SHRM Post Test
What best describes an employee resource group?
Affinity group that can serve as a social and professional network for employees
What is the outcome of the arbitration process?
Binding decision
Which is the proper role of a mediator in resolving an impasse in collective bargaining?
Bringing the parties together to find common ground
Which process clarifies performance expectations and demonstrates organizational support of individual performance improvement?
Constructive discipline
Which HR metric provides an indication of the efficiency of the recruiting process?
Days to fill
Which action would an organization take during the strategy formulation phase?
Deciding on the organization's mission
An HR director has been assigned to develop a program to support the opening of new retail stores. Which step in the ADDIE process identifies the behavioral results of the program?
Design
What is the first step in preparing for an HR audit?
Determine the scope and type of audit.
Which activity is part of the assessment and selection step of the global assignment process?
Development of data-gathering instruments
Which is an essential aspect of alternative dispute resolution (ADR)?
Does not preclude litigation
Which type of career development mobility provides meaningful career paths for professional and technical workers whose preferences may be outside traditional management roles?
Dual career ladders
Which best describes the relationship of the strategic planning process to the environmental scan?
Environmental scanning is done as part of the strategic planning process.
An organization has experienced significant turnover among its creative writers. During exit interviews, the writers have expressed dissatisfaction with rigid starting times, a lack of recognition for their work, and poor communication between managers and employees. How should the organization incorporate the social well-being aspect in its action plan to address the issue?
Establish a work/life program that allows flexibility.
The creation of a global compensation and benefits strategy that ignores local differences in culture is most likely to occur in what approach to global management?
Ethnocentric
Which is the best approach that HR should recommend leaders undertake after the results of an annual employee engagement survey show a significant decline?
Facilitate focus groups to gather more qualitative data.
Which is a potential advantage of using Internet recruiting?
Fast and effective distribution of listings
Which organizational structure is best described as being divided according to a linear process?
Functional organization
What do judgmental forecasting, trend and ratio analysis projections, and turnover analysis all assist an HR professional in predicting?
Future staffing needs
How are perquisites generally characterized?
Goods or services provided on an individualized basis
Which method is initially used to resolve disputes regarding interpretation of a clause in a current union contract?
Grievance procedures
Which court case established the criteria for disparate impact?
Griggs v. Duke Power
What are the basic steps in crisis management planning and readiness?
Identify risks, develop plan, test and drill, evaluate.
A successful beverage production company controls key activities in its value chain so that they can maintain uninterrupted production; this is the key to their profitability. Which actions should HR recommend managers focus on to assist in the organization creating value?
Implementing cross-training and job rotation strategies
Which factor contributes to the economic cost of diversity and inclusion efforts?
Increased training
Which recommendation should HR provide to assist an organization that wants a benefit plan that manages increased costs without sacrificing employee morale?
Initiate several representative focus groups to determine preferences.
An organization fears that it has become less competitive. Which should an OED assessment of this issue identify?
Internal and external factors that impact organizational success
Which is an accurate statement about employment at-will?
It is uncommon in most parts of the world.
What type of learners acquire knowledge most effectively through a hands-on approach?
Kinesthetic learners
A large multinational organization is implementing an organization-wide diversity and inclusion initiative. Which practice will help the initiative succeed?
Leave implementation to managers at the local and national levels, so the policy can be adjusted for local laws, norms, and traditions.
In addition to information technology, which other business function should HR work with when developing a "bring your own device" (BYOD) policy?
Legal counsel
Which part of the organization has primary responsibility for bringing in revenue?
Marketing and sales
If an organization's competitive advantage is cost leadership, which practice is most likely?
Mass-producing product to meet general market needs
Technology now encompasses most business activities. Which areas of HR practice can technology support?
Nearly every HR functional area
Which is a reason why an organization might be pushed into global expansion?
Need for new customers
What is the process where two or more parties work together to reach an agreement on a matter?
Negotiation
A consulting company recently changed its vacation and leave policies and wants to know how employees feel about the changes. Its 500 employees are located in 40 locations throughout the U.S. and western Europe. What survey method is likely to yield the highest response rate and the best data?
Online survey
How can factors like PESTLE analysis data have a greater impact on successful employee engagement and retention?
PESTLE data helps in adapting to environmental realities.
A security-conscious organization requires all new hires to complete training on security policies and conducts annual armed intruder drills for all employees. What risk management strategies is this company using?
Prevention and mitigation
What pay system ties pay to the volume of the work performed by the individual?
Productivity-based
Which action would best support an international assignee returning home after being away for more than ten years?
Provide repatriation support services such as counseling and logistical support.
HR has been approached by a manager in a host country stating that activities being conducted by an employee are different than those in the home country and must be unethical. What should HR advise as the first step for this manager?
Remind the manager that just because the activities are being conducted differently does not mean that they are unethical.
How does replacement planning differ from succession planning?
Replacement planning ensures the continuity of business operations; succession planning provides deep bench strength throughout the organization.
