MGMT Ch.5
A consumer market research firm has high turnover at its call center in suburban Minneapolis. It is paying competitive wages and benefits and the HR department has instituted the best turnover management practices available. But, the level of voluntary and uncontrollable turnover remains high. Nevertheless, the firm's productivity is one of the highest in the industry, and employee satisfaction level is at the industry average. The firm's HR manager needs to a. work with management to increase performance standards. b. improve its corporate image with employees. c. strengthen its absenteeism management policies. d. make sure that hiring keeps up with replacement needs.
D
Alicia is an assistant HR manager for one of the largest law firms in the state. She has been assigned to estimate and categorize the outflows from the law firm's ranks of paralegals. All of the following types of organizational turnover would be considered controllable turnover EXCEPT a. termination of paralegals for poor performance. b. layoff of surplus paralegals at a branch location. c. promotion of a paralegal to a management position. d. retirements of paralegals.
D
Ambitious employees would be LEAST motivated to stay with the firm by which of the following programs a. an organizational commitment to promotion from within. b. good training and development programs. c. extensive formal and informal mentoring by senior organization members. d. employee of the month recognition.
D
As HR manager for a building supply retailer, you are offering employees 16 hours of paid time off for them to work as a group on a Habitat for Humanity construction project. You hope to improve retention of these employees by a. increasing employee engagement in their work. b. demonstrating organizational support for their personal development. c. offsetting low pay with intangible rewards from charitable work. d. encouraging friendships among co-workers.
D
Clement, the director of HR for an engineering firm, has noticed a high level of turnover by key engineers. In his investigation, he has found that they are moving to competing organizations for similar pay and benefits. Clement should a. increase the number of engineers hired to offset the high turnover rate. b. be more careful to hire engineers with a stable employment history. c. implement higher pay and benefits for key engineers. d. interview former key engineers to determine the true reason for their departure.
D
Clement, the director of staffing for a large advertising and public relations firm, is trying to estimate how many openings for web designers will be staffed from various sources: promotions, transfers, and new hires. Clement is determining the _________ for this job. a. "make or buy" ratio b. placement ratio c. staffing ratio d. fill rate
D
In a/an ____ interview, individuals are asked to identify their reasons for leaving the organization. a. departure b. feedback c. final appraisal d. exit
D
Piaffe Products has 15 employees quit during 2010 and an additional 10 are fired for poor performance. At midyear there are 50 employees. Piaffe's turnover rate is a. 10% b. 20% c. 30% d. 50%
D
The U.S. Department of Labor uses "separation" to mean a. functional turnover b. dysfunctional turnover. c. layoffs for economic reasons. d. employee departures for any reason.
D
The forecast for openings for store managers in a retail chain must include all of the following EXCEPT a. the number of store managers who are expected to quit in the coming year. b. if any store locations will be closed in the coming year. c. the number of store managers who will be promoted to regional manager in the coming year. d. the number of store managers who will volunteer for additional management development programs.
D
Tina, the director of HR, is disturbed at the high level of turnover at her company. From exit interviews, she suspects that certain supervisors have higher dysfunctional turnover rates among their subordinates than others. In order to verify this hunch, Tina should analyze turnover by department and by a. employee response to attitude surveys. b. employee length of service. c. employee race and gender. d. employee performance ratings.
D
When employees feel the employer has broken the psychological contract by laying off long-service employees, the key "loss" that contributes to employee turnover is loss of a. optimism about the economic future of the country. b. commitment to the organization's mission. c. confidence in the protection of employees' legal rights. d. loyalty to the organization.
D
Which of the following government regulations has the LEAST effect on HR planning? a. pension laws. b. tax benefits for job-training expenses. c. restrictions on overtime. d. workers' compensation laws.
D
A comprehensive analysis of all current jobs in the organization can answer all of the following questions EXCEPT a. What is the external labor market for each job? b. How many individuals are performing each job? c. What are the reporting relationships of the jobs? d. How essential is each current job
A
Carlos, the director of HR for a large paper manufacturing company, is studying the financial costs of turnover of plant personnel at all levels. The easily calculable costs are sobering, but Carlos is also concerned about the hidden costs of turnover including a. missed project deadlines. b. co-worker coaching and salaries. c. the cost of pre-employment medical tests. d. the overtime for employees covering the separated employees' jobs.
