2. HRCI- SPHR Talent Planning & Acquisition

Organizations have three options for locating the talent they need to achieve business goals: internal transfers or promotions, external hires, and what? A. Alternative staffing methods B. Contingent workforce C. Temporary employees D. Job bidding

A. Alternative staffing methods include several options to support workforce-planning efforts. They include hiring contract workers, such as a contingent workforce, job sharing, part-time employees, and interns.

What should be the primary purpose of an organization that chooses to use an in-basket test for selection? A. That the test has a clear purpose B. That the test is not too complicated C. That the test is simple to measure D. That the test be duplicable among applicants

A. An in-basket test is a useful tool to assess how a candidate would handle typical tasks associated with the position for which they are applying. It is important that the test have a clear purpose, both so the applicant understands what is being asked of them and to ensure that the test is a valid predictor of successful on-the-job behaviors.

Which stage of the organizational life cycle is most affected by anticipatory socialization activities? A. Selection B. Onboarding C. Training D. Performance management

A. Anticipatory socialization occurs outside the context of employment. It occurs most often during the recruiting and selection phase of the employee life cycle, when a candidate is considering how working for an organization may be. It is part of determining fit for both the applicant and the employer.

A review of any pending employment litigation against a company with the potential to be acquired is an example of what senior-level HR activity? A. Due diligence B. Fiduciary responsibility C. HR audit D. Risk assessment

A. Due diligence is a step in the merger and acquisition process that involves analyzing all aspects of the business being acquired. This includes a review of records related to human resources, operations, finances, sales, and marketing.

Your customer service employees are exhibiting signs of stress and job burnout. When asked what they think the challenges are, they describe frustration at having to be "on" all the time, such as having to be polite to extremely difficult customers. This is an example of what facet of emotions at work? A. Emotional labor B. Emotional contagion C. Emotional intelligence D. Emotional burnout

A. Emotional labor occurs when service or other employees are required to mask their true feelings in service of the customer. Studies have found that employees who have heavy loads of emotional labor are more likely to experience feelings of stress and job burnout.

Teamwork, communication, and customer focus are all examples of which of the following criteria being predicted in an interview? A. Job competencies B. Abilities C. Knowledge D. Skills

A. Job competencies guide interviewers in formulating questions that elicit information beyond specific tasks and responsibilities assigned to a specific job.

Which of the following variables has the most significant impact on whether managers believe layoff decisions were fair? A. Belief in procedural justice B. Amount of severance packages C. Personal control over the decisions D. Confidence in other leadership

A. Managers who perceive that the procedures used to make decisions related to downsizing were unfair and who are unable to express their views on the layoff decisions made are more likely to suffer from a lack of organizational commitment. They are also less effective at managing through the changes that the new structure requires.

Which of the following would be your best choice to use when making a business case for succession planning? A. Succession planning may help offset future leadership vacancies that occur because of attrition. B. Succession planning is less expensive than hiring talent from external sources. C. Succession planning may reduce turnover for protected-class individuals. D. All of the above.

A. Succession planning's primary outcome is to fill leadership vacancies, whether because of the achievement of strategic growth targets or simply because of the natural attrition that occurs at all leadership levels.

Your employer has asked your HR team to begin the process of building their brand as the "employer of choice." Which of the following questions should you ask your leadership team to help facilitate this objective? A. How do the mission, vision, and values influence organizational decision-making with regard to employee programs? B. What is most important to employees? C. Why are candidates attracted to the company, and what are the priorities for retaining all workers? D. What is the organization's strategic direction?

A. The leadership team can be a powerful source of information as it relates to how they use the company mission, vision, and values (MVV) to shape employee programs. Particularly when building an employer brand, the MVV can guide the direction of the message, helping to attract a qualified workforce and retain qualified workers.

The management team of the Australian division of a multibillion-dollar organization is staffed only with expatriates from the corporate base in New York. This is an example of which type of global staffing strategy? A. Ethnocentric B. Polycentric C. Regiocentric D. Geocentric

A. When the ability of a multinational organization to maintain close control of its global business units is a priority, companies may use the ethnocentric approach to staffing. Having expatriates who understand the culture and corporate mandates can ensure that those priorities are reflected abroad.

