Which strategy would help assess and correct the collaboration issues the IT department is facing?

Refer to the following scenario for the next 6 questions.
A construction company with 75 field employees determines that the best way to improve communication with employees and efficiency in tracking employees' working hours is to provide each field employee with a smartphone.
Each employee has a company e-mail account that can be accessed through the smartphone, enabling the employee to receive e-mail in a timely fashion. Additionally, the employee uses the smartphone to track hours worked at each job location. A benefit to the employee is not having to complete and turn in time sheets at the end of the week, since time tracking is in real time. These phones should be used for business only and turned into the supervisor at the end of the workday.
The company has made a significant financial investment in the smartphones. Some employees have personal smartphones and are very familiar with the phones. However, many employees have not used this type of technology and are not computer-literate. Even prior to the implementation of the phones, this small group is demonstrating negative and resistant behavior. The human resource director has been assigned the responsibility of distributing the smartphones to the employees and providing the necessary training and resources for the employees to be proficient in using the phones within 30 days.
Many of the employees who are resisting the change to smartphones have been with the company for a long time. What steps should HR take to overcome the obstacles to learning?
Answers

A. Hold supervisors accountable for changing the resistant attitude of their employees and responding to and resolving employees' ongoing concerns.

B. Advise the employees that it is mandatory and, if they refuse, they could lose their jobs.

C. Communicate to employees that the smartphone is a benefit to the company and helps them to accept change.

D. Listen to and address the employees' concerns and demonstrate the phone's positive aspects; provide support throughout the implementation.

Given the varying technology proficiency of the employees, which is the most effective training method the human resource director should use to facilitate the change?
Answers

A. Provide instructor-led, hands-on training sessions for employees based on their knowledge levels revealed during the needs assessment.

B. Rely on the supervisors to conduct a learning needs assessment and then train their employees on gaps.

C. Conduct a needs assessment and provide prerecorded videos on how to use the phones for employees to watch.

D. Distribute the phones and instruction manuals to the employees and then gather information to determine learning needs.

An employee refuses to use the smartphone and continues to submit paper time sheets. Which action should the human resource director take to bring about the desired change in the employee's behaviors?
Answers

A. Send an e-mail to the employee stating that this is a violation that could result in immediate employment termination.

B. Allow the employee to continue submitting the paper time sheets for now, and give him a new target date by which to make the change.

C. Contact the employee's supervisor to determine why the employee is not using the phone and how the supervisor has addressed the issue.

D. Contact the employee to understand why the employee is not using the phone; identify solutions to overcome the obstacles.

The human resource director is receiving feedback from several employees that other employees are playing games, texting, and using social media on their phones during working hours. How should the human resource director respond to the feedback?
Answers

A. Share the feedback with supervisors and ask them to tell employees to not use smartphones for personal use during work hours.

B. Request that supervisors keep the smartphones and give them to employees only at the beginning and end of shifts to clock in and out.

C. Investigate the feedback to determine its validity; create a policy regarding smartphone use and meet with employees to review the policy.

D. Locate, review, and distribute a generic phone use policy that prohibits using the smartphones for nonbusiness purposes during work hours.

Thirty days have passed, and the smartphone adoption rate is only 45%. Which is the human resource directors' best point of entry in determining the source of the low adoption rate?
Answers

A. Talk to employees who have adopted the change to determine what made it easier for them.

B. Determine if shifting to smartphones had an adverse impact on any particular employee group(s).

C. Explore if a 30-day transition period was sufficient for the size and impact of the change.

D. Assess employees' training needs and explore how they can learn and embrace the technology.

Which action should the human resource director take to create shared ownership and accountability with business leaders for the smartphone change's success?
Answers

A. Develop and release to all business leaders the proposed corporate strategy for distributing the smartphones and training employees.

B. Involve business leaders to get feedback on and finalize the strategy for distributing the smartphones and training employees.

C. Request business leaders to develop a smartphone distribution and training strategy for their business units and give feedback.

D. Send an e-mail requesting that business leaders share their top concerns about the smartphone change.

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Rationale

D is the best answer. Adult learners not only need to know the benefits to them but also want to have their concerns heard and addressed.
A is incorrect. Holding supervisors accountable without resources and tools—even if they listen to their employees and resolve concerns—will not change the employee resistance and may cause tension with supervisors.
B is incorrect. Threatening employees will not change their attitude.
C is incorrect. The adult learner needs to understand what the specific benefit is to them, not just to the company.

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Rationale

A is the best answer. The needs assessment will ensure that training sessions are developed based on the target audience, and the instructor will be able to immediately evaluate the level of understanding.
B is incorrect. Depending on their proficiency with smartphones, the supervisors would need to be trained prior to helping to execute a needs assessment or engage in training employees.
C is incorrect. Videos might be a good secondary or follow-up option, but they are not as effective as in-person training. A needs assessment would help to determine skill and knowledge gaps.
D is incorrect. Some employees may take the time to read the manual, but a formal training session will ensure that employees are trained and can ask questions. Conducting the needs assessment is late in the process.

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Rationale

D is the best answer. The obstacles need to be identified and addressed and solutions need to be identified and implemented.
A is incorrect. A verbal discussion should take place with the employee. The human resource director should use that discussion as an opportunity to understand what the obstacles are for the employee.
B is incorrect. It does not support the organizational strategy. To be effective, everyone needs to transition to the new system.
C is incorrect. It does not offer a plan of action to correct the issue.

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Rationale

C is the best answer. The situation should be investigated to find out how employees are using the phones. If the phones are being used personally during working hours, this needs to be addressed. Implementing a policy on use of the smartphones will communicate expectations and be important in consistently holding people accountable.
A is not a correct answer. There is no proof that the feedback is true.
B is not a correct answer. If the supervisor keeps the phones, employees will not be able to log in their times at each location, and it will have been a waste of resources to buy the phones for everyone. Furthermore, by using this method, some employees may feel belittled instead of engaged and empowered.
D is incorrect. A policy should be created that meets the specific needs of the business.

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Rationale

C is the correct answer. People move through the stages of change at different rates. Rushing employees through the change process won't work for either the organization or the employees. The company could have minimized the emotional reactions to the change. The human resource director should analyze the resistance and determine how to get back on track to achieve success.
A is not correct. This is subjective feedback and does not give information that the director can readily generalize to help others through the change.
B is not correct. While this may be a part of an overall analysis to isolate impacts, it is not the leading path to get the change initiative on track.
D is not correct. This should have occurred early in the process. Although it may be helpful now, it is not the point of entry to determine how to get the initiative on track. Not everything is a training issue, so changing the training approach may have very little impact.

