Employment Advertisement and Working Patterns

Part 1: Question 1

In response to essay 1, the tutor advocated using model materials as references to support and strengthen answers to module questions. Also, the tutor advocated using the OU site for guidance on in-text citations. Both responses were critical to this essay. First, I added more effort, read all the module materials, and referenced all that applied to this essay. All the ideas in the essay streamed from the module materials. Also, the OU site guided my in-text citations. The site offered more insightful knowledge on in-text citations in Harvard referencing. Thus, the tutor’s responses were critical in writing this essay.

Part 2: Question 2 Gig Work

Gig work, also called freelancing, involves hiring independent professionals or experts to work on a project. Gig workers provide either part-time or temporary services for a company.

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They are compensated according to the projects or services they perform for the company instead of long-term employment, where performance is measured according to output or input approaches. According to Ramanau & Fournier (2015), gig work has enabled businesses to access highly qualified workers from various parts of the world who can apply technical skills to complete projects in the required way (p. 6).

Opportunities for Gig Work

Gig work has many opportunities for workers. First, the system provides workers with flexible work schedules, enabling them to design them. For instance, the workers are free to choose where to work and when to work. As such, the workers can design their work schedule to give them time to look after personal affairs. The second opportunity is that the workers gain independence due to their sense of self-employment. Working as gigs enables workers to accept tasks when they have enough time to accomplish them. Also, the workers can turn down tasks they feel they cannot perform correctly. The third opportunity is that gig workers can supplement their skills and earn extra income from engaging in other activities (Ramanau & Fournier 2015, p. 6). The other opportunity that gig workers enjoy is work-life balance. By choosing the tasks, they can work on and at what time, gig workers have the opportunity to can attain a high level of work-life balance.

Threats of Gig Work

The first threat gig workers face is job insecurity. The workers are still determining if their current project will pay their bills for long. Additionally, the living workers are not provided other job-based benefits, including insurance and pension. Also, the workers may not enjoy rewards that long-term employees enjoy. For instance, payment in time encourages workers to keep chasing higher performance, which gig workers may not enjoy (Ramanau & Fournier, 2023, p. 2). The second threat is financial unpredictability. The earnings of gig workers vary based on the kind of tasks they perform. If the projects are bulk to provide enough money, the workers can avoid running broke (Ramanau & Fournier 2015, p. 6). Incidentally, some employers may exploit gig workers by paying little wages for complex projects.

Job Advertisement I

The job advertised in job advertisement 1 is a long-term employment opportunity. It is considered long-term employment rather than gig work because it is described as a permanent role. The benefits of the job are also listed as housing, fare money, and a set wage. The job also requires the successful candidate to work a 12-hour shift per day. Thus, this is normal employment and not gig work.

Job Advertisement 2

Job advertisement 2 is a gig job because of the following reasons. First, Bolt drivers will work on the Bolt platform, where they can pick tasks. The job also allows the drivers to work flexibly from their comfort zones. Also, the job does not have a minimum or maximum salary.

Question 3

Job Description and Person Specification

Job description and person specification play an important role in finding a person who can meet the advertised positions' obligations and requirements. The job description and person specification also play an important role in selecting the most suitable candidate, and they also help assess the workers' performance with time (Ramanau & Fournier, 2023, p. 4). A good job description details the vacancy's obligations, the required education, training, and work experience. Also, the job description section outlines prospective employees' expectations. On the other hand, a person's specification details the traits of the person likely to be successful, the characteristics, and the necessary skills required for the position. Some of the skills that may be outlined under the person specification are communication skills, technical skills, teamwork skills, and problem-solving skills. Employers usually use the person specification section to judge candidates and select the most suitable candidate.

Examination of Job Advertisement 1

Job advertisement 1 is brief and lacks crucial specifications that could guide an applicant to understand the job in a more detailed manner and judge whether the salary provided is enough. For instance, job advertisement 1 does not provide the job summary of the position, the required length of experience, and the conditions of employment. The absence of crucial person specification aspects like knowledge and experience may make it difficult for the company to evaluate the applicants properly and hence difficult to select the right candidate for the position.

Examination of Job Advertisement 2

Job advertisement 2 provides a more detailed job description and specific details of the required person. For instance, job advertisement 2 specifies the necessary education, training, and experience. Additionally, the advertisement describes the benefits the successful candidate will enjoy and the circumstances under which the driver will work. The person's characteristics are also well-highlighted. For instance, the job description specifies the expected skills for the position and personal traits such as politeness, accountability, and timeliness. The information is sufficient to enable the company to select the right person to work as a driver.

Of the two job advertisements, therefore, job advertisement 2 is more detailed and clearer than job advertisement 1. Whereas both job advertisements offer information about the positions open in both companies and their requirements, job advertisement 2 offers clearer information that will enable the company to select the right candidate and appraise his/her performance afterward.

Question 4

Improving the Job Advertisements

Job Advertisement 1

Job advertisement 1 can be improved by including the following description. First, the job should have a title. The title will let the applicant know the position he/she will hold in the company. Secondly, the advertisement should show the required level of education so that the company will use it to ensure that it employs the right person. The third description the advertisement needs to have is the culture of the company and training plans for employees. The details will enable the applicants to know their value in the company. Incidentally, the advertisement should offer a link to its website or official contact email for authenticity.

Job Advertisement 2

Job advertisement 2 needs more clear job description and personal specifications. Under the job description, the advertisement must outline the driver's obligations, including picking up passengers, dropping them off at their destinations, and providing security to customers. Any other administrative roles the company may assign. The advertisement should also describe the specific salary for workers and the benefits workers will enjoy. Under person specification, the advertisement should differentiate between the terms of the drivers that will offer their vehicles and those that will be provided with vehicles by the company.

Part 3: Question 5

Participation in Forum Activity

I participated in the forum discussing emerging trends in human resource management under recruitment. The knowledge I have gained through the B100 module guided my contributions in the forum, particularly on assessing people at work. In my contribution, managers are not the ideal parties to appraise their juniors at work due to the dwindling numbers of management layers in organizations and the flexibility of jobs due to increased gig work. Also, I posited that some projects touch on many organizational managers. It would be difficult to appraise performance on a task unfamiliar to a manager. In my conclusion, the appraisal should not be entirely peer-based, where members of a team working on a project appraise each other (Ramanau & Fournier, 2023, p. 5).

References

Ramanau, R., Fournier, V, 2023. Reading 10: Assessing people at work. In: B100 An introduction to business and management. s.l.:The Open University.

Ramanau, R., Fournier, V, 2023. Reading 11: Rewarding people for work. In: B100 An introduction to business and management. s.l.:The Open University.

Ramanau, R., Fournier, V, 2023. Reading 13: Designing flexible working patterns. In: B100 An introduction to business and management. s.l.:The Open University.