Week Five Discussion Post
Hardy (1990) provides a robust discussion about vocation and the responsibility individuals have
in acknowledging how to share their God-given talents with society best. When discussing being
called to occupation, he states, “rather, one call goes out to all – the call of discipleship. For it is
incumbent upon all Christians to follow Christ, and, in so doing, to become the kind of people
God wants us to be” (Hardy, 1990, p. 80). Through the Christian worldview, we find ways to
cultivate society as a service to God using our talents and abilities. The most common way to
utilize our abilities is through work. If work is the conduit to benefit God, then job design and
structure impact how we serve. Valentine et al. (2020) found that “job design can influence
performance in many different jobs, especially those jobs where employee motivation can be
influenced substantially by work factors so that performance improves. Job design can affect
employees’ overall job satisfaction” (p. 121). Understanding the impact of job design on
performance is critical in connecting Hardy’s conceptualization of vocation. Well-designed jobs
increase motivation and performance, allowing individuals to effectively use their talents and
abilities to serve others that serve God.
In addition to performance, job design has a tremendous impact on employee engagement and
retention. Employees that feel a sense of belonging and connection to an employer and their
work have higher levels of engagement and retention (Valentine et al., 2020). Ultimately,
creating spaces for employees to thrive and be authentic leads to enhanced productivity and
business outcomes. Feeling safe to integrate faith and work is dependent upon an inclusive
workplace culture. Lynn et al. (2011) found that “the opportunity individuals have to integrate
work and faith may be affected by the broader culture in which they work as well as by the
immediate work setting” (p. 680). It is easy to see the connection between Hardy’s thoughts on
vocation and job design, engagement, and retention as instrumental ways employees serve God
with opportunities to use their talents and abilities.
Recruitment and Selection Strategy
Two significant implications for Human Resource (HR) practitioners within recruitment
and selection are technology and competition for talent. Technology has dramatically changed
the way HR recruiters for talent and the way candidates look for jobs. HR practitioners need to
understand their role in employer branding and the power of communicating the employer value
proposition (EVP). In the revolutionary war for talent, HR needs to understand organizational
needs and move job postings quickly to secure top talent. Lengthy job interviews and selection
processes can turn off potential candidates. Naznin and Hussain (2016) found that “human
capital is the only sustainable source of gaining competitive advantage. And it is high time for
HR to persuade its strategic meaning at the top-level meeting using workforce planning as its
strategic tool” (p. 137). As the HR function continues to evolve, implementing agile practices
will strengthen abilities to course correct and serve the needs of stakeholders more efficiently.
Connecting Hardy’s view of vocation with Valentine’s Construct of Job Design and
Employee Engagement/Retention
The concept of vocation outlined by Hardy (1990) included acknowledging the particular
talents God has endowed us and how to devote these talents and abilities to positively impact our
society. God made mankind not to be self-sufficient but interdependent. Hardy’s (1990) text
revealed that our society could be correlated to the divine economy, where each participant used
their skills in specific areas and, unitedly, they contributed to society as a whole. Foster (2020)
proposed that Christians should live a life of integrity despite living in an imperfect societal
system.
According to Valentine et al. (2019), job design helps to describe skills, talents, and
physical/mental strength one needs to accomplish a task. People are not born with predetermined
job descriptions. It is quite challenging for someone to acknowledge ahead of time what
particular gifts and talents a person holds to align them to one’s vocation. Many gifts and skills
are discovered once people undergo something new. Using past experiences can also assist in
finding our vocation but it is also important to be open to new ones so that new skills can be
uncovered (Hardy, 1990).
Valentine et al. (2019) maintained that a job may not fit all types of personalities. The
authors explained that people tended to choose job positions that better fit their individual traits.
Nevertheless, Hardy (1990) stated that many individuals prefer to follow a career path that brings
materialistic benefits and that appears more reputable; sometimes it happens because they wish
to please someone or it may be primarily for the pursuit of money. These individuals tend to
stifle their major talents and what God intended for them to become.
Currently, there are many skill gaps in jobs because the workforce population is growing
older while the new generation is better educated and more reluctant to accept labor that is
intensely manual or considered undervalued. When searching for new talents, the HR
professional elaborates an enticing job description that will attract competent individuals to apply
for such position (Valentine et al., 2019). Nonetheless, the importance of exercising God-given
talents to benefit others becomes overlooked. Hence, people would rather consider an attractive
position that will pay a hefty salary and take them to a higher social status, disregarding the
divine social structure of work and their responsibility to others in society.
Many companies understand the complexity of acquiring the right talent to fulfill a
specific job position. The hiring of a competent candidate can be extremely beneficial to the
company. Nevertheless, Valentine et al. (2019) explained the challenges that organizations face
regarding the retention of talented personnel. According to the authors, the new generation of
workers does not render loyalty to a single employer over their career. Staff resignation has an
adverse effect on an organization since it loses both institutional knowledge and intellectual
capital (Verma & Kesari, 2019).
People go through multiple jobs throughout their careers. A person might decide to stay at
a specific organization if one is completely satisfied with their job. According to Verma and
Kesari (2019), staff retention was related to the business environment, management support, and
the motivational elements offered, such as pay, career development, benefits, and job security.
Foster (2020) added that people usually learn to deal with greater levels of stress at their place of
work. However, the workplace is also where people are granted numerous opportunities to
demonstrate their faith and explore their gifts. Hardy (1990) called for honesty and humility
when people try to find their true calling. As he implied, there is no such thing as the right job
since people are equipped to accomplish several tasks in the multiple stations of life. Bickerton
et al. (2014) disclosed that when people realized their spiritual calling at work, they became
more engaged and their jobs more meaningful, contributing to staff retention.
