Managing-Human-Capital Questions and Answers

Unionized workers often enjoy stronger benefit protections because benefits are negotiated and formalized through collective bargaining agreements. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler,guaranteed pensions, particularly defined benefit pension plans, are typically more secure for unionized employees than for nonunionized employees.

Unions have historically prioritized retirement security and have negotiated pension plans that guarantee a specific retirement benefit based on factors such as years of service and earnings. These benefits are legally binding components of labor contracts and cannot be easily altered or eliminated by employers without union agreement.

In contrast, benefits such as merit pay, individual bonuses, and even 401(k) plans are more commonly used in nonunionized environments and are often discretionary or subject to market performance. Dessler explains that many employers have shifted away from guaranteed pensions for nonunion employees due to cost and risk, while unions continue to protect these benefits for their members.

Thus, the benefit that is typically more secure for unionized workers isguaranteed pensions.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Labor Relations and Employee Benefits

According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, employers are legally required to report serious workplace incidents to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within a specified time frame. OSHA regulations mandate that an employer must notify OSHAwithin 8 hoursof a workplace fatality or whenthree or more employees are hospitalizedas a result of a work-related incident.

This reporting requirement is part of OSHA’s broader mission to ensure safe and healthy working conditions by allowing the agency to investigate severe incidents promptly. Timely reporting enables OSHA to assess hazards, enforce safety standards, and prevent similar incidents in the future. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements can result in significant penalties and legal consequences for employers.

Dessler emphasizes that managers must be familiar with OSHA notification rules as part of their responsibility for employee safety and health. Immediate reporting reflects an organization’s commitment to legal compliance and reinforces the importance of maintaining a safe workplace. Therefore, the correct answer is8 hours.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Safety and Health

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits employers from requesting, requiring, or purchasing genetic information about an applicant or an employee, which includes family medical history. The act aims to prevent discrimination based on genetic information in both health insurance and employment. The recruiter's request for information about the applicant’s medical conditions and those of their family members directly violates GINA.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website

Disparate Treatment:This involves deliberate discrimination where an individual is treated differently based on a protected characteristic (e.g., race, gender, age).

Intentionality:The key aspect of disparate treatment is the intent to discriminate.

Adverse Impact:Also known as disparate impact, this occurs when a policy or practice that appears neutral results in a disproportionate negative effect on a protected group.

Unintentional Discrimination:Adverse impact does not require intent to discriminate, only that the outcome of a practice is discriminatory.

Legal Standards:Both concepts are critical in employment law and are evaluated under different standards of proof and remediation.

Askills inventoryis a database or record of employees’ current skills, abilities, experiences, education, and qualifications. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, maintaining accurate skills inventories is especially valuable forworkforce redeployment efforts.

Dessler explains that organizations use skills inventories to match employees with internal job openings, project assignments, or new roles when business needs change. During restructuring, downsizing, or strategic shifts, skills inventories allow management to identify employees who can be reassigned or retrained rather than laid off. This supports internal mobility, reduces turnover costs, and preserves organizational knowledge.

Skills inventories are not primarily used for voluntary termination practices or legal hiring procedures. While they may indirectly support staffing decisions, they are far more critical for internal workforce planning than for external sourcing. External sourcing focuses on recruiting talent from outside the organization, whereas skills inventories emphasize maximizing the use of existing human capital.

Therefore, the activity most directly benefited by maintaining skills inventories isworkforce redeployment efforts.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Workforce Planning, Succession Planning, and Talent Management

Inclusion in the workplace refers to creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and have equal access to opportunities and resources. An inclusive scenario is one where team members collaborate, and everyone's ideas and contributions are considered. This encourages a sense of belonging and leverages the diverse perspectives of the entire team, leading to enhanced innovation and team performance. The given example demonstrates this by showing a department where collaboration and open sharing of ideas are practiced.

A procedure explains how to apply company guidelines to accomplish a task through a sequence of steps. It is more detailed than a policy and provides the exact steps to follow in order to ensure consistency and efficiency in task completion.

Situational interview questions are designed to assess how candidates would handle hypothetical scenarios related to the job. The question "How would you handle a scenario in which you are asked to do something that goes against company policy?" requires the candidate to demonstrate their problem-solving abilities, ethical judgment, and adherence to organizational rules. This type of question helps employers gauge a candidate's potential behavior and decision-making skills in challenging situations.

