Deck 7: Evaluating Jobs: The Job Evaluation Process

Question 1

A job description serves several purposes, including providing guidance in the selection and recruitment process.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Which of the following statements would NOT describe an appropriate usage of job descriptions?

A) determining necessary employee qualifications
B) creating questions in the interview process
C) supporting the development of business level strategies
D) developing training plans

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Job analysis is derived from job specifications, which in turn are the foundation of all job evaluation systems.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Organizations operating in very dynamic environments often find themselves using out-of-date, irrelevant job descriptions to populate job evaluations. Which of the following is the likely cause of this?

A) It is simply too expensive to regularly update job descriptions.
B) Human resource departments simply do not see the value.
C) Human resource departments are simply not aware of changes.
D) Human resource departments lack the knowledge, skills, and abilities to update job descriptions.

Question 5

There are four main methods of conducting job analysis, which include: interviews, observation, questionnaires, and functional job analysis.

Question 6

Of the four main methods used to conduct job analysis, interviews and questionnaires are by far the most effective when dealing with organizations that do not currently have examples of jobs to be reviewed.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is an example of a job specification?

A) arranging meetings and scheduling out-of-town travel
B) possessing a valid driver's licence
C) answering telephones and personal inquiries
D) reporting to the head of the department

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a valid purpose for conducting job evaluation?

A) to control employee performance
B) to control wage costs
C) to create an equitable pay structure
D) to create perceptions of equitable pay among those covered by the system

Question 9

Which of the following processes is used to determine the relative importance of the employee's job to the organization and the placing of those jobs in the same hierarchy level?

A) job analysis
B) market analysis
C) performance appraisal
D) job evaluation

Question 10

The "job-to-job" method for pay equity job comparison uses a female job "comparator" to compare differences in pay rates between jobs traditionally held by women in Canada.

Question 11

Two methods of job evaluation are ranking/paired comparison and classification/grading.

Question 12

Under Ontario pay equity legislation, going through the pay equity process is unnecessary if your firm has no female job classes.

Question 13

As a human resource professional, you have been asked by your organization to develop a job description for the heavy-duty mechanic role. What are you likely NOT to include in the job description?

A) some statement describing the conditions under which the mechanic will work under
B) the appropriate pay grades, ranges, and future pay increase scales
C) the level of skill and certification required for the role
D) the fact that the mechanic will be working under the supervision of a senior technician

Question 14

Which of the following concepts best explains why a compensation specialist is likely to earn more money working for a human resources consulting firm than for a food distribution company?

A) pay equity
B) pay differentials
C) relative value
D) labour supply

Question 15

The Position Analysis Questionnaire uses some 187 "job elements" to describe work activities.

Question 16

It is strongly suggested that employees in organizations using a human relations management strategy should not actively participate in the development and process associated with job evaluations.

Question 17

The job evaluation process focuses on how to evaluate individual employee performance to produce a solid foundation for a merit pay system.

Question 18

The textbook introduces four main approaches to conducting job analysis. Which of the following approaches would you NOT likely use to collect information on the teller role at an existing Canadian bank?

A) Observe several bank tellers performing their jobs.
B) Perform a functional job analysis.
C) Interview several tellers at a local branch.
D) Provide questionnaires to several tellers.

Question 19

What do job specifications focus on?

A) job activities
B) reporting structure
C) employee qualifications
D) performance

Question 20

Which process is looked upon as the process of gathering data and information about the characteristics required for specific jobs?

A) job analysis
B) job evaluation
C) job description
D) job specifications

Question 21

Which of the following practices can NOT be used to achieve pay equity?

A) Pay levels for male comparator jobs will be lowered.
B) All positions in a job class will receive the same adjustments in dollar terms.
C) Each female job class must receive a yearly adjustment until pay equity is achieved.
D) Inequitable female job classes with the lowest job rate must receive a greater adjustment.

Question 22

Which of the following job evaluation methods has the potential to generate results that may be perceived as inequitable by stakeholders?

A) factor comparison
B) ranking
C) point
D) statistical policy capturing

Question 23

Once completed, pay equity plans should be shared with employees, including both process and outcomes. Which of the following organizations would be exempt from posting their pay equity plans?

A) a federal agency dealing with immigration issues
B) a car manufacturer employing 1,000 workers at its Toronto plant
C) a food processing factory employing 200 full-time employees
D) a farming operation in Ontario employing 25 employees annually

Question 24

Carlos decides to use a time-and-motion study to gather information about a particular job. What kind of job analysis method is Carlos using?

