APHR Certification Study Guide Exam 223 Questions with Verified Answers
Human Resource Managment (HRM) - CORRECT ANSWER HRM consists of an
... [Show More] organization's "people practices" - the policies, practices, and systems that influence employees' behavior, attitudes, and performance.
Explain how HRM contributes to an organization's performance - CORRECT ANSWER Through its practices or process, The HRM influences who works for the organization and how those people work. These human resources, if well managed, have the potential to be a source of sustainable competitive advantage, contributing to basic objectives such as quality, profits, and customer satisfaction.
HRM Process/ practices - CORRECT ANSWER 1) Analysis and Design of work
2) HR planning
3) Recruitment
4) Selection
5)Training and development
6)Compensation
7)Performance Management
8) Employee Relations
Human Capital - CORRECT ANSWER An Organization's employees, described in terms of their training, experience, judgement, intelligence, relationships, and insight.
Human Resources qualities valuable to the success of organizations - CORRECT ANSWER 1) Human Resources are VALUABLE- high-quality employees provide a needed service as they perform many critical functions.
2) Human Resources are RARE- a person with high levels of the needed skills and knowledge is not common
3) Human Resources CANNOT BE IMITATED -
4) Human Resources have NO GOOD SUBSTITUTES
High Performance Work System - CORRECT ANSWER An organization in which technology, organizational structure, people, and processes work seamlessly to give an organization an advantage in the competitive environment.
Maintaining a High-Performance Work System may include: - CORRECT ANSWER -Development of training programs
-Recruitment of people with new skill sets
- Establishment of rewards for such behaviors as team work, flexibility, and learning
Ratio of HR employees to total employees - CORRECT ANSWER 2 full time HR staff persons for every 100 employees on payroll.
In small organizations the ratio is much higher
Administrative role of HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Handling administrative tasks ( hiring employees, answering questions about benefits) efficiently and with a commitment to quality. This requires expertise in the particular task
Business Partner role of HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Developing effective HR systems that help the org meet its goals attracting, keeping, and developing people with the skill it needs.
For the systems to be effective, HR people must understand the business so it can understand what the business needs
Strategic partner role - CORRECT ANSWER Contributing to the company's strategies through an understanding of its existing and needed HR and ways HR practices can give the company a competitive advantage.
For strategic ideas to be effective, HR people must understand the business, it's industry, and its competitors
Job Analysis - CORRECT ANSWER The process of getting detailed information about jobs
Work Flow Design - CORRECT ANSWER The process of analyzing the tasks necessary for the production of a product or service
Job - CORRECT ANSWER A set of related duties
Position - CORRECT ANSWER A set of duties performed by a particular person
Job Description - CORRECT ANSWER A list of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs) that a particular job entails
Job Specification - CORRECT ANSWER A list if the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that an individual must have to perform a particular job
Job Design - CORRECT ANSWER The process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires
Industrial Engineering - CORRECT ANSWER The study of jobs to find the simplest way to structure work in order to maximize efficiency
Job enlargement - CORRECT ANSWER Broadening the types of tasks performed in a job
Job extension - CORRECT ANSWER Enlarging jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to for a job with a wider range of tasks
Job rotation - CORRECT ANSWER Enlarging jobs by moving employees among several different jobs
Job enrichment - CORRECT ANSWER Empowering workers by adding more decision making authority to jobs
Flextime - CORRECT ANSWER A scheduling policy in which full time employees may choose starting and ending times within guidelines specified by the organization
Job sharing - CORRECT ANSWER A work option in which two part time employees carry out the tasks associated with a single job
Telework or Telecommuting - CORRECT ANSWER Means doing one's work away from a centrally located office
Ergonomics - CORRECT ANSWER The study of the interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment
Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) - CORRECT ANSWER A standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194,questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs
Flesh an Job Analysis System - CORRECT ANSWER Job analysis technique that asks subject matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform
Competency - CORRECT ANSWER An area of personal capability that enables employees to perform their work successfullyb
Recruitment - CORRECT ANSWER The process through which the organization seeks applicants for potential employment
Selection - CORRECT ANSWER The process by which the organization attempts to identify applicants with the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics that will help the organization achieve its goals
Top 5 qualities employers look for in employees - CORRECT ANSWER 1)- Teamwork Skills
2)- Verbal Communications Skills
3)- Decision Making, Problem Solving
4)- Gathering / Processing information
5)- Planning/ Prioritizing Tasks
Training - CORRECT ANSWER A planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior
Development - CORRECT ANSWER The acquisition of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that improve an employees ability to meet changes in job requirements and in customer demands
Performance Management - CORRECT ANSWER The process of ensuring that employees' activities and output match the organization's goals.
