Deck 13: Developing Employee Relations

Question 1

Georgio is planning on providing feedback to employees based upon a recent general job assessment. Which of the following would be LEAST effective during the feedback session?

A)Focusing on specific employee behaviors
B)Providing feedback immediately and privately
C)Making the feedback personal and evaluative
D)Focusing negative feedback on controllable behaviors

Answer 1

C

Question 2

To ensure accurate understanding of a message, the receiver should:

A)accurately encode the message.
B)compensate for noise.
C)choose the best channel.
D)provide feedback to the sender.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Effective employee relations is primarily built upon:

A)the training and development of managers.
B)compliance with relevant employment laws.
C)downward communication channels in the organization.
D)cooperation between managers and employee relations representatives.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is LEAST likely the responsibility of a firm's employee relations representative?

A)Advising supervisors and employees on specific employee relations problems
B)Balancing the interests of managers, employees, and the firm
C)Maintaining total quality management practices
D)Developing new fairness policies

Question 5

A policy designed to communicate management's thinking and practices concerning employee-related matters and prevent problems in the workplace from becoming serious is referred to as a(n)________.

Question 6

A manager is explaining a project to his staff. The employees ask questions about the details of the project, and they request a delivery date change. The manager agrees to the new deadline. This meeting is most likely an example of:

A)downward communication.
B)upward communication.
C)two-way communication.
D)lateral communication.

Question 7

Florence plans to ask her employees their feeling about working overtime during the next Christmas season. The best communication channel for this discussion would be:

A)teleconferencing.
B)face-to-face communication.
C)downward communication.
D)an official memo.

Question 8

Which of the following would most likely improve the success of an employee relations program at a large corporation?

A)Multiple communication channels
B)A single, centralized communication network
C)Official e-mail correspondence from HR
D)Limited group communication gatherings

Question 9

Paying attention to the feelings content of the employee communications process is especially important when a company is:

A)downsizing.
B)growing.
C)stable.
D)hiring.

Question 10

A(n)________ is a member of the HR department who ensures that company policies are followed and consults with both supervisors and employees on specific employee relations problems.

Question 11

Jana and her student Julie are discussing revisions that Julie needs to consider for her composition's next draft. Jana will ask a question and then Julie will respond, and perhaps ask a question of her own. The two discuss the paper for nearly 25 minutes, talking back and forth about good aspects of the paper and areas that could be improved. This conversation is an example of:

A)one-way communication.
B)two-way communication.
C)downward communication.
D)upward communication.

Question 12

A group of employees are discussing a notice on the bulletin board. "This is great! They finally recognize our need for childcare here. Boy, will this make life easier." For the employees, this is an example of:

A)factual communication.
B)communication of feelings.
C)upward communication.
D)noise.

Question 13

The primary purpose of employee relations is to minimize union grievance procedures.

Question 14

________ communication allows managers to influence employees and to implement decisions they have made.

A)Downward
B)Lateral
C)Two-way
D)Upward

Question 15

A revised version of the employee relations policy at Hewit Marketing has been distributed to employees. Which of the following would most likely appear in this document?

A)The number of overtime hours an employee may work per week
B)Procedures for reporting harassment in the workplace
C)The past and present demographics of the work force
D)Explanations of how job appraisals are performed

Question 16

Presently, the U.S. economy is shifting from a(n)________ to a ________ base.

A)information / industrial
B)agricultural / information
C)industrial / information
D)technological / industrial

Question 17

Travis has been showing Shay the basics of C++ computer programming. Shay knows very little about programming and does not understand most of what Travis says. Travis uses terms and concepts that are unfamiliar to Shay. Shay's difficulty in decoding the message most likely comes from:

A)noise.
B)incorrect facts.
C)inadequate feedback.
D)poor employee relations.

Question 18

Reed is sending an e-mail message to Chandra in HR about a new hire he is considering. The e-mail message is the ________ component of the communication process.

A)encoding
B)channel
C)feedback
D)noise

Question 19

For a company to have good employee relations, it should most likely:

A)choose an above-the-market compensation strategy.
B)practice empowerment in conjunction with TQM.
C)treat all employees fairly and consistently.
D)maximize stockholder wealth.

Question 20

________ communication allows employees at lower levels to communicate their ideas and feelings to higher-level decision makers.

A)Downward
B)Lateral
C)Two-way
D)Upward

Question 21

A(n)________ is a worker who transforms information into a product or service.

