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

As an HR manager,Erin is assigned to updating all job descriptions and job specifications for her company.Erin will begin by collecting information about each job title,as well as learning 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. The results of job analysis are two written statements: job descriptions and job specifications.

Expenditures on fringe benefits have declined as a percentage of total payroll costs over the past several decades.

When Zoe began her Ph.D.program at Vanderbilt University,she was immediately assigned to a female ________ who would serve as a coach and guide to shorten the learning curve and help Zoe meet the right people who could enhance her career.Her program also required __________,where she would spend four to six weeks in different labs,gaining experience and exposure to a variety of research in her field of study.

Mini-Case Dee Pozitt had been the assistant human resource director at Fleesum Financial Services for a bit more than a year when the company's human resource director was injured in a sky diving accident.Because of his injuries the director would be unable to work for several months.Howie Fleesum,the company's CEO,decided to name Dee the acting director of human resources.Though she had been at the firm for a shorter period of time than most other managers,he felt that her position as the director's assistant had given her insights into the company's human resource issues that the other managers lacked.He also was very impressed by the glowing performance appraisal Dee recently received from the director,her peers,and even subordinates.Before accepting the position as acting director,Dee made sure that Mr.Fleesum recognized her authority to implement some major changes in policies she and the director had been planning before his accident.The changes were intended to make the company more responsive to the needs of employees,thus improving morale and reducing worker turnover.Although Dee was sorry the director was injured,she was pleased that Mr.Fleesum had confidence in her and was willing to give her the authority to implement important new programs.The only aspect of her opportunity that worried her was the resentment and hostility she sensed from a few of the older,more experienced managers.One of the most hostile coworkers was a fellow named Mort Gage.Dee decided she had better talk to Mort and find out why he was so upset. -When Dee talked to Mort about his resentment toward her,he said that he should have been promoted to the position instead of her."The only reason you got the job," Mort told her,"was that Mr.Fleesum wanted to promote a woman.I was more experienced and better qualified,so I should have gotten the job." Mort's statement suggests that he thinks he was a victim of:

Women often have more trouble finding mentors than men because:

On-the-job training is best suited for jobs that are easily learned or require the employee to perform repetitive physical tasks.

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO):

Unlike a traditional performance appraisal,a 360-degree review:

Liz hired Max Maxwell right out of college! Max had brought a lot to the plate at the Brooklyn Sporting Goods firm where Liz served as Marketing Director over the baseball,basketball,and hockey lines.Yesterday,Max submitted his resignation after only one year on the job,and disclosed that he is leaving sporting goods and taking a job in Canada where he will be marketing a hockey arena.Liz is beside herself and has decided to personally conduct an exit interview.In evaluating this situation,you agree that Liz is probably the best person to conduct this interview. It is best to use an outside agency to conduct exit interviews.Outsiders provide anonymity and usually gain honest feedback from those who are leaving the organization.

According to the Thinking Green box,"Green Eggs and Green Ham",contemporary firms do not see a cost benefit to providing healthy snacks for employees. Companies find that a healthy workforce saves money on insurance premiums.A physically fit workforce is usually a more productive workforce.The leftovers from healthier,greener foods can be used for compost.

Employees sometimes prefer increases in fringe benefits rather than increases in wages or salaries,because many fringe benefits are not subject to taxes.

One of the main complaints made by critics of employment tests is that these tests:

Top managers at Unifaze Corporation have decided that the company must downsize,but are concerned about the effect the reduction in employment will have on the morale of the remaining employees.One way top management could keep morale from suffering would be to establish an early retirement program. An advantage of early retirement programs is that they tend to increase the morale of remaining employees.The retirement of older workers also increases promotion opportunities for younger employees.

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

Janey worked in the student bookstore of a community college.The store was quite large and offered a variety of food items and paraphernalia besides books and school supplies.Although she liked the retail atmosphere,there was little opportunity for advancement because the three persons in management positions were doing well in their jobs and not planning to retire very soon.When the College opened a new branch,Janey seized the opportunity to be reassigned to the new location and manage the smaller operation.Her change was not a promotion,it was considered a(n)_________,however,it served to improve her morale because she was performing more tasks and had greater responsibility than at the previous bookstore.

Greg,a control room engineer at Tri State Power,Inc.'s nuclear power plant regularly practices handling emergency situations in a computerized mockup that duplicates the sights,sounds,and experiences of a real control room under emergency conditions.TriState uses _______ to train its engineers.

Employees at the MAX Card Company,a worldwide credit card business are criticizing the company's fringe benefits package because it forces all employees to accept the same benefits regardless of differences in their personal needs.In fact,they even offer some soft benefits such as an on-site day care that over 80% of the employees are too young or too old to use.MAX should consider a cafeteria style benefits plan. A cafeteria-style benefits plan allows employees to choose their own package of benefits up to a specified dollar amount.For example,older employees might be allowed to take most of their benefits in the form of increased pension payments,while employees with young children could choose a benefits package that focused on day care.

Rob is the human resource manager for a medium-sized corporation.He understands the value of hiring from within to fill positions whenever possible.This means that Rob relies extensively on promotions,transfers,and recommendations from current employees to find qualified employees. When a human resource manager uses internal sources,he or she relies on transfers,promotions,and employee recommendations to fill positions.

A golden handshake refers to the severance pay that is offered to a worker that is laid off when the firm downsizes.

The EEOC sets guidelines that human resource managers follow in the process of hiring and dismissing employees.