📋 Admin & HR Executive Viva

Full Recruitment Cycle (End-to-End):

• 1. Manpower Requisition: Department head submits a request identifying the vacancy, job description, and required qualifications
• 2. Job Posting: Advertise internally (notice board, email) and externally (job portals, newspapers, social media)
• 3. Sourcing & Screening: Collect CVs, screen against minimum qualifications, create a shortlist
• 4. Written Test / Assessment: Aptitude tests, skill assessments, or case studies depending on the role
• 5. Interview: Preliminary (HR), technical (department), and final (management) rounds
• 6. Reference Check: Verify previous employment, conduct, and qualifications
• 7. Offer & Negotiation: Issue offer letter with salary, benefits, joining date, and terms
• 8. Onboarding: Orientation, policy briefing, documentation, workstation setup, buddy assignment

Key Metrics: Time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality-of-hire, offer acceptance rate.

Job Description (JD): Describes what the job involves.

• Job title and reporting structure
• Key duties and responsibilities
• Working conditions and location
• Salary range and benefits
• Example: "The HR Executive will manage recruitment, maintain employee records, and handle payroll processing"

Job Specification (JS): Describes who can do the job — the person profile.

• Required education and qualifications
• Experience level (years, industry)
• Skills (technical and soft)
• Physical requirements (if applicable)
• Example: "MBA in HRM, 2+ years experience, proficient in MS Office, excellent communication skills"

Relationship: JD focuses on the role; JS focuses on the candidate. Both are derived from Job Analysis — the systematic study of tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a position.

Internal Sources:

• Promotion: Elevating existing employees to higher positions
• Transfer: Moving employees to different departments/locations
• Internal Job Posting: Advertising vacancy to current employees first
• Employee Referral: Current employees recommend candidates

Pros: Faster, cheaper, boosts morale, known performance history, lower risk
Cons: Limited talent pool, may cause internal politics, no fresh perspectives

External Sources:

• Job portals (bdjobs.com, LinkedIn), campus recruitment, employment agencies, walk-in interviews, social media

Pros: Wider talent pool, fresh ideas, fills skill gaps
Cons: Expensive, time-consuming, higher risk, longer adjustment period

Best Practice: Use a combination — post internally first (3-5 days), then go external if no suitable internal candidate is found.

Termination (Section 26):

• Ending employment with proper notice or payment in lieu
• No misconduct required — employer's prerogative
• 120 days notice for monthly-rated workers
• Worker entitled to compensation: 30 days' wage for each completed year of service

Dismissal (Section 23):

• Ending employment due to proven misconduct
• Must follow proper inquiry process
• Misconduct examples: willful insubordination, theft, fraud, habitual absence, violence
• No compensation is payable on dismissal
• Worker can appeal to Labour Court within 30 days

Retrenchment (Section 20):

• Termination due to surplus workforce — "last come, first go" principle
• Must give 1 month notice
• Compensation: 30 days' wages for each completed year of service
• Must inform Chief Inspector of Factories
• If re-hiring within 1 year, retrenched workers get priority

Lay-off (Section 16): Temporary — employer unable to provide work. Worker gets 50% of basic + DA for first 45 days.

Legal Framework in Bangladesh:

• High Court Directive 2009 based on the Vishaka guidelines principle
• Bangladesh Labour Act 2006 (Section 332) — prohibition of sexual harassment
• 2018 Amendment — mandatory anti-harassment committees

What Constitutes Sexual Harassment:

• Unwelcome physical contact or advances
• Demand or request for sexual favors
• Sexually colored remarks or jokes
• Showing pornography or indecent materials
• Any unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature

Employer's Obligations:

• Form a 5-member Prevention Committee (headed by a woman)
• Display the policy prominently in workplace
• Conduct awareness training
• Complete investigation within 30 days
• Maintain confidentiality of complainant
• Provide protection against retaliation

Penalties: Fine up to BDT 25,000 for non-compliance. Criminal charges may also apply under Penal Code.

Payroll Components:

• Gross Salary: Basic + House Rent (usually 50% of basic) + Medical + Conveyance + Other allowances
• Deductions: Provident Fund (employee's share), income tax (TDS), loan deductions, absence deductions
• Net Salary = Gross Salary − Total Deductions

Payroll Process Steps:

• 1. Attendance Compilation: Days worked, overtime hours, leaves taken from attendance system
• 2. Salary Calculation: Compute gross pay, apply overtime, deductions, and bonuses
• 3. Tax Calculation: Compute TDS based on annual projected income
• 4. Payslip Generation: Issue individual pay statements
• 5. Bank Transfer: Process salary disbursement via bank advice/batch upload
• 6. Statutory Compliance: PF deposit, tax deposit to government
• 7. Reconciliation: Verify total disbursement against approved budget

Common Tools: HRIS systems (SAP HR, PeopleSoft, Zoho Payroll), or Excel-based for smaller organizations.

