STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Question 1
1.1 Affirmative action means that organisations are compelled to employ people from
previous disadvantaged groups.
This includes black people (African, Indian and colored) as well as women and people
with disabilities.
These organisations also need to make sure that all the employment processes and
procedures adhere to a proportional representation of all people.
People from these designated groups must adhere to the minimum requirements for
employment.
Measures are put in place to ensure that people from these designated groups are
equally represented in all the measures of the workplace.
This includes identifying and eliminating barriers that effects designated groups in South
Africa like poverty.
The implementation of measures that promotes diversity like employing different races
as well as different ethnicity.
Providing decent accommodation for previously disadvantaged people to instill a form
of dignity.
Providing and promoting training and development of skills and education for
designated groups.
Giving preference to people from designated groups in order to reach the goal of
equality in numbers within the workplace.

1.2 Structured Interviews

This type of interview consists of planned, direct and specific questions based on the
type of job applied for and records the applicant’s response.
The type of questions is usually closed and does not give the applicant an opportunity to
elaborate on their answers.
This type of interview is usually the same for all applicants and therefore provides more
valid information.
It is usually conducted by line managers that are not trained to conduct interviews.
Unstructured Interviews
The type of questions asked are general and broad, so it will mostly consist of open-
ended questions.
This will give the interviewee the opportunity to elaborate on their answers and also ask
for more clarity on the questions.
This could lead to the interviewer to be more biased based on the talent, values and
attitudes portrayed by the interviewee.
This means that the information gathered can therefore be unreliable but if this is
applied together with other techniques it can assist in comparing candidates with the
same skills and experience of a specific job.
This type of interviews should only be conducted by experienced interviewers.
STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Stress Interviews
Applicants are put under pressure to see how they would react in certain situations.
They are asked about their weaknesses and previous mistakes they have made.
The purpose of this type of questions is to determine whether the applicant can control
their behaviour when they are provoked or stressed.
The aim is to find out more about their character, personality and values.
A stressful situation is created by the interviewer to put the applicant on the defensive.
These types of interviews are usually done with shortlisted candidates that are applying
for managerial positions.

1.3 Screening is important to the selection process and happens right at the beginning
of the selection process.
Screening is when you eliminate the applications from people whose characteristics
does not match the minimum requirements of the job.
This can even lead to having preliminary interviews with a large number of applicants
who seem suitable for the job based on their written applications.
After you have received all the application forms for a specific vacancy, screening takes
place to determine which applicants are most suitable for the vacancy based on their
application form.
A shorter list is then prepared from the large pool of applications received and
eliminates all applicants that does not adhere to the minimum requirements according
to their application form.
Screening is important as it shortens the selection process and eliminates unqualified
applicants for the job.

1.4 An employer can maintain employee relations by improving the level of

communication between management and staff.
Through providing training and promoting career development in the workplace.
Providing counselling services for their workers.
Assisting workers to adapt easier to any change in the workplace.
Monitoring the physical and metal health of all their employees.
Introducing to work methods and procedures within the workplace.
STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Question 2
2.1 A reduction in absenteeism in the workplace.
Lower staff turnover.
Less wastage in the workplace.
Improved performance by employees and increased productivity.
Improved morale amongst the employees.

2.2 Skilled workers are leaving the country because there are not enough opportunities for
their skilled experience.
The jobs available for the skilled workers in the country does not pay enough compared
to other countries.
A lot of skilled workers do not find employment due to factors like race/ethnicity.
The country’s technology and development are not progressed compared to other
countries.
Some skilled workers leave the country to gain international experience.

2.3 References are used to verify the truthfulness of the written information provided
by applicants.
References are contacted to elaborate on the previous employee’s character,
competencies and potential based on their previous employment.
References are also contacted to elaborate on any reasons the applicant might not be
suitable for the new job.
Criminal checks are done to check whether the applicant has any criminal charges on
their name.
Credit checks are done on applicants to make sure that they have a clear credit record
before employment as to not get involved in any credit disputes that might cause issues.
References are contacted for information on any disciplinary action that might have
been taken against the employee at their previous employer.
Training establishments are contacted as references to verify academic qualifications.
2.4.1 A Personnel agency is in the business of interviewing job-seekers and keeping their
CVs on their database.
Organisations contact the personnel agency to assist them in finding a specific kind of
employee.
Personnel agencies usually deal with clerical, sales, administrative and technical type of
staff.
The personnel agency will then go through their database to find potential candidates for
the specific job as described by the orginisation for their consideration.
Personnel agencies make their money by getting a percentage of the annual salary of the
successful candidate that is placed for the job.
It is the cheapest method to use for placements.
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2.4.2 A competency test is where a task is carried out in a similar or real situation and
objective feedback is given on whether the person was able to perform the task as required.
This is usually done where behaviour can be observed for example like a computer operator
or a driving test.
This test will not be done for applicants of managerial positions as these are difficult to
observe.

