SHRM - CP - Organization - Workforce Management Strategies/Knowledge Management

talent management

refers to the development and integration of HR processes that attract, develop, engage, and retain the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that will meet current and future organizational needs

restructuring

the act of reorganizing legal, ownership, operational, or other organizational structures

job sharing

the practice of having two different employees perform the tasks of one full-time position

succession planning

the process of identifying and tracking high-potential employees who will be able to fill top management positions when they become vacant

due dilligence

the process of investigating a decision thoroughly before finalizing it to identify all potential factors that could affect the positive and negative impacts of the decision.

downsizing (part of restructuring)

Organizations commonly downsize to remain functional during a loss of revenue. They may choose to close departments, drop product lines, lay off staff, or sell facilities. Restructuring may then be required to meet the needs of the new, smaller organization.

structure (part of restructuring)

Organizations may rearrange their structure to follow a new business model, improve efficiency, or reduce costs. Restructuring is then required to meet the needs of the new organization.

4 drivers of restructuring

1. strategy 2. structure 3. downsizing 4. expansion

on-call workers

Employees who report to work only when needed.

knowledge management system steps

1. inventory knowledge assets 2. create a knowledge repository and directory 3. encourage system use 4. update the system continually

Managed services (outsourcing)

A company decides to lower payroll costs by hiring an organization to assume full responsibility for its IT department. What is this process called? -Temp-to-lease -Managed services -Payrolling -Professional employer organization

Review the succession planning strategy to ensure alignment with current business conditions.

A mature organization has relied on stable processes that supported its current success. One of these processes is succession planning. This HR team has followed a strategy of identifying effective higher-level managers and grooming them for leadership positions. If you were a new HR manager assigned to lead this team, what would you advise? -Revise participation criteria to reflect the organization's maturity and processes. -Review the succession planning strategy to ensure alignment with current business conditions. -Maintain the current practice to preserve employee expectations and engagement. -Immediately evaluate the succession planning process in terms of its cost-effectiveness.

Managers can cross-train a subordinate.

An elder care service organization is challenged with retention of staff. Recently the service director left the organization with little notice. HR wants to prepare for future unplanned vacancies to avoid any disruption in client services. What is the best way for HR to mitigate this risk? -Leaders can authorize more compensation. -HR can offer developmental programs. -Employees can be required to give two weeks' notice. -Managers can cross-train a subordinate.

HR can fill in or supplement workforce gaps with the best qualified employees.

An organizational crisis is rapidly unfolding as several key employees have been killed in a car accident. How can HR best contribute to rapid recovery of operations? -HR can notify all related clients of an impending workforce interruption. -HR can plan and execute the memorial celebrations for the employees' families. -HR can fill in or supplement workforce gaps with the best qualified employees. -HR can write the press release and speak to the local media.

The sales department maintains a customer database.

As the result of a reorganization, an employer is laying off 20% of its sales employees. Which existing practice will help ensure that the company retains the knowledge of the departing employees? -Employees are permitted to telework. -The sales department maintains a customer database. -All new hires attend customer service training. -The employer has multiple work locations.

Greater clarity in compensation decisions

HR has defined key groups of employees who possess certain characteristics and abilities that are closely aligned with the organization's strategy. What effect will this have on the organization's staffing and compensation strategies? -Diverting compensation from entry-level positions -Greater clarity in compensation decisions -Capping payroll for administrative compensation -Slower increase in executive recruiting investment

Conduct a thorough review of the organization's strategic plan and goals.

HR has undertaken a review of the company's talent management plan in order to make recommendations for possible improvements. Which action should HR take first? -Conduct a thorough review of the organization's strategic plan and goals. -Review all job descriptions to determine if they are still relevant. -Look at the succession plan for key high-potential employees in the company. -Evaluate the organizational structure to see if changes need to be made.

Workforce skewed toward older employees

HR professionals must anticipate future talent needs as well as plan for the future employee talent pool. Which key factor typically contributes to an anticipated shortage in the labor pool? -Workforce skewed toward older employees -Abundance of knowledge workers -Less reliance on contingent workers -Less diverse workforce

A company's workforce has a large percentage of employees nearing retirement age.

In which scenario would having a knowledge management program be beneficial to an organization? -A company's workforce has a large percentage of employees nearing retirement age. -Employees volunteer at a charitable event on the weekend. -An organization is increasing the employer premium share of its medical insurance plan. -An employer is implementing an education reimbursement policy.

performance management

Succession planning must also be carefully aligned with the organization's performance management process to ensure that future managers and functional experts receive the ongoing developmental feedback, critical evaluation, and mentoring required to maintain their professional development.