Which characteristic typically distinguishes a job function as essential?
Requirements for highly specialized skills
What is the first step in the selection process to minimize the possibility of a bad hire?
Screening all candidates
An organization has four generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Which practice could alleviate management concerns that intergenerational tensions and a lack of camaraderie could undermine organizational success?
Succession planning
Employees who are critical to an organization's success are the primary focus of which aspect of a talent management strategy?
Succession planning
Which is a good practice for implementing a code of conduct?
Talk with members of the organization to better understand ethical challenges and compliance requirements.
What is a global mindset?
The ability to take an international, multidimensional perspective that is inclusive of other cultures, perspectives, and views
What important action takes place at the end of Lewin's change management model?
The change is made a lasting part of the organization's policies or processes.
Which type of globalization is characterized by large numbers of emerging country populations moving abroad for better employment opportunities?
The diaspora
Which item would be considered an input in the input-process-output (IPO) model?
Turnover data showing a steady increase in voluntary resignations in the last year
Which should organizations ensure when considering the use of international translation services?
Understanding and capability beyond just the translation of words
Which of the four branches of emotional intelligence is described as the ability to capitalize on feelings to promote and inform decision making, problem solving, and other cognitive activities?
Using emotion to facilitate thought
Which best demonstrates the development phase of the employee life cycle?
A manager and an employee are working together to develop objectives and goals for the employee to attain.
What would be an example of noise in the communication model?
A speaker uses technical abbreviations that the listener does not know.
What two organizational functions most typically report to the chief financial officer?
Accounting and finance
Third-party contractors are best used for what types of activities?
Activities that are not strategic
How should HR use the information contained in other organizations' annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability reports when first devising their organization's sustainability strategy?
Adapt general principles and guidelines to the organization's strategic focus.
A knowledge-based organization is highly decentralized, with many small offices and many employees who are highly task-oriented working remotely. Which would be the best way to measure employee attitudes in this organization?
Administering a brief online survey
In a conversation outside of work, an accounts payable supervisor shares with an HR professional secondhand reports about another employee's marital problems. Which approach should the HR professional take?
Advise the supervisor not to engage in gossip.
Which is a primary reason that causes organizations to not excel at performance management?
Alignment of systems, strategies, and philosophies has not happened.
An HR manager is concerned about work interruption during the upcoming flu season. How can the HR manager best deal with this risk?
Arrange for on-site flu shot clinics.
What cultural layer is exemplified by the pasta dishes that are unique to Italy?
Artifacts and products
How does using a job evaluation to determine the relative worth of each job assist in an organization being successful?
By serving as the basis for developing equitable salary structures, effective employee selection, and ongoing development
Which task is vital when assessing strategic objectives?
Comparing the outcome of strategic initiatives to outlined metrics
Which HR task is typically required by a multidomestic corporation?
Coordinating HR activities between headquarters and the international offices
Which best describes the influence that training has on an organization's strategic diversity and inclusion process?
Creating awareness and helping develop knowledge and skills
The determination that 20 new employees are needed to achieve the organizational strategy for growth in global markets is included in which phase of the workforce analysis process?
Demand analysis
What emotional challenge can HR help retained employees confront after a mass reduction in workforce?
Diminished job security
Which occupation is considered nonexempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act?
Electrician
Your organization needs to integrate functions and data for customer relationship management, manufacturing resource planning, finance, supply chain, and human resources. Which would be the best type of technology to implement?
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system
What term describes a culture that prefers training activities that spell out details and use direct and logical communication?
Low-context
What skill could most improve an HR function's ability to manage change?
Mastery of complex communication means
In terms of risk management, what is a risk control?
Measure taken to reduce the probability or severity of a threat
Which is the best way to demonstrate the impact of an organizational effectiveness and development initiative?
Measuring change over the course of the initiative
An organization is interested in beginning the process of creating an ethical environment. Who has the most impact on the success of this process?
Organization's leaders
To encourage a move away from identity groups to a more conceptual perspective of diversity, Gardenswartz and Rowe discuss which four dimensions of diversity?
Organizational, external, internal, and personality
Which statement exemplifies Hersey-Blanchard's situational leadership theory?
Over time individuals require a different type of direction and leadership.
Which assessment approach would provide the deepest insight into the potential of a manager for a position of global leadership at corporate headquarters?
Panel interviewing conducted by senior managers from various locations, including host-country managers
Performance improvement involves accurately identifying sources of unacceptable outcomes and intervening to create effective practices. Impractical or outdated procedures are an example of which type of performance problem?
Process-related
Which is the purpose of a works council?
Promoting communication between management and employees on issues that affect workers' interests
An international organization is seeking to implement a wellness program to improve the health and well-being of its employees. Which is the best way to encourage employee participation?
Provide discounts on gym memberships at gyms located near applicable organizational locations.
Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions. An HR consultant receives a phone call from the CFO of a mid-sized family-owned manufacturing company. She states that the company's turnover is nearing 100% in the operations department. Employees are staying an average of 60 to 90 days before leaving. Exit interviews indicate that turnover is due to lack of training. The CFO doesn't understand this data, because all new employees participate in a one-day orientation and an onboarding program. The consultant further learns that the manager of the operations department has a reputation for being aggressive and direct. The manager, who directly reports to the CEO, has been with the company for ten years and is a good friend of the owners' family. The CFO admits that the manager can be difficult to deal with but nobody says anything because of the manager's strong relationship with the family. She says that while morale is low in the department, the company hasn't conducted an employee survey in at least two years. The CFO asks the consultant for help in fixing the turnover problem. They discuss various options, including training, coaching, and an employee engagement survey. A minimal budget has been provided to determine which tasks are necessary and to complete them.
Q1.) The consultant agrees that turnover needs to be addressed quickly. Which are the initial actions they should take to determine the root cause? A1.) Further analyze exit interview information for details about training deficiencies. Q2.) The consultant is surprised at how brief the onboarding process is and how it appears to focus more on orientation activities. Which action should the consultant recommend to create a long-term onboarding program? A2.) Evaluate and enhance the company's orientation and onboarding program to cover the first 90 days. Q3.) The CFO has requested that the consultant administer an employee survey. Which action should the consultant take to determine if a survey would, in fact, be the best step to take at this point? A3.) Request assurance from the entire executive team that action will be taken based on the results of the survey. Q4.) The CEO supports the consultant's recommendation to further develop the manager through executive coaching. Which step should the consultant take to gain the manager's support for coaching? A4.) . Develop talking points with the CEO to use to discuss the benefits of coaching with the manager.
A construction company with 75 field employees determines that the best way to improve communication with employees and efficiency in tracking employees' working hours is to provide each field employee with a smartphone. Each employee has a company e-mail account that can be accessed through the smartphone, enabling the employee to receive e-mail in a timely fashion. Additionally, the employee uses the smartphone to track hours worked at each job location. A benefit to the employee is not having to complete and turn in time sheets at the end of the week, since time tracking is in real time. These phones should be used for business only and turned into the supervisor at the end of the workday. The company has made a significant financial investment in the smartphones. Some employees have personal smartphones and are very familiar with the phones. However, many employees have not used this type of technology and are not computer-literate. Even prior to the implementation of the phones, this small group is demonstrating negative and resistant behavior. The human resource director has been assigned the responsibility of distributing the smartphones to the employees and providing the necessary training and resources for the employees to be proficient in using the phones within 30 days.
Q1.) Given the varying technology proficiency of the employees, which is the most effective training method the human resource director should use to facilitate the change? A1.)Provide instructor-led, hands-on training sessions for employees based on their knowledge levels revealed during the needs assessment. Q2.) An employee refuses to use the smartphone and continues to submit paper time sheets. Which action should the human resource director take to bring about the desired change in the employee's behaviors? A2.) Contact the employee to understand why the employee is not using the phone; identify solutions to overcome the obstacles. Q3.) The human resource director is receiving feedback from several employees that other employees are playing games, texting, and using social media on their phones during working hours. How should the human resource director respond to the feedback? A3.) Investigate the feedback to determine its validity; create a policy regarding smartphone use and meet with employees to review the policy. Q4.) Which action should the human resource director take to create shared ownership and accountability with business leaders for the smartphone change's success? A4.) Involve business leaders to get feedback on and finalize the strategy for distributing the smartphones and training employees.
A company has been giving its employees automatic pay increases annually. Recently, however, production has decreased, resulting in less profit. The president tasks HR with implementing a new goal-oriented pay plan to incentivize employees to increase production. HR designs a pay-for-performance plan and trains supervisors. HR also sends an e-mail to all employees explaining the change, referring employees with questions to their supervisor. As part of the new program, goal development is handled by supervisors. However, some supervisors feel that the change in pay philosophy is unnecessary and tell employees that the new pay plan will not work. Twelve months pass, and, upon review of performance evaluations, HR finds that some appraisals lack goals and do not objectively measure employees' work performance. The results are recommended pay increases that are subjective and unsubstantiated by metrics. Rumors that pay increases will be provided to employees who are favorites begin to impact morale, and work production continues to decline. Leadership is disappointed with the results of using a pay-for-performance system. HR is instructed to temporarily revert to the original pay plan and complete a further analysis of its continued viability. Employees are satisfied; however, the reputation of the company and HR has suffered by this rollout, and production has not increased and profits are still low.
