Answer to Question #278713 in Management for swetha

Question

What criteria should be used to determine which clerical employees should be retained? Identify and discuss 5 criterions with proper justifications. (5 marks)

Answer 1

A clerical worker keeps an office running smoothly and makes other employees focus on the most important roles. The following criteria can be used by an organization to decide the staff to retain during a lay-off process.

· Merit-based selection

This is where the poorly performing employees are the first to step out and it is an advantage to the managers. This ensures that an organization does not lose its most valuable assets in the process.

·        Skills-based selection

This is where the organization retains the employees who have skills most impactful it. For example, a clerk’s effectiveness in the use of new software compared to the rest.

·        Seniority based selection

This method normally uses the LIFO policy of last In First out. The most recent employees are the first to leave the organization. This is because recent hires have not in most cases become the organization's assets. It also avoids the issue of age discrimination.

·        Employee status

If there are part-time and full-time clerks, full-time employees are given security of their jobs by letting go of the part-timers first. This method is good if an organization wants to protect its legal liability.

·        Multiple ranking criteria

This is where a list of factors is prepared and assigned some weights. It is applied to all the individuals and the ones who rank highly are retained. The method literally combines the other selection criteria discussed.

Other criteria

Whether the employee is learning and retaining the information concerning the new software

Whether the employee can train others to use the new software or provide technical support if other employees have questions

Whether the employee is receptive to the change and the new direction the company is going.