Compensation and benefits - CORRECT ANSWER This function includes Wage and salary administration, incentive pay, insurance, vacation leave administration, retirement plans, profit sharing, stock plans
Employee Relations - CORRECT ANSWER Preparing and distributing employee handbooks, company publications, answer questions about benefits and company policy, address problems between employees and supervisors, communication with union representatives
Workforce analytics - CORRECT ANSWER The use of quantitative tools and scientific methods to analyze data from human resource databases and other sources to make evidence-based decisions that support business goals.
Organizational Strategy - CORRECT ANSWER Organization's plan for meeting broad goals such as profitability , quality, and market share
How HR supports the organization's strategy - CORRECT ANSWER Understanding the organization's business operations, projecting how business trends might affect the business,reinforcing positive aspects of the organization's culture, developing talent for present and future needs, crafting effective HR strategies, effective human resource planning
Human Resource Planning - CORRECT ANSWER Identifying the numbers and types of employees the organization will require to meet its objectives.
Forecasting - CORRECT ANSWER The attempts to determine the supply of and demand for various types of human resources to predict areas within the organization where there will be labor shortages or surpluses
Trend analysis - CORRECT ANSWER Constructing and applying statistical models that predict labor demand for the next year, given relatively objectives statistics from the previous year
Leading indicators - CORRECT ANSWER Objective measures that accurately predict future labor demand
Transitional Matrix - CORRECT ANSWER Statistical procedure to determine labor supply
A chart that lists job categories held in one period and shows the proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period
Core Competency - CORRECT ANSWER A set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers
Options for reducing a surplus - CORRECT ANSWER Downsizing, pay reductions, demotions, transfers, work sharing, hiring freeze, natural attrition, early retirement, retraining
Options for avoiding a shortage - CORRECT ANSWER Overtime, temporary employees, outsourcing, retrained transfers, turnover reductions, new external hires, technological innovations
Workforce Utilization Review - CORRECT ANSWER A comparison of the proportion of employees in protected groups with the proportion that each group represents in the relevant labor market
Talent Management - CORRECT ANSWER A systematic, planned effort to attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly skilled employees and managers
Evidence-based HR - CORRECT ANSWER Collecting and using data to show that human resources practices have a positive influence on the company's bottom line or key stakeholders (employees, customers, community, and shareholders)
Sustainability - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's ability to profit without depleting its resources, including employees, natural resources, and the support of the surrounding community
Stakeholders - CORRECT ANSWER The parties with an interest in the company's
'success ( shareholders, community, customers, and employees )
HRM professionals' skills - CORRECT ANSWER Successful Members of The Human Resource department must be able to share information, build relationships, and influence persons inside and outside the company. The HR department needs to bring together a large pool of skills. These skills fall into six basic functions: 1-Credible activists, 2-cultural and change steward, 3-talent managers/ organizational designers, 4-strategic architects, 5-business allies, 6-operational executors . All of these competencies require interpersonal skills.
HR responsibilities of supervisors - CORRECT ANSWER Supervisors typically have responsibilities related to all the HR functions.
They help define jobs ( job analysis and design)
Forecast HR needs( HR planning)
Provide training
Interview ( and select ) candidates
Appraise performance
Recommend increases and promotions
Communicate policies
Motivate, with support from pay, benefits, and other rewards
Ethics - CORRECT ANSWER The fundamental principles of right and wrong. Ethical behavior is behavior that is consistent with those principles.