Q1.) HR still believes that the cause of decreased production is the absence of incentive pay. Which recommendation should the HR manager include in a business case for an incentive pay program that would convince leaders while rebuilding HR's credibility? A1.) Analyze data related to the organization's mission, strategy, goals, size, industry, and location and on talent availability. Q2.) The president and the HR manager agree on a 90-day period to address the problems related to workforce morale and the new pay plan. Which is the best first step for the HR manager to identify the root cause of the morale issues in order to develop a plan to address them? A2.) Talk with the employees to understand their concerns and how supervisors supported the change efforts. Q3.) Which approach should HR take first to encourage better alignment between the organization and the employees in order for them to accept and sustain the new pay system? A3.) Identify organizational and departmental goals, specific employee performance and behaviors, and meaningful metrics. Q4.) Which first step should the HR manager take to change the current perceptions of HR with the company's managers? A4.) Communicate the organization's mission, vision, and strategy and HR's role in support of the organization's and employees' success.
The company president comes to the HR director and expresses considerable concern about customer complaints of poor service. Although the customer service manager has been with the company for five years, she is new to supervising and leading staff. The president has heard rumors that the department is in total chaos and asks the HR director to visit the manager and find out what is happening in the department. The HR director visits the customer service department and speaks with the manager. The manager confesses to being overwhelmed with the employee relations issues in the department and admits to being intimidated by the nepotism that exists within the company. Employees answer an average of two calls per hour, but the industry standard is six per hour. The manager welcomes any assistance the HR director can provide. The department is not fully staffed. There is a vacant position, and the job has been posted for two weeks. Other company employees do not want to apply because of the employee relations issues in the department.
Q1.) How can the HR director help the manager handle the current issues? A1.) Provide the manager with employee relations coaching. Q2.) How should the HR director respond regarding the low number of calls per employee? A2.) Listen to calls, analyze the nature of the calls, and estimate the time needed to resolve the issue during each call. Q3.) The HR director is advised that a customer service representative has been seen consuming alcohol on company property. This was witnessed by three other employees. How should the HR director handle this situation? A3.) . Conduct an investigation after notifying the supervisor and sending the employee home on paid administrative leave. Q4.) An HR staff member who has been assigned to monitor social media for references to the company reports to the HR director that an employee has posted a story about poor customer service at the company on a popular social media site. The employee says that this story is typical of the company's attitude toward its customers and its employees. The HR staff member thinks the employee is publicizing proprietary information. The director is not sure about that. How should the HR director handle this situation? A4.) See if the employee is willing to discuss the situation in private.
A highly matrixed, decentralized international company has six business units in various locations. Although there's a corporate human resources team with all HR functions represented, each business unit also has its own HR department that functions independently. All operate in a polycentric fashion; only the vice presidents of HR, who report to the senior vice president of HR, interact on a periodic basis. A downturn in the economy has impacted the company and has led corporate HR to explore the possibility of using a new centralized service model to combine one or more of the HR functions into corporate. Other reasons for this include a reduction in practitioners, cost savings, improved consistency, and elevated expertise. A human resources manager who has been with one business unit for the last seven years has been asked to join a team pulled together by corporate HR to design and implement an appropriate servicing model. He is the only one from outside of the corporate function participating on the team. For the past month, the team has been looking at the pros and cons of different HR structures, and they are discussing a shared services approach.
Q1.) How should the team start the process of determining the appropriate HR servicing model? A1.) By determining a structure that will align with the company's strategic plan and objectives Q2.) How should the team best use the HR manager's experience with the organization? A2.) They should use the HR manager to provide balanced input into the structure and delivery approach. Q3.) What should the team do to gain buy-in for its recommendations? A3.) The team should develop a business case outlining its recommendations to present to the leadership team. Q4.) Changes to the HR structure or delivery model can create frustration and anxiety among employees. What is the best approach the team should take to ensure a smooth adoption by employees? A4.) Develop an impactful communication plan outlining the team's purpose, the need for change, and a high-level overview of the upcoming changes.
A manager at a large company e-mails the HR director asking for assistance. An employee on the manager's team will soon undergo a gender transition, and the employee plans to continue working during the transition. The employee is highly valued in the information technology department and is co-leading a project with a specialized consultant. The consultant is one of only two in the country who specialize in the area of the project. In the e-mail to the HR director, the manager indicates that other members of the team are aware of the employee's upcoming gender transition. In private discussions with the manager, some team members, including the consultant, have expressed a high level of discomfort regarding the situation. The manager would like the HR director's advice on how to handle the situation.
Q1.) What action should the HR director recommend to the manager regarding the employees who have expressed discomfort about the situation? A1.) Meet with each employee who expressed discomfort individually to review the company's policy on diversity and inclusion. Q2.) Several employees approach the HR director to express concerns about which bathroom the transitioning employee should use. Which action should the HR director take? A2.) Tell the transitioning employee to use whichever bathroom is preferable to the employee. Q3.) Citing religious reasons, the consultant refuses to acknowledge the employee's new gender and continues to reference the employee's previous gender. This has offended the employee and impacted the progress of the project. What action should the HR director take? A3.) Meet with the consultant to discuss ways to observe religious beliefs without impacting the project. Q4.) A group of employees approaches the HR director to present a detailed plan for a company-wide campaign focused on supporting employees who have undergone or would like to undergo a gender transition. What should the HR director do next? A4.) Meet with senior executives to find out if they would be supportive of such a campaign.
