Deck 3: Workforce, Jobs, and Retention

Question 1

Reviewing drafts with managers and employees is a subtask of _____.

A) developing job descriptions
B) conducting the job analysis
C) planning the job analysis
D) preparing for and introducing the job analysis

Answer 1

A

Question 2

_____ refers to changing an existing job to improve it.

A) Job planning
B) Job analysis
C) Job design
D) Job redesign

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is typically the responsibility of managers in job analysis?

A) To periodically review job descriptions and specifications
B) To coordinate job analysis
C) To review efforts of the HR unit
D) To write job descriptions and specifications

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is typically the responsibility of the HR unit in job analysis?

A) To provide information to outside experts
B) To coordinate job analysis
C) To help complete job analysis information
D) To request new analyses as jobs change

Question 5

A _____ is composed of individuals who are separated geographically but linked by communications technology.

A) vertical team
B) special-purpose team
C) self-directed team
D) virtual team

Question 6

Which of the following situations is an example of a compressed workweek?

A) Employees working for ten hours, four days a week
B) Employees working for eight hours, five days a week
C) Employees working for seven hours, six days a week
D) Employees working for eight hours, seven days a week

Question 7

Gathering job analysis data is a subtask of _____.

A) developing job descriptions
B) conducting the job analysis
C) planning the job analysis
D) preparing for and introducing the job analysis

Question 8

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies people working _____ hours per week as part-time employees.

A) at least 45
B) at least 35
C) between 35 and 45
D) less than 35

Question 9

Which of the following is true of work?

A) Work is effort directed toward accomplishing results.
B) A job needs to be divided into types of work so that it can be coordinated in some logical way.
C) Ideally, the work to be done in any organization should be significantly less than the amount of work that the organization needs to have done.
D) Work is the output that comes from the accomplishment of tasks.

Question 10

_____ refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive unit of work.

A) Job planning
B) Job analysis
C) Job design
D) Job redesign

Question 11

Identifying jobs and methodologies is a subtask of _____.

A) developing job descriptions
B) conducting the job analysis
C) planning the job analysis
D) preparing for and introducing the job analysis

Question 12

A _____ is a distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions.

A) duty
B) responsibility
C) job
D) task

Question 13

Which of the following is true of a job?

A) A job is the output that comes from the accomplishment of tasks.
B) A job is a grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the total work assignment for an employee.
C) Even if the tasks, duties, and responsibilities change over time, a job should not change.
D) A job needs to be divided into types of work so that it can be coordinated in some logical way.

Question 14

Part-time jobs are used when less than _____ hours per week are required to do a job.

A) 40
B) 50
C) 60
D) 70

Question 15

Which of the following is typically the last stage in the job analysis process?

A) Developing job descriptions and job specifications
B) Conducting the job analysis
C) Maintaining and updating job descriptions and job specifications
D) Preparing for and introducing job analysis

Question 16

_____ is the study of the way work moves through an organization.

A) Job process
B) Workflow analysis
C) Work process
D) Transfer of responsibility

Question 17

A(n) _____ is a larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual.

A) duty
B) obligation
C) job
D) responsibility

Question 18

Which of the following is typically the first stage in the job analysis process?

A) Preparing for and introducing job analysis
B) Planning the job analysis
C) Conducting the job analysis
D) Developing job descriptions and job specifications

Question 19

Which of the following is true of the labor force participation rate?

A) It is the percentage of the population working or seeking work.
B) It is the percentage of the population that is eligible to work legally.
C) It is the percentage of the population that is constantly changing jobs.
D) It is the percentage of the population with graduate degrees.

Question 20

Periodically reviewing all jobs is a subtask of _____.

A) developing job descriptions
B) conducting the job analysis
C) maintaining and updating job descriptions
D) preparing for and introducing the job analysis

Question 21

_____ is a goal-directed drive and is defined as the desire within a person causing that person to act.

A) Attention
B) Motivation
C) Caliber
D) Aptitude

Question 22

Dave, who works with GoPhone LLC, is responsible for managing job analysis in his organization. He is currently gathering and reviewing data. Which of the following should typically be Dave's next step?

A) Preparing for and introducing job analysis
B) Conducting the job analysis
C) Developing job descriptions and job specifications
D) Maintaining and updating job descriptions

Question 23

Max, who works with HiFi LLC., is responsible for managing job analysis in his organization. He is currently planning the job analysis. Which of the following should typically be Max's next step?

A) Preparing for and introducing job analysis
B) Conducting the job analysis
C) Developing job descriptions and job specifications
D) Maintaining and updating job descriptions

Question 24

Which of the following is a direct cost of absenteeism?

A) Replacement for absent worker
B) Overstaffing
C) Replacement training
D) Slower work pace

Question 25

Which of the following is an intangible item in a psychological contract?

A) Wages
B) Benefits
C) Attendance
D) Fair treatment

Question 26

Jack, who works with BluClu LLC., is responsible for performing the job analysis in his organization. He has introduced and communicated the job analysis process to all his managers. Which of the following will typically be Jack's next step?