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Rationale

B is the correct answer. Change initiatives are better positioned for success with leaders and top-level management engagement. This change is a business initiative. Involving managers, including engaging them early in the process to begin communicating the change and its overall benefits, will create engaged stakeholders and help set the initiative up for success.
A is not correct. Developing the strategy without collaboration doesn't set either the initiative or the human resource director up for success. Merely telling leaders what will happen does not create true stakeholder engagement.
C is not correct. Business leaders are focused on getting the work done. The human resource director has been given the assignment, and relinquishing the responsibility to the leaders is not an option.
D is not correct. Approaching the business leaders via e-mail to gather only concerns without exploring the initiative from a positive perspective opens the door for complaints instead of collaboration. This may be integrated at some point to develop strategies for overcoming resistance; however, it is not the leading action.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 2 questions.
An HR manager is the liaison for the sales department at an organization with roughly 600 employees. Recently the organization had a slight downturn in revenue and profit. To save money, over the past year, the sales department's senior management has laid off several administrative assistants and assigned their work tasks, such as photocopying and processing sales orders, to the sales staff. Additionally, the department has modified its compensation system by reducing base pay but increasing sales commissions. The HR manager believes that the additional work duties and new compensation system have put substantial stress on employees. It's been observed that employees seem dissatisfied with their jobs and are leaving the organization or thinking of leaving. One recently departed employee told the HR manager that he had looked for a new job because the increased workload caused him to make fewer sales, thereby significantly reducing his salary.
The HR manager brings their concerns to the vice president (VP) of sales. The manager tells the VP that he is worried about the effects of these changes on the department, such as high turnover and the loss of institutional knowledge. The VP disagrees with the manager; he believes that turnover is good for the department because poorly performing employees are leaving. The VP notes that one employee comes in late, leaves early, and takes a long lunch break every day. The VP believes that the recent changes to compensation save the company money by not employing administrative assistants and motivate sales employees to work harder by focusing on sales commissions. The VP tells the HR manager to ignore employees' complaints and focus on hiring new employees who are willing to take on the additional tasks and work harder.
Which approach is most effective for the HR manager to use to resolve his disagreement with the vice president of sales?
Answers

A. Suggest that HR conduct several focus groups and exit interviews to find out why employees are leaving the company and if they are dissatisfied with their jobs.

B. Elevate his concerns about the extra job duties and modified compensation system to the senior vice president of the division and the vice president of HR.

C. Suggest that the department hire several low-cost interns to carry out basic job duties (e.g., photocopying), thereby removing some of the workload from the sales team and allowing them to focus on sales.

D. Suggest to the employees that they visit the VP's office as a group and share their concerns.

What is the best way for the HR manager to evaluate the effectiveness of the new compensation system to increase sales?
Answers

A. Conduct a survey that asks about employees' satisfaction with the new compensation system and whether or not they believe it is effective for increasing sales.

B. Conduct a benchmark comparison of compensation systems against those of marketplace competitors.

C. Recommend that they delay measuring effectiveness for at least one sales cycle to determine whether sales have increased.

D. Review existing research and literature on best practices to see if similar changes in other organizations have been effective.

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Rationale

A is correct. The HR director will want to perform a cursory review of the executive's personnel file to determine if other behavioral or performance issues have occurred that he or she may not be aware of. This first step will help to determine if further action should be taken. If it is found that there may be an issue with the executive, the HR director and the CEO should then jointly decide on what the appropriate course of action should be (e.g., a more in-depth investigation of the allegations indicated in the anonymous letter).
B, C, and D are incorrect, as there is no evidence that an investigation is warranted or the involvement of others is needed at this point in time.

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Rationale

D is correct. The procedures for reporting workplace issues and the protections afforded to employees should be continuously shared and reinforced. This communication is just one aspect of creating a positive employee environment to build trust between employees and leaders in the organization. Additional activities should also be encouraged by the HR director to continue to build this trust.
A is incorrect, as an e-mail is not the ideal way to open the lines of communication, especially if employees are hesitant to attach their name to a complaint.
B is incorrect, as limiting a discussion to reporting only ethical concerns does not help with reporting other issues.
C is incorrect, as sending an e-mail does not open the lines of communication and reinforces distrust between employees and managers.

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Rationale

A is correct. Annual training is an effective, and sometimes mandated, way of sharing the roles and responsibilities that leaders have in encouraging reporting of issues and preventing workplace retaliation. This is often a first step in a broader approach to creating a culture of ethics and compliance in an organization.
B is incorrect, as this is broader than focusing on compliance only.
C is incorrect, as e-mail communication to all employees does not address the specific actions that need to be taken by the leadership team.
D is incorrect, as an employee survey may not have surfaced the need for executives to comply with behavioral expectations.

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Rationale

A is the best response. The president raised the question to HR and needs to be delivered an honest and transparent response. Since the customer service manager has requested help, the HR manager can go to the president prepared with one or two solutions as to how to address the issue.
B is incorrect. This is a passive approach and does nothing to solve the problem or provide answers to the president.
C is incorrect, as it removes HR from the process.
D is incorrect. Replacing the manager does not solve the department's issue. The HR director needs to inform the president of the matter and propose a solution that will provide the tools and support needed for the department and the manager to be successful.

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Rationale

C is the best response. It demonstrates that HR serves as the expert on people management issues and provides the manager with the appropriate skills while still allowing the manager to directly handle the issues in the customer service department.
A is incorrect. Writing policies will not solve the immediate employee issues.
B is incorrect. A training program may be an important offering for the future, but it does not help the manager handle the current issues.
D is incorrect. Although recruitment will be important, it isn't the first step. The department needs to manage its internal issues first; otherwise, new hires will be entering into a poor work environment, which would only make matters worse.

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Rationale

A is the best response. The HR director needs to gather critical information to understand the root cause of the customer service problems.
B is incorrect. The HR director does not know the root cause of the customer service problems, so hiring more representatives will not address the problem.
C is incorrect. Prior to setting specific goals, the HR director needs to gather critical information in order to assess what the root cause is.
D is incorrect. The HR director must take a more direct approach and set expectations by establishing a work standard for customer service representatives.

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Rationale

B is the best response. The HR director needs to investigate the allegation before making a determination regarding the employment of the individual. It is best to place the employee on paid administrative leave during the investigation to reduce the organization's liability.
A is incorrect. Not enough information is known about the incident to determine culpability.
C is incorrect. This would be unfair to the employee, could be viewed as unethical, and could have legal implications. No investigation has been conducted yet to determine culpability, and it is the responsibility of the company to conduct a thorough investigation.
D is incorrect. At the moment, this is an alleged infraction. Therefore, it would be premature and could put the company at risk to single out one employee to discuss the dangers of illegal drugs with.

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Rationale

B is the best response. The discussion may uncover only an employee unhappy about some personal situation, but it could also provide helpful information about a problem that is affecting the company's image with customers and prospective employees. The director must be careful, however, to avoid encroaching on the employee's freedom of speech, especially if this is a unionized workplace.
A is incorrect. Although firing may be the policy for breach of confidentiality, the HR director does not yet know if this event breached confidential information.
C is incorrect. Outside legal counsel may be needed if the employee persists in attacking the company, but HR will benefit by staying closely involved in the situation for now.
D is incorrect. It still has not yet been determined if the employee breached confidentiality.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions.
A highly matrixed, decentralized international company has six business units in various locations. Although there's a corporate human resources team with all HR functions represented, each business unit also has its own HR department that functions independently. All operate in a polycentric fashion; only the vice presidents of HR, who report to the senior vice president of HR, interact on a periodic basis.
A downturn in the economy has impacted the company and has led corporate HR to explore the possibility of using a new centralized service model to combine one or more of the HR functions into corporate. Other reasons for this include a reduction in practitioners, cost savings, improved consistency, and elevated expertise.
A human resources manager who has been with one business unit for the last seven years has been asked to join a team pulled together by corporate HR to design and implement an appropriate servicing model. He is the only one from outside of the corporate function participating on the team. For the past month, the team has been looking at the pros and cons of different HR structures, and they are discussing a shared services approach.
How should the team start the process of determining the appropriate HR servicing model?
Answers

