INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

Individual Differences

Individual Differences

Introduction

This paper is based on a case study regarding a firm (such as ABC Company in this case) named ABC Company, which is losing its employees for various reasons. In this paper, the most suitable framework for the recruitment of able staff will be discussed that should be cost-effective for the firm (such as ABC Company in this case) in the long run. Also the paper will discuss the recruitment process with regards to individual differences among the employees.

As organizations (such as ABC Company in this case) began to grapple with issues of diversity, there is a need arising for ABC Company to understand the implications of the increasingly diverse workplace on organization (such as ABC Company in this case), work, and individual performance. Research has also sought to better understand the realities of diverse workers. There are two approaches to considering the relationship of workplace diversity to career development (Greenhaus, 2006).

Individual Difference Approach

The individual-difference approach takes a broad perspective about diversity and considers every form of difference as equally relevant and important to career development in diverse organizations (such as ABC Company in this case). Therefore, differences in personality and cognitive ability are equated to forms of difference that stem from race, culture, gender, or sexual orientation (Eyring, 2008).

The individual-difference perspective strives to be inclusive by expanding the criteria by which one falls under the diversity umbrella. The individual-difference approach is important in that it can attract majority group members, like White men, to diversity-related conversations and action planning. Although this approach may decrease resentment and backlash from the majority group, it may also antagonize minority group members, who may feel that their opportunities to be heard and seek justice are being co-opted in order to make majority group members feel comfortable (Collins, 2007).

Recruitment Process

The initial goal of recruitment efforts is attracting a pool of potentially qualified applicants to the organization (such as ABC Company in this case).

This pool is then screened until an appropriate number of candidates are offered employment. Recruitment activities include assessment of immediate and long-term employment needs, monitoring the labor market conditions, designing recruitment materials and methods, generating pools of qualified candidates, monitoring the effectiveness of different sources and methods of recruiting, follow-up with candidates regarding hiring decisions, and evaluation of the overall recruitment efforts. Legal issues like the definition of an applicant, company disclaimers, the nature of job advertisements, and misrepresentation of employment opportunities also come into play (Cable, 2001).

The firm (such as ABC Company in this case)'s recruitment processes influence other important outcomes in addition to the quality and the diversity of the applicants. Important outcomes relative to the recruitment process are the percentage of applicants that remain in the applicant pool during the recruitment process and the percentage of applicants who subsequently accept a job offer (Breaugh, 2006).

The first step in the recruitment process involves informing potential applicants of the job opening and encouraging high-quality applicants to apply for the ...