Chapter 11 Human Resource Management: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees

wrongful termination

The once prevailing doctrine in the United States was "empowerment at will" meaning that employers had as much freedom to fire workers as workers had to leave voluntarily. Some states and court decisions have changed that to protect employees from:

core

The period when all employees are expected to be at their job stations is called _ time

networking

The process of establishing and maintaining contacts in and outside the organization is called _

selection

The process of gathering information and deciding who should be hired is called:

job rotation

The purpose of _ is to give managers a variety of assignments to develop a broad picture of the organization as a whole

changes in the law have written traditional practices organizations recognize that employees are their ultimate resource

The roles and responsibilities of HRM professionals have evolved primarily because:

job-sharing

The schedule that lets two or more part-time workers share one full-time job is:

high costs of replacing employees

The selection process is often long and difficult, but is worth it due to the:

recruitment

The set of activities for obtaining the right number of qualified people at the right time to fill the needs of the organization is:

gathering application information conducting interviews testing the applicants

The tasks in the selection process include:

apprentice

The training program during which a learner works alongside an experience employee to master skills and procedure is a(n) _ program

orientation

The training that is provided to new employees that initiates them into the organization's policies, practices, and objectives is called:

job simulation

The training where employees can learn skills before attempting them on the job using equipment that duplicates job conditions is:

it is difficult to relate acquisition of skills to profits the pay system is complex

The two main drawbacks of skilled-based pay are:

recruiting

There are many challenges from _ a diverse pool of applicants

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal to discriminate against certain groups of people called:

protected classes

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 specified that employers must:

provide safety equipment to employees limit exposure to hazardous substances

Fringe benefits that may provide incentives other than pay include:

recreation facilities country club memberships company cars

The primary reason employers have become more thorough in doing background checks is:

that employee turnover and replacement has become too costly

Fringe benefits, include sick-leave pay, vacation pay, pension plans, and health plans have had an effect on:

the cost of compensation to the employee the retention of employees the cost of compensation to the employer

The job analysis yields two important statements

the job specifications the job description

An advantage of hiring contingent workers is that:

they receive fewer benefits than permanent workers they reduce the cost

True

True or false: Human resources professionals are responsible for assuring that the company acts within laws that regulate safety and discrimination

False

True or false: The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act of 1973 provides cash payments for living expenses for unemployed workers

False

True or false: The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 affects businesses with 15 or more employees

False

True or false: The Manpower Development and Training Act of 1962 provided for unemployment benefits for unemployed workers

True

True or false: The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 limited management interference in the right of employees to have a collective bargaining agent

race color religion

Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is illegal for employers to discriminate based on:

Undersecretary assistant

Understudy positions include titles like:

mentor

Another employee who introduces lower-level employees to the right people and act as a sponsor within the organization is a(n):

retention

A benefit of job-sharing is _ of experienced employees who might otherwise have retired

fringe benefits

A carefully managed compensation program provides employees with some sense of financial security through:

the need to retain workers

A challenge for human resources managers because of the change from traditional manufacturing to service and high-tech manufacturing industries is:

affirmative

A controversial policy by the EEOC was _ action that is defined by increasing opportunities for minorities and women

individual

A difficult task is measuring and rewarding _ performance on teams while at the same time rewarding team performance

360-degree performance review

A performance review that seeks opinions from all around the employee, including those under, above, and on the same level is a(n):

job analysis

A study of what employees do who hold various job titles is a(n) _

piecework

A wage based on the number of items produces is a(n) _ system

greater job satisfaction higher retention rates increased productivity

A well-designed training program often leads to:

specification

A written summary of the minimum qualifications or skills required for workers to do a particular job is called a job _

protection of job applicants and workers over 40 from discrimination in employment protection of workers over 40 from discrimination in hiring enforcement by the EEOC

An important provision of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act is:

Place the three steps of training and development in order from first to last

Assess organization needs and employee skills for training gaps Design training activities to meet identified needs Evaluate the training's effectiveness

trial

At the end of the selection process, a(n) _ period can make it easier to dismiss a new employee if necessary

law

Changes in the _ are one factor created by government that has affected traditional human resources management practices

replacing

Companies need to select the best employees who apply because the cost of _ employees who leave is very high

boosts productivity

Companies that use flextime say that an advantage is that it:

prorate

Companies that use job-sharing plans sometimes must _ fringe benefits

golden handshake

Companies trying to downsize sometimes offer special early retirement benefits known as a(n) _ to encourage long-term employees with higher salaries to leave

the economy is uncertain

Contingent workers may be hired when:

customers

Having more women and minorities at all levels of the organization lets businesses serve their increasingly female and minority _ better

reverse

Discrimination against whites or males is defined as _ discrimination

guide the employee to better performance hear the employee's views on how to improve the job

Discussing an employee's successes and areas that need improvement can provide managers an opportunity to:

taxes

Employees often request more fringe benefits instead of salary, in order to avoid higher

reduce recruiting costs know the company and are productive more quickly need less training

