Question 1

XYZ Electronics has recently switched to a schedule in which employees work ten hour shifts four days a week,and then have a three day weekend.XYZ is using a:

Accepted Answer

A compressed workweek involves working longer hours for fewer days per week. In this case, employees are working ten hour shifts for four days and then having a three day weekend, which is an example of a compressed workweek schedule. A flextime system would allow employees to choose their own work schedules within certain parameters, a job rotation system would involve rotating employees through different job assignments, and a constrained workweek would involve limiting the number of hours that employees can work in a given week. None of these options are applicable to the scenario described.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about telecommuting is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

While telecommuting may offer advantages for some workers, such as flexibility and the ability to work from home, it can also create problems for others. The freedom and flexibility can make it difficult for some workers to stay focused and motivated, and interruptions from child care or household tasks can also be a challenge. While some workers may be more productive in a home-based environment, this is not true for everyone. It is also worth noting that while telecommuting is becoming more common, it is still not the norm for most workers.

Question 3

A firm would be most likely to implement a policy of holding exit interviews if it wanted to:

Accepted Answer

Holding exit interviews is a common practice for companies to learn why employees are leaving. This information can be used to make improvements in the workplace and retain good employees. Option B is incorrect because a golden handshake policy is a financial incentive offered to employees to retire early, which is unrelated to exit interviews. Option C is incorrect because exit interviews are meant to gather feedback from departing employees, not to persuade them to stay. Option D is incorrect because telecommuting responsibilities can be communicated through other means, such as training and onboarding sessions.

Question 4

Humphrey Communications uses a flextime plan.In their system,all employees must be on the job from 10:00 a.m.until 2:00 p.m.These hours are referred to as the:

Accepted Answer

The specified hours of 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Humphrey Communications' flextime plan are referred to as the "core time." This means that all employees must be present during this time, but they are allowed to schedule their remaining work hours flexibly around this core time.

Question 5

Donnie is an office manager with a financial company.His company recently announced that it will soon implement a flextime plan.Under this new system,Donnie is likely to find that:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Donnie is an office manager with a...

Question 6

One of the reasons many firms have chosen to use temporary employees rather than rehire full-time employees is that:

Accepted Answer

Hiring temporary employees allows firms to avoid the high costs associated with terminating full-time employees, such as severance pay and unemployment benefits.

Question 7

Offering _________ can be a useful way for a firm to downsize without causing a serious decline in the morale of the remaining employees.

Accepted Answer

Early retirement offers employees the option to retire earlier than they had originally planned, which can free up positions for remaining employees and can help the firm cut costs without laying off or terminating employees. This approach avoids the potential negative impact on morale that may come from other downsizing strategies.

Question 8

Steely Percussion Inc.briefly tried to implement a flextime system only to abandon it after a few months.Which of the following is the most likely reason Steely would drop its flextime plan?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Steely Percussion Inc.briefly tried to implement a...

Question 9

One implication of today's flatter corporate structures is that:

Accepted Answer

Flatter corporate structures typically have fewer levels of management, meaning there are fewer promotion opportunities within a particular department or function. As a result, employees may be more likely to be transferred laterally to other departments or roles rather than being promoted vertically within their current area of expertise.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about early retirement is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

Early retirement as a method of downsizing can offer the advantage of increasing the morale of remaining workers. This is because the option of early retirement may make remaining workers feel more secure in their jobs and less fearful of potential layoffs. The other statements are not accurate. Traditional early retirement plans are legal but can be costly for employers. There is no federal law requiring firms to offer early retirement benefits. Workers who receive an offer for early retirement may not gain by refusing the first offer, as subsequent offers may not be as good.

Question 11

A major characteristic of a compressed work week is that:

Accepted Answer

A compressed work week involves working fewer days each week but working longer hours each workday. This allows employees to have more free time in a week while still completing their required hours of work. The other options listed do not accurately describe a compressed work week.

