management skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, problemsolving skills and leadership skills while solving the problem as a group.
Off the job training
Off the job training refers to training imparted away from the employees immediate
work area.
When training is performed on the job, any mistake by the trainee might result in
damage to the organisation. Hence, off the job training can be conducted to minimise
this damage. The different types of off the job training are:
(i) Classroom lectures: This approach is widely used for helping the employees. The
trainer should actively involve the trainees and make the session more interactive.
(ii) Simulation exercises: In this method of training, the trainee is exposed to an
artificial work situation that closely resembles the actual situation. Simulation

exercises are of great help to the employee to learn the task on hand. It can be in the
form of case exercises, experiential exercises, complex computer modelling, Vestibule
training and role play.
Following are a few types of simulation exercises:
o Case exercise In case study a real life problem encountered in the organisation is
presented to the trainees.
o Experiential exercise In this method, the trainer simulates situations where the
employees are exposed to actual work problems. The trainer can create a situation
where employees are asked to work in teams. After the exercise is complete, the
trainer discusses the behaviour of the employees during the exercise, with the group.
He appraises the trainees about their performance, and discusses the exercise with
the help of theoretical concepts.
o Computer modelling Computer modelling is a technique whereby the dimensions
of the job are programmed into the computer. Computer modelling helps in learning
directly. In this training, trainees get real life experience by working on a computer.
o Vestibule training In this method, the actual work conditions are simulated and the
equipment used by the trainees is similar to what is used in job.
o Role playing Role play is described as a method of human interaction involving
realistic behaviour in an imaginary situation.
Question 4: Define performance management .write a brief note on
360degree appraisal.
Performance management is a process of aligning an organisations goals with the
employee goals. It is an on-going and interactive process that helps employees
enhance their capability and facilitate productivity. To put it simply It is the means, by
which employees work behaviour is aligned with the organisations goals.
performance appraisal has been limited to a feedback process between employees and
managers. However, with the increased focus on teamwork, employee development and
customer service, the emphasis has shifted to employee feedback from multiple sources as
depicted in figure 1. This multiple-input approach to performance feedback is called "360
degree assessment."

Figure 1.
A variety of rating sources in addition to that of the manager help in getting a broader view of
the employees performance as well as to eliminate biases. Research has proved that
assessment approaches with multiple rating sources provide more accurate, reliable and
credible information. Hence, HR department supports the use of multiple rating sources as an
effective method of assessing performance for formal appraisal and other evaluative and
developmental purposes
The feedback from multiple sources consists of managers, peers, subordinates, customers and
oneself. It is not necessary, or always appropriate, to include all of the feedback sources in a
particular appraisal programme. The organisational culture and mission must be considered
and the purpose of feedback will differ with each source. The objectives of performance
appraisal and the particular aspects of performance that are to be assessed must be
established before determining which sources are appropriate.

Superiors
Evaluations by superiors are the most traditional source of employee feedback. This
form of evaluation includes both the ratings of individuals by managers on elements
in an employee's performance plan and the evaluation of programmes and teams by
senior managers.
Contribution of superiors
The first-line manager is often in the best position to effectively carry out the full cycle of
performance management: Planning, Monitoring, Developing, Appraising and Rewarding. The
manager may also have the broadest perspective on the work requirements and be able to
take into account shifts in those requirements. So, the highest contribution to the
performance feedback is from the first-level managers.

Subordinates
An upward-appraisal process or feedback survey (sometimes referred to as Subordinates
Appraising Managers (SAM)) is among the most significant and yet controversial features of a
"complete" performance evaluation programme. Both managers, being appraised, and their
own superiors agree that subordinates have a unique, often essential, perspective. The
subordinate ratings provide particularly valuable data on performance elements concerning
managerial and managerial behaviours

