20220 HCW SHRM Study
What is the general minimum eligibility requirement set by ERISA for employer-sponsored 401(k) plans?
21 years of age working at least 12 months
Which best demonstrates job enlargement?
A bank teller handles deposits and disbursements and also sells certificates of deposit. In job enlargement, an employee is given additional tasks within the same job. Adding more tasks that require the same skill level gives variety to the job.
Which program gives technical workers the ability to earn as much as they would in a management position?
A dual career ladder allows technical employees to earn as much as they would in a management position.
Which best defines the concept of moral hazard?
A person engages in risky behavior knowing that someone else will absorb any losses.
A small publishing firm feels they are too small to benefit from strategic planning. Which short-term benefit is the best choice for HR to influence leaders to begin the strategic planning process?
Allocate resources more effectively - The strongest reason for senior management to engage in the strategic planning process is a more focused allocation of resources and potentially increased profitability
During a workforce planning session, HR identifies that within 5 years, 25% of the workforce will be nearing retirement age. The organization wants to ensure that there is steady recruitment of a new generation. Which activity during the benefits needs assessment is most relevant to the recruitment strategy?
Analyze the utilization data on all benefit plans.
How has the cloud repositioned HR software?
As a service to be consumed
Which features best characterize a global integration strategy?
Consistent approach and standardization of processes - Global integration emphasizes consistency of approach, standardization of processes, and a common corporate culture across global operations. It allows organizations to take advantage of standard processes and economies of scale to achieve greater efficiency.
How has technology affected the HR function?
Consumer-like applications will allow manager self-service.Consumer-like applications (manager and employee self-service) will allow HR's internal clients to handle many HR processes themselves.
Which HR task is usually associated with a multidomestic corporation?
Coordinating HR activities between the home and host countries -A multidomestic corporation is similar to a portfolio of independent businesses. Headquarters is in the home country, but over time the divisions achieve more autonomy. At this stage, HR is involved in coordinating HR activities, with the goal of consistency while remaining flexible with local law and culture.
Which three generic strategies for success are identified in Michael Porter's model?
Cost leadership, differentiation, focus -According to Michael Porter, there are three potentially successful generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.
Which is a significant factor that an HR professional must consider when using a website to recruit for a global enterprise?
Data privacy regulations -Data privacy issues must be examined carefully. There are country- and region-specific regulations that pertain to what personal information can be gathered and used.
Which stage in the workforce analysis process considers the business challenges an organization faces when creating a forecast of the organization's future workforce composition?
Demand analysis -A demand analysis forecast should consider a myriad of internal and external business issues.
What guidance from HR is useful to an organization that has decided to pursue a greenfield operation?
Demographic characteristics of the new location
What term describes how work groups are related in an organization?
Departmentalization - Departmentalization describes the way an organization groups its tasks and then aligns those groups for better effectiveness and efficiency.
According to the "pull" model, which approach should be used to develop an outside sales force's knowledge, skills, and abilities in relationship management in order to increase sales revenue in the shortest amount of time?
Design a series of webcasts that review the latest techniques in relationship building. -
An HR manager discovers a discrepancy between the organization's current compensation policy and the laws of the location the organization operates in. Which is the best first step the HR manager should take to address this?
Determine which regulation most benefits the employee.
What best describes the population of the employee workforce that is protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)?
Nonsupervisory - Nonsupervisory employees are covered under the NLRA. Supervisory employees are considered management. Both union and nonunion employees are protected by the NLRA. (It is a common mistake for many employers to believe that only unionized employees are covered.)
Which best demonstrates an attorney work product?
Notes from interviews done at the attorney's request -Attorney work product is not subject to discovery (disclosure to the other side in a complaint).
Which specific and measurable strategic aspect serves as the basis for implementation decisions?
Objectives -Objectives tie to strategic goals, which in turn relate to the mission statement. Objectives are the most specific and measurable of the strategic statements.
A workplace survey reflects dissatisfaction with an organization's current mediation process since too many problems seem to be unresolved. Which approach will create more accountability and closure to the complaint process?
