Staffing is the process of hiring eligible candidates in an organization or company for specific positions. In management, staffing is the operation of recruiting employees by evaluating their skills and knowledge and then offering them specific job roles accordingly. Let us find out more about what staffing is and what it entails, along with its functions and characteristics.

What is staffing?

Definition: Staffing can be defined as one of the most important functions of management. It involves the process of filling the vacant position with the right personnel at the right time for the right job. Hence, everything will occur in the right manner.

It is a truth that human resources are one of the greatest resources for every organization because, in any organization, all other resources like money, materials, machines, etc. can be utilized effectively and efficiently by the positive efforts of human resources.

Therefore, it is very important that each and every person get the right position in the organization so as to get the right job according to their ability, talent, aptitude, and specializations, so that it will help the organization achieve the pre-set goals in the proper way with the 100% contribution of manpower. Thus, it can be said that staffing is an essential function of every business organization. From this, we can understand what staffing is.

Functions of Staffing

1. The first and foremost function of staffing is to obtain qualified personnel for different job positions in the organization.

2. In staffing, the right person is recruited for the right jobs, which leads to maximum productivity and higher performance.

3. It helps in promoting the optimum utilization of human resources through various aspects.

4. Job satisfaction and the morale of the workers increase through the recruitment of the right person.

5. Staffing helps to ensure better utilization of human resources.

6. It ensures the continuity and growth of the organization through development managers.

Importance of Staffing

Efficient Performance of Other Functions

For the efficient performance of other functions of management, staffing is key. Since an organization does not have competent personnel, it cannot perform the functions of management like planning, organizing, and controlling functions properly.

Effective Use of Technology and Other Resources

What is staffing and technology’s connection? Well, it is the human factor that is instrumental in the effective utilization of the latest technology, capital, material, etc. The management can ensure the right kinds of personnel by performing the staffing function.

Optimum Utilization of Human Resources

The wage bill of big concerns is quite high. Also, a huge amount is spent on recruitment, selection, training, and development of employees.  To get the optimum output, the staffing function should be performed in an efficient manner.

Development of Human Capital

Another function of staffing is concerned with human capital requirements. Since the management is required to determine the manpower requirements in advance,. Therefore, it also has to train and develop the existing personnel for career advancement. This will meet the requirements of the company in the future.

The Motivation of Human Resources

In an organization, the behaviour of individuals is influenced by various factors, such as education level, needs, socio-cultural factors, etc. Therefore, the human aspects of the organization have become very important, and the workers can also be motivated by financial and non-financial incentives in order to perform their functions properly in achieving the objectives.

Building Higher Morale

The right type of climate should be created for the workers to contribute to the achievement of the organizational objectives. Therefore, by performing the staffing function effectively and efficiently, the management is able to describe the significance and importance that it attaches to the personnel working in the enterprise.

Characteristics of Staffing

People-Centered

Staffing can be broadly viewed as a people-centered function, and therefore it is relevant for all types of organizations. It is concerned with categories of personnel from the top to the bottom of the organization.

1. blue-collar workers (i.e., those working on the machines and engaged in loading, unloading, etc.) and white-collar workers (i.e., clerical employees).

2. managerial and non-managerial personnel.

3. Professionals (e.g., Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary)

Responsibility of Manager

Staffing is the basic function of management, which involves the manager being continuously engaged in performing the staffing function. They are actively associated with the recruitment, selection, training, and appraisal of his subordinates. Therefore, the activities are performed by the chief executive, departmental managers, and foremen in relation to their subordinates.

Human Skills

The staffing function is mainly concerned with different types of training and development of human resources, and therefore, managers should use human relations skills in providing guidance and training to their subordinates. If the staffing function is performed properly, then human relations in the organization will be cordial and mutually performed in an organized manner.

Continuous Function

The staffing function is to be performed continuously, which is equally important for a new and well-established organization. In a newly established organization, there has to be recruitment, selection, and training of personnel. As we compare that with the organization that is already running,  every manager is engaged in various staffing activities.