Question 5: what do you meant by job analysis? Explain its purpose and methods.
Answer:
Job analysis is the process of determining and recording all the pertinent information about a
specific job, including the tasks involved, the knowledge and skill set required to perform the
job, the responsibilities attached to the job and abilities required to perform the job
successfully.
An important concept of job analysis is that the analysis is conducted of the job and not the
person. While job analysis data may be collected from incumbents through interviews or
questionnaires, the product of the analysis is a description or specifications of the job, not a
description of the person.
Purpose of job analysis
The purpose of job analysis is to establish and document the 'job relatedness' of employment
procedures such as training, selection, compensation and performance appraisal. Job analysis
is a recording of all the activities involved in a job and the skill and knowledge requirements of
the performer of the job.
Job analysis assists in the following HR activities:

Recruitment
Selection
Job design
Estimating job worth
Training
Appraisal

These activities depend on job analysis and its end products for their own functioning. Job
description and specifications are end products of job analysis (from the basis for
recruitment).
Methods of Job analysis
The following are the methods of job analysis:
Observation methods
In this method, individuals performing the job are observed and relevant points are noted. It
includes what was done and how it was done. Time and motion study is the best example of
observation method. In this method, the observer knows what has to be noted and what can
be ignored. Otherwise whole observation method can result in a lengthy but superfluous
document.

Individual interview method

This method is employed when the job in question is complex and has varied tasks. It is
effective when the interview is structured and the analyst is clear about what information has
to be obtained from the interview. An unstructured interview might help in gathering all the
information about the job but it will be very time consuming.
Group interview method
In this method the employees performing the same job are interviewed in groups. Information
which might have been missed during individual interview will come up during group
interview. It is less time consuming. Sometimes group dynamics might affect the direction of
the interview.
Questionnaire methods
In this method, the analyst gives a long structural questionnaire to be filled by the employees.
Both objective and open-ended questions are included. It is a good method to take the
information from employees without disturbing them on their job. Sometimes the analysis
part becomes problematic, especially when there is no clarity. Sometimes the analyst might
fail to convey what kind of information exactly they want to gather from incumbents.
Technical conference methods
This is a method of gathering all the job related information from Experts (Supervisors) and
not from the employee(s).
Diary method
In this method, incumbents of that particular job make immediate note of the activities they
perform. A lot more information can be gathered about the job from this method. This exercise
takes longer time to complete as there are many activities which take longer time intervals.
Question 6: What are the benefits and objectives of employee welfare measure?
Answer:
Employee welfare measures are one of the key inputs to bring about the desired level of
employee satisfaction, motivation and productivity of the organisation. The basic objective of
welfare measures is to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the employee.
Employee welfare is a comprehensive term including various services, benefits and facilities
offered to employees by the employer. Through such generous fringe benefits, the employer
makes life worth living for employees. The welfare amenities are extended in addition to
normal wages and other economic rewards available to the employees as per legal provisions.
The very logic behind providing welfare schemes is to create an efficient, healthy, loyal and
satisfied labour force for the organisation. The purpose of providing such facilities is to make
the employees work life better and also to raise their standard of living. The important
benefits of welfare measures can be summarised as follows:
They provide better physical and mental health to workers and thus promote a healthy
work environment.
Facilities like housing schemes, medical benefits, education and recreation facilities for
workers families help in raising their standards of living. This makes workers to pay
more attention towards work and thus increases their productivity.

 Employers get stable labour force by providing welfare facilities. Workers take active
interest in their jobs and work with a feeling of involvement and participation.
Employee welfare measures increase the productivity of the organisation and promote
healthy industrial relations, thereby maintaining industrial peace.
The social evils prevalent among the labourers, such as substance abuse, are reduced
to a greater extent by the welfare policies.

Objectives of employee welfare:

The most important purpose of employee welfare measures is to improve the
employer-employee relationship within an organisation. However, an organisation can
also achieve multiple objectives while developing employee welfare measures. An
organisation aims at accomplishing both the long term and short term objectives
through employee welfare measures.
Employee welfare has the following objectives:
1. To provide better life and health to the workers.
2. To make the workers happy and satisfied.
3. To relieve workers from industrial fatigue and to improve intellectual, cultural
and material conditions of living of the workers.