The development of a model that incorporates ethics in the recruitment and selection process

Abstract

Effective recruitment&selection is of cardinal importance to any organisation, because it is a very expensive process and recruiting the wrong applicant can have a large cost implication for the organisation. Effective recruitment and selection also decrease staff turnover and increases productivity. To be able to give good customer service or deliver a good product, it is important for any organisation to recruit motivated, loyal and customer oriented employees. This starts by recruiting the most suitable candidate for the vacant position. Recruitment is the process of obtaining the most suitable candidates for a specific position. The selection process follows after recruitment. It is done by means of pre-selection, interviewing, testing&assessment as well as confirmation of references. The applicant forms its first impression of the organisation during the recruitment and selection process. This image can either be positive or negative and unrealistic expectations could also be formed by the applicant that can lead to conflict during his/her period of employment at the organisation. The process does not stop with the placement of the most suitable candidate. The newly appointed employee has to go through orientation and also receives the necessary training and development to be successful in the appointed position. According to the Labour Relations Act of 1956, employers had free reign with regards to the steps followed in the recruitment and selection process. There were no restrictions with regards to the inclusion of candidates in the recruitment and selection process. After the passing of the new Labour Relations Act of 1995, all employers had to revisit their recruitment and selection process. More questions arose, for instance : “Is this reasonable labour practice ?” and “When is it discrimination ?”. After the elections in 1994, aspects like affirmative action became a strong focus for all employers. Recruitment and selection became more complicated, especially after implementation of the Labour Relations Act of 1995. Employees received more information regarding their rights, which led to a situation where they insisted on reasons and feedback in cases where their applications were not successful.