SHRM BoCK Glossary Flashcards
Instructional systems design (ISD) framework consists of five steps that guide the design and development of learning programs.
ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation) model
Umbrella term for the various approaches and techniques, other than litigation, that can be used to resolve a dispute (e.g., arbitration, conciliation, mediation).
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
Tools that add context or sub-classifying comparison groups to data so that the data can be used for decision support.
Analytics
Person who has applied for or formally expressed interest in a position.
Applicant
Software application that automates organizations’ management of the recruiting process (e.g., accepting application materials, screening applicants)
Applicant tracking system (ATS)
Method of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by which disputing parties agree to be bound by the decision of one or more impartial persons to whom they submit their dispute for final determination.
Arbitration
Process by which job candidates or employees are evaluated to determine their suitability and/or readiness for employment, training, promotion or an assignment
Assessment center
Statement of an organization’s financial position at a specific point in time, showing assets, liabilities and shareholder equity
Balance sheet
Performance management tool that depicts an organization’s overall performance, as measured against goals, lagging indicators and leading indicators.
Balanced scorecard
The scorecard includes four related perspectives (finance, customers, internal business processes, and learning and growth) rather than just a financial perspective.
Process by which an organization identifies performance gaps and sets goals for performance improvement, by comparing its data, performance levels and/or processes against those of other organizations.
Benchmarking
Benchmarks may be internal or external. Internal benchmarks might be based on the organization’s own historical performance or on the performance of specific divisions that are seen as star performers. External benchmarks might be drawn from professional or trade associations or government agencies and are considered standards or best practices
Mandatory or voluntary payments or services provided to employees, typically covering retirement, health care, sick pay/disability, life insurance and paid time off (PTO)
Benefits
Conscious or unconscious beliefs that influence a person’s perceptions or actions, which may cause that person to become partial or prejudiced
Bias
Factor (e.g., gender, religion, national origin) that is reasonably necessary, in the normal operations of an organization, to carry out a particular job function.
Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)
Tool or document that defines a specific problem, proposes a solution, and provides justifications for the proposal in terms of time, cost efficiency and probability of success.
Business Case
Raw data, internal and external to an organization, that is translated into meaningful information for decision makers to use in taking strategic action.
Business intelligence
Element or segment of an organization that represents a specific business function (e.g., accounting, marketing, production); also may be called department, division, group, cost center or functional area
Business unit
Process by which a person or group provides a sustained commitment in support of a decision, approach, solution or course of action.
Buy-in
Progression through a series of employment stages characterized by relatively unique issues, themes and tasks
Career development
Process by which organizations use visual tools or guides to depict prototypical or exemplary career possibilities and paths, in terms of sequential positions, roles and stages.
Career mapping
Process by which employers provide employees with a clear outline for moving from a current to a desired position
Career pathing
Statement of an organization’s ability to meet its current and short-term obligations, showing incoming and outgoing cash and cash reserves in operations, investments and financing
Cash flow statement
Team or structure that provides expertise, best practices, support and/or knowledge transfer in a focused area.
Center of excellence (COE)
Transition in an organization’s technology, culture or behavior of its employees and managers.
Change initiative
Principles and practices for managing a change initiative so that it is more likely to be accepted and provided with the resources (financial, human, physical, etc.) necessary to reshape the organization and its people.
Change management
Focused, interactive communication and guidance intended to develop and enhance on-the-job performance, knowledge or behavior.
Coaching
Process by which management and union representatives negotiate the employment conditions for a particular bargaining unit for a designated period of time.
Collective bargaining
Concept that jobs primarily filled by women, which require skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions comparable to similar jobs primarily filled by men, should have the same classifications and salaries.
Comparable worth
Clusters of highly interrelated attributes, including knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs), that give rise to the behaviors needed to perform a given job effectively.
Competencies
State of being in accordance with all national, federal, regional and/or local laws, regulations and/or other government authorities and requirements applicable to the places in which an organization operates.
Compliance
Method of nonbinding alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by which a neutral third party tries to help disputing parties reach a mutually agreeable decision (i.e., mediation).
Conciliation
Situation in which a person or organization may potentially benefit, directly or indirectly, from undue influence, due to involvement in outside activities, relationships or investments that conflict with or have an impact on the employment relationship or its outcomes.
Conflict of interest
Concept that a corporation has an impact on the lives of its stakeholders and the environment, encompassing such areas as corporate governance, philanthropy, sustainability, employee rights, social change, volunteerism, corporate-sponsored community programs and workplace safety
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Approach to determining the financial impact of an organization’s activities and programs on profitability, through a process of data or calculation comparing value created against the cost of creating that value.