A
If an organization decides to implement changes in organizational practices to improve retention of valued employees, the changes should be a. pilot tested in a limited area to see if they are effective. b. implemented in the departments least likely to have negative consequences. c. should be implemented simultaneously across the organization. d. initially implemented in the departments with the worst retention problems.
A
In severe economic downturns, such as the Great Depression and the current recession, a. pockets of worker shortages exist for certain types of workers. b. worker shortages exist, but only in areas with scarce, high-level skills. c. employers have little concern about retention of employees, because employee have few employment options. d. talent surpluses exist across industries and regions.
A
Mark was terminated because his poor client relations skills resulted in a major client leaving the firm for a competitor. This is an example of a. involuntary turnover. b. a voluntary separation. c. uncontrollable turnover. d. dysfunctional turnover.
A
Organizations have found that high voluntary employee turnover rates in the first few months of employment is often linked to a. mismatch of employee expectations and organizational reality. b. noncompetitive pay scales and/or inadequate benefits. c. poor initial job performance. d. disillusionment with the organizational culture.
A
The "new" psychological contract involves the expectation that employees will provide employers with a. increased productivity. b. permanent organizational membership. c. continuous maximum effort. d. total psychological commitment.
A
The COO of a nursing home chain is having lunch with the director of HR. Turnover of employees in the lower-skilled jobs is very high. The COO remarks bitterly that these employees "will abandon ship for a measly dollar an hour. They have no loyalty to us." As HR director, you reply a. since pay at this company runs 18% below market, high turnover rates are unavoidable. b. we need to implement more generous benefits to retain these employees. c. we must be more selective in the people we hire in these positions. d. this information is probably an artifact of the exit interviews and that the real reason for turnover lies elsewhere.
A
The HR planning process begins with a. reviewing the organizational strategic planning objectives. b. scanning the external environment for changes affecting the labor supply. c. analyzing the internal inventory of HR capabilities. d. forecasting the relationship between supply and demand for human resources.
A
The collection of unwritten expectations that both employees and employers have about the nature of their work relationships is called the a. psychological contract. b. organizational culture. c. implicit agreement. d. performance-rewards exchange.
A
The employee selection process mostly affects retention through a. job/person match. b. the mentoring new employees receive from their first boss. c. opportunities for employee advancement within the firm. d. the motivation potential of the job.
A
Three major factors determine individual employee performance in the organization. All of the following would be included under the factor of "support" EXCEPT a. confidence and sense of self-efficacy among employees. b. organizational training programs. c. up-to-date equipment and technology. d. availability of mentors.
A
Why should employers use attitude surveys? a. to reveal which HR activities are viewed positively or negatively b. to identify employees who are unmotivated and/or likely to quit c. as a psychological tool to assure employees that the employer cares about their opinions d. to identify jobs that can be eliminated or automated
A
With regard to exit interviews, which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Consultants are usually hired to conduct exit interviews due to the high emotional levels and security issues connected with them. b. Departing employees often will not divulge the true reasons for their quitting the organization. c. It is often more useful to contact departing employees a month or so after departure when they may be more willing to provide information. d. Exit interview follow-ups can aid re-hiring of employees whose turnover was dysfunctional from the employer's perspective.
A
____ is the process of analyzing and identifying the need for and availability of human resources so that the organization can meet its objectives. a. Human resource planning b. Environmental scanning c. Labor market analysis d. Strategic planning
A
The information in the employee skills inventory data bank a. should be posted on the company's intranet to assist career planning. b. should be available only to those who have a specific use for it. c. can include information that is not directly job-related. d. is most useful in its measurement of the workforce's soft skills.
