Healthcare United Recruitment and Selection Guidelines Sample Assignment

This task is the analysis of the policy and procedures of existing recruitment and selection processes for Healthcare United, which is one of the best healthcare professionals in Australia. This organization currently employs 1500 healthcare professionals with two sites in Victoria and NSW. They recently developed a new strategic plan that involves opening another office in Hobart.

The report compares 2000 Healthcare United recruitment and selection guidelines against the 2016 Healthcare United recruitment and selection policy, and creats a recruitment and selection policy and set of procedures, which complies with organisational, legal and policy requirements.

Key areas to be considered

Timeframes 

2000 - Timeframe of selection & recruitment 2-3 weeks

Timeframe of advertisement 20 to 25 working days

2016 - Timeframe of selection & recruitment 2-3 weeks

Timeframe of advertisement 10 working days

Personnel

2000 - HR had the major responsibility of selection and recruitment.

2016 - Managers will have the major responsibility of selection and recruitment and HR will support them

Documentation

2000 - HR was responsible for all documentation

2016 -  Manager will response for all documentation with the support of HR department

Training & support

2000 - HR had the major responsibility of training & support

2016 - Manager will have major responsibility of training & support and HR department will help managers in their roles

Monitoring & evaluation

2000 - Monitoring and evaluation were the responsibilities of HR, Chairperson and staff member of job related department

2016 - Monitoring and evaluation will be the responsibilities of General Manager, trained selection panel and managers respectively

Key areas from 2000 that need revising considering the aspects from 2016

1. Vacant position analysis

Contrary to 2016 policy: Yes. In 2016 all the responsibility is shifted from HR to managers.

Outdated with current research and practice: Yes. The same reason –managers are now responsible for the subject.

2. Position description

Contrary to 2016 policy:  Position description development is contrary to 2016 as in 2000 HR department was responsible for this task.

Outdated with current research and practice: Yes, it is outdated as current research and practice shows that the development of position description should be done by managers.

3. Adverstisement

Contrary to 2016 policy: Yes, it is contrary to 2016 as in 2000 all positions were firstly advertised internally for a minimum of ten working days through a newsletter on intranet and noticeboards.

Outdated with current research and practice: Yes, it is outdated as current research says that the new vacant position should be advertised internally and externally together for ten working days.

It does not comply with the current legislation as there is special exemption to internal recruitment, which must be approved by the general manager.

4. Shortlisting

Contrary to 2016 policy: Yes, it is contrary to 2016 as in 2000 short listing was done by HR department while in 2010 all the responsibilities are of Managers.

Outdated with current research and practice: Yes, it is outdated as current research says that the short listing of applicants must be done by the managers.

5. Interview preparation

It is not contrary to 2016 policy or outdated, and also complies with the current legislation.

6. Interview applicants

It is not contrary to 2016 – all the interviews are conducted by trained personnel. It is not outdated and complies with the legislation.

7. Reference check

Yes, it is contrary to 2016. The Reference check must be done by managers according to 2016 policy while in 2000 it was done by HR. For the same reason, it can be considered outdated.

It is important to point that it does not comply with legislation since HR department should not be responsible for reference check.

8. Job offer

It is contrary to 2016 taking into consideration that the job offer now must be finalized by managers. The job offer should also be given by managers, which makes it outdated in comparison to 2000 vs 2016.

Recruitment and selection process/policy

To develop a recruitment and selection process that involves the following procedures:

1. Vacant position analysis.
2. Position description.
3. Advertisements and promotion
4. Shortlisting
5. Interview preparation
6. Interview applicants
7. Reference checks
8. Job offer

Please find below an overview of the procedures pointed above. It is important to analyse the importance off each one to the process itself.

Analyse the vacant position

When a position becomes vacant it is important to analyse the position whether it is still required. The job responsibility is from the Manager, and the timeframe follows 2-3 day whenever a position becomes vacant.

The Position needs analysis conducted by managers and approval from the senior management. It’s their job to explore implications options, legislative and award requirements

Position description

A position description is an important prerequisite to successful recruitment and selection. The timeframe from 3-5 days must be respected. Position descriptions are developed by managers using a position description template and include:

1. Position title
2. Key objective
3. Qualifications required
4. OHS component

Lodge and advertisement

Healthcare United’s advertising policy: Position must be advertised internally and externally for a minimum of 10 working days in HU newsletter unless there is special authorization from senior management for the advertised online and in leading national newspapers. Timeframe: 20-25 working days.

The procedure follows a workflow: Managers create advertisement with the support of HR for HU newsletter on intranet, and then send advertisement with the support of HR advertisement to publications department to post on the intranet. with the support of HR, they create advertisement for authorized external print media.

Short-list applicant

Short-listing is a process of elimination. However, healthcare united requires that all internal applicants be interviewed. Timeframe: 5 days’ minimum. The procedure follows a workflow: administration staff collate all resumes and give to managers, they read over position description and advertisements and each external applicant resume and divide them into ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’ piles. Then the managers must read all internal applications and complete the short-list charts. After that they collate all documentations from internal applicants and short-listed external applicant. Final step is to organize administration staff to send all external applicants not short-listed receive a standard letter by post.

Interview preparation

Timeframe – interview preparation 1-2 days

The procedure follows a workflow:  Managers and HR members request administration staff at head office to organize:

1. Comfortable and quite location
2. Food and beverages for interview panel
3. Interview schedule.

Managers and HR organize interview documentation which includes:

1. Position description
2. Resumes for each shortlisted candidates
3. Consent to check and release police record form.
4. Standard interview questions for HR members of interview panel.
5. Interview assessment forms for interviewers.
6. Use checklists for documentations.

Manager organizes interview panel: two members of HR department and one staff member for job related department with one of the HR members being the chairperson.

Manager chooses and advises the staff member of their role as ‘expert’ and requests that they think of three job related interview questions.

Interview applicants

Interviews are to be conducted only at Head office. Interviews are to be 30 minutes in duration with a 5-minute break in between. No more than 12 interviews should be conducted in a day. Timeframe: schedule interviews 1-2 days depending on number of applicants.

Workflow:

1. Chairperson greets candidate and makes introductions.
2. Chairperson opens interview.
3. Managers and HR member of panel ask applicant a series of standard interview questions.
4. Staff member from job-related department ask three question
5. Chairperson asks applicant if they have any question
6. Chairperson informs the candidate of the process.
7. Panel thank candidate for attending
8. Panel complete an interview assessment
9. Panel select applicant
10. Gain approval from senior management subject to reference check.

Reference checks

Reference checks are an important part of the selection process. Healthcare united reference check must be conducted on both internal and external applicants by the managers and support of HR department.

Timeframe 1-2 days depending on number of applicant.

The procedure follows a workflow: Phone workplace of applicant and speak to manager/referee, then introduce they self and the organization and purpose of call.

Ask standard questions about applicant’s knowledge and skills, applicant’s personality, ask the manager for their opinion of applicant standard of work, and also if there have been any problems with applicant. Final step is to discuss references with other HR persons on interview panel.

Job offer

Job offer needs to be made immediately after reference check. Timeframe 1-5 days.

The procedure follows a workflow: the managers, with the help of HR department, organize written contract to be drawn up with terms and conditions. The administration must post contract to applicant, and then after the receipt of signed contract HR post new employee advice about induction program.