HRM558 Week Two Evaluation Criteria Paper

Evaluation Criteria Paper

Name

HRM558

Date

Professor

Evaluation Criteria Paper

In order to ensure the expansion of Bradford Enterprises is a success the HR Department must be prepared and employ the most effective tools. Bradford Enterprises will use these tools to upgrade its HR approach and raise it to a new level to be more competitive. The three specific HR tools to help the HR do its job well and manage this expansion are selection tests, HRIS, and succession planning tools. Human Resource departments are responsible for the employees. This includes attracting, hiring, and caring for the needs of employees in the organizational environment. There are many different tools available to ensure the HR department can be effective in their role.

Selection Tools and Test

Selection tools are the tools used to decide what applicant should be chosen for the job. For some jobs the HR department may be flooded with applications. In order to select the right employees form the applicant pool different selection tools are applied. Human resources selection tools involves the different ways an applicant is vetted in order to determine if they are the right fit for the job including the preliminary screening of application, background check and drug testing (Mayhew, 2012). The selection process begins with prescreening. Through prescreening applicants that are qualified for the job can be identified.

The best selection tool is the interview. This is where the HR manager can identify qualities needed for the job and learn more about the applicant. Interviews are an inexpensive tool for making determinations about the person’s qualifications and motivation to succeed. If the applicant makes it through the first round of interviews there needs to be a second interview with the management to ensure this applicant would be a good fit. Once a potential applicant is selected they will not be hired until more information can be gathered. Additional selection tools that will help in deciding if the potential application is a good fit include the background check, drug tests, personality assessments, and skills assessments.

The psychological or personality assessment is the best selection tests designed to see if the employee is driven and if they work well with others. These tests can identify people that have difficulty with authority or identify people that are potentially dishonest. Skills tests give the HR department information on the employee’s actual abilities. The employee will take a test that will show the applicants familiarity with the job description. Applying the psychological and skills testing will ensure that the selected employee is truly the best fit for the job.

Human Resource Information System

Human Resource Information System is a software program that manages all of the information in the organization. The HRIS is designed to track payroll, employee data, data tracking and input, accounting functions, etc. The most effective HSIS tool will also track applicants and manage resumes making it easier for the HR department to locate the best applicant (Moore, 2013). The HSIS will also keep track of employee information, such as benefits, raises, attendance, and future pay grades and will track past training, employee performance, and hire date.

One of the best HSIS tools is made by Sentric. Sentric Workforce offers a HSIS software program that combines all employee organizational functions, such as payroll, data tracking, recruitment, retirement, training, and promotions while also offering one software source for managing the life of the employee in the HR department. The payroll functions offered by the program track hours worked, overtimes, tax responsibilities, workers comp, etc. Sentric tracks performance, succession planning, and compensation as well as provide just one application in which to track all of these functions.

Succession Planning Tools

Succession planning is necessary in the event of changes in the management structure. When important leaders in the company move to another job or retire it can create havoc in a company that is not properly prepared for this change. The best succession planning tool recognizes potential replacements for the leader but does not just focus on senior employees but all employees in the organization. The best succession planning tool will compile information on all employees in the recognition highlighting the skills required to become an effective leader replacement.

Succession planning will provide assessments of each potential employee and their skills. This will include past performance reports and past successes including raises or promotions. The assessment will include aptitude and psychological tests as well as employee experience and time commitment. Succession planning will assist in not only selecting the person with the most time in the company but the person with the skills and experience to successfully take over the leadership position (Yost, 2014). The best succession planning tool tracks the intellectual capability of the employee as well as their past ethical compliance.

The type of criteria for the best succession tool is applying the competency-based approach. This means the HR department will seek out the employee with is the largest number of required competency for the job. For example one competency might be at least five years experience in the role of a leader while another could be strong organizational skills. The employees that best fits the identified competencies should be considered for the position of leader even if they do not necessarily have seniority in the company.

Conclusion

In order for the HR department to be a success they must have the best tools for selecting the best candidates. The selection process should end with the selected candidate taking psychological and skills tests that will inform the HR department if they have selected the best possible candidate from the applicant pool. Once the employee has been selected the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) will keep track of important employee information. The HRIS should track employee records, payroll, hours worked, as well as provide an assessment of employee skills, raises, and performance. The most effective succession planning tool allows the company to identify the best employees when important leaders in the company must be replaced. Succession planning should identify the best applications from the entire employee pool.

References

Mayhew, R. (2012). HR Selection Tools. Retrieved September 28, 2014 from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/selection-tests-human-resource-information-system-succession

Moore, M. (2013). Selection Tests for Human Resource Information System & Succession

Planning Tools. Retrieved September 28, 2014 from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/selection-tests-human-resource-information-system-success

Yost, D. (2014). Succession Planning. Retrieved September 28, 2014 from

http://skinnyohio.org/humanresources/successionplanning.html