B
Which of the following types of data should be included in an inventory of employee skills and capabilities? a. employee tenure in each job b. marital status and willingness to relocate c. working relationships within the organization d. education and training levels
B
____ is a goal-directed drive, and is defined as the desire within a person causing that person to act. a. Ambition b. Motivation c. Effort d. Work ethic
B
____ is an example of intangible recognition as a form of reward. a. Promotion to a new job b. Verbal praise from one's supervisor c. A performance bonus d. An opportunity for training
B
According to the textbook, when managers are responsible for entering and updating employee information in skills databases, a. they tend to minimize the skills of subordinates who they consider threats to their own advancement. b. they tend to exaggerate their subordinates' proficiency levels in order to appear to be more competent leaders. c. they may minimize the skills of their most productive subordinates for fear the subordinates may be transferred. d. the accuracy and completeness of the data is inadequate because of strict privacy regulations over individual employee data.
C
Arden Insurance's claims processing facility has been the major employer in the town of Arden for over 20 years, drawing mainly on workers with minimal skills and high-school educations. Now, a large telemarketing firm is opening an operation in Arden which will also employ low-skilled workers. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Since Arden and the marketing firm are in different industries, the impact on Arden's workforce will be minimal. b. The telemarketing firm probably targeted the local area because it can benefit by hiring away Arden's trained workforce. c. If Arden cannot offer competitive or higher wages than the telemarketing firm, it needs to determine if its current employees are satisfied with the intangible aspects of their jobs. d. Workers in rural areas tend to be loyal to their employer, so Arden's current employees are likely to stay with Arden.
C
As the unemployment rate rises a. the need for overtime also declines. b. voluntary turnover tends to increase. c. people available for work tend to have high qualifications. d. it becomes more difficult to fill jobs with skilled workers.
C
HR forecasting periods of one to three years are considered to be __________ range. a. short b. interim c. intermediate d. long
C
HR planners can gain all the following data from governmental sources, such as state or regional economic development offices EXCEPT a. labor force populations. b. industry trends. c. estimates of dysfunctional turnover. d. net migration into a region.
C
The "new" psychological contract between employers and employees includes the expectation that the employer will provide the employee with a. secure jobs. b. career progression within the organization. c. career development opportunities. d. steadily increasing pay.
C
The extent to which an employee feels linked to organizational success is called a. motivation. b. identification with the organization. c. employee engagement. d. organizational commitment.
C
The internal supply of an organization is affected by all the following EXCEPT a. promotions. b. training and development programs. c. graduation rates from local colleges. d. lateral transfers.
C
Alice, a chronically tardy server at a moderately-priced family restaurant, who consistently gets the lowest tips from customers, has announced that she is quitting to take another job at a newly-opened casino. This could be categorized as ____ turnover. a. functional b. controllable c. involuntary d. predictable
A
All of the issues below are drivers of retention to which organizations can affect EXCEPT a. employee personality. b. work/life balance. c. employee/supervisor relationships. d. compensation and benefits..
A
From the employee's point of view, the traditional psychological contract has changed mainly because of a. organizational downsizing and the layoff of long-term loyal employees. b. the transition of the U.S. economy from a manufacturing to an information-based economy. c. declining real pay which has not kept up with the cost of living. d. employers favoring younger, less-expensive Generation X and Y employees over the more highly-paid Baby Boomers and Matures.
A
Three factors (individual ability, effort level expended and organizational support) are the components of a. individual performance. b. efficiency of production. c. organizational effectiveness. d. employee motivation.
A
Tuition aid programs do not improve retention of employees in the organization unless a. employers allow employees to use their new capabilities within the organization. b. employees are required to pay back tuition expenses if they leave the organization within five years. c. employers give employees significant raises when they graduate. d. the education is directly applicable to the employee's current job.
A
WesternBioLabs, Inc., is in the process of laying off 10% of its shipping and receiving employees at the same time that it is hiring new hourly employees to staff a new night shift. WesternBioLabs is a. churning. b. restructuring. c. in violation of the WARN Act. d. spinning off employees.
A
A retail pharmacy chain is experiencing low profitability. It is looking into ways to cut costs. One of the members of the executive committee suggests reducing the number of pharmacists on staff, since they are the most highly-paid of the store employees. As director of HR, you are most concerned whether this move would a. meet short-term goals for cost-savings. b. be effective in meeting organizational objectives in the long run. c. invalidate the firm's management succession plans. d. be consistent with the organizational culture.