A. By reviewing financial results and productivity measures for the company

B. By researching and implementing trends and best practices of other organizations

C. By determining a structure that will align with the company's strategic plan and objectives

D. By talking with employees to gain insight about what outcomes they are looking for

How should the team best use the HR manager's experience with the organization?
Answers

A. They should use the HR manager to provide balanced input into the structure and delivery approach.

B. They should consider the HR manager's input only if they are talking about location issues.

C. The experience of the HR manager isn't critical, because the team has other members.

D. They should not consider the HR manager's input, as he does not have an understanding of corporate HR.

What should the team do to gain buy-in for its recommendations?
Answers

A. Getting buy-in isn't practical due to the decentralized nature of the organization.

B. The organization is sponsoring this team; therefore, there is no need to get buy-in on the changes.

C. The team should wait until the leadership asks for its recommendations; then it should provide them.

D. The team should develop a business case outlining its recommendations to present to the leadership team.

Changes to the HR structure or delivery model can create frustration and anxiety among employees. What is the best approach the team should take to ensure a smooth adoption by employees?
Answers

A. Do nothing, as it is too early to create a communication plan and it may cause confusion and concern among employees.

B. Respond to employees when they start to provide feedback during the implementation of the new structure and delivery model.

CORRECT
C. Develop an impactful communication plan outlining the team's purpose, the need for change, and a high-level overview of the upcoming changes.

D. Begin talking with employees about changes that could occur and ideas that are being tossed around as potential solutions in HR delivery.

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Rationale

C is the best response, as HR's function is to serve the strategy of the overall organization and the company's strategic plan should guide all decisions, including the HR structure and delivery model.
A is incorrect, as the financial results are only one small measure and do not necessarily create the foundation for the team to be successful.
B is incorrect, as the best practices of other organizations may not meet the company's mission, vision, or business needs. Researching the best practices of other organizations is helpful; however, it is not the only action to take in determining an HR structure.
D is incorrect, as this is the beginning stage of the process to review the structure and determine the service delivery model and it would be too early to begin speaking to employees. While this step is important, it happens much later in the process.

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Rationale

A is the best response, as this allows the team and the HR manager to understand both the corporate and location perspectives. It also allows each to learn from the other, with the outcome being a more well-rounded structure and delivery model.
B is incorrect. The purpose of including multiple perspectives is to have a balanced viewpoint. This approach does not do that. This response also does not take into account the 4 Ts (travel, teams, training, and transfers), which help an organization become more successful by increasing global mindsets.
C is incorrect. The HR manager's experience should be respected and valued, even more so given the amount of years the HR manager has been employed with the company.
D is incorrect, as the HR manager can provide valuable input into the process both from a location perspective and from being able to ask key questions to ensure that the team considers the uniqueness of providing location HR services.

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Rationale

D is the best response. A business case is the best tool for formulating and communicating recommendations to decision makers, as it provides a well-rounded, business-focused guide to share the recommendations and their advantages and disadvantages.
A is incorrect. Gaining buy-in would be critical in this situation, as the recommendations would have a company-wide impact.
B is incorrect. While the organization may be aware of the project team's work, it will not necessarily be aware of the decisions and recommendations that the team is making or that the senior leaders of the organization need to make.
C is incorrect, as the purpose for creating the team is to evaluate and recommend the most appropriate HR structure and delivery model.

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Rationale

C is the best response, as communication is at the core of all successful change initiatives. The plan will outline the best times to communicate and what the message will be.
A is incorrect, as it is never too early to start the communication plan.
B is incorrect, as it would be too late at the point of implementation to create a communication plan. Doing so could jeopardize the success of the implementation of a new structure and HR delivery model.
D is incorrect, as it would be important for the team to communicate with employees in a formal manner and provide accurate information.

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Rationale

C is the best response. Creating a performance improvement plan allows the employee to address and acknowledge the issues. It also allows for employee buy-in to the solutions and sets up a clearly defined time line for improvement.
A is incorrect. Confronting the employee alone, without management and without a documented plan, would be inappropriate for the HR generalist to do.
B is incorrect. Management is aware of the issues; additionally, they are aware of the expectations of the position.
D is incorrect. Gathering more information does not appear necessary based on the facts presented in the scenario.

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Rationale

D is the best response. The HR generalist needs to ensure that tenured employees are not being given a level of protection that newer employees may not be receiving. Additionally, this allows the HR generalist to review with current managers how to effectively hold employees accountable. This option also allows the HR generalist to reset expectations with all managers over time, ensuring that there is consistency.
A is incorrect. Holding a company-wide meeting with this information may be perceived as confrontational.
B is incorrect. Reviewing with managers that all employees need to be held accountable lacks any specificity regarding planning or priority setting.
C is incorrect, as it would be inappropriate to send out communications on policy without the involvement of the managers.

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Rationale

C is the best response. Partnership with management allows for an effective review. The small group meetings ensure that all employees have an opportunity to engage and ask questions. Finally, having signed employee acknowledgments ensures that there is a system in place for confirming that all employees have attended a meeting.
A is incorrect. Sending out an e-mail and asking for an acknowledgment does not allow for employee participation or dialogue.
B is incorrect. Although the managers should help ensure that their employees are aware of the new standards, solely depending on them would not be a reliable means of communicating the changes.
D is incorrect. Asking managers to review the employee handbook with only those employees that they think need the review lacks the level of consistency that is required in HR.

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Rationale

C is the best response. Conducting a survey internally allows for company-specific data to drive decision making. Additionally, creating an in-house tool allows for more control of the finished product, and having a time line for completion ensures compliance.
A is incorrect, because there is no decision-making process to decide if an external consultant would provide additional value or what the potential return on investment would be.
B is incorrect. Tracking meetings and arbitrarily deciding on a number fail to take into account individual employee development.
D is incorrect. Although the HR manager could be present for these conversations if need be, the managers who specifically have oversight of the employees should have these discussions. Moreover, this would not solve the issue of assisting managers in gaining confidence in having accountability discussions with their employees.

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Rationale

D is the best response. Partnering with management to ensure that they and their team members are aware of training resources helps to confirm that all members of the team are aligned toward the goal and the vision.
A is incorrect. Not creating a supportive environment that ensures the success of employees would result in low morale, low job performance, and failed business goals.
B is incorrect. Simply asking if managers think the description is correct is not an effective method of maintaining job descriptions.
C is incorrect. Reviewing the importance of job descriptions is helpful but does not establish an action plan for accountability or employee success.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions.
An HR consultant receives a phone call from the CFO of a mid-sized family-owned manufacturing company. She states that the company's turnover is nearing 100% in the operations department. Employees are staying an average of 60 to 90 days before leaving. Exit interviews indicate that turnover is due to lack of training. The CFO doesn't understand this data, because all new employees participate in a one-day orientation and an onboarding program.
The consultant further learns that the manager of the operations department has a reputation for being aggressive and direct. The manager, who directly reports to the CEO, has been with the company for ten years and is a good friend of the owners' family. The CFO admits that the manager can be difficult to deal with but nobody says anything because of the manager's strong relationship with the family. She says that while morale is low in the department, the company hasn't conducted an employee survey in at least two years.
The CFO asks the consultant for help in fixing the turnover problem. They discuss various options, including training, coaching, and an employee engagement survey. A minimal budget has been provided to determine which tasks are necessary and to complete them.
The consultant agrees that turnover needs to be addressed quickly. Which are the initial actions they should take to determine the root cause?
Answers

