Reference no: EM133029959

Case Study

You are assessing the performance of a Regional Operations Manager, Thomas. Thomas (and the Regional Financial Manager, Roger) has a high staff turnover in his section, so he is frequently engaged in recruitment, especially for clerical personnel who look after product ordering. He usually conducts the interviews together with Roger, and the successful Students are channeled to operations or finance according to their skills and current openings. 

The quality of the students employed by this process has been, in general, very good and this is partially responsible for the high turnover as these staff tend to move on to other sections or locations. Unfortunately, both Thom and Roger have continuously failed to make their workplace diversity targets and there has been some grumbling about their unorthodox interviewing techniques. 

The regional personnel manager, Julia, has reported that Thomas and Roger usually start an interview asking applicants what rugby team they support and what they think about the latest test cricket match. Thomas says that this is just his way of getting Students away from the standard, practised interview responses - he doesn't care which team they follow. Nevertheless, Julia is concerned that there might be a gender, cultural and racial bias in this interview approach. 

Questions: 

1. Bearing in mind national and state anti-discrimination, diversity and equal opportunity legislation, is there a problem with this interview technique?

2. What correct approach to managing the recruitment interview process would you would you recommend to Thomas and Roger? 

3. With bibliography