Ombudsperson
To capitalize on innovation and collaboration, HR must balance certain issues. Which are the most challenging?
Openness and security For effective information management, a balance must be struck between openness, in the form of easy access to a large amount of information, and the security of that information from those who would misuse it.
Management decides that training supervisors to identify and prevent bullying is not necessary, and they do not fund a program budget. What does this illustrate?
Organization's risk tolerance
Based on an analysis of future skills needed, an organization implements two new training courses. What type of intervention is this?
Organizational -An organizational intervention is intended to change the organization's design, structure, and/or culture to improve performance across the organization.
Which best describes the process where training or educational activities occur at multiple levels?
Organizational learning Organizational learning occurs at individual, group, and organizational levels. A learning organization learns to react and adapt to its environment.
Which is a disadvantage of a time-based pay system?
Pay levels may be raised over time regardless of performance. A major disadvantage of a time-based pay system is that it does not reflect performance differences, except for unsatisfactory performance, and it can raise average pay levels over time even if performance is below average.
What is the primary distinguishing characteristic of an enterprise risk management framework?
Perception of risk as an integrated organizational issue -An enterprise risk management (ERM) system, such as COSO ERM, sees risk as an integrated issue that must be managed across divisions and functions in an enterprise.
What is a broad statement that reflects an organization's philosophy, objectives, or standards?
Policy
According to Perlmutter's headquarter orientations, what structural strategy describes a company where host-country nationals usually staff and manage the local subsidiary?
Polycentric - In a polycentric staffing orientation, host-country nationals staff and manage the local subsidiary. Host-country nationals are not usually promoted to headquarters positions.
In a sales and marketing environment, what are the 4Ps of marketing?
Price, product, promotion, and place
When an organization has a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) orientation, which is it likely to see as a primary outcome?
Proactive and ongoing interaction with all stakeholders -A CSR-oriented organization's primary responsibility should be to its stakeholders rather than to its shareholders.
Which is the best example of a regulation?
Process by which the Department of Labor clarifies the exempt status of employees -Regulations are proposed, adopted, and enforced by administrative agencies. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Labor Standards Act are both examples of statutes. An interpretation of legal matters related to expatriation is an example of an agency guideline.
Which of the following is an advantage of external recruiting?
Provides cross-industry insights -Hiring from competitors will lead to the introduction of alternative ideas which can encourage innovation and improved productivity and effectiveness.
What is the role of an HR professional attending a meeting in a work unit that is struggling to implement recent changes?
To engage the group in solving issues that have arisen
Which is the primary purpose of creating and communicating training program objectives?
To support measurement of the acquisition of learning -
Which method is most effective for controlling hazards and their negative consequences?
Abate and eliminate the hazard from the workplace.
Several employees were hurt in an accident in the manufacturing department. To evaluate the effectiveness of the organization's risk controls, HR conducted a meeting with the department supervisor. Which document would provide the best information for this meeting?
After-action debrief
Which is a core labor standard of the International Labour Organization?
Age limits for hazardous work
HR is in the process of creating clearly defined, consistent job descriptions for a global environment. Which common challenge should HR anticipate?
Interpretations of job functions may vary.
In a growth-share analysis, which would be considered a question mark?
Business line with steady growth in new market segment -A question mark in the growth-share matrix may be a winner or a loser with an unclear future. As this business line is showing growth in a new market, it would be a question mark. There is an uncertain future in the new market.
How would an organization best defend against a claim of adverse impact?
By demonstrating work-related requirements -There are some exceptions to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. According to the work-related requirements exception under Title VII, an employer may be able to defend a practice that has a disparate impact on a class of people if it is job-related and required by business necessity.
How does a broadbanding approach support an egalitarian organization?
By encouraging de-layering efforts
How does the demographic dichotomy bring new attention to generational differences?