A) observations
B) interviews
C) questionnaires
D) functional job analysis

Question 25

One of the shortcomings associated with job analysis in dynamic work environments is the potential for obsolete data to be used for a variety of human resource decisions. What proactive steps would you recommend to an organization facing this issue?

A) Update job descriptions systematically.
B) Stop conducting job analysis.
C) Contract out most of your human resource functions.
D) Allow each manager in the organization to create actual job descriptions.

Question 26

Which job evaluation method is like sorting books among a series of carefully labelled shelves in a bookcase?

A) ranking
B) paired comparison
C) classification
D) factor comparison

Question 27

Since your company is newly created, you do not have any job descriptions. Which of the following methods of job analysis will you need to use?

A) interviews
B) questionnaires
C) functional
D) observation

Question 28

Which term is used to describe key characteristics of jobs that are valued by organizations and differentiate jobs from one another?

A) core job dimensions
B) job facts
C) compensable factors
D) benchmarks

Question 29

Organizations need to answer a series of questions in order to conduct job evaluations effectively. What question would a job evaluation process NOT address?

A) Who conducts the job evaluations?
B) Which jobs should be changed?
C) What appeal mechanisms are to be established?
D) How should the job evaluation results be applied?

Question 30

You have been asked to present to management potential drawbacks associated with using a job analysis process at your company. Which of the following statements would likely NOT be included in your list of drawbacks?

A) analyzing the jobholder rather than the job
B) gender bias
C) use of technical language
D) use of incorrect benchmark jobs

Question 31

An Ontario-based organization asks you to recommend a job evaluation method that may meet pay equity legislation. What job evaluation method are you likely NOT to recommend?

A) point
B) factor comparison
C) ranking
D) classification

Question 32

Which evaluation method uses questionnaires to capture time spent on certain activities and the importance of those activities to the successful completion of the job?

A) point
B) factor comparison
C) classification
D) statistical/policy capturing

Question 33

The textbook identifies several methods that may be used when comparing female and male job classifications. Which of the following methods would you consider NOT appropriate?

A) the proxy method
B) the job-to-job method
C) the ad-hoc method
D) the proportional value method

Question 34

Which of the following conditions will have a negative impact on the success of the job evaluation committee?

A) The terms of reference must be spelled out for the committee.
B) Technical and clerical support resources need to be provided.
C) The committee needs training in job evaluation and group dynamics.
D) The committee has freedom to use pay grade information.

Question 35

Which job analysis method produces a series of statements that, taken together, describe the job?

A) functional job analysis
B) interviews
C) questionnaires
D) observation

Question 36

Which of the following procedures is NOT required under the Ontario Pay Equity Act?

A) identifying job classes by gender
B) collecting job information
C) comparing jobs using gender neutral system
D) checking for performance appraisal biases

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT one of the methods of job evaluation discussed in the text?

A) ranking method
B) forced distribution method
C) factor comparison method
D) statistical/policy capturing method

Question 38

Mario performs his job at a very high standard. Unfortunately, a job evaluation process determined that he is currently being paid at a level below the minimum in a new pay scale. Which of the following statements best describes Mario's current position in the new pay scale?

A) Mario would be classified as a "constructive employee."
B) Mario would be classified as an "exception-to-the-pay-scale" employee.
C) Mario would be classified as a "green-circled employee."
D) Mario would be classified as a "red-circled employee."

Question 39

Which of the following practices would you use to reduce the amount of time needed to conduct a job analysis using the interview method?

A) Interview managers and employees.
B) Use a time-and-motion interview process.
C) Use an open-ended interview process.
D) Use a structured interview process.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a valid reason to re-evaluate jobs?

A) Labour market conditions change significantly.
B) The strategy of the organization changes.
C) A new performance system is implemented.
D) There is a high level of appeals.

Question 41

Identify and briefly explain the main methods used to obtain the information necessary for effective job evaluation.

Question 42

What should a job description contain if it is to be useful for job evaluation?

Question 43

What key procedures need to be worked out to ensure the job evaluation process is effectively conducted and managed?

Question 44

Briefly explain the purpose of job evaluation and the nature of "relative worth."

Question 45

With reference to Ontario pay equity legislation, briefly discuss the job evaluation methods that can be used for comparing female and male job classes.