When considering an internal promotion to an international assignment, which of the following would most likely improve retention? A. Provide a realistic job preview. B. Offer cross-training. C. Provide a senior-level, international job title. D. Pay a sign-on bonus.

A. While all of the options may improve retention to some degree, the best answer is to ensure that a proper fit is made prior to making an internal transfer—locally or internationally. Retention may be improved when the employee is provided with a realistic view of the job and both the short- and long-term opportunities.

An employer administered a test to current salespeople to measure their skills related to the specific criteria of their jobs. They administered the test right around the time of annual performance appraisals and had a professional test validation group compare the results. Those who rated highest on their performance reviews were also those who received the highest test scores. The company decides to use the same test to predict the success of future sales hires. This is an example of which validation method? A. Construct B. Concurrent C. Content D. Reliability

B. Concurrent validity is similar to predictive validity in that it compares the test scores of a group to their performance on the job. In predictive validity, it is compared at a future time. In concurrent validity, it is compared at the same time as the test is administered.

School alumni sites, personal networks, and professional Internet networks are all examples of which of the following external recruiting tools? A. Union job boards B. Social media C. Career websites D. Virtual reality

B. Social media is the use of a network of individuals based on shared personal or professional characteristics.

If a supervisor complains that it is taking HR too long to find qualified candidates for an open position, which of the following metrics will best define your response? A. Cost-benefit B. Time-to-hire C. Return on investment D. Turnover analysis

B. A time-to-hire calculation is computed based on the date the job was posted and the date a job is accepted by a new employee. In this scenario, the calculation will serve to determine whether the complaint is valid.

How does the U.S. president pass labor laws without the approval of Congress? A. Interpret labor laws B. Proclaim executive orders C. Rule on court cases D. Study case law

B. All three branches of the U.S. government influence the legal and regulatory climate in which HR operates. Congress (legislative branch) may pass or amend a law. The U.S. president (executive branch) may enact an executive order. The courts (judicial branch) may interpret court cases, providing insight into compliance.

You have been working diligently to help your company finalize an acrimonious acquisition of a major competitor, and in doing so discovered that the soon-to-be-acquired organization has very lax HR systems in place. What should be your first step to address this issue? A. Hold training sessions for the acquired employees on your policies, procedures, and work rules. B. Analyze elements of both cultures, meeting with the executive team to identify what should stay, go, or be refined. C. Adopt the practices that are most legally defensible and less risky while employees adapt. D. Nothing, because there will conflict regardless, so it would be best to wait and see where the fires start and begin there.

B. Cultural compatibility is a major area that HR must manage during mergers and acquisitions. It is important to take an analytical approach to ensure all perspectives and outcomes are being considered, not just the status quo.

Executive Order 11246 prohibited employment discrimination based on which of the following protected-class characteristics? A. Gender, age, religion B. Race, color, national origin C. Race, ethnicity, age D. Race, sex, religion

B. EO 11246 in 1965 prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, and national origin. EO 11375 amended 11246 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

When an employee smiles at a co-worker and the co-worker smiles back, this is an example of what characteristic of emotions at work? A. Emotional labor B. Emotional contagion C. Emotional intelligence D. Emotional burnout

B. Emotional contagion occurs when an employee's job attitude "infects" others—in a positive or negative way. By sharing this information with employees, they may experience a stronger degree of control over the attitudes and morale of the people they work with.

An employee claimed on a popular review site that her employer discriminated against her based on her sexual orientation. She subsequently was fired for performance issues, which she denied. Which of the following statements is true? A. The employee was a victim of constructive discharge. B. The employee may have a claim of unlawful retaliation. C. The employee was discriminated against for concerted protected activity. D. The employee was unlikely to have been a victim of discrimination.

B. Employee digital conduct—including posting reviews, complaining about wages, and even having negative things to say about the company—may in fact be protected activity. The case filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against IXL Learning Inc. is just one example of how a protected-class worker may be the victim of unlawful retaliation based on their digital behavior.