By identifying educational skills and deficits between emerging and developed economies In the growing demographic dichotomy, developed countries are facing an aging workforce while emerging economy workforces are much younger. Globalization has brought new attention to generational, as well as cultural, diversity.
How does an Internet recruiting approach provide the greatest benefit to a global organization?
By increasing the volume of applicants for positions under tight time frames
How can HR help prevent its organization from committing an unfair labor practice?
By providing guidance on selective enforcement of contract provisions
How can HR help prevent its organization from committing an unfair labor practice?
By training management on allowed speech
The 70-20-10 model created by the Center for Creative Leadership identifies three clusters of experiences to develop people. Which type of experience does the 70 in the model represent?
CORRECT Challenging assignments Assignments that are challenging and are sequenced to provide learning advance the development of high-potential employees as well as adults in general. To develop managers, it is important to engage them in three clusters of experience, using a 70-20-10 ratio: challenging assignments (70%), developmental relationships (20%), and coursework and training (10%).
Which activity is critical to ensure that strategy is implemented effectively?
CORRECT Feedback on strategic initiatives is obtained on a regular basis from all parts of the organization. -Effective strategic implementation requires two-way communication: communication of the strategic objectives and plans to the organization and feedback from the organization to those plans. The communication plan for strategic initiatives should include ongoing opportunities for feedback. This enhances understanding and improvement of the strategy.
The HR generalist at a regional bank informs managers when fully qualified candidates apply for jobs. Although there may not be any current openings, HR and position-specific managers will screen candidates and determine next steps. How can HR reliably predict when an opening is likely to occur?
CORRECT Historical data of movement - Flow analysis can be accomplished in three ways, one of which is to estimate the movement based on historical data, looking at flows in, up, down, across, and out of the organization.
Which best identifies the reason why many organizational effectiveness and development (OED) programs begin with data collection?
CORRECT Multiple perspectives that allow for a deeper understanding of the issue are provided data collection from all affected parties leads to a deeper understanding of the issue, including multiple perspectives on the issue itself and its effects and possible causes.
What is the usefulness of a key risk indicator (KRI)?
CORRECT Provides early warning of organizational risk emergence
Which would be an accurate statement about the forces that are shaping organizations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies? Answers
CSR has increased individuals' rights to privacy. -Although technology has created many challenges to privacy, the social and political reactions to this threat have created many protections for individuals' rights to privacy. Technology has had a mixed effect on society and the environment. Some technology increases work hours and stress, but some can be used to increase work flexibility, such as telecommuting, or to expand access to disabled employees. Governments have taken actions that often impel organizations to respond, such as carbon taxes or environmental, workplace, and ethical regulations. Many CSR investments are net money makers, such as improvements to efficiencies. It may be hard to calculate the economic impact of an organization's reputation for CSR, but the effect on recruiting and retention has been noted.
How do career planning and career management differ?
Career planning identifies personal abilities, while career management focuses on organizational staffing needs.
How do career planning and career management differ?
Career planning identifies personal abilities, while career management focuses on organizational staffing needs. Career planning identifies personal abilities and interests and focuses on the individual. Career management focuses on organizational staffing needs and focuses on the entire organization. The length of time or the type of position one has with the company is not relevant to either career planning or career management.
What does an effective pre- and post-test training assessment measure?
Changes in knowledge before and after training With pre- and post-test measurements, a baseline of knowledge is established before the beginning of training and then, once training is completed, a second measurement is obtained and scores are compared for possible improvement.
What has become a popular solution to the problem of the volume of data created by big data strategies?
Cloud computing -Cloud computing allows organizations to store some of the cast amounts of data they have collected on remote (off-premises) servers connected accessed through the internet.
Which action can be taken by HR to help prevent industrial actions?
Communicating the perspective of employees to management
A company has separate divisions for distinct types of products. Each division has its own marketing, sales, manufacturing, and finance functions. What type of organizational structure does this illustrate?
Companies with a product structure usually have separate divisions for different products, and each division has its own functional departments.
When conducting a benefits needs assessment, what is the next step HR should take after analyzing the design and utilization data for all benefit plans?
