MANA3335 MindTap Learn It: Chapter 08: Managing Human Resources in Organizations

As commonly used in human resource management, the word training usually means _______ .

*teaching operational or technical employees the skills they need to perform their jobs {Although the terms training and development both refer to improving employees' capabilities, they have different connotations as used in HRM. Training tends to focus on concrete technical skills and knowledge}

The compensation analyst must determine which jobs in the organization pay more or less. The analyst is making a ___________ decision.

*wage-structure {Organizations must decide which jobs are paid more and which are paid less. For example, the organization might decide that a vice president job pays better than an assistant vice president job, which pays better than a director job, which pays better than a manager job. The organization also needs to decide how much difference there will be between pay for jobs at different levels}

The hourly pay of operating employees is often referred to as _______ .

*wages {The pay of workers who are paid by the hour is often referred to as wages}

Giving all employees a high rating is evidence of which kind of error?

*Leniency error {A manager who gives all employees high ratings may be committing leniency error}

Which of the following correctly lists steps of the training process in the order they are usually performed?

*Assess training needs, set training objectives, develop the training program, conduct the training, evaluate the training {Here are the steps of the training process in the order in which they are usually performed: 1.Assess training needs 2.Set objectives for the training 3.Plan the evaluation of the training and develop the training program 4.Conduct the training 5.Evaluate the training 6.Modify the training program based on the evaluation}

A human resource manager measures individuals' scores on an assessment center test. A year later, the human resource manager compares the performance review ratings of those same people to their scores on the test. What kind of validation is this manager using?

*Predictive validation {Predictive validation involves finding the degree of correlation between performance on a job selection test and performance on the job. When the two measures are highly correlated, the selection test is considered a valid predictor of job performance}

Why are benefits sometimes referred to as "indirect compensation"?

*Benefits are valuable, but they cannot be spent like money {Benefits are part of the total compensation package because they are a thing of value that the employer provides to the employee. However, they are "indirect" because they are not money that the employee can spend. To help employees appreciate the value of their benefits, some organizations produce total compensation summaries that show each employee the value of their direct and incorrect compensation. While benefits help organizations retain employees, they do not generally motivate employees to work harder. Benefits are of real value to workers, and they are typically a significant cost to employers}

An organization has many employees with children who are primarily concerned about childcare expense. Which benefit should the organization prioritize?

*Childcare reimbursement {Organizations get the greatest return on their investment in benefits when they provide benefits of most value to their employees. Parents who are concerned about childcare expense will find childcare reimbursement valuable. They may well find other benefits valuable as well, but childcare has been identified as their priority}

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)

*Compensation and Benefits {A number of laws govern how employers must pay employees and design and administer benefits plans. FMLA requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family and medical emergencies}

Workforce planning is especially important for the organization to use employees effectively.

*Contingent workers {Contingent workers give the organization flexibility, but that flexibility can breed chaos if managers do not plan for how and when they will use these employees}

Which of the following steps of the union-organizing process occur before employees vote on whether to be represented by a union? Check all that apply.

*Employees become interested in joining a union *The union petitions the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election *Authorization cards are signed by employees and collected by the union {The steps of the union-organizing process occur in this order: 1.Employees become interested in joining a union. 2.Authorization cards are signed by employees and collected by the union. 3.The union petitions the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election. 4.An election is held; employees vote by secret ballot on whether to be represented by the union. 5.The union enrolls members and elects officers. 6.The union and management engage in collective bargaining to agree on the first contract. 7.If union members approve the contract, it is signed by union and management representatives. 8.A grievance procedure is used to resolve disputes during the life of the contract.}

Why should organizations concern themselves with employee career planning?

