Analyse the benefits to a business of recruiting employees from outside the business.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Feb/Mar 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [7-8] Good analysis of the benefits to a business of recruiting employees from outside the business.
2. [5-6] Some analysis of the benefits to a business of recruiting employees from outside the business.
3. [3-4] Some application of the benefits to a business of recruiting employees from outside the business.
4. [1-2] Knowledge and understanding of employees/recruiting from outside the business.
5. Knowledge and Understanding 2 marks: Clear understanding of employees. Clear understanding of recruiting from outside the business.
6. Application 2 marks: Reference to the benefits of recruiting employees from outside the business/external recruitment.
7. Analysis 4 marks: External recruits bring in new ideas and practices. Increases intellectual capital of the business. Keeps existing staff focussed on the future. Encourages changes to existing methods and attitudes. Wide choice of potential applicants. Avoids resentment caused by seeing colleagues being promoted. High standard of applicants.
8. [9-12] Effective evaluation of whether the use of Herzberg's two factor theory could improve employee motivation in a school.
9. [7-8] Limited evaluation of whether the use of Herzberg's two factor theory could improve employee motivation in a school.
10. [3-6] Some analysis and application of the use of Herzberg's two factor theory to improve employee motivation in a school.
11. [1-2] Knowledge and understanding of Herzberg's two factor theory/motivation.
12. Knowledge and Understanding 2 marks: Clear understanding of Herzberg's two factor theory. Clear understanding of motivation.
13. Application 2 marks: Reference to the use of Herzberg's two factor theory in a business. Reference to improving employee motivation in a school.
14. Analysis 2 marks: How the use of specific hygiene factors (pay, working conditions, status, policy and administration, over-supervision, relationships) can improve employee motivation in a business. How the use of specific motivating factors (achievement, recognition, interesting work, meaningful work, advancement/promotion) can improve employee motivation in a business.
15. Evaluation 6 marks: A judgement/conclusion is made as to whether the use of Herzberg's two factor theory could improve employee motivation in a school. These judgements/conclusions may be made at any point in the essay not only in a concluding section. Evaluation might recognise that motivation could be achieved more effectively by using other theories of motivation. Some of these theories overlap to some extent with Herzberg's two factor theory, particularly Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Evaluation might recognise that it is not only the use of Herzberg's two factor theory but improving motivation by meeting the appropriate needs of different types of employee. Employees could be working purely for the money i.e. Taylor and therefore only the hygiene factors will apply. If these are acceptable to the worker, they will remain in the job but may not be motivated. Does this matter? Reference could be made to the cost of methods of motivation and whether non-financial methods may be the only viable option. The context is schools. There should be specific reference to schools, e.g. teachers, classrooms, head teacher/principal, pupils/students, admin/cleaning staff. What motivates an employee might depend on their role in the school e.g. principal, teacher, cleaner, caretaker. Evaluation may compare the relative effectiveness of different types of motivation and under what circumstances one method may be better than another e.g. a failing school, successful school, new school, free or fee-paying school, schools in different countries. Strong answers may refer to the dynamic environment within many schools and that there may be more emphasis on the performance, efficiency and accountability of human resources rather than their job satisfaction.