During the redesign of an order entry position, a task was added to "cc the department manager for all orders placed over $500 and for which payment is not immediately received." This is an example of which job design technique? A. Vertical loading B. Horizontal loading C. Autonomy D. Task identity

B. Horizontal loading is a job design technique that adds to existing tasks without a change in title, authority, or decision-making. When used properly, it can increase the motivating potential of a job; otherwise, the enrichment opportunity is perceived more as micro-managing.

What behavior is the following question trying to predict in an interview: "When you feel strongly about something, what methods do you employ to persuade others to see your point of view?" A. Emotional intelligence B. Negotiation skills C. Interpersonal skills D. Customer service skills

B. Interview questions are another type of pre-employment test designed to predict future behavior on the job. In this case, the question is asking about a person's power of persuasion, or ability to negotiate for what they need or want.

Which of the following is often the first form of training a new employee receives? A. Safety B. Socialization C. Technical D. Compliance

B. Organizational socialization is both a formal and informal process of helping new hires acclimate to their new work roles and job responsibilities. It includes helping the employee acquire the necessary knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to be successful.

Why should job descriptions be signed off on and approved by supervisors? A. To hold the supervisor accountable to the outcomes B. To verify their accuracy C. To ensure that the managers know what is expected of their employees D. The employee, not the supervisor, should be the one to sign off on job descriptions.

B. Supervisors should sign off on job descriptions to ensure that they are an accurate reflection of the needs of the job. While it is also important to have employees verify the accuracy of the job description, they may inflate the importance of the work or the knowledge necessary to get the job done.

The executive directive of a shelter for women and children who have been victims of domestic abuse is most likely to be motivated by which job design characteristic? A. Task identity B. Task significance C. Skill variety D. Autonomy

B. Task significance is the degree to which a person's job has a positive influence on a higher purpose or cause. While some jobs may be inherently difficult and thus demotivating, helping employees relate their position to a purpose can improve job attitudes and outcomes.

Which of the following "Big Five" personality characteristics is most often correlated with work success when hiring for all positions? A. Agreeableness B. Conscientiousness C. Low neuroticism D. Openness

B. The Big Five personality factors include traits of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (OCEAN). Researchers consistently have found that the trait of conscientiousness is a valid predictor of on-the-job success.

Which of the following guidelines were jointly developed by the EEOC, CSC, OFCCP, and DOJ to assist employers in complying with federal EEO legislation? A. Executive orders B. Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures C. Equal Employment Opportunity Fact Sheets D. Opinion letters

B. The UGESPs were jointly developed to help employers comply with EEO laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and EO 11246. They provide employers with compliance guidelines for the use of selection tests in a nondiscriminatory manner.

If part of an organization's strategic plan is to increase sales by 15 percent, which of the following workforce planning strategies might HR recommend? A. Train and develop the sales staff. B. Increase the sales staff. C. Evaluate the compensation plans for the sales force. D. Review the price structure of the products.

B. While all of the answers may come into play in the execution of this strategy, hiring is the best choice in the category of workforce planning.

Of the following choices, which is most important when developing an employer brand? A. Matching the organization's external branding look and feel B. Defining the value proposition C. Creating a professional logo and tagline D. Communicating the company values

B. While all options to some degree are necessary in establishing the employer brand, defining the employer value proposition is the most important on the list. The value proposition provides individuals with a view of the unique qualities of the employer, attracting like-minded candidates and helping to engage the existing workforce.

Which of the following staffing strategies would be most beneficial for a company seeking to fill difficult-to-fill IT positions? A. Employ a continuous recruitment process. B. Hire contract workers to fill in until hires are made. C. Shift their company's IT services overseas. D. Promote employees from within.

B. With the ever-increasing difficulty of finding certain skillsets, such as marketing and information technology professionals, there has been a surge in "gig" jobs and project work. This strategy is an effective way for HR to help serve critical business needs until a more long-term solution can be found.

Which of the following is a characteristic of employees who remain after a company makes major layoffs? A. Their productivity increases. B. Their job attitudes improve. C. Their productivity decreases. D. There are no changes.

C. "Layoff survivors" are not exempt from the psychological impact that downsizing has on individuals. Research suggests that post-layoff, the remaining employees often are less productive, less trusting of the company, and more likely to report anxiety and job-related stress.

