Business Dynamics Chapter 11

While talking with a group of family and friends, Salena mentions that she was offered an impressive golden handshake by her employer. Which statement is she most likely to make next?

"I've already looked into using some of the money to go on a trip to Europe when I retire."

Managers at MidTown Financial get a performance appraisal once a year. MidTown uses an evaluation process that provides feedback about performance not only from superiors but also from subordinates and other managers at the same level. This type of evaluation is known as a(n)

360-degree review.

Which statement identifies a key difference between a job description and a job specification?

A job description is a statement about the job, while a job specification is a statement about the person who does the job.

As a project manager for a large construction company, Kyle decided to make the performance appraisal process as painless as possible for his crew. He spent a considerable amount of time creating performance standards he felt were reasonable, and after six months' time, he scheduled individual appointments with each worker to discuss strengths and weaknesses and areas that needed improvement according to the standards he privately set. Some employees were sent to vestibule training, and one even got a promotion with additional compensation. What did he fail to do correctly?

Communicate the performance standards to the employees so they know what is expected.

According to the box "Keeping Your Global Workforce Happy," which statement about working with employees from different countries is most accurate?

Currency rate differences and different laws with respect to fringe benefits, such as health insurance and time off, create challenges for HR management.

What is an advantage of hiring contingent workers?

It is good strategy if the economic climate is uncertain.

In 2011, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act. What was the scope of the changes?

The amendment widened the scope of what disabilities are covered under the act.

What is a challenge facing human resource managers of today?

a shift in employee attitudes toward work

During her annual review, Rachel admitted to her supervisor that she is more productive in a quieter environment. The openness of her office setting and the recent increase in staff that came to her for training made it difficult for her to process as many driver application forms in one day as she had in the past. The supervisor agreed to move Rachel's desk to the back of the office and create a barrier with plants. The supervisor would take a more active role in training new employees, so they would not be coming to Rachel with questions. In HR, we refer to this action as creating

accommodations

Which strategy is used by a human resource manager to fill an open position from within the company?

advertise the opportunity for a promotion to current employees

Which of these workers would be the best example of a contingent worker?

an accountant hired to help during the busy tax season

As new parents, Frank and Jeremy applied for family medical leave to care for their new infant son. According to U.S. law, Frank and Jeremy

are not paid during the 12-week period that each elect to take.

Renee is a human resource manager currently involved in selecting employees. Which activity is Renee most likely to be working on in her present assignment?

completing a background investigation

Once the job description and job specifications were written for a new marketing assistant position in his department, Roger called his HR specialist to proceed with the next step in the process of making a successful hire. After providing a timeframe for qualified persons to apply for the job, the next step in the selection process is best described as

conducting initial and follow-up interviews.

Casey's Holiday Store typically sells over two-thirds of all its merchandise in November and December. Management has found that it must hire __________ workers during this period of increased business to supplement its permanent employees.

contingent

Desmond Communications uses a flextime plan; however, all employees must be on the job from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. What are these hours called?

core time

The overall purpose of the five-step human resource planning process is to

determine the number and types of employees needed by the firm.

A firm would implement a policy of holding exit interviews if it wanted to

find out why good employees were quitting.

At Willow Financial Consulting, employees are allowed to choose what time they start each workday, as long as they arrive between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. They must be on the job from 10:00 a.m. until noon and from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. They are required to work a total of 8 hours each day, so the earlier they arrive, the earlier they can leave. This is a __________ system.

flextime

William is gathering information about the names, ages, education, specialized skills, and capabilities of all of his firm's employees. The information William is acquiring suggests he is working on a

human resource inventory.

Fresh Start Enterprises conducts thorough background investigations of its prospective employees. The purpose of such investigations is to

identify those applicants that are most likely to succeed.

A major purpose of employee orientation programs is to

initiate new employees to the organization, their fellow employees, and their immediate supervisors.

It is sometimes advantageous to hire from within because it

is less costly and helps maintain employee morale.

One of the reasons many firms have chosen to use temporary employees rather than rehire full-time employees is that

it enables them to avoid the prohibitively high costs associated with terminating employees.

Corporate management at Top Style Hotel Group believes Raegan has potential to move into a top management position within the organization. They are assigning Raegan to a different department every few months so she can obtain the broad perspective needed by top managers. This company is using __________ to develop Raegan's management skills.

job rotation

At Prestige Dental Group, Marta works daily as an administrative assistant from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., when she is replaced by Sonja who works from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m. The arrangement Marta and Sonja have at the dental practice is known as

job sharing

Misty worked in the student bookstore at her college. Although she liked the retail atmosphere, there was little opportunity for advancement because the three persons in management positions were doing well in their jobs and not planning to retire very soon. When the college opened a new branch, Misty seized the opportunity to be reassigned to the new location and manage the smaller operation. Her change was not a promotion, it was considered a(n) __________; however, it served to improve her morale because she was performing more tasks and had greater responsibility than at the previous bookstore.

lateral transfer

The information contained in performance appraisals helps managers

make decisions about promotions, compensation, training, and firing.

When Greta began her Ph.D. program, she was immediately assigned to a female __________ who would serve as a coach and guide and help Greta meet the right people who could enhance her career. Her program also required __________, where she would spend four to six weeks in different labs, gaining experience and exposure to a variety of research in her field of study.

mentor; job rotation

During the seminar, Nan took the opportunity to interact with production staff in other companies to build relationships that could benefit her own work in the future. What process did Nan use at the seminar?

networking

With the advent of more sophisticated technology, employers who operate globally and want all employees to receive the same training may opt for

online training programs

The ban-the-box rule affects companies by

prohibiting employers from asking questions about convictions on job applications.

The most likely reason a firm would pay its sales representatives a commission rather than a salary is that it wants to

provide sales representatives with a strong incentive to generate more sales for the company.

According to the box "Making Ethical Decisions," the easiest way to distinguish a quality internship from one that is less than satisfactory is to

review the tasks associated with the position.

Flair Electronics requires all employees who work as research specialists in its electrical engineering department to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (BSEE). This educational requirement would most likely be stated in the job __________ for this position.

specification

A human resource inventory is designed to reveal whether

the firm's labor force is technically up-to-date and well trained.

A reason workers tend to receive fewer promotions than in the past is that

the movement toward flatter organizational structures provides fewer opportunities to move upward.

Samuel works in purchasing for Greener Foods Group on the East Coast. He arrives at work at 6:00 a.m. and leaves by 3:00 p.m. He enjoys this schedule because he is an early riser. A disadvantage to the company in allowing Samuel to use flextime is

there is a very limited window to talk with employees on the West Coast, who work 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Six years ago, Reggie lost his job as a highly skilled craftsman at a wood fabricators shop. Before accepting a job as a maintenance worker at a local retirement community, he searched for a job similar to his old trade for several months. While he is happy to have employment, he is frustrated that he had to settle for a job that did not take full advantage of his skills. Reggie is a(n)

underemployed worker

It is good strategy to develop women and minorities for management positions because

women and minorities in management positions attract and serve other women and minorities better.