The recruiting department is overwhelmed with requests to hire more employees for a 24-hour company call center. Recently, several recruiters and a number of long-time, high-level performers resigned to work for competitors for better pay. The remaining workforce feels that the work is tedious, the pay is low, the space is noisy, and there are no opportunities for advancement. A high-volume contract recruiter from a local search firm has been brought in to assist in hiring for the call center vacancies. The contract recruiter sets up a private office and is given system access to all online search engines paid for by the company. The office doubles as an interview room, and the company is charged a finder's fee for each candidate that the call center manager interviews. The HR manager is alerted in casual conversation with the call center employees that the contract recruiter is the spouse of the call center manager and that several nonqualified candidates have been sent through the interview process at the company's expense.
Q1.) What can the HR manager do to ensure that only qualified candidates are being selected for the interview process? A1.) . Outline detailed job descriptions for each vacancy to include minimum qualifications and requirements and review each candidate's background prior to interview selection. Q2.) What is the best solution the HR manager can suggest to address turnover? A2.) Create a new career path within the organizational structure that will give the employees opportunities for promotion and develop them into future supervisors. Q3.) How might the HR manager quickly address compensation to assist with retention? A3.) Based on local regulations, award premium pay for evening, holiday, and long hours. Q4.) How should the HR manager respond to the report about the contract recruiter's relationship with the call center manager? A4.) Talk with the contract recruiter and share that the company is aware of the personal relationship that creates a conflict of interest.
An HR manager receives a call from an employee who indicates that he feels harassed and needs to talk to someone immediately. The employee alleges that his supervisor treats him differently. He also accuses his supervisor of logging onto his computer and making program changes and sending inappropriate messages to others. When HR asks for proof, the employee indicates that all evidence has been deleted by the supervisor. The employee also shares his belief that other employees, including the marketing manager, are trying to discredit him. The employee further accuses the supervisor of making sexual advances toward him. HR's speaks with the supervisor, who reports that there have been problems with the employee for some time. There have been several warnings, and the employee's behavior is becoming more erratic. The supervisor wants to proceed with termination of the employee. She is concerned that if nothing happens she will see high-performing employees leave. The HR manager mentions the accusations of harassment. The supervisor angrily yells "This employee is crazy!" and storms out of the HR manager's office. The employee leaves work at the end of his shift, gets into a car accident, and sustains minor injuries that will cause several days of absence from work. As proof of temporary disability, he forwards the physician's notes. The notes, however, also refer to symptoms of mental illness.
Q1.) What is the best response the HR manager should provide to the supervisor's request to terminate the employee? A1.) Tell the supervisor that allegations have been made by the employee and HR must wait for the outcome of the investigation. Q2.) What corrective action should the HR manager recommend be taken in reference to the patient information included by mistake in the physician's notes? A2.) Report to the physician that health information was inappropriately disclosed and request an amended report. Q3.) Three employees have now come forward indicating that if they are forced to work with the employee making the accusations, they will quit. What is the best first step the HR manager should take to prevent this from happening? A3.) Ask specific questions of the three employees to determine if investigating their concerns is warranted. Q4.) What approach should the HR manager take to address the supervisor's outburst during the initial conversation? A4.) Arrange to meet with the supervisor at a later time and in private to address her outburst.
A hospital has recently seen a significant increase in the turnover of nurses. Many recent hires have left to work at a nearby privately run clinic. This is puzzling since there have been rumors about this clinic's financial outlook. The HR business partner for the hospital has been asked to design and oversee a recruitment campaign to attract ten new nurses and an additional five nurse trainees. One of the measures of success that has been given to the HR business partner is that these new hires need to remain with the hospital for a minimum of 18 months. The hospital is looking to have these individuals onboarded within six weeks. While trying to manage recruiting and hiring, the HR business partner keeps thinking about the hospital's retention issue. In reviewing exit interview information, the business partner has noticed a trend: Many of the nurses who have left indicated that the private clinic has a more modern location, better hours, and great employee facilities that include a gym. Hospital leadership has also been criticized, in particular, the hospital administrator, for her negative attitude and lack of recognition. Over lunch with an HR acquaintance who works at the private clinic, the business partner inquires about how the clinic has been so successful in attracting and retaining staff. To the HR business partner's surprise, the colleague shares that much of the feedback she hears as to why people leave the hospital is the hospital's wage and benefits structure. The business partner realizes that he has his hands full in addressing the many issues in order to achieve his hiring objectives, improve retention, and decrease turnover.
