HR Exam 1

human resource planning

Identifying the numbers and types of employees the organization will require in order to meet its objectives

ways to simplify a job's mental demands

- adequate lighting - software that helps with tracking progress - checklists, charts, etc. - clear instructions

over the next decade, which of the following will be the fastest growing age group in the U.S. workforce?

55 and older

In the context of today's organizations, what is true of employees?

Employees are not easily replaced parts of a system; they are the source of a company's success or failure

Who does the Age Discrimination in Employment Act cover?

employees 40 years and older

what is true of telecommuting?

employees using remote work arrangements may have fewer absences from work

expatriates

employees who take assignments in other countries

knowledge workers

employees whose main contribution to the organization is specialized knowledge

job enrichment

empowering workers by adding more decision-making authority to jobs

job rotation

enlarging jobs by moving employees among several different jobs

Title VII of Civil Rights Act

forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

What factors should a company consider in determining an employee's fitness for a promotion?

The employee's work ethic, effectiveness, and overall performance should be considered in determining the best candidate for promotion

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC

agency of Department of Justice, investigates all claims of discrimination filed by employees in the United States.

employee engagement

full involvement in one's work and commitment to one's job and company

Deirdre is a benefits specialist at a manufacturing company. She negotiates contracts for insurance, retirement plans, and other employee benefits in order to get the best possible deal while meeting all legal requirements. She understands the details of each benefit and is able to help employees understand the value of their benefits. This scenario illustrates Deirdre's competency in the area of:

human resource expertise

Spokes n Wheels, a company in the motorcycle manufacturing business, has revamped its management and business criteria. It has also added objectives that would require recruitment of new and skilled labor. The responsibility of identifying the numbers and the kinds of employees lies with the HR department of the firm. This responsibility of the HR department is known as:

human resource planning

right to due process

if people believe their rights are being violated, they have the right to a fair and impartial hearing

employment at will

if there is no specific employment contract saying otherwise, the employer or employee may end an employment relationship at any time

external labor market

individuals who are actively seeking employment

trend analysis

constructing and applying statistical models that predict labor demand for the next year, given stats from the previous year

Job Design

defining how work will be performed and what tasks will be required for a certain job

psychological contract

description of what an employee expects to contribute in an employment relationship and what the employer will provide the employee in exchange

Some of the employees of Daily Health Inc. are unhappy with their supervisor's lack of communication and poor planning skills. They feel they are being treated unfairly by the supervisor, and so they turn to the HR department for help. Addressing such problems is a part of the HR function of:

employee relations

what is true of the ADA

it goes beyond prohibiting discrimination to require that employers take steps to accommodate individuals covered under the legislation

What is the legal basis for considering sexual harassment to be illegal discrimination?

it is a form of sexual discrimination

What is true of an intranet

it is a network that uses internet tools but limits access to authorized users in the organization

What is the best description of Google employees?

knowledge workers

What is the most common reason why U.S. organizations hire employees in foreign countries?

low cost of labor in foreign countries

The general job description of HR manager includes:

maintaining functions such as employee compensation, recruitment, and personnel policies

Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA

most comprehensive U.S. law regarding worker safety, authorizes federal government to establish and enforce occupational safety and health standards for all places of employment engaging in interstate commerce

what is true of trends in job analysis?

most errors in job analysis result from outdated job descriptions

managing cultural diversity involves:

providing benefits such as day care and senior care, ensuring that HRM systems are bias free

which type of workers generally prefer more traditional full-time employment

temporary and on-call workers

Which act represents participation in a proceeding?

testifying in an investigation

work processes

the activities that a work unit's members engage in to produce a given output

downsizing

the planned elimination of large numbers of personnel with the goal of enhancing the organization's competitiveness

outsourcing

the practice of having another company provide services

work flow design

the process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service

Job Analysis

the process of getting detailed information about jobs

job analysis

the process of getting detailed information about jobs

output

the product of any work unit, tangible or intangible

ergonomics

the study of interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment

consolidation

two firms in one industry join to hold a greater share of the industry

job sharing

work option in which two part-time employees carry out the tasks associated with a single job

what is true if an organization's structure is based on function?

workers tend to have low authority and work alone at highly specialized jobs

disadvantages to downsizing

- loss of talent - disrupts social networks - remaining employees are confused, demoralized, and less willing to stay with organization - many companies end up rehiring

how much time does management spend on people issues

70-80%

Which generation of workers tends to be pragmatic and cynical with well-developed self-management skills?