Compare organizational needs, employee needs, and current benefit offerings.
The term "cultural relativism" is best demonstrated by which of the following?
Concept that holds that there are no absolutes and everything is based on the situation -Relativism states that because cultures vary so greatly, there are no absolutes. Everything varies based on the situation.
Which is the best approach to use during a training needs analysis in a workforce with low power distance?
Conduct needs analyses in a participative manner. -Individuals in low power distance cultures tend to prefer a more participative management style. The other options all indicate organizational cultures that have high power distance.
A manufacturer assembles commercial equipment in its host country, using components purchased from small manufacturers in other countries. Pursuing a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, the manufacturer has reviewed its own processes for potential environmental improvements related to energy and waste. HR has been directed to survey employees' workplace impressions, implement engagement practices, and initiate volunteer programs with local community groups. What else is HR in a good position to do to advance the CSR program? Answers
Conduct workplace compliance audits for supply chain partners.
What core business function is best suited in identifying competitive threats and revenue producing opportunities for a SWOT analysis?
Marketing and Sales -Marketing and sales has the most relevant and accurate information on the market and customer trends because it is in the closest contact with customers
What must be updated in order to guarantee that a job description is a true illustration of the work being performed at any given point in time?
Duties and responsibilities -Only the duties and responsibilities guarantee that the job description is a true illustration of the work being performed.
Which generally describes governments' involvement in unions?
ECT It varies from country to country.
The turnover rate among recent hires has increased. Exit interview feedback shows that employees' expectations of the company's culture, vision, and mission have not been fulfilled. What should the company reassess based on these trends?
Employee value proposition -The employee value proposition must be aligned with the organizational strategic plan, vision, mission, and values while also creating an image that both attracts people and provides an accurate picture of employment. An employer marketing strategy is focused on advertising, marketing, and branding; therefore, it is not specifically focused on the company's culture, vision, and mission.
How should an organization's value proposition be effectively communicated using deliberate messages about the organization to describe working conditions, culture, and the emotional connection employees have with the organization?
Employment brand -An employment brand creates an image that makes people want to work for and stay working for the organization.
Which term best describes a job design strategy that increases the variety of responsibilities but requires the same skill level?
Enlargement Job enlargement attempts to alleviate the boredom and low morale associated with excessive job simplification. It increases the number of tasks to be performed, expanding the scope of the job and allowing for more variety, but all of the tasks require the same skill level. Job enrichment, which is sometimes confused with job enlargement, increases the depth of a job by adding increased responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluation. It may improve morale but may not necessarily improve productivity. Job simplification and specialization generally reduce the number of tasks required of an employee.
How should an HR leader best address HR as a cost center?
Ensure that HR services are aligned to the organizational strategy
Environmental, economic, and social are the three spheres of sustainability.
Environmental, economic, social
A key manager is retiring, and the company wants her to keep working in a part-time capacity. She will work 20 hours a week and continue to perform a portion of her old duties. What Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) classification should the HR manager recommend for the manager
Exempt employee -The manager is considered a key employee, and, under the FLSA, manager is an exempt role. She is not working on a temporary or project basis and so is not an independent contractor or a temporary employee. The manager is too senior to be nonexempt.
What would indicate a cultural shift as a result of an organization and employee development change initiative?
Fewer product returns due to quality issues -Organization interventions set measurable objectives so that the effectiveness of the intervention can be assessed. The objectives are related to the efficiency of the intervention in making change and its effectiveness in helping the organization achieve the desired performance. In this case, fewer product returns are a measurable result of activity and are aligned with an organization's strategic goals.
Which motivation theory appeals to an employee's need for achievement?
McClelland's theory proposes that individuals are motivated by achievement, affiliation, and the desire for power.
HR meets with team leaders to analyze the pros and cons of a suggested change. As a group, they brainstorm about factors that could positively or negatively influence the outcome of the change. Factors are assigned weights in order to quantify the pros and cons and assist the leaders in their decision making. What type of analysis is the group using?
