WGU C202 Managing Human Capital Exam Questions and Answers 2022/2023| 100% Correct Verified Answers

Direct financial compensation
compensation received in the form of salary, wages, commissions, stock options or bonuses

indirect financial compensation
all the tangible and financially valued rewards that are not included in direct compensation including free meals, vacation time and health insurance

nonfinancial compensation
rewards and incentives given to employees that aren’t financial in nature

base pay
reflects the size and scope of an employee’s responsibilities

severance pay
give to employees upon termination of their employment

fixed pay
pays employees a set amount regardless of performance

variable pay
bases some or all of an employee’s compensation on employee, team, or organizational

pay structure
the array of pay rates for different work or skills within a single organization

pay mix
the relative emphasis give to different compensation components

pay leader
organization with a compensation policy of giving employees greater rewards than competitors

pay follower
an organization that pays its front-line employees as little as possible

resource dependence theory
proposition that organizational decisions are influenced by both internal and external agents who control critical resources

wage differentials
differences in wage between various workers, groups of workers, or workers within a career field

labor market
all of the potential employees located within a geographic area from which the organization might be able to hire

cost of living allowances
clauses in union contacts that automatically increase wages base on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ cost of living index

market pricing
uses external sources of information about how others are compensating a certain position to assign value to a company’s similar job

Compensation surveys
surveys of other organizations conducted to learn what they are paying for specific jobs or job classes

benchmark jobs
jobs that tend to exist across departments and across diverse organizations allowing them to be used as a basis for compensation comparisons

job evaluation
a systematic process that uses expert judgement to assess differences in value between jobs

ranking methos
subjectively compares jobs to each other based on their overall worth to the organization

job classification method
subjectively classifies jobs into an exiting hierarchy of grades and categories

point factor method
uses a set of compensable factors to determine a job’s value. skill, resp, effort, working cond.

compensable factor
any characteristic used to provide a basis for judging a job’s value

skills, responsibilities, effort, working conditions
Four categories of compensable factors

Hay Group Guide Chart – Profile Method
a point-factor system is used to produce both a profile and a point score for each position.
know how
problem solving
accountability
working conditions

Know-how, problem solving, accountability, working conditions
Hay Group Method based on four main factors

Position Analysis Questionnaire
a structured job evaluation questionnaire that is statistically analyzed to calculate pay rates based on how the labor market is valuing worker characteristics. a copyrighted, standardized, structured job analysis questionnaire. 6 sections covering 187 job elements.

job pricing
the generation of salary structures and pay levels for each job based on the job evaluation data

single rate system, pay grades and broadbanding
Three most common job pricing systems

pay grade (pay scale)
the range of possible pay for a group of jobs

broadbanding
using very wide pay grades to increase pay flexibility

internal equity
when employees perceive their pay to be fair relative to the pay of other jobs in the organization

employee equity
the perceived fairness of the relative pay between employees performing similar jobs for the same organization

external equity
when an organization’s employees believe that their pay is fair when compared to what other employers pay their employees who perform similar jobs

comparable worth
if two jobs have equal difficulty requirements, the pay should be the same, regardless of who fills them

wage rate compression
starting salaries for new hires exceed the salaries paid to experienced employees

golden parachute
lucrative benefits given to executives in the event the company is taken over

Cost-of-living adjustments
pay increases to account for a higher cost of living in one country versus another

Housing allowance
payments to subsidize or cover housing and related costs

hardship premiums
increased salary for living in an area with a lower quality of life, less safety, etc.

tax equalization payments
increased salary to make up for higher taxes that reduce take-home pay and decrease employee’s purchasing power

inflation adjustments
larger and/or more frequent raises to maintain employee’s purchasing power in the face of inflation

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
a federal law that sets standards for minimum wages, overtime pay, and equal pay for men and women performing the same jobs

exempt employees
employees who meet one of the FLSA exemption tests, are paid on a fixed salary basis and are not entitled to overtime pay

non-exempt employees
employees who do not meet any of one of the FLSA exemption tests and are paid on an hourly basis and covered by wage and hour laws regarding minimum wage, overtime pay and hours worked

workers’ compensation
a type of insurance that replaces wages and medical benefits for employees injured on the job in exchange for relinquishing the employee’s right to sue the employer for negligence

fixed rewards
predetermined compensation (salary and benefits)

variable rewards (incentives)
“at risk” rewards which are linked to factors determined as valuable, including performance, skills, competence and contribution

• Recognize and reward high performers
• Increase the likelihood of achieving corporate goals
• Improve productivity
• Move away from an entitlement culture
  Top four reasons organizations give for tying pay to performance ar
• Preference of individual employees
• Size of the rewards for high performance
• Method of motivating individual job performance
• Objectivity of the evaluation process that determines the rewards
  Before designing an incentive pay plan to motivate performance, it is important to consider the
• Company performance
• Reduced merit increases
• Reductions in head count
• Reduced benefits
• Pay freezes
  Most common way employers fund variable pay programs

reward differnentiation
differentiating rewards based on performance rather than giving all employees the same reward

short-term incentives
one-time variable rewards used to motivate short-term employee behavior and performance (typically one year or less). ie bonus or profit sharing. to motivate attendance, cust serv, safety, production quality and quantity

profit sharing
the distribution of organizational profits to all employees

stock options
the right of an employee to buy shares of the company’s stock at a certain price (the exercise price) during some future period of time

long-term incentives
incentives that motivate behaviors and performance that support company value and long-term organizational health. ie stock options

vesting
the point at which employees can sell or transfer the stock option

pay for performance programs
rewards employees based on some specific measure of their performance

variable pay plans
pay for performance plans that put a small amount of base pay at risk, in exchange for the opportunity to earn additional pay if performance meets or exceeds a standard

spot awards
awards given immediately when a desired behavior is seen

extrinsic motivation
motivation that comes from outside the individual, including performance bonuses

intrinsic motivation
derived from an interest in or enjoyment from doing a task

skill-based pay
rewards for employees based on the range and depth of their knowledge and skills. effort and coop w/supervisor
limited ability, partial proficiency, full competence

limited ability
ability to perform simple tasks without direction

partial proficiency
ability to apply more advanced principles on the job

full competence
ability to analyze problems associated with the job

competency-based pay
skill-based pay for professional jobs

multi-crafting
employees gain proficiency in two or more trades

recognition awards
rewards for specific achievements like tenure with the organization, helping a coworker or attendence

compressed workweek
40 hour work week in less than five days

job sharing
two or more people split a single job

flextime
scheduling option that lets employees decide when to work within parameters

telecommuting
allows employees to work from home and link to the company’s offices via computer.

gainsharing
a program in which the firm shares the value of productivity gains with employees

scanlon plans
gainsharing programs based on implementing employee suggestions for lowering the cost per unit produced

improshare
a gainsharing plan based on a mathematical formula that compares a performance baseline with actual productivity during a given period with the goal of reducing production time

employee stock ownership plans
tax-exempt, employer-established employee trusts that hold company stock for employees

errors of commission
an employee receives an undeserved reward

errors of omission
an employee who deserves a reward doesn’t receive one

employee benefits
nonwage compensation or rewards given to employees (indirect compensation)

Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Workers’ Compensation, Family Medical Leave Act, COBRA
5 Mandatory Benefits

Social Security
provides retirement income to qualified workers and their spouses after working a certain number of hours

unemployment insurance
provides temporary income during periods of involuntary unemployment

workers’ compensation insurance
pays for medical costs and sometimes time off if an employee suffers a job-related sickness or accident, and survivor benefits in the case of an employee’s death in exchange for relinquishing the employee’s right to sue the employer for negligence

Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
requires most employers to provide employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for family members

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
provides a continuation of group health coverage for employees and qualified beneficiaries that might otherwise be terminated when an employee experiences a qualifying event

Customary benefits
commonly provided benefits that are viewed as an entitlement by employees
insurance, retirement plans

Life Insurance
pays a beneficiary or beneficiaries a sum of money after the death of an insured individual

Disability insurance
supplements workers’ compensation insurance to provide continued income in the event of an employee becoming disabled

health insurance
health care coverage for employees and their dependents

presenteeism
an employee physically comes to work but does not function at his or her full potential

defined benefit retirement plans
promise participants a monthly benefit at retirement