Gen X

employee empowerment

giving employees responsibility and authority to make decisions regarding all aspects of product development or customer service

trends in the external labor force affect a company's:

internal work force

job hazard analysis technique

safety promotion technique that involves breaking down a job into basic elements, then rating each element for its potential for harm or injury

compressed work week

schedule in which full-time workers complete their weekly hours in fewer than 5 days

What term refers to a systematic, planned effort to attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly skilled employees and managers?

talent management

employee rights under OSHA

- request an inspection - have a representative present at an inspection - have dangerous substances identified - be promptly informed about exposure to hazards and be given access to accurate records regarding exposure - have employer violations posted at the work site

four components of OSHA inspection

1. compliance officer reviews company's records of deaths, injuries, and illnesses 2. officer conducts a walkaround tour of employer's premises 3. employee interviews 4. closing conference with employer

Name the executive department that is responsible for conducting research to determine the criteria for specific operations or occupations and for training employers to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Act

Department of Health

Jordan, a manager at Recycle Corp., is responsible for workforce analytics in the organization. His supervisor, Rebecca, argues it is an unnecessary expense as she believes that collecting employee-related information is just an administrative responsibility. Which statement, if true, would weaken Rebecca's argument?

Jordan identified subordinates who showed the potential to become leaders in the company based on the data

What is the primary professional organization for HRM that provides education and information services, and is also the world's largest human resource management association?

Society for Human Resource Management

An OSHA inspector completed her inspection of a mining operation, including a walkaround and employee interviews. Then the OSHA inspector sought a restraining order from a federal court. What can you infer from this action by the inspector?

The inspector found a violation that could cause serious injury or death.

Sun-Jun, one of the senior managers at Moore Well Inc., insists that the company supervisors handle employee relations as part of their jobs. Which statement strengthens Sun-Jun's argument?

The supervisors represent the company on a day-to-day basis

workforce analytics

The use of quantitative tools and scientific methods to analyze data from human resource databases and other sources to make evidence-based decisions that support business goals

Peterson Petroleum claims it is a sustainable organization. If this is the case, which statement best describes the company?

They are more concerned about justice and fairness than short-term profits

Which statement best describes companies that are ethical and successful?

They have a sense of purpose and vision that the employees value and use in their day-to-day work.

What is a key advantage of human resource information systems?

They help HR professionals think strategically

reengineering

a complete review of the organization's critical work processes to make them more efficient and able to deliver higher quality

human resource information system, HRIS

a computer system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve, and distribute information related to an organization's human resources

disparate impact

a condition in which employment practices are seemingly neutral yet disproportionately exclude a protected group from employment opportunities

bona fide occupational qualification, BFOQ

a necessary (not merely preferred) qualification for performing a job

core competency

a set of skills and knowledge that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, OFCCP

agency responsible for enforcing executive orders that cover companies doing business with the federal government; businesses with contracts for more than $50,000 may not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, etc. and must have an affirmative action plan on file

recruting

any practice or activity carried on by the organization with the primary purpose of identifying and attracting potential employees

competency

area of personal capability that enables employees to perform their work successfully

Fleishman Job Analysis System

asks subject matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job

teamwork/work teams

assume many activities traditionally reserved for managers

forecasting

attempt to determine supply and demand for various types of human resources to predict areas in the organization where there will be labor shortages or surpluses

realistic job preview

background information about a job's positive and negative qualities

job enlargement

broadening the types of tasks performed; makes jobs less repetitive and more interesting

At a package delivery center, back injuries are a recurring problem around the loading docks, because employees in a rush forget to use proper lifting techniques. How could safety posters help the company improve safety?

by serving as a constant reminder of how to lift safely

How does Google's People Operations Department ensure that all of its decisions create social systems and technical systems which support a high performance work environment?

by using analytics, data, and science to understand what works on the people side of the business

job posting

communicating a job vacancy internally, on company bulletin boards, employee publications, corporate intranets, or anywhere else in the organization

employability

company provides training and job experiences to help ensure that employees can find other employment opportunities

total quality management, TQM

companywide effort to continuously improve the ways people, machines, and systems accomplish work

Which responsibility is specifically associated with the HR function of employee relations?

conducting attitude surveys

disparate treatment

differing treatment of individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, etc.

most of the debate focuses on discriminatory consequences and plaintiff does not need to prove an employer's intent to discriminate

disparate impact

primary mission of SHRM

elevate the role of human resources in any organization

What is responsible for the shift in the job trend toward the use of broadly defined jobs instead of the use of narrowly defined jobs in organizations?

emphasis on innovation and quality

temporary workers

employed by people leasing agency, client organization pays agency for service of workers

contract workers

employed directly by a company for a specific time or on specific project as stipulated in written contract

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, USERRA

employers must reemploy workers who left to fulfill military duties for up to five years; when service members return from active duty, the employer must reemploy them in the job they would have held if they had not left including same seniority, status, and pay rate

job extension

enlarges jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to form a job with a wider range of tasks

yield ratios

expresses percentage of applicants who successfully move from one stage of the recruitment and selection process to the next

first step of HR planning process

forecasting

due process policies

formally lays out the steps an employee may take to appeal an employer's decision to terminate that employee

benefits to an internship program

give organizations early access to potential applicants and let organization assess their capabilities, give applicants firsthand experience with employer

second step of HR planning process

goal setting and strategic planning

executive search firm, ESF

headhunters, find jobs for already employed people, sensitive when dealing with information

statistical methods are excellent for capturing what type of data?

