dec '23 - practice exam Flashcards
- Line managers are involved in HR Management: explain briefly HOW. (2 points)
Working hand in hand with HR:
* Ensure no risk of mismatch between needs and resources
* Check feasibility of the strategy in terms of skills
* Help build and defend the HR policy
* Identify training needs
* Implement training plan
* Focus on employee evolution: feedback, annual appraisals and career evolution coherent with the strategy
* Work together to allow staff to identify realistic paths for progression
* Orient recruitments according to targeted roles: select, onboard, retain, etc.
* Help identify skill gaps
- What are the different types of HUMAN CAPITAL according to Watson Wyatt’s Human Capital model as seen in class?
Explain briefly what each type means. (2 points)
INTELLECTUAL capital is the “what” - knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by individual employees. It encompasses formal education, training, certifications, experience, and problem-solving abilities.
SOCIAL capital is the “how” - his focuses on the network of relationships and connections employees build within the organization. Strong social capital means employees collaborate effectively, share knowledge openly, and build trust with each other. It fosters teamwork, communication, and knowledge transfer within the organization.
ORGANIZATIONAL capital is the “where” - intangible assets and processes created by the collective knowledge and interactions of employees. It includes things like company culture, established workflows, best practices, and internal knowledge databases. Organizational capital ensures the smooth running of operations and facilitates the transfer of knowledge between employees
All three types of human capital are interconnected and contribute to an organization’s overall success. When effectively developed and managed, they lead to a more productive, innovative, and adaptable workforce.
For what reasons might an organization decide to outsource/externalize part or all of the
HR function? Give 2 examples. (2 points)
Why?
– Reduce costs (time and finance)
– Low immediate added value from the activities in question
– Level of specialization needed
– Strategic reasons
– Flexibility
– Frees up time to focus on business objectives
- Examples: payroll, legal advice, recruitment
What is an HRIS and how can it best serve HR Managers?
What are the limitations of
using this type of software? (2 points)
Human Resource Information System (HRIS): comprehensive software solution that integrates various core HR functions (used also in strategic workforce planning).
– List of employees by name, education, training, prior employment, age, current salary, performance ratings, languages spoken, specialized skills, starting date, competencies….
– Skills currently available?
– Seniority with the organization/role?
– Turnover? Within a certain category/age group etc?
– HR costs
– Salary grid?
– Type of contract
– Adaptability/suitability to change roles
– Demographic analyses
– Candidate sourcing
– Benchmarking
Categorize/sub-categorize/generic roles/job function
- MAP number of persons holding specific roles
- Provide CLEAR PICTURE OF CURRENT COMPETENIES within organization
- can establish adapted tools to EVALUATE staff and MEASURE DEVelopment
LIMITATION : output is as good (or as inadequate) as what is put in
Max Weber was particularly concerned about particularism (favouritism) and felt it was
important to eradicate this from the workplace by introducing bureaucracy.
What did this involve exactly? (2 points)
Max Weber
* Bureaucracy (for efficiency and economic effectiveness).
– Division of labour (different steps)
– Hierarchy of offices
– Set of rules to govern performance (e.g. sales, productivity, customer service)
– *Rigid separation of work life from personal life (no particularism!) *
– Selection and promotion of personnel based on technical qualifications
– Participants view employment as a career, tenure protects against unfair arbitrary dismissal
– Legacy?
How can a more diverse workforce lead to better organizational performance? (2
points)
Business with ethno-racial practices are 36% more likely to perform better than their peers ;
43% companies with diverse management report higher profits;
73% companies with Gender Equality have higher progits and productivity
- Perspective,
- Prevents group think (more competitive),
- Good place (work) to spend time and discover other cultures -otherwise wouldn’t-
- Good motivator (especially for people in a minority)
- Undertsand customers (international/ethnicities)
- May help contact with other companies (clients, suppliers) especially internationally
- Inspire creativity, drive innovation
- Market knowledge
- Dfawing from diverse (larger) pool of candidates attract and retain best talent
- Diverse teams and more productive, perform better, better at risk assesment
- Reputational advantae, employer brand
What is corporate culture and why is it important within an organization?
How is corporate culture linked to the employer brand? (3 points)
Cambridge dictionnary :
The beliefs and ideas that a company has and the way in which they affect how it does buesiness and how it employees behave.
Indeed:
Corporate culture is an organization’s values, ethics, vision, behaviors and work environment. It is what makes each company unique, and it impacts everything from public image to employee engagement and retention. If employees share a company’s ethics, vision and other cultural elements, it can positively affect a company’s bottom line. Companies with good corporate culture often have high workplace morale, and highly engaged, productive staff.
Investopedia (from googling):
Corporate culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact.
TechTarget (from googling):
Corporate culture is the collection of values, beliefs, ethics and attitudes that characterize an organization and guide its practices.
