Chapter 10: Human Resource Management Flashcards
Human Capital
the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees that have economic value (i.e. intellectual capital)
Job Analysis
tool for determining what is done on a given job and what should be done on that job
Recruitment
development of a pool of applicants for jobs in an organization
Selection
choosing from among qualified applicants to hire into an organization
Selection Processes
Applications and Resumes
provide basic information to prospective employers.
not useful in making final selection decisions.
Interviews
Structured interview: selection technique that involves asking all applicants the same questions and comparing their responses to a standardized set of answers.
two types:
situational interview: focuses on hypothetical situations.
behavioral description interview: explores what candidates have actually done in the past.
based on real events - so they provide useful information about how the candidate will actually perform on the job.
tend to be more reliable predictors of job performance because they are based on the job analysis that has been done for the position.
Reference Checks
HR encourages reference checks.
Helps rid of ambiguous gray areas.
Background Checks
have become a standard procedure for many companies.
higher level of scrutiny.
Roughly half of hiring managers are using social networking sites to learn about job candidates.
Personality Tests
popularity of this method has risen and fallen, currently on the upswing.
some argue that they may not accurately predict job performance
when coupled with past performance data can be a better predictor of job performance.
Drug Testing
now a frequently used screening instrument.
about 1 in 4 full-time employees is tested when hired, and almost 1 in 3 is subject to random drug tests once they have started working.
Cognitive Ability Tests
one of the oldest methods
involves testing a range of intellectual abilities, including verbal comprehension, and numerical aptitude.
about 20% of companies use this.
Performance Tests
test taker performs a sample of the job
assessment center: consists of 10 to 12 candidates who participate in a variety of exercises or situations; some the exercises involve group interaction, and others are performed individually.
taps a number of critical managerial dimnesions, sucha as leadership, decision-making skills, and communication ability.
Integrity Tests
two forms are polygraphs and paper-and-pencil honesty tests.
polygraphs have been banned for most employment purposes.
accuracy is debatable.
Reliability and Validity
Reliability: refers to the consistency of test scores over time and across alternative measurements.
Validity: moves beyond reliability to assess the accuracy of the selection test.
criterion-related validity: most common; refers to the degree to which a test actually predicts or correlates with job performance.
usually established through studies comparing test performance and job performance for a large enough sample of employees to enable a fair conclusion to be reached.
content validity: concerns the degree to which selection tests measure a representative sample of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the job.
more subjective, less statistical
Structured interview
selection technique that involves asking all applicants the same questions and comparing their responses to a standardized set of answers.
assessment center
consists of 10 to 12 candidates who participate in a variety of exercises or situations; some the exercises involve group interaction, and others are performed individually.
Reliability
refers to the consistency of test scores over time and across alternative measurements
Validity
moves beyond reliability to assess the accuracy of the selection test
outplacement
process of helping people who have been dismissed from the company regain employment elsewhere
employment-at-will
or termination-at-will; concept that an employee may be fired for any reason at any time
termination interview
manger discusses the company’s position with the employee
adverse impac
when a seemingly neutral employment practice has disproportionately negative effect on a group protected by the Civil Rights Act
Fair Labor Standards Act (1938)
creates two employee categories: exempt and nonexempt.
employees exempt from overtime pay if they have considerable discretion in how they carry out their jobs and if their jobs require them to exercise independent judgement. Managers usually fall into this category.
nonexempt are usually paid by the hour and must be paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours in a week.
Civil Rights Act (1964):
prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, sex, color, national origin, and religion.
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
prohibits employment discrimination agianst people with disabilities.
Civil Rights Act (1991)
strengthened all these protections and permitted punitive damages to be imposed on companies that violate them.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967)
prohibit discrimination against people age 40 and over.
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (1989)
commonly known as WARN Act or Plant Closing Bill, requires covered employers to give affected employees 60 days written notice of plant closings or mass layoffs.
training
refers to teaching lower-level employees how to perform their present jobs
development
involves teaching managers and professional employees broader skills needed for their present and future jobs
needs assessment
start of phase one; managers conduct an analysis to identify jobs, people, and departments for which training is necessary
Orientation training
used to familiarize employees with their new jobs, work units and the organization in general
Team training
teaches employees the skills they need to work together and facilitates their interaction
Diversity Training
focuses on building awareness of diversity issues and providing the skills employees need to work with others who are different from them
Performance appraisal
assessment of an employee’s job performance
Management by Objectives (MBO)
results appraisal; involves a subordinate and a supervisor agreeing in advance on specific performance goals (objectives)
360 Degree appraisal
feedback is obtained from subordinates, peers, superiors, etc.
Cafeteria or Flex Benefit Programs
employees are given credits to spend on benefits that fit their unique needs
Equal Pay Act (EPA) 1963
prohibits unequal pay for men and women who perform equal work. Exceptions include: seniority, merit system, incentive system based on quality or quantity, or any other factor other than sex
Comparable worth
implies that women who perform different jobs of equal worth as those performed by men should be paid the same wage.
Pregnancy discrimination act (1978)
states the pregnancy is a disability and qualifies a woman to receive the same benefits that she would with any other disability.
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA - 1974)
protects private pension programs from mismanagement; requires that retirement benefits be paid to those who vest or earn a right to draw benefits and ensures retirement benefits for employees whose companies go bankrupt or cannot otherwise meet their pension obligations.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA, 1970)
requires employers to pursue workplace safety. Employers must maintain records of injuries and deaths caused by workplace accidents and submit to onsite inspections
Labor Relations
system of relations between workers and management
National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)
declared labor organizations legal, established five unfair employer labor practices, created the National Labor Relations Board
Labor-Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley Act, 1947)
protected employers’ free speech rights, defined unfair practices by unions, and permitted workers to decertify (reject) a union as their representative.
Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum-Griffin Act, 1959)
declared a bill of rights for union memebers, established control over union dues increases, and imposed reporting requirements for unions; designed to rid unions of corruption.
Arbitration
use of a neutral third party, typically jointly selected, to resolve the dispute
union shop
an organization with a union and a union security clause specifying that workers must join the union after a set period of time.
Right-to-work
legislation that allows employees to work without having to join a union.
