Chapter 1 SmartBook - Introduction to HR

What are two qualities of human resources?

-They are valuable. -They are rare.

The human resources department is like a business within the company, which provides what three product lines?

-business partner services -strategic partner services -administrative services and transactions

How can organizations meet the needs of their stakeholders and thus achieve sustainability? (Select all that apply)

-by delivering an adequate return to investors -by paying employees a fair wage and maintaining workplace safety -by minimizing their damage to the environment

Which of the following are the responsibilities of the HR department of a company?

-Maintaining discipline -Providing benefits -Hiring -Promotions

Which three describe the characteristics of a company's most talented, committed, and experienced employees?

-Nothing can be substituted for them. -They are rare human resources. -They are valuable human resources.

In what two ways do human resource professionals maintain positive employee relations?

-Preparing employee handbooks -Sending out a company newsletter

Which of the following would help an organization maintain a high-performance work system?

-Recruiting people with new skills. -Developing training programs. -Establishing rewards for teamwork and learning.

Select the basic rights people have according to philosopher Immanuel Kant.

-Right of freedom of speech -Right of free consent -Right to due process

What practices are part of human resource management?

-compensation -recruitment -training and development -employee relations

Supervisors are apt to be directly involved in which activities related to human resources? (Select all that apply)

-job analysis and design -employee training -performance appraisals -recommendation of pay increases

__________-based HR uses data to understand how human resource practices affect the company's performance.

Blank 1: Evidence or Evidence-based

Once the human resource needs of a firm have been identified, the firm can concentrate on ___________ management, which is a systematic, planned effort to attract, retain, develop, and motivate employees and managers.

Blank 1: talent

In addition to training, what activity is often offered for employees to acquire further knowledge, skills, and behaviors that enhance their ability to perform their jobs?

Development

True or false: HR generalists usually perform one specific aspect of human resource management.

False

The government has many laws and regulations concerning the treatment of employees. Which department in an organization is responsible for filing reports required by the government, displaying posters that detail government regulations, and addressing any unlawful behavior?

Human resources

Which of the following is NOT an ethical principle used by successful companies?

Putting company needs first.

Match each human resource competency with its correct description. Human resource expertise Consultation Communication Relationship management

Relationship management- This competency includes treating employees respectfully, building trust, and providing great customer service to those served by HR functions. Communication- This competency involves the skills needed to exchange information with others inside and outside the organization. Consultation- This competency refers to the ways HR employees guide others in the organization through coaching or supporting business strategy through gathering data or designing solutions. Human resource expertise- This competency involves using HR technology, applying policies and procedures, and keeping up-to-date on HR laws.

True or false: Pay and benefits play an important role in motivating employees.

True

What factor plays an important role in whether pay and benefits will motivate employees?

When the rewards are linked to the individual's or group's achievements

As a business within the company, HR has three product lines, one of which involves contributing to the company's strategy by understanding how HR can provide a competitive advantage. This is known as ______.

being a strategic partner

What is the process by which a company seeks applicants for potential employment?

Recruitment

Which basic right states that people have the right to refuse to do what violates their moral beliefs, as long as these beliefs reflect commonly accepted norms?

right of freedom of conscience

An organization is identifying applicants who have knowledge, skills, and abilities that will help the organization reach its goals. The organization is in the process of ______.

selection

Which HR competency refers to the ways HR employees guide others in the organization?

consultation

The fundamental principles of right and wrong in business are referred to as ______.

ethics

Typical HR departments help establish policies related to all of the following except _____.

financial data

When a firm is better than its competitors at producing a good and is able to stay better at it over a length of time, it _____.

gains a sustainable competitive advantage

Determining the numbers and types of employees an organization needs to meet its objectives is called ______.

human resource planning

All of the following are areas in which supervisors have responsibilities related to HR functions except ______.

overall direction of the company

In a high-___ work system, a firm's technology, organizational structure, people, and processes work together seamlessly. This results in the firm having an advantage in the competitive environment.

performance

Making sure that the activities of employees match the organization's goals is called _____.

performance management

The human resource department maintains positive employee relations by ______.

preparing employee handbooks and company newsletters

HR's role in maintaining a high-performance work system may include all of the following EXCEPT

purchasing equipment for the entire company.