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA)
Amount of time needed to complete all required elements or components of a task, determines by taking into account all project-tast relationships.
Critical path
Critical path analysis uses information about start or mandatory end dates, the logical relationship of tasks (e.g., whether task C must be completed before task F can begin), and the length of each task to find the earliest completion date (or latest start date).
Basic beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors and customs shared and followed by members of a group, which give rise to the group’s sense of identity
Culture
Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one’s major life activities.
Disability
Differences in people’s characteristics (e.g., age, beliefs, education, ethnicity, gender, job function, personality, race, religion, socioeconomic status, thought processes, work style).
Diversity
Requirement to thoroughly investigate an action before it is taken, through diligent research and evaluation.
Due diligence
Electronic media delivery of educational and training materials, processes and programs
E-learning
Ability to be sensitive to and understand one’s own and others’ emotions and impulses.
Emotional intelligence (EI)
Employees’ emotional commitment to an organization, demonstrated by their willingness to put in discretionary effort to promote the organization’s effective functioning
Employee engagement
Instruments that collect and assess information on employees’ attitudes and perceptions (e.g., engagement, job satisfaction) of the work environment or employment conditions.
Employee surveys
Employees’ perceived value of the total rewards and tangible and intangible benefits they receive from the organization as part of employment, which drives unique and compelling organizational strategies for talent acquisition, retention and engagement.
Employee value proposition (EVP)
Persons who exchange their work for wages or salary
Employees
Set of behavioral guidelines that an organization expects all of its directors, managers and employees to follow, in order to ensure appropriate moral and ethical business standards.
Ethics
Approach to evaluation and decision-making that utilizes data and research findings to drive business outcomes.
Evidence-based
Small group of invited persons (typically six to twelve) who actively participate in a structured discussion, led by a facilitator, for the purpose of eliciting their input on a specific product, process, policy or program.
Focus group
Method of assessing a current state in order to determine what is needed to move to a desired future state
Gap analysis
Ability to have an international perspective, inclusive of other cultures’ views
Global mindset
Status of growing interconnectedness and interdependency among countries, people, markets and organizations worldwide.
Globalization
System of rules and processes set up by an organization to ensure its compliance with local and international laws, accounting rules, ethical norms, internal codes of conduct and other standards.
Governance
Potential harm, often associated with a condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in injury or damage to persons or property
Hazard
HR professional who advises an organization’s leaders in developing and implementing a human capital strategy that closely aligns with overall organizational mission, vision and goals.
HR business partner
Approach to structuring and delivering an organization’s HR services to support organizational success.
HR service model
Information technology (IT) framework and tools for gathering, storing, maintaining, retrieving, revising and reporting relevant HR data.
Human resource information system (HRIS)
Extent to which each person in an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported and valued as a team member.
Inclusion
Document that guides employees toward their goals for professional development and growth.
Individual development plan (IDP)
Use of technology to collect, process and condense information, for the purpose of managing the information efficiently as an organizational resource.
Information management (IM)
Adherence to a set of ethical standards, reflecting strong moral principles, honesty and consistency in behavior.
Integrity
Extent to which employees perceive that monetary and other rewards are distributed equitably, based on effort, skill and/or relevant outcomes.
Internal equity
Process of systematically studying a job in order to identify the activities/tasks and responsibilities it includes, the personal qualifications necessary to perform it, and the conditions under which it is performed.
Job analysis
Document that describes a job and its essential functions and requirements (e.g., knowledge, skills, abilities, tasks, reporting structure, responsibilities).
Job description
Process of broadening a job’s scope by adding different tasks to the job
Job enlargement
Process of increasing a job’s depth by adding responsibilities to the job.
Job enrichment
Process of determining a job’s value and price in order to attract and retain employees, by comparing the job against other jobs within the organization or against similar jobs in competing organizations.
Job evaluation
Quantifiable measures of performance that gauge an organization’s progress toward strategic objectives or other agreed-upon performance standards.
Key performance indicators (KPIs)
Knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics
KSAOs
Group of workers who formally organize and coordinate their activities to achieve common goals in their relationship with an employer or group of employers (i.e., trade union).
Labor union
Type of metric describing an activity or change in performance that has already occurred.
Lagging indicator
Professional program that helps management- and executive-level employees develop knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) related to leadership
Leader development
Ability to influence, guide, inspire or motivate a group or person to achieve their goals.
