Factor Influencing Demand for Labor

Factor Influencing Demand for Labor

Labour refers to the number of workers that are required to complete a specific activity. The management decides the number of workers needed for the learning of operations. The Human Resource department has the responsibility for the recruitment process and placement of employees. The demand for labour will be determined by factors such as technology, the marginal productivity of labor and labour rates (Kim, n.d.).

Marginal productivity refers to the impact of workers on the total output of the firm. The management should be able to determine the marginal productivity of a labourer before recruiting an additional employee. If the marginal productivity leads to an increase in total output, then the management will hire additional employees, whereas if the additional employee leads to a decline in output, the management should not recruit extra employees.

The management may adopt technology to perform some of its activities. Technology has an impact to the organization either positively or negatively. If the organization automates some of the work to be done by machines, then less number of police will be hired, while more police will be recruited if the tasks cannot be automated.

Labour rate and labour demand have an inverse relationship. At a high labour rate, fewer police officers will be hired and low labour rate, more police officers, will be hired. Management set the labour rate, which has an impact on the number of employees to be hired. In the scenario, there were complaints about high labour rates and new police officers will be paid low salaries.

A2: Factor Influencing Supply for Labor

In the state labour supply for police officers is influenced by a shortage of qualified candidates, people leaving the state and current officers are approaching retirement.  The lack of qualified personnel has been brought about by various factors.  The state has the highest cost of living, harsh climatic conditions, high taxation rates, the poor state of the police department and high tuition fees.  The residents migrate out of the state without expectations of returning back due to reasons such as slim chances of employment and high cost of living; hence, creating a further shortage of potential police officers. The existing workforce has an average age of 45 years and in the coming five years, 24% of them are scheduled to retire; therefore, creating a shortage of police officers.

Furthermore, labour supply will be affected by the notice required to be given to the target groups. Active police officers and military are required to be contacted at least six weeks; other target groups at least four weeks.  Besides, one month will be required for notice to the employer and recruitment process. It will be challenging for a state to contact the target group at the right time. Hence, a further labour shortage will be created.

B1: Recruitment Objectives

The objectives of this recruitment process were to reduce the crime rate in the state, avoid overpayment of police officers and hire top-quality police officers. The crime rate in the region had increased; the state wished to hire more police officers to reduce the level of the crime rate. The existing police officers have been working overtime, leading to a high level of income. The media and mayor had raised complaints concerning high income resulting from overtime pay. The additional police officers will ensure no police officers receive such a high amount of income. The recruitment processes seek to hire top-quality police officers to deliver high-quality services.

B2a: Size of Applicant Pool

B2b: Targeted Group for Recruitment

• Other Police Departments
• Military Police

B2b1: Rationale for Recommendation

Other Police Department

Yield ratio is one of the key performance indicators (KPI) for human resources. The group has the highest yield ratio and the company will save recruitments costs if they hire from this group.

Military Police

It second targeted group with the highest yield ratio. The group had already received training experience from their previous work and they can equally perform as police officers.

B2c: Effective Way of Reaching the Targeted Groups

Other Police Departments can be reached through their departments or advert in mass media. The hiring messages can easily be passed through their senior officers. Moreover, the departments have a register of existing and retired police officers. The state can also announce their recruitment intention over the mass media. The media announcement will reach a more significant number of potential candidates.

The Military Police can be reached through their department or recruitment agency. The military police departments have records of existing and current military police. If the message is communicated to their seniors, the announcements will quickly reach the entire department. A recruitment agency can also be used to handle the recruitment process. The agencies are experienced in the field and will search for the right candidates.

C1: Three Selection Methods

1. Preliminary interview
2. Administering behavioral questions
3. Conducting employment interview

C1a: Rationale for Selection Methods

A preliminary interview is conducted to ensure the qualified candidates are selected and unqualified candidates rejected (Yeung, 2009). Behavioral questions are important to tests the behavior of candidates in different scenarios and their reactions in case of job pressure. In an employment interview, the recruitment panel seeks to have in-depth about a potential employee.

C2: Selection Tests

The police officers can be tested using Personality Tests and Skills Tests. Personality Tests seek to establish whether the employee has certain personality traits (Whetzel & Mcdaniel, 2016). Skills Tests are used to determine whether the potential employee meets specific skills to perform tasks effectively. The candidate skills are compared with what is highlighted in their resume.

C3: Background Check and Timing

In the recruitment of police officers, the background check will be crucial to ensure suitable candidates are selected. One of the background checks will be to check the criminal records. The candidates may be required to obtain clearance from the criminal department. Besides, the recruiting firm can liaise with the state to get access to the necessary information. Secondly, the recruitment team will determine the medical history of the candidate. Only, physically and mentally fit people will be recruited.  Background checks are done at the initial stages of the recruitment process and completed before the actual hiring of the employee.

C4: Effectiveness of Recruitment Process

1. Cost of Hiring: The average cost of hiring new employees should be lower to save the organization’s unnecessary costs.
2. Labour Turnover: The organization should have low labour turnover; high labour turnover will indicate the recruitment process is ineffective.
3. The time required for completing the selection process: The organization should take minimal time from the time they make a job advert to the final selection of the employee.
4. Recruitment methods: The methods used by the organization should attract a larger pool of potential candidates.