Human resources
Organisational structures, recruitment and selection, training and development, and motivating and retaining staff.
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Human resources, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Describe organisational structures - hierarchy, span of control and chain of command
An organisation chart shows who answers to whom. A tall structure has many layers: tight control and clear promotion paths, but slow decisions and costly management. A flat structure has few layers: faster communication and empowered staff, but each manager supervises more people - a wide span of control. The chain of command is the path instructions travel down. Delayering (removing a management layer) saves money and speeds decisions, at the cost of stretched managers and lost promotion rungs.
Explain recruitment and selection
Recruitment starts with defining the role: a job description (duties and responsibilities) and a person specification (skills and qualities needed). Internal recruitment - promoting existing staff - is cheap, quick and motivating, but brings no fresh ideas and leaves another vacancy. External recruitment widens the talent pool at greater cost and risk. Selection then uses application forms, CVs, interviews and sometimes practical tests. Hiring well matters because hiring badly costs twice: the mistake, then the re-hire.
Compare types of training and explain why businesses invest in development
Induction training settles new starters in - the systems, the safety rules, the people. On-the-job training happens at the workstation, learning from a colleague: cheap and directly relevant, but bad habits can get passed along. Off-the-job training (courses, college) brings expert, up-to-date knowledge at higher cost and lost working time. Trained staff are more productive, safer and more likely to stay - the counter-argument (they might leave, taking the training with them) makes a ready second side for evaluation.
Explain financial methods of motivation
Money motivates in several designs: a salary gives security; hourly wages pay for time; piece rate pays per unit made (fast output, but quality can slip); commission pays a percentage of sales; bonuses reward hitting targets; and fringe benefits (company car, gym membership, staff discount) sweeten the package. Each fits some jobs and distorts others - commission suits a sales team, but would be a strange way to pay a safety inspector. Match the method to the role in the question.
Explain non-financial motivation, using ideas like Maslow's and Herzberg's
People work for more than pay: praise and recognition, responsibility and promotion, interesting work (job enrichment and rotation), and a say in decisions all motivate. Maslow pictured needs as a hierarchy - pay meets basic needs, but esteem and fulfilment sit higher, so money alone stops motivating once it feels adequate. Herzberg distinguished hygiene factors (fair pay, decent conditions - their absence demotivates, their presence merely satisfies) from true motivators (achievement, recognition, the work itself). Motivated staff work better AND stay - retention saves the whole cost of recruiting again.
Evaluate HR decisions with a two-sided, applied argument (AO3)
A classic 9- or 12-marker: "Recommend whether the business should introduce a bonus scheme." Argue for (targets focus effort; rewards feel fair) and against (costs money whether profits allow or not; can breed rivalry or corner-cutting; Herzberg would say the work itself matters more), each applied to the case - a call centre with high staff turnover is a different argument from a design studio. Conclude with a recommendation and the deciding reason. The judgement, not the list, is what AO3 pays for.
Practice
Try a Human resources question
A GCSE-style original task from this topic. Sketch a quick plan of your own before you open what a strong answer covers.
Read the following case study. Harborview Hotels runs three seaside hotels. Last year 40% of its housekeeping and reception staff left and had to be replaced, well above the industry average of 25%. Exit interviews suggest staff feel they are given little training and have no clear path to better-paid roles. The HR manager has proposed a structured training programme with recognised qualifications and a “train to supervisor” promotion route. Analyse how the proposed training programme could benefit Harborview Hotels. [6 marks]
Show what a strong answer covers
The marking points an examiner looks for. Not a model answer - a checklist to plan against.
- AO1: knowledge of training and motivation concepts - training improves skills and quality of work, and development opportunities (qualifications, promotion routes) are non-financial motivators that improve retention and reduce labour turnover
- AO2: applies to Harborview’s situation - 40% turnover against a 25% industry average, and exit interviews pointing at exactly the causes the programme addresses (little training, no path to better-paid roles)
- AO3: develops the chain of consequences - lower turnover cuts the repeated costs of recruiting and inducting replacements, experienced staff deliver better customer service, and better service brings repeat bookings and stronger reviews