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
a federal law that protects employees’ retirement benefits from mismanagemen

domestic partners
two people who are not married, but are in a same-sex or opposite-sex arrangement similar to marriage

flexible spending account
an employer-sponsored benefit that allows you to pay for eligible medical expenses on a pretax basis

total compensation statement
communicating total compensation in detail through a written summary of employee direct and indirect compensation

flexible benefits plans
give employees a set amount of credits or dollars to allocate among different benefits options provided by the employer

safety culture
the shared safety attitudes, beliefs and practices that shape employees’ safety behavior

ergonomics
designing the work environment to reduce the physical and psychological demands placed on employees

cumulative trauma disorders
skeletal and muscle injuries that occu when the same muscles are used to preform tasks repetitively

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
created by the Occupational Safety and health Act to set and enforce protective workplace safety and health standards

OSHA standards
rules describing the methods employers must legally follow to protect their workers from hazards

-Imminent danger situations
-Fatalities & Catastrophes

• Complaints
• Referrals of hazard information from others
  -Follow-ups
  -Planned or programmed investigations
  Order of Priority for OSHA Inspections

Employee Wellness Programs
any initiative designed to increase company performance or employee performance or morale through improved employee health

wellness incentives
rewards for engaging in healthy behavior or participating in wellness programs

functional stress
manageable levels of stress that generate positive emotions including satisfaction, excitement and enjoyment

dysfunctional stress
an overload of stress resulting from a situation of under- or over-arousal continuing for too long

problem-focused coping strategies
deal directly with the cause of stress

emotion-focused coping strategies
focus on the emotions brought on by the stressor

workplace bullying
a repeated mistreatment of another employee through verbal abuse; conduct that is threatening, humiliating or intimidating; or sabotage that interferes with the other person’s work

workplace violence
any act of threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the workplace

• Human resources
• Physical resources
• Business continuity
  Disaster plans should cover:

labor union
a group of at least two employees who band together as a single entity to address pay, hours, and working conditions with their employer

collective bargaining
when the employer and union negotiate in good faith on wages, benefits, work hours and other employment terms and conditions

Industrial Unions
unions composed primarily of semi-skilled employees in manufacturing industries

Trade Unions
unions composed primarily of skilled employees in a single trade

Employee associations
union of professional employees

National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (Wagner Act)
guarantees the right of nonmanagerial employees of firms engaged in interstate commerce to join unions and bargain collectively

Railway Labor Act
act that governs employment relations for airlines and railroads

National Labor Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley Act)
amended the Wagner Act to clarify what are considered unfair labor practices by unions and employees

right to work laws
state laws that prohibit union shops in which all workers in a unionized workplace must join the union and pay dues

union shops
all workers in a unionized workplace are forced to join the union and pay dues

closed shop
shop that exclusively employs people who are already union members. Taft-Hartley Act made this illegal.

agency shop
shop that requires nonunion workers to pay a fee to the union for its services in negotiating their contracts

open shop
shop that does not discriminate based on union membership in employing or keeping workers.

Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (Landrum-Griffin Act)
act that outlined a Bill of Rights for union members and sets up procedures for union elections, discipline and financial reporting

card check
employees sign a card of support if they are in favor of unionization.

50%
If at least __ of workers sign a union authorization card, the NRLB requires the employer to recognize the union without a secret ballot election

decertification election
an election to determine if a majority of employees want to no longer be represented by a union

hard bargaining
taking a strong position on an issue

surface bargaining
going through the motions of negotiations with no intent of reaching an agreement

collective bargaining agreement
a legal written contract between organized labor and an employer that is enforceable through the negotiated grievance and arbitration procedure

Permissive
__ subjects may be negotiated but don not have to be.

Mandatory
_ subjects are those required by The National Labor Relations Board.

Illegal
_ subjects may not be negotiated.

mandatory
wages, overtime, seniority, grievance procedures, safety and work practices, procedures for layoff, recall, discharge and discipline are _ subjects.

permissive
Definition of bargaining unit, retiree health insurance or pension, ground rules, settlement of grievances or charges, drug testing, labeling are __ subjects.

illegal
proposals to discriminate, union shop clauses in right to work states, closed shop clauses, handing goods produced by nonunion companies are __ subjects.

• right to identify business objectives
• right to determine the uses of material assets
• right to take disciplinary action for cause
  Management rights cover three areas:

negotiation
a process in which two or more parties make offers, counteroffers and concessions in order to reach an agreement

distributive negotiation
occurs under zero-sum conditions, where any gain to one party is offset by an equivalent loss to the other party

integrative negotiation
a win-win negotiation in which the agreement involves no loss to either party

• Separate people from the problem
• Focus on interests, not positions
• Create options for mutual gain
• Insist on objective criteria
  Four fundamental principles of integrative negotiation:

mediation
using a neutral third party to attempt to resolve the dispute through facilitation

arbitration
an impartial third party acts as both judge and jury in imposing a binding decision on both negotiating parties

rights arbitration
covers disputes over the interpretation of an existing contract and is often used in settling grievances

interest arbitration
resolves disputes over the terms of a collective bargaining agreement currently being negotiated

strikes
union members refuse to work, halting production or services

unfair labor practice strikes
strike protesting illegal employer activities

economic strikes
strike over disputes regarding wages or benefits

recognition strikes
strikes intended to force employers to recognize unions

jurisdictional strikes
strikes affirming members’ right to certain job assignments and protest the work assignments to another union or to unorganized employees

boycott
union members refuse to use or buy the firm’s products to exert economic pressure on management

secondary boycott
when a union encourages third parties such as customers and suppliers to stop doing business with a company. Taft-Hartley Act makes these illegal.

lockout
management keeps employees away from the workplace and uses management staff or replacements to run the business

dysfunctional
conflict that focuses on emotions and differences between both parties

collaborating, accommodating, competing, compromising, avoiding
Five conflict management strategies

collaborating
attempting to work with the other person to find some solution which fully satisfies the concerns of both parties

accommodating
neglecting one’s own concerns to satisfy the concerns of the other person

competing
pursuing one’s own concerns at the the other person’s expense

compromising
trying to find some expedient, mutually acceptable middle ground solution which partially satisfies both parties

avoiding
not immediately pursuing one’s own concerns or those of the other person and not addressing the conflict

labor relations strategic plan
identifies the labor relations goals desired individually or jointly by labor and management, determines the best strategy to reach those goals, and develops and executes the actions needed to implement that strategy

compliance strategy, collaboration strategy, avoidance strategy
Three primary labor relations strategies

compliance strategy
strategy that relies heavily on the application of labor law to enforce the rights and obligations created by statute and by contract

collaboration strategy
strategy that relies heavily on labor relations to pursue an interest-based approach to problem solving

avoidance strategy
strategy in which management engages in lawful or unlawful efforts to prevent a union from forming or seeks the decertification of an existing union