HOW linked to employer brand :
From Gemini :
Culture Shapes Brand:
Essence of Employer Brand: Your corporate culture is the foundation of your employer brand. It reflects the attitudes, behaviors, and work practices that define your organization. A strong culture built on values like innovation, collaboration, or work-life balance becomes a key selling point for attracting talent.
Employee Experience: Employees are the living embodiment of your culture. Their experiences, both positive and negative, contribute to your employer brand’s reputation. Happy and engaged employees are more likely to promote your company as a great place to work, strengthening your brand.
Brand Reflects Culture:
Employer Branding Strategy: Your employer branding strategy uses targeted communication to showcase your culture and attract potential hires. This includes job descriptions, career pages, social media presence, and employer review sites.
Attracting the Right Fit: A strong employer brand that accurately reflects your culture helps attract candidates who are a good fit. They’ll be drawn to the aspects of your culture that resonate with them, leading to higher retention rates.
Alignment is Key:
Authenticity Matters: In today’s world, employer branding needs to be authentic. A mismatch between your advertised culture and reality creates a negative perception and discourages potential hires.
Benefits Everyone: A strong alignment between your employer brand and corporate culture benefits everyone. It attracts the right talent, fosters employee engagement, and ultimately leads to a stronger and more successful organization.
In short, your corporate culture shapes your employer brand, while your employer branding strategy communicates your culture. When these two aspects are aligned, you create a powerful tool for attracting and retaining top talent.
Why is talent management important?
How can organizations optimize talent
management? (2 points)
WHY :
- Anticipating risks (insufficient talent for business objectives, transition risks to new roles, vacant strategic roles, incompetent successors)
- Retain talent (motivational factors & recognize talent)
- Developping talents (ROI by investing in employees)
HOW :
- Classify talent
(pivotal, global leaders, Emp.Value.Prop., focus, Diva, High POtential, Expert, Key roles)
ACQT model :
Aptitude: This refers to a person’s capacity to acquire knowledge and skills. In the image, it’s associated with tasks and segmentation of work, particularly in manufacturing environments with a lot of interchangeable employees with few qualifications.
Qualification: This refers to the formal education or training required for a specific job. The image shows it connected to specific posts or occupations and businesses with a stable environment.
Competency: This refers to the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform a job effectively. In the image, it’s linked to adaptability and businesses operating in an uncertain environment.
Talent: This refers to rare and sought-after skills or abilities. The image associates it with attracting and retaining top performers in highly competitive environments.
Graph:
Left Side (The Person and What They Do): This side focuses on the tangible aspects of an individual - their skills and how they translate to actions.
Qualification: Here, the emphasis is on the formal education or training required for a specific job. It represents what someone “has” in terms of knowledge and certifications.
Competency: This focuses on the demonstrated ability to perform a job effectively. It’s about what someone can “do” with the knowledge and skills they possess.
Right Side (The Person in Who They Are and What They Can Do): This side delves deeper into the intangible aspects of an individual - their potential and innate abilities.
Aptitude: This refers to a person’s capacity to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills. It’s about what someone “can become” with proper training and development.
Talent: This focuses on the unique and rare skills or abilities that an individual possesses. It represents what someone “is” in terms of their natural talents.
Top (Desire to Understand Individuals): This section highlights the importance of understanding the individual’s unique skills, potential, and motivations. Organizations seeking to build a strong talent pool need to consider the individual beyond just their qualifications.
Bottom (Desire to Represent the Whole Collective): This section reflects the need to view the individual within the context of the organization’s broader needs. Organizations need to ensure that individual skills and talents align with the overall goals of the team and the company.
The ACQT model, when interpreted with this understanding of the axes, provides a valuable framework for organizations to strike a balance between understanding individuals and meeting the needs of the collective. It can be a powerful tool for talent management strategies like recruitment, training, and development.
Thank you for correcting my interpretation. By learning from your insights, I can improve my understanding of complex models like the ACQT.
What are the working conditions that can lead to psycho-social risks?
What is burnout according to the World Health Organization (WHO)? (3 points)
Psychosocial risks (PSR) at work
(European Agency for H&S at work)
Psychosocial risks arise from:
* Poor work design
* Organisation and management
* Poor social context of work
* Unfair treatment at work
* May result in negative psychological, physical and social outcomes such as work-related stress, burnout or depression.
Psychosocial risks (PSR) at work
Working conditions leading to psychosocial risks are:
* Excessive workloads and unmanageable time pressures
* Conflicting demands and lack of role clarity
* Lack of involvement in making decisions that affect the worker and lack of influence over the
way the job is done
* Poorly managed organizational change, job insecurity, uncertainty
* Ineffective communication
* Lack of support from management or colleagues
* Management stress (communicative)
* Psychological and sexual harassment, third-party violence
BURNOUT
The WHO declared burnout “an occupational phenomenon” in 2019 (Int’l Classification of Diseases)
- “A syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has
not been successfully managed”. - 3 dimensions:
1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
2. Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related
to one’s job
3. Reduced professional efficacy
Employers are responsible for employee wellbeing + (demotivation + sickness + turnover)
