15 Staffing II

Structure

1.    Introduction

2.    Training and Development

3.    Need for training

4.    Training and development methods

5.    Summary

1.    Introduction

In staffing I we discussed the meaning of the term staffing, Manpower planning and short term manpower planning. In this part we will discuss remaining steps of long term manpower planning.

i.     Manpower inventory and analysis

The knowledge and the skills required for different job are different therefore, it is necessary to analyze the competencies required for different jobs using inventory.

ii.     Recruitment and selection

Recruitment is a process, which starts after the analysis of workforce. The manpower needs of the institute can be taken care by outside or inside sources. In case of outside sources, the manpower requirement is advertised and applications are invited from the eligible candidates, which is then followed by the selection process. In case of inside sources, the departmental promotions are carried out through departmental examinations and interviews.

The trust/Management want appoint teachers in its primary schools situated in different places in a city. They need teaching, office personnel and support staff. The advertisement is given in a leading newspaper that mentioned the number of vacancies, salary, eligibility criteria, application form and last date of submission of application. They receive 121 applications for 10 posts of teachers. Simultaneously, the screening committee of three members was formulated for verifying the application forms. Their task was to go through each application and verify the information given with the criteria given in the advertisement, sorts out eligible candidates, and also checked the references of eligible candidates. The list of approved candidates is sent to the principal. The final interview committee was framed as per the norms given by the government.

The management has decided to short list the candidates on the basis of demonstration lesson. For lesson observation, the teacher educators teaching in early childhood and care education programme (ECCE) were contacted. As per the availability two groups of teacher educators prepared and the dates and timings of demonstration lesson has been conveyed to eligible candidates. The evaluation proforma was prepared on the basis of criteria suggested by lesson observation committee. There were eighty-eight candidates for demonstration lesson and it took two days to complete. The candidates selected through this are sent a letter of personal interview. The committee carried out the personal interviews and finally ten teachers were selected. The selected candidates were informed and ask to convey their acceptance of the post in fifteen days period. Before joining, the candidates were asked to undergo medical examination. The candidates were placed in different schools. The human resource department has taken the responsibility of providing general induction training to teachers so that they get the opportunity to interact with fellow teachers, understand the vision and mission of school etc. The specific induction was given in specific school where they are placed or posted.

• Identify the steps followed by the management for selecting the required human resource for its schools.
• Check the steps identified by you with the steps discussed further.

The selection involves following steps

Selection:

• Screening of application forms: After the application received in a due period are screened in order to confirm the fulfillment of basic requirement for the job as per the mention in the advertisement.
• Checking of references: In order to understand the candidate in a better way the references are collected. Sometimes the organization confirms about the information given by the candidate with the person whose reference is given. Now a day some institutes send mail to concerned referred person and take feedback for the applicant. It is expected that the person should give the information about the major achievement, skills, attitude, and behavior of applicant as well as strengths and context. It is important to collect the information as per the requirement of the job.

Child Rehabilitation center is an organization working for the development of individual with special needs. They have a research unit where they keep the records of development of the clients.

The developmental records help them to plan individualized education programme for an individual. After going through the data, a team decided to develop an intervention plan to enhance the reading comprehension of specific group of students. In order to develop a reading comprehension plan and study its effectiveness the organization wants to appoint a researcher. They expect a person to be good in research and language for the work. They ask reference letter from a person who know the candidate. The Professor has given a following reference letter

It is my pleasure to recommend Ms. Neelam Natarajan to whom I know for last nine years. I am professor Anantharaman R. and teaching Methodology of Research in special Education. I know Ms. Neelam as a student and as a researcher of Masters programme. As a student, I found her to be very enthusiastic person who takes interest in discussions, debates and actively participate in all activities. She used to collect information and put forth different points of views that help to understand the situation from different perspectives.

I perceive Ms. Neelam as a researcher and found her to be very curious and sincere. She is persistent and hard working. Being a person with language and literature background, she present content with specific words and present her work systematically.

How does this reference letter help the organization for selecting candidate? Identify the qualities of Ms. Neelam highlighted by Professor Ananthraman How these qualities can help Ms. Neelam to take up a job with ease

Identify the points Professor has taken into consideration while writing reference letter.