Weingarten rights
rights that guarantee employees the right to union representation during investigatory interviews by the employer

cost-of-living adjustments
pay tied to inflation indicators rather than merit

works councils
council of elected workers that participate in shared workplace governance

codetermination
worker representation on the company’s board of directors

organizational citizenship behaviors
discretionary behaviors that benefit the organization but that are not formally rewarded or required

employee engagement
when employees are committed to, involved with, enthusiastic and passionate about their work

organizational commitment
the extent to which an employee identifies with the organization and its goals and wants to stay with the organization
affective, normative, continuance

affective commitment
a positive emotional attachment to the organization and strong identification with its values and goals

normative commitment
feeling obliged to stay with an organization for moral or ethical reasons

continuance commitment
staying with an organization because of perceived high economic and/or social costs involved with leaving

burnout
exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration

voluntary turnover
the separation is due to the employee’s choice

involuntary turnover
the separation is due to the organization asking the employee to leave

functional turnover
the departure of poor performers

dysfunctional turnover
the departure of effective performers the company would have like to retain

avoidable turnover
turnover that the employer could have prevented

unavoidable turnover
turnover that the employer could not have prevented

optimal turnover
the turnover level producing the highest long-term levels of productivity and business improvement

downsizing
a permanent reduction of multiple employees intended to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the firm

employment at will
an employment relationship which either party can legally terminate at any time for just cause, no cause, or evan a cause that is morally wrong as long as it is not illegal

exit inteviews
asking separated employees why they left to acquire information that can be used to improve conditions for current employees

mobility barriers
factors that make it harder to leave an organization

succession management
an ongoing process of systematically identifying, assessing and developing organizational leadership to enhance performance

succession management plans
written policies that guide the succession management process

replacement planning
identifying specific back-up candidates for specific senior management positions

skill inventories
tracks employees’ competencies and work experiences in a searchable database

mobility policies
policies that specify the rules by which people move between jobs within an organization

workforce redeployment
the movement of employees to other parts of the company or to other jobs the company needs filled to match its workforce with its talent needs

active job seeker
someone actively looking for information about job opportunities

semi-passive job seeker
someone at least somewhat interested in finding a new job but inconsistently looks for one

passive job seeker
someone not actively looking for a new job but who could be tempted by the right opportunity

internal recruiting source
locates talent currently working for the company that would be a good fit with another position

external recruiting source
targets people outside the organization

succession management
the ongoing process of preparing employees to assume other positions in the organization

talent inventory
manual or computerized records of employee’s relevant characteristics, experiences and competencies

internal job posting systems
communicate information about internal job openings to employees

careers site
the area of an organization’s website devoted to jobs and careers with the company

internet data mining
proactively search the internet to locate semi-passive and passive job seekers with the characteristics and qualifications needed fore a position

job fairs
a place where multiple employers and recruits meet to discuss employment opportunities

offshoring
opening a location in another country or outsourcing work to an existing company abroad

observation
watching people working in similar jobs for other companies to evaluate their ptoential fit with your organization

Online job boards
an internet site that helps job seekers and employers find one another

resume databases
searchable database of prescreened resumes

search firms
an independent company that specializes in the recruitment of particular types of talent

recruiting
the set of practices and decisions that affect either the number or types of individuals willing to apply for and accept job offers

recruitment spillover effects
the positive or negative unintended consequences of recruiting activities

applicant tracking system
software that helps manage the recruiting process

efficiency oriented recruiting metrics
track how efficiently a firm is hiring

strategic recruiting metrics
recruiting metrics that track recruiting processes and outcomes that influence the organization’s performance, competitive advantage or strategic execution

Realistic job previews
presenting both positive and potentially negative information about a job in an objective way. 3 funcs served: self selection, vaccination (coping mechanism), commitment to the choice

Organizational image
people’s general impression of an organization based on both feelings and facts

employer image
an organization’s reputation as an employer

brand
symbolic picture of all the information connected to a company or a product including its image

employer brands
summary of what an employer offers to employees

selection
the process of gathering and evaluating the information used for deciding which applicants will be hired

person-job fit
the fit between a person’s abilities and the job’s demands and the fit between a person’s desires and motivations and the job’s attributes and rewards

person-group fit
match between an individual and his or her workgroup and supervisor

person-organization fit
fit between an individual’s values, attitudes, and personality and the organization’s values, norms and culture.

screening assessment methods
reduce the pool of job applicants to a group of job candidates. ie resumes, job applications, phone screens.

evaluative assessment methods
evaluate job candidates to identify whom to hire.
ie psychomotor tests, cognitive ability test, non-cog ability test, personality assessment, integrity tests, job knowledge test, structured interview, unstructured interview, work samples, simulations, assessment center

contingent assessment methods
a job offer is made contingent on passing the assessment.
ie ref checks, med & drug tests, background checks

job applications
written information about skills and education, job experiences and other job relevant information. screening method.

cognitive ability test
assess general mental abilities including reasoning, logic and perceptual abilities. evaluative method.

sensory tests
assess visual, auditory and speech perception

psychomotor tests
assess strength, physical dexterity and coordination

Extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, openness to experience
The Big Five Personality factors are:

integrity tests
assess attitudes and experiences related to reliability, trustworthiness, honesty and moral character

job knowledge tests
measure the knowledge (often tehnical) required by a job

Unstructured interviews
varying questions are asked across interviews and there are usually no standards for evaluating answers

structured interview
uses consistent, job-related questions with predetermined scoring keys. behavioral or situational.

behavioral interview
uses information about what the applicant has done in the past to predict future behavior

situational interviews
asks how the candidate might react to hypothetical situations

case interview
the candidate is given a business situation, challenge or problem and asked to present a well thought out solution

work samples
evaluate the performance of actual or simulated work tasks

simulation
a type of work sample that gives candidates an actual job task to perform or simulates critical events that might occur to assess how well a candidate handles them

assessment center
puts candidates through a variety of simulations and assessments to evaluate their potential fit with and ability to do the job.
ie inbasket exercises, grp disc, simulations, dec-make probs, oral presentation, written comm

background checks
assess factors including personal and credit characteristics, character, lifestyle, criminal history and reputation. contingent method.

multiple hurdles
candidates must receive a passing score on an assessment before being allowed to continue in the selection process

compensatory approach
high scores on some assessments can compensate for low scores on other assessments

cut score
a minimum assessment score that must be met or exceeded to advance to the next assessment phase or to be eligible to receive a job offer

distributive fairness
the perceived fairness of the outcomes received

procedural fairness
the perceived fairness of the policies and procedures used to determine the outcome

interactional fairness
the degree of respect and the quality of the interpersonal treatment received during the decision-making process

explicit employment contract
a written or verbal employment contract

implicit employment contract
an understanding that is not part of a written or verbal contract

offer
contains the terms and conditions of employment as proposed by the employ and usually specific requirements for accepting the offer such as a signature and a deadline

acceptance
a clear expression of the accepting party’s agreement to the terms of the offer

consideration
bargained-for exchange between the contract parties – something of value must pass from one party to the other

training
formal and informal activities to improve competencies relevant to an employee’s or workgroup’s current job

development
focuses on developing competencies that an employee or workgroup is expected to need in the future

• Conduct a Needs Assessment
• Develop Learning Objectives
• Design the Training Program
• Implement the Training
• Evaluate the Training
  Five Steps to Effective Training

Needs assessment
the process of identifying any gaps between what exists and what is needed in the future in terms of employee performance, competencies and behaviors.
org, task, person analysis

Organizational analysis, task analysis and person analysis
Three levels of needs assessments

Organizational needs analysis
identifies where in the organization development or improvement opportunities exist

task needs analysis
focuses on identifying which jobs, competencies, abilities, behaviors, etc. the training effort should focus on

organizational needs
Strategic Plans/Performance appraisals/customer surveys/employee surveys/restructuring plans/efficiency measures: sources for collecting __ analysis information

task needs
job or competency analysis/observation/performance appraisals/quality control analysis: sources for collecting _ analysis information

person needs analysis
evaluates how individual employees are doing in the training area and determines who needs what type of training

person needs
Performance appraisals/customer surveys/individual assessments/performance issues/skill inventories: sources for collecting _ analysis information

learning objectives
created to identify desired learning outcomes.
types: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor

Cognitive, Affective, Pschomotor
Three types of learning objectives

Cognitive Learning Objectives
Learning objectives that increase some type of knowledge

Affective Learning Objectives
learning objectives that change an attitude, relationship or appreciation

Psychomotor
learning objectives that build a physical skill

R – U – A – A- E – C

• Remembering
• Understanding
• Applying
• Analyzing
• Evaluating
• Creating
  Taxonomy of Cognitive Learning Objectives

R – R – V – O – C

• Receiving
• Responding
• Valuing
• Organization
• Characterization by value
  Taxonomy of Affective Learning Objectives

O – I – P – A – O

• Observing
• Imitating
• Practicing
• Adapting
• Originating
  Taxonomy of Psychomotor Learning Objectives

Lifelong learning
a formal commitment to ensuring that employees have and develop the skills they need to be effective in their jobs today and in the future

aptitude-treatment interactino
the concept that some training strategies are more of less effective depending on a learner’s particular abilities, personality traits and other characteristics

learning style
how people differ in how we process information when problem solving or learning

sensory modality
a system that interacts with the environment through one of the basic senses. visual, auditory, tactile, kinetic.

visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic
Four different sensory modalities

Visual
sensory modality: learning by seeing

Auditory
sensory modality: learning by hearing

Tactile
sensory modality: learning by touching

Kinesthetic:
sensory modality: learning by doing

discovery learning, experiential learning, observational learning, structured learning, group learning
Five Key learning preferences

discovery learning
a learning preference for exploration during learning. Prefer subjective assessments, interactional activities, informational methods and active-reflective activities

experiential learning
a learning preference with a desire for hands-on approach to instruction. tend to prefer active learning activities

observational learning
a learning preference for external stimuli such as demonstrations and diagrams to help facilitate learning. tend to prefer information and active-reflective activities

structured learning
a learning preference for processing strategies such as taking notes, writing down task steps and so forth. related to preferences for subjective assessments.

group learning
a learning preference to work with others while learning. Related to preferences for action and interactional learning.

training evaluation
systematically collecting the information necessary to make effective decisions about adopting, improving, valuing, and continuing an instructional activity or set of activities

participant reactions, learning assessments, training transfer back to job
Training evaluation includes:

Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model
Most well known and frequently used model for assessing training effectiveness.
reaction, learning, behavior, results

Reaction, Learning, Behavior, Results
Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training and learning evaluation

[(Training Benefits – Training cost)/Training Cost] x 100
Equation for ROI%

Training transfer
effectively using what is learned in training back on the job

closed skills
skills performed similarly or exactly like they are taught in training

open skills
sets of principles that can be applied in many different ways

self-management strategies
person’s effort to control his or her motivation, emotions and decision making to enhance the application of learned capabilities to the job

reinforcers
anything that makes a behavior more likely to happen again

positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extincition
Four type of reinforcers

positive reinforcement
reinforcer: using rewards to increase the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated

negative reinforcement
reinforcer: removing current or future unpleasant consequences to increase the likelihood that someone will repeat a behavior.

punishment
reinforcer: creating negative outcomes to decrease the likelihood of a behavior

extinction
reinforcer: removal of any positive or negative reinforcement following the occurrence of the behavior to be extinguished decreases the likelihood of that behavior

Orientation
training activities to help new hires fit in as organizational members

socialization
a long-term process of planned and unplanned, formal and informal activities and experiences through which an individual acquires the attitudes, behaviors and knowledge needed to successfully participate as an organizational member

Anticipatory, Encounter, Settling In
Three phases of Socialization

collective socialization
newcomers go through a common set of experiences as a group

individual socialization
newcomers are socialized individually as in an apprenticeship

formal socialization
structured socialization using specifically designed activities and materials awayfrom the work setting

informal socialization
unstructured, on-the-job socialization done by coworkers

sequential socialization
the degree to which socialization follows a specific sequence of steps

fixed socialization
new hires are informed in advance when their probationary status will end

variable socialization
employees do not know when to expect to pass to a different status level and the timeline may be different across employees

tournament socialization
each stage of socialization is an elimination round and a new hire is out of the organization if he or she fails to pass

contest socialization
each socialization stage is a contest in which one builds a performance record

serial socialization
accessible and supportive organizational members serve as role models and mentors

disjunctive socialization
newcomers are left alone to develop their own interpretations of the organization and situations they observe

investiture socialization
builds newcomers’ self-confidence and reflects senior employees’ valuing of newcomers’ knowledge and personal characteristics

divestiture socialization
tries to deny and strip away certain personal characteristics

learning agility
the ability to learn from experiences and to apply that knowledge to new and different situations

motivation to transfer
intention and willingness to transfer any knowledge acquired in a training or development activity back to the work context

Self Regulation
processes enabling an individual to guide his/her goal-directed activities over time

performance management
directs and motivates employees, work groups and business units to accomplish organizational goals by linking past performance with future needs, setting specific goals for future behavior and performance, providing feedback and identifying and removing performance obstacles

• Organization as a whole
• Organization subunits
• Work teams or groups
• Work Processes
• Projects
  Performance managers focus on these five things:
• Aligns organizational goals with individual goals and organizational processes
• Gives employees clear goals and feedback
• Generates useful data
  Three Main Benefits of Performance Management

balanced scorecard
a performance measurement system that translates the organization’s strategy into financial, business process, learning and growth and customer outcomes. sequential.

L-I-C-C-M-A-G-IO-R

• Link goals to org mission & strategy
• Identify subgoals for each unit/department/group/individual
• Communication goals & expectations
• Create work processes and assign resources
• Measure progress
• Assess individual, group, unit performance
• Give feedback
• Identify & Overcome obstacles
• Reward Goal Achievement
  Nine steps of the performance management process

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound
SMART stands for:

Standards
specifies the level of results considered acceptable

multi-source assessments
performance feedback from the employee’s supervisor as well as other sources who are familiar with an employee’s job performance

task aquaintance
the amount and type of work contact an evaluator has with the person being assessed

Upward reviews
the target employee is reviewed by one or more subordinates

performance rating methods
compares employee performance to a set of standards to identify a number or letter rating that represents the employee’s performance level.
essay appr, critical incident, graphic, behavior anchored, behavior obs scale, forced choice, checklist, work standards, mgmt by obj

essay appraisal method
the assessor writes a brief essay providing an assessment of the strengths, weaknesses and potential of the target employee

critical incident appraisal method
an assessor discusses specific examples of the target employee’s positive and negative behaviors with the employee

graphic rating scale
uses ratings of unsatisfactory, average, above average and outstanding to evaluation either work quality or personal traits

Behaviorally anchored rating scales
use a set of behavioral statements relating to qualities important for performance

behavioral observation scales
measure the frequency of desired behaviors

forced-choice rating method
forces the assessor to choose the statement that best fits the target employee from a provided set of statements that are scored and weighted in advance

checklist method
the assessor uses a checklist of pre-scaled descriptions of behavior to evaluate the employee

work standards
comparing an employee’s performance to output targets that reflect different levels of performance

management by objectives
the rater evaluates the target employee against mutually set goals

performance ranking methods
compares employees to each other in some way.
forced ranking, paired comparison, forced distribution.

forced ranking method
employees are ranked in order of best to worst performance

paired comparison method
every employee in a work group is compared to the other group members

forced distribution method
the rater distributes performance ratings into a pre-specified performance distribution

continuous performance appraisal
an ongoing performance appraisal process that involves the employee in evaluating his or her performance and setting performance goals and provides continuous coaching and feedback

performance improvement plan
a tool to monitor and measure an employee’s deficient work products, processes and/or behaviors to improve performance or modify behavior.
F acts to define prob
O bj to help emp resolve
S olutions to help emp reach obj
A ctions to take if not corrected

• overall efforts to help emp succeed

progressive discipline
using increasingly severe measures when an employee fails to correct a deficiency after being given a reasonable opportunity to do so
verbal, written, suspension w/o pay, discharge

Not communicating a performance plan, a lack of accountability and human biases and errors
Three most common obstacles to effective performance management

performance plan
describes desired goals and results, how results will be measured and weighted and standards will be used to evaluate results

accountability
an individual is expected to provide a regular accounting to a superior about the results of what she or he is doing and will be held responsible for the outcome

contrast effect
over-or under-rating someone base on a comparison with someone else

first impression bias
initial judgements influence later assessments

recency effect
allowing recent events and performance to have a disproportionately large influence on the rating

high potential error
confusing potential with performance

halo effect
letting one positive factor influence assessments of other areas of behavior or performance

horns effect
letting one negative factor influence assessments of other areas of behavior or performance

similar-to-me effect
giving high ratings to someone because she or he is perceived as being similar to the rater

leniency error
all employees are given high ratings regardless of performance

central tendency
rating all employees in the middle of the scale regardless of performance

stereotype
believeing that everyone in a particular group shares certain characteristics or abilities or will behave in the same way

opportunity bias
ignoring factors beyond the employee’s control that influence his/her performance

competitive advantage
doing something differently from the competition that leads to outperformance and success

human resource management
the organizational function responsible for attracting, hiring, developing, rewarding and retaining talent

staffing
the process of planning, acquiring, deploying and retaining employees that enables an organization to meet its talent needs and to execute its business strategy

total rewards
the sum of all of the rewards employees receive in exchange for their time, efforts and performance

direct financial compensation
compensation received in the form of salary, wages, commissions, stock options or bonuses

indirect financial compensation
all the tangible and financially valued rewards that are not included in direct compensation, including free meals, vacation time and health insurance

nonfinancial compensation
rewards and incentives given to employees that are not financial in nature including intrinsic rewards received from the job itself or from the work environment

Strategic risk, Operational risk, Financial risk and Compliance risk
Managing human resources strategically helps organizations manage four types of risk:

business strategy
defines how a firm will compete in its marketplace

talent philosophy
a system of beliefs about how an organization’s employees should be treated

human resource strategy
links the entire human resource function with the firm’s business strategy

global mindset
a set of individual attributes that enable you to influence individuals, groups and organizations from diverse socio/cultural/institutional systems

superior value for their money
To have a competitive advantage, a company must ultimately be able to give customers __.