A. Continue discussions with the CFO to further clarify comments about the manager's behaviors.

B. Privately speak to the family owners about their knowledge of the issues.

C. Interview executive staff about operations department results and the manager's performance.

D. Further analyze exit interview information for details about training deficiencies.

The consultant is surprised at how brief the onboarding process is and how it appears to focus more on orientation activities. Which action should the consultant recommend to create a long-term onboarding program?
Answers

A. Provide operations training on equipment to improve skills and enhance individual performance.

B. Maintain the current orientation program, but assign a mentor for new hires' first two weeks.

C. Evaluate and enhance the company's orientation and onboarding program to cover the first 90 days.

D. Offer a management training program that emphasizes interpersonal skills and employee development responsibilities.

The CFO has requested that the consultant administer an employee survey. Which action should the consultant take to determine if a survey would, in fact, be the best step to take at this point?
Answers

A. Use questions from a standard survey.

B. Review past surveys from the organization to benchmark results.

C. Outsource the survey to a firm that is well-known for employee surveys.

D. Request assurance from the entire executive team that action will be taken based on the results of the survey.

The CEO supports the consultant's recommendation to further develop the manager through executive coaching. Which step should the consultant take to gain the manager's support for coaching?
Answers

A. Develop talking points with the CEO to use to discuss the benefits of coaching with the manager.

B. Ask the manager's direct reports to demonstrate their support of coaching by providing positive feedback.

C. Independently advise the manager about the issues and recommend coaching as a way to address them.

D. Talk to the manager's peers to identify situations where he could have behaved in a more effective manner.

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Rationale

D is the best response. Additional analysis may identify relevant information that was missed. The consultant may follow up directly with the participants, who may be more open to talking to an outside consultant than to someone in house.
A is incorrect. The HR consultant has already spoken with the CFO. Something else needs to be done to understand the issue more completely using different data.
B is incorrect. The family that owns the company may not have enough knowledge on an operational level to add input. Moreover, the views of the family could be biased given the close relationship with the operations manager.
C is incorrect. The executive staff may not understand the issue as deeply because they are not working day-to-day in the operations department.

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Rationale

C is the best response. The best way to affect the 60- to 90-day time frame for employees leaving is through an enhanced orientation and formal onboarding program. Although the orientation might last only one day, an onboarding program should extend into the first few months (or longer) of employment and be structured to set the employees up for success and further integrate them into the organizational culture.
A is incorrect. In most cases, the new hire would already have the skills needed to complete the job.
B is incorrect. A mentoring system would add value, but only after the company's overall orientation and onboarding program, which is the root cause of the training issues, is addressed.
D is incorrect. Management training would ensure that all managers receive the same training and are managing their employees in the same way. However, this is not a correct answer to this question, as management training does not directly improve the experience for new hires.

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Rationale

D is the best response. The HR consultant needs to establish expectations that a survey may uncover issues the executive team doesn't know about and it is harmful to ignore them and that the team must act on the results. This approach will establish credibility for the HR consultant and ensure that the survey can propel the company forward. The consultant can also talk with the executive team to determine what information would be important, from their perspective, to collect as part of the survey.
A is incorrect. The survey should be customized to the company's needs.
B is incorrect, because there are no recent past surveys. If surveys were done in the past, they are over two years old and therefore would not have as much impact.
C is incorrect, because the HR consultant does not have the financial resources to hire an outside firm.

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Rationale

A is the best response. The CEO is the manager's direct supervisor and has the authority to approve the expense of coaching and to make a determination if he sees the manager as having issues that need to be addressed. When presenting the solution to the CEO, the HR consultant should create alignment between the behavior and the actions of a senior executive and the organization's goals, strategies, and bottom-line success. Coaching is most successful for executives when it has leadership approval.
B is incorrect. Direct reports of the manager do not need to be consulted in this manner, as they do not have the authority to approve the action. The manager may choose to share the coaching arrangement with direct reports at a later time, but this should be determined by the manager.
C is incorrect. Pressuring the operations manager could initiate resistance and a lack of buy-in. Moreover, the determination on whether coaching is needed should be discussed and approved by the CEO.
D is incorrect. Coaching can be a sensitive subject to some people. Because it can be viewed as a performance improvement initiative, it is best to keep the initial conversations between the CEO and the manager being coached. As coaching commences, the manager may decide to share the arrangement with peers to aid in accountability, but that should be determined by the manager.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 3 questions.
A global consulting firm hires a director of business development from outside the organization, much to the disappointment of one of the managers in the department, who also applied for the position.
This manager complains bitterly about the decision to go outside of the firm, and he continues to exhibit disruptive and angry behavior. He feels that he has been unfairly treated, since he believes that he has more experience than the newly hired director.
Two months later, the new director of business development has made changes that most of her team are quite excited about. Unfortunately, this does not include the disappointed manager. He openly criticizes the director's ideas, even escalating this criticism to the CEO. He comes to HR to discuss his options in the company.
The new director has also come separately to HR regarding the continued hostility from this manager and also about a new employee on the global sales team, who tends to stay to herself and does not interact with the rest of the team. The new sales employee has no problems with attaining her sales goals, but the director does not see her as a "team player" and asks the HR manager for assistance with how best to deal with both of these situations.
What response should the HR manager provide to the disappointed and angry manager?
Answers

A. Acknowledge his viewpoint, and let him vent as much as he needs so that it does not impact his work or damage his credibility.

B. Show empathy for his disappointment, confirm that the process was objective, and provide specific deficiencies from his interview for the job.

C. Indicate that his approach is not acceptable and that this is an example of the type of attitude that led to his not getting the job.

D. Tell him that the process was fair and that if he isn't happy he should consider resigning and going to another organization.

What should the HR manager recommend the director of business development do to build the relationship with the disappointed manager?
Answers

A. Meet with the manager to understand his concerns, explain that bypassing her authority is not acceptable, and encourage him to share his ideas for the benefit of the department.

B. Discipline the manager for going over her head to the CEO and work to promote her ideas even more vigorously with the manager and the rest of the team.

C. Since it is important for the director to have the full trust of her department, she should seek consensus and implement only changes that are fully supported by all team members.

D. In order to avoid conflict, the director should not respond to the criticism but should ask the CEO to deal with the manager on her behalf.

What should HR recommend as the best approach for the director to take in regard to the sales employee keeping to herself?
Answers

A. Spend time with the sales employee, interacting the same way she does with all the other team members.

B. Hold an optional off-site team-building activity inviting the entire team to get to know the sales employee better.

C. Isolate the sales employee to prevent any distractions, so she can concentrate on contacting new and existing clients.

D. HR should talk privately and candidly with the sales employee and explain how her behaviors are impacting the department.

Item ls1-2-2ac

Rationale

B is the best response, as the HR manager shows emotional intelligence in acknowledging that the manager is disappointed with the outcome. She also needs to address his belief that the process was not fair and ensure that the manager understands her role in ensuring consistency. Through feedback about his interview, the manager can gain valuable insight into how he presents himself. The HR manager should also share her recommendation with the interview team and, if needed, provide coaching and/or guidance on how to give unsuccessful candidates developmental feedback (if she has not already done so).
A is incorrect. The role of the HR professional is not that of a counselor. If the employee is having emotional issues in dealing with the fact that he was not selected for the opportunity, the HR manager should consider referring him to the firm's employee assistance program.
C is incorrect. While the HR manager has information as to the outcome, she does not have specific feedback about why this manager was not chosen. Additionally, taking an aggressive approach could cause the situation to escalate unnecessarily.
D is incorrect. This approach is not constructive and could escalate the situation.

