The Recruitment Program at Gamages

Introduction 

Gamages is one of the best department stores that are located in Oxford Street, London. The previous management of the company was poor at executing roles and improving the performance of the store. Gamages started experiencing gradual improvement when a new chief executive officer was hired to oversee the activities of the enterprise. The major aim of the new CEO is to transform the store and make it one of the best customer-driven organizations in London and all over the world in the near future. The CEO’s relationship with employees plays a major role in improving the business of the organization. He has taken his time to pay attention to the managers’ leadership skills. The CEO has invested greatly in customer service skills. They put clients first. Traditionally, activities of human resource (HR) at Gamages have been performed internally. This has been the case in many other companies in the world. It is important to put in mind that the outsourcing of the practices of human resource is increasing at a rapid rate today. A good example of HR practices that are the most outsourced is recruitment. 

The approach to selection that the HR adviser at Gamages might adopt and how it would be developed 

The professionalism and validity of any company around the globe depend on the recruitment process. The most essential activity in an organization involves employing competent individuals for your business. HR personnel should consider putting serious measures in place during the process of recruitment in order for them to attract employees who are fit for the advertised positions in the company. A good recruitment process attracts competent workers at the end of the interview ( Bruck, 2014) . The process is supposed to be time effective and also cost-effective. HR at Gamages should ensure that they make the right choices by recruiting the right employees in order for them to avoid wasting precious time and a lot of time in training new hires who are not qualified for the job. 

A brilliant recruitment process works to minimize the amount of time used in training, searching, hiring, as well as interviewing the candidates and new hires. A good recruitment works to streamline the mentioned processes and ensures that your search for the best candidate is viable and efficient. Building a positive image to competitors, peers, and clients is essential in business. 

The HR at Gamages must consider listing and explaining the skills and tasks that new hires are expected to fulfil at the organization. They should also consider promote and give room for particular measures that are relevant to the job for them to achieve good results in the process of recruitment. The HR must also ensure that they have thoroughly evaluated the skills of the candidate in order for them to be sure that the candidate is qualified for the position. The evaluation helps the HR personnel to assess the skill, knowledge, and ability of the candidate and this will help them to hire the right candidate for the job. There is no assurance that the HR will select the right candidate, but they are advised to put the measures that have been mentioned above in place in order to minimize their risks ( Roberts, 1997) . 

An overview of the recruitment and selection process 

The recruitment and selection process is also known as staffing function. The process has three major phases that include; 

• Job analysis 

• Manpower planning 

• Recruitment and selection 

Job analysis 

The recruiting process requires a job analysis that is detailed. Extensive analysis of the job helps the HR to determine the scope and main features of the position. Job analysis can be defined as the process of determining the requirements and duties of a certain job in details. It also involves the analysis of the relative essence of the duties of the job ( Billsberry, 2007) . The main purpose of job analysis is to document and establish how procedures of employment are related. This includes performance appraisal, selection, training, as well as compensation. 

The HR is responsible for examining how tasks are performed by new hires, examining when the tasks are performed, and why the same tasks are performed. We cannot overlook the fact that job analysis also involves the assessment of the work in contexts that include the physical environment where the work is done, the financial situation, as well as the social environment that is directly attached with the job in question. The financial condition involves bonuses, wages, benefits, and salaries that relate to how the job is performed. 

Manpower planning 

This is a major topic of concern in the HR department of any company including Gamages. It involves the forecasting of the number or amount of employees who are required by the enterprise to perform a given task at a certain period of time. The purpose of this is to make sure that the firm has the required number and kind of individuals for a given job in the company. The methods of manpower planning are undergoing quick innovation and changes in the current world. Manpower planning plays the role of being able to predict employees’ turnover and come up with measures that can assist to fill the resulting gap. The purpose of manpower planning is to ensure that the company does not experience a shortage of employees at any point in time because this reduces performance and production targets of many firms in the world ( Dale, 2003) . 

Recruitment and selection 

This is the most crucial phase that involves the selection and hiring of candidates by the organization. It is essential for people to note that this is a long and tiresome process. Recruitment only happens if the process of manpower planning approves the demand and need for new workers in a given company or organization. The recruitment process follows the steps that have been discussed below; 

Application form 

The first step of any recruitment involves the selection process. Candidates send application forms to the HR of the company for scrutiny and consideration ( Wood & Payne, 1998) . The information is usually categorized into recreation, education, biodata, and work experience. 

