BUSS3 Key Term Glossary: Human Resource Strategies

An alternative to a court   of law in determining legal and employment disputes. Involves a specialist   outsider being asked to make a decision on a dispute

An organisational structure   where authority rests with senior management at the centre of the business

The process by which a   message or information is exchanged from a sender to a receiver

A way of mediating   industrial disputes to gain agreement without going to arbitration

Employees who are part of   the core workforce of a business – central to the business activities

An organisational structure   where authority is delegated further down the hierarchy, away from the centre

The process of removing one   or more layers from the organisational structure

The reduction in the scale   and resources of a business, usually involving job losses and/or the sale or   closure of business units

The range of employment   options designed to help employees balance work and home life (e.g.  part-time, job-sharing, Homeworking, annualised hours contracts)

Analysis of the difference   between the workforce needs or a business and its current capabilities

An approach to HRM based on   treating employees as resources in the same way as any other business   resource

Strategies for managing   people in order to achieve business objectives

Where a business finds it   does not have sufficient employees in number, or with the right skills and   experience, for its needs

Employees who are on the   fringe of the core workforce.  They are   not essential (core) workers, and their activities can often be outsourced or   provided using flexible contracting

An approach to HRM based on   treating employees as the most important resource in a business

The proportion of staff   that leave their employment with a business over a period – usually measured   over a year

Individuals work in groups   rather than focusing on their own specialised jobs

Organisations of employees   who seek to negotiate their employment terms through collective bargaining

How a business determines   how many and what kind of employees are required

A formal meeting of   employer and employees to consider issues affecting the business and   workplace – mandatory for larger businesses in the EU