A position has just opened up in the sales department in the organization for which you work. This was the third sales representative to hold the job in as many years, and the exit interviews indicate that the job requirements are unrealistic. Which of the following strategies should you recommend first? A. Interview the supervisor of the workgroup B. Change recruiting sources C. Conduct a thorough job analysis D. All of the above

C. A job analysis provides the foundation for identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to achieve specific results in an organization. If the organizational objectives are not being met, a job analysis is a useful tool to begin a needs analysis for proper recruiting and retention of qualified staff. A job analysis includes interviewing other staff and supervisory personnel. Changing recruiting sources may be necessary once a diagnosis has been made.

The job group analysis is organized using which of the following categories? A. Employee names B. Total number of incumbents C. Job titles D. Salary grade

C. A job group analysis is a component of an affirmative action plan (AAP) that places job titles with similar duties and responsibilities into groups for analysis.

Private employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors or subcontractors with 50 or more employees, must submit which of the following reports? A. Headquarters report B. Consolidated report C. EEO-1 report D. Diversity report

C. An EEO-1 report compiles statistical information related to specific employment data. It must be filed on or before September 30. Employers with operations at a single location or establishment complete a single form. However, those who operate multiple locations may have to complete a headquarters report, an establishment report, an establishment list, a consolidated report, or a combination, depending on specific criteria.

In succession planning, which of the following comparisons is the best example of a gap analysis? A. An employee's current skillset compared to their current job B. An employee's current skillset compared to the availability of similar talent in the labor market C. An employee's current strengths compared to their current weaknesses D. An employee's current role compared with their future interests

C. Analysis is a significant part of the succession planning process. In a gap analysis, HR will seek to identify potential workers for future roles and design development programs to increase their skills or mitigate their weaknesses to prepare them for the next position.

By dividing the average number of total employees for the measurement period by the number of employees who exited the organization, you will identify which of the following? A. Replacement rate B. Time to hire C. Turnover rate D. Average tenure

C. Calculating the turnover rate for a company or a department provides HR with a benchmark. This benchmark allows for company-wide comparisons of turnover by department or by job title, alerting HR to potential intervention needs where applicable.

Implementing diverse recruiting practices has been shown to have significant influence on which of the following outcomes? A. Less conflict in the workplace B. Higher levels of productivity C. Greater creativity on teams D. Lower labor costs

C. Diverse work groups have been shown to increase creativity and innovation on work teams. Improving an employer's recruiting practices may include redesigning jobs so the requirements are not so exclusive and training interviewers to avoid bias in selection procedures.

Family-related issues remain the primary barrier for the company you work for in terms of hiring for international assignments. Which of the following strategies would best address that obstacle? A. Provide a realistic job preview to potential international assignees. B. Tie compensation to home country growth and tax burden. C. Help potential assignees understand the school system in the international location being considered. D. Avoid offering international assignments to female employees, especially in countries with high risk.

C. Family-related obstacles to international placements remain the primary barrier for employees when considering international assignments. For this reason, it makes sense for HR to help potential placements have a clear idea of what kind of acclimation support will be available both for the candidate and for their partner, and a good sense of education and housing facilities that will be available while overseas.

What is the main idea behind an employer's choice to use previous work experience as a job requirement? A. It is important to remain consistent with other employers in the same/similar industry B. Applicants with similar work experience to the job for which they are applying will have a shorter learning curve C. Past performance predicts future performance D. All of the above

C. Gathering historical data on applicants is generally an employer's attempt to predict future behavior. The assumption is that an individual will apply similar skills/ knowledge and perform in the same/similar way in their new role.

Which of the following landmark court cases is being violated in the following scenario? An employer relied on a series of pre-employment tests in making selection decisions. As a result, certain protected-class individuals were not hired. These tests had been validated by the subjective ranking of supervisors and couldn't be tied to job-related performance criteria. In addition, they had not been used consistently. A. Automobile Workers v. Johnson Controls, Inc. B. Washington v. Davis C. Albemarle Paper v. Moody D. Griggs v. Duke Power

C. In Albemarle Paper v. Moody, the courts established that test validation must be in accordance with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESPs). Subjective supervisor rankings aren't sufficient for validation, and the rankings must be tied to job-related criteria.

