Exam code: J204
What is not a benefit to a golfing equipment retailer of training its sales assistants?
To help staff give advice on which golf clubs to buy
To increase the sales of golf umbrellas and waterproof clothing
To motivate staff to assist customers who are trying on golf shoes
To reduce the time it takes to make golf bags and golf trolleys
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One benefit to a hospital of encouraging staff development is:
increased skill shortages
improved patient care
lower morale of doctors and nurses
more medical staff can be employed
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McDonald’s
Six weeks ago James saw an advertisement for a job at McDonald’s. He went into the restaurant and was given an application pack, including a job description, a person specification and a link to an online application form.
James completed the application form and emailed it to the restaurant. A manager then telephoned James and asked him to come for an interview at the restaurant. James had to bring his GCSE certificates to the interview. After the interview, James had to do a group activity where he was asked to complete a task as a member of a team.
James was very pleased to get a letter two weeks ago offering him a job. Included with the letter was a contract of employment, which he has to sign and bring with him on his first day of work. His starting wage will be £7.00 per hour, with a 10% increase after he has been fully trained.
Analyse one way in which McDonald’s could use each of these types of training for James.
(i) Induction training
[3]
(ii) On-the-job training
[3]
(iii) Off-the-job training
[3]
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McDonald’s
Six weeks ago James saw an advertisement for a job at McDonald’s. He went into the restaurant and was given an application pack, including a job description, a person specification and a link to an online application form.
James completed the application form and emailed it to the restaurant. A manager then telephoned James and asked him to come for an interview at the restaurant. James had to bring his GCSE certificates to the interview. After the interview, James had to do a group activity where he was asked to complete a task as a member of a team.
James was very pleased to get a letter two weeks ago offering him a job. Included with the letter was a contract of employment, which he has to sign and bring with him on his first day of work. His starting wage will be £7.00 per hour, with a 10% increase after he has been fully trained.
Recommend one type of training McDonald’s should use to train James on his first day at work. Give reasons for your answer.
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HSBC
HSBC offers a range of banking and financial services for personal and business customers. The bank has branches in many cities and towns across the UK.
Employing the best people is important to HSBC. It uses several methods to select new employees. Once appointed, all employees are offered training and development opportunities that include studying for academic qualifications such as degrees and professional diplomas.
Over 70% of HSBC’s call centre employees in the UK have begun working from home permanently. Before this change the employees worked together in a busy call centre. The tasks performed by call centre employees are varied, but include taking telephone calls from customers and completing administrative work, such as opening new bank accounts. Senior managers are now considering whether to introduce working from home for all of its UK call centre employees.
Explain three methods of training HSBC may use.
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HSBC
HSBC offers a range of banking and financial services for personal and business customers. The bank has branches in many cities and towns across the UK.
Employing the best people is important to HSBC. It uses several methods to select new employees. Once appointed, all employees are offered training and development opportunities that include studying for academic qualifications such as degrees and professional diplomas.
Over 70% of HSBC’s call centre employees in the UK have begun working from home permanently. Before this change the employees worked together in a busy call centre. The tasks performed by call centre employees are varied, but include taking telephone calls from customers and completing administrative work, such as opening new bank accounts. Senior managers are now considering whether to introduce working from home for all of its UK call centre employees.
Analyse one benefit for HSBC’s employees of studying for academic qualifications.
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Dyson
Disappointed with the performance of vacuum cleaners on the market, James Dyson thought he could design a better product. He started to create his first vacuum cleaner in the late-1970s. In 1984, after trying thousands of designs over several years, James Dyson launched a bagless vacuum cleaner in partnership with Amway, a US consumer goods manufacturer. This partnership did not work out, so James Dyson formed his own company in 1991.
Today, Dyson Ltd produces a range of home appliances including vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, heaters, hair dryers and lights. Creating new and innovative products continues to be important for the company, as seen by its expanding product range. The company has over 12 000 employees worldwide. Dyson Ltd has a unique organisational structure.
All new employees of Dyson Ltd go through an induction training programme. In addition, the company encourages employees to progress by offering apprenticeships and other staff development opportunities. James Dyson promotes careers in engineering, both in schools and in universities.
Analyse one likely reason why Dyson Ltd puts all new employees through an induction training programme.
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Dyson
Disappointed with the performance of vacuum cleaners on the market, James Dyson thought he could design a better product. He started to create his first vacuum cleaner in the late-1970s. In 1984, after trying thousands of designs over several years, James Dyson launched a bagless vacuum cleaner in partnership with Amway, a US consumer goods manufacturer. This partnership did not work out, so James Dyson formed his own company in 1991.
