Deck 12: Problem Employees: Counseling and Discipline

Question 1

Which of the following is an advantage most closely associated with counseling?

A) It gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interested in their welfare.
B) It gives employees a sense that the supervisors and organization are willing to confide in them.
C) It makes an employee believe that the supervisor considers him/her to be more efficient than the other group members.
D) It makes it clear to the employee that he/she needs to perform well so as to avoid termination.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In general,problem employees fall into two categories.One of the categories includes employees causing problems,and the other group contains employees:

A) with problems.
B) belonging to a minority group.
C) with the potential to supersede the supervisor.
D) with connections.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The most common reason given for taking unscheduled time off is:

A) psychological instability.
B) work overload.
C) entitlement mentality.
D) personal illness.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A requirement that an employee not come to work for a set time period,and in which the employee is not paid for the time off is referred to as a:

A) suspension.
B) termination.
C) demotion.
D) dismissal.

Question 5

The difference between directive and nondirective counseling is that:

A) the latter lets the employee analyze the cause behind his indulgence in problem behavior.
B) the latter gives the supervisor the absolute right to decide the most likely reason affecting the productivity of the employee.
C) the latter is employed by supervisors only when dealing with employees affected by alcohol and drug abuse.
D) the latter is a form of positive discipline designed to prevent problem behavior from beginning.

Question 6

Which of the following is true of counseling?

A) The most appropriate time for counseling an employee is when the supervisor feels threatened that the employee might contend for his position.
B) It gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interfering in their personal life and hence should be avoided.
C) The counseling interview should ideally start with the employer reprimanding the employee for his/her lapse.
D) During the counseling session, the supervisor should focus on behavior and performance of the employee rather than who they are.

Question 7

In the process of administering discipline,the first step should ideally be to:

A) fire the employee.
B) suspend the employee.
C) demote the employee.
D) warn the employee.

Question 8

Counseling is best defined as:

A) the deliberate refusal on the part of an employee to do what the supervisor asks.
B) the measure taken by supervisors to prevent employees from engaging in social loafing.
C) the process of learning about an individual's personal problem and helping in its resolution.
D) the practice of giving a day off to an employee to deal with his/her health issues.

Question 9

Cindy,the supervisor of the marketing team,is concerned about John's continuous poor performance and arranges to have a meeting with him.This session helps Cindy to identify that John was facing a problem of substance abuse.She than suggests that John take a disability leave to get treatment.Which of the following approaches to counseling has been adopted by Cindy?

A) Nondirective counseling
B) Academic counseling
C) Directive counseling
D) Grief counseling

Question 10

Which of the following is the most appropriate time for a supervisor to counsel an employee?

A) When the supervisor feels threatened that the employee might contend for his position
B) When the employee needs help in resolving problems affecting his/her work
C) When the employee threatens the supervisor that he/she would reveal company secrets
D) When the supervisor feels the need to humiliate the employee in public

Question 11

When supervisors observe poor performance in an employee,they are most likely to:

A) blame it on a lack of proper training.
B) blame the organization for not providing enough support.
C) blame it on external distractions.
D) blame the employee for lacking ability.

Question 12

Nondirective counseling is best defined as an approach to counseling:

A) in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to seek the source of the problem and to propose possible solutions.
B) where the supervisor asks questions, and then suggests ways to handle the problem, after he/she understands the problem.
C) in which the supervisor plays an authoritative role and dictates the guidelines to the employee.
D) in which the supervisor makes the employee realize his/her fault and reprimands the employee.

Question 13

In the context of alcohol and drug abuse by workers,which of the following statements is true?

A) Employees who abuse drugs are likely to be more productive than their co-workers who stay sober as many drugs have the capacity to enhance performance.
B) Employees who use drugs are three times as likely to be tardy and more than three times as likely to be involved in an accident at work.
C) The Americans with Disabilities Act does not consider drug abuse as a disability.
D) In accordance with the American legal system, an employee involved in substance abuse should immediately be fired.

Question 14

Substance abuse arising from an addiction is defined as a disability according to the:

A) Americans with Disabilities Act.
B) Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act.
C) Randolph-Sheppard Act.
D) U.S. Rehabilitation Act.

Question 15

An approach to counseling where the supervisor asks questions to the employee about the specific problem,and then suggests ways to handle the problem,after he/she understands the problem is referred to as:

A) directive counseling.
B) emotionally focused therapy.
C) nondirective counseling.
D) grief therapy.

Question 16

Discipline is best defined as:

A) an action taken by the supervisor to prevent employees from breaking rules.
B) an approach to counseling which involves the supervisor primarily playing the role of a listener.
C) the process of learning about an individual's personal problem and helping him/her resolve the issue.
D) a deliberate refusal on the part of an employee to carry out the supervisor's directions.

Question 17

Which of the following is most likely to reduce the occurrence of workplace violence?