Which of the following types of alternative staffing methods allows two people with complementary skills to share the duties and responsibilities of a full-time position? A. Internships B. Part-time workers C. Job sharing D. Payrolling

C. Job sharing is a type of alternative work schedule that allows an employer to reach a broader pool of qualified candidates. It fills a full-time position with two part-time workers.

The high-tech company for which you work has discovered that 65 percent of its employees are men. It has established a strategic objective to reach out and hire more women in both the short term and the long term. Which of the following strategies would you recommend? A. Increase the pay rates to attract more qualified workers B. Recommend an employee daycare center to your management team C. Partner with schools and other agencies to help remove barriers to girls excelling in STEM domains D. Establish hiring quotas that give all female applicants priority

C. One of the primary reasons for the shortage of women in technology roles is simply the lack of females in the qualified labor pool. Creating a long-term pipeline by working with state and local agencies and schools to expand the labor pool is the best option from the possible answers.

It has been found that a large percentage of the workforce is expected to retire within the next five years. For which of the following strategies should you plan? A. Attrition rates B. Hiring practices C. Succession planning D. Outsourcing

C. Succession planning is a useful practice in response both to demographic shifts and to organizational growth needs. It is particularly helpful for backfilling critical or difficult-to-fill positions.

Which of the following agencies is responsible for enforcing executive orders (EOs) related to unlawful discrimination in companies doing business with the federal government? A. Department of Labor B. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission C. Office of Federal Contract Compliance D. All of the above

C. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP) enforces EOs. It is tasked to ensure that equal employment opportunities are afforded by federal agencies and private businesses that contract or subcontract with those agencies.

Storing legible copies, preventing unauthorized access, creating provisions for backup, and indexing of data are all recommendations for which of the following workforce practices? A. Personnel file management B. Data integrity C. Electronic storage of records D. Compliance with labor laws

C. The electronic storage of records is becoming a more popular practice in all areas of organizational operations. For HR, this means that preserving the integrity, accessibility, and security of documents, such as Forms I-9 and W-4, must be a top consideration.

You are tasked with designing a selection battery for general surgeons at the major hospital for which you work. You have decided that the new hire must pass a medical knowledge test, have a minimum of 3.8 GPA from any schools they attended, and receive an above-average first interview score before you will move the candidate forward in the hiring process. This is an example of which selection strategy? A. Precision B. Distinguishing characteristics C. Multiple cutoff D. Specificity

C. The multiple cutoff approach in an interview is especially useful for critical positions within a company. This approach requires candidates to pass all factors related to job performance; a high score in one area cannot make up for a high score in another area.

Your company uses realistic job previews and onboarding plans to help a new hire understand what is expected and what to expect of their new role. This is an example of an activity at which stage of acculturation? A. Anticipatory B. Assimilation C. Pre-entry D. Metamorphosis

C. The pre-entry stage of organizational socialization/acculturation is when the new hire begins to understand the realities of their new role. The employee begins to get a sense of both the written and unwritten rules at work and undertakes impression management activities to influence how they are seen by others.

A supervisor interviewed an applicant for an open position and gave a high rating because the supervisor and the applicant went to the same college. This is an example of which type of interviewer bias? A. Stereotyping B. First impression C. Similar to me D. Negative emphasis

C. The similar-to-me error occurs when a rater overlooks negative aspects of a candidate because they share an interest or other characteristic.

Hiring tools such as situational judgment tests, assessment centers, and biodata are collectively known as which of the following? A. Assessments B. Predictors C. Selection battery D. Valid predictors

C. There are several pre-employment tests that are available for HR practitioners to use; a selection battery includes the set of predictors (tests) that an organization uses to make hiring decisions.

When a company chooses to outsource existing staff to an outsourcing provider, who becomes the employer of record? A. The company and the outsourcing provider become co-employers. B. The company C. The outsourcing agency D. Nobody; they are considered independent contractors.

C. When employees are acquired by an outsourced provider, they're terminated from the organization and hired by the new company. Co- or joint-employment issues are certainly important, and they should be addressed through other HR efforts.