HR Ethics and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) - CORRECT ANSWER Reduce the likelihood of illegal and unethical behaviors by :
-- Having a written Code Of ethics and conduct standards
--Providing ethical behavior training and advice
-- Establishing confidential reporting systems for ethical misconduct
-- Providing whistle-blower protection
--Supporting HR's role as "keeper and voice" of organization's ethics
Employees Rights/ Kant's Human Rights - CORRECT ANSWER - Right of free consent
- Right of Privacy
- Right of freedom of conscience
- Right of Freedom of speech
- Right to due process
Standards for ethical HR practices - CORRECT ANSWER 1) HRM practices must result in the greatest good for the largest number of people
2) employment practices must respect basic human rights of privacy, due process, consent and free speech
3) managers must treat employees and customers equitable and fairly
Labor Force - CORRECT ANSWER Is a general way to refer to all the people willing and able to work
Internal Labor Force - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's workers ( it's employees and the people who have contracts to work at the organization)
External Labor Market - CORRECT ANSWER Individuals who are actively seeking employment
High Performance Work Systems - CORRECT ANSWER Organizations that have the best possible fit between their social system ( people and how they interact) and technical system (equipment and processes )
Summarize Areas in which HRM can support the goal of creating a high performance work system - CORRECT ANSWER Reliance on knowledge workers, empowerment of employees to make decisions, and use of teamwork. Recruiting and selection decisions are especially important for organization's that rely on knowledge workers. Job design and appropriate systems for assessment and rewards have a central role in supporting employee empowerment and teamwork
Knowledge workers - CORRECT ANSWER Employees whose main contribution to the organization is specialized knowledge, such as knowledge of customers, a process, or a profession
Employee Empowerment - CORRECT ANSWER Giving employees responsibility and authority to make decisions regarding all aspects of product development or customer sevice
Employee Engagement - CORRECT ANSWER Full involvement in one's work and commitment to one's job and company. Is associated with higher productivity, better customer service, and lower turnover
Teamwork - CORRECT ANSWER The assignment of work to groups of employees with various skills who interact to assemble a product or provide a service
Business strategy: issues affecting HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Total Quality Management
Mergers and Acquisitions
Reengineering
International Expansion
Downsizing
Outsourcing
Total Quality Management TQM - CORRECT ANSWER A company wide effort to continually improve the ways people, machines, and systems accomplish work
Outsourcing - CORRECT ANSWER The practice of having another company ( a vendor, third-party provider, or consultant) provide services
Human Resource Information System (HRIS) - CORRECT ANSWER A computer system used to acquire, store, manipulate, analyze, retrieve, and distribute information related to an organization's human resources
HRIS purpose - CORRECT ANSWER Large quantities of employee data ( including training records, skills, compensation rates, and benefits usage and costs) can easily be stored.
Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) - CORRECT ANSWER The processing and transmission of digitized HR information, especially using computer networking and the Internet
how eHRM affects traditional HRM functions - CORRECT ANSWER Electronic HRM applications let employees enroll in and participate in training programs online.
Employees can go online and select from items in a benefits package and enroll in the benefits they choose.
They can look up answers to HR related questions and read company's news, perhaps downloading it as a podcast.
Employees in different geographic areas can work together
Companies can search for talent without geographic limitations
Recruiting can include online job postings, applications, and candidate screening from the company's website or the websites of companies that specialize in online recruiting.
Employees from different geographic locations can all receive the same training over the company's computer network
HRM applications for Social networking - CORRECT ANSWER Creative organizations are applying social networking tools to HRM
Foe example:
--Sites for capturing, sharing, storing knowledge are good for preserving knowledge that otherwise could be lost when employees retire.
--Online surveys to gather employees' opinions, increase employees' engagement with the jobs and the organization
-Networking tools to create online expert communities, identify employees expertise and make it available to those who can apply it.
