Klicker Chapter 17 - Human Resources

Question 1

Personnel costs

Answer 1

Between 18-26% of a funeral homes revenue.

Question 2

Employee manuals should Include…

Answer 2

1. Mission statement
2. Probationary period (benefits)
3. Work hours (lunch/breaks)
4. Time off
5. Vacation
6. Sick days
7. Holidays
8. Salary, overtime, reviews
9. Fringe benefits
10. Physical exams
11. Operational practices
12. Staff communications
13. Staff development, continuing education
14. Responsibilities
15. Appearance and attire
16. Sexual Harassment Policy
17. Smoking policy
18. OSHA, grievance procedures
19. EPA
20. Confidentiality

Question 3

Job description

Answer 3

Document listing major responsibilities and tasks of a job

• Give job title, supervisory person the employee reports to, qualifications, specific details about the position, answer any questions about the job that might arise.
• Foundation on which every good employee-employer relationship develops
• Never a static document (can be added to or subtracted from)

Question 4

Job analysis

Answer 4

Process of determining critical components of a job for selecting, training, and rewarding personel

Question 5

Ways to recruit

Answer 5

• News paper
• Colleges and programs
• Ads in publications
• Employment agencies
• Colleagues
• Supplier representatives

Question 6

Questions that CANT be asked during interview

Answer 6

• Maiden name
• Ever arrested
• If citizen
• Age
• Lawsuits with previous employers
• Marital status
• Any kids
• HIV?
• Disabilities
• Birthplace
• Credit rating
• Military discharge
• Requiring photo
• Race
• Religion
• Gender

Question 7

During reference checks

Answer 7

• Use previous employers, associates and customers
• Advise the person you’ve contacted that the applicant is aware of the employment check
• Assure them of strict confidentiality

Question 8

Good orientation programs can..

Answer 8

• Reduce start up costs
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce turnover
• Save employees time
• Develop realistic expectations and attitudes.

Question 9

3 Main Reasons Orientation Programs Fail

Answer 9

1. The program was not planned
2. The employee was not made aware of the job requirements
3. The employee did not feel welcome

Question 10

Evaluation period

Answer 10

First 90 days

• Use employment agreement and employee handbook
• Desision about full time employment is made
• Legally acceptable to terminate an employee that does not fit standards as long as this was designated.

Question 11

Required documentation for Termination

Answer 11

1. Written polices
2. Oral and written suspension before termination
3. Have an employee handbook?
4. Specific form of disciplinary action

Question 12

Sections Included on Disciplinary Action

Answer 12

• The company policy that was violated
• The specific details of the violation, witnesses, location, date, time.
• The discipline to be given. “A continuation of this violation will result in…”
• The corrective action the employee should take to prevent this from occurring again
• A comment section, where the employee can state his/her thoughts on the discipline involved.
• A signature line for both employee and immediate supervisior and date for each
• If the employee wants a union representative (if unionized), written statement if refused.
• If anything is added to the form that falls below singature lines, all parties present must sign the addition.
• Ask employee to write their version and sign it, regardless of what he includes
• if union representative is present, have another management person take notes of the meeting or simply sitting there as a management witness.

Question 13

Resigning

Answer 13

• Read employee instruction manual or company handbook to see how much notice is necessary. If not specified- between 2 and 4 weeks
• Stay quiet about your decision- people love gossip
• Place formal resignation in writing and personally present it to your manager. Date the letter the same day as your meeting. Word-process your letter with your name, address, telephone, and e-mail address. In simplest form- name, date, person it is addressed to, notice of termination of employment, when it is effective, signature. Use simple, straight to the point sentences.
• Finish up and complete outstanding sales, jobs, or unfinished projects, personally talk with coworkers, collect reasonable settlement of salary, comission payments, holiday and sick pay
• Do not take copyright or privleged information with you

Question 14

Title VII of civil rights act of 1964

(ammended in 1972 and again in 1970 by Pregnancy Discrimination Act)

Answer 14

Outlaws discrimination of race, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin

• jurisdiction is: employers with 15 or more employees; unions with 15 or more members; employment agencies; union hiring halls; institutions of higher education; federal, state, and local governments.