2.4.3 Labour pool placing is when employees are temporarily placed in positions until a
permanent position becomes available.
This is done in order for employees to get comfortable or used to working in the
orginisation.
This can be very expensive for the orginisation as they then have to pay a pool of employees
that might not be very productive.
The employee will only be promoted if a permanent position becomes a minimum standard
of performance has been met.
The advantage is that the orginisation then has a pool of employees they use in times of
high absenteeism or in the event of strikes.
STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Question 3

3.1 Recruitment is the search and identification of suitable supply of candidates within or
outside the orginisation as timely and cost effective as possible to fill a job vacancy.
It is a two-way process that includes the searching, identifying, attracting and appointing
suitable candidates from available pool of labour locally or nationally to existing vacancies
within the orginisation through various methods.
The candidates who are looking for work must have the requirements to perform the job in
order to achieve the organisations objective and accept the remuneration offered as well as
the working conditions.

3.2 To maintain an adequate supply of employees with the necessary competencies to

achieve the organisation’s goal.
To match the competence of employees to the needs of the orginisation.
To create a positive image of the orginisation in order to attract potential employees.
To contribute to the organisations profitability and its continued existence.
To make sure that the orginisation does not miss out on opportunities to employ good
quality candidates.

3.3 Do Human Resource planning and forecasting before you can start with recruitment.
Do a complete analysis of all the current jobs within the organisation.
Draw up a complete job specification for all current positions within the organisation.
Identify which sources and methods will best suit the recruitment needs of the organisation.
Make sure that recruitment is an ongoing process that will satisfy the needs of the
orginisation as its products, services and technology changes.
Compile a recruitment policy together with management.
Make sure that you take note of anything that might affect or influence recruitment.
Always explain the positive and the negative aspects of the job/vacancy to the applicants.

3.4 Conflict might arise amongst the current employees of the orginisation as they might
feel some sort of resentment due to not being included in the appointment of the vacancy.
The cost incurred by the orginisation for the advertising, interview and induction process.
New employees tend to be less productive in the beginning of their employment as try and
settle in their new job.
The possibility of employing a new person that does not fit in with the culture of the
organisation.

3.5 Staff selection

Training and development
Reward management
Employee relations
Separation
STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Question 4

4.1 Induction is the process of receiving and welcoming all the new employees when they
first join the new orginisation.
They are given all the general information about the attitudes and values of the orginisation
in order to help them settle into their new environment.
The orginisation is introduces to all the new employees as a whole as well as their individual
task and duties, superior staff, work groups and colleagues.
Different level of employees undergoes different types of induction and it also differs in
every organisaiton.
An induction interview is done at the end of the induction period where standards of work is
set and specific tasks are identified.

4.2 The objectives of induction are to make the first days of the new employees more
comfortable in explaining to them the basics of the organisation, this will make them settle
in better to their new working environment and responsibilities.
To instill a positive attitude about the organisation so that the employees would want to
stay on which will lead to lower staff turnover and less absenteeism.
It helps to make the new employees more productive as soon as possible as they will have a
good understanding of how their environment works and what is expected of them.
It creates realistic expectations from new employees.
It prevents any accidents, damage to machinery, wastage and saves time as they will have
an understanding of these things.
To promote a culture of continues training for the future.
It will save the time of the existing employees as they are the ones that the new employees
will request help from.

4.3 The main objective should be to satisfy the needs of a new employee in a working
employee.
Plan for the induction to be done individually if possible.
Assign a mentor to new employees in order to assist them with any personal or work-
related queries throughout the working day.
Gradually introduce the new employee to the existing employees of the orginisation.
Do not expect new employees to be productive from the start. New employees take time to
get use to their new working environment and their tasks and duties. Give them time to get
settle in before you hold them responsible.
Induction must always be systematic and gradual, first introduce the orginisation as a
whole, then the specific department, then personal tasks of new employee, follow up with
new employee and then introduce any other information.

4.4 The human resource department will be responsible to assist the new employees settle
down in the organisation.
A training department or designated person will be training the new employees.
The immediate manager or supervisor will explain the procedures of the department to the
new employees.
The immediate manager or supervisor will also explain the tasks and duties of the new
employees within the department.
STUDENT NUMBER: 21943129

Fellow employees will assist the new employees as necessary.

A mentor will assist the new employees with personal or work-related queries.
The human resource department will do a follow up interview with the new employees after
the induction period.

4.5 Evaluation of an induction program is very important as this is the first experience within
the organisation for the new employees.
If the induction program was not done well then, the relationship between the new
employee and the organisation will be tainted from the beginning.
All the feedback from the induction program must be sent back to the human resource
department for any adjustments that should be made.
There must be a feedback system in place to report on the integration of new employees
into the system.
Evaluation can be done through structured questionnaires and informal conversations with
new employees as individuals or in a group.