4 Major Environmental Factors Influencing Selection

The selection process is influenced by environmental circumstances. These environmental factors influencing selection are as follows:

Environmental factors influencing the selection

The Environment of the Organization

The nature of the organization that is doing the selection can have t profound effect on the selection process. For example, the way the private sector selects personnel and the way the public sector selects differs because of dissimilarities in the kinds of organizations and the environments that typify these sectors. In the public sector, selection traditionally has been made on the basis of either political patronage or merit. 

Pure ‘merit’ selection (choice based only on the employee’s excellence in abilities and experience) is an ideal that systematic personnel selection tries to achieve but seldom does.

  • Other aspects of the organization affect selection: Its size, complexity, and technological volatility. It is costly to develop and use systematic, reliable, and valid personnel selection techniques, so generally, only large organizations can afford to use these techniques. But even large organizations must be stable both in technology and jobs; otherwise, it will not be cost-effective. In sum, the size, complexity, technological volatility, and nature of the organization will influence the selection techniques that are c for the organization.

2. Nature of the Labor Market

The second factor affecting the selection decision is the labor market with which the organization must deal. The labor market for the organization is affected by the labor market in the country as a whole.

It is further affected by the working conditions the organization offers, the job itself, and the organization’s image. Those who work in personnel analyze this labor market factor by using a measure known as the selection ratio:

Environmental Factors Influencing Selection
4 Major Environmental Factors Influencing Selection

If the selection ratio is 1:1, the selection process is short and unsophisticated; if the selection ratio is 1:44, the process can be quite detailed. When there is a larger ratio, it also means the organization can be quite selective in its choice.

3. Union Requirements

There are many organizations that are unionized, either ‘fully or partly, and in such instances, union membership prior to hiring or shortly thereafter is a factor in the selection decision.

At times, employee unions in their contracts with the organization require that seniority (experience at the job with the organization) be the only criterion, or a major one, in selection. Thus, you would see that in many ways, openly and subtly, a union can affect an organization’s selection process.

4. Government Regulations

What is important is whether a practice is likely to have an adverse impact on a prospect because of her or his age, race, sex, religion, or national origin.

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