Question 1

Performance appraisal is a systematic process of evaluating each employee's job-related achievements, strengths, and weaknesses as well as determining ways to improve performance.

Accepted Answer

Performance appraisal involves assessing an employee's work performance to identify strengths and weaknesses, provide feedback, and plan for future performance improvements.

Question 2

Behavior-oriented approaches to performance appraisal focus on assessing employee behavior. Two commonly used methods are graphic rating scales and behavioral-anchored rating scales.

Accepted Answer

Behavior-oriented approaches to performance appraisal indeed focus on assessing how employees perform their jobs, with graphic rating scales and behavioral-anchored rating scales being two prominent methods used to evaluate specific behaviors and competencies.

Question 3

The more clearly and specifically the scales and performance dimensions are defined, the more effective the evaluation system.

Accepted Answer

Clearly and specifically defined scales and performance dimensions allow for more accurate, objective, and consistent evaluations, making the evaluation system more effective.

Question 4

A contrast error is the tendency to rate employees relative to each other rather than relative to performance standards.

Accepted Answer

A contrast error occurs when an evaluator compares employees against one another instead of against objective performance standards, leading to skewed assessments based on relative performance.

Question 5

Central tendency occurs when the rater judges all employees as average, even though their performance varies.

Accepted Answer

Central tendency is a rating error in the evaluation process where the evaluator rates all employees as being average, failing to distinguish between high and low performers.

Question 6

A halo effect is also described as a manager rating an employee low on all items because of one characteristic.

Accepted Answer

The halo effect refers to the cognitive bias where the perception of one positive trait influences the perception of other traits positively. The scenario described is more accurately referred to as the "horn effect," where one negative trait influences the perception of other traits negatively.

Question 7

Compensation consists of wages paid directly for time worked, incentives for better performance, and indirect benefits that employees receive as part of their employment relationship with the organization.

Accepted Answer

Compensation includes direct wages or salaries for time worked, performance-based incentives, and indirect benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and other perks, which are all part of the total employment package offered by an employer to an employee.

Question 8

Bonuses and profit sharing are examples of the part of compensation called benefits.

Accepted Answer

Bonuses and profit sharing are considered part of direct compensation or variable pay, not benefits. Benefits typically include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Question 9

Internal fairness refers to expectations that pay for a job in one organization is fair relative to pay for the same job in other organizations.

Accepted Answer

Internal fairness, also known as internal equity, refers to the fairness of pay comparisons within the same organization, not between different organizations.

Question 10

External fairness refers to expectations that the pay for a job is fair relative to the pay of similar jobs in other organizations.

Accepted Answer

External fairness, also known as external equity, involves comparing an organization's pay rates with those of other organizations within the same industry or geographical area to ensure competitiveness and fairness.

Question 11

Internal fairness reflects the expectation that individuals in a given job are paid about the same as coworkers in the same job.

Accepted Answer

Internal fairness, also known as internal equity, is the concept that employees expect to be paid fairly in relation to their coworkers who hold the same or very similar positions within the same organization.

Question 12

Quid pro quo harassment is when the victim does not suffer any tangible economic injury, but workplace conduct is sufficiently severe to create an abusive working environment.

Accepted Answer

Quid pro quo harassment refers specifically to situations where job benefits are directly tied to an employee submitting to unwelcome sexual advances or conduct, not to the creation of an abusive working environment without tangible economic injury.

Question 13

Sexual harassment refers to actions that are sexually directed, are unwanted, and subject the worker to adverse employment conditions.

Accepted Answer

Sexual harassment involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature that negatively affect a person's work environment.

Question 14

The Supreme Court and the EEOC recognize two major forms of sexual harassment: quid pro quo harassment and hostile environment harassment.

Accepted Answer

Quid pro quo harassment involves a person in authority demanding sexual favors in exchange for job benefits, while hostile environment harassment refers to creating a work environment that is intimidating, hostile, or offensive due to unwelcome sexual conduct. Both forms are recognized by the Supreme Court and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Question 15

Sexual harassment can only occur between a manager and a subordinate.

Accepted Answer

Sexual harassment can occur between any individuals in the workplace, regardless of their positions or relationship to each other.

Question 16

One factor that has contributed to the increased importance of human resource managers is the number and complexity of legal issues faced by organizations.

Accepted Answer

The rise in legal complexities and regulations surrounding employment, workplace safety, discrimination, and benefits has made the role of human resource managers more critical in ensuring compliance and protecting the organization from potential legal challenges.

Question 17

In general, the purpose of EEO legislation is to ensure that employment decisions are based on personal criteria only.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) legislation is to ensure that employment decisions are based on merit and qualifications, and to prevent discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

Question 18

The Fair Labor Standards Act allows individuals to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a baby or the illness of a family member.

Accepted Answer

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), not the Fair Labor Standards Act, allows eligible employees to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave per year for specified family and medical reasons, including the birth or adoption of a baby or the serious illness of a family member.

Question 19

Affirmative action refers to the legal stipulation that employers must actively recruit, hire, and promote members of minority groups and other protected classes if such individuals are underrepresented in the organization.

Accepted Answer

Affirmative action policies are designed to address historical inequalities and discrimination by ensuring that members of minority groups and other protected classes are given opportunities for recruitment, hiring, and promotion, especially when they are underrepresented in an organization.

Question 20

The purpose of EEO legislation is to ensure that employment decisions are based on job-related criteria only.

Accepted Answer

EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) legislation is designed to ensure that employment decisions are made without discrimination and are based solely on qualifications, skills, and performance, which are job-related criteria.

Quiz 9: Strategic Human Resource Management