Deck 11: Managing Employee Relations

Question 1

Good employee relations practices ensure that organizational strategies are implemented.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Solid employee relations demand careful attention to communication, counselling, and management of workgroups.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A possible consequence of a social media hacking is the loss of customer trust.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In-house complaint procedures are formal methods that employees can use to register complaints.

Question 5

If an employer can show its legitimate business interests are affected by material posted on a social network by an employee, that employee may be liable and subject to discipline.

Question 6

Intranets are organization-specific internal computer networks.

Question 7

Preventive discipline describes an action taken following a rule infraction.

Question 8

A policy of encouraging employees to come to higher management with their concerns is called an open-door policy.

Question 9

Rewarding employees for useful suggestions helps to ensure that suggestion systems are successful.

Question 10

Approaches to implementing effective communication systems can be grouped into downward and upward systems.

Question 11

The five key dimensions of employee relations are employee rights, discipline, counselling, involvement, and communication.

Question 12

Discipline seeks to ensure compliance with organizational standards by informing employees about organizational expectations.

Question 13

Progressive discipline also refers to following proper established rules and procedures and giving employees the opportunity to respond to allegations.

Question 14

Corrective discipline aims to reform the offender, deter others, and maintain consistent group standards.

Question 15

Comprehensive company programs that seek to help employees overcome their personal and work-related problems are referred to as employee assistance programs.

Question 16

Improper conduct must have occurred at the workplace for it to be considered just cause for dismissal.

Question 17

Communication systems that exist to get information from employees are called upward systems.

Question 18

Discussing issues with employees in an attempt to help them cope with situations that are happening away from the workplace is known as counselling.

Question 19

Positive discipline uses punishment to resolve problems.

Question 20

Although good employee relations practices tend to make for happier employees, they do not have any direct effect on either productivity or employment costs.

Question 21

Under PIPEDA, individuals are not allowed to access their personal information files without judicial approval.

Question 22

Employer use of video surveillance needs more justification than employer use of GPS tracking.

Question 23

It is illegal to install programs on someone's computer without consent of the recipient.

Question 24

Collecting nonwork information about employees is an unnecessary intrusion into employees' lives.

Question 25

Human resource professionals are often in a good position to advise on the impact of restructuring an organization to maximize productivity and retain quality performers.

Question 26

Establishing just cause at common law means that an employer also has sufficient cause under provincial employment standards legislation.

Question 27

Canada's new anti-spam legislation permits businesses to send electronic commercial messages provided the information is not graphic.

Question 28

Employees' right to privacy is protected under PIPEDA.
TRUE

Question 29

There are three types of downsizing strategies: work redesign, systematic reduction, and workforce layoffs.

Question 30

A promotion is an example of constructive dismissal.

Question 31

When dismissing an employee, it is recommended that employers notify others in the organization and ensure that the individual's duties are covered.

Question 32

To increase employee involvement, employers can implement self-directed work teams

Question 33

Downsizing is an effective way for organizations to increase productivity.

Question 34

Some organizations consider people to be easily replaceable and are willing to accept high levels of employee turnover.

Question 35

A major change in a significant term of the employment relationship that results in an employee resigning may be legally considered as constructive dismissal.

Question 36

Providing flexible work hours is one of the most commonly used practices to retain top performers.

Question 37

Progressive discipline systems allow minor offenses to be removed from the employees' record after a period of time.

Question 38

No-layoff policies are part of an integrated system of progressive HR practices used to enhance employee job security.

Question 39

Consent is not a requirement under PIPEDA.
FALSE

Question 40

The PIPEDA principle of limiting use, disclosure, and retention states that personal information collected should only be kept for as long as it is needed.

Question 41

Giving the employee handbook to new hires is an example of:

A) upward communication
B) top-down communication
C) employee referral programs
D) open-door policy
E) an employee assistance program

Question 42

Which of the following is an area that requires careful attention in order to ensure that employee relations are effective?

A) the selection process
B) available benefit packages
C) disciplinary procedures
D) the performance appraisal procedure
E) direct compensation offerings

Question 43

Which of the following helps retain key employees?

A) communicating the organization vision and values less often
B) developing a planned approach to employee retention
C) focusing efforts on employee retention once the probationary period ends
D) encouraging supervisors and managers to keep good workers
E) distributing opinion surveys to long-term employees

Question 44

Banning employees from coming to work while impaired from cannabis use is fair.

Question 45

The right to fair treatment refers to employees' rights to work in a harassment-free environment and to not be discriminated against in employment decisions.

Question 46

Which of the following refers to the practice of sharing information about an organization's financial performance with employees?

A) employee opinion surveys
B) grapevine communication
C) open-book management
D) in-house complaint procedures
E) suggestion systems

Question 47

It is challenging for employers to establish just cause for dismissal on the basis of:

A) willful disobedience
B) incompetence
C) conflict of interest
D) conspiracy
E) fraud

Question 48

Following established rules and procedures and allowing employees to respond in disciplinary action is referred to as:

A) diligent process
B) due process
C) disciplinary process
D) corrective process
E) mandated process

Question 49

Offering communications training for managers and employees can have which of the following outcomes?

A) reduce employment costs
B) improve external communications
C) ensure that organizational strategies are implemented
D) enhance the link between employees and the organization
E) increase productivity

Question 50

Employers should specify a notice period in employment contracts.

Question 51

Which of the following refers to the awarding of extended periods of notice in wrongful dismissal cases when the employer terminated the employee in bad faith?

A) the "Wallace effect"
B) constructive dismissal
C) progressive discipline
D) the right to fair treatment
E) an employee involvement intervention

Question 52

Which of the following is a step in a progressive discipline system?

