Henkel HR Practices

PART A: Recruiting and Selecting Our New Employees

Recruitment and Selection is a major HRM functions (Dessler 2007) as it encompasses all organisational practices and decisions. It has been argued that in order for the firm to build and sustain the competitive advantage, proper staffing is critical (Wright & Snell 1991, Boxall 1996). Recent technological advances, globalization, social trends and changes within organizations have brought new challenges for recruitment and selection (Rowley & Benson 2002). To effectively face the new challenges recruitment and selection needs to be integrated with business strategies (Lam & White 1998).

Therefore, Henkel designed a guideline to assist their HR employees in implementing effective and fair recruitment and selection processes, which will contribute to their success in appointing the best candidate. This guide has following steps:

• Identify Vacancy and Evaluate Need
• Develop Position Description
• Develop Recruitment Plan
• Select Search Committee
• Post Position and Implement Recruitment Plan
• Review Applicants and Develop Short List
• Conduct Interviews
• Select Hire
• Finalize Recruitment

The recruitment and selection process is relatively transparent and fair. Outcomes of the recruitment process are satisfactory. They provide equal job opportunity. Screening criteria in recruitment process is both academic result and experience based; it has been found from the 100% of the respondents. It has been found that 100% of the respondents think that IT support regarding recruitment is available. It has been found that 57% of the respondents think that satisfaction of core programs with recruitment process is satisfactory and the rest of 43% thinks that it is excellent. Structure of recruitment process is composed of both centralized and decentralized.

Weakness of recruitment and selection process:

• Job description is not clear and specific, written test is not fully program oriented and written test is not MCQ type and agenda related. Sometimes nepotism is bringing into
• play for recruiting and selecting. Interview board is not in appropriate structured. There is no standard job specification.
• The management does not maintain more flexibility for internal staff for applying. It has been found that 100% of the respondents think that the ratios of internal applicants are generally very few.

To overcome such shortcomings/ weaknesses here the following suggestions are recommended. For appropriate personnel source professional institutions, HR associations support should be taken by the organization. Job description should be more clear and specific and job description should be mentioned in the job advertisement.

There should be orientation for the specific program. During recruitment age limit should be relaxed in case of appropriate staffs. Questionnaire of written test should be improved. More structured interview board should be formed or recruiting agencies can be hired if appropriate personnel are busy. All candidates should be recruited through proper recruitment process and all recommendations by higher management should avoid. For staff development more training need to be introduced by management. For that purpose the budget for staff development should be revised & increased. Encourage self guided training, which may be useful for the employees who are working different remote areas. Here employee is considered to be responsible for self edification, with the organization providing resources, libraries & on line information for employees to work at their leisure. Panel interview should be practiced. Find out proper recruitment expenses so that it could be reduced. Recruit more HR staffs to provide prompt service & meeting all level of staffs physically to hear their problems & give feedback. The compliance audit team should be more strongly constituted & organized to take accurate feedback & ensure the right practice of the human resource policy & procedure.    

1. Achieving high performance from the new employees

2. Achieving affective commitment from the new employees

4. To highlight any potential issues on cross cultural management
5. Any other challenges you feel relevant to mention