What is the primary purpose of defining the essential job functions? A. To collect data for use in formulating workforce planning strategy B. To identify gaps in employee desired and actual performance C. To comply with equal employment labor laws D. To provide the platform for a performance management system

C. While EEO laws do not specifically require job descriptions in and of themselves, they do serve to help employers comply. Defining the essential functions of each job helps employers in the recruiting and selection process by identifying the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities required for satisfactory performance of the job.

If the multinational company for which you work has instructed your recruiting team to place the best-qualified person in each management position regardless of their country of origin, they are practicing which of the following staffing strategies? A. Ethnocentric B. Polycentric C. Regiocentric D. Geocentric

D. A geocentric staffing strategy does not make country of origin a priority when making staffing decisions. It focuses on building a management team that is internationally capable. Polycentric strategies focus on hiring citizens of the local country, whereas regiocentric strategies are geared toward hiring within a particular region.

"Ready for promotion," "develop for future promotion," "satisfactory in current position," and "replace" are all categories that may be reflected on which of the following succession planning tools? A. Ranking performance evaluations B. Attrition rates C. Turnover analysis D. Replacement chart

D. A replacement chart is used as a tool for effective succession planning, broken down within the current organization, usually by department. It allows for a broad view of where the talent is in their stages of professional development.

Which of the following age groups make up the fastest-growing segment of the labor force? A. Generation X B. Millennials C. Generation Z D. Baby boomers

D. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers older than 65 continue to dominate the applicant pool. In fact, the number of workers age 65 and older who are still working is expected to continue to increase through 2024. For HR, this means ensuring that their employee acquisition practices are not heavily oriented toward younger workers to avoid age discrimination and to not miss out on highly qualified workers.

A pre-employment test was used to predict the success of candidates in making statistical math calculations. Over the course of a year, employees who scored high on this test were rated higher by their supervisors than the employees who did not score as well. This test is most likely what? A. Reliable B. Valid C. Unreliable D. Both A and B

D. According to the UGESPs, reliable tests produce consistent results over time. Validity studies are used to show that pre-employment tests are valid predictors of future success on the job.

Which of the following is not considered a pre-employment test? A. An application B. Paper and pencil test C. Personality assessment D. They are all pre-employment tests.

D. Any pre-employment requirement that a candidate must pass through is considered a test under the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. For example, paper or digital applications have been identified as tests by the EEOC, subject to requirements that the information collected is both job-related and a valid predictor of future success on the job.

The company for which you work is hiring 100 call center employees. A total of 395 applications were received from female candidates, of which 52 were hired. A total of 255 applications were received from males, of which 48 were hired. What percentage of women were hired, and what percentage of men were hired? A. 18 percent, 14 percent B. 7.6 percent, 5.30 percent C. 14 percent, 20 percent D. 13 percent, 19 percent

D. Calculating the percentage of hires is a necessary first step in determining whether adverse impact has occurred. It helps employers evaluate how well or poorly they are doing in meeting their affirmative action goals as well. This percentage is calculated by dividing the number of applicants hired by the total number of applicants. In this scenario, the calculation for the women is 52/395, or 13 percent. For the men, the proper calculation is 48/255, or 19 percent.

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of hiring talent from the external labor market? A. Current employees who have been passed over for promotion will likely have lower morale. B. It is difficult to predict how the organizational culture will factor into the employee's success. C. It is difficult to identify the actual versus stated skillset of the worker. D. If there is an urgent need for someone with particular skills, it's usually faster to hire those skills than to provide on-the-job training.

D. Hiring from outside the organization has both advantages and disadvantages. When making the decision to build or buy the talent, HR should consider the time constraints to the hire and whether the internal talent can be developed quickly enough to fill the need. Disadvantages of an external hire include low morale for employees who were passed over for a promotion and the difficulty of predicting how a candidate's skillset and team mind-set will fit in with the position.

The process of ensuring that a company has the right number of employees at the right time to meet strategic goals is the focus of which HR function? A. Resource planning B. Strategic planning C. HR audits D. Human resource planning

D. Human resource planning involves analyzing and identifying the "human mix" of talent necessary to meet current and future company goals. The planning process must align with the outcomes from a company's strategic plan and address both surpluses and shortages of talent.

