Pearl Engineering Company was a large heavy-engineering unit. It attached great importance to the recruitment and training of its senior supervisors. Apart from selecting them from within the organization, the company recruited, every alternate year, about ten young engineering graduates and offered them training for a period of two years, before they were appointed as senior supervisors. Such appointments were made to about 40 per cent of the vacancies of senior supervisors that occurred in the organization. This was considered necessary by management as a planned program of imparting vitality to the organization. Besides, many of the old-timers, who had risen from the ranks, did not possess the necessary academic background with the result that they could not keep pace with the technological changes. Management also believed that in the rapidly changing conditions of industry, a bank of technically competent supervisors played a pivotal role, besides serving as a pool from which to select future departmental managers. Engineering Graduates were selected from amongst those who applied in response to a national advertisement. For the selection of one engineer, on an average, eight applicants were called for interview. A selection committee consisting of the General Manager, the Production Manager, the HR Manager and the Training Officer interviewed and selected the candidates. The selection interview was preceded by a written test and only those who secured 40 per cent marks qualified for interview. The engineers thus selected had to undergo a two year intensive theoretical and practical training. A well-staffed and equipped Training Institute was directly responsible for the training of the graduate engineers, besides training trade apprentices and operatives required by the company. Lectures on theoretical subjects were given at the Training Institute and practical training was imparted in all the works departments under the guidance of qualified and experienced instructors. A few lectures by senior officers of the company were also arranged to acquaint them with the company policies on different matters. During the last quarter of their two-year training program they were deputed to work fulltime to familiarize themselves with the conditions in departments where they were to be absorbed eventually. On successful completion of training, the graduate engineers were offered appointments, depending on their performance and aptitude as revealed during training. On placement in the work departments, however, most of them faced some difficulty or the other. According to management, some of the heads of departments, who were themselves not qualified engineers, did not have sufficient confidence in these younger men. They preferred the subordinates who came up from the ranks to hold positions of responsibility. A few discredited them saying that it would take years before these youngsters could pick up the job. Besides, some of the employees, whose promotional opportunities were adversely affected by the placement of graduate engineers, tried their best to run down the latter as a class, sometimes working on the group feelings of the workers. Some of the supervisors who were not graduate engineers also spoke derisively of them as "the blue-eyed boys" of the organization. Management knew that many of the graduate engineers were not utilized according to their capacity or training, nor was any attempt made to test or develop their potentialities. They also knew that many of the graduate engineers were, therefore, dissatisfied with their work life. Some of them, who did not get equal promotional opportunities as their colleagues placed in other departments, were looking for better jobs elsewhere. On the other hand, according to management, the young graduate engineers were themselves partly responsible for the hostile attitude of others in the organization. Some of them failed to appreciate that a newcomer invited hostility in the beginning and it took time before he was accepted as a member of the work-group. They did not realize that they would be fully productive only after gaining about five to seven years' experience in the organization. A few thought that they belonged to a superior cadre and threw their weight around. They did not bother to understand and appreciate the problems of the rank-and-file of employees who worked under them. In spite of these drawback, the General Manager of the company felt that these men were a set of disciplined supervisors. They had a sense of pride in their profession, and with the extensive training they had received, they would be able to take up any responsible position in the organization in course of time. The General Manager could not allow the situation to continue especially when it was a difficult and costly process to recruit and train young engineering graduates of the requisite type and caliber. He knew that the prosperity of the company, to a large extent, depended on these young men. In addition, a large number of lucrative employment opportunities were available to these young engineers elsewhere and there was a systematic raid on them, He, therefore, called a meeting of all heads of departments to review the situation. Questions 1. What are the pros and cons of the recruitment and training policy regarding senior supervisors of the company? 2. In your opinion, what should the graduate engineers do to increase their acceptability in the organization? 3. What should the organization do to remedy the situation and build up a cohesive and motivated group supervisory staff? 