Staffing defined, страница 5

Step 5: Reference Checks. Applicants are normally asked to supply personal or work references on the application blank. Personal references—ministers, doctors, friends—are of little value to an employer because applicants do not normally list people who will provide negative information. Work references, on the other hand, have value, provided the reference will feel free to communicate. A telephone conversation between former manager and prospective manager is usually more useful for collecting information than a written inquiry because the applicant's former bosses can answer simply and directly with no tangible evidence that could be used against them later. An employee who received a negative written reference could decide to use it as evidence in a defamation-of-character lawsuit against the author of that reference.

Credit checks are considered discriminatory and are a questionable practice. In today's business climate, reference checking is getting harder to do. Companies, fearing lawsuits, don't want their employees to speak freely about a colleague who might be a candidate elsewhere. In a recent survey, 41 percent of companies have enacted policies forbidding employees to give references.

Step 6: Physical Examination. Prior to tendering a job offer, some organizations require potential employees to take a physical examination. The purposes of the examination are to prevent insurance claims for illnesses or injuries that occurred prior to employment by the company, detect any communicable diseases, certify that the person can physically perform the work. If there are physical requirements in the job description and job specifications, they must be valid. If they are not, the company may be accused of discrimination toward handicapped workers.

Two of the most sensitive areas involving physical exams and testing in today's business environment relate to drug testing and AIDS testing. A recent court ruling on drug testing allowed drug testing in preemployment screening situations where there is a threat to public safety. The questions surrounding testing for AIDS have not been resolved and will not be until society in general resolves the question.

Step 7: Otter of Employment. At this point, the top-ranking applicant is offered a job by management. This may involve a series of negotiations on initial salary, depending on the organization's compensation philosophy. A point to remember is that it is illegal to hire anyone who is not a U.S. citizen and unauthorized to work in the United States. Before an individual is hired, he or she must agree to provide proof of citizenship or of authorization to work in the United States.

v Role of the Individual Manager

The individual manager should be actively involved in the selection process. If the initial screening is not performed by the prospective applicant’s manager, the in-depth interview should be. The manager should review the application blank and any test results in preparation for an in-depth interview.

After the interviews, the manager's further role in selection will be determined by the company's philosophy, size, degree of specialization, and the manager's ability. The manager may have the final decision on who is hired, may share the decision with his or her superior, or may have the decision made by the superior. In addition, the manager may be actively involved in the salary negotiations or have this taken care of by a superior or staff department. The manager needs to be comfortable with the hiring decision and. whenever possible, should be the person to make it.

If the candidate accepts the employment offer, the next phase—induction and orientation—commences.

4.  INDUCTION AND ORIENTATION

When an employee is hired, two processes are started: induction and orientation. The immediate goal of these processes is to bring the employee into the mainstream of the organization as quickly as possible. The purpose of the processes is to develop programs that turn "them" (new employees) and "us" (the company) into "we."