B
All of the following should be included as replacement costs when calculating the cost of turnover for middle-management jobs EXCEPT a. advertising expenses. b. college campus recruiting. c. reduced productivity. d. HR staff time.
B
As the director of HR for a manufacturer of natural and organic cosmetics, you are weighing the request by one of your HR staff for the company to pay for her to become a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS). This will involve paying for educational programs and materials, testing fees,and giving her time off to take the exam. This staff member is in her late 50s and has been with your firm for about fifteen years. Which of the following statements is FALSE? a. Paying for employee development beyond what is necessary to perform her current job well will be cost-effective, especially if there are advancement opportunities for her in the future. b. The employee's demographics indicate that she is likely to leave the firm or become less productive in the net few years, so investment in her future development is not cost-effective. c. Paying for the employee's CEBS preparation will make her more marketable, but not necessarily more likely to leave for another firm. d. Paying for the employee's CEBS accreditation will probably increase her job satisfaction and influence her to stay with the firm.
B
If the pay for a job is ____________________ the market rate for the job, it would be considered competitive pay. a. 19% above b. 8% below c. 20% below d. 25% above
B
Mentoring increases employee retention mainly through a. inspirational leadership. b. career opportunities and development. c. giving new employees a realistic view of the organization. d. psychological ownership.
B
The demographic composition of the workforce affects HR planning in all the following ways EXCEPT a. it affects the specific capabilities and skills of the workforce. b. makes it less likely that U.S. firms will need to outsource jobs internationally. c. it increases the need for work/life balancing as a retention tool. d. it affects policies on retaining employees who are past retirement age.
B
The executive committee of the firm is concerned with the high rate of turnover among their most promising engineers between 25 and 35 years old. They ask you, as the new director of HR, what suggestions you have for retaining these individuals. You suggest ____ as the most appropriate response to this retention problem. a. accepting that this age group is naturally high turnover b. evaluating whether realistic job previews are necessary c. motivational seminars and retreats d. employee recognition programs
B
The high school principal sighs as she examines the list of resignations for the upcoming school year. She says, "I guess there's no way we can keep good people from leaving for other schools if we can't pay top salaries. We have competitive pay, but that's just not enough." As director of HR for the school district, you tell the principal a. "You're right. Money is the main reason people stay in a job, so we need to consider how to raise salaries." b. "No. When pay is competitive, other job factors have more impact on turnover." c. "No, in service sector jobs, people are motivated more by the psychological aspects of the work than by tangible rewards." d. "Actually, most of our teachers are women, and they usually leave jobs for involuntary reasons connected with their families, so pay is not a big factor in their retention."
B
Your organization, a national restaurant chain, rewards managers who are able to retain high-performing employees. As a store manager, which of the following actions or behaviors would be most likely to be in your control that would improve retention of your high-performing hourly employees? a. Improve wage levels significantly for all hourly employees. b. Conduct accurate performance appraisals. c. Give high-performing employees lump-sum raises. d. Provide job security for hourly employees.
B
Analyzing organizational turnover statistics by the employee's reason for leaving would identify a. what proportion of separations were functional and what proportion were dysfunctional. b. whether churn was occurring. c. if most employee turnover was controllable or uncontrollable. d. if employee turnover was voluntary or involuntary.
C
As the HR executive for a chicken-processing plant in a rural location, which of the following external supply factors would be the MOST important to you? a. the departure of college-educated locals to more thriving regions of the country. b. the quality of the high schools in the area. c. the availability of immigrants willing to work for low wages. d. the outsourcing of jobs to countries with lower wage levels.
C
Bob has an opening to fill in his department. Although high performance is really needed from a new employee, Bob's organization has little to offer in the way of organizational support. The organization has no real training program, the technology the department uses is outdated, and the relationships among Bob's other subordinates are somewhat conflict-ridden. Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. Since organizational support is absent, it is unlikely high performance can be expected from any new hire. b. Bob should probably outsource this job to an independent contractor. c. In this situation, Bob is most likely to get high performance from the new hire if he selects an applicant with extremely high ability. d. In this situation, Bob will most likely get high performance from the new hire if he selects an applicant who is highly motivated and has a strong work ethic.