A) Developing job descriptions and job specifications
B) Maintaining and updating job descriptions and job specifications
C) Planning the job analysis
D) Conducting the job analysis

Question 27

In which of the following cases is an employer applying the principles of positive reinforcement to curb absenteeism?

A) He is conducting a company-wide session on the leave policy of the company.
B) He is issuing a written warning to an employee for taking a lot of uninformed leaves of absence.
C) He is giving cash to employees for meeting attendance standards.
D) He is offering supportive guidance and personal counseling for employees who do not meet the attendance standards of the company.

Question 28

The _____ requires that organizations identify the essential job functions, which are the fundamental duties of a job.

A) Americans with Disabilities Act
B) Civil Rights Act
C) Fair Labor Standards Act
D) Disabilities Discrimination Act

Question 29

A _____ identifies the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.

A) job analysis
B) job description
C) job specification
D) job review

Question 30

_____ list the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an individual needs to perform a job satisfactorily.

A) Job analyses
B) Job descriptions
C) Job specifications
D) Job reviews

Question 31

Which of the following cases exemplifies involuntary turnover?

A) Jane worked hard on a project for four months, but when the project got shelved, she felt demotivated and quit the company.
B) Lisa loved her job but quit when she noticed that a lot of employees were being laid off.
C) Mary announced her retirement a day after her 40th birthday.
D) Pauline was asked to leave the company due to poor performance on a project that incurred huge losses for her firm.

Question 32

Jill, who works with SunFun LLC., is responsible for handling the job analysis in her organization. She has developed job descriptions and job specifications. Which of the following will typically be Jill's next step?

A) Preparing for and introducing job analysis
B) Maintaining and updating job descriptions and job specifications
C) Planning the job analysis
D) Conducting the job analysis

Question 33

CLASS, a newly-opened real estate agency, has twenty employees on its payroll. In June 2012, Jane and Selin, each took four days of leave of absence from work. What was the absenteeism rate of the company in June 2012?

A) 3
B) 6
C) 1
D) 2

Question 34

A financial services firm conducted an attitude survey. It was found that although employees were generally satisfied with their pay, they were dissatisfied with the organization's management style, promotion practices, and training programs. To manage these concerns, it is recommended that the director of HR:

A) work toward finding the employees who had given the negative feedback and increase their salaries.
B) announce the positive results of the survey, while beginning to work in private on solutions to the problems revealed in the survey.
C) hold group meetings with employees to convey the positive and negative survey results and get suggestions for improvements.
D) communicate the positive survey results, and argue against the negative results.

Question 35

Which of the following exemplifies voluntary turnover?

A) Jake, a student intern at CL Corp., leaves the organization after his internship period is over.
B) Paul, an employee of NML Corp. for five years, was fired owing to noncompliance with company policies.
C) Karen is asked to resign by her manager due to her deteriorating performance.
D) Gerald gets passed over for promotion twice despite being good at his job. Therefore, he decides to leave the organization.

Question 36

Which of the following is used by employers to address the issue of job satisfaction among employees?

A) The halo affect
B) The Hawthorne effect
C) A whistle-blower survey
D) An attitude survey

Question 37

A(n) _____ refers to the unwritten expectations that both employees and employers have about the nature of their work relationships.

A) employment contract
B) psychological contract
C) non-compete agreement
D) effort-performance linkage

Question 38

Which of the following is an intangible item in a psychological contract?

A) Salary
B) Benefits
C) Attendance
D) Loyalty

Question 39

A software firm plans to reduce the number of talented designers in its workforce who leave their jobs. In this case, the firm seeks to focus on _____ turnover among the designers.

A) uncontrollable
B) positive
C) functional
D) voluntary

Question 40

Which of the following is a tangible item in a psychological contract?

A) Loyalty
B) Nondiscriminatory treatment
C) Job security
D) Wages

Question 41

In the current year, many talented teachers have submitted their resignation notices in Sunnydale High School. The president of the school management board is in a fix at this attrition even when the school pays competitive wages to its teachers. In this case, which of the following is the best recommendation for the president to follow?

A) Money is the main reason people stay in a job, so the school needs to consider how to raise salaries even higher.
B) When pay is competitive, other job factors have more impact on turnover and need to be considered and improved.
C) In service sector jobs, people are motivated more by the psychological aspects of the work than by tangible rewards.
D) Teachers usually leave their jobs due to involuntary turnover, so pay is not a big factor in their retention.

Question 42

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared to the labor force of the past, today's workplace force is "younger and composed of more men."

Question 43

Work is effort directed toward accomplishing results.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true about turnover?

A) It is illegal for an employer to continue to hire new employees while laying off other employees.
B) When key individuals leave the firm, the turnover is often functional because they no longer act as a brake on the introduction of new technology and new work processes.
C) The turnover of poor performers is considered functional.
D) Organizations have little control over involuntary turnover.

