Deck 11: Human Resource Management: Finding and Keeping the Best Employees

Question 1

HR is focused on issues directly related to a person's job and with things that happen at work, as opposed to concerns that may affect one's work such as eldercare and childcare, but are not directly related to work.

Answer 1

False
Explanation:HR is very involved with issues that affect employees whether they are directly work related or whether they are outside of one's work area but affect the ability for employees to work effectively and productively.

Question 2

The growing importance of human resource issues has led most firms to expect only their human resource specialists to tackle HR issues.

Answer 2

False
Explanation:Human resource management has become so important that it is now a function of all managers. Most human resource functions are shared by professional human resource managers and other managers.

Question 3

Epic Electronics International is a rapidly growing firm specializing in the production of sophisticated robots. One of the major problems Epic Electronics is likely to face is a shortage of qualified workers.

Answer 3

True
Explanation:One of the major problems faced by firms in growth industries such as robotics, computers, and biotechnology is a shortage of workers with the necessary skills to work in these areas.

Question 4

Human resource management is the process of deciding the number and types of employees your business needs, and then recruiting, selecting, developing, motivating, evaluating, compensating, and scheduling employees to achieve organizational goals.

Question 5

The reason industries such as robotics and biotechnology have grown rapidly in recent years is that the United States has a surplus of highly educated and experienced workers available for employment in these fields.

Question 6

The human resource manager's job is easier today than it was in the past because a growing percentage of the workforce is highly educated and well-prepared for jobs in the contemporary business environment.

Question 7

Very few experienced employees have skills and knowledge that are considered to be at a higher level than what they use at their jobs.

Question 8

It is challenging for HR managers to deal with a declining economy that results in a short-term preference for part-time and/or temporary employees and a trend to outsource jobs, even though there are skilled employees who are willing to work.

Question 9

One challenge faced by today's human resource managers is the fact that workers overseas often work for lower wages and are subject to fewer laws and regulations.

Question 10

Today's workers place a lower priority on leisure time than they did in the past.

Question 11

One reason human resource management has grown is that the shift from traditional manufacturing industries to service and high-tech manufacturing industries requires workers to have highly technical job skills.

Question 12

Today's workers have an increased demand for benefits tailored to their individual needs.

Question 13

One of the challenges facing today's human resource managers is a shift in the age distribution of the labor force, including aging baby boomers, many of whom are delaying retirement.

Question 14

The human resource function has become so critical that it is now a concern of all managers.

Question 15

A decade ago Simon had planned to retire by the time he was sixty. But he's now in his mid-60s and has decided to continue working. In fact, not only is Simon still working, he has no intention of retiring or setting a time when retirement might occur. Simon's decision to keep working into his sixties is unusual in today's labor market.

Question 16

Today's workers tend to be very loyal, as evidenced by declining turnover rates in most industries.

Question 17

Today, human resource management is viewed as a clerical function of keeping personnel records and processing payroll.

Question 18

The appropriate term for employees whose skills and knowledge go beyond their current work environment and work responsibilities is underemployed workers.

Question 19

Underemployed workers present a challenge for human resources managers. These are people who are working beyond their capabilities.

Question 20

Recruiting is relatively easy today because qualified labor is so plentiful.

Question 21

Sandra works as a manager in the accounting department for a service company. If her company is like most contemporary firms, Sandra will leave almost all aspects of human resource functions to specialists in the human resource department.

Question 22

The effectiveness of the EEOC has been limited because Congress never gave it any authority to enforce its mandates.

Question 23

In just one year, Cheryl developed gall bladder problems and needed surgery; she became a single parent; she willingly moved her older mom in to live with her in order to avoid placing her in a nursing home; and she unexpectedly tore her rotator cuff playing softball. Generally, these are not considered circumstances that impact job performance because they fall outside of the workplace. HR managers need only be concerned with how Cheryl performs when she is at work.

Question 24

In their efforts to accommodate disabled workers, most firms experience difficulties with cultural changes, more so than with structural changes.