Approval by committee

After screening the application, the committee members classify the complete applications and approve them, which then send to the interview committee. The rejected applications are kept separately with the reason for rejection.

Conduction of interview (can be series)

The interview committee is formulated as per the rules and regulations. Some institutes directly take personal interviews while some may have group interviews and then personal interviews. Many times the series of interviews is used to screen and select best among the candidates.

Selection of candidate and communicating to them

The interview committee selects the required number of candidates and they are communicated to give their acceptance of post within stipulated time period. If The list is called does not accept the post in stipulated time period then the next candidate on merit

Physical examination

The selected  candidates undergoes medical examination

Placement

Finally, the selected candidate is given a posting. If the institute is having various branches then the posting is given as per the availability of posts or sometimes the choices given by candidate if possible.

Induction

Induction programme is concerned with introducing the employee with job, fellows, different Departments, General induction, specific induction. Basically this is an orientation programme which help new employee to get adjusted with the organization, to know about the different departments, the functions of these departments. It also help them to understand the different processes and interdependence of the departments.

iii.     Manpower development

Human resource development is a continuous process and only pre-service training does not serve the purpose. The various social, political, economic changes lead to variety of changes. These changes need to be addressed. Therefore, different types of training are organized by the organization time to time. The different organizations have different ways of training their human resource. The training depends on the aims and objectives of institution at large and very specific in relation to process and procedures carried out in the institute. It does not cover only cognitive aspect but also the psychomotor and affective dimension of an individual. For example, the pre service teacher education programme develops the lesson planning skills of student teachers. However, latest researches are in the area of group learning techniques demand to prepare lesson plans for cooperative learning strategies, so here the in service training on cooperative learning will be helpful in order to understand cooperative learning strategies and develop skills for lesson plan for cooperative strategies.

2.    Training and Development

Training is the process of teaching critical skills so that one can handle responsibilities systematically with ease. Its aim is to improve the performance of an individual specifically for short-term goals but it can be used for long term. Training is very specific mostly restricted to skill and to some extent knowledge but development covers broad areas and focuses on attitude along with skills and knowledge. Development involves the activities that prepare individuals with additional job roles and enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the individual. For example pre-service teacher training intend to prepare teachers with required skills for profession on the other hand in – service focuses on teacher development thereby providing new knowledge, skills required for the profession in changing context. For example, in the changing context teachers need to work on time management, stress management etc. it is necessary to focus on the these skills because teachers’ job is not restricted only to teaching but also carry out different activities like preparing students for annual day, different competition etc. the teacher will be able to handle stress only if train to manage time effectively.

3.    Need for training

The training serves different purposes

i.     Increase productivity

The training is focuses on development of knowledge and skills that help in increasing efficiency and in turn productivity. For example, the teachers are trained for to enhance cultural competency. These teachers are more aware about their own culture as well as culture of students. The person aware of one’s culture also likes to know about other cultures. This helps in widening the horizon of teachers, which is a part of knowledge about culture. This knowledge will help in understanding cultural variety existing in classrooms. The training also focused on the development of cultural skills. It will help teacher to remove cultural biases from young minds and help in understanding culture from different perspective. The culture friendly classes further help in developing open minds.

ii.     Heightened morale:

Training helps in motivating people that keep them enthusiastic to perform their task/work. Morale plays very important role in performing job with enthusiasm. There are many people in the organization who are just doing their jobs in a mechanical way. Therefore, the jobs are done but the lack of enthusiasm does not allow trying out new things. The monotony in performing task makes things boring. The training helps individuals to acquire new knowledge in the field.

Even if training is not very new but certainly refreshes individuals. It helps to upgrade an individual in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude. The training also makes them more confident in performing job with enthusiasm. For example; today, the class room culture is rapidly changing and the teachers have completed their pre-service training few years back is of no use. Now if the institute provides training to make teachers more culturally competent that would make them more enthusiastic to perform their job effectively. They will have less anxiety and know what is to be done. The training help individuals to keep morale high. Once you start doing things with enthusiasm then one become more creative and try out new things even though you are in the area of teaching.

iii. Reduced supervision

As training enhances skills and knowledge people can work independently, therefore the frequency of supervision can be reduced which saves money and energy of people. This training also help in confidence so the efficiency of individuals is enhanced. The accountability of an individual enhances and therefore the supervision is not further required.

iv. Prevention of accidents/Breakage

In industries or manufacturing units the training for operations help in preventing accidents thereby enhancing competencies and confidence of employees.

v.Increased organizational stability and flexibility

Quality human resource is the backbone of organization so people prefer to be trained and be promoted which brings stability. The training also brings confidence and help group to solve problems that helps in bringing flexibility and stability.