Q1.) What is the first step the HR business partner needs to take to attract and hire for the vacant positions? A1.) The HR business partner needs to establish a time line for meeting the six-week due date that includes when and how he will advertise the positions and create an advertisement to attract individuals whose values align with those of the hospital. Q2.) How might the HR business partner go about addressing the broader trends uncovered in the exit interviews and from his colleague? A2.) The HR business partner should recap the trends for the hospital's leadership team and recommend specific changes in programs and practices. Q3.) The leadership team agrees with many of the HR business partner's recommendations on how to address the employee engagement issues. What is the best approach for the HR business partner to take as he begins to tackle this task? A3.) The HR business partner should work with the leadership team to develop a complete strategy to improve and sustain employee engagement. Q4.) As the deadline approaches, the HR business partner has not met the hiring goal. What should the HR business partner do next? A4.) The HR business partner should take a proactive approach and meet with the hospital administrator to review success to date, renegotiate the deadline, and propose a strategy to fill the last few positions.
A global consulting firm hires a director of business development from outside the organization, much to the disappointment of one of the managers in the department, who also applied for the position. This manager complains bitterly about the decision to go outside of the firm, and he continues to exhibit disruptive and angry behavior. He feels that he has been unfairly treated, since he believes that he has more experience than the newly hired director. Two months later, the new director of business development has made changes that most of her team are quite excited about. Unfortunately, this does not include the disappointed manager. He openly criticizes the director's ideas, even escalating this criticism to the CEO. He comes to HR to discuss his options in the company. The new director has also come separately to HR regarding the continued hostility from this manager and also about a new employee on the global sales team, who tends to stay to herself and does not interact with the rest of the team. The new sales employee has no problems with attaining her sales goals, but the director does not see her as a "team player" and asks the HR manager for assistance with how best to deal with both of these situations.
Q1.) What response should the HR manager provide to the disappointed and angry manager? A1.) Show empathy for his disappointment, confirm that the process was objective, and provide specific deficiencies from his interview for the job. Q2.) What should the HR manager recommend the director of business development do to build the relationship with the disappointed manager? A2.) Meet with the manager to understand his concerns, explain that bypassing her authority is not acceptable, and encourage him to share his ideas for the benefit of the department. Q3.) What should HR recommend as the best approach for the director to take in regard to the sales employee keeping to herself? A3.) Spend time with the sales employee, interacting the same way she does with all the other team members.
The performance of the head of the IT department has been eroding in the past few years. The employee is no longer capable of meeting the minimum expectations of this role as result of not keeping current in his professional development. Management is struggling to hold the employee accountable while also keeping employee morale positive. There is also a concern that, if placed on a performance improvement plan or a documented coaching program, the employee would respond negatively and retaliate by wreaking havoc on the organization's IT infrastructure. The length of employment has allowed the employee to be protected from accountability in the past. Management has decided that the current situation is no longer tenable, but they also realize the precarious place they have put the organization in by failing to have sufficient safeguards in place to protect company assets. Management approaches the new HR generalist and asks what steps they can take to either create an environment where the IT manager can succeed or effectively manage the IT manager out of the organization. Prior to this discussion, the HR generalist was not aware of either the previous protections afforded to the employee or of the failure of management to hold the employee accountable. The HR generalist is concerned that management has tolerated this behavior for so long and wonders if there are other employees in the organization who have been similarly protected from being held accountable or being disciplined. The HR generalist realizes that two issues need to be addressed.
Q1.) What should the HR generalist recommend to address the more pressing concern regarding the individual employee performance? A1.) Partner with management to create a performance improvement plan that addresses current shortcomings, including a time line in which to resolve them. Q2.) The HR generalist realizes that there is the potential for other employees to have been shielded from accountability. Which action should the HR generalist take to ensure that all employees are being treated equally? A2.) Meet with managers of the most tenured employees first to ensure that shielding of tenured employees from accountability is not an ongoing practice. Q3.) The HR generalist wants to ensure that all employees are aware that they are to be held to the same standards and that employees know what the standards are. Which approach is the most effective way to do this? A3.) Partner with management to hold small group meetings in which the most up-to-date employee handbook is reviewed and employees sign an acknowledgment of receipt. Q4.) The HR generalist wants to ensure that employees are held accountable but also that they are set up for success. How can the HR generalist help make certain this happens? A4.) Partner with management to make certain that employees are aware of additional training resources available.
For the past several years, a company has experienced frequent turnover in the CFO position due to poor performance. After the first CFO was terminated, the VP of HR and the CEO reviewed the job description. A selection committee was formed to perform interviews with candidates, and a single interview was held with each candidate using knowledge-based questions. After three months a candidate was hired. One year later the candidate was released due to poor performance. The same recruiting process was used with a limited selection of candidates. A third CFO was hired three months later. The company is now preparing to terminate this CFO due to poor job performance and not meeting the expectations of the company.
Q1.) What should the VP of HR do first to assist the organization in hiring the next CFO? A1.) Conduct a job analysis prior to conducting an executive search. Q2.) The VP of HR determines that a significant issue in selecting executive-level candidates lies in the interview process. Which actions should the VP of HR recommend the CEO take to enhance this process? A2.) Recommend a more dynamic and interactive process to include behavioral interviews, value assessments, and personality tests. Q3.) Which metrics should the VP of HR use to best support the changes in the hiring process for the CFO? A3.) Cost of hire and cost of turnover Q4.) Which should the VP of HR include in a recommendation to best help the CEO understand why a new executive onboarding process is critical? A4.) Onboarding establishes a thorough understanding of the organization.
