Chapter 1 The Role of Human Resources

Key HR Metrics

- Human Resources (Departmental) - Compensation - Employment

What are the four primary functions of human resources

1. Staffing 2. Training and Development 3. Compensation 4. Administration

Staffing

A job and employee-lifecycle function that starts with job development or analysis and continues through job elimination or separation. This function may also include employer branding

Which primary HR management function would enforcing company policy fall under?

Administration

Time to Fill

Calculation: The number of calendar days from when the job requisition was opened until the offer was accepted, including weekends and holidays.

Total HR Staff

Calculation: The number of employees supporting the HR function

HR to Employee Ratio

Calculation: The number of human resource employees per 100 employees

Number of positions filled

Calculation: The number of open positions that were filled (offer accepted) by either external or internal candidates during the fiscal year

Annual Salary Increase

Calculation: The percentage of increase in salaries that an organization expects to provide or provides to its employees in a given fiscal year

Cost per hire

Calculation: The sum of costs related to a new hire, including advertising, any agency fees or employee referral incentives, travel and relocation and recruiter pay and benefits, divided by the number of hires.

Salaries as a percentage of operating expense

Calculation: The total amount of employee salaries divided by the operating expenses for a given fiscal year.

HR Expense to Operating Expense Ratio

Calculation: Total HR expenses divided by operating expenses for a given fiscal year

One development option for an HR professional to take their career to the next level is to:

Earn a professional credential or certificate

Training and Development Specialist

Help plan, conduct, and administer programs that train employees and improve their skills and knowledge

You've agreed to participate in a local community college's career day program and need to prepare a one-sentence description of what human resource professionals do. Which of the following would best fit that requirement?

Human resources is responsible for ensuring that an organization has the talent- the right combination of skills, knowledge, aptitude and attitude- to achieve its strategic goals making sure that the organization complies with relevant legislation and employees act in accordance with policies and procedures

Labor Relations Specialist

Interpret and administer labor contracts regarding issues such as wages and salaries, healthcare, pensions, and union and management practices

Compensation and Benefits Manager

Plan, develop, and oversee employee compensation programs.

those who handle the staffing function and deal with employees in a formalized manner

Plan, direct, and coordinate human resources function broadly, including strategic planning and advice and employee relations

You're preparing a lunch and learn briefing for your human resources team. Which of the following points should you emphasize:

The need to overhaul human resource systems, policies, and processes to adapt to changes in the operating environment

Which of the following best describes human resource management metrics?

They are of no use in and of themselves; that is, without a frame of reference or points of comparison

Training and Development

This function includes socialization, training & development activities from hire to separation, including onboarding, employee training, reskilling & upskilling, employee development and career management. It also includes organization-wide change management, learning & development initiatives

Out of the many roles human resources plays within an organization, which is the main role?

To ensure an organization has the talent to achieve its strategic goals

You were just hired as an entry-level Human Resources Associate. Which would NOT be one of your roles?

To ensure employees get paid the same amount for the same job

As an HR professional, you've heard others ta about how your main role is to ensure your organization has the talent to achieve its strategic goals. What is another human resources role?

To practice and promote the type of behavior that contributes to a healthy and productive culture

Which relevant course for human resource roles in general would help an employee develop their "soft skills"?.

business communication

What is an important trend in HR management that must be considered when updating company policies?

changes in workforce composition

A large company has historically been composed of mostly native English speaking employees. Over the past few years, the company has begun to offer employee handbooks in a variety of languages. The company has also noted a change in the average employee age. What trend in HR management is described by this scenario?

increasing workforce diversity

If an employee wanted to transition into a management position within HR, which would not be a great training option for them?

job specific training and experience

Human resource management

responsible for developing people-related structures, policies and procedures

Which of the following is necessary for any human resource management candidate?

soft skills

What are the main functions of human resource management?

staffing, training and development, compensation, and administration

The key HR management metric, Total HR Staff, describes:

the number of employees supporting the HR function

A supporting role of an HR department is:

to contribute to a healthy and productive culture by practicing and promoting model behavior

The role of human resources is:

to ensure that an organization has the right talent to achieve its strategic goals

Role of Human Resources

to ensure that an organization has the talent—the right combination of skills, knowledge, aptitude, and attitude—to achieve its strategic goals.

Charlotte, who works in the sales department, has been told by HR that she will be attending a webinar about sales strategies. What function of HR is being performed here?

training and development

Compensation (motivation)

Responsibilities included in this function include factors that influence motivation ranging from job design, compensation and benefits, performance appraisal and related administration (e.g., payroll)

Administration (maintenance)

The administration function includes regulatory compliance and employee relations, including associated communications, records management and reporting

A leading pharmaceutical company prides itself in having employees of all ages and from over 100 different companies. This is an example of which HR trend?

increasing workforce diversity

HR Expense per FTE Ratio

Calculation: Total HR expenses for a given fiscal year divided by the number of FTEs (full-time equivalent employees) in the organization

An HR employee with 9 years of experience reviewing wage, salary, healthcare, and pension issues would best be qualified for which position?

Compensation and Benefits Manager

An immigration-based employment HR professional seeking career development would best be supported by:

Council for Global Immigration

You have worked as a human resource management intern for three semesters and will be graduating with a bachelor's degree in the Spring. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, which of the following is the best position to target as your next career move?

Training & Development Specialist

For an HR professional who specializes in immigration-based employment, which institute would be the best choice to seek development options for career advancement?

Council for Global Immigration

You are a human resource manager evaluating career development options. Which of the following statements is true or worth further consideration?

Professional certification has been proven to improve career prospects, income and career satisfaction

Human Resource Specialist

Provide development and administrative support for one of the human resource functions

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the training most relevant for human resource professionals is:

Training that builds a combination of soft skills and job specific knowledge

Annual turnover rate

Two-step Calculation: 1) Calculate turnover for each month by dividing the number of separations during the month by the average number of employees during the month and multiplying by 100; 2) Sum the monthly turnover percentages to arrive at the annual turnover rate.