Chapter 15

1. Chapter 15 Employee Recruitment, Selection, Placement, and Indoctrination

2. Staffing—The Third Phase of the Management Process • In staffing, the leader-manager recruits, selects, orients, and promotes personnel development to accomplish the goals of the organization • Staffing is an especially important phase of the management process in health-care organizations because such organizations are usually labor intensive (i.e., many employees are required to accomplish organizational goals)

3. Sequential Steps in Staffing • 1. Determine the number and types of personnel needed to fulfill the philosophy, meet fiscal planning responsibilities, and carry out the chosen patient care delivery system selected by the organization • 2. Recruit, interview, select, and assign personnel based on established job description performance standards • 3. Use organizational resources for induction and orientation • 4. Ascertain that each employee is adequately socialized to organization values and unit norms • 5. Use creative and flexible scheduling based on patient care needs to increase productivity and retention

4. Factors Affecting Staffing Needs • Source of nursing pools • Number of students enrolled in local nursing schools • Usual length of employment of newly hired staff • Peak staff resignation periods • Times when patient census is highest • Patient care delivery system in place • Knowledge level of needed staff • Budget constraints

5. Reminder • Historically, when the economy improves, nursing shortages occur. When the economy declines, nursing vacancy rates decline as well

6. Seeking Employee Diversity • Having a staff that is diverse in terms of gender, culture, age, ethnicity, and language is helpful in meeting the needs of an increasingly diverse client population • Diversity also brings new perspectives to thinking and problem solving • Managers should be alert to the gender, culture, ethnicity, age, and language diversity in the communities served by their organization and should seek to recruit a staff that is both sensitive and responsive to that diversity

7. Question What are some important aspects of diversity to consider in choosing a staff? • Gender • Culture • Age • Language • All of the above

8. Answer Answer: Rationale:

9. Staffing Shortages and the Economy • Nationwide downsizing of hospitals in the 1990s • Aging of the nursing workforce • Accelerating demand for professional nurses • Inadequate enrollment in nursing programs of study • Aging of nursing faculty

10. Factors Affecting Recruitment • Financial resources • Adequate nursing pool • Competitive salaries • The organization’s reputation • The location’s desirability • The status of the national and local economy

11. The process of actively seeking out or attracting applicants for existing positions Should be an ongoing process Recruitment

12. Recruitment Methods • Advertisements • Career days • Literature • Informal use of members of the organization as examples of satisfied employees

13. One of the best ways to maintain an adequate employee pool is by word of mouth—the recommendation of the organization’s own satisfied and happy staff Recruitment, however, is not the key to adequate staffing in the long term. Retention is, and it occurs only when the organization is able to create a work environment that makes staff want to stay Recruitment and Retention

14. Turnover • Some turnover is normal and in fact desirable • It infuses the organization with fresh ideas and reduces the probability of groupthink • However, excessive or unnecessary turnover reduces the ability of the organization to produce its end-product and is expensive

15. Interviewing as a Selection Tool • It is the most common method for employee selection used by managers • It is also the most time-consuming and thus one of the most costly selection tools • It generally requires an interviewer to use judgments, biases, and values to make decisions based on a short interaction with an applicant in an unnatural situation. Thus, reliability and validity are always suspect

16. Purposes of the Selection Interview • The interviewer seeks to obtain enough information to determine the applicant’s suitability for the available position • The applicant seeks to obtain adequate information to make an intelligent decision about accepting the job, should it be offered • The interviewer seeks to conduct the interview in such a manner that, regardless of the interview’s result, the applicant will continue to have respect for and good will toward the organization

17. Reliability and Validity Issues of the Selection Process • Validity increases with a team approach • Negative information tends to be weighed more heavily than positive information • The same standards should be used for all applicants • Selection should be based on established criteria, not value judgments • Personal bias should be minimized, because negative feelings likely have no relation to the criteria necessary for success in the position