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Rationale

A is the best response, as this allows the director to clearly set her expectations in a positive and productive way. If the behavior continues, then she could take additional disciplinary actions.
B is incorrect, as this would be taking a drastic initial step that would not be warranted. If the manager's behavior continues, then the director may want to look at more serious options.
C is incorrect, as the director is the leader of the sales team and she needs to ensure alignment of the sales and organizational strategies.
D is incorrect. The director needs to demonstrate the ability to manage conflict and troublesome employees without the involvement of the CEO.

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Rationale

Rationale
A is the best response, as this allows the director to establish rapport and build a relationship with the new employee in a natural way.
B is incorrect. Since the activity is optional, there is no guarantee that the employee will participate.
C is incorrect, as the director would not be encouraging open communication between the sales employee and the rest of the team, and this may result in a less effective sales team overall.
D is incorrect, as this suggests that the new employee has done something wrong. This is not a way to build the foundation of effective relationships.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 6 questions.
The IT director of a research organization has created an innovative software application that enables researchers around the world to conduct research more efficiently. The application has been a great success; it has won several awards and has received recognition from industry leaders. Over time, the IT director has bragged about the success of the program, stating that no one else could have come up with this idea.
Even though the organization's mission is to be a learning organization with a strong commitment to knowledge sharing, the IT director has refused to share knowledge of the application with anyone else in the organization for fear of losing power and control. The organization's leadership won't confront the IT director about this because there is no contingency plan if the IT director were to get upset and quit. While the IT team reports to the IT director, the IT director has no direct supervisor.
Recently, the HR manager received a verbal complaint that the IT director openly yelled at the IT team during a meeting—intimidating staff and making them feel worthless. Upon examining the issue, the HR manager learns that the IT director constantly overworks employees and treats them in an intimidating manner. The HR manager discovers that the IT director has created a culture of being uncollaborative by explicitly telling the rest of the IT team not to share any of the department's secrets. Furthermore, the IT team has been told to lie about the status of certain projects by stating that work is being done when in fact it is not.
How should the HR manager report these findings to the organization's leadership?
Answers

A. Hold an urgent meeting that includes the leadership and the entire IT department, with the exception of the IT director.

B. Hold a meeting with the IT director and share all of the information.

C. Request that employees send an e-mail directly to the organization's leadership regarding the issues they are having.

D. Request to hold an urgent, face-to-face meeting with leadership, and ask that the details of the meeting remain confidential.

Which solution should the HR manager suggest to reinforce the organization's commitment to being a learning organization?
Answers

A. Encourage the IT team to ignore the IT director and start sharing knowledge with the rest of the team.

B. Request that the leadership hold a company-wide meeting to reiterate the mission of being a learning organization, and build performance metrics and incentives around the mission.

C. Send out a company-wide e-mail acknowledging that the actions of the IT director are not indicative of the organization's mission.

D. Terminate the IT director for creating an environment that is against the company's mission.

Which strategy would help assess and correct the collaboration issues the IT department is facing?
Answers

A. Evaluate work relationships between employees and departments, clarify work expectations and reporting relationships, and assess the gap in operating expectations.

B. Analyze existing resources, job descriptions, and salaries.

C. Design and develop a performance management plan for each employee.

D. Hold a team meeting with the IT department and ask for strategy proposals.

Which key problems affecting the IT department should the HR manager present to the organization's leadership?
Answers

A. Lack of innovation within the IT department

B. Deficiencies in knowledge, skills, and abilities of the employees in the IT department

C. Process-related problems because of inefficient systems

D. Behavioral and cultural problems, specifically related to communication, leader-employee relationships, workplace atmosphere, and collaboration

Based on the initial discoveries of the HR manager, which action(s) should be taken against the IT director?
Answers

A. Terminate the IT director, since policies were violated.

B. Suspend the IT director for two weeks to allow tensions to cool among the staff before his return.

C. Suspend the IT director with pay in order to conduct an investigation, and, based on the investigation, decide whether he should be terminated or put on a performance plan.

D. Suspend the IT director without pay.

Which approach should the HR manager recommend to the organization's leadership to address the IT director's behavior?
Answers

A. Provide both verbal and written feedback to the IT director, hold consistent meetings, stress the importance of accountability, and ensure that the IT director's job description is aligned with the organization's mission.

B. Terminate the IT director to avoid any escalation of complaints, as there is no chance of correcting his behavior.

C. Suggest that someone from the HR team hold a weekly coaching session with the IT director to offer negative feedback.

D. Suggest that someone from the HR team directly manage the performance of the IT director.

Item ls1-6-3ac

Rationale

D is the correct response. Due to the sensitivity of the information, it is best for the HR manager to hold an urgent, face-to-face meeting.
A is incorrect. Employees in the IT department may not be comfortable with discussing these issues in front of leadership due to concerns about confidentiality.
B is incorrect. Unless it is absolutely critical, due to the sensitivity of the information, the HR director should meet with leadership first before meeting with the IT director.
C is incorrect. The employees may not feel comfortable enough to send the complaint directly to the organization's leadership, and it is also the responsibility of the HR manager to assist the employees with these kind of issues.

Item ls1-6-3bc

Rationale

B is the best response, as it is always best for the leadership to demonstrate its commitment to the mission by verbally communicating it to employees and building an environment that encourages it.
A is incorrect. It would be unprofessional and counterproductive to undermine the IT director.
C is incorrect. This would only undermine and embarrass the IT director, and it would create more issues for the organization.
D is incorrect. Terminating the IT director will not solve the issue of collaboration.

Item ls1-6-3cc

Rationale

A is the best response, as this strategy will address the issues around collaboration, interpersonal relationships, and the work expectations of employees.
B is incorrect. Analyzing the use of resources and job descriptions does not address the interpersonal or structural issues.
C is incorrect. Designing and developing a performance management plan for each employee does not address the collaboration issues for the whole department.
D is incorrect. Although this type of forum would allow employees to share concerns, it most likely will not result in strategies to correct the interpersonal and structural issues.

Item ls1-6-3dc

Rationale

D is the best response, as it accurately reflects both the behavioral and cultural challenges the IT department is facing.
A is not a good response. Innovation is not a challenge for the IT department; sharing knowledge and learning is.
C is not a good response, as there are no indications that inefficient systems are a challenge.
B is not a good response, as there are no indications that there are cognitive challenges with anyone in the IT department.

Item ls1-6-3ec

Rationale

C is the best response, as it will allow time for the HR manager to conduct a detailed investigation of the matter without any interruption, distraction, or obstruction from the IT director.
A is incorrect. It would be inappropriate to terminate the IT director without further investigating the initial discoveries and whether they warrant termination.
B is incorrect. It would be inappropriate to suspend the IT director without conducting an investigation and then allow him to return to work without any type of performance improvement plan.
D is incorrect, as it would be inappropriate to suspend the IT director without pay when an investigation has not yet been conducted.