*Employees will probably change jobs, and discussing career planning with employees helps the organization with its workforce planning {Employees at all levels and at all stages of their careers will probably change jobs at some point. An employee may stay in the same field at the same organization but move into a different job, such as by getting a promotion. Alternatively, employees may change jobs because they go work for a different organization or become self-employed, or they may move into a different career field. Sometimes it is the organization that changes, forcing employees to take different jobs. Whatever the reason for the job change, open, ongoing conversations between the organization and its employees can help the organization provide meaningful training and development to employees, help employees envision meaningful paths for themselves at the organization, and help the organization anticipate likely vacancies and do appropriate succession planning}

Pregnancy Discrimination Act

*Equal Employment Opportunity {Laws related to equal employment opportunity protect the rights of people who are members of groups that have historically suffered discrimination. This body of law concerns the right to be treated fairly in the workplace, including in matters of hiring, promotion, and pay. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act outlaws discrimination on the basis of pregnancy}

Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act

*Equal Employment Opportunity {Laws related to equal employment opportunity protect the rights of people who are members of groups that have historically suffered discrimination. This body of law concerns the right to be treated fairly in the workplace, including in matters of hiring, promotion, and pay. The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act extends affirmative action to military veterans who served during the Vietnam War}

An employee performs well on one dimension of the job and has average performance on all other dimensions of the job. The manager gives the employee a high overall rating. Which kind of error is the manager committing?

*Halo error {This manager is allowing good performance on one dimension of the job to color their perception of the employee's performance overall. This is an example of halo error}

When a manager posts an open position in the company break room, what kind of recruiting is the manager engaged in?

*Internal recruiting {Internal recruiting involves making an open position known to current employees in the hope that one or more qualified employees will apply for the position. Usually, employees are interested in an internal opening if it would be a promotion for them or a lateral move that would allow them to develop their skills and network}

Organizations need to invest heavily in training and development.

*Knowledge workers {Knowledge workers use their specialized training to solve complex problems, and in today's rapidly changing technological environment, training quickly becomes out-of-date}

Which of the following causes of poor performance could training address?

*Lack of skills or knowledge {Training can address a deficiency in skill or knowledge. It cannot solve the problems of low motivation, poor supervision, or inefficient work design, nor can it solve the problems of out-of-date equipment or inadequate communication of necessary information in the organization}

What is the process of attracting qualified job applicants called?

*Recruiting {Attracting a pool of qualified job applicants is the task of recruitment. During selection, the hiring manager seeks to choose a candidate who will perform well in the job}

Which of the following steps of the union-organizing process occur after employees vote on whether to be represented by a union? Check all that apply.

*The union and management engage in collective bargaining *Employees use a grievance procedure to resolve disputes *The union elects officers {The steps of the union-organizing process occur in this order: 1.Employees become interested in joining a union. 2.Authorization cards are signed by employees and collected by the union. 3.The union petitions the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold an election. 4.An election is held; employees vote by secret ballot on whether to be represented by the union. 5.The union enrolls members and elects officers. 6.The union and management engage in collective bargaining to agree on the first contract. 7.If union members approve the contract, it is signed by union and management representatives. 8.A grievance procedure is used to resolve disputes during the life of the contract.}

Which of the following are reasons that organizations conduct performance appraisals? Check all that apply.

*To provide employees with feedback that will help them improve *To determine whether employee selection processes are working *To make decisions about pay and promotions {Performance ratings are often used to determine pay increases and eligibility for promotion; on the other hand, a poor rating may put an employee at risk of termination. In addition, performance appraisals are usually accompanied by a feedback conversation with the employee intended to help the employee improve their performance and plan their career growth. Organizations may also use performance ratings to validate selection instruments and evaluate training programs. Addressing deficiencies in skills and knowledge is the job of training programs, and attracting qualified people to apply for jobs is the purpose of recruiting}

Which of the following are methods of performance appraisal? Check all that apply.

*Using a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) *Gathering 360-degree feedback *Ranking employees relative to each other {Methods of performance appraisal include ranking employees relative to each other and rating employees against a fixed standard. One way to rate employees against fixed standards is to use a BARS. Another method of evaluation is 360-degree feedback from managers, peers, subordinates, and others as appropriate; this method provides the employee and their manager with a great deal of information. Having employees watch a video about a job skill or get hands-on practice with a job task are both training methods}

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA)

*Workplace Wellbeing {Employees in the United States have a legal right to a safe workplace in which they are not unknowingly or recklessly exposed to mechanical, chemical, or other hazards or conditions likely to lead to an accident. OSHA requires employers to provide safe working conditions. Workplaces are inspected, and penalties are imposed on employers that fail to meet established standards}

Union members who believe that management has treated them unfairly according to the terms of the union contract use ______________ to seek redress.

