Chapter 1 Personnel Management

Question 1

A manager

Answer 1

focuses on both operations of the facility as a whole plus the larger institutional environment beyond the facility.

Question 2

A supervisor

Answer 2

implements the manager’s decisions and focuses internally within the facility on tasks, resources, and personnel.

Question 3

Management involves many activities

Answer 3

planning,
organizing,
staffing,
managing, and
monitoring.

Question 4

flat organizational structure

Answer 4

minimal levels of management

Question 5

Goal setting is a three-step process

Answer 5

Identify the goal.
Decide on a strategy to achieve the goal.
Determine the allocation of resources to attain the goal.

Question 6

Hard skills

Answer 6

are those that relate to specific experience learning or performing a task, i.e., the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the candidate to perform the job.

Question 7

Soft skills

Answer 7

are those that relate to interpersonal skills, communication styles, and other behaviors that are associated with a candidate’s emotional intelligence quotient.

Question 8

cost to replace an employee

Answer 8

is estimated at 20% of the employee’s annual salary.

Question 9

t or f: paying employees well is the only way to keep them productive.

Answer 9

false. refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for other methods.

Question 10

t or f: delegation is a way of deciding which jobs must be done first.

Answer 10

false. prioritizing is a way of deciding which jobs must be done first.

Question 11

the first step in a progressive discipline program is often a _____ warning.

Answer 11

verbal

Question 12

employee recognition programs meet which of the needs on Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs?

Answer 12

esteem

Question 13

what are the three steps of the goal setting process?

Answer 13

select goal, decide course of action to reach goal, allocate resources

Question 14

The ability to maintain a good rapport with upper management and outside agencies represents what
type of skill?
a. Technical skills
b. People skills
c. Conceptual skills
d. Communication skills

Answer 14

b. People skills

Question 15

The ability to clearly relate the facility’s goals to the staff is an example of which type of skills?

a. People skills
b. Communication skills
c. Conceptual skills
d. Technical skills

Answer 15

b. Communication skills

Question 16

The ability to plan steps for achieving long-range goals is an example of what kind of managerial skills?

a. People skills
b. Technical skills
c. Conceptual skills
d. Communication skills

Answer 16

c. Conceptual skills

Question 17

Who usually establishes most of the unit’s goals?

a. Upper-level management
b. Animal facility manager
c. Animal facility staff
d. The Human Resources department

Answer 17

a. Upper-level management

Question 18

Which is a step involved in goal-setting?

a. Monitoring worker productivity in goal-related tasks
b. Tracking the expenses related to the goal
c. Deciding what resources are needed to reach the goal
d. Reviewing and revising job descriptions

Answer 18

c. Deciding what resources are needed to reach the goal

Question 19

Once a goal is established for the unit, which of the following tasks should the manager consider first?

a. Reporting task results to upper management
b. Dividing the work in job-specific tasks
c. Assessing organizational perceptions of the goals
d. Scheduling vacations

Answer 19

b. Dividing the work in job-specific tasks

Question 20

Developing a reporting structure can be classified as what kind of activity?

a. Organizing
b. Disciplining
c. Staffing
d. Motivating

Answer 20

a. Organizing

Question 21

What is the recommended order of steps in hiring staff?

a. Recruiting, interviewing, developing a job description, hiring
b. Recruiting, developing a job description, interviewing, hiring
c. Developing a job description, recruiting, interviewing, hiring
d. Recruiting, interviewing, hiring, developing a job description.

Answer 21

c. Developing a job description, recruiting, interviewing, hiring

Question 22

Which law or regulation has an impact on employment practices?

a. Civil Rights Act
b. Animal Welfare Act
c. OSHA regulations
d. Good Laboratory Practices

Answer 22

a. Civil Rights Act

Question 23

Which of the following represents a good people management practice?
a. Make sure all salaries are competitive to those of other nearby institutions.
b. Balance the needs of the employees with the needs of the institution.
c. Give your staff a sense of “ownership” by letting them decide which tasks need to be done and
when.
d. Create a fun work environment for the employees in your area.

Answer 23

b. Balance the needs of the employees with the needs of the institution.

Question 24

In which level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs would you place providing well-maintained equipment?

a. Physiological needs
b. Safety needs
c. Aesthetic needs
d. Self-actualization

Answer 24

b. Safety needs

Question 25

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, giving an employee a promotion would help satisfy which of
the following needs?
a. Belonging and social needs
b. Physiological needs
c. Esteem needs
d. Transcendence

Answer 25

c. Esteem needs

Question 26

According to Maslow, building up team spirit by organizing an employee athletic program can help meet
which of the following needs?
a. Physiological needs
b. Belonging and social needs
c. Esteem needs
d. Transcendence

Answer 26

b. Belonging and social needs

Question 27

What best describes the “mirror principle?”

a. Your staff members generally react toward you the way you act toward them.
b. You should expect your staff to be willing to do what you are willing to do.
c. Preconceived notions about a staff member are often wrong.
d. You should try to get to know your staff in order to understand their needs.