Leadership
Type of metric describing an activity that can change future performance and predict success in the achievement of strategic goals.
Leading indicator
Organization’s debts and other financial obligations.
Liabilities
Process of collecting, quantifying and evaluating data.
Measurement
Method of nonbinding alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by which a neutral third party tries to help disputing parties reach a mutually agreeable decision (i.e., conciliation)
Mediation
Relationship in which one person helps guide another’s development.
Mentoring
Process by which two separate organizations combine, either by joining together as relative equals (merger) or by one procuring the other (acquisition).
Merger & acquisition (M&A)
Concise outline of an organization’s strategy, specifying the activities it intends to pursue and the course its management has charted for the future.
Mission statement
Factors that initiate, direct and sustain human behavior over time.
Motivation
Process by which two or more parties work together to reach agreement on a matter
Negotiation
Method by which an organization relocates its processes or production to an international location through subsidiaries or third-party affiliates.
Offshoring
Process of assimilating new employees into an organization through orientation programs to help them. New employees’ experiences in their first months of employment.
Onboarding
Degree to which an organization is successful in executing its strategic objectives and mission.
Organizational effectiveness
Acquisition and/or transfer of knowledge within an organization through activities or processes that may occur at several organizational levels. Ability of an organization to learn from its mistakes and adjust its strategy accordingly
Organizational learning
Beliefs and principles defined by an organization to direct and govern its employees’ behavior.
Organizational values
Process by which new employees become familiar with the organization and with their specific department, coworkers and job.
Orientation
Process by which an organization contracts with third-party vendors to provide selected services/activities, instead of hiring new employees.
Outsourcing
Process of measuring and evaluating an employee’s adherence to performance standards and providing feedback to the employee.
Performance appraisal
Tools, activities and processes that an organization uses to manage, maintain and/or improve the job performance of employees.
Performance management
Data or calculations comparing current performance against key performance indicators (KPIs).
Performance measures
Behaviors and results defined by an organization to communicate the expectations of management.
Performance standards
Type of labor environment in which multiple forces are at work in an organization, each with its own agenda, and in which conflict is overcome through negotiation.
Pluralism
Scope of work roles and responsibilities associated with one or more persons.
Position
Concept that management-labor conflict is an inherent characteristic of capitalism and can be resolved only with a change in the economic system.
Radicalism
Tool used in the staffing/selection process to provide an applicant with honest, complete information about the job and work environment.
Realistic job preview (RJP)
Process by which an organization seeks out candidates and encourages them to apply for job openings.
Recruitment
Rule or order issued by an administrative agency of government, which usually has the force of law.
Regulation
Extent to which a measurement instrument provides consistent results.
Reliability
Process by which an unacceptable action or behavior is corrected
Remediation
Total pay in the form of salary and wages received in exchange for employment (e.g., allowances, benefits, bonuses, cash incentives, monetary value of non-cash incentives).
Remuneration
Instruments that collect information on prevailing market compensation and benefits practices (e.g., base pay, pay ranges, starting wage rates, statutory and market cash payments, paid time off [PTO], variable compensation)
Remuneration surveys
Process by which employees returning from international assignments reintegrate into their home country’s culture, conditions and employment.
Repatriation
Act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational or other structures of an organization
Restructuring
Ability of an organization to keep its employees.
Retention
Data or calculation comparing an investment’s monetary or intrinsic value against expended resources.
Return on investment (ROI)
Uncertainty that has an effect on an objective, where effect outcomes may include opportunities, losses and threats.
Risk
System for identifying, evaluating and controlling actual and potential risks to an organization, and which typically incorporate mitigation and/or response strategies, including the use of insurance
Risk management
Process of evaluating the most suitable candidates for a position
Selection
A set of techniques and tools for process improvement, aimed at increasing quality by decreasing defects in processes.
Six Sigma/Lean Six Sigma
- Six Sigma is a strategy that identifies and removes the causes of defects and errors in manufacturing and business processes. The Six Sigma approach to project management is focused on measuring the return of value that allows empirical analysis to inform decision making.*
- Lean Six Sigma is a strategy that eliminates waste and improves process flows.*
Internet technology platforms and communities that people and organizations use to communicate and share information, opinions and resources.
Social media
Process by which persons learn the knowledge, language, social skills, culture and values required for assimilating into a group or organization.
Socialization
Those affected by an organization’s social, environmental and economic impact (e.g., customers, employees, local communities, regulators, shareholders, suppliers).
Stakeholders
Structured conversations with employees for the purpose of determining which aspects of a job (e.g., culture, engagement, leadership, organization, satisfaction) encourage employee retention, or may be improved to do so.