Question 25

Recent federal law clearly and strongly supports the notion that companies must use strict employment quotas to correct for past discriminatory actions.

Question 26

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in hiring, firing, or compensation, based on race, religion, creed, sex, or national origin.

Question 27

When it comes to human resource management issues, the federal government generally has taken a "hands off" approach since the early 1960s.

Question 28

Affirmative action programs are the least controversial method of correcting job inequities created by past discrimination.

Question 29

Congress has given the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission broad powers to issue guidelines for acceptable employer behavior concerning employment opportunities.

Question 30

The concept of "reasonable accommodations" means that all workers should be treated in the same manner.

Question 31

The Civil Rights Act of 1991 gave victims of discrimination the right to seek punitive damages from the firms that discriminated against them.

Question 32

One way human resource managers can keep current on human resource legislation and rulings is to read current business literature such as The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Business Week.

Question 33

The Americans with Disabilities Act protects qualified persons from discriminatory hiring practices, but does not require employers to provide suitable accommodations in the workplace, or opportunities for promotion. This is left to occupational safety laws.

Question 34

The federal government has minimized its role in human resource management.

Question 35

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act only prevents discrimination against employees who are over the age of 65.

Question 36

Reverse discrimination is the term the EEOC uses to refer to activities designed to "right past wrongs" that resulted from discrimination against women and minorities.

Question 37

The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people who are born with physical disabilities, exclusively, but not those who acquire disabilities later in life.

Question 38

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act permits age limits in professions where it can be established that ability to perform the job declines significantly with age.

Question 39

Most firms have trouble implementing the structural changes required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Question 40

Jonas was a skilled welder at an auto plant. He lost his job and has been looking for work for several months. Jonas finally accepted a job as an unskilled laborer at a local nursery. Although happy to be back to work, he feels that his new job doesn't use his skills to their full potential. Jonas is an example of an underemployed worker.

Question 41

One purpose of a human resource inventory is to determine whether the labor force is technically up-to-date and well trained.

Question 42

The second step in human resource planning consists of conducting job analyses. Through observation and research, the manager will collect information on the kinds of things that each job title performs and how they are performed, as well as the skill and knowledge requirements for doing the job.

Question 43

When you collect information about a particular job title, including how the job is performed and what it takes to perform the job, you are conducting a job analysis.

Question 44

A job analysis consists of creating two documents called a job inventory and a performance appraisal.

Question 45

A job description identifies and describes the type of person who should perform the job, including important qualifications such as deduction, skills, and experience.

Question 46

The first four steps in human resource planning all lead to the final step, which is the development of a strategic human resource plan.

Question 47

Audrey is a manager who takes great pride in her ability to be fair and impartial. She ensures she treats all workers the same way, and evaluates them all using the same standards. Audrey is likely to adjust easily to accommodate disabled workers.

Question 48

Serena is a recent HR hire for a security firm that hires retired law enforcement officers to provide security for malls across the nation. Her supervisor was impressed with Serena's knowledge of current laws with respect to hiring practices but asked her to quickly get up to speed on compensation and training laws. This is a reasonable request if Serena plans to stay in the HR field.

Question 49

The result of a job analysis is a written document called a human resource inventory.

Question 50

A job specification identifies the minimum qualifications a person must have to fill a particular job.

Question 51

Like all management, human resource management begins with planning.

Question 52

As soldiers returned from Afghanistan, International Enterprises hired several qualified soldiers with hearing impairment to work at its headquarters in Detroit. As a growing business, it is abiding by the law as currently stated. It is not required to adapt the work site to help these soldiers hear and communicate better with each other.

Question 53

Essentially, the steps of the human resource plan require the HR professional to (1) take inventory of the type of workers (including the skills of the workers) that the business already has, in order to determine if it has the most up-to-date workforce for its needs; he/she then proceeds with (2) analyzing each job; (3) forecasting the firm's requirements for various job titles; and (4) making a determination of the future supply of skilled labor available to meet the demands of the business. Lastly, the HR professional (5) develops a human resource strategic plan.

