Deck 15: Human Resources Management: Building a Top Quality Workforce

Question 1

A company that values its employees:

A)does not worry about its profits as long as its employees are satisfied.
B)does not delegate decision making of its employees.
C)strives to recognize the untapped potential of its employees.
D)allows employees to take paid vacations as many times as they want.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In the context of employment legislation, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 required employers to verify employment eligibility for all new hires.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The massive retirement of the Baby Boomer generation has caused some forward-thinking firms to develop policies to retain the best of these employees.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

According to a report in Fast Company, a major reason why many human resource managers struggle to add value to their firm is that they:

A)focus on revenue-earning products rather than on people.
B)lack business acumen in addition to strategic skills.
C)are in staff positions rather than line positions.
D)do not have well-honed communications skills.

Question 5

In the context of human resource management challenges, which of the following statements is true of women workers?

A)They step out of the workforce early to raise children.
B)Their work schedules are more flexible than those of men workers.
C)They are less willing to "pay dues."
D)They cannot be retained by being provided with flextime benefits.

Question 6

Many new jobs were created during the Great Recession as companies tried to expand.

Question 7

If the human resource department of a firm reports to the CEO, the firm may be on the fast track to outsourcing.

Question 8

In 2011 and 2012, many economists were concerned about a "jobless recovery" as:

A)there was a broken link between pay and performance.
B)labor markets faltered.
C)unemployment rates began to fall again.
D)there was a decrease in the motivation level of employees.

Question 9

The goal of human resource management is to nurture an organization's human investment so that it yields the highest possible return.

Question 10

Employers should always document sound business reasons for termination and share those reasons with the employee.

Question 11

Which of the following is a major challenge faced by most human resources departments?

A)Restrictions from top management in making strategic contributions
B)Inability to find the root cause of problems in most situations
C)Being considered irrelevant by many employees
D)Receiving less pay

Question 12

Roy Stewart wants to be an electrician but knows that before he can be hired as a fully qualified electrician, he must assist an experienced electrician for a period of two years before gaining the credentials to work in the field.This type of arrangement is an example of an apprenticeship program.

Question 13

For a performance appraisal to be effective, the manager must focus on fairness, relevance, objectivity, and balance.

Question 14

Which of the following must be done by human resource managers to nurture their human investment so that it yields the highest possible return?

A)Promoting career development
B)Recruiting employees for low wages
C)Encouraging employee lawsuits
D)Satisfying all demands of trade unions

Question 15

Which of the following statements is true of the wage gap between the pay of a CEO and a typical American employee?

A)The wage gap between CEOs and employees decreases with the passage of each year.
B)Senior management salaries and bonuses were accepted as normal.
C)The wage gap varied depending on the rise and fall of employment rates.
D)Data that revealed CEO pay during 2011 was correlated to how well companies fared in the stock market.

Question 16

Jessica, the chief human resources officer at GA Trading Company, is facing a problem at work. One third of the employees of the company, who belong to the Baby Boomer generation, will be retiring next year. In response to this problem, she introduces benefits like flextime and telecommuting. In this scenario, she is trying to retain _____.

A)younger workers
B)female workers
C)older workers
D)foreign workers

Question 17

In the context of human resource management challenges, which of the following statements is true of older workers?

A)Older workers have no expectation that their employers will be loyal to them, and they don't feel that they owe their companies strong loyalty.
B)Many companies have started flexible schedules, training opportunities, and creative pay schedules to retain their best older employees.
C)Older workers have startlingly high expectations for their pay, their responsibilities, and job flexibility, but little willingness to "pay dues."
D)Unlike younger workers, older workers have a proven ability to multitask and a multicultural perspective.

Question 18

Respected human resource departments typically figure out ways to quantify their impact on the company:

A)by coordinating the deadlines of all departments within the company.
B)by evaluating the strategic goals achieved by the company's workforce.
C)in terms of dollars and cents.
D)in terms of the company's production rates.

Question 19

Firms that experience a fluctuating need for workers are less likely to hire contingent workers than firms that have a relatively stable need for workers.

Question 20

The United States has one of the lowest wage gaps among all developed countries.

Question 21

John has been recruited as a fire fighter for his city's fire department. He notices that the fire department does not provide the firemen with adequate equipment for protection against hazardous substances. Given this information, which of the following acts is being violated by the fire department?

A)National Labor Relations Act of 1935
B)Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
C)Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
D)Civil Rights Act of 1964

Question 22

The senior management of a firm recognizes the potential of the human resource (HR)department:

A)if the HR department is listed as a line department instead of a staff department on the organization chart.
B)if the HR department is consulted only when legal problems arise.
C)if the HR department reports to the CEO of the firm.
D)if the HR department is spatially close to the senior management.

Question 23

A _____ plan refers to a scheduling option that allows workers to choose when they start and finish their workdays, as long as they complete the required number of hours.

A)job sharing
B)profit-sharing
C)pay for performance
D)flextime

Question 24

Which of the following statements is true of telecommuting?

A)It decreases the productivity of telecommuters.
B)It makes fostering teamwork among employees easy.
C)It allows telecommuters to closely connect with their organizations.
D)It increases annual cost savings for employers.

Question 25

James was recently hired by BubFizz Soda Inc.He is given the option to work for four nine-hour days instead of three twelve-hour days as part of his benefits as an employee. Which of the following benefits is being provided by BubFizz Soda Inc.?

A)A cafeteria-style benefits
B)Telecommuting
C)A compressed workweek program
D)Pay for knowledge type scheduling

Question 26

In the context of affirmative action, opponents have raised concerns that giving preferential treatment to minority groups amounts to:

A)reverse discrimination against groups who do not get the same benefits.
B)a decrease in the educational opportunities provided to the minority groups.
C)adherence to the principle that all individuals are equal under the law.
D)giving equal importance to all individuals irrespective of their race or gender.