C
Herman is the newly-hired director of HR for a department store. Herman's major objective is to improve sales staff productivity. After careful observation, Herman has discovered that staffing levels in each department are maintained at the bare minimum in order to save labor costs. The store's competitive strategy is reflected in the motto "Quality Customer Service: Each Time, Every Time." Herman concludes that a. the job description of sales staff must be redesigned so that the staff can perform both sales and customer service activities. b. the organization should be restructured so that sales staff do not have to report to a sales manager. c. the HR activities of the store are not aligned to contribute to organizational effectiveness. d. the company should consider hiring contractors to increase the number of sales staff in each department.
C
The COO of ButtonVox is unwilling to authorize an attitude survey of employees that has been proposed by the director of HR. The COO has used several aphorisms to counter the HR director's arguments: "Let sleeping dogs lie." "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." "Don't ask, don't tell." and "This will just open up a can of worms." The HR director suspects that the COO is most concerned that a. it will be difficult to keep employee responses to the survey confidential. b. employees will suspect an organizational restructuring is being considered and morale will decline. c. survey results would force him to make changes in organization management practices that he would prefer to avoid. d. the survey results will reveal that employee compensation is not competitive.
C
The employee attitude survey conducted by a financial services firm three months ago has been analyzed. Although employees are generally satisfied with their pay, the survey revealed strong and generalized dissatisfaction with the organization's management style, promotion practices and training programs. As director of HR, you recommend a. sending an email to employees thanking them for their participation. b. announcing the positive survey results, while beginning to work in private on solutions to the problems revealed by the negative results. c. holding group meetings with employees to convey the positive and negative survey results and to get suggestions for making improvements. d. communicating the positive survey results, while rebutting the negative results.
C
The simplified turnover costing model for a particular job requires the following data: the typical annual pay for the job, percentage of pay for benefits multiplied by the annual pay, the number of voluntary quits in the last year and ____ as well as other information. a. temporary replacements and overtime costs until the employee is replaced. b. average cost of pre-employment medical and drug tests c. the number of months it takes for one employee to become fully productive d. average training and development costs for a new hire in this jo
C
Which of the following best describes the responsibility for HR planning? a. HR planning is mainly the responsibility of the top HR executive. b. Typically, HR planning is the responsibility of operating managers. c. HR planning requires cooperation of HR professionals with organizational executives and managers. d. HR planning is the responsibility of the organization's top management.
C
Which of the following organizational events would NOT affect HR planning? a. revisions of the state's licensing requirements for key professional jobs in the organization. b. technological changes in the manufacturing process. c. changing the IT software used by the company. d. opening a branch office in Johannesburg, South Africa.
C
Which of the following reasons is the most important reason for assessing the external workforce when doing HR planning? a. the limited supply of potential employees for all jobs in the firm. b. the uncertainty of the organization's internal labor market. c. the organization must draw from the same labor market that supplies all other employers. d. the organization must meet certain affirmative action quotas.
C
Which of the following statement is TRUE regarding forecasting methods? a. Subjective judgment has no place in modern HR forecasting which depends entirely on hard, objective data. b. Statistical regression analysis is a well-established judgmental method for forecasting. c. Forecasting is a combination of quantitative methods and subjective judgment. d. Complex computer simulations are able to project HR supply and demand accurately over the long-range, but short-run projections are more error-prone.
C
Which of the following statements are TRUE? a. The main reason people quit jobs is to make more money.. b. Selection processes impact performance levels, but have little effect on voluntary turnover. c. Employees who received job training are likely to remain with the employer if they have internal advancement opportunities. d. Long-service employees can be viewed as family who will stay with an organization out of loyalty regardless of tangible rewards.
C
Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. It is illegal for an employer to continue to hire new employees at the same time it is laying off other employees. b. When long-service employees leave the firm, the turnover is often functional because they no longer act as a brake on the introduction of new technology and new work processes. c. The turnover of poor performers is considered functional, so HR managers find that turnover of minor concern. d. Involuntary turnover is turnover that the organization has no control over.