A) Segregating employees on the basis of their nationality
B) Encouraging whistle-blowers
C) Treating employees fairly
D) Giving absolute authority to the supervisor

Question 18

Ashton's supervisor Carol notices that he is always late to work.She discusses the matter with Ashton and makes him realize how his behavior is affecting everyone in the department.Then Carol encourages him to analyze the problem and listens to what Ashton has to say.Ashton realizes that the reason behind his being late is that he is running too many errands in the morning.So he decides to run his personal errands during lunch and after work.Which type of counseling approach has been used?

A) Nondirective counseling
B) Reverse psychology
C) Directive counseling
D) Grief therapy

Question 19

Insubordination is best defined as:

A) the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks.
B) the tendency of some people to avoid taking responsibility when working in a group.
C) the action of reporting to the supervisor about the occurrence of unethical dealings in the firm.
D) the discrimination in workplaces that is based on economic factors.

Question 20

Suppose a salesperson in a hardware store has a 10-year-old son with behavior problems,and this was affecting his work.The supervisor gets to know about this and schedules counseling sessions with him.In one of these sessions,the supervisor says,"I've noticed that we haven't received any more customer complaints about your service and,in fact,one customer told me you went out of your way to help." From the given information,identify the stage in which the process of counseling has most likely reached.

A) Selecting a solution
B) Considering possible solutions
C) Scheduling a follow-up meeting
D) Discussing the problem

Question 21

Which of the following is true of self-discipline?

A) Self-discipline often leads to the termination of employees.
B) Self-discipline often leads to a lack of uniformity in the behavior of the employees.
C) Employees voluntarily follow the rules and try to meet performance standards.
D) Employees are forced to follow the rules by taking disciplinary measures.

Question 22

In the context of counseling,when the supervisor is discussing a problem with an employee,he should ideally:

A) encourage the employee to give in to emotional outbursts.
B) let other employees be a part of the discussion.
C) talk about behaviors instead of personalities.
D) try to be at the same emotional level as the employee.

Question 23

Absences and medical costs are much greater among drug abusers.

Question 24

When an employee fails to respond to initial attempts at counseling,the supervisor should ideally:

A) consult with an outside expert.
B) hire an attorney to protect himself/herself.
C) discuss the problem with his/her manager.
D) take suggestions from the other employees.

Question 25

The primary purpose of providing employee assistance programs and other counseling programs is:

A) to prevent discrimination against the troubled employee.
B) to improve the troubled employee's performance.
C) to make the troubled employee feel guilty about his/her behavior.
D) to avoid being persecuted by the troubled employee.

Question 26

Which of the following statements is true of dismissals?

A) The length of a dismissal might run from one day to one month, depending on the seriousness of the problem.
B) A dismissal involves the transfer of an employee to a job with less responsibility and usually lower pay.
C) A supervisor should ideally dismiss an employee at the slightest hint of any problem so that the problem does not aggravate.
D) An organization cannot really regard dismissal as a success because it then has to recruit, hire, and train a new employee.

Question 27

In the context of rehabilitation of troubled employees,which of the following is true?

A) It shows that the employers lack compassion.
B) It is less costly than hiring and training a new employee.
C) It is more likely to violate laws prohibiting employment discrimination.
D) It is comparatively more time consuming than other types of treatment programs and should ideally be avoided.

Question 28

Positive discipline is best defined as:

A) the discipline designed to prevent the occurrence of problem behavior from beginning.
B) the act of transferring an employee to a job involving less responsibility.
C) the approach to discipline in which the supervisor primarily listens to the employees' problems.
D) the discipline designed to monitor the behavior of problem employees.

Question 29

Employees who voluntarily follow the rules and try to meet performance standards are exercising insubordination.

Question 30

A company-based program for providing counseling and related help to employees whose personal problems are affecting their performance is most accurately called a(n):

A) employee assistance program.
B) grief therapy program for employees.
C) employee self-help program.
D) community psychology program.

Question 31

Transfer of an employee to a job involving less responsibility and usually lower pay is referred to as a:

A) suspension.
B) termination.
C) demotion.
D) dismissal.

Question 32

Substance abuse is always a legal ground for firing an employee.

Question 33

The supervisor's ultimate goal in administering discipline should ideally be to:

A) fire the employee.
B) solve the problem without dismissing the employee.
C) show how much power he/she has.
D) restrict whistle-blowers from exposing the company.

Question 34

Ted,a supervisor for Jack's Pool Supplies,was accused of stealing pool supplies and selling them to friends and relatives at reduced prices.Given Ted's earlier track record,he was not fired immediately.The authorities decided to give him an administrative leave,without pay,until the investigation was complete.In view of the given information,it would be most appropriate to say that Ted was:

A) demoted.
B) discharged.
C) suspended.
D) dismissed.