Question 22

Which of the following topics would LEAST likely be addressed in an employee handbook?

A)Drug-testing procedures
B)Family leave policies
C)Safety rules
D)Pay ranges

Question 23

Betty wants to understand the company's family leave policy prior to requesting leave from her supervisor. Betty's first source for information should most likely be the:

A)employee relations representative.
B)employee handbook.
C)company newsletter.
D)company bulletin board.

Question 24

Feedback in the communications model is the means to clarify the message.

Question 25

Family business provides its own unique set of challenges to human resource management, especially in dealing with nepotism. The best way to lessen non-family employees' concerns over nepotism is to have the family member:

A)earn a broad general education that would make them eligible for any job.
B)start in a high level position with minimal contact with employees.
C)begin in a job made especially for him or her.
D)work outside of the family business first.

Question 26

Which of the following terms refers to an employee who transforms information into a product or service at a firm?

A)Knowledge worker
B)Assembly specialist
C)HR manager
D)Line personnel

Question 27

Which of the following is a problem associated with employee handbooks?

A)Employee handbooks can serve as implied contracts between employers and employees and limit an employer's ability to discharge employees.
B)The use of employee handbooks usually increases the amount of litigation brought against employers by disgruntled former employees.
C)Employee handbooks become out of date nearly every month, which is costly and time consuming.
D)Small businesses and family-owned businesses fail to benefit from employee handbooks.

Question 28

If a message is misunderstood by a receiver due to a misinterpretation of the sender's motives, this misunderstanding stems from "noise."

Question 29

________ is the process of making information available to decision makers, wherever they are located.

Question 30

The most effective and useful feedback that managers can provide employees is highly personal and focused on specific behaviors.

Question 31

Why are employee relations important to a firm? How do communication channels affect employee relations? What types of programs are available to organizations that want to facilitate employee communications?

Question 32

In order to express feelings most effectively, face-to-face communication is a necessity because of nonverbal messages.

Question 33

Additional Case 13.2
Starline is a small children's clothing manufacturer and retailer that has seen rapid growth in the last twelve months and a significant increase in employees. At a meeting of managers, a number of issues are raised.
One manager suggests establishing an EAP because of the increase in troubled employees at the firm. However, other managers state that such programs are costly and would not provide Starline with significant benefits.
Another manager states that Starline needs to develop an employee handbook to address issues related to the growing staff. Some managers express concern about the potential legal issues surrounding the use of an employee handbook.
Numerous managers state that there has been a noticeable decrease in productivity since every office worker was provided Internet access along with e-mail accounts. Managers discuss methods for increasing productivity and preventing misuse of the system.
One manager suggests that the company perform employee attitude surveys in order to help monitor the state of employee relations and make hiring and firing decisions during the next hiring cycle. This manager proposes that a third party perform the surveys and that employees not be told the purpose of the survey.
Refer to Additional Case 13.2. Which term best describes the type of communication that occurred at the meeting between Starline managers?

A)Information dissemination
B)Upward communication
C)Downward communication
D)Two-way communication

Question 34

The most important source of information that HR can provide employees is:

A)audiovisuals, due to the decreasing literacy rate.
B)electronic communications, thereby permitting interaction.
C)memos, so employees have reference copies of what has been communicated.
D)the employee handbook, which outlines the company's entire employee relations philosophy.

Question 35

Nepotism is the practice of:

A)making information available to decision makers.
B)favoring relatives over others in the workplace.
C)communicating through nonverbal means.
D)dating and marrying co-workers.

Question 36

In the communications process, communication begins with a sender.

Question 37

Chrystal is VP of a small computer business. Chrystal's son Todd and another employee, Lacy, were both considered for a management position. Though Lacy had better credentials, Todd was hired at the insistence of his mother. This is an example of:

A)downward communication.
B)information dissemination.
C)nepotism.
D)fratricide.

Question 38

The process of providing information to decision makers wherever they are is called:

A)lateral communication.
B)communication feedback.
C)information dissemination.
D)upward communication.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT an information dissemination tool?

A)Audiovisual communication
B)Electronic communications
C)Employee retreats
D)Employee relations

Question 40

With the shift from manufacturing to technology, communication is less important than technical skills for organizational success.

Question 41

Memos are most appropriate for conveying:

A)employee health goals.
B)team performance data.
C)vacation policy changes.
D)corporate stock performance.

Question 42

The most difficult problem managers have with e-mail is that:

A)workers fail to protect sensitive documents.
B)employees assume that e-mail is their private property.
C)workers don't understand how to use the system properly.
D)employees don't use the reply-all option with regularity.