Employees promoted from within save costs for employers because they:

part-time

Employees working 1 to 34 hours are considered _ or contingent workers

court cases

Employers must know and act in accordance with the legal rights of their employees or risk costly _

reasonable

Employers must make _ accommodations for employees with disabilities under the ADA

job

Employment test required of applicants should always be directly related to the _

employment

Equal _ laws limit the kinds of questions that can appear on employment applications so that people's rights are not violated

List the steps in the performance appraisal process starting with the first step and proceeding to the last step

Establish performance standards Communicate the standards Evaluate performance to standard Discuss results with employee Take corrective action if needed Use results to make decision about pay or promotion

information can prevent the loss of good people in the future

Exit interviews can be helpful to a company because:

compensate

Experts believe that determining how best to _ employees is today's greatest human resource management challenge because it affects the long term success of the company

salary

Fixed compensation computed on weekly, biweekly, or monthly pay periods is:

lateral transfer

Flatter organizations today often reassign an employee to a new job at the same level, which is known as a(n):

work the required number of hours complete their assigned tasks

Flextime is a system that allows employees some freedom to choose which hours to work as long as they:

cafeteria style

Fringe benefits plans that allow employees to choose the benefits they want up to a certain dollar amount is a(n) _-_ program

soft benefits

Fringe benefits such as on site concierge services, free haircuts, and free breakfasts are called:

Which of the compensation system listed are likely to be effective in building cohesive teams

Gain-sharing Skill-based pay

It is an organization's people who have the creative ideas to keep it competitive Finding qualified employees has become more difficult

Human resource management is critical to the success of the organization because:

qualified

Human resource management is important to the success of today's businesses. It is responsible for hiring the most _ people to meet a company's need for skilled workers

process

Human resource management is the _ of determining human resource needs that will achieve organizational goals

constantly assess the labor supply

Human resource managers must plan for future staffing needs so they:

staffing an organization with employees able to meet organization goals ensuring that all of the HR functions comply with legal requirements

Human resource managers perform the vital functions of:

assure that enough trained workers are available to achieve organization goals

Human resources staff must regularly assess the organization's strategic plans and the organization's human resources inventory to:

reward

If a manager really supports the team process, he needs to give teams freedom to _ themselves when they have successfully managed themselves and achieved their goals

training development

Improving an employee's short-term ability to perform needed skills is _, whereas focusing on long-term abilities is _

punitive damages for victims of international discrimination a jury trial for victims of international discrimination

In firms with more than 15 employees, the Civil Rights Act of 1991 provides for:

base

In skill-based pay, _ pay is raised when new skills are learned and applied

the increase in single parent homes the increase in two-income families

Increased flexibility in scheduling has become an important benefit for employers to offer because of:

background investigation

Investigating an applicant's work record, school record, and credit rating are often part of doing a(n) _

monitor participants' managerial skills over time

It is important in management development to:

disadvantage

The need to hire, train, motivate, and supervise at least twice as many people is a(n) _ of job sharing

terminating

Lost training costs is a factor in _ employees

planning

Managers often need training in special skills such as time management, _ and human relations skills

contingent

Managers see using _ workers as a way for weeding out poor workers and finding good hires

promotions compensation termination of employment

Managers use the information on performance appraisals to make the decision about:

outsourcing

Many companies have resorted to _ certain functions to be done by other companies because of the costs of terminating employees

Job rotation On-the-job coaching

Most management training programs include several of the following

firing

Most states now limit the at-will doctrine to protect employees from wrongful _

job analysis

Observing current employees doing a job, discussing the job with managers, and keeping activity diaries are part of the process of:

Rank the steps of the typical selection process starting with the first step and listing them in order to the last step

Obtain complete application forms Conduct initial and follow-up interviews Give employment tests Conduct background investigations Obtain results from physical exams Establish probationary periods

shadowing

On-the-job training lets the employee learn by _ an experienced employee and then imitating them

overturn Supreme Court rulings that reduced protections

One way the 2008 Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act responded to new issues that arose after the initial law as passed was to:

40

Overtime pay was established in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 for employees working over _ hours per week

List the five steps in human resource planning in order from first to last, the the first step at the top

Preparing a human resource inventory Preparing a job analysis Assessing future human resources demand Assessing future human resources supply Establishing a strategic plan

establishment of the 40 hour work week overtime pay for more than 40 hours per week establish of a minimum wage

Provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and its amendments include:

Identify some of the challenges in human resource management Shift in employee attitudes toward work

Retirement of baby boomers Increase in overseas labor pools

their compensation may not be competitive

Small business have difficulty recruiting qualified workers because:

hire and train internally

Sometimes people with necessary skills are not available, and then companies must:

A human resource inventory should include which of the following types of information about employees

