HRM2605 TEST BANK

HRM2605 TEST BANK 2014 ESSAY QUESTIONS 1. Describe how strategic human resource planning (SHRP) is integrated with strategic planning. Answer: Through strategic planning, organisations set major objectives and develop plans to achieve those objectives. SHRP provides a set of inputs that determine what is, or is likely to be possible, given the number of available people, training needs, and other people-related issues. HR strategies and action plans are developed according to the overall strategic goals that evolve from the strategy formulation process. During the strategy implementation phase, SHRP must make resource allocation decisions, and implement policy, practices, and training that support the decisions and outcomes of the strategic planning process. 2. Is turnover good or bad for the organisation? What problems may result from excessive turnover? Answer: A certain amount of turnover is beneficial to the organisation (functional turnover). For instance, the involuntary turnover of a discharge of an employee due to his or her poor performance should have the overall impact of improving that organisation's effectiveness. In addition, turnover at the upper levels of the organisation may allow the injection of fresh blood into the firm - bringing new ideas, methods and more effective ways of doing things. Excessive turnover is very costly to the firm. Some of the costs of a high turnover rate include the dysfunctional outcomes of: (1) increased recruitment, selection, placement, and separation activities; (2) increased T&D, orientation, and OJT; (3) lower productivity and increased quality problems as new employees learn their jobs; and (4) disruption in on-going projects and programmes (including "brain-drain" - the loss of top thinkers and creators within an organisation). 3. What is the most effective way to measure job dissatisfaction? In what different ways may job attitudinal data be analysed? Answer: The most popular, and perhaps the most effective way, is to use wellconstructed job satisfaction surveys. Surveys can be used to gather attitudinal data from large numbers of employees at relatively low costs. Measuring shifts in outcomes related to dissatisfaction - attendance, turnover, and sometimes quality - can offer only indirect measures. Exit interviews and other interviews may also be rich sources of such information. In researching job satisfaction, it is useful to analyse the data by various job satisfaction dimensions. The JDI example identifies the following dimensions; pay, promotions, the supervisor, the work itself, and coworkers. Such a survey should be analysed by all groups of employees which might yield insight. Many employers would, therefore, analyse by shift, department and division, supervisor, work group, job group or level, years of service or age, etc. 2 4. Why may an employee feel that s/he is being treated unfairly? What HR programmes may be implemented to reduce employees' feelings of unfairness? Answer: Perceptions of unfairness result when employees feel that have been treated differently than other employees of groups of employees, or when they feel that they have not been treated fairly for what they have done themselves (e.g., not paid what they were promised for working extra hours). Another way to attempt to understand fairness is to consider the justice theories. For instance, one theory suggests that the process used to make a decision (procedural justice) is separate from the decision itself (distributive justice). Reduction of perceptions of unfairness would include the following - some of which are focused upon procedural and other upon enhancing distributive justice: (1) reclassification of jobs which appear inequitably paid when compared to others at the same workplace; (2) changing the method in which jobs and tasks are assigned; (3) base promotions on more objective measures of performance when possible: (4) train supervisors to distribute the work load fairly (and so it looks fair); (5) conduct wage surveys to determine if pay levels are competitive (to increase external equity - so accountants at your company feel like they are paid competitively with other accountants in the region); (6) allow employees more autonomy in planning and controlling their own work; and (7) administer and enforce policies, procedures, rules, and regulations fairly and in an uniform manner. 5. Whose responsibility is it to control employee absenteeism - the line manager's or the HR manager's? Explain how responsibility for control of this problem might be divided. Answer: Both line and HR staff share this problem. Ultimately the control of absenteeism is line management's job, but HR management assumes an important staff function in providing assistance in combating and analysing the problem. Some specific responsibilities that HR may assume include: (1) formulate reasonable goals; (2) create policies; (3) create information systems to track attendance; (4) conduct research to uncover possible causes of absenteeism. Line management's responsibilities include: (1) collecting and reporting absence data, including categorising of reasons for the absences; (2) counselling and discipline of workers; (3) creating a satisfying work environment to minimise dissatisfaction as a cause of absenteeism. 1. Employers are always looking for workers who will be motivated. How important is "being motivated" if the job is (a) sales clerk, (b) assemblyline worker, (c) programmer, (d) telecommuter? Answer: It may be assumed that motivation is important in all work, however, the need to be motivated, ostensibly by a supervisor or manager, will vary. Workers, such as telecommuters and programmers often work alone and may be inclined to be self-motivated. 