Question 35

A day off during which a problem employee is supposed to arrive at a conclusion whether to return to work and meet standards or to stay away for good is known as a:

A) dismissal.
B) decision-making leave.
C) demotion.
D) disciplinary leave without pay.

Question 36

When supervisors need to explain their own poor performance,they may blame the organization or another person for not providing enough support.

Question 37

Compared to employees suffering from physical health stressors,employees seeking mental health treatment are less likely to work under suboptimal conditions.

Question 38

Which of the following ideally comes under the scope of the employer when dealing with troubled employees?

A) Diagnosing a psychological problem
B) Protecting the employee's privacy
C) Covering up for the employee
D) Giving advice on medical issues

Question 39

When a supervisor suspects a problem with a troubled employee,what should be his/her first step?

A) Documenting the problem
B) Confronting the employee
C) Referring the employee to a source of counseling
D) Threatening the employee with termination

Question 40

When confronting a troubled employee,which of the following should ideally be the last step on the part of the supervisor?

A) Telling the employee he/she has a problem
B) Reprimanding the employee for inappropriate behavior
C) Asking other employees to help the troubled employee
D) Explaining the consequences of not changing

Question 41

Directive counseling is an approach in which the supervisor primarily listens and encourages the employee to look for the source of the problem.

Question 42

When employees give the employer less work than they are paid for by taking extra sick leave,they can be accused of theft.

Question 43

A supervisor should be consistent in administering discipline.

Question 44

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)does not treat substance abuse arising from an addiction as a disability.

Question 45

An employee who is involved in domestic violence is more likely to be sober at the workplace and refrain from exploding in violence at the workplace.

Question 46

Suspensions are useful when the employee has been accused of something serious,such as stealing,and the supervisor needs time to investigate.

Question 47

Discipline works better when it is made a public affair.

Question 48

Employees have the right to know job expectations and the consequences of not fulfilling those expectations.

Question 49

If an employee complains of feeling threatened by another employee or an outsider,the supervisor should take these concerns seriously.

Question 50

To prevent information theft,the monitoring of employees may need to focus on access to and retrieval of data.

Question 51

Employees are more likely to cooperate in a solution they helped develop.

Question 52

When supervisors suspect a problem that requires disciplining,they should collect the facts before taking further action.

Question 53

In the context of counseling,talking about personalities instead of behaviors helps the employee understand what is expected of him/her.

Question 54

Demotion is the act of relieving an employee of his/her job.

Question 55

During counseling sessions,when the employee breaks out into emotional outbursts,the supervisor should ideally encourage the employee to continue.

Question 56

The organization benefits from counseling because employees who receive needed counseling are better motivated and more likely to meet performance standards.

Question 57

A supervisor should ideally delay responding to problem behavior as it often tends to aggravate when it receives positive reinforcement from the supervisor.

Question 58

In a counseling interview,irrespective of who called for the session,ideally the supervisor should begin by describing the problem.

Question 59

Pointing out poor behavior and administering negative consequences are unpleasant tasks and should be avoided.

Question 60

An employee who fails to communicate his/her problems effectively is more likely to explode in violence.

Question 61

Humiliation only breeds resentment and may increase problem behavior in the future.

Question 62

Promoting teamwork is likely to reduce the instances of problem behavior in an organization.

Question 63

When a supervisor has gathered enough supporting evidence to support his suspicion of a problem,he/she should confront the troubled employee.

Question 64

When confronting troubled employees,diagnosing psychological problems comes well within the scope of the supervisor.

Question 65

What are the two main categories of problem employees? Give examples of each category.

Question 66

It is up to the supervisor to see that the treatment plan provided by an EAP is producing the desired results at the workplace.

Question 67

Supervisors should resort to setting high targets for employees even at the cost of making them feel frustrated,as this would prevent them from engaging in problem behavior.

Question 68

In instances when a supervisor must terminate an employee,documentation is not important.

Question 69

How does the problem of absenteeism and tardiness affect the performance of an organization?

Question 70

Define the term "discipline" in the context of counseling problem employees.Elaborate on the discipline process.

Question 71

List a few factors that lead to workplace violence.How should supervisors deal with the situation?

Question 72

How would a supervisor go about detecting and confronting troubled employees?

Question 73

Elaborate on employee assistance programs (EAPs).

Question 74

Most people get satisfaction from doing a job well,so self-discipline should result when employees understand what is expected.

Question 75

Elaborate on the principle of positive discipline.Why is it important?

Question 76

Define counseling.What are the benefits of counseling?

Question 77

Compare and contrast directive counseling to nondirective counseling.

Question 78

If a supervisor notices signs that the employee has been using alcohol or drugs,then that employee should immediately be dismissed.

Question 79

As a supervisor dealing with problem employees,what roles would you expect your boss and the human resources department to play?

Question 80

In small companies,where there is no human resource staff to be consulted,a supervisor should terminate problem employees immediately.