Specialized skills Demographics such as age and educational level Languages spoken

heart disease epilepsy cancer

The ADA of 2008 adds new disabilities such as _ to ADA coverage

40

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 outlawed employment practices that discriminate against people over the age of:

mandatory

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act outlaws _ retirement in most organizations. This prevents workers from being force to retire sooner than they want to

qualified

The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits employers from discriminating against _ individuals with disabilities

qualified

The American with Disabilities Acts of 1990 prohibits employers from discriminating against _ individuals with disabilities

set guidelines for employers' administration of EEO

The Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 authorized the EEOC to:

equal

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 specified that men and women doing _ jobs must be paid the same wage

age

The Older Workers Benefits Protection Act of 1990 protects older people from illegal _ discrimination

strategic plan

The _ addresses how all the functions of human resources management will meet the long-term needs of the organization

online training

The ability to provide a large number of employees with consistent content tailored to specific training needs at convenient times is the key advantage to:

orientation program

The activity that initiates new employees into the organization, it's policies and procedures, and its objectives is a(n):

retains valued employees motivates workers to perform well

The choice of a pay system that is fair and competitive in today's labor market is important to an organization's survival because it:

enforcement

The continuing issue for human resource management under ADA is _

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

The federal law that requires employers to verify employment eligibility of new hires, including American citizens is the:

performance appraisal

The human resources management function that provides information for decisions about training, promotion, and compensation is:

A job description specifies which of the following

The job's relation to other functions Objectives of the job Responsibilities and duties of the job

affirmative

The most controversial policy enforced by the EEOC was _ action, designed to right past wrongs

the need to do it early to attract and retain them bringing a more diverse group to management will increase long-term profitability that they will serve their increasingly diverse customers better

Three principles companies must understand in developing a more diverse management group are:

discrimination

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits _ in hiring, firing, compensation or privileges of empowerment based on race, religion, creed, sex, or national origin

limit entry to the union ensure excellence and maintain standards

Trade unions require a new worker to serve as an apprentice to:

Improve productivity retain workers without pay increases increase and employee's ability to perform

Training and development are the activities that attempt to:

off-the-job-training

Training and occurs away from the workplace to develop a variety of skills and personal development activities such as time management, stress management, or conflict management is:

satisfy legal requirements make the process more efficient

Using actual job tasks in employment testing can:

satisfies legal requirements can make the selection process more efficient

Using an assessment center for testing applicants' ability to perform tasks actually required in the job:

Allow sufficient time Include the employee in the process End the appraisal with positive suggestions

What are some of the dos or conducting an effective appraisal and review

More women entering the workforce Workers getting older Becoming more technically orientated

What factors in the labor force are affecting the future labor supply

Understandable Measurable Reasonable

What three factors must be present in performance standards

on-the-job coaching

When a lower-level manager is taught needed skills and given direction and advice by more senior manager, it is:

Businesses did not exercise fair labor practices voluntarily

When did the federal government pass legislation to regulate human resource decisions

a bonus

When previous performance is exceeded, a gain-sharing system provides:

Compensation Training Promotion

Which decisions are affected by performance appraisals

Observing current employees on the job Discussing a job with managers

Which of the following tasks are part of a job analysis

Hay

Which pay system uses a tiered system of pay ranges based on know-how, problem solving, and accountability

male

Women often have more difficulty than men in networking or finding mentors, since most senior managers are _

home based

Workers who are _ -_ can choose their own hours, interrupt work for child care, or take time out for personal reasons

lateral

_ job transfers allow employees to develop and display new skills and learn more about the company overall instead of moving to a new firm

vestibule

_ training is done in classrooms on equipment similar to that used on the job to teach employees proper methods and safety procedures before assuming a specific job

trade

_ unions in skilled crafts require a new worker to serve as an apprentice for several years to ensure excellence

It is important to plan and prepare all interviewers for the interview because:

missteps and illegal questions can lead to lawsuits based on anti-discrimination laws

Organizations can develop a diversified workforce whose managers include women and minorities by using:

networking mentoring

According to the American with Disabilities Act, medical tests:

cannot be given just to screen out individuals with disabilities

ERISA regulates and insures:

company retirement plans

An important factor in motivating employees to be productive is to have systems in place that:

compensate them fairly

Performance appraisals are important to making good decision about:

compensation training promotion

Internal sources for recruitment are less expensive than using outside sources and improves employee morale. They include:

department reorganizations promotions retained employees

The primary purpose of the appraisal is to improve employee performance by:

determining whether the employee is meeting job standards

Which of the following types of information can legally be obtained from a job application form

educational qualifications work experience

Companies offer soft benefits because they understand that:

employees value work-life balance employees will spend more time at work employees need time with their families

The changes in the U.S. workforce that create challenges for human resource managers include:

employees who want leisure time increased concert over health care benefits more single-parent homes

The purpose of a probationary period is to:

let the new employee prove their value to the organization make it easier to terminate the employee who is not performing well reduce the probability of legal action by the employee

Examples of fringe benefits that provide additional compensation to employees beyond wages include:

life insurance paid vacation sick days

The accelerating cost of administering benefits programs has led to:

many organizations outsourcing that function