Preliminary interview 

This is some kind of a brief interview that is conducted by the HR with the aim of ascertaining the suitability of potential candidates for the advertised position in a company or organization. The main aim of the preliminary interview is to eliminate candidates who prove to be unsuitable for the position. It is an essential step because it plays a major role in ensuring that the enterprise invests its effort and time with suitable and the required candidates who have proven that they can perform very well in the job ( Wood & Payne, 1998) . 

Employment tests 

There are different sets of tests that are conducted by the HR for purposes of ascertaining the features and qualities of a potential candidate in a given company. Each test plays a significant role in measuring a particular feature and capability of a potential candidate. The major reason for carrying out employment tests is to match the mental, physical, and temperamental capability of a candidate with regards to the job. 

Physical examination 

This is an optional activity. HR personnel may decide to include it in the recruitment process or leave it out. This depends on the terms and conditions of the company’s recruitment process. Physical examination is a compulsory activity in the recruitment of police and military officers. This is due to the requirements of the job ( Fox & Taylor, 2000) . However, this may not be necessary for white collar jobs. The physical ability of a candidate generally goes hand in hand with his or her age. 

Employment interview 

It is a method that is commonly used to hire new recruits in companies today. The major objective of employment interview is to assess the sustainability of a person. It plays the role of providing an organization with the opportunity to learn about the candidates and know them better. HR personnel get to ask candidates about their ambitions, their motivation, their dreams, as well as their ambitions. 

Final selection 

As the name suggests, this refers to the candidate’s final selection. This is where candidates who have been selected after the interview are given letters of employment by the HR of a company or organization. Organizations such as Gamages usually hire new employees on a period that is known as probation ( Cornelius, 2001) . This period allows managers and HR personnel to assess the honesty, dedication, integrity, and work ethic of a new hire. The probationary period at Gamages stores lasts for a period of six months to a year. Candidates who eventually meet the requirements of the company are usually hired permanently by the company. New hires are expected to do their best as required by the company during the probationary period for them to afford being hired on a permanent basis at the end of the process. 

Placement and induction 

This stage involves assigning new recruits with office space for them to start working. The main aim of the induction process is to try and familiarize the new hire with the rules, procedures, and regulations of the company or organization. It also plays a role in improving the confidence, loyalty, and trust of the new hire. 

Emerging trends in recruitment and selection at Gamages Company 

The recruitment process at Gamages and other companies and organizations around the world is experiencing serious changes that are greatly influenced by technological innovations and other changes in strategic outlook. Some of the major trends that have impacted the recruitment activity involve the following; 

Building an end-to-end talent brand

Very many companies including Gamages have invested their time and energy in building an end to end talent brand. This is a brilliant step in the development of companies today. A talent brand can be defined as a way in which the firm is perceived by prospective employees, past employees, and current employees. It is a great method that is used by organizations and enterprises to showcase and communicate their corporate culture and performance in real time. Gamages is one of the enterprises that have developed strong talent branch approach that assists to lower their cost of hire and turnover rates. A talent brand is established through joint efforts and collaboration of the HR department and the marketing department ( Cooper, Robertson & Tinline, 2003) . 

Corporate talent network 

This is a kind of online platform that is used by companies and organizations to promote the name of their brand. The main aim of corporate talent network is to attract new talent from various sources that include partners, customers, employees, fans, suppliers, and job candidates. Corporate talent network has received a good reception from big companies around the world. It is also being adopted by medium size and small firms today and this is a great sign of progress. Enterprises use corporate talent network to advertise and communicate company information, career information, and job openings to the outside world. It is important to note that the content that is uploaded to corporate talent network targets specific candidates. 

The growing emphasis on using social media network 

Social media sites that include Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have been embraced greatly by internet users from all over the world in the recent years. HR personnel use the sites to acquire more information about the prospective candidates. These sites play a major role in improving the process of recruitment ( Reynolds & Weiner, 2009) . They help firms and organizations to locate the appropriate talent. Most companies actively use the social media platforms to hire new talents. LinkedIn is the most preferred site. 

The use of application tracking software (ATS) 

The quick adoption of the ATS has proven to be one of the most rapidly emerging trends in the field of innovation in companies. This is the latest software that has been designed and programmed to specifically take care of the recruitment needs of an enterprise or organization. The software is basically used by companies to monitor ad campaigns, manage the whole recruitment process, and also work to create a great candidate experience. ATS software is also used to screen resumes, post job openings, and send interview requests to potential recruits by e-mails. They make the work of the HR easier. Other features that the ATS software has include requisition tracking, multilingual capabilities, as well as applicant tracking of individuals. 

The importance of recruitment and selection process 

HR personnel play an essential role in the success of an enterprise. They act as filters to ensure they only select the most appropriate and competent candidate during the recruitment process. The world of business is changing constantly, and companies have the mandate of hiring individuals who are dependable, loyal, adaptable, confident and knowledgeable for them to be able to create a strong foundation for success in its activities ( Reynolds & Weiner, 2009) . 