A) approach discipline as a problem-solving process
B) reform the offender
C) a suspension from work
D) deter others from engaging in similar actions
E) encourage self-discipline among employees

Question 53

All employee rights relating to working conditions and job security are protected under law.

Question 54

Human enhancement technologies are a major force that will change work.

Question 55

Which of the following is described as any act by the employee that could have serious negative effects on the operation or reputation of the organization?

A) cause for dismissal under common law
B) termination in bad faith
C) wrongful dismissal
D) cause under provincial employment standards legislation to avoid providing minimum statutory severance
E) constructive dismissal

Question 56

Employee involvement consists of a variety of systematic methods that empower employees to participate in the decisions that affect them and their relationship with the organization.

Question 57

Internal job postings are a form of:

A) upward communication
B) employee involvement
C) downward communication
D) open-book management
E) informal communication

Question 58

Which of the following components of effective employee relations focuses on the participation of workers to improve employee productivity and satisfaction?

A) discipline
B) involvement
C) counselling
D) recruiting
E) rights

Question 59

Which of the following is part of the seven-step plan to protect organizations from the misuse of electronic communications?

A) hiring a chief reputation officer
B) banning social media use at work
C) discourage cell phone use during working hours
D) repeal telecommuting policies
E) examining the available tools for controlling Internet access

Question 60

The two groups of human resource activities that can be addressed by employee self-service are productivity applications and strategic applications.

Question 61

Which of the following states that disciplinary action should be applied with warning, immediate, consistent, and impersonal?

A) corrective discipline
B) right to fair treatment
C) due process
D) progressive discipline
E) hot-stove rule

Question 62

Which of the following is a way that employers can increase employee involvement?

A) implement employee assistant programs
B) encourage grapevine communication
C) self-directed work teams
D) apply no-layoff policies
E) helping employees to cope with problems

Question 63

Which of the following electronic communication methods is particularly effective as a way to update handbooks and manuals?

A) email
B) social media
C) pre-recorded messages
D) employee blogs
E) intranets

Question 64

Which of the following occurs after an organization downsizes?

A) organizational performance improves
B) employees become more open-minded
C) employees become more self-absorbed
D) employee risk aversion decreases
E) morale improves

Question 65

Which of the following refers to the termination of an employee without giving the employee reasonable notice or compensation in lieu of notice?

A) unfair treatment
B) wrongful dismissal
C) undue hardship
D) a violation of PIPEDA
E) constructive dismissal

Question 66

The amount of advance notice of termination that employers must give nonunionized employees is determined by which of the following factors?

A) employee's responsibilities
B) cause for dismissal
C) length of service
D) damages suffered by the employer
E) terms of the collective agreement

Question 67

Which of the following is a formal method through which employees can register a complaint?

A) manager-employer meetings
B) in-house complaint procedure
C) employee attitude surveys
D) grapevine communication
E) suggestion systems

Question 68

Which of the following is defined as action taken by supervisors prior to an infraction that encourages employees to follow the rules?

A) corrective discipline
B) progressive discipline
C) preventive discipline
D) positive discipline
E) disciplinary action

Question 69

Which of the following refers to a deliberate organizational decision to reduce the workforce to improve efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness?

A) outsourcing
B) downsizing
C) layoffs
D) co-sourcing
E) attrition

Question 70

Which of the following is a way that good employee relations practices reduce costs?

A) helping employees achieve their personal goals
B) ensuring employee commitment
C) improving employee attitudes
D) offering organizations a recruiting advantage
E) effectively communicating organizational goals to employees

Question 71

Employee relations practices are important for which of the following major reasons?

A) they reduce overtime costs
B) they reduce perceptions of internal equity
C) they reduce employee fatigue
D) they discourage labour unrest
E) they reduce employment costs

Question 72

Which of the following is a policy that encourages employees to come to higher management with any concerns?

A) a peer review panel
B) an open-door policy
C) an in-house complain procedure
D) a suggestion system
E) open-book management

Question 73

Which legislation covers employees' rights to privacy?

A) The Canada Labour Code
B) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
C) Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
D) The Canadian Human Rights Act
E) Employment Standards Acts

Question 74

Which of the following is an informal communication system that arises spontaneously from the social interaction of people in organizations?

A) grapevine communication
B) suggestion systems
C) social media
D) employee blogs
E) intranets

Question 75

Which of the following principles of PIPEDA states that an organization will make available to individuals specific information about its policies and practices?

A) openness
B) individual access
C) accountability
D) accuracy
E) consent

Question 76

Which of the following is a complex blend of organizational culture, human resource practices, and individual perceptions that affects virtually everything that the human resource department does?

A) employee discipline
B) employee relations
C) benefits administration
D) recruitment
E) performance appraisal

Question 77

Which of the following approaches to increasing employee involvement reduces the amount of administrative work performed by human resource professionals by addressing two groups of human resource activities?

A) employee self-service
B) high-involvement work practices
C) self-directed work teams
D) an increased focus on innovation
E) decentralization of accountability

Question 78

Managers discussing a problem with an employee to try and help that employee resolve the issues are engaging in which of the following?

A) employee assistance
B) employee counselling
C) employee communication
D) employee involvement
E) employee advising

Question 79

The purpose of downward communication systems is to:

A) get information to employees
B) obtain information from employees
C) increase employee involvement
D) improve employee satisfaction
E) resolve problems with employees through discussion

Question 80

Which of the following is an example of upward communication?

A) grapevine
B) email
C) in-house newsletters
D) jobholder reports
E) Pre-recorded messages