Stay interviews
System of actions that leaders take to drive an organization toward its goals and objectives.
Strategic management
Process of setting goals and designing a path toward organizational success.
Strategic planning
Plan of action for accomplishing an organization’s overall and long-range goals.
Strategy
Process of implementing a talent management strategy to identify and foster the development of high-potential employees or other job candidates who, over time, may move into leadership positions of increased responsibility
Succession planning
Practice of purchasing and using resources wisely by balancing economic, social and environmental concerns, toward the goal of securing present and future generations’ interests.
Sustainability
Method for assessing an organization’s strategic capabilities through the environmental scanning process, which identifies and considers the internal and external factors that affect the achievement of organizational goals and objectives.
SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat) analysis
The SWOT analysis process involves answering four basic questions:
- S—What are the organization’s internal strengths?*
- W—What are the organization’s internal weaknesses?*
- O—What external opportunities might the organization be able to take advantage of?*
- T—To succeed, what external threats must the organization accept or manage?*
Process for understanding how seemingly independent units within a larger entity interact with and influence one another.
Systems thinking
System of integrated HR processes for attracting, developing, engaging and retaining employees who have the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) to meet current and future business needs.
Talent management
Bilateral agreements between countries, entered into for the purpose of eliminating double taxation of employees on international assignments.
Totalization agreements
Group of workers who formally organize and coordinate their activities to achieve common goals in their relationship with an employer or group of employers (i.e., labor union).
Trade union
Process by which employees are provided with the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSOAs) specific to a task or job.
Training
Leadership style that focuses on challenging and developing members of an organization to attain long-range results through continuous evolution, improvement or change, based on the leader’s vision and strategy.
Transformational leadership
Extent to which an organization’s agreements, dealings, information, practices and transactions are open to disclosure and review by relevant persons.
Transparency
Act of replacing employees who are leaving an organization. Attrition or loss of employees.
Turnover
Violation of employee rights. Action prohibited under labor-relations statutes.
Unfair labor practice (ULP)
Concept that employers and employees can act together for their common good.
Unitarism
Extent to which a measurement instrument measures what it is intended to measure.
Validity
Measure of usefulness, worth or importance.
Value
Statistical method for identifying the degree of difference between planned and actual performance or outcomes.
Variance analysis
Description of what an organization hopes to attain and accomplish in the future, which guides it toward that defined direction.
Vision
Strategic process by which an organization analyzes its current workforce and determines the steps required for it to prepare for future needs.
Workforce planning
Modification of a job, job site, or way of doing a job, so that persons with disabilities can have equal access to opportunity in all aspects of work and can perform the essential functions of their positions.
Workplace accommodation
Groups that represent employees, generally on a local or organizational level, for the primary purpose of receiving from employers and conveying to employees information about the workforce and the health of the enterprise.
Works councils
Matrix tool used to find where the greatest value in their organizations lies
Growth-share Matrix
- A business line that is growing and has a dominant share (a “star”) has high value.*
- A static but dominant business line (a “cash cow”) creates value reliably but shows little opportunity for growth.*
- “Dogs” are consuming resources without offering strong value or future growth.*
- “Question marks” could be winners or losers; their future is unclear.*
Type of project management used when the assumptions on which a project is based are unclear or may evolve as project work proceeds. The project focuses on iterations of the deliverables—completing one iteration and then using customer input to plan the next iteration.
Agile project management
Project management used when resources cannot be increased to meet deadlines.
Critical chain project management
For example, an HR department may be able to allocate no more than 10 hours per week of staff time to do project work. Project activities are scheduled accordingly. Buffers are built into the schedule both to account for dependencies (i.e., having to wait for another task to be completed) and to allow some room for variance for the estimated task requirement. Once the buffers are set, however, they are strictly enforced.
Use of information from past and present to predict future conditions.
Judgmental forecasts
Name the 4 steps of workforce analysis
1) supply analysis (Where are we now?)
2) demand analysis (Where do we want to be?)
3) gap analysis (What is lacking?)
4) solution analysis (What can we afford?)
Interviews designed to probe areas of interest to the interviewer in order to determine how well a job candidate meets the needs of the organization.
Selection interviews
Process of positioning an organization as an “employer of choice” in the labor market.
Employment branding
Number of people on an organization’s payroll at a particular moment in time.
Head count
Analyzing candidates’ application forms, curricula vitae, and resumes to locate the most-qualified candidates for an open job.
Selection screening