Force-field analysis -Force-field analysis tries to identify conditions needed to make change possible. Based on a force-field analysis, the group can decide to pursue opportunities with scores showing favorability for change or avoid changes that face very strong resistance. They might also use analysis results in deciding how to allocate resources to mitigate negative risks and enhance opportunities
What stage of the strategic planning process is a SWOT analysis performed?
Formulation -The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis is done during the strategy formulation stage to test the advisability of different potential strategies.
Which is a critical component of maintaining electronic employee records as opposed to paper-based records?
Frequent backups of all data - Frequent backup of electronic employee records is required for protection against data loss or corruption. The other choices apply to both paper-based and electronic record-keeping systems.
Which term describes a system of rules and processes put in place to ensure adherence to laws, rules, norms, and social codes of conduct?
Governance
Which is considered a "pull" factor in attracting organizations toward globalization?
Greater strategic control - "Pull" factors are those attractions to globalization that support what an organization wants to achieve—in this case, greater control over strategic goals. The other factors are "push" factors, ones that oblige an organization to go global to remain competitive.
What is the primary obstacle that must be avoided during the norming phase of team formation?
Groupthink -During the norming phase, the team members unite behind rules and processes. The major obstacle here is groupthink, which occurs when members value a shared identity so much that innovation and creative problem solving (which may entail disagreement) is hampered.
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 fill in or supplement workforce gaps with the best qualified employees.
Which can best be used in the evaluation of the outcomes of a compliance program?
How willing the participants are to report issues of noncompliance
Which metric would most accurately show the effect of the investment in an HR change initiative to increase employee productivity?
Human capital value added -The human capital value-added metric shows growth in employee productivity. It is calculated by subtracting nonemployment expenses (e.g., materials, rent, utilities) from revenue, and dividing the difference by the number of employees. A value should be established at the beginning of the initiative so that a later value can be compared with it to show effect.
An HR function has purchased applicant tracking software that allows external recruiters to access certain areas of the organization's information system. Throughout the purchasing process, HR has excluded the IT function. What is a possible outcome?
IT refuses to allow the software to be loaded into the system. HR's approach to this project does not recognize IT's responsibilities and needs. IT may refuse to allow the system to be installed on a shared system out of concern for security and incompatibilities or because they cannot estimate the demand the additional technology will have on IT's support resources.
An organization needs to prioritize spending for its risk management initiatives. Which is the first step the HR leader should take?
Identifying processes and individuals critical to the organization's delivery of value
An employee claims that a less qualified candidate was selected for a promotion because the candidate was younger and more attractive. The employee files an age discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). What step will the EEOC take next if reasonable cause is discovered?
If a reasonable cause is discovered, the EEOC first attempts reconciliation of the parties.
Big data brings with it three requirements: volume (the ability to store massive amounts of data), velocity (the ability to refresh data rapidly), and variety. What does variety refer to?
Importing, storing, and integrating data in different formats
What type of business problem is solved most appropriately by using Six Sigma tools?
Improving quality -Quality issues can be solved by using Six Sigma tools. Six Sigma is a strategy that identifies and removes the causes of defects and errors in manufacturing and business processes. Other business problems that can be solved by using Six Sigma include too much variation, challenging root cause identifications, numerous technical considerations, and other complex issues. Lean Six Sigma is a strategy that eliminates waste and improves process flows.
Which best identifies the outcome of requiring all employees to be trained in business continuity and disaster recovery plans?
Increased confidence among organization stakeholders
An organization develops its products, processes, and strategy in a home country, however, they export their products to foreign countries where they also have a production facility. Which term best describes this company?
International -International organizations export their products or services to foreign countries. While they may open production facilities or service centers in those countries, the products/services, processes, and strategy are developed in the home country.
Which is the primary advantage of using a balanced scorecard approach to measure organizational performance?
It allows organizations to assess intangibles. A balanced scorecard approach focuses on finance, customers, internal processes, and learning and growth. Therefore, it goes beyond a traditional financial approach to managing the organization. It takes into consideration such intangibles as whether a business process has been improved or employees have learned new skills. It can be used in a single department or throughout the organization.
How does the Global Integration-Local Responsiveness matrix aid HR in developing policies and determining staffing needs?
It defines HR's role at headquarters and subsidiaries -The Global Integration-Local Responsiveness matrix shows an organization's strategic choices in terms of a desire to integrate its global operations and to allow local operations to develop their own strategies. This defines HR's role: whether it will direct, advise, or monitor HR policy at the local level.
In global staffing, why is it important to use a common approach for analyzing and describing jobs?
It facilitates communication and decision making about jobs.
In global staffing, why is it important to use a common approach for analyzing and describing jobs?
It facilitates communication and decision making about jobs. -Defining jobs consistently and clearly, in a common language, is important in a global environment because it establishes a common understanding of the jobs that need to be filled and the skills and experience necessary for those jobs. It also facilitates communication and decision making about jobs across different cultures.
What approach is most characteristic of succession planning?
It focuses on long-term global issues. - Succession planning takes a long-range, strategic view and considers the entire organization and its business conditions.
Which characteristic is associated with the Six Sigma project management approach?
It measures value and uses evidence-based analysis. -
Which characteristic is associated with the Six Sigma project management approach?
It measures value and uses evidence-based analysis. -The Six Sigma approach to project management is focused on measuring the return of value that allows empirical analysis to inform decision making.
An organization is in the process of updating its compensation system and has started the task of evaluating jobs and grouping those with similar duties together. Which documents would be most useful for this purpose?
Job descriptions -The job description is a written record of job duties and responsibilities and will be most valuable in grouping jobs with similar duties.
A supervisor wants to improve job satisfaction and motivate employees by giving them more independence in their work and the opportunity to self-review and evaluate. Which is the best tactic to use for this?
Job enrichment -Job enrichment increases the depth of a job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluation. This is also known as vertical integration. Examples of actions that increase job depth include giving employees more authority, increasing employees' accountability, and sharing feedback directly with employees.
What type of organization embraces change, tolerates risk, and views failures as an opportunity to learn?
Learning organization -A learning organization understands that change, risk, and failure are all key parts of organizational learning. A learning organization provides the environment for organizational learning.
Which is the most low-risk strategy for global market expansion?
Licensing does not take a large initial investment or major organizational commitment. It is, therefore, a relatively low-risk way to expand globally.
Which strategy should HR recommend to embrace diversity in the workforce at a greenfield operation?
Local responsiveness -A greenfield operation is a way for an organization to grow its market by entering a new market and building its presence from the bottom up. Since locals will understand the forces affecting diversity better than a global headquarters team, encouraging local HR to implement a diversity policy in a culturally appropriate way will be more effective.
Where is a plaintiff more likely to file a legal suit when jurisdiction shopping?
Locale that historically provides the desired results -Jurisdiction or forum shopping is the practice of litigants taking their legal cases to the most likely location that will provide a favorable judgment. Some jurisdictions have become known as "plaintiff-friendly" and so have attracted litigation even when there is little or no connection between the legal issues and the jurisdiction in which they are to be litigated.
What describes a culture that prefers training activities that spell out details and use direct and logical communication?
Low-context
What is the primary function of executive management?
Manage core business functions and their effect on the organization's performance -
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?
Managers can cross-train a subordinate. -Replacement planning concentrates on immediate needs and a "snapshot" assessment of the availability of qualified backups for individuals in key positions.
Which best identifies the impact of cognitive barriers on risk management?
Managers perceive risks in an outdated manner.
Which is a primary business benefit associated with implementation of an employee volunteerism program?
Strengthening the company's brand and reputation
A HR professional has been assigned to help a new product development team that has had difficulty achieving smooth collaboration. The members keep accusing each other of not doing what they're supposed to be doing and instead interfering in each other's work. What tool could help the HR professional and the product team in this situation?