Item ls1-6-3fc

Rationale

A is the correct response, as it has all the required components to correctly manage the performance of the IT director and is aligned with the organization's mission.
B is incorrect. There is no indication that the IT director has ever been properly managed in order to achieve the desired results.
C is incorrect. Any coaching session would have to provide both positive and negative feedback.
D is incorrect. It would be inappropriate for the HR manager to manage the performance of the IT director, as the HR manager is not the supervisor.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions.
A new operations manager is assigned to a cash management operations function in a global wholesale bank. He recently acquired his MBA, and he has decided to use an assembly-line design and apply a total quality management (TQM) approach to increase efficiency at an offshore location. Many of the employees at the offshore location hold advanced degrees from their home countries and have professional-level experience, but because their degrees are not recognized by the bank, they have been assigned to clerical-level positions.
The new manager has implemented his assembly-line approach, and the employees are miserable. They complain to the bank's president, who asks the HR manager to work with the operations manager to implement the change more effectively.
In reviewing the changes that have been implemented, HR can see that the new approach has resulted in impressive business results, increasing the unit's throughput rate and the bottom line. However, the assembly-line element of the new work process means that some employees are only stapling documents together or putting them into a file folder. The work is monotonous and offers little autonomy to the employees. HR also notes that one element of the change is a move to a 24/7 operations schedule. Less desirable shifts offer higher pay, but the operation is still experiencing attendance problems. In addition, injuries that can be attributed to fatigue are increasing. It appears that the 24/7 schedule is causing personal and family issues for the employees.
How should HR respond to the employee complaints?
Answers

A. Communicate directly to the employees, acknowledging their concerns and describing a plan to address them.

B. Urge the manager to avoid the negative outcomes by reverting to the previous operating model.

C. Explain that a change management program will be implemented for the team.

D. With the manager, explain the new business approach to the team and ask them to give it a fair trial for the next three months.

After responding to the complaints, how should HR continue to support the transition to the new approach?
Answers

A. Observe the impact of the responses given to the employees and wait to see if more complaints arise.

B. Write a white paper on HR's recommendations for solving the problems.

C. Recommend a temporary halt to the changes introduced in the unit.

D. Use a data dashboard to show the progress of the change to leadership and communicate regular updates to leadership and employees.

How could HR involve the employees to improve the design of their new roles and increase their satisfaction with their work?
Answers

A. Suggest that assignments on the assembly line be made in a random manner that prevents any appearance of favoritism.

B. Propose that employees rotate through assembly-line positions so no one will be bound to the monotonous elements of the work for too long.

C. Identify the best performers and give them better roles in the assembly-line process, leaving less-skilled and monotonous tasks to the poor performers.

D. Facilitate a focus group with employees to identify alternatives that maintain the bottom-line value of the new initiative while solving complaints of boredom.

Item ls1-15-2ac

Rationale

A is the best answer. Responding directly, honestly, and specifically to the employees is an important step in helping them move forward with the change.
B is incorrect, because the changes are helping the operation become more competitive.
C is incorrect, because it does not acknowledge the team's emotional reactions to the change.
D is incorrect, because the situation requires active management, not just monitoring.

Item ls1-15-2bc

Rationale

D is the best answer. The difficulties of making change can often be overcome by celebrating the positive effects of the change. In this case, the team can see directly the impact of their efforts.
A is incorrect. This is a reactive approach and fails to actively manage the team's response to change.
B is incorrect. This approach fails to capture and leverage evidence related to outcomes. The white paper may be a concluding documentation effort.
C is incorrect. The concept of embedding efficiency in the operations efforts is important, and abandoning the effort will not serve the business well.

Item ls1-15-2cc

Rationale

C is the best answer. This approach recognizes and respects the employees and the issues they have raised by helping them make more informed decisions and build proactive adaptive strategies.
A is incorrect. A reading list would be an appropriate supplement to the orientation program, but alone it is not sufficient to implement the change as swiftly as the business needs.
B is incorrect. Providing tools to be more supportive of some of the business and personal issues will be more important to the overall success and sustainability of the initiative.
D is incorrect. Although employee assistance programs are important, this is a reactive, not proactive, approach and shows little appreciation for the issues raised by the changes in work processes.

Item ls1-15-2dc

Rationale

D is the best answer. It allows the employees to provide input and apply their experience and expertise to create a more sustainable, long-term solution.
A is incorrect. The issue is not favoritism but lack of engagement.
B is incorrect. Job rotation would provide variety, but it would not impact employee satisfaction as it does not allow the employees to participate in designing their jobs.
C is incorrect. Using performance history to assign the roles may create conflicts within the team.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 6 questions.
A company has been giving its employees automatic pay increases annually. Recently, however, production has decreased, resulting in less profit. The president tasks HR with implementing a new goal-oriented pay plan to incentivize employees to increase production.
HR designs a pay-for-performance plan and trains supervisors. HR also sends an e-mail to all employees explaining the change, referring employees with questions to their supervisor.
As part of the new program, goal development is handled by supervisors. However, some supervisors feel that the change in pay philosophy is unnecessary and tell employees that the new pay plan will not work.
Twelve months pass, and, upon review of performance evaluations, HR finds that some appraisals lack goals and do not objectively measure employees' work performance. The results are recommended pay increases that are subjective and unsubstantiated by metrics.
Rumors that pay increases will be provided to employees who are favorites begin to impact morale, and work production continues to decline. Leadership is disappointed with the results of using a pay-for-performance system.
HR is instructed to temporarily revert to the original pay plan and complete a further analysis of its continued viability. Employees are satisfied; however, the reputation of the company and HR has suffered by this rollout, and production has not increased and profits are still low.
Which step should HR have taken to address supervisors who have openly communicated that the new pay plan would not work?
Answers

A. Hold meetings with all supervisors before rolling out the new plan to address their concerns.

B. Meet with the supervisors after the plan is implemented in order to obtain buy-in.

C. Allow supervisors to create their own communication plans to share the details with their employees.

D. Delay rolling out the new plan until all supervisors and workers are on board.

HR still believes that the cause of decreased production is the absence of incentive pay. Which recommendation should the HR manager include in a business case for an incentive pay program that would convince leaders while rebuilding HR's credibility?
Answers

A. Assess the organization's turnover rate along with supervisors' input and employee opinions on exit questionnaires.

B. Gather data on the number of employees, profits for the preceding year, and the current pay structure.

C. Analyze data related to the organization's mission, strategy, goals, size, industry, and location and on talent availability.

D. Review the current payroll budget, the turnover rate, employee input on the pay philosophy, and leadership goals.

The president and the HR manager agree on a 90-day period to address the problems related to workforce morale and the new pay plan. Which is the best first step for the HR manager to identify the root cause of the morale issues in order to develop a plan to address them?
Answers

A. Advise leadership to revert to the original pay plan and communicate to employees the way forward.

B. Research morale at other businesses similar to this company and how they implement change initiatives.

C. Talk with the employees to understand their concerns and how supervisors supported the change efforts.

D. Eliminate the performance appraisals because they have been inaccurate and take time away from production.

Which approach should HR take first to encourage better alignment between the organization and the employees in order for them to accept and sustain the new pay system?
Answers

A. Train supervisors on how to provide feedback and respond to employee dissatisfaction in regard to ratings.

B. Communicate the desired outcomes and company-wide production goals and include the immediate supervisors' input.

C. Publish the compensation philosophy and pay increase matrix to increase understanding of the plan.

D. Identify organizational and departmental goals, specific employee performance and behaviors, and meaningful metrics.

It is discovered that some supervisors are unable to effectively answer employee questions about the new pay plan. Which primary learning activity should the HR manager offer to prepare supervisors for their communication with employees?
Answers

A. Conduct training that includes role playing and different scenarios that could arise in the employee meetings.

B. Provide case studies so supervisors can independently read and answer employee questions about retention and pay-for-performance.