Human Resources Practice Implications for Strategically Recruiting and Selecting
Employees
Valentine et al. (2019) highlighted that both HR personnel and business management
should work in collaboration to elaborate hiring plans that will improve the talent pool for an
organization. Some factors to consider are the quality and quantity of applicants, the time
required to fill the positions, and if recruitment will be performed either internally, externally, or
both. Moreover, workplace diversity is also a vital element when recruiting new personnel.
Guillaume et al. (2017) argued that diversity contributed to social integration and information
elaboration, which impacted performance on complex tasks, decision-making capabilities, and
enhanced innovation. Technology facilitated the dispersion of job openings. Online recruitment
has become a powerful strategy to reach a much larger population of potential applicants.
Intindola et al. (2019) added that many companies have employed their HR to create positive
messages to promote their image and attract more talents to the business.
When selecting the right fit for the position, HR managers also have the responsibility to
implement diversity practices (Guillaume et al., 2017). Kundu et al. (2019) revealed that
diversity policies helped to lessen discrimination, enhance employee motivation, and improve
retention. The authors also observed that effective HR practices rely on executive management
support since they needed to ensure the effectiveness of diverse policies, which should cascade
throughout the organization.
Valentine et al. (2019) explained the significance of placing qualified personnel
effectively. It involves strategically matching the job requirements to an individual’s knowledge,
skills, and abilities. Obtaining the right fit can be challenging; however, if done correctly, it can
increase employee performance, boost job satisfaction, and reduce turnovers. Although managers
are responsible for the final selection of a candidate, the professional of HR can screen applicants
to ensure they are qualified for the position and enforce legal compliances. Overall, staffing a
company with talented employees is pivotal to achieve success and competitiveness. HR
professionals play a major role in recruiting and selecting suitable personnel that will contribute
to achieving business goals.
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Job Design and Employee Retention Response
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Course Name
Instructor
Date
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Job Design and Employee Retention Response
Response to Patricia
According to Hardy (1990), vocation includes acknowledging that God gave humans
talents to use in the positive development of society. All humans depend on each other for
survival. Human beings require certain skills, talents, and physical/mental health described by
job design to perform tasks (Valentine et al., 2019). At first, it is difficult for humans to tell their
talent. Each person has his/her personality that determines the kind of job they can do. Currently,
many learned youths find it difficult to accept manual jobs or jobs considered of low status. HR
managers should formulate proper hiring plans that will improve the talent pool for an
institution. The recruitment process should also advocate for diversity and inclusivity in the
organization. Before assigning a job to a person, HR professionals should examine their
knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the job.
I agree with you that it is natural for human beings to depend on each other. Each human
has his/her area of specialization which contributes to a collective improvement of the
community status (Kline, 1991). Indeed, most people today prefer jobs that offer a handsome
salary and good social status. Jobs that demand hard labor and technical skills have fallen out of
favor. However, I strongly believe that diversity at the workplace does not significantly affect the
retention of employees. As long as an employee is satisfied with the job, he/she will remain in
the organization regardless of its diversity situation. Some factors such as healthy working
environments, supporting staff, good pay, and good leadership contribute to the highest retention
rate.
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References
Hardy, L. (1990). The Fabric of this World: Inquiries Into Calling, Career choice, and the Design
of Human Work. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans. ISBN: 9780802802989.
Kline Jr, C. B. (1991). The Fabric of This World: Inquiries Into Calling, Career Choice, and the
Design of Human Work By Lee Hardy Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1990. 213 pp. $12.95.
Theology Today, 47(4), 444-448.
Meglich, P., Valentine, S., & Eesley, D. (2019). Perceptions of supervisor competence, perceived
employee mobility, and abusive supervision: Human capital and personnel investments as
means for reducing maltreatment in the workplace. Personnel Review
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s
Job Design and Employee Retention Response
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Course Name
Instructor
Date
2
Job Design and Employee Retention Response
Response to Sheraine
Hardy (1990) talks about vocation and the responsibilities of humans to acknowledge
how to share their talents with other members of the community. Humans can use their talents to
serve God on earth. The design and structure of jobs affect how humans serve God through work
(Valentine, 2020). The motivation and performance of employees are increased when jobs are
designed properly. In addition, employee engagement and retention greatly depend on job
design. Inclusivity at the workplace determines the worker’s motivation to perform better.
Humans use their talents and abilities to serve God. Technology and competition for talent are
some of the significant implications for HR practitioners within recruitment and selection.
Technology has influenced the job selection and recruitment process.
It is true that Christians should use their talents and abilities to serve God. The use of
talents and abilities to work as a service to humans is a way of glorifying God for providing us
with the talents. Indeed, employee job satisfaction depends on the design of the job. Proper
designs lead to employee satisfaction and retention. On the contrary, I am of the opinion that
quickly posting job opportunities will not guarantee applications from the most qualified
personnel. Organizations should take their time to draft job advertisements to ensure all required
qualifications are captured. Overspeeding the process can lead to the omission of essential details
in the advertisement (Mathis et al., 2015). The recruitment of qualified workers depends on the
efficiency of the HR team in conducting interviews.
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References
Hardy, L. (1990). The Fabric of this World: Inquiries Into Calling, Career choice, and the Design
of Human Work. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans. ISBN: 9780802802989.
Mathis, R. L., Jackson, J. H., & Valentine, S. R. (2015). Human resource management: Essential
perspectives. Cengage Learning
Valentine, S.R. (2020). Human Resource Management (16th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage. ISBN:
9780357033852