Question 43

Division or corporate meetings are primarily designed to:

A)help managers coordinate activities with subordinates in their units.
B)address important issues that affect an organization.
C)allow managers to explain specific goals with subordinates.
D)mix business with recreational activities.

Question 44

Teleconferencing is best described as:

A)an inexpensive option for most start-up companies.
B)an audio-only communication channel.
C)readily available electronic communication.
D)an audio-visual communication channel.

Question 45

Tupperware was able to actually decrease turnover by building relationships with sales consultants through what form of communication?

A)Voice mail
B)Downward
C)Social
D)Media

Question 46

Which of the following is most likely associated with e-mail in the workplace?

A)Significantly increased productivity
B)Limited message capacity
C)Underutilization by lower-level workers
D)Decreased productivity

Question 47

________ is a type of electronic communication that allows the sender to leave a detailed audio message for a receiver.

A)E-mail
B)Voice mail
C)Teleconferencing
D)Multimedia

Question 48

Ray wants to gather input from all operations managers at the firm. The managers are located in four different states. Ray needs a low-cost way to bring them together and permit immediate interaction. Ray's best choice would be:

A)voice mail.
B)e-mail.
C)teleconferencing.
D)social networking.

Question 49

HR is most likely to be responsible for which of the following means of corporate communication?

A)Company memos
B)Company newsletter
C)Company financial report
D)Company bulletin board

Question 50

Jasmine needs a very fast way to convey the results of a recent client meeting to her five key managers. Her best choice of medium would be:

A)e-mail.
B)voice mail.
C)a memo.
D)a bulletin board.

Question 51

Managers can make meetings more productive by following certain guidelines, such as:

A)distributing a carefully planned agenda before the meeting begins.
B)requiring attendees to take notes during the meeting to ensure understanding.
C)holding regular meetings regardless of need to shorten each meeting significantly.
D)keeping all meetings small in size for maximum interaction between co-workers.

Question 52

Which of the following is intended to keep employees up-to-date on important events and provide inspirational stories about employee and team contributions to the firm?

A)Employee handbook
B)Managerial memo
C)Company financial report
D)Company newsletter

Question 53

Tom is the HR manager of a publishing company. The firm needs to hire several new employees, and Tom's assistant suggests that the new employees be telecommuters. Tom likes the idea but is not sure about the best way to manage telecommuters. Which of the following is the best suggestion for Tom?

A)Telecommuters need flexible deadlines to meet their varied schedules and other commitments.
B)The contract for the telecommuters should include performance expectations with measurable results.
C)The company should make no requirements to telecommuters about how often they must come to the office.
D)Select telecommuters who are creative and introverted since they will not likely interact with the rest of the staff.

Question 54

According to estimates, managers and executives spend approximately ________ of their time in meetings.

A)25%
B)50%
C)75%
D)90%

Question 55

A manager can increase the productive use of e-mail by:

A)saving all messages.
B)answering each message as it comes in.
C)setting up an electronic bulletin board.
D)limiting message capacity to under 20 lines.

Question 56

Jim has been on a trip for two weeks. When he returns to his office, he finds 125 e-mails on his computer. Jim is mostly experiencing which of the following?

A)Noise
B)Lateral communication
C)Inappropriate channel selection
D)Information overload

Question 57

One key to managing workers who telecommute is to:

A)make telecommuting a term of employment.
B)use productivity-based compensation.
C)maintain schedules and deadlines.
D)visit their office site once a year.

Question 58

Desmond, a manager at a manufacturing plant, wants to solve a specific and significant production problem. He should most likely schedule a(n):

A)informal meeting of the entire managerial group.
B)formal meeting of the relevant department managers.
C)retreat where managers can work together for an extended time on the problem.
D)"happy hour" type meeting where managers can relax and think of creative solutions.

Question 59

Voice mail abuse can most likely be reduced by:

A)screening all calls in the office.
B)teaching the system to temporary workers.
C)permitting people to leave lengthy messages.
D)leaving the system turned on at all times.

Question 60

Jake needs a communication tool that will allow the integration of voice, text, and video. His best choice of tool would be:

A)multimedia technology.
B)the Internet.
C)electronic mail.
D)teleconferencing.

Question 61

A legitimate use of employee attitude survey data is to:

A)identify employees that should be terminated.
B)decide what employee privileges to reduce.
C)monitor the state of certain employee subgroups.
D)evaluate the firm's performance appraisal system.

