Chapter 10- Human Resources in Government

Question 1

how many total government employees are there?

Answer 1

22.6 million (17% of total US workforce)

Question 2

human resources department

Answer 2

all governments have one that is responsible for all recruitments, hiring standards and processes, determining pay levels, employee rules, benefits, work environment, and assistance

Question 3

public employee unions

Answer 3

collective bargaining and the right to strike, but are controversial due to increasing government costs at the expense of taxpayers

Question 4

collective bargaining

Answer 4

the right to unionize and authorize union to negotiate for all represented employees. Employees vote to accept or reject offers

Question 5

what is the major trend in government employment and promotion?

Answer 5

moving away from seniority and solely technical qualifications, and moving more towards the merit system/ best performance (human relations perspective)

Question 6

factors looked at for promotions (5)

Answer 6

leadership
teamwork
communication
responsibility
nuance and sensitivity

Question 7

the two types of conflict within an organization

Answer 7

1. between those within an organization
2. between your own goals and the goals of the organization

Question 8

how to manage conflicts within an organization (7 steps)

Answer 8

1. acknowledge the conflict
2. seek to evaluate/ understand root cause of conflict
3. be in full emotional control of yourself
4. separate the problem from the person
5. ask their opinion on how to solve the problem
6. share your opinion on how to solve the problem
7. look for a common ground, even if it is on only a portion of the conflict (this will likely require compromise)

Question 9

key takeaways regarding conflict management (4)

Answer 9

1. even if you can’t agree on all things, find a way to agree on some
2. have realistic expectations (can’t solve always solve all conflicts)
3. you’re not always going to “win”
4. understand what you can live with and what you can’t