Employee Handbooks
print of online materials that document the organization’s HRM policies and procedures

shared service center
centralizes routine, transaction-based HRM activities

outsourcing
hiring an external vendor to do work rathe than doing it internally

professional employer organization
a company that leases employees to companies that need them

organizational culture
the norms, values, and assumptions of organizational members that guide members’ attitudes and behaviors

entrepreneurial (creative), bureaucratic (formal), consensual (loyalty), competitive (advantage)
four types of organizational culture

performance culture
focuses on hiring, retaining, developing, motivating and making work assignments based on performance data and results

high performance work systems (HPWS)
high involvement or high commitment organizations

ethics
the standards of moral behavior that define socially accepted behaviors that right as opposed to wrong

utilitarian, rights, fairness, common good, virtue
five types of ethical standards

utilitarian standard
the ethical action best balances good over harm

rights standard
this ethical action is the one that best respects and protects the moral rights of everyone affected by the action

fairness standard
the ethical action treats all people equally, or at least fairly, based on some defensible standard

common good standard
the ethical action shows respect and compassion for all others, especially the most vulnerable

virtue standard
the ethical action is consistent with certain ideal virtues including civility, compassion, benevolence, etc.

omission, remission, commission
three types of systematic errors that orgs make that undermine ethics efforts

omission errors
a lack of written rules

remission errors
pressure to make unethical choices

commission errors
a failure to follow sound, established operational and ethical practices

codes of conduct
specifies expected and prohibited actions in the workplace and gives examples of appropriate behavior

code of ethics
a decision making guide that describes the highest values to which an organization aspires

written standards of ethical conduct, ethics training, providing a way for seeking ethics related advice or info, providing a way to report misconduct anonymously, disciplining employees, evaluating ethical behavior
six elements of a complete ethics program

corporate social responsibility
businesses showing concern for common good and valuing human dignity

stakeholder perspective
considering the interests and opinions of all people, groups, organizations, or systems that affect or could be affected by the organizations actions

unfair discrimination
when employment decisions and actions are not job related, objective or merit-based

fair discrimination
when only objective, merit based and job related characteristics are used to determine employment related decisions

unlawful employment practices
violations of federal, state or local employment laws

equal employment opportunity
a firm’s employment practices,must be designed and used in a manner that treats employees and applicants consistently regardless of their protected characteristics such as sex and race

inclusion
everyone feels respected and listened to, and everyone contributes to his or her fullest potential

common law
the body of case by case court decisions that determine what is legal and what remedies are appropriate

workplace tort
a civil wrong in which an employer violates a duty owed to its customers or employees

national labor relations act of 1935
prohibits retaliation against employees seeking to unionize

fair labor standards act of 1938
establishes both a national minimum wage and overtime rules

equal pay act of 1963
prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of sex. EEOC

title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. EEOC

age discrimination in employment act of 1967
protects people age 40 and older. EEOC

rehabilitation act of 1973
prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with a disability. EEOC

vietnam era veterans readjustment assistance act of 1974
prohibits discrimination against and requires affirmative action for disabled veterans

pregnancy discrimination act of 1978
prohibits discrimination for all employment related purposes on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions

COBRA of 1986
employers with group health plans and 20 or more employees in the prior year must offer continued health and dental coverage to terminated employees for a period of time

immigration reform and control act of 1986
employers with at least 4 employees must verify the employment eligibility of everyone hired

worker adjustment and retraining notification act of 1988
employers with at least 100 employees must give at least 60 days notice of closings or mass layoffs of 50 or more preople

americans with disabilities act of 1990
prohibits discrimination of a qualified individual with or perceieved as having a disability. EEOC

family and medical leave act of 1993
requires leave and job return for personal or family medical reasons and for the care of newborn or newly adopted children

uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act of 1994
ensures that members of the uniformed services are entitled to return to their civilian employment after their service. to protect the civilian employment of non-full-time military personnel in the United States called to active duty.

genetic information nondiscrimination act of 2008
prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals based on the results of genetic testing when hiring, firing, job placement or promotion decisions

bona fide occupational qualification
characteristic that is essential to the successful performance of a relevant job function

reasonable accommodation
an employer is required to take reasonable steps to accomodate a disability unless it would cause the employer undue hardship

affirmative action
proactive efforts to eliminate discrimination and its past effects

protected classes
groups underrepresented in employment

affirmative action plan
describes in detail the actions to be taken, procedures to be followed and standards to be met when establishing an affirmative action program

preferential treatment
employment preference given to a member of a protected group

independent contractor
an individual or business that provides services to another individual or business that controls or directs only the result of the work

sexual harassment
unwelcome sexual advances, requests for favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature

quid pro quo harassment
unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature mad as a term or condition of employment or as a basis for employment and/or advancement decisions

hostile environment harassment
unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature creates a hostile, intimidating or otherwise offensive working environment

disparate treatment
intentional discrimination based on a person’s protected characteristic

adverse impact
an employment practice has a disproportionate effect on a protected group regardless of its intent

race norming
comparing an applicant’s scores only to members of his or her own racial subgroup and setting separate passing or cutoff scores for each subgroup

fraudulent recruitment
misrepresenting the job or organization to a recruit

negligent hiring
a company is considered responsible for the damaging actions of its employees if it failed to exercise reasonable care in hiring the employee who caused the harm

stereotype
believing that everyone in a particular group shares certain characteristics or abilities or will behave in the same way

gap analysis
comparing labor supply and demand forecasts to identify future talent needs

action plans
a strategy for proactively addressing an expected talent shortage or surplus

scientific management
breaks work down into its simplest elements and then systematically improves the worker’s performance of each element

Four principles of Scientific Management – Taylor

• Use methods based on scientifcally studying the tasks using time an motion studies.
• Select, train and develop each worker rather than leaving them to passively train themselves
• Provide detailed instructions and supervision to workers to ensure that they are following the developed methods.
• Divide work equally between workers and managers.

Job characteristics model
objective job characteristics including skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and task feedback, lead to job satisfaction from people with a high growth need strength.

Skill variety
the degree to which the job requires a variety of activities enabling the worker to use different skills and talents

task identity
the degree to which the job requires the worker to complete a whole and identifiable piece of work

task significance
the degree to which job performance is important and affect the lives and work of others

autonomy
the degree to which the job gives the worker freedom, discretion and independence is scheduling the work and determining how to do the work

task feedback
the degree to which carrying out the job’s required activities results in the individual’s obtaining direct and clear information about the effectiveness for his or her performance

job enrichment
a job design approach that increases a job’s complexity to give workers greater responsibility and opportunities to feel a sense of achievement

job enlargement
adding more tasks at the same level of responsibility and skill related to an employee’s current position

job rotation
workers are moved through a variety of jobs to increase their interest and motivation

cross-training
training employees in more than one job or in multiple skills to enable them to do different jobs

horizontal
Job enlargement is _ job expansion.

vertical
Job enrichment is _ job expansion.

job analysis
a systematic process used to identify and describe the important aspects of a job and the characteristics a worker needs to perform the job well. need to be reliable and valid.

job description
written descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of the job itself

job task
an observable unit of work with a beginning and an end

task statements
identify in specific behavioral terms the regular duties and responsibilities of a position

person specification
summarizes the characteristics of someone able to perform the job

essential criteria
job holder characteristics that are vital to job performance

desirable criteria
job holder characteristics that may enhance job success but are not essential to adequate job performance

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Other Characterstics
KSAO.
job related worker characteristics

Knowledge
organized factual or procedural information that can be applied to perform a task

Skill
the ability to use some sort of knowledge in performing a physical task; often refers to psychomotor activities

ability
a stable and enduring capability to perform a variety of tasks (verbal or mechanical ability)

Other characteristics
a miscellaneous category for worker characteristics that are not knowledge, skills or abilities including personality traits, values and work styles

Critical Incidents Technique
Job Analysis Method: Job experts describe episodes of good, average and poor performance.
circumstances, action, consequences

Job Elements Analysis Method
Job Analysis Method: a group of job experts list and rate the important worker characteristics that influence success in the job, including knowledge, skills, abilities and personal characterstics

Structured Interview Technique
Job Analysis Method: Job experts supply information about the job and workers that distinguishes superior performance.

