What is staffing and why is it important?

Importance of Staffing in Organizations

Staffing has been an important aspect in all types of organizations’ development. More and more companies have noticed a good staffing plan could increase productivity and reduce operation costs in terms of lower turnover rate and transition costs. Good staffing could be able to minimize cost in order to maximize profit, because it could assist the company to stay more competitive within the industry. According to the definition by Dr. Green, “staff is the process of identifying work requirements within an organization; determining the number of people and the skills necessary to do the work; and recruiting, selecting and promoting the qualified candidates. It is the selection process of

Organizations could select one or more of these tests, but they have to be careful of the reliability and validity of all the results. Some results might be different depending on the environment of the testing area, or the relationship between the applicants and their previous employer/manager. Many organizations depend only on the result of the test without taking the reliability and validity into considerations, which that might lead to in hiring the wrong people. What is the difference between reliability and validity? “Reliability is the consistency and the stability of a selection measurement and validity is the degree to which a measure predicts on-the-job performance” (Green, 2003). For instance, the consistency of a test is made for to measure reliability and what kind of method to use to test the candidate is to measure validity. Since reliability and validity are both important aspects in the selection process, let’s look at several methods that are used in today’s industries.

College Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the areas that employers look at and might weighted heavily in the selection process. According to a study, “grades have a fully corrected validity in the mid .30s for predicting job performance”(Roth, BeVier, Switzer, & Schippmann, 1996) and “a validity for .20 for predicting starting salary” (Roth

Introduction: - Staffing is that part of the process of management which is concerned with acquiring, developing, employing, appraising, remunerating and retaining people, so that right type of people are available at right position and at right time in the organization. Right man for the right job is the basic principle of staffing. In the simplest terms staffing is “putting right people to right jobs”.

Definition: - ““The staffing function pertains to the recruitment selection, development, training and compensation of subordinate managers”.           

Defined by… (Theo Haiman)

Staffing is one of the most essential functions for every organization. In fact, in the absence of a good staffing system no organization can exist for a long duration. Because in every organization all the resources like, money, material, machine etc are utilized properly through man power. Hence it is too important that all the personnel (employees) in organization should appoint at the job according to their ability, talent, aptitude and specializations which can only be possible through a good staffing system. Thus, it is clear that staffing is too important for every organization.

Some important points which shows how staffing is important for every organization:

Efficient Management of Personnel: -Human resource can be effectively managed by a system i.e. recruitment, selection, placement, training and development providing remuneration, etc. all this provides a motivational force to the employee leading to the betterment of the organization as a whole.

Maximum and Efficient Utilization of Resources: Staffing plays an important role in maximum and efficient utilization of resources. Because in every organization all the resources like, money, material and machine etc are utilized efficiently through specialized man power and specialized man power can only appoint in an organization through a good staffing system. Thus, we can say that it helps in maximum and efficient utilization of resources.

Important managerial function: - Staffing functions the most important managerial function along with planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The functioning of these four functions depends upon the manpower which is available through staffing function.

Reduces Cost of Production: Staffing also plays an important role in reducing cost of production. Because it helps in appointing right person at the right job, at the right, time so that no wastage and mistakes can be made by efficient personnel during the production of products. Hence, it is clear that it assists in reducing cost of production.

For Job Satisfaction- Staffing is an important source for employee’s job satisfaction. Because by means of this system jobs are allocated among the personnel according to their ability, talent, aptitude and specializations which give employees more satisfaction regarding their jobs. As a result of that they give their hundred percent efforts behind their jobs.

For meeting Present and Future Needs of Employees- Staffing is very important for fulfilling present as well as future needs of employees. Because it gives a clear picture to organization that in coming year how much positions will be vacant and new positions will be established. So that organization can fulfill those vacant and new positions by appointing the deserved candidates. Thus, it is clear that staffing fulfills present and future needs of employees in organization.    

For maintaining Co-ordination among the Employees- Staffing plays a prominent role in establishing unity and co-ordination among the employees. Because it assigns their jobs according to their ability, talent, aptitude and specializations which makes them involved in their tasks and ensure healthy and co-operative relationship among the employees.

Staffing is the process of obtaining and maintaining capable and competent candidates to fill all the positions from the top level to the subordinate levels. It aims to select and appoint the right person at the right job at the right time in order to do a given job effectively and efficiently. It believes that one skilled staff is better than ten semi-skilled staff.

The staffing function includes recruiting, selecting, appointing, training, appraising, and maintaining employees in the organization. The main idea behind the staffing function is to hire skilled employees in the organization on the basis of the requirement to achieve defined goals.

Staffing is an important function of management. It is concerned with the management of employees. Employees are an important resource of the organization as they play a major role in mobilizing other resources like money, materials, machines, etc. For optimum utilization of other organizational resources, skilled manpower is needed.