-Online discussions, such as commenting tools, promote creativity and innovation
-Sites where users can post links to articles, webinars, training programs, and other information, reinforce lessons learned during training and on-the-job experience
-Instant messaging and other communication tools to use with mentors and coaches, provide employee development through mentoring and coaching
-Site where the HR department posts job openings and responds to candidates' questions, helps to identify and connect with promising job candidates
New technologies influencing HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Internet portal, shared service centers, cloud computing, business intelligence, Data mining
Internet Portal - CORRECT ANSWER Combines data from several sources into a singles site ; lets user customize data without programing skills ( a company's manager can track labor costs by work group)
Shared service centers - CORRECT ANSWER Consolidate different HR functions into a single location; eliminate redundancy and reduce administrative costs; process all HR transactions at one time
Cloud Computing, such as Application Service Providers (ASPs) - CORRECT ANSWER Let's companies rent space on a remote computer system and use the system's software to manage its HR activities, including security and upgrades. Access to cloud computing makes powerful HRIS tools available even to small organizations with limited computer hardware.
Business intelligence - CORRECT ANSWER Provides insight into business trends and patterns and helps businesses improve decisions ( managers use the system to analyze costs and productivity among different employee groups)
Data mining - CORRECT ANSWER Uses powerful computers to analyze large amount of data, such as data about employee traits Pay and performance( managers can identify high- potential employees throughout a large organization and offer them development opportunities
e-HRM privacy - CORRECT ANSWER Most of HR information is confidential and privacy is an important issue in e-HRM. With any e-HRM app the organization must ensure that it has sufficient security measures in place to secure employees privacy. One solution is to set Up e-HRM on a INTRANET, which is a network that uses Internet tools but limits access to authorized users in the organization
Self- Service - CORRECT ANSWER System in which employees have online access to information about HR issues such as training, benefits, compensation, contracts, and go online to enroll themselves in programs and provide feedback through surveys
Alternative work arrangements - CORRECT ANSWER Methods of staffing other than the traditional hiring of full-time employees. The following methods are the most common:
- Independent contractors, self employed individuals with multiple clients
- On-call workers, persons who work for an organization only when they are needed
- Temporary workers, are employed by a temporary agency; client organization's pay the agency for the services of these workers
- Contract company workers, employed directly by a company for a specific time specified in a written contract
How the three branches of government regulate HRM - CORRECT ANSWER -The Legislative branch- develops laws such as those governing equal employment opportunity and worker safety and health
-The executive branch- including the many regulatory agencies that the president oversees, is responsible for enforcing the laws passes by congress ( from drawing up regulation detailing how to abide by the law, to filing suits against alleged violators. I'm addition, the president may issue executive orders
- The judicial branch- the federal court system- influences employment law by interpreting the law and holding trials concerning violations of the law
Equal Employment Opportunity ( EEO) - CORRECT ANSWER The condition in which all individuals have an equal chance for employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC) - CORRECT ANSWER Responsible for enforcing most of the EEO laws, including Title VII,mother Equal Pay Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To do this, the EEOC investigates and resolves complaints about discrimination, gathers information, and issues guidelines.
What Constitutional Amendments have implications for HRM - CORRECT ANSWER Two amendments to the US Constitution, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth, have implications for HRM.
The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States and the Fourteenth Amendment forbids the states from taking life, liberty, or property without due process of law and prevents the states from denying equal protection of the laws. This only applies to the decisions or actions of the government or of private groups whose activities are deemed government actions
Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures - CORRECT ANSWER Guidelines issued by the EEOC and other agencies to identify how an organization should develop and administer its system for selecting employees so as to not violate anti discrimination laws
Where EEOC posters should be displayed by an employer? - CORRECT ANSWER In prominent and accessible locations ( in the cafeteria or near its time clock.