Answer 27

a. Your staff members will generally react toward you the way you act toward them.

Question 28

For an employee to learn to do a new task, the supervisor should:

a. Do the task several times before letting the employee do it.
b. Explain and demonstrate how to do the task, and then let the employee practice doing it.
c. Ask the employee to develop the SOP while learning the task.
d. Give the employee the SOP and let him practice on his/her own.

Answer 28

b. Explain and demonstrate how to do the task, and then let the employee practice doing it.

Question 29

Which statement represents the type of comment the supervisor should use in commenting on a
completed task?
a. “Not bad, but you could do better the next time with this other disinfectant.”
b. “The job was okay, but you used the wrong disinfectant.”
c. “You did a good job cleaning. Next time use the other disinfectant.”
d. “Please use the right disinfectant next time, or I will have to discipline you.”

Answer 29

c. “You did a good job cleaning. Next time use the other disinfectant.”

Question 30

What are the three types of feedback that are recommended for employee performance evaluations?

a. Technical, conceptual, and administrative
b. Monthly, semi-annually, and annually
c. Informal (ongoing), periodic, and annual
d. Individual, group, and institutional

Answer 30

c. Informal (ongoing), periodic, and annual

Question 31

What statement best applies to ongoing evaluations?

a. They should be limited to positive feedback.
b. They are conducted during staff meetings.
c. They should focus mainly on future goals.
d. They should focus on the work performed rather than the person.

Answer 31

d. They should focus on the work performed rather than the person.

Question 32

Planning your work by prioritizing your activity into levels of "must do, should do, nice to do is a function
of what management tool?
a. Material management
b. Personnel management
c. Time management
d. Expense management

Answer 32

c. Time management

Question 33

Which practice results in fewer employees leaving incomplete projects at the end of the day?

a. Using flextime work schedules
b. Allowing for some unscheduled time
c. Ensuring that employees work a full 8 hours
d. All of the above

Answer 33

b. Allowing for some unscheduled time

Question 34

What should you do before changing workloads?

a. Document the tasks currently being done.
b. Ask lots of people for advice.
c. Explain to the staff why current workloads are being modified.
d. Hire additional staff.

Answer 34

c. Explain to the staff why current workloads are being modified.

Question 35

Too few cages available on Monday morning is an example of:

a. Distribution of animals within the facility.
b. Misuse of equipment.
c. Defining the work.
d. Physical limitation of facility resources.

Answer 35

d. physical limitation of facility resources.

Question 36

How do you best motivate someone working for you?

a. Talk to them about their performance and personal goals.
b. Pay them more money.
c. Give them a defined list of tasks that never changes.
d. Ensure that employees work a full 8 hours.

Answer 36

a. Talk to them about their performance and personal goals.

Question 37

What is the most efficient way to manage your “to do” list?

a. Work your way down the list throughout the day.
b. Get the quick and easy items done first and off the list.
c. Set a goal to accomplish 3 things per hour.
d. Complete high priority items first.

Answer 37

d. Complete high priority items first.

Question 38

Which statement is the best example of how to provide feedback to an employee about a job well
done?
a. “You did a great job today! Please do it again tomorrow.”
b. “You were very good at choosing only the cages that needed changing today.”
c. “You did so well today that I’m going to give you 3 times that many tomorrow.”
d. “You finished that room pretty quickly, didn’t you?”

Answer 38

b. “You were very good at choosing only the cages that needed changing today.”

Question 39

Which statement is a good example of separating the person from the behavior?

a. “You could have done a better job in the mouse room.”
b. “You should learn to work harder.”
c. “I like how you are easy to work with.”
d. “The left wall is not clean in this rabbit room.”

Answer 39

d. “The left wall is not clean in this rabbit room.”

Question 40

In the long run, what is the best way to encourage two people to resolve an interpersonal conflict?

a. Assign them to work together until they learn to get along.
b. Speak to each one separately and note it on their record.
c. Change their assignments so they will no longer have to work together.
d. Have them describe specific examples to each other to work out the problem together.

Answer 40

d. Have them describe specific examples of their concerns to each other to try to work out the problem
together.

Question 41

Which statement is an example of good feedback?

a. “Next time please put down the stack gently so they won’t develop cracks.”
b. “Stop handling the cages so roughly please.”
c. “We’re not allowed to handle cages roughly.”
d. “These cages are cracked because you handle them too roughly.”

Answer 41

a. “Next time please put down the stack gently so they won’t develop cracks.”

Question 42

Which elements describe a good performance standard?

a. Specific, measurable, attainable
b. General, clear, doable
c. Pertinent, realistic, challenging
d. Nonspecific, understandable, easily accomplished

Answer 42

a. Specific, measurable, attainable

Question 43

Which question is acceptable to ask in an interview?

a. “Can you lift a 50 pound bag?”
b. “Do you have any handicaps that would prevent you from doing this job?”
c. “Where will you send your children for daycare?”
d. “Will you require any special religious holidays off?”