Task Inventory Approach
Job Analysis Method: Job experts generate a list of 50-200 tasks that are then grouped in categories reflecting major work functions.

Structured Questionnaires
Job Analysis Method: Written questionnaires that assess information about worker inputs, work output, job context and job characteristics.

Competency Modeling
identifies the worker competencies characteristic to high performance

Competencies
broad worker characteristics that underlie successful job performance

job rewards analysis
job analysis technique that identifies the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of a job

intrinsic reward
non-monetary reward derived from the work itself

extrinsic reward
reward with monetary value

total rewards
the combined intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of a job

organizational design
selecting and managing aspects of organizational structure to facilitate organizational goal accomplishment

organizational structure
the organization’s formal system of task, power and reporting relationships.
chars of: formalization, centralization, division of labor, span of control, hierarchy

organizational chart
diagram illustrating the chain of command and reporting relationships in a company

formalization
the degree to which organizational rules, procedures and communications are documented

centralized
concentrate power and decision making authority at higher levels of the organization

division of labor
the degree to which employees specialize

span of control
number of people who report directly to him or her.

hierarchy
the degree to which some employees have formal authority over others

strategic planning
process for making decisions about an organization’s long-term goals and how they are to be achieved

mission
the organization’s basic purpose and the scope of its operations

vision
long-term goals regarding what the organization wants to become and accomplish, describing its image of an ideal future

core values
the enduring beliefs and principles that guide an organization’s decisions and goals

business strategy
how an organization will compete in a particular market

human resource planning
aligning the organization’s human resources to effectively and efficiently accomplish the organization’s strategic goals

Leading Economic Index, Consumer Confidence Index, Exchange Rate Trends, Interest Rate Forecasts, Additional sources such as GPD and business inventories
5 sources for evaluating general economic trends to forecast labor demand:

Trend analysis, ratio analysis, judgmental forecasting
3 Techniques used to forecast labor demand

trend analysis
using past employment patterns to predict a firm’s future labor needs

staffing ratios
indexing headcount with a business metric.
ie manager to emp, rev to emp, cust to emp, store size to emp

judgmental forecasting
relies on managers’ expertise to predict a firm’s future employment needs

top-down judgmental forecasting
relies on the organization’s leaders and experience and knowledge of their industry and company to make predictions about the firm’s future talent needs.

bottom-up judgmental forecasting
starts with lower-level managers’ estimates of the firm’s future talent needs.

talent inventories
databases summarizing each employee’s competencies, qualifications, languages spoken, and anything else that can help the company understand how the employee can contribute

replacement charts
graphically shows current jobholders, possible successors and each successor’s readiness to assume the job

succession planning
identifying, developing and tracking employees to enable them to eventually assume higher level positions

workflow
how work is organized to meet the organization’s goals

business process reengineering
a more radical rethinking and redesign of business processes to achieve large improvements in speed, service, cost or quality

workflow analysis
investigates how work moves through an organization to identify changes to increase efficiency and better meet customers’ needs

utilitarian
Which ethical standard: Southwest Airlines cuts all employees’ pay rather than laying anyone off

rights
Which ethical standard: If a supervisor tells an employee to handle a toxic substance without appropriate protective gear

fairness
Which ethical standard: debate over the appropriateness of CEO salaries and bonuses that are hundreds of times larger than the pay of the average employee.

Common Good
Which ethical standard: Ensuring that suppliers do not employ child labor or provide unsafe working conditions

virtue
Which ethical standard: A company valuing honesty that quickly recalls products that might be defective or dangerous

union models
closed shop
agency shop
open shop

3 types of unions
industrial, trade, and employee associations

types of strikes
unfair labor practices
economic
recognition
jurisdictional

5 components to drug free workplace

1. written policy
2. supervisor training
3. employee education
4. EAP
5. drug testing

influence tactics

1. legitmating
2. personal appeals
3. assertiveness
4. ingratiation
5. inspirational appeals
6. rational persuasion
7. upward appeals
8. coalition
9. exchange

labor relations strategies
compliance
collaboration
avoidance

defined contribution retirement plans
ie 401(k), 403(b)
profit sharing, emp stock ownership

5 of 7 reasons emp leave org
lack of career dev
poor work climate
lack of challenging work
direction of org
lack of recognition

sourcing
ID qual indv & labor markets to recruit from

UGESP
uniform guidelines on emp selection. selecting procs advises employee in legal compliance

Kaplan & Norton balanced scorecard
objectives
measures
targets
initiatives

job offer elements
salary, sign-on bonus, relocation exp, benefits, job specific elements

assessment goals
accuracy, fit, ethics, legal compliance

ratio analysis
use past relationships to forecast how many emp needed for diff levels of bus activity

forecast external job market
monitor own experience
bureau of labor stats

hackman & oldman 5 chars on which jobs differ
skill variety
task identity
task significance
autonomy
task feedback

4 common biases
prejudice, stereotyping, perception of possibilities, ignorance

HRM influences performance thru
what emp should do
what emp can do
what emp will do

What emp should do
planning
laws & regulations

what emp can do
staffing
training

what emp will do
compensation
perf mgmt

HRM areas
perf mgmt
staffing
health & safety
training & development
reward & benefits
emp mgmt relations

Executive Order 11246
established requirements for non-discriminatory practices in hiring and employment on the part of U.S. government contractors. It “prohibits federal contractors and federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in Government business in one year from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”

optional benefits
work life balance, domestic partner benefits

policy
guide decision making

procedure
drive actions

What situation is an example of a managerial ethical dilemma?

Exchanging birthday cards with a a longtime employee
Seeing an employee of work hours behaving rudely to a clerk in a store
Reading an article in the newspaper about a drive committed by the relative of an employee
Being asked to directly supervise a family member
A
Being asked to directly supervise a family member

2
Q
A human resource manual specifies that employees cannot be terminated or punished for refusing to follow an illegal request made by a supervisor. Which standard is being applied to resolve this ethical dilemma?

Virtue standard
Rights standard
Utilitarian standard
Common good standard
A
Rights standard

3
Q
What is the goal of affirmative action?

To bar employment decisions based on ability and qualifications
To rely on legal remedies past practices that innately caused an effect on applicants
To seek to remedy past practices that innately caused an adverse effect on applicants
To focus on changing institutional demographics in an organization from the top-down
A
To seek to remedy past practices that innately caused an adverse effect on applicants

4
Q
A female employer is accused of having an employment practice that negatively impacts women. The employer responds that she has the same requirements for male and female applicants and wants to hire other women.
Why is this case a potential demonstration of adverse impact?

1. Adverse impact is based on intentional sex discrimination
2. Adverse impact must be the result of unequal promotion rather than unequal hiring.
3. Adverse impact must be proven by examination of a society’s history of discrimination, not an individual’s history

A
Adverse impact must be the result of unequal promotion rather than unequal hiring.

5
Q
Which protected classes must a company sets hiring goals for under Executive Order 11246?

Religious groups and workers over the age 40
Minorities and disabled veterans
Minorities and women
Native Americans and people with disabilities
A
Minorities and women

6
Q
An employer terminates an employee for being unattractive and putting less effort in personal appearance. Why is this permitted under an at-will relationship?