A young learning and development specialist, having recently completed graduate studies in adult education and training, is hired into an HR department that has a strong history of management and employee training programs. For now, the specialist's assignment is to undertake scheduled revisions of specific elements in the learning and development system. The programs have been well-attended and well-received by the organization, so there has been little need to change the learning approach. The specialist soon realizes that, while the course content is well-designed, built on sound practices, and engaging for participants, it offers little support or direction for transferring learning to the job environment. It is missing a major opportunity for improving job performance. She also notes a lack of competency-based learning that can be used by participants and their managers as performance standards to make it easier to implement and assess learning and performance levels. The specialist would like to propose changes, but she is new to the company and the HR function. Her colleagues are older than she is and much more experienced. They have created or directed the curriculum that she wants to change. She notices that they smile condescendingly when she speaks at department meetings about her ideas. They seldom talk to her and have been rather harsh in their reviews of her initial projects. It is difficult for her to argue for change using actual data because the evaluation tools the department uses focus primarily on Kirkpatrick's Levels 1 and 2.
Q1.) What should the specialist do in this situation? A1.) Focus on developing relationships with HR's internal customers in this area, the functional managers. Q2.) Which is the most persuasive approach the learning and development specialist should use to influence design changes with her new colleagues? A2.) Provide research about strategically based competencies and, for a to-be-revised course, compare objectives with business competencies. Q3.) How can the specialist improve her relationship with her colleagues? A3.) Ask a well-liked and respected colleague in the department to mentor her for the next year. Q4.) How should the specialist deal with the scarcity of company-specific data to support her belief that the learning and development system should be improved? A4.) Compare the results of alternative and current evaluation methods for an upcoming program.
An HR manager is the liaison for the sales department at an organization with roughly 600 employees. Recently the organization had a slight downturn in revenue and profit. To save money, over the past year, the sales department's senior management has laid off several administrative assistants and assigned their work tasks, such as photocopying and processing sales orders, to the sales staff. Additionally, the department has modified its compensation system by reducing base pay but increasing sales commissions. The HR manager believes that the additional work duties and new compensation system have put substantial stress on employees. It's been observed that employees seem dissatisfied with their jobs and are leaving the organization or thinking of leaving. One recently departed employee told the HR manager that he had looked for a new job because the increased workload caused him to make fewer sales, thereby significantly reducing his salary. The HR manager brings their concerns to the vice president (VP) of sales. The manager tells the VP that he is worried about the effects of these changes on the department, such as high turnover and the loss of institutional knowledge. The VP disagrees with the manager; he believes that turnover is good for the department because poorly performing employees are leaving. The VP notes that one employee comes in late, leaves early, and takes a long lunch break every day. The VP believes that the recent changes to compensation save the company money by not employing administrative assistants and motivate sales employees to work harder by focusing on sales commissions. The VP tells the HR manager to ignore employees' complaints and focus on hiring new employees who are willing to take on the additional tasks and work harder.
Q1.) Which approach is most effective for the HR manager to use to resolve his disagreement with the vice president of sales? A1.) Suggest that HR conduct several focus groups and exit interviews to find out why employees are leaving the company and if they are dissatisfied with their jobs. Q2.) What is the best way for the HR manager to evaluate the effectiveness of the new compensation system to increase sales? A2.) Review existing research and literature on best practices to see if similar changes in other organizations have been effective.
The CEO of a manufacturing organization with multiple domestic locations wants to expand the organization's operations to a new country to gain access to new markets. The organization has no experience with manufacturing internationally or dealing with expatriate issues. The CEO decides to acquire a small manufacturing company in another country. The acquired company has grown significantly in recent years and is struggling to deal with its growing pains, with many of the management staff having only a few years of management experience. Cost savings are anticipated from acquisition, as it would allow for restructuring and resizing the workforce. However, employees fear that these changes will cost many of them their jobs, including transitioning domestic jobs to the location in the new country. The VP of HR believes that a fully integrated workforce strategy, including the design of leadership training, is needed. The HR manager in the new location has just resigned. In keeping with an ethnocentric approach, the VP of HR wants the position filled from the corporate office so as to retain as much control and consistency as possible between the home country and the new location.