Retention 

Selection and recruitment practices that are improper can cause involuntary separations or higher turnover. A recruiter may make a mistake of selecting a recruit who has a habit of job hopping or weak work ethics if they are not careful enough during the analysis of resumes and in the process of conducting interviews. Recruiters are advised to check references carefully and also consider looking at the period of time that the candidate worked for previous employers. It is an essential point of consideration to avoid making mistakes. 

Cost 

Cost is one of the main reasons why efficient recruitment is essential in a company. It is obvious that poor recruitment practices cause great financial losses. An incompetent new hire makes serious mistakes that end up hindering productivity and causing losses. Retraining or replacing the incompetent new hire waste more time and money ( Green, Maxwell & Watson, 2004) . It is important for recruiters to take their time and carry out the recruitment process as required for them to select qualified candidates in order to avoid the unnecessary losses. 

Productivity and loyalty 

These two important aspects are related. Employees who are honestly dedicated to the enterprise are likely to work very hard in order to help it achieve success. Recruiters should find a way of asking questions that clearly share extensive information about the weaknesses and strengths of a candidate during the interview. Loyal workers have a tendency of striving for excellence. This is what results to an innovative, more competitive, and profitable business. 

Human resource management challenges 

There are countless challenges that affect the management of human resource. The human resource management challenges may be individual, environmental, and also organizational. It is the responsibility of companies and organizations to come up with strategies that work to address the challenges with immediate care and effect in order to improve their activities and run smoothly. Some of the challenges that human resource management of firms face are as follows; 

Workforce diversity 

The continuous change of environment brings about threats and opportunities to the HR management of a firm. It is the responsibility of the human resource manager to act fast and adopt policies that take care of the diverse and huge workforce of workers in the company ( Billsberry, 2007) . Diversity is one factor that brings about many problems in organizations. The HR manager should ensure that employees relate well in order for good performance to be achieved in the long run. 

Technology 

Technology is growing at a steady rate. New tactics have recently emerged and they have dominated the older ones. The skills that are required by companies and organizations have changed as a result of the changing technology. The employees have the challenge of adapting to the changing technology before being fired by the HR for underperformance. The human resource department also has the burden of updating the expertise and skills of their employees at a constant rate. This is a very expensive process ( Green, Maxwell & Watson, 2004) . 

Rapid change 

The world today is changing at an alarming rate. Company management has the challenge of adapting to the changes quickly for them to survive in the competitive business world. They are prone to becoming obsolete from the competitive market if they do not adapt faster. The HR departments of companies have the responsibility of putting sure policies in place that can counteract emerging threats and keep the enterprises safe and secure. 

Conclusion 

The process of recruitment and selection still remains as the most essential role of the human resource department of all companies and organizations. The rate of competition between companies increases every day. This calls for the need to select and recruit competent and qualified people in companies. Companies expected people to apply for work in the past, but things have changed in the current world. Human resource departments are responsible for head hunting in the current world. The recruitment strategy has improved and evolved to the great extent whereby the HR departments work to attract, advertise, and retain top talents in their companies. This has helped to keep employees on toes because they may be kicked out at any time if they do not perform as expected. The innovation of technology has also made the work of recruitment and selection easy as discussed. 

References 

Billsberry, J. (2007).  Experiencing Recruitment and Selection . Chichester, England Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. 

Bruck, H. (2014).  Recruitment and Selection Process . Place of publication not identified: Grin Verlag Gmbh. 

Cooper, D., Robertson, I. & Tinline, G. (2003).  Recruitment and Selection: A Framework for Success . Australia United States: Thomson. 

Cornelius, N. (2001).  Human Resource Management: A Managerial Perspective . London: Thomson Learning. 

Dale, M. (2003).  A Manager's Guide to Recruitment & Selection . London Sterling, Va: Kogan Page. 

Fox, G. & Taylor, D. (2000).  The Complete Recruitment and Selection Toolkit . London: Institute of Personnel and Development. 

Green, N., Maxwell, G. & Watson, S. (2004).  Human resource management: international perspectives in hospitality and tourism . London: Thomson. 

Reynolds, D. & Weiner, J. (2009).  Online Recruiting and Selection: Innovations in Talent Acquisition . Chichester, U.K. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. 

Roberts, G. (1997).  Recruitment and Selection: A Competency Approach . London: Institute of Personnel and Development. 

Wood, R. & Payne, T. (1998).  Competency-based Recruitment and Selection . Chichester New York: Wiley.