Performance evaluations

Staff have been reluctant to share on-the-job experiences with coworkers. HR wants to update all job descriptions to reflect the expectation that this should take place. How can HR assess that this change has been successfully implemented? -Performance evaluations -Meeting attendance -Peer evaluations -Management rewards distributed

training and learning

Structured training experiences provide the knowledge and skills necessary for success in various positions on the career advancement ladder.

career management

Succession plans help to ensure that individuals in specific talent pools obtain the insights, awareness, and field experience necessary to make ongoing contributions to the organization.

reduction in force (RIF)

Termination of employment of individual employees and groups of employees for reasons other than performance, for example, economic necessity or restructuring; also known as downsizing.

Broadening the identification of potential successors

The recent departure of two leaders has delayed implementation of the organization's strategic plan. HR wants to assure that this never happens again and has requested all functional leaders to identify potential successors for their position. The responses identify individuals who are positioned directly below or closest to the job grade within the same function. HR schedules a meeting to discuss the submissions. What should be the key agenda topic of this meeting? -Cross-training of functional leaders -Developing a dual career compensation plan -Designing a successor developmental plan -Broadening the identification of potential successors

Identifying situations in which knowledge is lost or underused

What activity is necessary for successfully implementing a knowledge management system? -Writing an article for the company newsletter -Establishing a 24-hour help line -Identifying situations in which knowledge is lost or underused -Deleting unnecessary knowledge from the database

It focuses on long-term global issues.

What approach is most characteristic of succession planning? -It is initiated as soon as it is clear that a senior executive is leaving. -Local requirements are given the highest priority. -It focuses on issues likely to occur in the short term of approximately one to 12 months. -It focuses on long-term global issues.

Replacement planning focuses on short-term needs; succession planning focuses on long-term needs.

What best describes the difference between replacement planning and succession planning? -Replacement planning focuses on short-term needs; succession planning focuses on long-term needs. -Replacement planning is designed for individual countries; succession planning is designed to serve corporate headquarters. -Replacement planning is optional; succession planning is mandatory in order for an organization to achieve results. -Replacement planning focuses on long-term success; succession planning focuses on short-term success.

Inventorying knowledge assets

What is the first step in developing a knowledge management system? -Choosing the technology -Monitoring both the formal and informal knowledge management systems -Separating collections from connections -Inventorying knowledge assets

expansion (part of restructuring)

When an organization expands, new departments may be required to accommodate new products or facilities. The structure is then rearranged to include new staff and departments.

When it focuses on sharing organizational learning and reducing knowledge loss

When is knowledge management most productive? -When it focuses on sharing organizational learning and reducing knowledge loss -When it focuses on acquiring knowledge from outside sources and solving problems -When it develops new procedures and creates organizational policies -When the organization implements change and commits to employee development

strategy (part of restructuring)

When organizations change their strategy, they may create new divisions to facilitate new products or services or to move into new markets. The new strategy may mean staff increases in some areas and decreases in others, which will then require restructuring.

Job sharing

Which alternative staffing arrangement meets the needs of an organization that is experiencing turnover in professional service positions due to employees desiring to work fewer hours? -Contract workers -On-call workers -Job sharing -Seasonal workers

Seasonal contracting

Which is considered a flexible staffing strategy? -Job rotation -Compressed workweek -Family assistance programs -Seasonal contracting

Sharing of organizational learning and reducing knowledge loss

Which statement best describes a productive knowledge management system? -Sharing of organizational learning and reducing knowledge loss -Implementing changes and committing to employee development -Acquiring knowledge from outside sources to solve problems -Supporting new product development and creation of organizational policies

Knowledge management systems

Which technology has the primary mission of sharing information in meaningful ways to augment employee performance? -Talent management systems -Knowledge management systems -Human resource information systems -Project management systems

managed services (also called outsourcing)

allows an outside organization to fully run and staff a department

replacement planning

concentrates on immediate needs and a "snapshot" assessment of the availability of qualified backup for individuals in key positions

knowledge management system

focuses on 2 key elements: 1. expertise sharing and 2. knowledge retention/reduction of knowledge loss due to employee attrition.

co-employment or joint employment (staffing arrangement)

generally describes a situation in which an organization shares responsibility and liability for their alternative workers with the alternative staffing supplier