Deck 11: Staffing Audit and System Improvement

Question 1

The very first step in a staffing audit is the identification of the data collection method.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

If a well-respected human resource professor is asked by Nova Food Processors to evaluate its staffing system and offer new standards of excellence,this best reflects a compliance approach.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The judgments of an expert are most likely to be used as a benchmark in an objective-based staffing audit.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In the context of a staffing audit,surveys,to be useful and valid,have to be at least three or four pages long.

Question 5

A staffing system audit has three key steps: defining the scope of the audit,hiring the auditor,and identifying weaknesses in the staffing practices.

Question 6

A comparative approach to a staffing audit looks at the performance of an individual manager and compares it with that of another randomly chosen manager.

Question 7

In the context of conducting staffing system audits,interviews are cheaper than surveys.

Question 8

If a staffing audit finds that a manager wrongly denied an employee a job because her husband was already employed in the same organization and the auditors ask the manager to correct his or her mistake,this is an example of an audit of managerial alignment with corporate strategy.

Question 9

Legal requirements are typically used as benchmarks in a compliance approach to a staffing audit.

Question 10

It is possible to benchmark employee turnover using Statistics Canada figures.

Question 11

Typically,the scope of a staffing audit covers policies,structures,and systems in the staffing department.

Question 12

Organizational entropy refers to the commitment of senior executives to socially beneficial hiring practices.

Question 13

Company ethical code is a typical benchmark used in a comparative approach to a staffing audit.

Question 14

The staffing system audit report should make effective use of resources by mainly focusing on existing deficiencies in staffing practices and not paying significant attention to currently effective systems.

Question 15

A key benefit of a staffing audit is that it ensures timely compliance with legal requirements.

Question 16

Which of the following can be the scope of a staffing system audit?

A)Systems and structure of the staffing department
B)Alignment with corporate strategy
C)Impact of environments on departmental performance
D)A and B
E)A and C

Question 17

In the context of a staffing audit,experiments are less popular than interviews because of the former's inability to have control over relevant variables.

Question 18

The time required to attain a certain number of applications is best thought of as a measure of recruitment effectiveness.

Question 19

In the context of staffing system audits,interviews are helpful in assessing a firm's internal culture.

Question 20

A staffing audit that looks at the competencies of managers to hire and assess their subordinates validly is primarily looking at the alignment of staffing practices with corporate strategy.

Question 21

Organizational atrophy refers to:

A)the innovative ability of the firm
B)the success syndrome
C)a loss of muscle tone
D)the organizational life cycle
E)none of the above

Question 22

Which of the following statements about experiments is/are true in the context of a staffing audit?

A)Experiments provide maximum control over variables.
B)Experiments are not popular with line managers.
C)Those involved in experiments may feel manipulated.
D)A and C are true.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 23

Which of the following data collection approaches is/are likely to be the most expensive in the context of a staffing audit?

A)Interviews
B)Mail surveys
C)Internet surveys
D)A and B
E)All of the above are equally expensive

Question 24

A change from low-cost strategy to a strategy of growth through acquisitions typically requires:

A)more directive leadership when managing current employees
B)less need for training for work supervisors
C)more training for current employees
D)more automated work processes
E)taller organizational hierarchy

Question 25

About surveys,it can be said that they:

A)are cheaper than interviews
B)are appropriate for a large organization that operates throughout the country
C)have to be long to produce accurate findings
D)A and B
E)all of the above

Question 26

Which of the following is/are accomplished by an audit of managerial compliance?

A)ensure managerial compliance to various pieces of legislation
B)improve staffing department's image
C)recognize the reward-performance linkage in the organization
D)A and B
E)A and C

Question 27

Which of the following is not a step in a staffing audit?

A)define scope of audit
B)identify industry norms for all HR activities
C)choose research approach
D)identify data collection method
E)analyze data and prepare report

Question 28

Whether an organization achieved its targets in reducing absenteeism is most likely to be used as a benchmark in which approach to a performance audit?

A)Comparative
B)Compliance
C)Objective-based
D)Operations
E)Strategic

Question 29

Which of the following benchmarks is/are typically used in a performance audit that employs a comparative approach?

A)General industry standards
B)Judgments of an expert
C)Company's ethical code
D)A and B
E)A and C

Question 30

Typical benchmarks used in a staffing audit that uses a compliance approach are:

A)legal requirements
B)company ethical code
C)minimum safety regulations in the industry
D)A and C
E)all of the above

Question 31

Which of the following is/are true of interviews in the context of a staffing audit?

A)Interviews are costly.
B)Interviews are time-consuming.
C)Interviews are limited to only a few people.
D)A and B
E)All of the above are true.

Question 32

When collecting data during a staffing audit,an unbiased leader guides unstructured and free-flowing discussion on various staffing related matters.This is called a:

A)brain storming
B)nominal group
C)interview
D)reflective group
E)focus group

Question 33

Which of the following is/are benefits of a staffing audit?

A)It aligns staffing practices to an organization's strategic success.
B)It increases human resources turnover.
C)It encourages diversity in staffing practices.
D)A and B are benefits.
E)A and C are benefits.

Question 34

Which of the following is a good measure of the process efficiency of a fast food hamburger chain?

A)Profitability
B)Number of new products offered
C)Number of hamburgers that do not meet quality standards
D)Growth rate
E)Qualifications of the employees hired

Question 35

Which of the following are parts of an audit of a staffing system and structure?

A)Planning
B)Execution
C)Control
D)A and C
E)All of the above

Question 36

An appropriate index for measuring the selection function effectiveness is:

A)absenteeism rate for new hires
B)number of applications received
C)ratio of number of job offers to job applications
D)B and C
E)all of the above

Question 37

Which of the following questions is likely to be asked in an audit of alignment with corporate strategy?

A)Are superiors competent to hire and assess subordinates?
B)Are the performance criteria in alignment with organizational strategy?
C)Is the staffing system supportive of organizational excellence?
D)B and C
E)All of the above

Question 38

Which of the following is a good measure to assess the output effectiveness of a fast food hamburger chain?

A)Productivity levels of different shifts
B)Qualifications of employees
C)Number of new products offered in a year
D)Savings in cooking time for a hamburger compared to last year
E)Sophistication of kitchen equipment

Question 39

Which of the following should the staffing department review at the end of the audit?

A)The attitudes of managers toward the department
B)People problems
C)Systemic deficiencies
D)A and C
E)All of the above