4. Identify the issues related to manpower planning as evident in the case. 5. Discuss the strategies to tackle the percentage of internal promotion at the organizational level. 6. What type of additional training programs should be imparted for direct entrants? 7. Suppose you are the head of the personnel division what would be your suggestions in the meeting which has been called by the general manager? Internal Recruitment Internal Recruitment Internal recruitment is the process of looking inside the organization for existing qualified employees who might be promoted to higher-level positions. Mobility Paths and Policies The internal recruiting system will be crucially dependent on the mobility paths and policies that have been established in the organization. Mobility path consists of possible employee movements within the internal labor market structure. Mobility paths are determined by many factors, including KSAO requirements, workforce characteristics, organizational culture, and labor markets characteristics. Types of Mobility Paths Hierarchical Mobility Paths The emphasis is primarily on upward mobility in the organization. It is labeled as promotion ladders. Alternative Mobility Paths The emphasis here is on movement in the organization in any direction up, down and side to side. Hierarchical Mobility Paths Alternative Mobility Paths Ways to Make Work Meaningful When upward mobility is limited by alternative mobility paths, special steps need to be taken to ensure that work remains meaningful - Alternative reward systems - Team building - Counseling - Alternative employment 6-7 Characteristics of a Mobility Path Policy Intent of policy is clearly communicated Policy is consistent with philosophy and values of top management Scope of policy is clearly articulated Employees' responsibilities and opportunities for development are clearly defined Supervisors' responsibilities for employee development are clearly stated Procedures are clearly described Rules regarding compensation and advancement are included Rules regarding benefits and benefit changes are included Recruitment Planning: Administrative Issues Requisitions Coordination between internal and external efforts - Establish internal staffing specialist positions (placement/classification professionals) to ensure consideration of internal candidates - Create policies specifying number and types of candidates sought both internally and externally Budget Recruitment Guide - Internal Recruitment Guide Strategy Development: Closed Recruitment Definition - Employees are not informed of job vacancies Advantages Disadvantages Strategy Development: Open Recruitment Definition - Employees are made aware of job vacancies - Job posting and bidding system Advantages Disadvantages Choosing Among Open, Closed, and Hybrid Internal Recruiting Strategy Development: Recruitment Sources Job posting Intranet and intraplacement Talent management system Nominations In-house temporary pools Replacement and succession plans Career development centers Talent Management System Comprehensive method for monitoring and tracking employee skills and abilities - Identify the KSAOs required for all jobs - The complete set of KSAOs is compiled into a master list. - The current workforce will need to be assessed for its competence in this set of KSAOs - When positions come open, managers make a query to the talent management system to determine which employees are ready to come into open positions. Often coupled with specific human resources information systems (HRIS) to facilitate tracking KSAOs in the workforce Career Development Centers Provide employees with opportunities to take interest inventories, assess their personal career goals, and interview with representatives across the organization Can be an effective retention tool for employees who desire a change, but the cost is often very high so ROI should be assessed regularly Metrics for Evaluating Recruiting Methods Quantity Quality Cost Impact on HR Outcomes - - - - Employee satisfaction Job performance Diversity Retention Potential Recruiting Metrics for Different Sources Searching: Communication Message Realistic - Different for internal applicants - May be needed for unknown or newly created jobs Targeted - Focus on job rewards matrix Searching: Communication Medium Job posting Other written documents - Brochures - Videocassettes - Diskettes Potential supervisors and peers Informal systems Applicant Reactions Minimal research regarding reactions of applicants to internal recruitment process Perceived fairness - Distributive justice - Perceived fairness of actual decision - Procedural justice - Perceived fairness of process (policies and procedures) Transition to Selection Involves making applicants aware of - Next steps in hiring process Selection methods used and instructions - Expectations and requirements Legal Issues Affirmative Action Programs Regulations - Suggestions to ensure equal opportunity for females and minorities Bona fide seniority systems - Law permits use of seniority systems if they are not the result of an intention to discriminate - Issues Law does define term \"seniority system\" Absent discriminatory intent, a seniority system is likely to be bona fide, even if it causes adverse impact Legal Issues: Glass Ceiling - Overcoming Barriers Ways to Improve Advancement for Women and Minorities - Examine the organizational culture - Drive change through management commitment - Foster inclusion - Educate and support women in career development - Measure for change