4. Training and development methods

The various methods are used in training and development. These techniques can be classified as on the job method &off the job method

a. On the job method:

These methods are used for training the individual for specified job.

1. On specific job

i. Experience:

The specific experience is provided to individuals so that they can learn on the job by themselves. The candidate is given the experience of work. For example, the students go for practice teaching that gives them experience of teaching in school.

ii.     Coaching:

In coaching, the superior provide instructions to the individual to perform in a specific way and complete task. For example, the student teacher gets the instructions from teacher educator for preparation of teaching aids.

iii. Understudy:

The responsibility of training is given to a senior faculty and candidate work under him/her and learns the task. For example, during internship few students work under one teacher and learn all activities of school.

iv. Job rotation:

The jobs are rotated among the staff members so as to learn the specific jobs. For example, the teachers work in annual planning committee after some years work in time table Committee or annual day activities committee.

v. Special projects and task forces:

Some time special assignments or projects are designed so that the individual can learn the specific task. The special task force are formed to complete specific task and members in task force get an opportunity to learn specific skill.

b.    Off the job

1.    Organization of Special courses

The special courses of short-term duration are organized by the state education department for teachers time to time so that teacher can acquire knowledge about new changes in the field and develop skills to handle the changing situation. For example, whenever the government changes the curriculum that times the teacher training programmes are planned so that the teachers should be in a position to deliver the content properly. When the communicative approach was adopted to teach English, the teachers were trained to use communication approach rather than translation method of English teaching.

2.    Provision of Conferences, seminars, workshop

People are sent for to various conferences, seminars, workshop that help them to acquire knowledge develop appropriate attitude and skills. The educational institutes can organize different programs that help in teacher training.

3.    Case studies

Case studies are carried out to learn the functioning of institution. Case studies are very effective tool in understanding and realizing the different dynamics of institution. The individuals are given case and ask them to understand the different aspects of the problem and make decisions.

4.    Sensitivity training

These training programme help individual to be aware of self and sensitive towards others. It is a type of training that help members in the organization to be aware of group dynamic and their role in a group. The training usually addresses the issues related to affective domain. Many organizations with specific objectives of sensitivity development, plan a programme and then it is implemented systematically.

5.    Summary

Long term planning:

If there is a plan for expansion of the institution then project the number of human resources required for the expansion that time institute need to go for long term planning. It involve following steps

i.     Projecting the organization structure

ii.     Manpower inventory and analysis

iii.     Recruitment and selection

iv.     Manpower Development

Training and Development:

Training is the process of teaching critical skills so that one can handle responsibilities systematically with ease. Its aim is to improve the performance of an individual specifically for short-term goals but it can be used for long term.

Need for training:

• Increase productivity Heightened morale Reduced supervision
• Increased organizational stability and flexibility

Training and development methods:

The various methods are used in training and development. These techniques can be classified as on the job method &off the job method

On the job method:

These methods are used for training the individual for specified job.

On specific job, training can be provided using different strategies such as

1. Experience
2. Coaching
3. Understudy
4. Job rotation
5. special projects and task force

Off the job training method:

on the job training is providing direct experience to the individual while off the job training gives indirect experiences through

1. Seminars, conferences and workshops
2. special courses
3. case studies
4. sensitivity training.

Manpower planning or staffing plays very important role in analyzing human resources as well as the needs of the institution. It makes possible to place right people at right time in right place. Further, the human resource development is integral part of organization and is continue through the training. The training is provided by different organizations. In the field of education, when there are major changes in curriculum are brought out then the trainings are conducted by government organizations. Besides this, many training programmes are organized by schools or colleges as per their requirement.