STAFFING MEANING AND FEATURES

Lets See..
Meaning Definition Features Staffing as a part of Human Resource Management. Elements of Staffing

Staffing - Meaning
In simplest terms putting people to jobs. Staffing deals with appointing people and placing them at the appropriate jobs. It is filling, and keeping filled, positions in the organizational structure It involves determining the need for people at various organizational posts, appointing and retaining them at those posts by training and developing their abilities and skills. Previously, the staffing was considered as the part of organizing but now for the purpose of giving importance to the manning of the organizational roles, staffing is separated from organizing and is treated as a distinct function of management.

Staffing - Definition
Staffing is the executive function which involves the recruitment, selection, compensating, training, promotion, and retirement of the personnel". Koontz and O Donnel "Staffing is concerned with the placement, growth, and development of those members of the organization whose function is to get things done through the efforts of the other individuals". Theo Haimann

Staffing as a managerial function brings people with required skills into the organization and develops them into valuable organizational resource.

Staffing - Features
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Staffing is a function of management. Managerial Responsibility. Affected by internal and external environment. Concerned with the human element. Staffing is a continuous function. Purpose Right people at Right jobs at Right time and place. 7. Staffing is Dynamic. 8. Staffing is Universal.

1. Staffing is a function of management. Staffing function is the most important managerial act along with planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The operations of these four functions depend upon the manpower which is available through staffing function. Provides due importance to the manning of the organizational roles. 2. Managerial Responsibility Staffing is an integral part of the management process. It is the responsibility of every manager. In the large or big organization staffing function is performed by the separate personnel department.

3. Affected by internal and external environment

The performance of the staffing function depends upon both the internal and external factors. Internal factors - policies and rules of the company. External factors - Government policies and the education policies which affect the demand and supply of the suitable manpower in the economy. 4. Concerned with the human element Function of staffing is concerned with the recruitment and selection of the human resources. Human relation skills are required for training, development, and performance appraisal of the employees.

5. Staffing is a continuous function. Staffing function is continuously performed in the established as well as in the new organization. New organization - functions of recruitment and selection are given more importance Established organizations - functions of promotion, development, training, and the performance appraisal of the employees is given more importance. 6. Purpose To ensure that the right number and the right type of the people are working on the right jobs at the right time and right place. OR Its objective is to ensure optimum and efficient manpower in the enterprise.

7.Staffing is a Dynamic Function

Staffing is a dynamic function and has to adapt itself to the changing environment. Management of human efforts require sustained and regular efforts.
8.Staffing is a Universal Function

As staffing function is carried out by all mangers and in all types of concerns where business activities are carried out.

Staffing as a part of Human Resource Management

Meaning : Human Resource Management refers to set of programmes, functions, and activities designed and carried out in order to maximize both employees as well as organizational effectiveness. Definition : According to George, "Human Resource Management is a series of integrated decisions that form the employment relationship; their quality contributes to the ability of the organizations and the employees to achieve their objectives".

According to Flippo: "Human Resource Management is the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of the procurement, development, compensation, integration, maintenance, and separation of human resources to the end that individual, organizational, and social objectives are accomplished".

Contd..
There is a conflict on the subject whether the staffing is the part of human resource management or is a separate managerial function. Many of the modern thinkers' stress that staffing is a part of human resource management, following reasons are provided by them for this assertion: 1.Approaches for filling positions. 2.Emphasis of Human resources. 3.Relationship between the resources. 4.Continuity. 5.Manpower accounting.

Human resource management is a wider term and includes in itself the following: Staffing Formulation of the personnel policies. Conducting the researches on the personnel Meeting the statutory requirement regarding the human resources. Improving the employer-employee relations Motivation of the employees Improving the morale of the employees. Maintaining the personnel records. So above discussion makes it clear that staffing is a part of human resource management.

Contd..

Elements of Staffing
1.Procurement 2.Development 3.Compensation 4.Integration 5.Maintenance

Procurement
Procurement consists of: Recruitment: Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees and encouraging them to apply for the jobs in an organization. Selection: Selection is the process by which candidates for employment are distinguished between those who are suitable and those who are not. Placement Placement is the process of deciding which of several jobs is best suited to an individual who has been selected and hired

Development
Increases skills and competence of employees to improve their job performance. This is done in the following ways : Training : Programmes for employees to increase their job related behaviours. It emphasizes improvements of the abilities of employees to handle specific jobs and operations more effectively. Development : Improves skills of a person on future jobs. Training increases the skill while development shapes attitudes

Compensation
Develops compensation plans for employees where monetary and non monetary incentives are offered on equitable basis

Integration
The manager should integrate the needs of workers with organizational needs. He acts as a link between management and workers. He also maintains peace and harmony in the organization by solving workers grievances.

Maintenance
Maintains employees commitment to work by satisfying their physiological and social needs. Aims at increasing employees willingness and ability to work at their respective jobs.