Realistic Job

Introduction

Human Resource Incorporate (HRI) is a firm that provides Human Resource consulting services for different sizes and types of organizations and industries. At HRI, Human Resource Representatives (HRRs) are responsible for providing the utmost quality of consulting services. The qualifications for the HRR position are very extensive. It requires a bachelor's degree in Human Resources or a related field, a minimum of three years of Human Resources experience, Life, Accident, and Health licensure, and Professional Human Resource certification as well as the ability to travel locally about 65% of the time. A HRR is the main point of contact for HRI's clients. Whether applicants have extensive Human Resource experience or meet all job requirements, this position is not the typical Human Resources Generalist position that focuses only on the problems of one company. The HRR position is very unique, as it requires a well rounded knowledge in different aspects such as payroll, benefits, compensation, customer service, training, and sales.

Considering the significance of the HRR position to the success of HRI as well as the uniqueness of the position, the Human Resource Department (HRD) decided to investigate how the implementation of two aspects namely the recruitment source and the job preview method. Firstly the HRD wanted to measure the variance in an employee's job satisfaction and turnover rates according to the recruitment source they used. Applicants could have learned about the job informally (from a current employee) or formally (persons referred through a State employment Agency or other private agency, newspaper ad etc). Secondly the HRD wanted to see the impact of the job preview method. For this the applicants were administered to two job preview methods- the Realistic Job Previews (RJPs) and Traditional Job Previews (TJPs). The HRD studied its impact on job satisfaction and turn over.

The source of recruitment may have an important effect on an employee's job satisfaction and ultimately affect the turnover. Two explanations have been offered for differential effects of recruitment source. One, proposed by Wanous (e.g., 1980), is that different sources provide different amounts of realism about employment opportunities - a RJP effect. The other, offered by Schwab (e.g., 1982), provides an "individual differences" explanation. Schwab suggested that differential outcomes from different sources might mean no more than that different people use different sources.

According to Rynes, the source of the recruitment is extremely important in the making of the subsequent decisions alternatives on the job. (Rynes 1991). Based on recruitment, job choice, and post-hire consequences the HRI came up with a hypothesis that those applicants who approached the job through a formal recruitment source have higher satisfaction and hence lower turnover rates as compared to those applicants who use an informal source, ultimately resulting in lower job satisfaction and higher turnover rates (Exhibit 1).

EXHIBIT 1

The purpose of RJPs is to give applicants as much information about the job as possible so that they can make an educated decision regarding their suitability for the job. In order for the RJP to be successful, it must objectively outline not only the positive aspects of the job, but also the potentially negative or unique aspects of the job.

The next hypothesis suggested by HRI is that when employers provide realistic and detailed information, applicants are in a better position to assess their individual needs, qualifications, and motivations against the requirements of the actual job. As a result RJPs lead to job satisfaction and low turn over, as well as job satisfaction leads to low turn over (Exhibit 2).

EXHIBIT 2

RJPs may give the applicants a more realistic representation of the job. When their experience on the job matches their expectations, they are more likely to be satisfied and less likely to leave. RJPs provide a better association between applicant's job expectations and the actual job. According to the study done by J.P. Wanous, RJPs have a significant impact on the reduction of early turnover and can lead to substantial employee-replacement cost savings (Wanous 1989).

The last hypothesis that HRI suggested was that Traditional Job Previews (TJPs) impact low job satisfaction and high turn over. Consequently low job satisfaction leads to high turnover (Exhibit 3). It can be risky to provide a faultless job setting, once employees realize that their new jobs are not as presented it can create disappointed new hires. All these factors could contribute to low job satisfaction and possibly higher turnover. Showing job applicants only a happy picture of the job and organization is not the best approach. It is best to present applicants with a balanced picture of the position, the department, the workplace, and the organization culture.

EXHIBIT 3

Methods

The method implemented by the HRD consisted of a 20 minute videotape showing interviews with current employees. In these interviews employees described what they do on the job and their reactions to it. The reactions consisted of positive and negative aspects of the job and the work environment. On the other hand the TJP showed the same videotape without the negative reactions to the job and work environment.

Applicants were randomly selected and separated into two groups. One group coded 1 received a RJP, while the other group coded 0 received a TJP. They were also coded according to the recruitment source they used. The applicants who accepted the job from both groups were followed for three months. Employees that left HRI were recorded and those employees who remain were asked to complete a questionnaire asking about their adjustment to the job and organization.

Cases

For this particular study we took a sample of (n=300) employees. Off them 150 used the formal recruitment source while the other 150 used the informal source of recruitment. For the next step, a subset of (n=150) were chosen. To bring in the effect of the job preview method these employees were selected in a manner that ensures that 50% of them went through a RJP and the other 50% were exposed to TJP.

We gathered the data by providing the selected group (n=150) an 1800 number where they would answer a questionnaire with total anonymity. Fortunately all (n=150) were able to call and answer all questions. However there were