Human resources practice follows a sequence: find people, choose one, prepare them, and review how they do. Each step has a name, and a case answer names the step and links it to the business.
This lesson is part of SPM Business human resources. For the wider view of departments, see explaining finance, marketing, operations and human resources.
What are the four concepts?
| Step | Meaning | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment | Attracting possible candidates | Where do we find people? |
| Selection | Choosing the best fit | Who do we pick? |
| Training | Teaching skills for the job | How do they learn the work? |
| Performance appraisal | Reviewing how well they work | How are they doing? |
Recruitment can be internal, from current staff, or external, from outside. Training can be on the job or off the job.
How do they work in one invented case?
Kedai Buku Teratai needs a cashier for weekends. The owner puts a notice in the shop window and asks two part-time staff if they know anyone. That is external recruitment, because candidates come from outside the shop.
Five people apply. The owner interviews three and picks Aina, which is selection. Aina shadows an experienced cashier for two shifts, which is on-the-job training.
After one month, the owner checks till accuracy and customer comments with Aina. That is performance appraisal.
What does an applied answer sound like?
A definition says, “Training is teaching workers skills.” An applied answer says, “Kedai Buku Teratai uses on-the-job training because Aina learns the till by doing real sales beside an experienced cashier, so she can start quickly without closing the shop for a course.”
The second answer names the type, uses a case detail and states the benefit.
Which mistakes cost marks?
- Using “recruitment” for the whole process. Recruitment ends when candidates apply, and selection is the choice.
- Calling promotion of a current worker external recruitment. It is internal.
- Naming a training type with no reason. Always add why it suits the case.
Fix each by writing the question the concept answers, as in the table, before naming the term.
Check yourself
A fictional workshop promotes its best mechanic to team leader and sends him to a two-day leadership workshop at a hotel. Name the type of recruitment and the type of training, with one reason each.
Answer
Internal recruitment, because the vacancy is filled by a current employee. Off-the-job training, because the workshop takes place away from the workshop floor. A reason for the first: the owner already knows his work. A reason for the second: the leadership skills need focused time away from repair jobs.
What to study next
Next, see how rewards affect effort in comparing financial and non-financial motivation, then test yourself with the human resources practice set.
If you want a teacher to give you fresh cases and mark your reasoning, see online one-to-one Business tuition.