RACI matrix -The team needs to define and agree on roles and responsibilities. This can be done by using a RACI matrix. It defines roles in term of whether a person or group is responsible for performing a task, accountable to management for the performance, consulted for input into the activity, or informed of progress.
An employee's ex-husband waits outside her place of work. When she emerges, he begins yelling. She retreats inside the building. The husband attempts to follow but is prevented by a door that locks automatically behind the employee. An HR staff member observes the incident. What action should the staff member take?
Recommend that those involved debrief the incident.
Which of the following is a notable provision of the Department of Labor's electronic guidelines for data storage?
Records must be convertible into readable paper copy to satisfy obligations under Title I of ERISA.
Which identifies a direct cost of turnover?
Recruitment cost -Direct costs of turnover can be quantified. They include recruitment fees as well as costs for sourcing, hiring, and onboarding.
Which action would be considered an unfair labor practice (ULP)?
Refusing to bargain with a legally recognized union
The HR department monitors the emergency response plans and updates them as needed, at least annually. Which is the best way to evaluate the plan as part of the annual review?
Rehearsing drills of the plan
Which type of survey should an HR professional use to collect information on base pay, incentive plans, and benefits? Answers
Remuneration -Remuneration surveys, the global terminology for compensation and benefit surveys, are used to collect information on prevailing market compensation and benefit practices. This type of survey allows an organization to check its remuneration structures against global and local trends.
What is secondary risk?
Risk created by a risk management tactic
What phase of risk management is represented in the acronym MECE, which stands for "mutually exclusive and comprehensively exhaustive?"
Risk identification
What is the appropriate role for an HR manager in an investigatory interview for a dischargeable offense?
Risk manager for the organization
An assembly operation has completely redesigned its work floor and added new machines. What would be the best way for HR to fulfill its duty of care to the operation's employees?
Schedule a walk-through of the redesigned area during a work shift.
Why are multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tools particularly useful for teams who are purchasing HR technology?
Scoring can be adjusted to reflect an organization's unique technology needs. -MCDA tools weight specific purchase factors according to their importance to the organization.
Which best illustrates a regiocentric global orientation as described by Perlmutter?
Senior management operations moves between countries within regions -In a regiocentric global orientation, operations are managed regionally. Communication and coordination are high within regions and less so between regions.
How is a risk control best understood by an organization?
Sharing a risk's occurrence or impact and its likelihood
An HR director recognizes the need to work with a preferred staffing vendor to address the organization's short- and long-term staffing needs and to help streamline recruiting for specialized positions in several departments. This approach falls into which category of the organization's talent acquisition strategy? Answers
Succession planning -Partnering with the preferred staffing vendor will help develop a pipeline of quality candidates with the required experience to fill specialized positions that may be open now or in the future. Reactive recruitment focuses on immediate hiring needs. Succession planning can address long-term (but not short-term) hiring needs. Skill banks and skill tracking systems can support internal recruiting; the staffing vendor focuses on external recruiting.
Workforce planning is a technique used to help an organization reach its short- and long-term goals and objectives. The workforce analysis process consists of four steps. What is the first step?
Supply analysis -
Which term is best described as traditionally higher-level leadership responsibilities being transferred to leaders at lower levels?
Task migration Task migration occurs when traditionally higher-level leadership responsibilities are transferred to leaders at lower levels. This is partly a function of the trend toward flatter organizations, but it is also due to the greater frequency and complexities of challenges. What was typically handled by senior leaders in the past has been handed down to junior leaders so the former can focus on even more complex issues.
Technological forces have had which critical effect on today's corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices?
Technological forces have had which critical effect on today's corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices?
A bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) is a job criterion that employers can use to hire a foreign national. To use the BFOQ defense, what must employers prove?
That local employees cannot perform the key duties required by the job -Employers who use the BFOQ defense must prove that all, or substantially all, local employees cannot perform the key duties and responsibilities required by the job position.
GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards
The GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards enable meaningful and consistent comparisons of organizations' sustainability performance.
