Unit 6 - Decision making to improve human resources performance

Question 1

HR objectives

Answer 1

A target set for the HR function

Question 2

Employee engagement

Answer 2

The connection between a business’ employees and its mission, goals and objectives

Question 3

Employee involvement

Answer 3

Exists in a business in which people are able to have impact on decisions and actions that affect their working lives

Question 4

Training

Answer 4

A process whereby an employee gains job related skills and knowledge

Question 5

Talent development

Answer 5

Refers to the development and guidance of outstanding employees who have the potential to make a major contribution to an organisation’ performance and success

Question 6

Human resources management

Answer 6

The management of people at work in order to assist the organisation in achieving its objectives

Question 7

Hard HRM strategy

Answer 7

This strategy treats employees as a resource to be monitored and used in an effective manner in order to achieve the strategic objectives of the business

Question 8

Soft HRM strategy

Answer 8

This strategy views employees as valuable assets, a major source of competitive advantage and of vital importance in achieving strategic objectives

Question 9

Labour turnover

Answer 9

The % of a business’s employees who leave the business over some period of time

Question 10

Labour retention

Answer 10

The extent to which a business holds onto its employees

Question 11

Human resources plan

Answer 11

This assesses the current and future capacity of a business’s workforce and sets out actions necessary to meet the business’s future human resources need

Question 12

Job design

Answer 12

The process of grouping together or dividing up tasks and responsibilities to create complete jobs

Question 13

Job enrichment

Answer 13

Occurs when employees’ jobs are redesigned to provide them with more challenging and complex tasks

Question 14

Levels of hierarchy

Answer 14

Refers to the number of layers of authority within an organisation

Question 15

Span of control

Answer 15

The number of subordinates directly responsible to a manager

Question 16

Human resources flow

Answer 16

The movement of employees through an organisation, starting with recruitment

Question 17

Redundancy

Answer 17

Takes place when an employee is dismissed because a job no longer exist

Question 18

Redeployment

Answer 18

Occurs when an employee is offered suitable alternative employment within the same business

Question 19

Centralisation/decentralisation

Answer 19

The degree to which authority is delegated within an organisation. Decentralisation involves a greater degree of delegated authority to the subordinates

Question 20

Organisational design

Answer 20

A process to ensure that the organisation is appropriately designed to deliver organisation objectives in the short and long term

Question 21

Trade union

Answer 21

A group of employees who join together to maintain and improve their conditions of employment

Question 22

Collective bargaining

Answer 22

Entails negotiations between management and employees’ representatives, often trade unions, over pay and other conditions of employment

Question 23

Works council

Answer 23

A committee within a business where workers and management meet to discuss issues such as working conditions, pay and training

Question 24

Arbitration

Answer 24

A procedure for the settling of a dispute, under which the parties agree to be bound by the decision of a third party