C. Share presentations about survey data and a regression analysis leading to the new pay plan.

D. Participate in difficult performance appraisal meetings with employees and conduct on-the-job training with the supervisors.

Which first step should the HR manager take to change the current perceptions of HR with the company's managers?
Answers

A. Recommend reinstatement of the prior pay plan with minimal communication.

B. Notify all employees about the retraction of the new pay plan to avoid employee complaints and supervisor dissatisfaction.

C. Publish HR's mission, vision, and values statements, HR services, and the names of HR staff and their availability.

D. Communicate the organization's mission, vision, and strategy and HR's role in support of the organization's and employees' success.

Item ls1-4-3ac

Rationale

A is the correct answer, because it addresses the supervisors' concerns directly. In order for the plan to work effectively, supervisors must understand the value of the new program.
B is incorrect. Buy-in from the supervisors should occur prior to the implementation of the pay plan.
C is incorrect. Supervisors can have input into the system but typically do not have expertise in developing incentive plans.
D is incorrect, because it does not address the supervisors' concerns.

Item ls1-4-3bc

Rationale

C is the correct answer, because it considers the key factors critical to pay strategy development in the company's market and helps the company decide whether to lead, match, or lag its competitors. Incentive pay should align the employees' achievements with the organization's targeted objectives.
A, B, and D are incorrect, as they include factors that are irrelevant to developing a pay strategy and may lack all the factors needed to appropriately analyze whether or not to implement incentive pay.

Item ls1-4-3cc

Rationale

C is the correct answer. Direct communication with employees will get to the root of the morale issue.
A is incorrect, because it does not attempt to solve the problem and undermines HR's work.
B is incorrect. The research should be focused on the morale of the employees in this company.
D is incorrect, because it does not directly address the issues of low morale and the new pay plan.

Item ls1-4-3dc

Rationale

D is the correct answer, because it considers all aspects of the pay system and ties individual performance to organizational goals.
A and B are incorrect. Although these components may be included in a pay system, many other items should be included.
C is incorrect. Not all companies include merit increases as part of the pay system, and there are many other items that should be included in the plan related to employee performance and behaviors.

Item ls1-4-3ec

Rationale

A is the correct answer, because it allows participants to practice appropriate behavior and responses for various situations in a safe environment.
B is incorrect. A case study could be helpful in teaching one specific scenario, but it will not prepare supervisors for the variety of questions that employees might ask.
C is incorrect. Regression analysis measures the relationship between variables.
D is incorrect. Once the supervisors are on the job, they need to be already equipped with the answers to questions that the employees might ask. This is not appropriate training for this kind of situation.

Item ls1-4-3fc

Rationale

D is the correct answer, because the organization has been resistant to change and needs new ideas and systems thinking. This expands the employees' and supervisors' perception of goal setting and the role of HR as well as other departments' impact on employees' and the organization's success.
A is incorrect, because failing to communicate any information about the change will likely create more confusion.
C is incorrect, because sharing HR's contact information and role, while helpful, does not address the morale issues or does not help employees and supervisors with the change in the pay plan.
B is incorrect. While it is a short-term response, it does not improve the perception of HR.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 5 questions.
The recruiting department is overwhelmed with requests to hire more employees for a 24-hour company call center. Recently, several recruiters and a number of long-time, high-level performers resigned to work for competitors for better pay. The remaining workforce feels that the work is tedious, the pay is low, the space is noisy, and there are no opportunities for advancement.
A high-volume contract recruiter from a local search firm has been brought in to assist in hiring for the call center vacancies. The contract recruiter sets up a private office and is given system access to all online search engines paid for by the company. The office doubles as an interview room, and the company is charged a finder's fee for each candidate that the call center manager interviews.
The HR manager is alerted in casual conversation with the call center employees that the contract recruiter is the spouse of the call center manager and that several nonqualified candidates have been sent through the interview process at the company's expense.
What should the HR manager do with the information about the contract recruiter?
Answers

A. Hire permanent recruiters through an outside agency.

B. Review the master services agreement with the recruiter's company and audit the candidates presented for interviews to determine any misconduct.

C. Install a surveillance camera in the contract recruiter's office to investigate the allegations.

D. Given the current environment of the company, the HR manager should focus on other concerns instead of the contract recruiter's approach in filling the vacancies.

What can the HR manager do to ensure that only qualified candidates are being selected for the interview process?
Answers

A. Outline detailed job descriptions for each vacancy to include minimum qualifications and requirements and review each candidate's background prior to interview selection.

B. Explain the job requirements and environment and ask whether the candidate can work within those parameters.

C. Explain that there are no promotional possibilities; the job is very boring and the turnover is high.

D. Ask for examples of different call centers the candidate has contacted on a personal basis to get a better understanding of his or her experience.

What is the best solution the HR manager can suggest to address turnover?
Answers

A. Survey the employees to determine if on-site day care is of interest to permit working parents to bring their children to work.

B. Create a new career path within the organizational structure that will give the employees opportunities for promotion and develop them into future supervisors.

C. Rotate employees on different shifts so they will be able to work with other team members and will not become bored.

D. The HR manager really can't offer creative solutions that will reduce turnover; therefore, the manager should focus on recruiting new talent.

How might the HR manager quickly address compensation to assist with retention?
Answers

A. Increase the opportunity for telecommuting for all employees at all times.

B. Based on local regulations, award premium pay for evening, holiday, and long hours.

C. Outsource the entire call center to save costs to the business.

D. Hire temporary workers to fill the gap in the short term.

How should the HR manager respond to the report about the contract recruiter's relationship with the call center manager?
Answers

A. Ask the contract recruiter what information is being shared at home.

B. Do a follow-up exit interview with all employees who left during the past year asking how they found their new positions.

C. Have the IT department monitor the contract recruiter's computer to audit the recruiter's work activity and confirm that it's not for another organization.

D. Talk with the contract recruiter and share that the company is aware of the personal relationship that creates a conflict of interest.

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Rationale

B is the best answer. It is important to understand the terms and conditions of the recruiting firm's contract prior to taking any action.
A is incorrect. While hiring through an agency is always an option, by itself this will not prevent the appearance of misconduct.
C is incorrect. This would show only what is happening in the office and is not a proactive solution.
D is incorrect. Misconduct should always be a concern for the company, no matter what the environment is.

Item ls1-7-4bc

Rationale

A is the best response. Understanding the job qualifications and requirements is important prior to candidate selection to ensure a fair and objective interview process.
B is incorrect. Asking candidates if they can work within the parameters does not mean that they meet the minimum qualifications of the job.
C is incorrect. Many call center employees do not feel that their jobs are boring. Providing purely negative information does not give a balanced view, and recruiting success will be greatly diminished.
D is incorrect. Being on the customer side of a phone call is not an adequate qualification or requirement for the role.