According to Koontz and O. Donnell – The managerial function of staffing involves manning the organizational structure with people and effective selection, appraisal, and development of personnel to fill the roles designed into the structure.

Theo Haimann – Staffing is concerned with the placement, growth, and development of all those members of the organization whose function is to get things done through the efforts of other individuals.

The staffing function is concerned with the determination of manpower requirements of the organization and provides competent manpower at all levels. It helps in matching jobs with individuals. It also involves all the activities necessary to maintain and to get the long-term performance of the employees.

Staffing aims at increasing the effectiveness of the organizational workforce for the optimum attainments of its goals. It deals with the human resource of the organization and seeks to develop and maintain their high-quality effort in a complex and ever-changing environment.

It helps to maintain communication with employees, involving them in important decision-making processes and promoting their commitment and identification with the organization.

Objectives of Staffing

The primary objective of staffing is to ensure the availability of a competent and dedicated workforce in the organization. It needs to fulfill societal, organizational, functional, and personal objectives.

On the basis of the above objectives, the specific staffing objectives are as follows:

• To select and appoint the right person to the right job.
• To develop a strategy for effective utilization of human resources.
• To introduce training, seminar, workshop, and other efficiency development programs of employees.
• To maintain coordination among staff members and integrate their performance.
• To motivate employees by providing both financial and non-financial incentives.
• To maintain high morale and better human relation inside the organization.
• To ensure equal opportunities to employees on the basis of their skill and experience.
• To develop an environment of mutual cooperation and a sense of belonging among the staff.

Importance of Staffing

Staffing is needed to provide efficient members in the organization, they contribute their skills to proper use of capital, information, technology except for human resources because they are users of resources. However, the staffing function is complete when all the organizational resources are properly used towards the achievement of goals.

Due to the increase in competition among entrepreneurs, globalization, rapid change in technology, complexity in business operation, size of the business, requires skilled manpower. Let’s take a look into, why staffing is needed?

Staffing involves workforce planning, recruitment, selection, appointment, and placement of the right person to the right job. It also includes training, development, compensation, grievance handling, etc. It helps to maintain the right size of the employees.

It helps in the effective utilization of all other physical resources including money, materials, machines, etc. The effective utilization of resources helps in minimizing wastage, which ultimately contributes to minimizing the total cost of output or service.

#3 Increase In Productivity

It focuses on the maximum utilization of human resources and other physical resources. The proper use of efficient and dedicated staff members contributes to maximizing productivity through the appropriate use of all organizational resources.

#4 Focus On Goal Achievement

It involves the appointment of the right person at the right job at right time. The functions of all staff members concentrate on goals. It helps in minimizing wastage of resources and cost of output. It contributes to earning profit.

#5 Helps To Solve Problems

It helps to solve the human resource problems of the organization. It is a psychological phenomenon and sometimes creates complexity for the management. The professional and competent staff understands the organizational situation and helps in solving human resource problems.

When a person at his right job. It encourages a better working environment in the organization. It makes employees more effective in their jobs and improves their performance. It gives them the utmost satisfaction and a sense of belonging.

#7 Self Development of Workers

Staffing provides opportunities and facilities to the employees for their personal development on the job. It involves training, seminar, further education, and other efficiency development programs of the employees. It encourages them to involve in planning and decision-making.

Process of Staffing (Components of Staffing)

For effectively placing and retaining the employees in the organization a manager has to follow a series of staffing processes. Let’s take a brief look into it,

#1 Manpower Planning

Manpower planning is the process of identifying the current human resources in the organization and estimating their needs.

Recruitment is the process of searching for potential employees and collecting their applications as far as possible to select eligible candidates.

#3 Selection

Selection is the process of selecting the best candidate from the pool of applicants.

#4 Placement

Placement is concerned with providing appointments and assigning specific jobs to the selected candidates.

#5 Orientation

In orientation, new employees are introduced to the organization and its procedures, rules, and regulations.

Training and development refer to the improvement of specific skills, abilities, and knowledge of employees.

#7 Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal is the assessment process of employees’ performance against the standards of performance.

#8 Transfer, Promotion, and Demotion

It is the final step in the staffing process, transfer means shifting an employee from one to another job. Promotion means reward after a good performance. Demotion means downgrading the job level of employees.

Get a complete guide on StaffingProcess

Thus, staffing is a systematic process from planning manpower to placing them into the organization in accordance with the requirements. Staffs are the valuable assets of the organization and contributions to their ideas and knowledge lead to success. That’s why a staffing function is needed to recruit skilled and competent employees.

• Process of Staffing: 8 Important Steps In Staffing
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