historical trends

who does the ADA cover?

individuals who are severely disfigured

The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was introduced to enhance employment opportunity for

individuals with disabilities

Sylvie, a human resource manager, has developed an inspiring vision of how the HR function should contribute to employees' well-being and the company's success. She models the values and behaviors supporting that vision, and she gets her staff excited to be part of realizing the vision. This indicates that Sylvie has competencies in the area of:

leadership and navigation

business leaders tend to be more effective if they are first able to prevent which kind of issue?

legal issues

job specification

list of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that an individual must have to perform the job

transitional matriz

lists job categories held in one period and shows proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period

job description

lists tasks, duties, responsibilities that a job entails, observable actions

industrial engineering

looks for the simplest way to structure work in order to maximize efficiency, provides measurable and practical benefits

alternative work arrangements

methods of staffing other than the traditional hiring of full-time employees; independent contractors, on-call workers, temporary workers, contract workers

goal of ergonomics

minimize physical strain on worker by structuring physical work environment around the way the human body works

leading indicators

objective measures that accurately predict future labor demand

Why is there a lack of talent with the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities in the field of HR?

people have a poor perception of HR's role in any organization

right of free consent

people have the right to be treated only as they knowingly and willingly consent to be treated; employees should know the nature of the job they are being hired to do

right of freedom of speech

people have the 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 privacy

people have the right to do as they wish in their private lives, and they have the right to control what they reveal about private activities

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

referrals

people who apply because someone in the organization prompted them to do so

direct applicants

people who apply for a vacancy without prompting from the organization

Which term refers to the process of ensuring employees' activities and outputs match an organization's goals?

performance management

What is the most important type of knowledge for an HR manager to possess?

personnel and human resources

cloud computing

practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data

last step of HR planning process

program implementation and evaluation

examples of leading indicators

sales or inventory levels, changes in technology, actions of competitors, trends in composition of workforce and population

flextime

scheduling policy where full-time employees may choose starting and ending times within guidelines specified by the organization

gig economy

situation in which companies rely primarily on alternative work arrangements to meet service and product demands

position analysis questionnaire, PAQ

standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 195 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs

what is true of teamwork?

teamwork makes work motivating for employees and helps reduce labor costs

high performance work system

technology, organizational structure, people, and processes work together to give an organization an advantage in the competitive environment

what does feedback refer to in the JCM?

the extent to which a person receives clear information about performance and effectiveness from the work itself

Zion's friends, who intentionally leave their current employer seeking new opportunities to work with cutting-edge technology, move to a new city, and/or increase their work experiences and wages are engaging in:

the gig economy

Executives in the financial industry believe that a certain human resource-related law no longer seems relevant in the Internet age. To which government branch would it be most effective to turn for addressing the need for a change in the legal environment?

the legislative branch, requesting a new law in this area

what is true of skilled knowledge workers?

they are not easily replaced because they own the knowledge that the company requires to produce its products

talent management

A systematic, planned effort to attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly skilled employees and managers

How should company executives ensure that all employees are treated fairly and have the same chances for promotion?

Hire an HR specialist or assign a senior staff member the task of setting policies in regard to diversity and ethical practices in the workplace

What is the fastest growing ethnic category in the U.S. workforce?

Hispanic

What characterizes the Civil Rights Act of 1991

It limits the maximum punitive damages allowed depending on the size of an organization

agile

team changes specifications as a result of feedback throughout development process

workforce utilization review

a comparison of the proportion of employees in protected groups with the proportion that each group represents in the relevant labor market

internal labor force

an organization's workers (employees and people who have contracts to work at the organization)

what is true of reengineering?

rapidly changing customer needs and technologies necessitate reengineering

3 types of inputs

raw inputs (materials and information), equipment, and human resources

Social Security Act of 1935

requires everyone receiving unemployment compensation be registered with a local state employment office

Equal Pay Act

requires that men and women performing equal jobs receive equal pay

The concept of "human resource management" implies that employees are:

resources of the employer

four fifths rule

rule that shows evidence of potential discrimination if an organization's hiring rate for a minority group is less than 4/5 of the hiring rate for the majority group

What should OSHA regulators do once they are notified of a possible violation?

send an agent to conduct a thorough inspection

Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures

set of guidelines issued by the EEOC, identify ways organizations should develop and administer its system for selecting employees so as to not violate Title VII

Job Characteristics Model

shows how to make jobs more motivating, developed by Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham

what methods can forecasting use?

statistical or judgement