Q1.) Which is the best first step for the VP of HR to take to assist in preparing a new workforce strategy? A1.) Engaging a consultant with expertise in local and country laws and customs to help in preparing a workforce strategy Q2.) What action should HR take first that would allow for retention of the greatest number of employees? A2.) Collaborating with leaders to develop a customized approach to retention for each key employee Q3.) Which action should HR take first when designing a leadership training and development plan for the newly acquired facility? A3.) Conducting a full gap analysis between current and future leadership needs of the new facility and then designing a plan to meet those needs Q4.) What action should HR take to improve morale after the implementation of efficiencies occur and the resulting reductions in force take place? A4.) Implementing team building that focuses on communication and redesigning the group structure and process for the remaining employees
The IT director of a research organization has created an innovative software application that enables researchers around the world to conduct research more efficiently. The application has been a great success; it has won several awards and has received recognition from industry leaders. Over time, the IT director has bragged about the success of the program, stating that no one else could have come up with this idea. Even though the organization's mission is to be a learning organization with a strong commitment to knowledge sharing, the IT director has refused to share knowledge of the application with anyone else in the organization for fear of losing power and control. The organization's leadership won't confront the IT director about this because there is no contingency plan if the IT director were to get upset and quit. While the IT team reports to the IT director, the IT director has no direct supervisor. Recently, the HR manager received a verbal complaint that the IT director openly yelled at the IT team during a meeting-intimidating staff and making them feel worthless. Upon examining the issue, the HR manager learns that the IT director constantly overworks employees and treats them in an intimidating manner. The HR manager discovers that the IT director has created a culture of being uncollaborative by explicitly telling the rest of the IT team not to share any of the department's secrets. Furthermore, the IT team has been told to lie about the status of certain projects by stating that work is being done when in fact it is not.
Q1.) Which solution should the HR manager suggest to reinforce the organization's commitment to being a learning organization? A1.) Request that the leadership hold a company-wide meeting to reiterate the mission of being a learning organization, and build performance metrics and incentives around the mission. Q2.) Which strategy would help assess and correct the collaboration issues the IT department is facing? A2.) Evaluate work relationships between employees and departments, clarify work expectations and reporting relationships, and assess the gap in operating expectations. Q3.) Which key problems affecting the IT department should the HR manager present to the organization's leadership? A3.) Behavioral and cultural problems, specifically related to communication, leader-employee relationships, workplace atmosphere, and collaboration Q4.) Which approach should the HR manager recommend to the organization's leadership to address the IT director's behavior? A4.) Provide both verbal and written feedback to the IT director, hold consistent meetings, stress the importance of accountability, and ensure that the IT director's job description is aligned with the organization's mission.
The HR director and the CEO of a mid-sized company each receive an identical letter in the mail. The letter is from an anonymous disgruntled employee, and it accuses a company executive of several negative actions, including bullying, misrepresenting funds, and openly criticizing other executives during conversations with lower-level employees. The letter states that the employee has chosen to remain anonymous because the employee mistrusts the HR department and fears retaliation.
Q1.) Which step should the HR director take first to address the accusations in this letter? A1.) Review the executive's personnel file for information that suggests that a pattern of behavior exists. Q2.) Which action should the HR director take to most effectively address the employee's reason for reporting the issue anonymously? A2.) Review the company's policies and procedures to protect employees who report issues at the next all-employee meeting. Q3.) Which action should the HR director take to best ensure that executives understand and comply with the company's expectations of leaders? A3.) Develop a yearly training series that emphasizes behavioral expectations for all employees, including executives.
According to the sender-receiver communication model (the basic communication model), what is appropriate feedback to a message from a stakeholder who expresses disagreement in a meeting with something you have said?
Repeat back what the stakeholder has said to you in a different way.
Two team members continually disagree about project decisions impacting work duties and tasks. The team leader meets with the employee relations director to seek advice on the best course of action to resolve this situation. Which is the best conflict management approach for the ER director to recommend?
Suggest that the team leader meet with both employees and mediate a mutually acceptable solution.
What is the impact that a service level agreement has when an organization moves from licensing software to software as a service (SaaS)?
The organization will not need to implement or customize software.
What is meant by the sustainability sweet spot?
The overlapping area of the triple bottom line perspectives
How does an organization's adoption of the Global Reporting Initiative Standards for reporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance benefit HR?
The standards enable comparison of different organizations' CSR performance.
How has the talent acquisition process been affected by social media?
There is an increased ability to find and connect with passive candidates.
What is the primary function of an HR audit?
To enhance or eliminate HR programs
What is the primary reason for developing workforce diversity programs?
To enhance productivity
Which classification of employee engagement is demonstrated by working long hours and responding positively to engagement surveys but not feeling engaged?
Transactional
An organization has decided to use a random drug testing program for all current employees. What should the organization do prior to implementing the program and testing employees?
Verify that the proposed program complies with applicable local, state, and federal laws.
Which of the following terms describes the impact on an employer when an employee reports an incident of workplace harassment by a supervisor but the supervisor fails to act on it?
Vicarious liability
An HR specialist is analyzing salary survey data for the same position across multiple, similarly sized locations to produce an average salary. Which measure will be most useful?
Weighted mean
When would a return on investment (ROI) analysis be an effective metric?
When a function is seeking budget to hire new staff
Under which circumstances would it be important for an HR manager to age data?
When trying to understand the organization's current pay competitiveness and where it needs to be
