Chapter 10 - Managing Human Resource Systems Flashcards
Human resource management (HRM)
the process of finding, developing, and keeping the right people to form a qualified workforce
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was enacted under the government of ________
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was enacted under the government of Pierre Trudeau in 1982
It is part of Canada’s constitution, and it covers several fundamental freedoms that affect the workplace.
Section 15a of the Charter prohibits _____________
Section 15a of the Charter prohibits discrimination along race, creed, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)
an exception in employment law that permits sex, age, religion, and the like to be used when making employment decisions, but only if they are “reasonably necessary to the normal operation of that particular business.”
BFOQ - example information
For example, if Victoria’s Secret hires models for its lingerie, it probably won’t be taken to task for hiring women, as being female would be seen as a BFOQ for being a women’s lingerie model. But what about being female and being a firefighter? Throughout Canada there are ongoing investigations into gender discrimination against female firefighters (note that we don’t use the term fireman anymore).
Testing women and men against an aerobic standard resulted in many of the female firefighters not qualifying for the job they were already doing. British Columbia’s Supreme Court determined that an aerobic standard for firefighters was not a BFOQ because it was not related to an individual’s performance on the job; the same court ruled that there had been systemic discrimination on a prohibited ground.
Human rights commissions in each _____________ have been established under and are responsible for enforcing the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Human rights commissions in each province and territory have been established under and are responsible for enforcing the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Some Major Federal and Provincial Employment Laws
The general effect of these laws, which are still evolving through court decisions, is that employers may not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, colour, national origin, race, or disability.
The intent is to make these factors irrelevant in employment decisions. Stated another way, employment decisions should be based on factors that are “job related,” “reasonably necessary,” or a “business necessity” for successful job performance.
The only time that gender, age, religion, and the like can be used to make employment decisions is when they are considered bona fide occupational qualifications.
WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
Employment Discrimination
Discrimination generally falls under one of the general headings in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and typically leads to an investigation by a provincial or territorial human rights commission.
Discrimination may be intentional or unintentional, but generally, discrimination based on race, religion, ethnic origin, and so forth is easy to see. Unintentional discrimination is harder to identify. Minimum height and weight requirements, which used to be common for police forces, can screen out females or Canadians of Asian origin, who tend to be smaller. Also, some job evaluation systems may include culturally (non–job-related) biased questions; and some job situations may discriminate against some cultures.
Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment is prohibited by several laws, both federal and provincial.
Workplace harassment does not have to be sexual in nature, although it commonly is.
Harassment can also mean that someone is bullying you about your work or tormenting you simply because you are a man or a woman.
Bullying is strictly prohibited under Bill 14 of the Workers Compensation Act of British Columbia (it is also covered in other provinces).
Sexual harassment
a form of discrimination in which unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occur while performing one’s job; another form of sexual harassment is when employment outcomes, such as hiring, promotion, or simply keeping one’s job, depend on whether an individual submits to sexual harassment
Harassment is….
Harassment is when people make comments or actions that are unwelcome, even though they should know that what they say or do is not welcome.
hostile work environment
a form of harassment in which unwelcome and demeaning behaviour creates an intimidating and offensive work environment
There may be no economic injury—that is, harassment isn’t tied to economic outcomes—however, it can lead to psychological injury from a stressful work environment.
What should companies do to make sure that harassment laws are not violated?
First, they should respond immediately when harassment is reported. Furthermore, a quick and fair investigation may serve as a deterrent to future harassment.
Next, take the time to write a clear, understandable harassment policy that is strongly worded, gives specific examples of what constitutes workplace harassment, and spells outs sanctions and punishments, and disseminate it throughout the company. This lets potential harassers and victims know what will not be tolerated and how the firm will deal with harassment should it occur.
Next, establish clear reporting procedures that indicate how, where, and to whom incidents of harassment can be reported. The best procedures ensure that a complaint will receive a quick response, that impartial parties will handle the complaint, and that the privacy of the accused and accuser will be protected.