C
____ is a positive emotional state resulting from evaluating one's job experiences. a. Organizational commitment b. Psychological fulfillment c. Job satisfaction d. Engagement in one's work
C
Anthony's performance has been lower in the last six months than his average in the previous three years. Anthony's supervisor wants to understand if there are reasons within the organization's control that are causing Anthony's performance to slide. Anthony's job assignment has not changed, so the supervisor must consider all of the following factors EXCEPT a. whether Anthony is having trouble working with new job software. b. if Anthony's new co-workers are poor performers. c. whether the supervisor herself has changed how she manages Anthony. d. if Anthony's capabilities have changed.
D
Erin, the director of HR for a large insurance company, is evaluating locations in different states for appropriateness of relocating the company's headquarters. The external supply of potential workers plays a dominant role in the decision. Erin needs to analyze all of the following factors regarding the external supply of labor EXCEPT a. the number and types of graduates from schools and colleges in the different locations. b. economic forecasts for the next three years for the different locations. c. the anticipated shifts in the technology of the work processes in the insurance company. d. the anticipated attrition from each job in the organization for the next three years.
D
Herbert, the executive vice president of HR for an international bank, has learned that a high-level market specialist has resigned unexpectedly. This specialist makes $250,000 per year in salary. Herbert wonders how he will manage to absorb the cost of this turnover into this year's budget. He estimates using a common rule of thumb, that it will cost the bank as much as ____ to replace this individual. a. $2,500 b. $50,000 c. $250,000 d. $500,000
D
If an HR manager wished to estimate indirect labor, such as the number of compensation and benefits employees per 1,000 production workers, he/she would a. use a statistical regression analysis. b. calculate a productivity ratio. c. convene a nominal group. d. calculate a staffing ratio.
D
One of the top challenges faced by family-owned firms is a. fairly compensating "outsiders" in comparison to family members in similar positions. b. anti-nepotism legislation. c. providing jobs for extended-family members. d. attracting "outsiders" with key capabilities into the firm.
D
The Wickham County Hospital is the only full-service hospital providing care in Wickham County. The population of Wickham Country has been increasing by 10 percent a year the last two years, and projections are that the population will grow even more rapidly in the next ten years. To serve the increased need, next year the hospital will open a new wing doubling the number of beds in the hospital. The HR planning for next year must include all of the following EXCEPT a. analysis of the current employees' knowledge, skills and abilities. b. predicting the qualifications employees will need for the additional jobs. c. predicting the number of new employees needed in each job to staff the new wing. d. how best to balance "churn," which brings in new talent to the hospital, versus retention of experienced employees.
D
The psychological contract a. is legally enforceable in federal courts. b. is a concept mainly relevant to hourly and lower-level employees rather than managerial and professional employees. c. is stable and unlikely to change during the employee's relationship with the organization. d. can create either a positive or a negative relationship between an employee and his/her employer.
D
Vincent, the vice president of HR, is studying the profile of the organization's workforce. Vincent's employer is a utility company and essentially provides life-time employment for workers, and the turnover rate is very low. Vincent's eye is caught by a troubling aspect of the profile, and he says to himself, "This must be the result of the 7-year hiring freeze we had back in the 1980s," and the low-level of hiring through the 1990s. Vincent has probably noticed a. statistical outliers that should not affect Vincent's HR planning decision. b. an organizational profile heavily weighted toward employees with low seniority levels. c. a lack of young female and minority employees. d. a potential shortage of experienced employees as older workers retire.
D
You have been hired to be the retention officer for a large software design firm. The firm wishes to reduce the number of acceptably performing designers who leave their jobs. Your main focus should be on ____ turnover among the designers. a. uncontrollable b. involuntary c. functional d. voluntary
D
Clement, the director of HR for a large advertising and public relations firm with multiple global locations, is facing all of the following situations. All of these situations will decrease the accuracy of his estimate of the internal supply of labor for various jobs at the firm EXCEPT a. more female college graduates are being hired. b. layoffs have occurred in several locations. c. backup candidates for promotion move to competitor firms or start their own firms. d. fewer employees take retirement than expected.
a