Question 15

Age discrimination in employment act of 1967

Answer 15

Can’t discriminate for those over 40.

• For employers with 20 or more employees; unions with 20 or more members; employment agencies; federal, state, and local governments.

Question 16

Equal pay act of 1963

Answer 16

Based on sex of worker.

• Employers engaged in interstate commerce, federal, state and local govts.

Question 17

Rehabilitation act of 1973

Answer 17

Can’t discriminate against handicaps of workers who could do the job with employer accommodation.

• Section 503 covers Federal Government contractors with contracts of $2,500 or more.

Question 18

Vietnam vets readjustment act of 1974

Answer 18

Can’t discriminate against Vietnam vets.

• Jurisdiction: Federal Government contractors with contracts of $10,000 or more.

Question 19

Americans with disabilities act of 1990

Answer 19

Can’t discriminate against qualified individual with disability

• Jurisdiction: Covers firms with 20 or more employees for the first 2 years after the law is in effect; after that, firms with 15 or more employees will be covered.

Question 20

Fair labor Standard act (Wage and hour)

Answer 20

Minimum wage and overtime 💰

• 1 and one half overtime pay beyond 40 hours worked in a week
• Ammended by Equal pay act (1963)
• Jurisdiction: All business are covered under federal and/or state legislation. Determination of rate (yearly, monthly, weekly, hourly)

Question 21

Immigration reform act of 1987

Answer 21

Outlaws non documented people from employment

• Jurisdiction: covers all employers

Question 22

Bonafide occupational qualification (BFOQ)

Answer 22

Absolutely necessary for the job. Allowed to discriminate. Sought and granted on case by case basis (ABFSE).

Question 23

5 most common factors in FH employee turnover

Answer 23

1. Lack of appreciation (the main cause)
2. Failing to value employee
3. Paying low salary
4. Fail to resolve conflicts between employees or between employees and management
5. Assigning heavy work load

Question 24

Penepent (2006) Reports the Following Reasons for Attrition in Funeral Service

Answer 24

• Poor treatment of employees by management and funeral home owners.
• Lack of just compensation and benefits
• Constant demands on the profession by the public and management
• Long hours and a disproportionate work/like ratio
• Psychological demands to which funeral directors are subjected to daily.

Question 25

Penepant reports that 5 years after mortuary school, graduates…

Answer 25

Only 50% are still working in the field 25% follow career to retirement

Question 26

Eugene Ogrodnik Explains that Employees want a job that Provides Recognition, Advancement, and Personal Growth and may Leave for the Following Reasons:

Answer 26

• Boredom
• No participation in company decision making
• Lack of authority to make a decision
• Role ambiguity
• Lack of advancement opportunity
• Lack of recognition by management
• Lack of reward for superior performance
• Conflicts with peers or management

Question 27

Dr. Gordon Bigelow

Answer 27

• Starting pay for a funeral director should be the same as a starting salary for a teacher
• Retaining the new employee will depend partly on how the salary is adjusted annually.
• COLA (Cost of living adjustment)- Annual increases that at least keep up with inflation should be considered absolutely routine and should be tied to satisfactory performance.
• Outstanding performance considerations- merit to increase base salary, annual bonus, other localized benefits for exceptional performance.
• Effective employees should feel valued, appreciated, and rewarded
• Salary is the single most visible ingredient of impact
• Compensation benefits- made clear at the time of hire
• For long-term employees, compensation benefits above and beyond salary may be what determines whether or not the individual begins to look around for new opportunities.