Question 54

The first step in the human resource planning process is to prepare a job analysis for each available position within the firm.

Question 55

A job specification is a statement of the job itself, while a job description is a statement about the person who does the job.

Question 56

Human resource planning involves the assessment of both the future demand and the future supply of the various types of labor needed by the organization.

Question 57

Job analysis helps a manager answer the question: "How many workers in my organization have this particular skill?"

Question 58

Archer, in his late fifties, loves his work as a pilot for a major airline and wants to continue working for many more years. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act provides Archer with the right to keep his job as long as his company is financially sound and he does not commit a felony.

Question 59

Marco and Maria work at a prevalent high-tech company. Marco sustained injuries while serving in the Army Reserves. Upon his return, the company provided him and other returning soldiers with ergonomic desks and chairs that accommodate wheelchairs and bad backs. Although Maria is hearing impaired, the company does not need to consider providing her with a headset that magnifies sound because she is the only employee out of 200 requiring this accommodation.

Question 60

Michael is a worker at a large discount retailer and his wife works at a national bank with several branches. They recently adopted a child and agreed that each would take six weeks of leave from work in order to care for the child. According to the Family and Medical Leave Act, one, but not both, are eligible for leave.

Question 61

When recruiting, human resource managers must attract people who not only have the right skills, but also fit in with the corporate culture, and work well under the company's leadership style.

Question 62

Union rules and company policies can make the recruitment process more difficult.

Question 63

Antonia is interested in transferring to a new position recently opened in her company. But first, she wants to find out more about the type of work and responsibilities involved in the job. A document that would have the information she wants is the job specification.

Question 64

Harmon, a human resource manager with the Bookman's Publishing, just finished creating a document that describes what editors do at their jobs. The study Harmon has completed is known as a human resource inventory.

Question 65

The Administrative Assistant II position at Game Guys, Inc., performs word processing and spreadsheet development for two vice presidents, and other clerical duties as needed. Other job responsibilities include maintaining the office operations budget, receiving guests, and supervising two Administrative Assistant I positions. These tasks are part of the job description for this position.

Question 66

Temporary help services, job fairs, and social media are external sources for recruitment.

Question 67

According to the Need a Job? box in the text, one way to recruit employees is through social media.

Question 68

Recruitment is a set of activities undertaken for attracting qualified people, at the right time.

Question 69

Elisa, an HR manager for a medium-sized company, is assigned to update all job descriptions and job specifications for her company. Elisa will begin by collecting information about each job title, as well as about the kinds of activities and responsibilities that go with each job. After she thoroughly analyzes a job, she will write the job description and job specifications for that job.

Question 70

Public and private employment agencies and college placement offices are internal sources used by human resource managers when they are recruiting employees.

Question 71

Small businesses usually find recruitment easier than large firms.

Question 72

CareerBuilder.com has posted a variety of sales management positions. Some require the manager to have five to ten years of experience and preferably a master's degree in a field of science. These requirements are part of the job specification.

Question 73

An advantage of hiring from within is that it improves employee morale.

Question 74

Lorelai wants to know how many workers in her company have certain specialized skills and have received training to update their qualifications within the past year. She could use a human resource inventory to help her find this type of information.

Question 75

Anna is an HR manager for a firm that is planning to switch to a more sophisticated production method. One of Anna's duties will be to forecast the demand for the type of labor needed to implement the new method.

Question 76

Advertisements in trade journals, private and public employment agencies, college placement offices, and trade associations are internal sources for recruitment.

Question 77

When recruiting employees, human resource managers focus primarily on the skills and training of the people they are recruiting, and work on determining "fit" after the hiring process has occurred.

Question 78

Because of the continuous flow of potential employees into the labor market, recruiting usually is the easiest task for a human resource manager to accomplish.

Question 79

Transfers and promotions are internal sources used by human resource managers to fill recruiting needs.

Question 80

External recruitment sources are usually cheaper to use than internal sources.