Making Human Resource Decisions

What Making Human Resource Decisions covers

Making Human Resource Decisions is examined in Paper 2, Building a business (Theme 2). It covers organisational structures and communication, different ways of working, effective recruitment, effective training and development and motivation in the workplace.

The 5 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Organisational structures and communicationHierarchical and flat structures, spans of control, centralisation and decentralisation, and the effects of too little or too much communication and how to overcome barriers.Open →
• Different ways of workingFull-time and part-time work, flexible hours and the right to request them, permanent, temporary and freelance contracts, and remote working and technology.Open →
• Effective recruitmentThe roles of directors, managers, supervisors and staff, job descriptions and person specifications, application forms and CVs, and internal against external recruitment.Open →
• Effective training and developmentInduction, formal and informal training, self-learning, target setting and performance reviews, how training links to motivation and retention, and retraining for new technology.Open →
• Motivation in the workplaceWhy motivation matters for attracting and keeping staff, remuneration, bonuses, commission, promotion and fringe benefits, job rotation, job enrichment and autonomy.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Making Human Resource Decisions further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Hierarchical structure vs Flat structure

  Hierarchical structure: an organisation with many layers of management and narrow spans. Flat structure: an organisation with few layers of management and wide spans.

• Centralisation vs Decentralisation

  Centralisation: keeping decisions with a few senior managers at head office. Decentralisation: passing authority to make decisions down to local managers.

• Job description vs Person specification

  Job description: a document setting out the tasks and duties of a role. Person specification: a document setting out the skills and qualities the ideal candidate needs.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is an organisational structure?

   Model answer

   An organisational structure shows how jobs, authority and communication are arranged in a business. An organisation chart shows who reports to whom.

2. 2

   What is a hierarchical structure?

   Model answer

   A hierarchical structure has many layers of management, with authority passing down from the top. Each manager usually has a narrow span of control.

3. 3

   What is a span of control?

   Model answer

   A span of control is the number of employees who report directly to one manager. A wide span means a manager supervises many people.

4. 4

   What are the advantages and disadvantages of a hierarchical structure?

   Model answer

   A hierarchy gives clear roles, close supervision and a ladder of promotion. Communication is slow through many layers, and decisions take longer.

5. 5

   What is a flat structure?

   Model answer

   A flat structure has few layers of management and wide spans of control. Staff have more responsibility and closer contact with senior managers.

6. 6

   What are the advantages and disadvantages of a flat structure?

   Model answer

   A flat structure gives fast communication and lower management costs. Managers may be overstretched, and there are fewer chances of promotion.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Making Human Resource Decisions revision questions

What does Making Human Resource Decisions cover in Edexcel GCSE Business?

5 subtopics: organisational structures and communication, different ways of working, effective recruitment, effective training and development and motivation in the workplace. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Making Human Resource Decisions organised?

By the Edexcel 1BS0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.