UDC 331.103
Features of rationing of work in recruiting
I. A. Kul'kova, A. P. Bezrukikh
The subject of this article is a study of the process of work rationing for employees involved in the selection of personnel in recruiting companies. This article contains the study of features of work rationing in recruiting. The purpose of this article is an analysis of the features of four main elements of the process of work rationing for separate category of employees — recruiters. In the course of the author's study were used scientific methods of study, such as analysis of normative, scientific, educational and practical literature, abstraction, synthesis, classifying; such empirical methods as observation and comparison were used. The main results are a presentation of the author's classification of working time of recruiters, an analysis of the possibility of applying the methods of labor processes studying. Authors describe the methods, which, according to authors, are suitable for the study of labor of recruiters. Was studied regulatory and scientific base, available in modern Russia for the calculation of labor standards in recruiting. Authors prove a conclusion about the impossibility of using analytical and computational methods for calculating the standards of the modern recruiting in Russia. Authors adapted of classical approach of applying analytical research method in labor norming to the activities of recruiters. The study reveals specific content of the system of labor standards in recruiting. These results can be used in practical activity of recruiting companies for labor organization and rationing of core staff, in the educational process of colleges and universities during the preparation of bachelors and masters in human resource management, and may be an element of further development of the scientific field of Labor Economics. The results presented in the article are the enrichment of theoretical and methodological base of work rationing of a separate category of employees — recruiters. Keywords: regulation of labor; norms of working time; photo of working time; methods of establishing norms; recruiting.
In the current economic climate, businesses are grappling with the dual task of increasing the competitiveness of products and services in terms of economic instability, on the one hand, and the rational use of human resources in conditions of shortage of personnel - on the other. The main tool for solving this problem is the regulation of labor of personnel.
Under the rationing labor, most authors understand [1, 2] the process of establishing of the value of expenses of working hours in the form of labor standards for execution of certain work in the most efficient technical-organizational conditions for this production.
In the Soviet period, soviet scientists have created a strong base for work rationing, have developed methodological fundamentals of establishing reasonable standards of labor costs for all categories and groups of workers [3], including the development of theoretical and methodological framework for work rationing of employees, which includes recruiters, although at that time such profession didn't even exist.
However, a quarter-century has gone since that period, many regulations have become outdated, new labor functions and professions have appeared and the labor conditions have changed, so at present issues of labor rationing are acutely relevant.
The purpose of this article is an analysis of the features of rationing of work in recruitment, by which we understand, as well as A. N. Kupriyanov [4], in a broad sense - the infrastructure segment of the labor market presented by private recruitment agencies, which act as an intermediary between employers and job seekers. In a narrow sense, it is the recruitment process from external sources through the active involvement of potential candidates to meet the needs of employers for workers through private recruitment agencies and by organization itself.
Recruiting as the type of business and, consequently, the profession «recruiter» appeared in our country in 1989, so there are quite a few publications about the application of rationing of work in recruiting a very small [5].
Let us analyze the characteristics of rationing of work of recruiters in four areas.
1. Classification of working time expenses.
By the nature of the labor recruiter can be attributed to the employees, so the structure of his working time allocates expenses that are typical for the majority of employees, they are presented in Fig.
2. Methods of studying of the work processes
The basic rule of work of quantity surveyor for
the study of labor processes and the structure of expenses of working hours states that if information can be obtained without the involvement and irritation of the employee, it is necessary to do so. However, the labor of recruiter is not computerized enough, so that we can apply, for example, the method of «Examination of Actual Work» (as an example, the idea can be seen in detail on the website www.hr.prolan.ru). All measurements are made automatically by this method, and not only the meas-
ECONOMIC SCIENCES
Structure of expenses of working hours of recruiter
urements, but also the processing of the results; the restriction is precisely the only partial possibility of applying for recruiters.
Thus, most reliable results about the structure of expenses of working hours of recruiter can be obtained only through observation of the work of the employee. Traditionally, there are two methods of observation: direct measurements and moment observations.
The method of direct measurement is a continuous monitoring of the labor process and fix ting of the current time or the duration of execution of certain elements of the task. In recruiting continuous and selective measurements are applicable. Cyclic measurements are not relevant, since it is possible to enlarge the short operation.
On the purpose of observation, timekeeping and photo-timekeeping are of limited application only for certain repetitive tasks, so the main method is a snapshot of working time. Carrying out both individual and group snapshot is possible, and in the major recruitment companies - even the large-scale ones, however, the least time-consuming and precise (except studying of losses caused by the violation of labor discipline) is self's snapshot of working time, the possibility of its application in the recruitment are studied in the works of Yu. V. Dolzhenkova [5].
By way of surveillance in recruitment we can use a manual visual (direct supervisor), semi-automatic (using a remote keyboard, remote control, tablet, recorder, etc.) and automatic (use of video-recording) surveillance methods.
Method of moment observations, which consists in registration and recording of the amount of similar expenses of working hours in randomly selected moments can only be applied in large recruiting companies with more than 10 recruiters.
3. Calculation methods of labor standards
Traditionally, calculation methods of standards are divided into analytical calculation, analytical
research, and experiment and statistics. Analytically calculated are based on the developed standards. A Norm for activities close to recruiting was developed in the 1960s. Therefore, Methodical instructions of Labor Research Institute for development of the enlarged headcount standards of employees, and typical structures of management personnel of industrial enterprises1 show us a formula for determining the number of specialists in recruitment and personnel training:
Hn.K = 0,099Pn,6n08.