Today, Dyson Ltd produces a range of home appliances including vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, heaters, hair dryers and lights. Creating new and innovative products continues to be important for the company, as seen by its expanding product range. The company has over 12 000 employees worldwide. Dyson Ltd has a unique organisational structure.
All new employees of Dyson Ltd go through an induction training programme. In addition, the company encourages employees to progress by offering apprenticeships and other staff development opportunities. James Dyson promotes careers in engineering, both in schools and in universities.
Dyson Ltd offers apprenticeships as a method of staff development.
(i) Identify two other methods of staff development that a business could offer.
[2]
(ii) Evaluate whether or not Dyson Ltd should continue to offer apprenticeship opportunities.
[7]
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The manager of a petrol station uses on-the-job training to train new employees.
Which one of the following is a disadvantage of using on-the-job training to train three new sales assistants?
Likely to be more expensive than sending the employees on a training course
Motorists may experience lower standards of customer service
No petrol can be sold while the training takes place
The employees will be trained on different equipment to that at the garage
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Which of the following is not a form of staff development?
Academic qualifications
Apprenticeships
Induction
Vocational qualifications
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Waitrose
Waitrose is a supermarket chain with over 300 stores throughout the UK. Waitrose specialises in good quality food, targeted at customers with high levels of income. The company is owned by its employees, who receive a range of benefits including profit sharing. Waitrose continues to offer profit sharing to its employees, even though another UK supermarket chain has replaced this type of benefit with higher rates of pay.
Waitrose has over 50 000 employees. Many employees are recruited externally. As part of the selection process, potential employees take part in lengthy interviews, group activities and tests. References are requested for all new employees. Once appointed, all employees receive regular training.
The supermarket industry is very competitive, so new product development is important to Waitrose. Qualitative market research data is collected using methods including focus groups and customer trials. This data then needs to be communicated effectively between employees at Head Office.
Analyse one likely reason why Waitrose provides its employees with regular training.
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Gina is an employee on a dairy farm.
One benefit to Gina of staff development is:
higher profits
increased retention of farm workers
more opportunities for promotion
the animals will be better cared for
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Best Foot Forward Ltd (BFF)
Best Foot Forward Ltd (BFF) operates five stores in the north-west of England, selling shoes (such as ballet and tap) for adult dancers. Up until 2017, the business was growing, due to its reputation for quality products.
A new Managing Director, Jessie Thompson, was appointed six months ago to reverse the recent poor performance of the business.
BFF has never sold dance shoes for children and Jessie would like to expand into this market. Another business, specialising in selling children’s dance shoes, closed down three months ago. Jessie is also concerned by market research which suggests that customer service is poor in BFF’s stores. All store managers have been told to attend a five-day off-the-job training course on customer service.
To support the launch of the children’s range, Jessie plans to create a new position of Marketing Manager (Children’s Shoes) who will work alongside the Marketing Manager (Adults’ Shoes). This employee will be recruited internally, despite many former employees from the children’s shoe retailer which closed down still being out of work.
Table 1 gives some data about the recruitment of staff within BFF.
Table 1
Internal recruitment | External recruitment | |
Cost of recruitment | £500 | £2500 |
Number of days taken to fill the job | 20 days | 60 days |
Cost of induction | £200 | £1500 |
Analyse two benefits for BFF of using off-the-job training for its store managers.
Benefit 1......................................................................................................
Benefit 2.....................................................................................................
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Which of the following is a benefit to a business of using off-the-job training?
Large numbers of employees can be trained at the same time
Likely to be cheaper than on-the-job training
The training can take place while the employee is working
Workers need to be paid for time spent doing off-the-job training
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Redrow Homes
Redrow Homes is one of the UK’s leading housebuilders. Housebuilders, such as Redrow Homes, typically use self-employed construction professionals alongside their own employees.
Redrow Homes employs over 2300 people in a range of jobs including trades such as carpentry, plumbing and bricklaying. They also employ landscape designers, customer service administrators and sales advisors to sell the houses. The company is committed to staff development, with 15% of the workforce undergoing an apprenticeship or other formal training programme.
Redrow Homes has been named one of the ‘Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers’ for the last five years and was recently named the ‘Construction Industry Training Board Apprentice Employer of the Year’. At any one time the company employs at least 130 apprentices, as the company feels that it is an excellent way to find and develop young motivated staff. The company offers apprentices a clear career path whereby they gain qualifications alongside work experience and a good wage.
Analyse one benefit to Redrow Homes of using apprenticeships as a method of staff development.
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