Item ls1-7-4dc

Rationale

B is the best response. Introducing supervisor roles would respond to the employee comments that there is no room for advancement and would motivate employees to grow into new tasks, which also addresses the feedback about the work being tedious.
A is incorrect. While this might be one benefit that some employees appreciate, it does not address the specific issues raised by those leaving the call center. Furthermore, it would take a lot of time and money to implement.
C is incorrect. Requiring employees to rotate shifts does not change the work environment and may cause more dissatisfaction with employees.
D is incorrect. No matter what the business environment is, the HR manager should always attempt to offer creative solutions that will improve the company.

Item ls1-7-4ec

Rationale

B is the best response, as it is immediate. Premium pay for additional hours worked may be awarded depending on country or local laws and regulations.
A is incorrect. This would not address the issue of compensation.
C is incorrect. Outsourcing is a strategy for call centers, but this does not address the question of compensation.
D is incorrect, as it does not address the question.

Item ls1-7-4fc

Rationale

D is the best response. The personal relationship between the contract recruiter and the call center manager is a conflict of interest and should be addressed immediately.
A is incorrect. The discussion of the candidates by the recruiter and call center manager is not the issue. The issue is that the relationship has interfered with oversight of the recruiter's performance. This is the real issue, the conflict of interest.
B is incorrect. This would provide no insight into the contract recruiter's behavior in recruiting new talent.
C is incorrect. Although the IT department can monitor company computers legally, there is no indication that the recruiter is using the computer for activity other than for the company.

Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions.
An HR manager receives a call from an employee who indicates that he feels harassed and needs to talk to someone immediately. The employee alleges that his supervisor treats him differently. He also accuses his supervisor of logging onto his computer and making program changes and sending inappropriate messages to others. When HR asks for proof, the employee indicates that all evidence has been deleted by the supervisor. The employee also shares his belief that other employees, including the marketing manager, are trying to discredit him. The employee further accuses the supervisor of making sexual advances toward him.
HR's speaks with the supervisor, who reports that there have been problems with the employee for some time. There have been several warnings, and the employee's behavior is becoming more erratic. The supervisor wants to proceed with termination of the employee. She is concerned that if nothing happens she will see high-performing employees leave. The HR manager mentions the accusations of harassment. The supervisor angrily yells "This employee is crazy!" and storms out of the HR manager's office.
The employee leaves work at the end of his shift, gets into a car accident, and sustains minor injuries that will cause several days of absence from work. As proof of temporary disability, he forwards the physician's notes. The notes, however, also refer to symptoms of mental illness.
What is the best response the HR manager should provide to the supervisor's request to terminate the employee?
Answers

A. Proceed with the next step in the disciplinary process, termination, but do not share the employee's allegations.

B. Explain to the supervisor that she is busy this week but will help her with the request next week.

C. Meet the supervisor halfway in her request and suspend the employee until more information is obtained.

D. Tell the supervisor that allegations have been made by the employee and HR must wait for the outcome of the investigation.

What corrective action should the HR manager recommend be taken in reference to the patient information included by mistake in the physician's notes?
Answers

A. Hold the information in a special file so it will be readily accessible if needed in the future.

B. Report to the physician that health information was inappropriately disclosed and request an amended report.

C. Include the information in the investigation, as it is critical to the investigation's outcome.

D. Send a copy of the note to the physician's office and request that they be careful next time.

Three employees have now come forward indicating that if they are forced to work with the employee making the accusations, they will quit. What is the best first step the HR manager should take to prevent this from happening?
Answers

A. Ask specific questions of the three employees to determine if investigating their concerns is warranted.

B. Send the employees back to work, as the employees have no right to threaten that they will resign.

C. Agree with the employees and advise them that the employee making the accusations will be soon be terminated.

D. Tell the employees about the issues going on and suggest that the concerns are due to the employee's medical condition.

What approach should the HR manager take to address the supervisor's outburst during the initial conversation?
Answers

A. Immediately send her home for the rest of the day because of the inappropriate actions.

B. Follow the supervisor and confront her promptly about her outburst.

C. Arrange to meet with the supervisor at a later time and in private to address her outburst.

D. Ignore the supervisor's reaction, attributing it to stress from the situation.

Item ls1-8-2bc

Rationale

D is the best response, as the manager is being transparent with the supervisor as to why termination would not be the best approach to take. It is HR's ethical and legal responsibility to investigate these charges before terminating the employee, even for documented performance issues. Termination at this point would also make the employer vulnerable to charges of retaliation.
A is incorrect, as a termination at this point would create the appearance of retaliation and would pose a legal risk for the employer.
B is incorrect, as being untruthful is not the ethical or courageous approach.
C is incorrect. No actions should take place until the outcome of the investigation is determined.

Item ls1-8-2cc

Rationale

B is the best response, as it not only removes the information from the possession of the company but also allows for the health-care provider to be aware of their mistake and to correct future deficiencies in safeguarding patient information.
A and C are incorrect, as the information may be irrelevant to the matter being investigated. This information should not be retained or kept, as it has the potential to put the company at risk of having information that was not properly disclosed or authorized by the employee.
D is incorrect. The document should be destroyed, and the physician's office should be informed of the incident. Faxing a copy of the document or creating any other copies of it could have legal implications.

Item ls1-8-2dc

Rationale

A is the best response, as the manager needs to understand whether there are issues to investigate or if the issues are indeed with the employee making the accusations. Without the additional information, the manager will not be able to effectively resolve any conflicts in the workplace.
B is incorrect. The manager needs to demonstrate that she values and respects the feedback of all employees by listening to their input, asking questions, and investigating claims when warranted.
C is incorrect, because the manager should not agree to specific demands made by employees without investigating first.
D is incorrect, since this would be disclosing personal information about employees, which may violate specific laws or legislation.

Item ls1-8-2ec

Rationale

C is the best response, as the manager needs to address the interaction with the supervisor in a private manner. Given the supervisor's behavior, the manager should most likely let the supervisor collect herself and then address the behavior in private, outlining the specific ways the supervisor should have behaved.
A is incorrect. This reactive approach could further escalate the matter. The manager should wait for a period of time, discuss the outburst in private, and, based on that conversation, determine what actions are needed.
B is incorrect. By following the supervisor, the manager could cause additional negative reactions. Waiting for a short period of time is a better approach to addressing a highly emotional situation so that individuals can be better focused.
D is incorrect, as not addressing the behavior suggests that it is acceptable.

Identify risks, develop plan, test and drill, evaluate.

Item lsna-19-249

Rationale

The basic steps in planning to respond to a crisis are identifying and analyzing risks (e.g., a pandemic), planning to manage the possible outcomes if the risk event occurs (e.g., cross-training and remote work procedures), testing and drilling (e.g., a table-top exercise in which a department's plan is "invoked" and examined for effectiveness, thoroughness, and employee understanding), and evaluation of the plan to improve its effectiveness and applicability to emerging threats).

To encourage a move away from identity groups to a more conceptual perspective of diversity, Gardenswartz and Rowe discuss which four dimensions of diversity?
Answers

Global, national, community, and family

Gender, race, ethnicity, and religion

Society, community, family, and personality

Organizational, external, internal, and personality

Which key problems affecting the IT department should the HR manager present to the organization's leadership?

Which is the best first step in preparing for an HR audit?

Which best describes the relationship of the strategic planning process to the environmental scan?

What should the HR manager recommend the director of business development do to build the relationship with the disappointed manager?