*a grievance procedure {The grievance procedure exists for union employees to enforce the contract when they feel that management has breached it. Collective bargaining is the process of negotiation between labor and management to agree on the terms of a labor contract}

If a manager rates dimensions of an employee's performance such as communication and problem solving against fixed standards, the manager is using ________ of performance appraisal.

*a judgmental method {Ratings based on the manager's perceptions of unquantifiable aspects of the employee's performance throughout the evaluation period are a judgmental method of appraisal. The specific rating method described here is the behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS)}

A human resource manager would use ________ to generate a report on the skills possessed by current employees.

*an employee information system {An employee information system, usually computerized, allows a manager to quickly identify all employees who are qualified to fill a certain position because it contains information on each employee's education, skills, work experience, and career aspirations. An employee information system is sometimes called a skills inventory}

If a manager uses a quantitative measure of production to rate employee performance, the manager is using ____________ of performance appraisal.

*an objective measure {Objective measures of job performance include quantitative measures of the employee's output and observing the employee's performance under standardized conditions}

Negotiations between management and a union over the terms of the union contract are known as ____________ .

*collective bargaining {Contract negotiations are known as collective bargaining. The union and management engage in collective bargaining when there's a need for a new contract, when an existing contract is due to expire, or when one side or the other has an urgent need to renegotiate the terms of the contract. The contract will stipulate the grievance procedure for employees to follow if they feel that management is not complying with the terms of the contract. Collective bargaining is an important element of labor relations}

An employee who is not in a full-time, permanent status is a __________ .

*contingent worker {Contingent workers are all the employees who are do not have full-time, permanent status. Using a contingent workforce allows an organization flexibility in the deployment of human resources and can be a highly effective HR strategy}

Estimating the organization's future need for people with certain skills, abilities, or credentials is known as ________ human resource demand and supply.

*forecasting {Estimating the organization's future needs for employees is known as forecasting human resource supply and demand. Matching demand with supply is the next step in human resource planning, in which the organization decides what to do if future demand will exceed supply or vice versa}

A manager might use the term ___________ to convey the idea that applying resources to maintain and improve the quality of the workforce is an investment rather than just an expense.

*human capital {Although all of these answer choices describe the people who work for an organization, the term human capital conveys the idea that applying resources to the workforce is an investment that can earn a return, just like spending on equipment or the development of new products}

Payments that are not regularly scheduled but are paid out when certain criteria are met are generally referred to as __________ .

*incentives {Organizations sometimes make payments to employees when certain criteria are met. These are called incentive pay. Examples of incentives are bonuses if a department achieves a certain productivity level or commissions when an employee sells products/services}

The process of determining the relative worth of the jobs in the organization is called _____________ .

*job evaluation {Making wage-structure decisions, or determining the relative worth of jobs, is done by evaluating each job. Considerations in job evaluation are the job requirements and the impact the job has on the organization. For example, a job that requires five years' experience generally pays more than a job that requires only one year of experience, and a job responsible for key business results for a group of products pays more than a job serving individual customers}

The monthly or annual pay of professional or managerial employees is often referred to as ________________ .

*salary {The pay of employees who are paid for their overall contribution to the organization, rather than for hours worked, is often referred to as salary}

As commonly used in human resource management, the word development usually means ______________________ .

*teaching professional or managerial employees skills useful in their current and future jobs {Although the terms training and development both refer to improving employees' capabilities, they have different connotations as used in HRM. Development tends to focus on the hard-to-quantify skills necessary for advancement in professional and managerial careers}

The human resource manager decides that the company will pay the same as most other companies in the area. The manager has made a _______ decision.

*wage-level {Organizations need to decide whether, in general, they will pay at, below, or above the going rate in their geographic area or industry. This is the wage-level decision}