5. Managing the Workplace Environment

Question 1

What is employee alignment?

Answer 1

Linking organisational goals to employee’s personal goals in order to reach higher engagement and satisfaction

Question 2

What are the two influencing factors on employee alignment?

Answer 2

Management style and organisational culture

Question 3

What was Drucker’s contribution to employee engagement theory?

Answer 3

Management by Objectives

Question 4

What are the 4 areas of objective setting according to Drucker?

Answer 4

1. Profitability
2. Management performance
3. Worker performance
4. Public responsibility

Question 5

What was Kaplan and Norton’s contribution to employee objectives theory?

Answer 5

The balanced scorecard

Question 6

What are the 4 key areas of the balanced scorecard?

Answer 6

1. Financial
2. Customer
3. Internal process
4. Innovation and learning

Question 7

What are the 4 steps in management people performance?

Answer 7

1. Identify assessment criteria
2. Agree performance levels
3. Monitor and control
4. Periodic appraisals

Question 8

What is an appraisal?

Answer 8

A systematic review and assessment of an employee’s performance, potential and training needs

Question 9

What are the 3 purposes of appraisal?

Answer 9

1. Reward review
2. Performance review
3. Potential review

Question 10

What is the critical factor in appraisal?

Answer 10

Feedback

Question 11

What are the 3 formats of appraisal?

Answer 11

1. Manager led
2. Self led
3. Multi source (360)

Question 12

What are 6 reasons that appraisal may be ineffective?

Answer 12

1. Confrontational
2. Judgmental
3. Seen as an informal chat
4. Seen as a bureaucratic step
5. Only an annual exercise
6. Focus on recent events

Question 13

What are the 4 categories of performance based reward?

Answer 13

1. Performance related pay (commission or bonus)
2. Profit based approaches (year end bonus)
3. Equity based approaches (shares)
4. Non financial (job titles, thank yous)

Question 14

What are the 2 options when employee performance is poor?

Answer 14

Improved performance plan or termination

Question 15

What is concillation?

Answer 15

Parties meet for informal discussion to resolve a dispute

Question 16

What is mediation?

Answer 16

A mediator is provided to hear the dispute and make recommendations

Question 17

What is arbitration?

Answer 17

An arbitrator is appointed to make binding rules

Question 18

What are the generally accepted steps of escalating poor employee performance or behaviour?

Answer 18

Informal warning, formal warning, final written warning, suspension, dismissal

Question 19

What are the 5 best practices for managers in relation to the disciplinary process?

Answer 19

1. Ensure staff are familiar with the process
2. Act quickly and decisively
3. Be consistent
4. Remain impersonal
5. Respect privacy

Question 20

What are the generally accepted steps of reporting a grievance?

Answer 20

Sound out to a colleague or rep, raise the issue with line manager, go to higher manager or HR, internal grievance procedure, industrial tribunal

Question 21

What is mentouring?

Answer 21

The long term passing of support, guidance and advice from a more experienced colleague

Question 22

What are the 4 key benefits of mentoring to the organisation?

Answer 22

1. Faster career progression
2. Improved motivation
3. Significant impact on retention
4. More effective succession planning

Question 23

What are the 4 key benefits of mentoring to the mentee?

Answer 23

1. Knowledge and behavioural improvements
2. Better management of career goals
3. Developing wider network
4. Increased confidence

Question 24

What is coaching?

Answer 24

The passing on of skills and knowledge in a supportive and collaborative environment

Question 25

What are the 4 main rights of the employee in relation to health and safety?

Answer 25

1. Provide a safe work environment 2. Communicate H&S policy to staff 3. Ensure training 4. Risk assess all hazards

Question 26

What are the employees responsibilities in regards to health and safety? (4)

Answer 26

1. Take care of themselves and others 2. Use equipment properly 3. Inform the employer of danger 4. Keep work areas safe and tidy

Question 27

What is direct discrimination?

Answer 27

If a person treats someone less favourably than they would another because of characteristics they hold

Question 28

What is indirect discrimination?

Answer 28

When an organisation makes a decision or puts in place a particular policy or practise, which, on the face of it appears to treat everyone equally, but which in practise leads to people from a protected group being treated less favourable than other people

Question 29

What is wrongful dismissal?

Answer 29

If the employer breaches contract, e.g. dismissal without giving notice period

Question 30

What are the damages for wrongful dismissal?

Answer 30

The difference between actual and contractual dismissal period

Question 31

What is constructive dismissal?

Answer 31

The employee feels forced to resign

Question 32

What is unfair dismissal?

Answer 32

When the employer does not act reasonably e.g. union related, pregnancy, unfair selection for redundancy

Question 33

What 5 reasons might count as fair dismissal?

Answer 33

1. Lack of capability 2. Misconduct 3. Redundancy 4. Following fairly applied disciplinary procedure 5. Failing to carry out reasonable orders

Question 34

What is organisational culture?

Answer 34

The specific collection of values and norms that re shared by people and groups in an organisation that control the way they interact

Question 35

What are organisational values?

Answer 35

Beliefs relating to the goals an organisation should pursue, and the way in which organisational members should behave

Question 36

What are Schein's 4 levels of culture?

Answer 36

1. Artefacts 2. Values 3. Assumptions (deepest level) 4. Norms