Finally, managers should be aware that most provinces and many municipalities have their own employment-related laws and enforcement agencies. So compliance with federal law is often not enough. So compliance with federal law is often not enough. In fact, organizations can be in full compliance with federal law and at the same time be in violation of provincial or municipal harassment laws. These laws are constantly being updated, through jurisprudence established in court cases as well as through legislative authority established by the provinces.
Human resources planning
an umbrella term that encompasses overarching philosophies, policies, and practices that are in line with the organization’s strategy
Recruiting
the process of developing a pool of qualified job applicants
Job analysis
a purposeful, systematic process for collecting information on the important work-related aspects of a job in line with the organization’s strategic direction
The information derived from job analysis is absolutely vital to effective HR planning.
Typically, a job analysis collects four kinds of information:
work activities, such as what workers do and how, when, and why they do it;
the tools and equipment used to do the job;
the context in which the job is performed, such as the actual working conditions or schedule; and
the personnel requirements for performing the job, meaning the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to do a job well.
job description
a written description of the basic tasks, duties, and responsibilities required of an employee holding a particular job to help the organization realize its strategy
Job specifications
a written summary of the qualifications needed to successfully perform a particular job to enable the organization to reach its organizational objectives
Job analysis, job descriptions, and job specifications comprise the foundation on which all critical human resource activities are built. They are used during recruiting and selection to match applicant qualifications with the requirements of the job. So it is critically important that job descriptions be _________.
Job analysis, job descriptions, and job specifications comprise the foundation on which all critical human resource activities are built. They are used during recruiting and selection to match applicant qualifications with the requirements of the job. So it is critically important that job descriptions be accurate.
Turnover is a real problem and a large reason for turnover is because ____________
Turnover is a real problem and a large reason for turnover is because job descriptions are not up to date.
Job analyses, job descriptions, and job specifications also help companies meet the ____________ that their human resource decisions be job-related.
Job analyses, job descriptions, and job specifications also help companies meet the legal requirement that their human resource decisions be job-related.
Internal recruiting
the process of developing a pool of qualified job applicants from people who already work in the company
Internal recruiting improves employee commitment, morale, and motivation.
It also reduces recruitment startup time and costs, and because employees are already familiar with the company’s culture and procedures, they are more likely to succeed in their new jobs.
Job posting
involves advertising job openings within the company to existing employees.
career path
a planned sequence of jobs through which employees may advance within an organization.
For example, a person who starts as a sales representative may move up to sales manager and then to district or regional sales manager.
succession planning
deals with evaluating the needs that are required in future years in terms of staffing to replace people who retire, or who may leave, and to provide personnel for needed strategic growth requirements
Succession planning is critical as employees in an organization must develop the correct strategic attributes and skills if they are to move ahead in the organization.
External recruiting
the process of developing a pool of qualified job applicants from outside the company
External recruitment methods include placing advertisements (newspapers, magazines, direct mail, radio, or television), generating employee referrals (asking current employees to recommend possible job applicants), encouraging walk-ins (people who apply on their own), approaching outside organizations (universities, technical/trade schools, professional societies), using employment services (provincial, federal, or private employment agencies, temporary help agencies, professional search firms), holding special events (career conferences, job fairs), and developing Internet job sites.
Realistic job previews
a tool used to explain to potential new employees both the positive and negative aspects of a new job
They provide information about pay and hours of work, but they also discuss aspects of the job such as promotion rates, job progression, amount of flexibility, autonomy, stress, interaction with customers, amount of travel, and the corporate culture.
When recruiting managers, organizations tend to rely most heavily on ________________
When recruiting managers, organizations tend to rely most heavily on newspaper ads, employee referrals, and search firms
Most students will find themselves relying more and more on web searches, utilizing sites such as Monster, Workopolis, Facebook, LinkedIn, and VancouverJobShop.
Internet job listings generate _____ times as many résumés as one ad in the Sunday newspaper.
Internet job listings generate nine times as many résumés as one ad in the Sunday newspaper.