Provident Fund (PF):

• Retirement savings scheme — both employer and employee contribute
• Typically 10% of basic salary from each side (total 20%)
• Mandatory for organizations with 50+ employees (Labour Act)
• Employee can withdraw on retirement, resignation (after 5 years), or death
• Investment of PF fund is regulated — usually fixed deposits or government securities
• Tax benefit: Employee's contribution is tax-deductible up to a limit

Gratuity:

• Lump-sum payment at the end of service as a reward for long service
• Eligibility: Minimum 10 years of continuous service (Labour Act Section 28)
• Calculation: 30 days' wages × number of completed years of service
• Example: 15 years service, last basic BDT 40,000 → 40,000 × 15 = BDT 600,000
• If PF exists and employer contributes, gratuity is paid at half rate (15 days' wages per year)
• Payable on retirement, resignation, death, or retrenchment

Key Difference: PF is a monthly contribution from both parties; Gratuity is a one-time lump sum paid by employer at end of service.

Performance Appraisal is the systematic evaluation of employee performance against set objectives and competencies.

Common Methods:

• 360-Degree Feedback: Feedback from supervisors, peers, subordinates, and self. Most comprehensive but time-consuming
• KPI-Based (MBO): Measure against Key Performance Indicators agreed at start of period. Objective and quantifiable
• Rating Scale: Rate employees on predefined criteria (1-5 scale). Simple but subjective
• BARS (Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales): Combine rating with specific behavioral examples for each level
• Forced Ranking: Rank all employees — top 20%, middle 70%, bottom 10%. Controversial (used by GE historically)

Best Practices:

• Set clear, SMART goals at the start of the year
• Conduct quarterly/mid-year reviews — not just annual
• Document performance throughout the year
• Separate appraisal discussion from salary discussion
• Link appraisal outcomes to training needs, promotions, and rewards

PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) is a formal document outlining specific performance deficiencies and a structured timeline for improvement.

When to Use:

• Employee consistently underperforms against expectations
• After informal coaching has not produced results
• Before considering termination (legal protection for employer)

PIP Components:

• Performance Gap: Specific areas where performance is below expectations with evidence
• Expected Standards: Clear, measurable targets the employee must achieve
• Support Provided: Training, mentoring, resources, or reduced workload
• Timeline: Usually 30, 60, or 90 days
• Check-in Schedule: Weekly or bi-weekly progress reviews
• Consequences: What happens if improvement is not achieved (termination, demotion, transfer)

Outcomes:

• ✅ Employee improves — exit PIP successfully
• ⚠️ Partial improvement — extend PIP
• ❌ No improvement — proceed with termination following due process

Core Admin Functions:

• Office Management: Workspace allocation, cleanliness, supplies, equipment maintenance
• Vendor Management: Procurement, contract management, service agreements for cleaning, security, catering
• Asset Management: Inventory of furniture, vehicles, IT equipment — tracking, maintenance, disposal
• Fleet Management: Company vehicles — fuel, driver management, route planning, maintenance schedule
• Security: Access control, CCTV monitoring, visitor management, emergency protocols
• Event Management: Meetings, conferences, training sessions, corporate events logistics
• Correspondence: Incoming/outgoing mail, courier, filing, record management
• Compliance: Trade license renewal, fire safety certification, building permits, utility management

Modern Admin Tools: Google Workspace/MS365 for communication, ERP for asset management, biometric for attendance, facility management software.

Confidential HR Information Includes: Salary details, medical records, disciplinary records, personal identification, performance ratings, investigation reports.

Best Practices:

• Access Control: Restrict access to HR files — only authorized personnel. Use role-based access in HRIS systems
• Physical Security: Locked file cabinets for hard copies, controlled access to HR office
• Digital Security: Password-protected documents, encrypted email for sensitive data, regular backup
• Clean Desk Policy: Never leave employee files on desk unattended
• Communication: Discuss sensitive matters in private settings, not in open office areas
• Data Retention: Follow data retention policy — destroy records after defined period
• Training: Regular training for HR team on data protection and confidentiality obligations

Scenario Response: "If a manager asks me about another employee's salary, I politely decline and explain that salary information is confidential. I redirect them to discuss compensation framework with the HR Head through proper channels."

Approach — Professional and Policy-Based:

• Step 1 — Check Policy: Review the company's anti-nepotism/conflict of interest policy. Most organizations have guidelines about hiring relatives
• Step 2 — Communicate Policy: Politely inform the department head about the existing policy. "As per our HR policy section X, we have guidelines regarding employment of relatives"
• Step 3 — If Policy Allows (with conditions):
  • The relative must go through the standard recruitment process — no shortcuts
  • The relative must not report directly to the referring person
  • Declaration of conflict of interest must be documented
  • Merit-based evaluation — same criteria as other candidates
• Step 4 — If No Policy Exists: Escalate to management / recommend creating one. Draft a conflict of interest policy for approval
• Step 5 — Document: Keep written records of all communications and decisions

Key Principle: Never refuse rudely or create confrontation — redirect to policy and process. Your role is to ensure fairness and compliance, not to make personal judgments.