Jill is a new employee who has recently made a mistake. Instead of accepting responsibility, she complains to HR that she was not trained properly. Jill is most likely engaged in which of the following activities? A. Uncivil behavior B. Perception management C. Denial D. Impression management

D. Impression management is a type of self-presentation used by all individuals to control or change how others view them. Impression management behaviors include minimizing poor performance via excuses or blame and maximizing good behaviors through self-promoting behaviors.

In preparation for the succession planning process at your place of business, you began to analyze jobs and evaluate the existing organizational structure. This is an example of which of the following types of analysis? A. Workforce B. Organizational development C. Business structure D. Current state

D. In preparing to build out succession plans, HR must first understand the current state of the factors influencing decision-making. Conducting job analysis with the resulting job descriptions helps to validate the skillsets necessary for the replacement pipeline. A review of the organizational structure also results in information such as leadership span of control to make decisions about the skillsets necessary to lead business units (or in some cases, restructure).

Which of the following strategies should you recommend for a company that staffs for international assignments? A. Send early-career, high-potential employees. B. Have a systematic method for selecting international assignees. C. Partially base selection decisions on merit. D. All of the above

D. International assignments are highly desirable for many reasons, including gaining leadership skills and understanding the global business needs of their company for future application. Because interest in international assignments tends to decline as the workforce ages, it may be beneficial for employers to consider early-career employees as one source for placements. This of course assumes that a nondiscriminatory system is in place to select international assignees and that promotion decisions are based on qualifications and past performance.

Which of the following is a negotiating technique employed by HR when making job offers? A. Anchoring B. Primacy C. Exploding offers D. All of the above

D. Negotiating job offers requires both talent and technique. In anchoring, a negotiator starts out by fixing a salary amount in the candidate's mind as a starting point. The primacy effect is similar to anchoring in that the candidate has a bias toward the first bit of information they receive. Finally, the exploding offer creates a sense of urgency by asking the candidate to make a decision within a certain period of time, such as within one week.

The goal of strategic workforce planning is to ensure that qualified employees are what? A. Going to do the work they were hired to do B. Effectively managed for successful retention C. Properly managed in accordance with federal EEO laws D. Available and capable when the organization needs them

D. Strategic workforce planning includes identifying the skillsets of the existing workforce, matching those skills to the current and forecasted needs, and ensuring that those qualified individuals are available when the company needs them.

Fill in the blank: changing the way a job is designed using skill variety, task identity, and other characteristics has been shown to have a _________ effect on employees. A. Chilling B. Disruptive C. Unequal D. Motivating

D. The Job Characteristics model by Hackman and Oldham states that changing the way a job is designed can have a motivating effect on employees. These characteristics include skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.

Which of the following landmark court cases established that pre-employment requirements, such as having a high school diploma, must not be discriminatory in outcomes regardless of nondiscriminatory intent? A. Automobile Workers v. Johnson Controls, Inc. B. Washington v. Davis C. Albemarle Paper v. Moody D. Griggs v. Duke Power

D. The courts established in Griggs that discrimination does not necessarily have to be intentional for it to be unlawful. Because the high school diploma requirement adversely affected a protected-class group, the effects of the seemingly neutral employment test was discriminatory.

Anonymous online posts disparaging a company by a current employee that are not intended to be read by co-workers—such as on review sites—may not be which of the following? A. Protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) B. Used by the employer to make performance-related decisions C. Used by the employer to retaliate against a protected-class individual D. All of the above

D. The rights of employees while online may be protected by many agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Under the NLRA, employees must be allowed to engage in protected concerted activity, even when online. However, the NLRB did rule that online posts that are not intended to be read by co-workers are not protected (Duane vs. IXL Learning, Case 20-CA-153625, JD(SF)-21-16).

During workforce planning, you discovered that your industry is facing a shortfall of the skilled workers necessary to meet the organization's objectives in its five-year strategic plan. Which strategy should you recommend? A. Hire contract workers to fill the gap. B. Promote and train employees from within. C. Adopt a continuous recruitment strategy for critical positions. D. Take a multifaceted approach that considers both internal sources and external partnerships.