Human resource management requires careful and discreet _____.

record keeping

The process by which an organization seeks applicants for potential employment is called ______.

recruitment

The right of freedom of conscience means that individuals have the right to ______.

refuse to do what violates their moral beliefs, as long as these beliefs reflect commonly accepted norms

What is an important element to ensure that HR professionals keep careful and discreet records?

sensitivity to employee privacy

A firm is practicing __ if it is able to make a profit without depleting any of its resources, including employees, natural resources, and the support of the surrounding community.

sustainability

An organization's ability to profit without depleting any of its resources is called ______.

sustainability

An organization can succeed if it is better than competitors at something and can stay better at it over a length of time. What is this called?

sustainable competitive advantage

A systematic effort to find, retain, train, and motivate highly skilled workers is called ______.

talent management

Ethics are ______.

the fundamental principles of right and wrong

What is performance management?

the process of ensuring that employees' activities and outputs match the organizations goals

Human resources practices are considered ethical if they result in the greatest good for the greatest number, they respect basic human rights, and ______.

they are fair and equitable

Kaden is a new employee who doesn't feel confident in his job skills. To help him to learn the knowledge, skills, and behavior he needs, his company will provide him with ___.

training

What function of HR refers to a planned effort by a company to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior?

training

Which of the following is NOT an important practice in human resource management?

union organization

What is evidenced-based HR?

using data to show how HR affects the company's performance

What entities are considered stakeholders of a firm?

-Customers -Employees -The community -Shareholders

Which of the following are the principles that ethical, successful companies embrace? (Check all that apply.)

-Emphasizing fairness -Having employees assume responsibility for company actions -Emphasizing mutual benefits with customers, vendors, and clients -Having a sense of purpose or vision

The government has established laws and regulations regarding the treatment of employees in which of the following areas? (Select all that apply.)

-Employee safety -Employee privacy -Employee pay and benefits -Job security

What statement describes the work of an HR generalist?

HR generalists perform most HRM activities.

Match each basic right to its correct definition. Right of freedom of conscience Right of freedom of speech Right to due process Right of free consent Right of privacy

Right of privacy- People have the right to do as they wish in their private lives and to control what they reveal about private activities. Right of free consent- People have the right to be treated only as they knowingly and willingly consent to be treated. Right to due process- If people believe their rights are being violated, they have the right to a fair and impartial hearing. Right of freedom of speech- People have a right to criticize an organization's ethics if they do so in good conscience and their criticism does not violate the rights of individuals in the organization. Right of freedom of conscience- People have the right to refuse to do what violates their moral beliefs, as long as these beliefs reflect commonly accepted norms.

Drag and drop the descriptions against the corresponding HR product lines. Administrative services and transactions Business partner services Strategic partner

Strategic partner-This area understands the ways HR practices can give the company a competitive advantage Business partner services- This area helps the organization meet its goals for attracting, keeping, and developing people with the skills it needs Administrative services and transactions- This area would handle the hiring of employees and and answering questions about benefits

XYZ Company has a competitive advantage because its structure, people, and processes work together seamlessly. This describes

a high-performance work system.

Tanveer is tasked with obtaining detailed information about the jobs in his organization. He is performing a job ___.

analysis

What function of HR has the responsibility of improving employees' ability to meet the challenges of a variety of new or existing jobs, or preparing employees for management responsibility?

development

Some individuals predict that legislation will soon be necessary to protect employees' privacy rights. This need will be driven by the increased use of and access to _______ by employees and employers.

electronic databases

There is some concern that increased use of _______ could prompt the need for legislation protecting employee privacy rights.

electronic databases

Human capital refers to an organization's _____.

employees

A company whose HR practices result in the greatest good for the largest amount of people, respect basic human rights, and treat employees and customer equitably and fairly has practices that are considered to be ___.

ethical

An organization's employees, described in terms of their training, experience, judgment, intelligence, relationships, and insight, are referred to as its _____.

human capital

Chantal helps recruit and hire employees. She is also involved with correcting poor employee behavior. Chantal works in ______.

human resource management

A company has determined that it will need to hire 10 additional employees to accommodate its rapid growth. The human resource department is now looking at how it will hire new employees, train them, or reassign current employees. The human resource department is engaged in ______.

human resource planning

As it pertains to recruitment and hiring, selection is the process of ______.

identifying applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities that will help the organization reach its goals

What describes the process of getting detailed information about jobs?

job analysis