Workforce Planning Task 1 Sample Assignment

Task 1: Workforce Planning, Recruitment, & Selection

Assignment Code: 234

A1. Factors that are influencing labor demand .{" "}

1. The average age of current police officers in this city is 45 years old. Within the next 5 years, 24% of the current workforce will be eligible for retirement.
2. Promotions from within the city’s department will free up 25% of the workforce to be replaced. The department’s contract with the officer’s union requires the department to start by promoting within before hiring externally.
3. Relocation, illnesses, and death are a few of the other factors influencing labor demand.

A2. Factors that are influencing labor supply.{" "}

1. The city having a high cost-of-living index is a reason many people are relocating to different areas.
2. There is a poor job outlook in this city.
3. The high tuition costs for both public and private schools makes the city an unattractive place for many families.

B1. Recruitment objectives.

1. Achieve nearly 75% retention rate for the first 3 years of recruited entry level police officers. The costs to train police officers is high, and retention is important to ensure that the amount of time and money put into the recruitment and training isn’t wasted.{" "}
2. Be sure that we are reaching out to possible applicants early, and effectively. With the help of technology, we will be able to reach out not only through specific job posting sites, job fairs, but also through multiple types of social media outlets. Through social media, we will also have a higher possibility of attracting a younger, more eager applicant.
3. Although it is not an immediate concern in our city, we need to be sure we are employing enough minorities and women to abide by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act enforced by the EEOC and our union. Our police officers should somewhat reflect our community, which is very diverse.{" "}

B2a. Size of the applicant pool.

By utilizing Military Police and{" "} Other Police Departments target groups, the applicant pool needed to produce 25 viable candidates is ___ 36 (70%)___.

B2b. Recommend 2 types of target groups who should be targeted for recruitment.{" "}

1. Military Police
2. Other Police Departments

B2b1. Justify your recommendation.

1. 60% of Military Police make it through the entire recruitment to selection process. Due to their military training, they are likely to be better prepared for the 12-week training Assignment that every incoming entry level officer must go through.
2. 80% of active-duty police officers from Other Police Departments make it through the recruitment to selection process. It is possible to bring them into the department earlier since they do not need to complete the 12-week training Assignment that others must complete.{" "}

B2c. Describe 2 effective methods for reaching each target group.{" "}

Group One

1. It is important to attempt to make contact with candidate at least 6 weeks prior to their discharge from service.
2. Electronic job posting sites and journals for military personnel.

Group Two

1. This candidate should be contacted 6 weeks prior to a job offer.
2. There are many types of recruitment methods such as union recruitment events, employee referrals, and walk-ins.

C1. Recommend 3 appropriate selection methods for all target candidates.{" "}

1. A good resume with complete criminal history, accurate job history, and appropriate references is essential in selection.
2. Structured interviews allow all candidates to be on the same playing field due to pre-determined questions asked identically to all candidates, and situational interviews are a good way to assist in predicting how a candidate will respond to possible events
3. Drug tests being administered by a third party medical professional.

C1a. Justify each of your 3 recommendations.{" "}

1. A resume will provide the basic information needed to weed out inapplicable candidates. If an applicant has a criminal felony on his record, he/she cannot be an officer. Education levels and factual job history are good indicators of commitment to responsibilities. References are incredibly imperative at this stage.
2. Structured interviews allow the department’s HR department to judge each applicant based off answers given to the same, structured questions asked. Situational interviews focus on how an applicant has and “would” respond to situations that may arise in the workplace and also gives HR and indication of what their behaviors/responses may be in the future.
3. As a condition of employment, it is necessary that an applicant pass a drug test. Police officers enforce laws, and if they are not able to pass a drug test for illegal drugs, then they will not be able to serve in a lawful position.

C2. Selection tests.

1. Physical agility test. Physical agility tests ensure that a candidate is capable of performing physical tasks appropriate for the job.
2. Aptitude test. Aptitude tests help HR determine if a candidate has the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be an entry level police officer.

C3. Background verification checks.

1. Credit History. The reasons credit checks are done are to investigate how financially responsible a candidate is, as well as determine moral and ethical behavior.
2. Driving Record. A poor driving record may result in not being considered for a job in the police department. Driving records show a candidate’s maturity and responsibility for following traffic laws, seeing as they will be enforcing these laws.

C4. Evaluating Effectiveness of your recruitment and selection plans.{" "}

1. We need to determine if our police department’s image is being appropriately and attractively conveyed through our job postings. Encouraging our department and citizens of our city to interact through social media and community events may help our department look desirable to the public, especially those looking to become entry level police officers.
2. Is our cost per hire at an appropriate level? With our employee referral program and objective of retaining police officers for at least 3 years, we are attempting to make the cost for new hires worthy of our recruitment process.{" "}
3. Due to the amount of time and money it takes to train a new hire, we need to be sure that our turnover rate is low and time taken to fill a position is swift. If our employee referral program doesn’t take care of this, then we may consider making provisions within the realm of the union’s rules that an officer must stay with a department for a minimum number of years before being permitted to change departments.{" "}
4. We need to assess the quality of each candidate before offering a job, to make sure that we will not need to put forth extra money and/or time to retrain early, or to increase their knowledge, skills, or abilities before a significant amount of time.