Staffing is the traditional management function of attraction and selection of the best people and putting them on job where their talents and skills can be best utilized, and retention of these people through incentives, job training and job enrichment programmers, in order to achieve both individual and organisational objectives. This emphasizes managing human and not material or financial resources.
Staffing is the function of human relationship in the organisational structure with competent staff. Staffing in that part of the management function which is concerned with people at work and with their relationship within the organisation.
1. Theo Haiman: "The staffing function pertains to the recruitment, selection, development, training and compensation of subordinate managers."
2. McFarland : "staffing is the function by which managers build an organization through the recruitment, selection and development of individual as capable employees."
3. S.Benjamin: "Staffing is the process involved in identifying, assessing,placing, evaluating and directing individuals at work."
Staffing is an important managerial function- Staffing function is the most important managerial act along with planning, organizing, directing and controlling. The operations of these four functions depend upon the manpower which is available through staffing function.
Staffing is a pervasive activity- As staffing function is carried out by all mangers and in all types of concerns where business activities are carried out.
Staffing is a continuous activity- This is because staffing function continues throughout the life of an organization due to the transfers and promotions that take place.
The basis of staffing function is efficient management of personnel- Human resources can be efficiently managed by a system or proper procedure, that is, recruitment, selection, placement, training and development, providing remuneration, etc.
Staffing helps in placing right men -at the right job. It can be done effectively through proper recruitment procedures and then finally selecting the most suitable candidate as per the job requirements.
Staffing is performed by all managers-depending upon the nature of business, size of the company, qualifications and skills of managers,etc. In small companies, the top management generally performs this function. In medium and small scale enterprise, it is performed especially by the personnel department of that concern.
1. Staffing function help in discovering of qualified and obtaining competent personnel for various jobs in the organisation.
2. Since the right person is recruited for the right jobs, it leads for maximum productivity and higher performance.
3. It promotes optimum utilization of human resources.
4. It increases job satisfaction and morale of the workers through adequate remuneration for each job.
5. Since the staffing helps to ensure maximum utilization of human resources exist the labour costs per unit or production will be reduced.
6. It ensures the continuity and growth of the organization, through development managers.
7. It help, business activities are not disrupted at any time due to shortage of competent workers or excess of workers. Because it forecasts the correct staff requirements for the present and for the long-term.
8. It leads to efficient functioning of the organization due to systematic programmes for the selection, training and appraisal of employees are required by proper staffing function.
9. The use of latest technology can be achieved by the right person, selected in the organization.
10. Employees now recognize the dignity of labour, there is awareness of the role of performing the staffing function well; management can show the significance it attaches to the human resource development.