Question 45

Lumina Corporation began operations in 2011 with 4900 employees. During the first half of that year, the company did not see any attrition. Profits were high, and the training and orientation programs were efficient. New hiring continued at a healthy pace, and by mid-year, the employee strength of the company was 5000. However, in the second half of that year, 200 employees were laid off, and no new hiring took place. The turnover rate at Lumina Corporation in 2011 was _____.

A) 50%
B) 25%
C) 4%
D) 2%

Question 46

Carlos, the HR director of a large paper manufacturing company, is studying the financial costs of turnover of plant personnel at all levels. The easily calculable costs are sobering, but Carlos is also concerned about the hidden costs of turnover that generally include:

A) missed project deadlines.
B) co-worker coaching and salaries.
C) the cost of pre-employment medical tests.
D) the overtime paid to employees covering the separated employees' jobs.

Question 47

A job is a grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the total work assignment for an employee.

Question 48

Which of the following is a replacement cost that is caused by turnover in a company?

A) Cost of training materials
B) Employee referral fees
C) Overtime paid to existing employees
D) Time spent in an exit interview

Question 49

Alice, an efficient waitress at a moderately-priced family restaurant, consistently gets the lowest tips from customers. She announces that she is quitting to take another job at a newly-opened casino. This best exemplifies a(n) _____ turnover.

A) dysfunctional
B) controllable
C) involuntary
D) positive

Question 50

Which of the following is the first step in the process of managing retention?

A) Measurement and assessment
B) Management intervention
C) Evaluation and follow up
D) Tracking of intervention results

Question 51

Mark was terminated by his company because of his poor client relations skills that resulted in a major client leaving the firm for a competitor. This is an example of:

A) involuntary turnover.
B) positive turnover.
C) uncontrollable turnover.
D) dysfunctional turnover.

Question 52

_____ is an intangible reward for performance.

A) Promotion to a new position
B) Verbal praise from one's supervisor
C) A performance bonus
D) An opportunity for training

Question 53

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population working or seeking work.

Question 54

_____ is defined as the percentage of employees at the beginning of a period who remain at the end.

A) Retention rate
B) Turnover rate
C) Absenteeism ratio
D) Productivity rate

Question 55

At Piaffe Products 15 employees had quit, and an additional 10 were fired for poor performance in the year during 2010. The mid-year employee count was 50 for that year. Piaffe's turnover rate for the year 2010 was _____.

A) 10%
B) 20%
C) 30%
D) 50%

Question 56

Jane quit Cover Corp. without completing a high-priority project that she was handling. Due to her unavailability, the four remaining members of her team had to work overtime, and they demanded adequate compensation to justify their extra hours of work. In this case, the amount subsequently paid to them best exemplifies:

A) separation costs.
B) vacancy costs.
C) replacement costs.
D) training costs.

Question 57

Arden Insurance's claims processing facility has been a major employer in the town of Arbor for over 20 years drawing mainly on workers with minimal skills and education. A large telemarketing firm is about to set up its business at Arbor, and it is planning to employ low-skilled workers. Which of the following statements is true in this case?

A) As Arden and the marketing firm belong to different industries, the impact on Arden's workforce will be minimal since workers rarely switch between industries.
B) The trained workforce will not leave even if the telemarketing firm offers higher pay than Arden.
C) If Arden cannot offer higher wages, it needs to make sure that its current employees are satisfied with the intangible aspects of their jobs in order to retain them.
D) Workers in small towns tend to be loyal to their employers hence, Arden's current employees are likely to stay with Arden.

Question 58

Workflow analysis is the study of the way work moves through an organization.

Question 59

Job design refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive unit of work.

Question 60

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies people working between 35 and 40 hours per week as part-time workers.

Question 61

One of the determinants of employees' willingness to exert effort is the degree to which they value the rewards offered by an organization.

Question 62

Employers can address job satisfaction by regularly surveying employees.

Question 63

Telework means that employees work via electronic, telecommunications, and Internet technology.

Question 64

Drafting job descriptions and specifications is typically the first step in the job analysis process.

Question 65

A duty is a distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions.

Question 66

A no-fault policy in organizations allows employees to manage their own attendance.

Question 67

Job specifications list the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an individual needs to perform a job satisfactorily.

Question 68

A major reason for categorizing an employee's departure as functional rather than dysfunctional is his/her performance level.

Question 69

Reviewing existing job documentation is typically the last step in the job analysis process.

Question 70

Competencies are individual capabilities that can be linked to performance by individuals or teams.

Question 71

Marginal job functions are duties that are part of a job but are incidental or ancillary to the purpose and nature of the job.

Question 72

Employee productivity is a tangible aspect of psychological contracts.

Question 73

Shift differential is the additional pay that employees receive for working the evening or night shifts.

Question 74

Work rule violation is the most common reason for voluntary turnover.

Question 75

A job description identifies the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.

Question 76

Higher unemployment rates usually mean more dissatisfied employees in the workforce.

Question 77

Responsibilities are obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.

Question 78

A virtual team is composed of individuals who are separated geographically but linked by communications technology.

Question 79

Contingent workers are full time employees.

Question 80

Older employees tend to have lower job satisfaction than younger employees.