And because these sites attract so many applicants and offer so many services, companies can find qualified applicants without resorting to recruitment firms, which typically charge 25 percent or more of a new hire’s salary.
Selection
the process of gathering information about job applicants to decide who should be offered a job
Validation
the process of determining how well a selection test or procedure predicts future job performance; the better or more accurate the prediction of future job performance, the more valid a test is said to be
human resource information system (HRIS)
a computerized system for gathering, analyzing, storing, and disseminating information related to the HRM process
Applicants invited to Facebook’s campus for onsite interviews must solve more difficult coding problems, including a take-home “hack.” Facebook engineer Carlos Bueno says, “If it says ‘expert in X’ (on your résumé), we will try to schedule you with a proven expert in X, so be prepared. If you are not, leave it off your résumé.”
Résumés also pose problems for companies
Studies have found that as many as one-third of job applicants intentionally falsify some information on their résumés and that 80 percent of the information on résumés may be misleading.
Therefore, managers should verify the information collected via résumés and application forms by comparing it with additional information collected during interviews and other stages of the selection process, such as references and background checks
employment references
sources such as previous employers or coworkers who can provide job-related information about job candidates
Background checks
procedures used to verify the truthfulness and accuracy of information that applicants provide about themselves and to uncover negative, job-related background information not provided by applicants
Background checks are conducted by contacting “educational institutions, prior employers, court records, police and governmental agencies, and other informational sources either by telephone, mail, remote computer access, or through in-person investigations.”
A former employer should not impede a former employee’s job search - info
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that employers have an obligation to act in good faith when an employee is terminated.
In Jack Wallace v. The United Grain Growers, the plaintiff was awarded 24 months’ salary when it was found that United Grain Growers neglected to provide a reference letter for him to secure a new job.
Don’t Ask (Topics to Avoid in an Interview)
Gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or family status.
Source of income.
Previous names.
Next of kin. Asking for names of relatives or next of kin before hiring is not recommended. Such information can reveal the gender, marital status, place of origin, or ancestry of the applicant.
Dependants and child care. Avoid inquiries about an applicant’s spouse, number of children or dependants, child care arrangements, or plans to have children.
Age and date of birth.
Previous address.
Citizenship.
Physical or mental disability.
Sexual orientation.
Workers’ Compensation.
Language ability. It is appropriate to ask applicants if they have some proficiency in the languages that are specifically required for the job.
Educational institutions.
Religious beliefs.
Specific ability tests (aptitude tests)
tests that measure the extent to which an applicant possesses the particular kind of ability needed to do a job well
For example, clerical workers have to be good at accurately reading and scanning numbers.
Cognitive ability tests
tests that measure the extent to which applicants have abilities in perceptual speed, verbal comprehension, numerical aptitude, general reasoning, and spatial aptitude
Specific ability tests predict job performance in only particular types of jobs, whereas cognitive ability tests accurately predict job performance in almost all kinds of jobs. This is because people with strong cognitive or mental abilities are usually good at learning new things, processing complex information, solving problems, and making decisions—abilities that are important in almost all jobs. In fact, cognitive ability tests are almost always the best predictors of job performance.
Biographical data (biodata)
extensive surveys that ask applicants questions about their personal backgrounds and life experiences
The basic idea behind biodata is that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. Biodata can be a very good predictor of future job performance, especially in an entry-level job.
Biodata - information
some of the information requested in biodata surveys is related to topics that employers should avoid in applications, interviews, or other parts of the selection process. This information can be requested in biodata questionnaires provided that the company can demonstrate that the information is job-related (i.e., valid) and does not have an adverse impact on protected groups of job applicants. Biodata surveys should be reviewed by HR professionals for legality, validated and tested for adverse impact, and thoroughly vetted by knowledgeable professionals before they are used to make selection decisions. For example, studies have found that married Canadian military recruits have a much higher attrition rate than single recruits, yet it is illegal in Canada to discriminate against anyone on the basis of marital status.