Human resource planning is a critical function of human resource management that involves forecasting an organization’s future human resource needs and planning for how to meet those needs. This includes designing jobs and workspaces for optimal efficiency, ensuring the right number of employees with the right skills are in place, and aligning human resources with the organization's strategic goals. This planning ensures the organization can meet its future demands and remain competitive.

Human Resource Planning, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website

Reducing voluntary turnover requires organizations to understand why employees leave and what factors influence their decision to stay. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, an effectiveretention strategyis toconduct employee satisfaction surveys. These surveys help management identify issues related to pay, supervision, workload, career development, and work environment before dissatisfaction leads to resignation.

Dessler explains that voluntary turnover is often avoidable when organizations proactively listen to employees and address concerns early. Satisfaction surveys provide actionable data that enable HR managers to implement targeted interventions such as improving leadership practices, adjusting compensation, or enhancing work–life balance initiatives.

In contrast, sourcing internal or external candidates focuses on staffing and replacement rather than retention. Monitoring performance trends for merit pay relates to compensation management but does not directly uncover reasons employees may leave. Therefore, the most effective retention-focused strategy listed isconducting employee satisfaction surveys.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Retention and Turnover Management

Definition of Affirmative Action:Affirmative action involves proactive efforts to improve employment or educational opportunities for underrepresented groups.

Outreach Programs:Establishing outreach programs specifically targeted at protected groups is a clear example of affirmative action, as it aims to address and reduce disparities in workforce representation.

Legal and Ethical Mandates:Such programs are often required by law for certain employers, especially federal contractors, and demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Impact on Workforce Diversity:These initiatives can lead to a more diverse and inclusive workplace, which can enhance organizational culture and performance.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 establishes several key labor standards, including a national minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor regulations. The FLSA is administered by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor and ensures that workers receive fair compensation and that minors are protected in the workplace.

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) website

Organizational commitment is commonly categorized into affective, continuance, and normative commitment. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler,continuance commitmentrefers to an employee’s attachment to an organization based on theperceived costs associated with leaving, rather than emotional attachment or moral obligation.

Employees with continuance commitment remain because they believe leaving would result in significant economic or social losses, such as loss of salary, benefits, retirement plans, seniority, or difficulty finding comparable employment. Dessler explains that this type of commitment is calculated and cost-based; employees stay not because they want to or feel they ought to, but because they feel they have to.

Close relationships and strong identification with organizational values reflect affective commitment, while moral or ethical obligation reflects normative commitment. Since the question specifically refers to continuance commitment, the correct explanation is theperceived economic or social costs of leaving.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Engagement and Organizational Commitment

Job analysis is a systematic process that involves identifying and documenting the essential tasks, responsibilities, and behaviors required for a job. It also assesses the qualifications, skills, and knowledge needed to perform those tasks effectively. The outcome of a job analysis includes detailed job descriptions and specifications, which are used for various HR functions such as recruitment, selection, training, performance appraisal, and compensation.

"Job and Work Analysis: Methods, Research, and Applications for Human Resource Management" by Michael T. Brannick, Edward L. Levine, and Frederick P. Morgeson

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) guidelines on job analysis

Person-organization fit refers to the compatibility between an employee and the organization in terms of values, beliefs, and culture. An employee who demonstrates a strong person-organization fit shows deep commitment to the organization, aligning their personal values with the company’s mission and culture. This commitment often leads to higher job satisfaction, better performance, and lower turnover rates.

"Organizational Behavior" by Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge

Articles on person-organization fit from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Pay-for-performance plans link employee compensation directly to individual or organizational performance outcomes. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, a key advantage of pay-for-performance systems is that they serve as apositive reinforcement method, encouraging employees to perform at higher levels by rewarding desired behaviors and results.

Dessler explains that when employees clearly understand that superior performance leads to tangible rewards such as bonuses, incentives, or merit pay, they are more likely to align their efforts with organizational goals. This reinforcement strengthens the connection between effort and reward, increasing motivation and accountability.

Pay-for-performance does not primarily focus on tenure or knowledge alone, nor does it rely on intrinsic motivation, which comes from internal satisfaction rather than external rewards. Instead, it leverages extrinsic rewards to motivate performance improvements. Therefore, the primary advantage highlighted in human capital management literature is its role as apositive reinforcement mechanism.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Incentive Pay and Employee Motivation