Here HnK is the normative number of specialists, pers; Pn n is the number of industrial production personnel, pers.
Age of the given formula makes 45 years, during which the situation has changed signifi antly: turnover has increased, the search for candidates became complicated, the selection of personnel became tightened, so usage of the formula in the current conditions is not effective.
The last norm for activities close to recruiting was accepted by the USSR Ministry of Labor Decree № 78 dated 11.14.1991 «On approval of the integrated cross-industry standards on working time on acquisition and accounting of personnel», which set a headcount norm for registration of documents for employment of workers and employees. The age of this standard is 24 years, which also allows us to estimate it as not relevant, the labor laws in the country in the past period was changed, which resulted in changes in the set of functions for recruitment. In addition, the functional responsibilities of the recruiter are much broader than the paperwork during recruitment.
For analytical calculation, we can also attribute mathematical methods for determining the standards based on databases. Application of this method is hindered by the lack of reliable statistical information, commercial confide tiality of recruiting agencies.
1 1970, Metodicheskiye ukazaniya po razrabotke ukrupnennikh normativov chislennosti I tipovykh struktur apparata upravleniya prom-
ishlennikh predpriyatii [Guidelines for the development of consolidated standards of headcount and typical structures of the manage-
ment of industrial enterprises].
150 ИЗВЕСТИЯ УРАЛЬСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО ГОРНОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА
I. A. Kul'kova, A. P. Bezrukikh
Thus, the state of normative framework at the present stage in Russia and the lack of reliable statistical information about the activities of recruitment companies makes unacceptable analytical calculation method for determining the norms of the head-count of recruiters.
Analytical research method is based on the study and analysis of all work performed based on photo-timekeeping observations. The adaptation of the classical approach to the labor rationing for the activities of the recruiters reveals the following stages of the application of analytical research methods:
1) Description of business processes of recruiting.
2) Determination of operations that should be normalized. There are two options: to normalize all recruiter operations or use a quotient normalization in which the business process is decomposed to the level of business operations, so that for each business operation it would be easy to isolate the only factor determining its labor costs.
3) Rationing of labor with the help of photography of work by an observer or self-photography.
4) Statistical analysis of the results of measurements and calculations of labor standards. Experimental and statistical methods for calculating labor standards in recruitment include the method of analogy (according to reports of the previous period or other recruiting companies), benchmarking (based on the experience of leading recruiting companies - business leaders). The fi st method reproduces errors in the organization of activities of the previous periods and third party companies, and the second requires a comprehensive implementation of best practices and training of recruiters or labor standards will not be reached.
4. The structure of labor standards.
Almost all labor standards and specifi ations are applicable in recruiting; features include the establishment of concrete indicators. As an example, we will use the following norms:
- Limits of the headcount, which are now the main type of labor standards applicable in the process of normalization of work of employees [6]. A variation of the headcount norms is the span of control, which is used to determine the number of subordinates and structural divisions of large companies that are subordinated to one director.
- Norms of time: for example, in recruiting one of the main standards is the speed of the closing a vacancy, moreover, it is necessary to regulate the du-
ration of the interviews with the candidates, testing.
- Norms of development in recruiting are installed as monetary terms (for example, portfolio volume of orders, monthly sales plan) and natural (number of submitted resume, the number of meetings with clients, the number of completed interviews, etc.).
- Norms of service are expressed in the establishment of the number of clients per recruiter, the number of applications in the work for one recruiter, etc.
- Norms of ratios are used, for example, when establishing Fill Rate - ratio of closed orders to the total number of them in percentage.
- Normalized tasks that in modern conditions are often called KPI and represent the amount of work to be performed by recruiters for a given calendar period of time (week, month) in compliance with the established requirements to the quality of work results.
Thus, the study showed that the rationing of work could and should be widely used in recruiting, considering its features. At present, the main problems of development of rationing of work in recruiting, in Russia is the lack of regulatory framework, outdated normative economy and the lack of qualified specialists able to organize and carry out the work on the standardization of labor. We hope that the transition to the efficient conduct of business in the recruitment will contribute to the development of regulation and rationing of labor of recruiters.
REFERENCES
1. Genkin B. M. 2003, Organizatsiya, Normirovaniye i oplata truda v promyshlennosti [The organization, rationing and wages in the industry], 400 p.
2. Orefkov V. V., Perevoshchikov Yu. S. 2007, Ergonom-icheskoye normirovaniye truda [Ergonomic work rationing], 934 p.
3. 2000, Proizvoditel'nost', organizatsiya I normirovanie truda: poisk reshenii [Productivity, organization and rationing of labor: the search for solutions], 108 p.
4. Kupriyanov A. N. 2011, Razvitiye rekrutinga na rynke truda v Rossii [Development of recruitment in the labor market in Russia], 26 p.
5. Dolzhenkova Yu. V. 2010, Ispol'zovaniye normirovaniya truda v rekrutinge [Usage of the rationing of labor in recruitment] Normirovanie I oplata truda v promyshlennosti - rationing and wages in the industry, vol. 2, pp. 30-32.
6. 1993, Spravochnik po normirovaniyu truda [Handbook of labor norms] / Pigarin A. A., Serov V. S. (eds.), vol. 1, 356 p.
Inna Anatol'evna Kul'kova,
Dr, Professor
Ural State University of Economics,
Yekaterinburg, Russia
Aleksandra Petrovna Bezrukikh,
postgraduate researcher
Ural State University of Economics,
Yekaterinburg, Russia