18. Limitations of the Interview Process as a Selection Tool • Subjectivity can never be totally eliminated • High interview assessments do not necessarily correlate with high-level performance on the job • Mixed reliability and validity: • Intra-rater reliability high • Inter-rater reliability low in unstructured interviews • Inter-rater reliability is better if interview is structured and same interview format is used by all interviewers

19. Limitations of the Interview Process as a Selection Tool—(cont.) • Negative information about the applicantis weighed more heavily than positive information, and the earlier in the interview, the greater the negative effect • Most decisions about the applicant are made in the first 30 to 60 seconds • In unstructured interviews, the interviewer generally does 80% to 90% of the talking. In structured interviews, the interviewer does only 50% to 60% of the talking • The environment is artificial and it is difficult for many interviewees to relax and be natural

20. Limitations of the Interview Process as a Selection Tool—(cont.) • The interviewer may have poor communication skills and be unable to generate a discussion • Physical appearance often contributes substantially to an interviewer’s opinion about an applicant • Interviewers frequently ask questions that demonstrate a self-fulfilling prophecy regarding their first impression of the applicant

21. Subjectivity of Interview The major defect of the interview is subjectivity

22. Question Tell whether the following statement is True or False: Positive information is usually weighed more heavily than negative information in an interview. • True • False

23. Answer Answer: Rationale:

24. Overcoming Interview Limitations • Use a team approach • Develop a structured interview format for each job classification • Use scenarios to determine decision-making ability • Conduct multiple interviews • Provide training in effective interviewing techniques

25. Suggested Interview Format • Introduce yourself and greet the applicant • Make a brief statement about the organization and position and clarify the position for which the person is applying • Discuss the information on the application and seek clarification or amplification as necessary • Discuss employee qualifications and proceed with structured interview format • If applicant is qualified, discuss the position further • Explain hiring procedures/terminate the interview

26. Two Aspects Carrying Most Weight When Recommending for or Against Hiring • The requirements of the job • Qualified versus overqualified • Personal bias • Examine any negative feelings occurring in the interview for personal bias

27. Common Job Interview Mistakes of Applicants • Arriving so early you appear overanxious • Saying too much • Wearing a coat/hat during the interview • Wearing psychologically intimidating colors or patterns • Sitting down before the interviewer does or addressing the interviewer by his or her first name • Asking about salary, vacation, or promotions too early in the interview

28. Common Job Interview Mistakes of Applicants—(cont.) • Bad-mouthing or revealing confidential information about a former or current employer • Not having any questions • Overstating your accomplishments • Having a “what can you do for me?” attitude • Being vague, rambling, or evasive, all of which show poor communication skills • Lacking clear direction regarding what you want in your career • Showing apathy or lack of motivation

29. Tips for the Applicant • Do your homework about the organization you are applying to • Practice the interview and rehearse answers to foreseeable questions about your education and experience • Be prompt on the day of the interview • Look your best for the interview. Dress conservatively and make sure you are neatly groomed

30. Tips for the Applicant During the Interview The goal is to make a good first impression! • Be on time • Smile, shake hands, and maintain eye contact • Stand until the interviewer invites you to sit • Place personal belongings beside you on the floor • Do not slouch or fidget • Do not chew gum or smoke cigarettes • Bring a paper and pencil to make notes • Answer the questions with confidence and watch the interviewer for nonverbal cues

31. Practice Interview Questions • Why do you want this job? • What is your philosophy of nursing? • What strengths and weaknesses do you bring to this job? • Why should we hire you? Why us? • What is your 20-year career plan? • Can you define professionalism in nursing practice? • What do you know about our organization?

32. Illegal Interview Inquiries • Age • Marital status • Children • Race • Sexual preference • Financial or credit status • National origin • Religion

33. After the Interview • Send a thank-you note to the interviewer • If offered the job, send a formal letter accepting or rejecting the job • Personally critique the interview experience. Review in your mind what you did well and what you would do differently the next time

34. Induction: includes all activities that educate the new employee about the organization and employment and personnel policies and procedures Orientation: teaches activities that are more specific to the position Individual orientation to each department: specific departments are responsible for developing their own orientation program Phases of Employee Indoctrination