HR options discussion
When discussing HR options, it’s important to consider different perspectives and come to a consensus on the best approach. Explore various options and be open to alternative solutions beyond what is presented.
If there are any lines that are unclear or challenging to support, engage in a class discussion to determine the best course of action for each scenario. Use strong and weak language to express opinions, agreements, and disagreements effectively.
Engage in role-playing exercises where you and your partner take opposing positions on a specific line and option. Use persuasive language to defend your stance and be willing to compromise or find alternative solutions.
Recruitment options to discuss
- a longer shortlist – a shorter shortlist
- advertise vacancies in government job centres – advertise jobs in the press – advertise available positions online
- ask candidates to fill in application forms – accept CVs (= resumés)
- equal opportunities (= everyone has the same chance of getting the job) – positive discrimination/ affirmative action (= people from underrepresented groups such as women are more likely to get jobs), e.g. a quota for female directors
- fast-track new recruits quickly specialise – fast-track new recruits are trained to get a good general understanding of the whole company
- head-hunt directors (CIO, CTO, CFO, Head of…, etc) – promote middle managers
- interns doing basic jobs in the office – temp staff doing basic jobs in the office
- more applicants – fewer applicants
- more new graduate recruits – more mid-career recruits
- panel interviews – one-to-one interviews – joint interviews
- recruit directly – use recruitment agencies
- recruit from the best universities – recruit people with the most relevant degrees
- recruit people with language skills and teach the business skills – recruit people with business skills and teach them language skills
- recruit people with the right qualifications – recruit people with the right characters
- re-hire retired staff – hire more young people
- telephone interviews – video interviews – face-to-face interviews
Training
- online training – face-to-face training
- training courses – mentoring
Other HR options to discuss
- 18 months for staff to take their annual leave – 3 years for staff to take annual leave
- compulsory redundancies – voluntary redundancies
- core time – work in shifts – flexitime
- downsize – expand
- early retirement – last in first out
- internal management training – pay for staff to take MBAs
- long induction training – short induction training and then training on-the-job
- official warnings for bad behavior (bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, etc) – unofficial warnings for misbehavior – sacking (= firing/ dismissal) for misbehavior
- one annual appraisal meeting – semi-annual appraisal meetings – quarterly appraisals
- pay rises – more paid holidays
- rises in base pay – higher commissions
- team building by drinking together – team building by doing adventure sports together
- open plan office – cubicles/ partitions
- combined annual leave and sick days – separate annual leave and sick days
- hotdesking – designated desks for each person
- more maternity leave – more paternity leave
- more middle managers – more top managers
- shorter trial periods – longer probationary periods
- raise the retirement age – lower the retirement age