Answer 43

a. “Can you lift a 50 pound bag?”

Question 44

1. What should be done before terminating an employee?
   a. You must check with the public relations department to make sure it is okay.
   b. The reason must be clearly documented in the employee’s record.
   c. Follow each step of progressive discipline, no matter what the offense.
   d. The employee should be given the option to leave voluntarily.

Answer 44

b. The reason must be clearly documented in the employee’s record.

Question 45

What is the purpose of organizing in facility management?

a. To create a structure for coordinating resources to reach goals.
b. To ensure staff satisfaction.
c. To manage finances of the facility.
d. To develop goals and objectives.

Answer 45

a. To create a structure for coordinating resources to reach goals.

Question 46

What is the key to providing job variety in a facility?

a. The skill level of the employees
b. Rotating shifts
c. Flexibility in work assignments
d. The number of employees working each shift

Answer 46

c. Flexibility in work assignments

Question 47

Which definition best describes management?

a. The process of ensuring that the organization meets all relevant guidelines.
b. The process of planning so that the organization stays within its budget as it provides services.
c. The process of establishing standard procedures to run an organization efficiently.
d. The process of achieving goals by coordinating resources.

Answer 47

d. The process of achieving goals by coordinating resources.

Question 48

Which task is not a function of management?

a. Planning
b. Monitoring
c. Advocating
d. Organizing

Answer 48

c. Advocating

Question 49

As a supervisor, which of the following would be expected as part of your job duties?

a. Provide feedback up and down the organizational chain about goals and how to reach them.
b. Establish goals for the organization on a quarterly basis.
c. Prepare the overall budget for the organization.
d. Decide what types of animals the facility will house and how many.

Answer 49

a. Provide feedback up and down the organizational chain about goals and how to reach them.

Question 50

What is a major problem that a new supervisor often faces when organizing workloads?

a. Finding the correct SOPs.
b. Trying to distribute the workload equitably among the staff.
c. Establishing goals for the unit.
d. Developing time keeping procedures.

Answer 50

b. Trying to distribute the workload equitably among the staff.

Question 51

What is a good way to ensure that weekend work assignments are covered and do not cause
resentment among the staff?
a. Wait to post the schedule until a few days before it starts.
b. Reorganizing the schedule so that no animal care is needed on weekends
c. Rotating the weekend work assignments among the employees
d. Hiring part time employees to cover the weekend work

Answer 51

c. Rotating the weekend work assignments among the employees

Question 52

What is an example of “job variety”?

a. The use of compensatory time
b. Training for new skills
c. Receiving ongoing feedback
d. Periodic retraining

Answer 52

b. Training for new skills

Question 53

What purpose does the establishment of personal goals serve?

a. They can enhance job satisfaction and provide a desire to advance in the field.
b. They serve to establish performance standards for care of the animals.
c. They tell a supervisor how motivated an employee is.
d. They are a way of assigning extra duties to a job and increasing productivity.

Answer 53

a. They can enhance job satisfaction and provide a desire to advance in the field.

Question 54

What is meant by “progressive discipline”?

a. Rewarding the effort to meet a challenge
b. Avoiding repercussions from investigations of poor performance
c. Giving a series of warnings prior to termination
d. Using modern methods for addressing employees’ problems

Answer 54

c. Giving a series of warnings prior to termination.

Question 55

Which of the following best defines the 3-step process for goal setting?

a. Checking budgetary resources, writing new goals, and establishing schedules to meet the goals
b. Selecting the goal, determining a course of action, and allocating resources to meet the goals
c. Selecting the goal, determining which employees are needed to meet the goal, and writing SOPs
d. None of the above

Answer 55

b. Selecting the goal, determining a course of action, and allocating resources to meet the goals.

Question 56

Which task is important when dividing the workload and scheduling tasks?

a. Prioritizing and assigning tasks to staff members
b. Ordering supplies and checking the inventory
c. Monitoring the completion of the task
d. Writing job descriptions for the staff

Answer 56

a. Prioritizing and assigning tasks to staff members

Question 57

Evaluating the unit’s progress towards its goals and evaluating the individuals within the unit is called:

a. staffing.
b. productivity.
c. delegation.
d. monitoring.

Answer 57

d. monitoring.

Question 58

Establishing a structure would best describe which of the following?

a. Monitoring
b. Organizing
c. Delegating
d. Cost setting

Answer 58

b. Organizing

Question 59

Dividing the workload based on what an average person can reasonably accomplish within the regular
working hours is a basic principle of:
a. staffing a facility.
b. monitoring staff performance.
c. determining budget requirements.
d. training staff.

Answer 59

a. staffing a facility.

Question 60

. A good way to avoid high employee turnover mentioned in the manual is to:

a. make sure tasks are repetitive so they become easier.
b. offer flexible work hours.
c. provide quarterly bonuses.
d. avoid commenting on minor performance problems.

Answer 60

b. offer flexible work hours.