Question 28

Most important things for an employee

Answer 28

1. Benefits
2. Compensation
3. Feeling safe
4. Job security
5. Flexibility to balance work/life issues
6. Communication between employees and senior management
7. Ralationship with immediate supervisor
8. Management recognition of employee job performance
9. Opportunities to use skills/abilities
10. The work itself
11. Overall corporate culture
12. Autonomy and independence
13. Career development opportunities
14. Meaningfulness of job
15. Variety of work
16. Career advancement opportunities
17. Contribution of work to organization’s business goals
18. Organization’s commitment to professional development
19. Job-specific training
20. Relationship with co-workers

Question 29

Hours

Answer 29

• Understand that this service is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year
• Unpredictable hours always appear on the list of reasons men and women leave this profession.
• Distribution of hours- staff functions as a team (including supervisor and manager) with each member working an equal share of total hours, including weekends and evenings. If it is uneven the employment gives way to feelings of exploitation and moral soon crumbles.
• Use of after-hours call services- depends on local conditions. Some firms use call centers and send firms employees, some use a service for calls and removals.
• Firms with less than 100 calls a year- experience downtime or periods where there is no need to have licensed personnel at work, leaving more opportunity for employees to participate in community service projects- this can be a positive retention tool and create a positive public relations image for the firm and the employee
• Imperative that employees receive all the free time that they have earned

Question 30

Fringe Benefits

Answer 30

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid vacation
• Paid holidays and personal days off
• Retirement/401K plans
• Paid continuing education
• Paid license renewal
• Profit sharing
• Bonuses
• Company car/car expenses
• Career ladder

Question 31

• Arrive to work in time
• Be dressed in the required manner
• Make your boss look good- do a great job and dont worry who gets credit
• Concentrate on customer service
• Learn to understand what gets points with your boss
• Demonstrate loyalty and committment
• Try not to be a braggart
• Remember that recognition comes more often as a by-product of going the extra mile than as a result of self-promotion.

Answer 31

Impressing Your Boss

Question 32

Maslows needs

Answer 32

1. Physiological- air, water, food, sex
2. Security- safety, order, freedom from fear or threat
3. Social (Belongingness and love)- love, affection, feelings of belonging, human contact
4. Esteem- self-respect, self-esteem, achievement, respect from others
5. Self actualization- need to grow, feel fulfilled, realize one’s potential

Fun fact: Abraham Maslow was such a cocky dickhead that he believed he reached self actualization so he made another hierarchy (that he also achieved) so that no one could be as cool as him.

Question 33

Theory X

Douglas McGregor

Answer 33

People need to be controlled because everyone hates their job and won’t do it unless they’re yelled at all day.

• inherently dislikes work and will avoid it if possible
• Must be coerced, controlled, directed, treatened with punishment to get them to perform effectively
• Lacks ambition, avoids responsibility, seeks security and economic rewards above all else
• Lack creative ability and are resistant to change
• Self-centered- not concerned with the goals of the organization

Question 34

Theory Y

Douglas McGregor

Answer 34

People will work hard on their own, work is rewarding and people seek out responsibility.

• expenditure and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest
• Self-direction and self-control in the service of objects to which they are committed
• Committment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with achievement.
• Average person leards, under proper conditions, not only to accept but to seek responsibility
• Capacity to exercise a relatively high degree of imagination, ingenuity, and creativity in the solution of organizational probelms is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the population.

Question 35

Hertzberg two factors

INTRINSIC

Answer 35

Motivators.

• achievements
• recognition
• the work itself
• responsibilities
• advancement

Question 36

Hertzberg two factors

EXTRINSIC

Answer 36

Hygienes

• company policy
• supervision
• salary
• interpersonal relationships
• working conditions

Question 37

Job Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction- Hertzberg

Answer 37

Not opposites but two separate dimensions.

• Extrinsic factors such as inadequate pay, incompetent supervision and dirty working conditions may lead to dissatisfaction
• Hygienic (intrinsic)- measures as higher pay and human relations training for mangers, these will not make workers satisfied; rather, they will make work more tolerable, but won’t necessarily raise the level of motivation or productivity.