A
An employer can terminate an employee for an immoral reason.

7
Q
Which law guarantees that a woman can take unpaid time off following the birth of her child without fear of losing her job?

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
The Family Friendly Leave Act of 1994
The Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act of 2008
A
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

8
Q
What is the goal of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994?

To increase racial diversity in all branches of the military
To encourage more women to consider employment in the military
To prevent discrimination against employees who may be called into active military service
To guarantee that workers with military backgrounds receive pay from private employers while serving on military deployments
A
To prevent discrimination against employees who may be called into active military service.

9
Q
Which event should be covered under workers’ compensation?

Spraining an ankle while running on vacation
Breaking an arm while at work
Losing a job for poor performance
Being fired from at at-2ill position
A
Breaking an arm while at work.

10
Q
How does an organization’s human resource strategy support the organization’s business strategy?

By directing publicity and advertising approaches that communicate its vision
By encouraging innovative supply chain solutions
By helping it to acquire, develop, and retain the talent needed to fulfill its strategy
By providing management with useful production metrics for assessing progress
A
By helping it to acquire, develop, and retain the talent needed to fulfill its strategy.

11
Q
What is the primary function of human resource management?

Controlling costs
Retaining talent
Developing production goals
Setting legal regulations
A
Retaining talent

12
Q
How does effective human resource management improve organizational performance?

It helps determine the ultimate long-range goals of a company
It enhances a company’s ability to cope with growth and change
It directs the company’s leadership to make smarter financial decisions
It assesses the market’s need for new or improved products and services
A
It enhances a company’s ability to cope with growth and change.

13
Q
Which characteristic of an employee should human resource management focus on to enhance organizational culture?

Fit within an organization
Length of association with an organization
Need for employment within an organization
Motivation to advance within an organization
A
Fit within an organization.

14
Q
Which belief is an example of bias creating barriers to equal treatment in an organization?

Extroverted employees are the most effective
Increasing profits is an appropriate company goal
Ability to adapt to change is a useful employee trait
A small workplace can accommodate diverse cultures
A
Extroverted employees are the most effective

15
Q
Which factor in successful organizational change can be provided through effective human resource management?

Trust
Quality
Innovation
Optimism
A
Trust

16
Q
What it’s he organization’s formal system of task, power, and reporting relationships called?

An organizational design
An organizational structure
An organizational chart
An organizational style
A
An organizational structure

17
Q
How does human resource management support organizational leadership?

By documenting hiring processes that promote accession, efficiency, and timeliness
By providing employees with opportunities for professional development and growth
By creating clear policies related to employee schedules and document control
By setting individual limits for vacation time and financial benefits
A
By providing employees with opportunities for professional development and growth

18
Q
Which decision can human resource management assist with during the combination stage of mergers and acquisitions?

Which employees to retain
What the goal of combination will be
When to declare the combination a success
How the new location is designed
A
Which employees to retain

19
Q
How can human resource managers serve as internal consultants?

By helping managers develop business plans
By helping managers avoid common training pitfalls
By conducting cost audits
By assisting in the planning of social events
A
By helping managers avoid training pitfalls

20
Q
What are two uses of a job analysis?

Establishing job requirements and designing job-based safety equipment
Creating job’s standard operating procedure and establishing succession plans
Developing a recruiting plan and designing a compensation plan for a particular job
Producing job performance objectives and determining appropriate efficiency benchmarks
A
Developing a recruiting plan and designing a compensation plan for a particular job

21
Q
How can human resource managers use performance metrics to benefit their organizations?

They can use metrics that reveal weakness in a critical division to include nice staging plans
They can use metrics that measure trivial aspects of performance to set a tone of high expectations
They can use metrics that focus on positive results to create a sense of dissatisfaction among employees
They can use metrics that are reported to suppliers and vendors to increase operational transparency
A
They can use metrics that reveal weakness in a critical division to influence staffing plans

22
Q
What should human resource managers use to determine performance metrics?

Business goals
Employee needs
Manager instincts
Profit expectations
A
Business goals

23
Q
What aspect of an organization is increased when policies of inclusion are adopted?

It’s talent pool
It’s mission statement
It’s performance metrics
It’s workplace safety rating
A
It’s talent pool

24
Q
Why might an organization want to increase its efforts at inclusion and diversity?

To reduce costs of employee benefits
To reduce negative public relations
To focus attention on promotion policies
To increase the average level of employee education
A
To reduce negative public relations

25
Q
Classify each example as either a policy or a procedure. Answer options may be used more than once or not at all.

Employees should avoid using language that could be interpreted as discriminatory
To receive reimbursement, employees need to submit receipts from travel and dining
The company advocates, in all operational aspects, for diversity of experience, background, and culture to support innovation, workplace environment, employees, customers and stakeholders
Employees wishing to take time off should give prior written notice to their supervisors
A
Employees should avoid using language that could be interpreted as discriminatory (POLICY)
To receive reimbursement, employees need to submit receipts from travel and dining (PROCEDURE)
The company advocates, in all operational aspects, for diversity of experience, background, and culture to support innovation, workplace environment, employees, customers and stakeholders (POLICY)
Employees wishing to take time off should give prior written notice to their supervisors (PROCEDURE)
26
Q
How does an employee handbook protect employers?

It improves the performance and reduced the training costs of new employees
It discourages employees from taking advantage of legal protections provided by federal law
It ensures that employees are informed about company expectations, policies, and benefits.
It reduces the requirements to provide insurance, retirement funds, and other benefits to employees
A
It ensures that employees are informed about company expectations, policies, and benefits

27
Q
Which situation is an example of poor person-organizational fit?

An employee shares the employer’s attitudes and personality, but lacks the specific training required to excel in the position.
An employee has the necessary training and skills for a position, but has a different set of values than the employer
An employee who works smoothly with all coworkers is valued while requiring a great deal of assistance to perform the job
A relatively unskilled employee is able to use experience to get promoted by matching the company’s expected level of competitiveness
A
An employee has the necessary training and skills for a position, but has a different set of values than the employer

28
Q
How does souring affect recruiting?

Sourcing determines whether recruiting programs will be required
Effective sourcing improves the compatibility of talent pools to open positions
Strong sourcing decisions can make up for weak recruiting efforts
Sourcing makes up for deficits in recruiting plans
A
Effective sourcing improves the comparability of talent pools to open positions

29
Q
What is the benefit of external recruiting?

External hires can bring in new ideas and insights
External hires can be less expensive to identify and recruit
External hires can be more productive in their positions early on
External hires can be measured more easily using existing metrics
Study These Flashcards
A
External hires can bring in new ideas and insights

30
Q
Which request might be asked during a case interview?

Tell me about your experiences with past failures and successes
Describe a situation in which you have successfully solved a difficult problem
Show which skills you have that will best benefit the company’s goals and mission
Explain how you would react if you were asked by a coworker to take shortcuts to meet job expectations
Study These Flashcards
A
Show which skills you have that will best benefit the company’s goals and mission

31
Q
Why might human resource managers place limited importance on distributive fairness in the hiring process?

Only those hired tend to appreciate the outcomes of the process
Executives, rather than candidates, care about fairness in hiring
This type of fairness cannot be measured in any meaningful manner
More people benefit from this measurement than from other fairness issues
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A
Only those hired tend to appreciate the outcomes of the process

32
Q
Which step in an effective training program involves determining the best setting, methods, and materials to be used?

Assessing training needs
Designing training systems
Evaluating training outcomes
Developing training objectives
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A
Designing training systems

33
Q
Which type of training includes both role-paying and action learning?

Virtual training
Classroom training
On-the-job training
Experiential training
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A
Experiential training

34
Q
What does a person’s learning style determine?

The likelihood of being promoted
The position that is the best fit
The rewards that will be the most motivational
The instructional methods that are the most effective for training
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A
The instructional methods that are the most effective for training

35
Q
During which level of Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation might participants take a test on the training materials?

Reaction
Learning
Behavior
Results
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A
Learning

36
Q
How can performance management help an organization evaluate change initiatives, training procedures, and new technologies?