D. The statistics can be alarming for businesses in all industries: employers worldwide are facing a shortage of skilled workers by 2020. HR must work as strategic business partners to identify internal sources for development and promotion, at the same time partnering with external groups to generate a plan to acquire the necessary talent to compete.

Which of the following scenarios may be the effect of the strategic planning process on workforce goals and objectives? A. Reengineering B. Merger or acquisition C. Outsourcing D. All of the above

D. The strategic planning process seeks to identify and plan for changes that will aid in organizational growth. The results of the strategic plan will have an impact on the workforce, such as reengineering work processes, acquiring products through mergers or acquisitions, or outsourcing the non-core-competency functions of the organization.

If you want to reach candidates who are technologically savvy for your IT department, which of the following recruiting sources would be most advisable? A. Professional trade shows B. University job fairs C. Employment agencies D. Videos on the company website and on online forums

D. The use of mobile technology, social media, and videos is growing in popularity because of the ever-changing technological advancement of the workforce. They can be cost-effective methods to mine active job-seekers and attract the interest of those who may not quite yet be looking.

39. 39. Which of the following is a benefit of hiring veterans? A. The company may be eligible for tax credits. B. Former military workers tend to have strong leadership and problem-solving skills. C. Former military individuals tend to be underemployed and thus available. D. All of the above.

D. There are several reasons beyond patriotism for companies to seek to hire military veterans. These reasons include studies that have shown veterans as having strong leadership and problem-solving skills and other highly valued and transferable skillsets. Additionally, the Department of Labor has established tax credits for unemployed military vets, mainly because this group experiences significant barriers to employment and is thus under-employed.

"Have you ever been arrested?" and "Are you a U.S. citizen?" are two examples of which of the following? A. Pre-screening questions B. Behavioral interview questions C. Stress interview questions D. Unlawful interview questions

D. There are several types of unlawful questions that should be avoided in an interview. These include questions related to an applicant's protected-class characteristics (age, citizenship, ethnicity) and arrest records where there was no conviction.

You are the HR manager, and the executive team has asked you to review and address the high turnover within a specific business unit. The former HR staff completed a turnover review several years ago, but the problem has persisted. Which of the following methods should you employ? A. A wage survey to ensure the employees are being paid competitively B. A review of the selection procedures C. A 360-degree feedback analysis for the supervisors D. All of the above

D. Turnover is costly, and it is important for HR to collect data from multiple sources to ensure any action plans address root cause. In some cases, it may be that the pay rates are not competitive. In other cases, it may be that the company is not measuring the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary during the selection process. Supervisors may also be a reason for employee turnover, so asking for employee feedback will provide data that HR may use to design solutions.

The degree to which a selection battery is useful and cost efficient is known as its what? A. Reliability B. Validity C. Efficiency D. Utility

D. Utility is the term used to describe the degree to which a battery of selection tests is useful and cost-efficient.

Which of the following is the least effective way to communicate an employer brand on the company website? A. A Quick Apply button allowing an applicant to access a short-form version of a job application B. A Job Alert option so individuals can receive notification of jobs for which they are qualified C. A link to video testimonials from current, successful employees D. A listing of open jobs within the company that links to the application

D. While all options have merit, a simple listing of jobs along with a link to apply is not the most effective option when it comes to communicating the employer brand. A brand can and should be communicated with the end user in mind, so a Quick Apply button can help reduce the burden on the applicant who is filling out form after form with the same information. A job alert subscription option keeps the job applicant from having to continuously visit the employer's site for regular updates. Video testimonials from current employees give candidates a real view of what it is like to work for the employer and what it takes to be successful.

You are the HR director of a large law enforcement agency, and your superiors have asked you to begin viewing applicants' social media accounts as part of the hiring process. Which of the following statements is true? A. It is lawful for you to ask for an applicant's social media account password to continue moving forward in the process. B. It is reasonable to contact online friends of the applicant as an extension of the reference checking process. C. Email addresses may be used in cyber-searches. D. All of the above are true.

D. With the growing popularity of social media use, many employers are using cyber- vetting techniques to conduct more thorough searches into an applicant's past. It is important for HR teams to monitor the legal landscape for changes and restrictions to social media use as part of the background process to ensure policies and practices remain compliant.