How long should employers keep documents related to employment decisions? - CORRECT ANSWER Employers must keep these records for at least 6 months or until a complaint is resolved, whichever is later.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) - CORRECT ANSWER The agency responsible for enforcing the executive orders that cover companies doing business with the federal government
Written affirmative-action plan Components - CORRECT ANSWER 1- utilization analysis - a comparison of the race, sex, and ethnic composition of the employer's workforce with that of the available labor supply. The percentage in the employer's workforce should not be greatly lower than the percentages in the labor supply
2- goals and timetables- The percentages of women and minorities the organization seeks to employ in each job group, and the dates by which the percentages are to be attained. The only requirement is that the employer have goals and be seeking to achieve the goals
3- Action steps- a plan for how the organization will meet its goals. Besides working towards its goals of hiring women and minorities, the company must take affirmative steps to hiring Vietnam veterans and individuals with disabilities
The government role in providing for Equal Employment Opportunity - CORRECT ANSWER EEO requires that employers comply with EEO laws. To enforce those laws, the executive branch of the federal government uses the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs OFCCP
EEO-1 Report - CORRECT ANSWER The EEOC also monitors organizations's hiring practices. Each year organization's that are government contractors or subcontractors or have 100 or more employees must file an Employer Information Report (EEO-1) with the EEOC. The EEO-1 Report is an online questionnaire requesting the number of employees in each job category ( such as managers, professionals, and laborers ) broken down by their status as male or female, Hispanic or non-Hispanic, and members of various racial groups
Thirteenth Amendment - CORRECT ANSWER Abolished slavery, covers all individuals, enforced by the Court System
Fourteenth Amendment - CORRECT ANSWER Provides equal protection for all citizens and requires due process in state action. Covers State actions ( e.g., decisions of government organizations ) enforced by the court system
Civil Rights Acts ( CRAs) of 1866 and 1871 (as amended) - CORRECT ANSWER Grant all citizens the right to make, perform, modify, and terminate contracts and enjoy all benefits, terms and conditions of the contractual relationship. Covers all individuals. Enforced by the court system
Equal Pay Act of 1963 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires that men and women performing equal jobs receive equal pay. Covers employers engaged in interstate commerce. Enforced by the EEOC
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ( Title VII) - CORRECT ANSWER Forbids discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Covers employers with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year; labor unions; and employment agencies.
EEOC enforced
Executive Order 11246 - CORRECT ANSWER issued by Lindon Johnson, prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. In addition, employers whose contracts meet minimum size requirements must engage in affirmative action to ensure against discrimination. Those receiving more than 10,000 from federal gov must take affirmative action and those with contracts exceeding 50,000 must develop a written affirmative action plan for each of their establishments
Enforced by OFCCP
Executive Order 11478 - CORRECT ANSWER Issued by Richard Nixon, requires the federal gov to base all its employment policies on merit and fitness. It's specifies that race, color, sex, religion, and national origin may not be considered. Covers the gov and contractors and subcontractors doing at least 10,000 worth of business with the federal gov
The US Office of Personnel Management enforced
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 ( ADEA) - CORRECT ANSWER Prohibits discrimination in employment against individuals 40 years of age and older.
Covers employers with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year; labor unions; employment agencies; federal government
EEOC enforced
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires affirmative action in the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Covers government agencies, federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts greater than $2500 annually
OFCCP enforced
Affirmative Action - CORRECT ANSWER An organization's active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - CORRECT ANSWER Treats discrimination based on pregnancy-related conditions as illegal sex discrimination.
Covers all employees covered by Tittle VII
EEOC enforced
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - CORRECT ANSWER Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all employments practices, such as job application procedures, hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, and training. Other employment activities covered by the ADA are employment advertising, recruitment, tenure, layoff, leave, and fringe benefits
The ADA require that employers take steps to accommodate individuals covered under the act
Covers employers with more than 15 employees
EEOC
Disability - CORRECT ANSWER The ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more mayor life activities, a record of having such an impairment,more being regarded as having such an impairment
Executive Order 11246 - CORRECT ANSWER Requires affirmative action in hiring women and minorities
Covers federal contractors and subcontractors with contracts greater than $10,000
OFCCP
Civil Rights Act of 1991(CRA 1991) - CORRECT ANSWER Same as Title VII, prohibits discrimination with the addition of compensatory and punitive damages to employment discrimination cases
EEOC
Maximum punitive damages allowed under CRA 1991 - CORRECT ANSWER 14 to 100 employees-----$50,000
101 to 200 " -----———. $100,000
201 to 500 —. $200,000
More than 500 --------- 300,000
Business' Role in providing for EEO - CORRECT ANSWER Most companies recognize the importance of complying with anti-discrimination laws. Expert HR professionals can help in identifying how to comply and take steps to avoid discrimination and provide reasonable accommodation
Types of discrimination - CORRECT ANSWER Disparate Treatment, Disparate Impact or Adverse Effect [Show Less]