Which factor is most important to consider when an organization is seeking to globalize its leadership development program?
The culture in each country as it affects how leaders emerge -The culture of each country impacts the adoption of the program. Examining the organization's internal culture is not enough; it is important to also consider global leadership concepts. Leadership development programs should be accessible to all, not just those who have the potential to assume leadership roles. Executive buy-in at each location is incorrect because changes may have to be made to accommodate local norms.
A company with 100 employees has a remote full-time employee who lives across the country and is about to give birth. What is she entitled to under the FMLA?
The employee is not entitled to any leave because she does not work within 75 miles of a location that has 50 or more employees. The FMLA provisions do not extend to her.
Which indicates that an organization is using strategic planning and management?
The organization's structure, resources, and policies are aligned to meet the agreed-upon goals - Strategic planning and management are distinguished by the way assets, structure, and policies are focused and integrated to achieve goals. The mere existence and communication of the mission and the vision does not mean that an organization is using strategic planning and management. The organization's core competencies may be distributed across multiple functions; they will probably not be the same in each function. A cross-functional team pointed toward problem resolution does not distinguish an organization as having a strategic plan that is well managed.
Which is the primary reason why work councils are prohibited in the United States?
They are seen as competitors to unions.
What is the advantage of nonqualified deferred compensation plans?
They provide incentives for key executives to stay with the organization.
In pursuit of cost savings, a western European company decides to partner with an organization in central Europe. In addition to a lower cost base, the company chose this partner over a Chinese prospect because of reduced geographical, cultural, and linguistic differences. Which outsourcing arrangement does this describe?
This is an example of near-shoring, where an organization outsources part or all of its operations to a nearby country. In this scenario, the manufacturer moves some of its operations to a lower-cost organization while maintaining geographic and cultural proximity. As such, travel distances will be less than relocating to China, and the new partner will most likely be more culturally aligned.
How should an HR leader evaluate an organization's return on labor expenses?
Through a well-crafted pay-for-performance program that measures performance compared to goals
Which is a goal of a transnational organization?
To create a loose federation of subsidiaries -A transnational corporation builds strong local and global identities. Ideas flow not only from headquarters to the subsidiaries but among subsidiaries and to headquarters. Localized processes and practices meet cultural and legal requirements in each market, and knowledge and experience are shared globally.
How are local cluster developments used in corporate social responsibility?
To create shared value
An organization wants to encourage its employees to improve their health and fitness. How could technology increase employee involvement in this goal?
Wearable technology that gathers and uploads data to the cloud
An organization finds that, without consciously meaning to, it is rewarding behaviors that violate its values. As it returns to the beginning of the total rewards strategy process, what factor should the organization be sure to include in its assessment of its total rewards needs?
What leaders are willing to tolerate in high performers
Under which circumstances should a market-based job evaluation be used?
When an organization is positioning against its compensation philosophy.The market-based approach is common due to its simplicity, as it looks at external data to form the basis for market pricing. The organization uses job descriptions to compare jobs to like positions in the external marketplace. Pay data is collected from published sources, and the value of the position in the competitive market is determined. Positioning pay against the organization's compensation philosophy allows an understanding of whether the pay program achieves the basic objectives of the compensation philosophy. It also allows for a better understanding of internal equity.
Which is an example of a cultural factor that poses potential risk when evaluating an organization for a merger or acquisition?
Which is an example of a cultural factor that poses potential risk when evaluating an organization for a merger or acquisition?
Governance
Which term describes a system of rules and processes put in place to ensure adherence to laws, rules, norms, and social codes of conduct?
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 -When older employees represent a large portion of an organization's workforce, the organization can anticipate talent shortages as these employees reach retirement age.
Which is a challenge when following a best-of-breed HRIS purchasing strategy?
Working with multiple vendors -Organizations that implement a best-of-breed (BOB) strategy pick the best applications for each HR functional area, working with one or more vendors. For example, the organization might use a recruiting solution from one vendor and a payroll system from another.