By generating useful data
By attracting leaders with vision
By improving workplace diversity
By anticipating customers’ future demands
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A
By generating useful data

37
Q
How can goal setting boost employee performance?

By clarifying job requirements and rules
By focusing attention on specific objectives
By explaining the reasons behind an initiative
By guaranteeing a positive outcome for stakeholders
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A
By focusing attention on specific objectives

38
Q
Which source of performance information is most knowledgeable about an employee’s day-to-day performance in self-managed team?

Coworker
Customer
Supervisor
Subordinate
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A
Coworker

39
Q
How does providing regular feedback to employees relate to their goals?

It minimally affects goal accomplishment
It ensures their goals are met
It helps direct progress toward goals
It decreases the need for performance improvement
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A
It helps direct progress toward goals

40
Q
An employee has already been approached concerning poor performance, but is not improving. Which corrective discipline step should be repeated with a stronger statement of the consequences for not improving?

Counseling
Written warning
Suspension without pay
Termination
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A
Written warning

41
Q
Place the steps of progressive discipline in order from first to last.

Written warning
Counseling
Suspension without pay
Termination
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A
Counseling
Written warning
Suspension without pay
Termination

42
Q
What is an example of opportunity bias?

A manager gives an employee low performance ratings in order to maintain the employee’s incentive to continue trying to improve
A manager gives an employee low performance ratings based on assumptions about the employee’s religious and cultural background
A manager gives an employee low performance ratings as a result of a failed project, even though the failure was a result of outside factors
A manager gives an employee low performance ratings after previously having high expectations based on the employee’s educational credentials
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A
A manager gives an employee low performance ratings as a result of a failed project, even though the failure was a result of outside factors

43
Q
What is a critical factor in creating a culture of safety?

A system of rewards and punishments based upon operational outcomes
A commitment of an organization to the projections and well-being of its employees
A hiring program that identifies prospective employees who are educated
A clear and consistent training program that educates employees about safety laws
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A
A commitment of an organization to the projections and well-being of its employees

44
Q
What is a function related to the primary goal of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?

To collect fines
To issue citations
To correct hazards
To design projects
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A
To correct hazards

45
Q
How do employee wellness programs benefit employers?

By reducing workers’ compensation and disability-related costs
By reducing the need for elaborate safety training programs
By limiting the involvement of managers in performance management
By improving the satisfaction of customers with employee performance
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A
By reducing worker’s compensation and disability-related costs

46
Q
What determines whether stress is functional or dysfunctional?

What source causes I t and when it occurs
Where it is experienced and the source of the stress
Why is has been created and how long it lasts
How manageable it is and the emotions it causes
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A
How manageable it is and the emotions it causes

47
Q
What is an example of bullying in the workplace?

Setting high expectations
Posting performance metrics publicly
Intimidating a coworker
Implementing a strict disciplinary policy
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A
Intimidating a coworker

48
Q
What is an example of holding the target of bullying to a different performance standard?

Forcing the target to work long hours under threat of dismissal
Talking poorly about the target to those in higher positions
Assigning the target unrealistic goals and deadlines
Denying the target annual leave
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A
Assigning the target unrealistic goals and deadlines

49
Q
Which organization advocates that a well-written and implemented workplace violence prevention program can reduce the incidence of workplace violence in all workplaces?

Society for Human Resource Administration (SHRA)
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Association of Fair Labor Protection Act (AFLP)
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A
OSHA

50
Q
What area two physical changes that can be made to prevent workplace violence? (Choose 2)

Adding more windows
Implementing key card access
Putting in silent alarms
Updating computer systems
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A
Implementing key card access

Putting in silent alarms

51
Q
Which tactic can employers use to improve employee engagement and motivation towards safety?

Incentives
Posters
Training
Safety Inspections
Study These Flashcards
A
Incentives

52
Q
How does a safe workplace positively relate to employee motivation and engagement?

It creates an environment that reduces and discourages functional stress
It encourages an environment for high employee production performance
It develops training opportunities through intuitive job design
It discourages employee feedback on redundant issues
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A
It encourages an environment for high employee production performance

53
Q
What is the influence tactic that enhances one’s formal authority to make a request by referring to precedents, rules, contracts, or other official documents.

Ingratiation
Legitimating
Personal appeal
Assertiveness
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A
Legitimating

54
Q
Which act was intended to curb common work stoppages, strikes, and general labor conflict?

Wagner act
Railway Labor Act
Taft-Hartley Act
Landrum-Griffith Act
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A
Wagner Act

55
Q
What is a psychological contract the workplace?

An agreement a company has with an outsourced psychiatrist for employee assistance
A relationship between the human resource department and a psychologist to develop tactics for employee motivation
The hidden expectations and promises between an employer and an employee
The agreement an employer makes with an employee concerning the employee’s performance initiatives
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A
The hidden expectations and promises between an employer and an employee

56
Q
Which type of compensation can developmental opportunities be considered?

Direct financial compensation
Non financial compensation
Incentive pay
Indirect financial compensation
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A
Non financial compensation

57
Q
What is the disadvantage of a pay-for-performance plan?

It hardly connects to an employee’s extrinsic motivation
It potentially negates an employee’s intrinsic motivation
It normally reduces production and efficiency
It normally promotes entitlement culture
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A
It potentially negates an employee’s intrinsic motivation

58
Q
What are two reasons why companies offer employee benefits?

To provide employees with work-life balance
To support job and layout design
To promote employees’ work projects
To boost employee satisfaction
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A
To provide employees with work-life balance

To boost employee satisfaction

59
Q
Which type of a benefit are domestic partner benefits?

Mandatory
Customary
Optional
Special
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A
Optional

60
Q
What is the goal of an organization that offers the benefits of a. Wellness program, flextime, and personal days?

To decrease employee engagement
To decrease employee absenteeism
To increase family security
To increase retirement security
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A
To decrease employee absenteeism

61
Q
What is the result of people being committed to, involved with, enthusiastic, and passionate about their work?

Organizational citizenship behavior
Job dissatisfaction
Employee engagement
Job security
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A
Employee engagement

62
Q
Which action enhances employee engagement?

Having little authority to make decisions on projects
Allowing employees to use their talents
Providing feedback to employees twice a year
Having a limited performance evaluation system
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A
Allowing employees to use their talents

63
Q
What is affective commitment?

Having a positive emotional attachment to the organization and strong identification with its values and goals
Feeling obliged to stay with an organization for moral or ethical reasons
Staying with an organization because of perceived high economic and/or social costs involved with leaving
Maintaining employment due to workplace benefits and competitive pay
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A
Having a positive emotional attachment to the organization and strong identification with its values and goals

64
Q
What is an example of voluntary turnover?

An employee leaves for a higher paying job
An employee is let go for performance problems
An employee is fired for ethical issue
An employee leaves due to company downsizing
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A
An employee leaves for higher paying job

65
Q
What are two potential costs of voluntary turnover?

It leads to better customer service
It leads to having to train a replacement worker
It leads to losing a poor performer
it disrupts teamwork
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A
It leads to having to train a replacement worker

It disrupts teamwork

66
Q
What are two retention strategies for reducing voluntary turnover?

Quality leadership
Flexible work
Performance evaluation
Raising work standards
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A
Quality leadership

Flexible work

67
Q
Which factor may increase a company’s voluntary turnover?

Good economic environment
Poorer economic environment
Excellent pay and benefits
Performance accountability
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A
good economic environment

68
Q
What is they difference between replacement planning and succession management?

Identifying specific backup candidates versus building feeder groups up and down the leadership pipeline
Employing efficient hiring processes for production employees versus employing a focused hiring process for well-qualified external candidates
Increasing employee performance versus assessing employee performance against a given standard practice
Employing a focused process for improving employee productivity versus employing a broad, team-oriented production scheme for capacity planning
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A
Identifying specific backup candidates versus building feeder groups up and down the leadership pipeline

69
Q
What is an example of workforce redeployment?

A firm laying off employees when closing a key plant facility
A production firm assigning a group of employees to the marketing department for ease of payroll
A firm assigning a Java IT expert to a new client requesting a Java IT engineer
Moving an employee to a new location to satisfy the employee’s family needs
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