1. Introduction:

Here in this present assignment, the researcher will try to review the existing HR practices of the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, the publisher of the largest circulating tabloid of Malaysia, Harian Metro. In doing so, the researcher will give specific attention to the company’s existing recruitment and selection process and human resource development (HRD) practices. By critically analyzing the existing recruitment and HRD practices of the firm, the researcher will propose necessary improvements to them. The researcher will also recommend effective employee motivation technique and change implementation process to New Straits Times Press.

2. Background of the Organization:

The Straits Times (Malaya) Berhad has first come into existence in 1966 soon after the introduction of the Companies Act of the Malaysian Government in 1965. The Straits Times (Malaya) Berhad has transferred its newspaper business of Malaysia to its wholly owned subsidiary, the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad in 1972 (Nstp.com.my, 2015). Since 1972, the subsidiary is successfully running the newspaper business of Malaysia with multiple publications like New Straits Times and Harian Metro. The vision of the company is to become the “best news media company in Malaysia” (Nstp.com.my, 2015). The company as a part of its mission statement tries to offer best possible news content to its readers. Besides giving maximum returns to its shareholders, the company has a strong commitment to recruit the best set of workforce and retain them by offering them a safe and healthy working environment. From the very mission statement of the company, it becomes clear that the company has great concern for its human capital. Now, it is essential to judge whether the company’s human resource management (HRM) activities are in proper shape to give the company an added edge in the highly competitive global marketplace.

3. Recruitment and Selection Process:

3.1 Present Recruitment and Selection Practices in New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad:

In the present recruitment and selection process of New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, a vacancy in an important organizational post is tried to be fulfilled by internal candidates at first. The ManagementBoard, which uses to look after the recruitment process of the firm, gives utmost preferences to the internal candidates whenever a vacancy emerges. In case a suitable internal candidate is not identified by the Board, it chooses the traditional path of finding eligible candidates through known sources. A job advertisement containing details of duties and minimum eligibility criteria is usually furnished in all the leading newspapers of the country. As New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad loves to keep pace with the growing demands of time, it also utilizes latest mediums for posting job advertisements like different job portals, social networking sites and so on. One of the major reasons behind utilizing social networking sites for the recruitment process of the company lies in the fact that this medium is largely used by young generation and New Straits Times Press has a strong liking for recruiting young and energetic individuals only (Philpott and Swettenham, 2012). The publishing house even posts the advertisement on its official website.

Besides offering a job to the external candidates, the Management Board even offers a chance to the internal employees of the firm to furnish the names of their acquaintances in the list of probable candidates who are going to be interviewed in the due course of time. By collecting CVs (Curriculum Vitae) both from the outside candidates as well as from the candidates who have the reference of any one of the existing employees of the company, the Board uses to send them to the line manager of the concerned department where the vacancy arises. It is the responsibility of the line manager to shortlist the CVs only of those candidates who are going to interviewed and inform them about the time and venue of the interview session. In addition to that, the line manager also has the responsibility to take the first round of interviews. The member of the Management Board in charge of the department where the vacancy arises usually takes the second round of interviews. Besides these, the candidates also have to give some practical tests in which the practical capability of the candidates are judged by placing them in real business situations.