3 2. The numbers of telecommuters are increasing quickly. What are the critical issues in deciding whether a (a) particular job can be done away from the regular work environment via telecommuting, and (b) the human qualities needed to handle telecommuting responsibilities? Answer: Employers should determine if the work done at home is of benefit to the organization. The money saved on office space not needed by an employee who works at home may pale in comparison to the costs associated with low productivity if the wrong person is selected for the job. Telecommuters must be flexible, able to work in isolation, and should consider the effect that working at home will have on their family life. 3. If you were an HR specialist in a company that was introducing job analysis, how would you reassure employees who felt threatened? 1. If you were an underemployed MBA, what steps would you take to find a more satisfactory position? Answer: Depending upon the field in which one is working, one who feels that he or she is underemployed should first try to contact professionals in similar positions in other organisations. The person may contact reliable placement firms which are capable of regional or national placement if the person is willing to relocate. The person may also seek to be transferred or promoted within the organisation as better positions or more challenging positions come open. Of course, trade journals and local newspapers as well as newspapers from other cities should be periodically checked for possible openings; however, the underemployed MBA should not rely upon these sources but rather should get out and network with peers in similar jobs. 2. From an inexperienced job applicant=s point of view, which recruitment method is more attractive? From the point of view of an applicant with twenty years= experience? Answer: The inexperienced job applicant often is attracted by the newspaper advertisement. They see this as a direct approach by the organisation. They basically know what the job entails, and it is a familiar recruitment technique. From the point of view of the applicant with 20 years= experience, being pirated away by a competing organisation or discovering a position located in a warmer climate, perhaps, through peers in other organisations, trade journals or private agencies may be preferable. 3. How should applicants prepare for job interviews? What questions should they expect to answer? Answer: Applicants must summarise the type of job and type of organisation they wish to work for and strenuously go after those openings. More importantly, the applicants must know themselves. They must have evaluated what they have to offer the organisation and what their experience and skills they have and be able to 4 quickly list these assets in an interview. The interviewer can easily tell if the applicant has prepared by whether of not the applicant is on time, properly dressed, and can answer questions, not hurriedly, but thoroughly and concisely. Also, the interviewer can determine if the applicant is truly familiar with the organisation and the position, and thus interested in a career or just a pay cheque. 4. How should the HR director compare alternative recruitment sources? Answer: First, all sources of additional personnel should be considered: hiring new employees, the use of overtime of current employees, temporary employees, and the leasing of employees. If the decision is to recruit new permanent employees then the decision must be made whether to recruit internally or externally. Most internal recruitment is through a job-posting procedure. External sources are usually compared on the basis of cost, past effectiveness, and the degree of difficulty in recruiting qualified applicants B and generally determine which source is chosen. Entry-level jobs are most often filled through employee referrals, direct applications, campus recruiting, and private agencies. Direct mail, advertising, and specialised agencies may be used more often for professional, technical and managerial positions. 5. If you inherited a shoe factory that had a history of high turnover and low wages would you attempt to attract only the best workers by raising salaries, or continue a minimum wage policy and disregard employees= dissatisfaction? What factors would influence your decision? Answer: First, one will take the proper steps to find the direct causes of high turnover and perform a wage survey to ensure that, in fact, low wages are being paid to the employees compared to other organisations in the area. The organisation=s overall profitability as well as other factors such as current costs of high turnover compared to increasing wage substantially should be considered. 6. While interviewing two well-qualified applicants for an accounting manager=s position, you notice that one applicant has had one job for seven years and the other has had five jobs in ten years, each change involving a salary increase. Would this information affect your decision? Answer: The HR specialist would investigate closely both individuals= work history in this respect. Why the first individual was not offered promotion over seven years or turned them down should be carefully investigated. Perhaps the organisation the individual worked for had very few openings during that time. The second individual who has changed jobs five times in ten years should also be closely examined to ensure that job hopping or perhaps the practice of supervisors transferring troublemaking employees was not occurring. Since each had involved a salary increase, it should be carefully determined whether these in fact were promotions, or transfers. If both individuals are now applying for the same position, one must question why the second applicant who has had five increases in ten years has not advanced further up the ladder.