What Is Staffing?
Meaning and Concept
The proper use of the financial and physical resources of an organization will depend upon the ability of human resources there. Every organization needs to employ suitable and efficient persons in the organization so that they are able to take it ahead. So it is important that only those persons would be employed who are suitable for different jobs are. The work of filling various posts and retaining employees is undertaken to understaff. Staffing basically involves matching jobs and individuals.
Staffing is concerned with filling and keeping filled positions in the organization. Staffing involves finding the right persons for the right jobs and having the right qualifications. It involves specialized knowledge and approach and allows more emphasis on human resources and its proper recruitment, selection, development, appraisal, etc.
Features/ Characteristics of Staffing
The following are the main features of staffing :
1. Managerial function.
Staffing is one of the functions of management. In a new organization, it is performed after planning and organizing functions while it is a continual function in running organizations.
2. Concerned with Human Resources.
Staffing is concerned with all types of personnel in the organization both as individuals and as a group.
3. Continuous Functions.
Staffing is a continuous function of management. The organization is to maintain and retain employees so it has to perform this function regularly. There may be vacancies due to expansion, diversification, or labor turnover, so hiring, training, and development of staff is an ongoing process.
4. Undertaken at all Levels.
Staffing is required at all levels. There may be separate people dealing with the hiring and training process of employees for different jobs. Sometimes this function is performed at the departmental level or there can be a separate department for this function.
5. Optimum Utilisation of Personnel.
The objective of this function is to ensure the optimum utilization of human resources as well as to provide personal and social satisfaction to employees.
6. Concerned with Employment and Development of Employees.
The staffing function is primarily concerned with employing and developing employees. Employees are developed to take up higher responsibilities in due course of time.
Importance of Staffing
Proper staffing functions are essential for increasing the efficiency of an organization. Staffing function is important for the following reasons
1. Appointing Persons as per Requirements.
The staffing function helps in fulfilling various positions in the organization. There are different job positions that need to be occupied in recruitment and selection for employing persons for various jobs.
2. Placing Right Persons at Right Jobs.
The staffing function will undertake to appoint the right persons for different jobs. The appointment of suitable persons will ensure higher efficiency and better performance. Employees should be given jobs as per their qualifications and skills.
3. Survival and growth of Enterprise.
The survival and growth of an organization will depend upon the capabilities of the employees it has employed. The staffing function ensures the appointment of suitable employees so that every activity is undertaken in a better way.
4. Optimum Utilisation of Manpower Resources.
Staffing helps in making proper and optimum use of human resources. The organization's objectives will be achieved only if manpower is properly developed and utilized. If human assets are not effectively utilized they become a burden for the organization.
5. Improves job satisfaction.
The staffing function does not end with the employment of personnel. It includes training, promotion, compensation, etc. All these activities will motivate the employees to improve their performance and the level of job satisfaction will be higher.
6. Effectiveness of other Functions.
All functions in the organization are undertaken by the employees. When suitable employees are employed to take up various are undertaken the effectiveness of all the functions will e better.
7. Helps in competing.
The performance of every organization is linked to the efficiency of its employees. An organization with efficient manpower will be able to compete better in the market. Better manpower is linked to the recruitment of suitable persons for meaning various jobs. So well performed staffing function will help an organization to be in a better position as compared to others.