Question 62

A firm has poor employee relations because of its highly charged, fast-paced work environment. The CEO wants to get people working together and thinking creatively as they prepare for the new year. Which of the following would be the CEO's best choice?

A)Regular, informal meetings in the company cafeteria
B)Formal, off-site meeting of department managers
C)Weekend retreat to a beach resort
D)Multimedia-based meeting

Question 63

Sanjay has a complaint about his work schedule. His company requires him to go before a group of his peers and managers, other than his own boss, to explain his complaint. This is an example of a(n):

A)speak-up program.
B)open door program.
C)grievance panel.
D)ombudsman program.

Question 64

When using employee attitude surveys, employers should most likely adhere to all of the following guidelines EXCEPT:

A)informing employees about how collected information will be used.
B)using collected information to monitor the state of employee relations.
C)hiring a third party to collect and analyze employee survey responses.
D)gathering the information for organizational downsizing purposes.

Question 65

Employee feedback programs are a tool to provide effective ________ communication.

A)downward
B)upward
C)horizontal
D)cross-functional

Question 66

What is the most informal appeals tool that a company can use?

A)Speak-up program
B)Open door program
C)Grievance panel
D)Ombudsman

Question 67

The "grapevine" is a form of:

A)informal communication.
B)formal communication.
C)upward communication.
D)downward communication.

Question 68

A negative aspect of informal communication is that it:

A)is often forced, leaving participants with a feeling of superficiality.
B)requires the monitoring of employee e-mails.
C)can serve as a conduit for rumors and gossip.
D)often inhibits creative thinking.

Question 69

In general, retreats are:

A)inappropriate for family businesses.
B)harmful to most large corporations.
C)helpful at enhancing employee relations.
D)effective only for rewarding performance.

Question 70

The HR director wants to get a sense of workers' feelings about working conditions on the production lines. She wants a formal process that will give her the maximum amount of honest feedback. Her best tool for gathering this information is:

A)management by walking around.
B)an employee attitude survey.
C)an employee hotline.
D)an electronic bulletin board.

Question 71

According to research, workers in which of the following countries are LEAST happy with their jobs and employers?

A)U.S.
B)Japan
C)Germany
D)Switzerland

Question 72

The speak-up program at CIGNA is an open door policy that:

A)requires employees to begin with their supervisors.
B)provides access through HR to upper management.
C)uses e-mail for anonymous management feedback.
D)lets workers jump directly to upper management.

Question 73

Which of the following is NOT a goal of most employee feedback programs?

A)Improving management-employee relations
B)Giving employees a voice in decision making and policy formation
C)Providing mediation between two or more employees with interpersonal problems
D)Ensuring that employees receive due process on complaints made against management

Question 74

Based on information in the text, which of the following is a true statement?

A)Italians use meetings to make decisions and take action.
B)Japanese gather information and analyze data during meetings.
C)U.S. managers utilize meetings to demonstrate their power.
D)Women tend to dominate the conversation in most meetings.

Question 75

An informal communication tool available to managers that helps them build rapport with employees is:

A)e-mail.
B)performance appraisal.
C)employee feedback programs.
D)management by walking around.

Question 76

A company would most effectively use a retreat for which of the following purposes?

A)Problem-solving a specific issue by a deadline
B)Communicating new company policies
C)Holding a strategic planning session
D)Setting prices on a new product

Question 77

Connor wants to develop interpersonal trust between himself and his subordinates. Which of the following would most likely help Connor do this?

A)Sharing credit with employees for successful projects
B)Conducting regular employee performance appraisals
C)Scheduling weekly meetings with employee groups
D)Setting challenging expectations for employees

Question 78

What is the primary benefit of using Web-based employee attitude surveys?

A)Providing immediate feedback to managers
B)Ensuring the privacy of collected results
C)Protecting the firm from legal actions
D)Supplementing informal feedback

Question 79

Anastasia is supervising a number of travel agents in a large travel agency. She spends time casually visiting with travel agents at their desks or in the break room discussing issues related to the business. Anastasia's form of supervision is called:

A)the "grapevine."
B)management by walking around.
C)an employee feedback program.
D)business counsel.

Question 80

Kegan and Corazon often take coffee breaks together in the mid-morning and chat about the happenings in their lives and their respective departments. This is an example of:

A)an employee retreat.
B)informal communication.
C)management by walking around.
D)multimedia communication.