SELECTION & Socialization

SELECTION

Objective

What are the “benefits” from a proper selection processWhat is the primary purpose of selection activitiesThe discrete selection process The comprehensive selection process Purpose of using certain selection devices

SELECTION - defined

Selection can be defined as the combination of processes that lead to the choice of one or more candidates over others for one or more jobs or roles.

Selection Decision Outcomes

Accept Reject

Successful

Unsuccessful

Objective: Accept the suitable candidate; Reject the unsuitable candidate Or, Reduce the Accept and Reject Errors.

Correct Decision

Reject Error

Accept Error

Correct DecisionLa

ter

job

perf

orm

ance

s

The Purpose of Selection

“Evaluate and Attract”

1. Predict which job applicant would be successful if hired

2. Inform and Sell the job and the organization to the candidate

Necessity for careful selection

Your own performance depends partly on the performance of your subordinatesCost implications (eg.hiring and training even a clerk can cost $5000or more in fees and supervisory time)

Legal implications (court will find employers liable when employees with criminal records take advantage of access to customers home /databases to commit crimes; negligent hiring is the term used by lawyers to refer to hiring workers with criminal backgrounds, without proper safeguards. )

How to safeguard against Negligent Hiring?

Carefully scrutinize all information supplied by applicant eg. Look for unexplained gaps in employment/education

Getting applicant’s written authorization for reference checks & carefully checking references

Saving all records of information obtained about the applicant

Rejecting applicants who make false statements of facts, criminal records for offences directly related and imp. to job in question

Balancing the applicant’s privacy rights with others’ i.e.. Any hint of damaging information should be clarified/investigated

Taking immediate disciplinary action if problem arises

The Discrete Selection Process

1. Initial Screening Interview

2. Completion of the application blank / form

3. Comprehensive interview

4. Background investigation

5. Physical examination

6. Final employment decision

Reception of applicants

Preliminary interview

Investigation of previous history

Employment tests

Application blank

Interview

Preliminary selection in employment department

REJECTION

Final selection by foreman or supervisor

Applicants exit process. Job or organization is not to their liking

Waiting list of desirable applicants

Physical Examination

PLACEMENT

Initial screening

Two-step process

Rejection at this stage due to inappropriate education/experience Helps the management to describe the job in enough detail Identify the a salary range

Screening of inquiries

Provision of screening interviews

Completion of the application form

Information requested here –

Name; address; telephone number; educational qualifications; work experience – organizations worked in previously, salary drawn, designation, skill sets; languages known; achievements – academic, work related; hobbies; references; any break in education or work experience – reasons etc.

Employment tests

Attempts to assess the intelligence, abilities and personality traits etc.

helps in effective selection

Comprehensive interview

Aimed at trying to assess the candidates fitment to the jobDone by potential supervisor, other executives within the organization, HR departmentProbe into areas like – motivation, ability to cope with pressure, ‘fit in’ with the organization

Background Investigation

Contacting former employers to confirm work recordContacting other job-related or personal references

Physical Examination

Essentially to meet the minimum standards for organization’s group life and medical insurance

Provide base data in case of future compensation claims by the employee.

Final Employment Decision

Offer of employment goes from the HR department

Hiring decision done by the department which had the position open

Importance of good ‘fit’ between boss and employeeIn case or incorrect decision – hiring manager (dept.) has no one else to blame

Final Employment Decision

The outcome of the selection exercise lies now in the hands of the employee – Accept or Reject the offer

Did we miss the candidates who were rejected ?

What about communication?

The rejected candidate does have the right to know about the reason for rejection…

“What and how communication happens does impact the image of the

organization”.

The Comprehensive Approach

Applicants go through the entire selection process (selection

decision based on comprehensive evaluation of the results in each stage)

Realistic : recognizes that applicants have strengths as well as weaknesses (eg. Need for certain no. of years of work exp. could be compensated by

educational qualifications or exceptional performance in written tests)

Could be time consuming (but, worthwhile if the job is important enough to

justify the cost or many qualities are needed for success in the job)

Key elements in successful predictors

ReliabilityValidityUtility

Socialization

ContentsWhat is socializationImportance of Orientation programsProcess of SocializationRole of managers in Employee Socialization

Socialization

Adapt, Acclimate, Adjust……to a new environment.

In organizations : a different group of co-workers, a new boss, different work

activities, work standards, new organizational culture etc…

Importance of Orientation Programs

Foster better understanding of the organization’s culture, job responsibilities and how they tie into company and departmental priorities

To help in building strong bonds between new hires and the organization

Process of Socialization

outcomes

Prearrival Encounter Metamorphosis

Productivity

Commitment

Turnover

Role of managers in Employee Socialization

Socialization programs could be… Formal or informal Individual or collective Fixed or variable time period Serial or disjunctive Investiture or divestiture

References

(Core reading)David A. DeCenzo – Personnel/Human Resource Management

(Additional ref.) Gary Dessler - Human Resource Management