Question 12

At Friendly Financial Consulting,Wayne is allowed to choose what time he starts his workday,and can come to work any time from 7:00 a.m.until 10:00 a.m.He must be on the job from 10:00 a.m.to noon and from 1:00 p.m.until 3:00 p.m.He also must work a total of 8 hours a day,so the earlier he arrives,the earlier he can leave.Wayne works under a system of:

Accepted Answer

Wayne's work schedule allows him to choose his start time within a designated range and also requires him to work a set number of hours per day. This is a characteristic of flextime. Job sharing involves two or more employees sharing the responsibilities of one full-time job, job enlargement involves increasing the variety of tasks within a job, and compressed work weeks involve working longer hours in fewer days per week. None of these apply to Wayne's situation.

Question 13

A firm would be most likely to conduct __________ if it wanted to find out why valuable employees were leaving the company.

Accepted Answer

Exit interviews are specifically designed to gather information from employees who are leaving the company about their reasons for leaving. This information can be valuable for identifying and addressing issues that may be causing employee turnover. Performance appraisals, job inventories, and job simulations are not specifically designed for this purpose.

Question 14

Two advantages of using ___________ to fill an opening in a company are that it improves the morale of current employees,and the person filling the position is already familiar with the organization's culture and procedures.

Accepted Answer

Promotions within the company provide the advantages mentioned in the statement. Discouraged workers may not have the necessary skills or motivation for the position, whereas apprentices are typically new hires who require extensive training. External sources may bring new ideas and perspectives, but they may require more time to assimilate to the organization.

Question 15

A major reason workers tend to receive fewer promotions than in the past is that:

Accepted Answer

The movement towards flatter organizational structures means that there are fewer hierarchical levels and therefore fewer opportunities for promotion to higher positions. This is a trend that has become increasingly common in many organizations, making it more difficult for employees to advance in their careers.

Question 16

Melanie's company has cut back on the number of offices; therefore she is assigned a desk on-line.This is called:

Accepted Answer

Hotelling is a system where employees do not have assigned desks or offices and instead reserve workspaces as needed. Hotdesking is a similar system, but it typically involves sharing desks on a first-come, first-served basis. Job sharing refers to two employees sharing a single full-time position. Mobile working refers to being able to work from locations other than the traditional office, such as remotely or while traveling. Of the given options, hotelling is the most accurate description of the scenario described.

Question 17

Which of the following firms would have the strongest incentive to adopt a job sharing plan?

Accepted Answer

GHI Health Services would have the strongest incentive to adopt a job sharing plan because it is looking to reduce absenteeism and tardiness. Job sharing allows two or more employees to split a full-time job, allowing them to share responsibilities and cover each other when one is absent or tardy. This can result in better attendance and punctuality, which can benefit GHI Health Services. The other options, such as simplifying hiring and training procedures or reducing the span of control of supervisors, do not have a direct relationship with job sharing.

Question 18

The ABC Corporation wants to reduce its labour force,but is concerned about the impact downsizing will have on its remaining employees.One policy that might allow ABC to reduce its labour force without adversely affecting morale is to:

Accepted Answer

Offering early retirement benefits would allow ABC Corporation to reduce its labour force without imposing layoffs and potentially damaging morale. Employees who are ready and willing to retire could take advantage of the benefits, while remaining employees would feel more secure in their positions knowing that they are not at risk of losing their jobs.

Question 19

A(n)__________ is a financial incentive a firm offers to encourage employees to accept an early retirement offer.

Accepted Answer

A golden handshake is a financial incentive offered by a firm to encourage employees to accept an early retirement offer. ESOP (A) stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan and is a type of employee benefit plan. Green fair-way (B) and silver lining (D) are not related to early retirement incentives.

Question 20

A firm that wants to reduce its office costs,broaden its base of available talent and improve job satisfaction could achieve all of these goals by:

Accepted Answer

Allowing more workers to telecommute would reduce office costs as fewer resources would need to be spent on maintaining office space. It would also broaden the base of available talent as remote workers would be able to apply for positions regardless of their physical location. Finally, it would improve job satisfaction as remote work allows for greater flexibility and work-life balance. Options A, B, and C do not address these specific goals.

Quiz 12: Human Resource Management: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees