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2. People in business

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4 topics · 12 learning objectives

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  1. 2.1. Human resource management (HRM)

    1. 2.1.1Recruiting and selecting employees

      • stages in the recruitment process: job descriptions, person specifications, job advertisements (including employment agencies and online recruitment) • selection methods, e.g. curriculum vitae (CV)/resumé, application forms, references, testing/assessment centres, interviews • advantages and disadvantages of internal and external recruitment • recommend and justify who to employ in a given situation

    2. 2.1.2Employment contracts and legal controls over employment issues

      • the main contents of an employment contract: duties and responsibilities, working hours, holiday entitlement, sick pay • the benefits of employment contracts for employers and employees • legal controls over employment issues: unfair dismissal, discrimination, health and safety, legal minimum wage • effects of legal controls over employment issues on employers and employees

    3. 2.1.3Training

      • importance of training to a business and to employees • types of training: induction training, on-the-job training and off-the-job training • advantages and disadvantages of the three types of training

  2. 2.2. Organisation and management

    1. 2.2.1Simple organisational structures

      • the main functional areas of a business, e.g. operations, marketing, finance, human resources • simple hierarchical structures: tall and flat levels of hierarchy, long and short chains of command, wide and narrow spans of control • interpret simple organisational charts • different ways of flexible working, e.g. home working and flexible hours • advantages and disadvantages of part-time employees and full-time employees

    2. 2.2.2The functions of management

      • planning, organising, coordinating, commanding and controlling • advantages and disadvantages of delegation

    3. 2.2.3Leadership styles

      • the main leadership styles: autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire • advantages and disadvantages of the main leadership styles • recommend and justify an appropriate leadership style for a given situation

    4. 2.2.4Why reducing the size of the workforce may be necessary

      • concept of downsizing • reasons for reducing the size of the workforce, e.g. automation, reduced demand for products, need to lower costs • concept of redundancy • recommend and justify which employee(s) to make redundant in a given situation

    5. 2.2.5The role of trade unions

      • what a trade union is • benefits to employees of being a trade union member

  3. 2.3. Methods of communication

    1. 2.3.1Why communication is important

      • why communication is important for a business • methods of communication, e.g. meetings (face-to-face or virtual), email, text messages, social media, phone calls (including mobile calls), letters, posters and noticeboards • advantages and disadvantages of different methods of communication • internal and external communication • recommend and justify which method of communication to use in a given situation

    2. 2.3.2Communication barriers

      • examples of communication barriers • reasons for communication barriers • problems caused by communication barriers • how communication barriers can be reduced or removed

  4. 2.4. Motivating employees

    1. 2.4.1The importance of a well-motivated workforce

      • why people work • the benefits of a well-motivated workforce: improved labour productivity, reduced absenteeism, lower labour turnover and greater willingness to accept change / new methods of working • main motivational theories: Maslow, Taylor, Herzberg

    2. 2.4.2Methods of motivation

      • financial methods of motivation, e.g. time-based, piece-rate, salary, bonus, commission, profit sharing, fringe benefits • non-financial methods of motivation, e.g. job enrichment, job rotation, training, opportunities for promotion, praise, employee of the month • recommend and justify an appropriate method of motivation for a given situation