Engineering Management: Staffing in Engineering Management

1. Why is staffing an important activity?

Staffing is the management function that determines human resource needs,

recruits, selects, trains, and develops human resources for jobs created by an
organization. This is an important activity because it is undertaken to match people with
jobs so that the realization of the organization’s objectives will be facilitated.

2. What activities are undertaken in staffing?

The activities that are undertaken in staffing are human resource planning,
recruitment, selection, induction and orientation, training and development, performance
appraisal, employment decisions (which includes monetary rewards, transfers,
promotions, and demotions), and separations.

3. What is the purpose of human resource planning?

Human resources planning ensures the best fit between employees and jobs while
avoiding manpower shortages or surpluses. There are four key steps to the HRP
process. They include analyzing present labor supply, forecasting labor demand,
balancing projected labor demand with supply, and supporting organizational goals.

4. How may human resource needs be determined?

Human resource planning begins with a job analysis in which descriptions of all jobs
(tasks) and the qualifications needed for each position are developed. A job
description is a written statement of what a jobholder does, how it's done, and why it's
done. It typically portrays job content, environment, and conditions of employment. The
job specification states the minimum acceptable qualifications an incumbent must
possess to perform a given job successfully. It identifies the knowledge, skills, and
abilities needed to do the job effectively.

5. What are the possible sources of applicants for vacant positions in the
firm?

The following sources may be tapped:

 The organization's current employees

 Newspaper advertising
 Schools
 Referrals from employees
  Recruitment firms
 Competitors

For entry-level personnel, the engineer manager will likely rely on newspaper
advertising, schools, and referrals. When recruiting managers, the reliable sources are
current employees, recruitment firms, and competitors.

6. What is the implication of the cost of the "wrong decision" in the selection
process?

The cost of the “wrong decision” in the selection process simply implies the possible
subsequent effect to the organization if the management picks the wrong person. The
effect of such hiring mistakes can be huge, with significant direct and indirect
consequences for the company that makes the wrong decision.

7. How may one determine the qualifications of a job candidate?

Companies use any or all of the following in determining the qualifications of a

candidate:

 Application blanks

- provides information about a person's characteristics such as age, marital

status, address, educational background, experience, and special interests.
After reading the application blank, the evaluator will have some basis on
whether or not to proceed further in evaluating the applicant.

 References

- are those written by previous employers, co-workers, teachers, club officers,

etc. Their statements may provide some vital information on the character of
the applicant.

 Interviews

- Information may be gathered in an interview by asking a series of relevant

questions to the job candidate.

 Testing

- This involves an evaluation of the future behavior or performance of an

individual.
 8. How may the types of tests be described?

Tests may be classified as follows:

1. Psychological tests — which is "an objective, standard measure of a sample

behavior." It is classified into:

 aptitude test — one used to measure a person's capacity or potential ability to

learn.
 performance test — one used to measure a person's current knowledge of a
subject.
 personality test — one used to measure personality traits as dominance,
sociability, and conformity.
 interest test — one used to measure a person's interest in various fields of
work.

2. Physical examination — a type of test given to assess the physical health of an

applicant. It is given "to assure that the health of the applicant is adequate to
meet the job requirements."

9. In induction, what activities are undertaken?

In induction, the new employee is provided with the necessary information about the
company. His duties, responsibilities, and benefits are relayed to him. Personnel and
health forms are filled up, and passes are issued. The company history, its products and
services, and the organization structure are explained to the new employee.

10. How may the two general types of training be described?

Training programs consist of two general types, namely:

1. Training programs for nonmanagers

- This type of training is directed to nonmanagers for specific increases in skill

and knowledge to perform a particular job. The four methods under this type
are:

 On-the-job training — where the trainer is placed in an actual work situation

under the direction of his immediate supervisor, who acts as trainer. This
situation motivates strongly the trainee to learn.
  Vestibule school — where the trainee is placed in a situation almost exactly
the same as the workplace where machines, materials, and time constraints
are present. As the trainer works full time, the trainee is assured of sufficient
attention from him.
 Apprenticeship program — where a combination of on-the-job training and
experiences with classroom instruction in particular subjects are provided to
trainees.
 Special courses — are those taken which provide more emphasis on
education rather than training. Examples are those which concern specific
uses of computer like computer-aided design and building procedures.

2. Training and educational programs for executives

- The training needs of managers may be classified into four areas: decision-
making skills, interpersonal skills, job knowledge, and organizational
knowledge.

The decision-making skills of the manager may be enhanced through

any of the following methods of training:
 In-basket — where the trainee is provided with a set of notes, messages,
telephone calls, letters, and reports, all pertaining to a certain company
situation. He is expected to handle the situation within a given period of 1 or 2
hours.
 Management games — is a training method where "trainees are faced with a
simulated situation and are required to make an ongoing series of decisions
about that situation."
 Case studies — this method presents actual situations in organizations and
enable one to examine successful and unsuccessful operations. It
emphasizes "the manager's world, improves communication skills, offers
rewards of solving a mystery, possesses the quality of illustration, and
establishes concrete reference points for connecting theory with practice."

The interpersonal competence of the manager may be developed

through any of the following methods:

 Role-playing — is a method by which the trainees are assigned roles to play

in a given case incident. They are provided with a script or a description of a
given problem and of the key persons they are to play. The purpose of this
method is to improve the skill of the trainees in human relations, supervision,
and leadership.
 Behavior modeling — this method attempts to influence the trainee by
"showing model persons behaving effectively in a problem situation." The
trainee is expected to adapt the behavior of the model and use it effectively in
some instances later on.
 Sensitivity training — under this method, awareness and sensitivity to
behavioral patterns of oneself and others are developed.
 Transactional analysis — is a training method intended "to help individuals
not only understand themselves and others but also improve their
interpersonal communication skills.”

In acquiring knowledge about the actual job the manager is currently

holding, the following methods are useful:

 On-the-job experience — this method provides valuable opportunities for the

trainee to learn various skills while actually engaged in the performance of a
job.
 Coaching — this method requires a senior manager to assist a lower-level
manager by teaching him the needed skills and generally providing
directions, advice, and helpful criticism. The senior manager must be skilled
himself and have the ability to educate, otherwise the method will be
ineffective.
 Understudy — under this method, a manager works as assistant to a higher-
level manager and participates in planning and other managerial functions
until he is ready to assume such position himself. Once in a while, the
assistant is allowed to take over.

In the attempt to increase the trainee's knowledge of the total organization,

exposure to information and events outside of his immediate job is made. In this
regard, the following methods are useful:

 Position rotation — under this method, the manager is given assignments in

a variety of departments. The purpose is to expose him to different functions
of the organization.
 Multiple management — this method is premised on the idea that junior
executives must be provided with means to prepare them for higher
management positions. To achieve this, a junior board of directors is created
consisting of junior executives as members. The board is given the authority
to discuss problems that the senior board could discuss. The members are
encouraged to take a broad business outlook rather than concentrating on
their specialized lines of work.