Question 27

In the context of employee selection, which of the following statements is true of employment testing?

A)Employment testing rarely includes drug testing and physical exams.
B)A candidate who is right for the job is immune from testing.
C)Physical exams are highly regulated by state and federal law.
D)Skills testing and personality testing do not carry any legal risk.

Question 28

James is a 57-year-old accountant who has worked for a large software firm for almost 30 years. His yearly evaluations have always showed that he exhibits high performance. Despite this, he is notified that he will be laid off the next month and that he will be replaced by a younger employee. James views his manager's decision as unfair, so he decides to make an appointment with a human resource (HR)manager. The HR manager would probably inform James that:

A)his manager's decision is illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act as any age-related layoffs require that the employees be given at least six months' notice.
B)his manager's decision is illegal under Title VII, which prohibits employers from discriminating against an employee based on his or her age.
C)his manager has the authority to lay off older workers.
D)his manager is right because the company can benefit from a younger workforce.

Question 29

Which of the following is an example of an internal recruitment method?

A)Trade associations
B)University employment centers
C)Promotions
D)Newspaper ads

Question 30

Which of the following is most likely to be true if a company adopts external recruitment methods?

A)The external recruitment methods will boost the morale of the current employees.
B)The external recruitment methods will lower the costs of both recruitment and training.
C)The external recruitment methods will tap into a range of different resources.
D)The external recruitment methods will lead to a lack of diversity in the long run.

Question 31

In the context of equal employment opportunities, affirmative action:

A)seeks to make up for the systematic discrimination of the past by creating more opportunities in the present.
B)refers to policies that increase educational opportunities for minorities but decrease employment opportunities for them.
C)provides equal opportunities for majority groups.
D)leads to a homogenous workplace with varied opportunities for all.

Question 32

A benefit given to employees that involves working remotely and connecting to the office via phone lines, fax machines, or broadband networks is known as _____.

A)flextime scheduling
B)telecommuting
C)job sharing
D)contingency scheduling

Question 33

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which of the following is true of sexual harassment?

A)A harasser is always the victim's supervisor.
B)Male workers can never be harassed in a workplace.
C)Only women workers can be subjected to it.
D)A person is subjected to it based on his or her gender.

Question 34

In the context of employee compensation, which of the following statements is true of performance pay options?

A)Pay for knowledge involves awarding bonuses and pay increases in exchange for increases in knowledge.
B)Larger commissions go with larger base pay.
C)Bonuses involve payment as a percentage of sales.
D)Profit-sharing plans reward employees with a share of company profits even when the determined goals are unmet.

Question 35

_____ refer to the pay that employees receive over a fixed period, most often weekly or monthly.

A)Commissions
B)Salaries
C)Wages
D)Bonuses

Question 36

_____ refer to noncash compensation, including programs such as health insurance, vacation, and childcare.

A)Salaries
B)Bonuses
C)Commissions
D)Benefits

Question 37

Respected human resource managers contribute to increasing the value of the firm by:

A)finding ways to raise the value of the firm's human capital.
B)limiting the reporting relationship with the senior management.
C)engaging in effective collective bargaining with employees.
D)disregarding exceptions while enforcing policies.

Question 38

In the context of adopting a written policy against sexual harassment, taking "reasonable care" also means:

A)taking the initiative to transfer the victim to a subsidiary of the same company.
B)providing training to employees to make them understand that that the firm does not tolerate sexual harassment.
C)considering the number of times the victim has been sexually harassed.
D)taking adequate measures to offer compensation to the victim and severely warning the employee who harassed the victim.

Question 39

Ryan is a human resources manager at Remfur Inc.While recruiting managers for the newly formed regional divisions, he feels the company would benefit greatly from external recruitment. In this case, which of the following methods of recruitment can Ryan use?

A)He can transfer a few employees from the company's subsidiary.
B)He can transfer a few employees from the company's subsidiary.
C)He can transfer a few employees from the company's subsidiary.
D)He can transfer a few employees from the company's subsidiary.

Question 40

In the context of employee separation, which of the following statements is true?

A)Employees who experience success will not leave the companies they work for.
B)In response to changing business needs, employers transfer or lay off employees.
C)An employee cannot be fired without any proof of failure in his or her performance.
D)Employers should not share the reasons for termination with the concerned employees.

Question 41

Discuss the importance and contributions of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Question 42

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of internal and external recruitment methods.

Question 43

Companies that get the most from their people often consider their _________ their biggest investment.

A)top management
B)trade unions
C)outsourcing efforts
D)human resources

Question 44

_________ refer to compensation in the form of lump-sum payments, typically to reward strong performance from individual employees.

A)Commissions
B)Salaries
C)Dividends
D)Bonuses

Question 45

_________ is the first step in the training and development process, designed to introduce new employees to the company culture.

A)Orientation
B)An interview
C)Performance appraisal
D)Job analysis

Question 46

Many _________ have no expectation that employers will be loyal to them, and they do not feel that they owe their companies strong loyalty in return.

A)older workers
B)women
C)younger workers
D)workers with disabilities

Question 47

Describe the different types of challenges posed by older workers and younger workers to human resource managers.

Question 48

Explain the problems that women workers face in their workplace and the steps taken by human resource managers to retain them.

Question 49

Explain how employers evaluate workers' performance. Describe some of the potential appraisal goofs that can arise during this process.

Question 50

In the context of employee selection, _________ help uncover an applicant's lies about education, job titles, and compensation.

A)applications
B)references and background checks
C)performance appraisals
D)orientation programs