Managing human resources (HR) should be one of the supervisor’s top priorities. In fulfilling staffing responsibilities, the supervisor can be substantially aided by the HR department. Increasingly, many organizations use firms that supply temporary workers to do some of the staffing work.

One ongoing process of staffing is determining how many employees and what skills are needed to accomplish various work assignments. Job descriptions indicate the duties and responsibilities of the job and must be reviewed periodically. Job descriptions that accurately describe jobs help supervisors provide realistic job previews, develop performance standards, conduct performance appraisals, and other staffing functions. Job specifications detail the SKAs an employee should have to perform a job adequately. Applicants are recruited and screened based on the job specifications.

HR advertises the opening, recruits a pool of applicants, screens, tests, and checks references, and conducts background checks. The departmental supervisor and those who will be working with the new hire either make or will have the most say in the final hiring decision. P-9687