A small company in the energy industry has a policy that states that employees who work overtime hours will be compensated with leave rather than with cash. Due to the nature of the industry, overtime work is common for employees who work in departments within the company’s core areas of operations. Employees throughout the company have been unhappy with this policy for many years, but have remained willing to work overtime hours when asked. However, managers are becoming increasingly reluctant to approve the leave that employees have earned because it leads to staffing shortages. As a result, more and more employees are refusing to work overtime hours. Senior leaders ask the company's HR business partner (HRBP) to investigate the problem further and to provide a solution. Senior leaders accept a recommendation from the HRBP to amend the current overtime policy to provide overtime pay to employees in the core areas of operations. Because they work so little overtime no change is recommended for employees in the administrative areas.
Senior leaders are concerned that the new policy will provide an opportunity for employees to abuse the system in order to earn more pay. What should the HRBP do?
The executive leadership team at a global IT company with over 300,000 employees in 140 countries decides they want more information about the state of the talent at the organization. They are concerned that they do not have enough insight about the talent pool across the organization. This has prevented HR from identifying and planning for retention risks and has caused delays in filling critical positions. Additionally, leaders across the organization lack an effective way to identify the best staff for their teams and must rely on recommendations from others. The VP of HR is asked to identify a talent management software solution and oversee its companywide implementation.
After the talent management software is implemented which action should the VP of HR take to assess whether it is helping leaders identify needed talent?
An organization increased its workforce by 50% over the past six months, and 90% of the positions were filled by employees working remotely. Which action best supports the organization's increased workforce?
According to Ulrich, what is the primary intent of the business partner model?
Which initiative would have a long-term effect on increasing the number of women in executive positions?
According to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which working condition requires equal pay?
A small organization recently hired a new CEO with a strong marketing background. The CEO establishes a new sales approach focused on expanding business opportunities through the creation of new products, which will be marketed and sold by the sales force. The CEO believes her effectiveness is impaired by having too many direct reports. The CEO meets with the CFO and HR director. They decide to reduce the CEO's number of direct reports to those most relevant to the CEO's vision for the organization. The remaining employees are reassigned to the CFO who already oversees a team of three. This change allows the CEO to more effectively focus on the vision HR releases a memo informing employees of the change in reporting structure.
The CEO learns that the change in reporting structure has resulted in disappointment for the employees who are no longer direct reports and asks the HR director for advice. What action should the HR director advise the CEO to take?
A multinational manufacturing firm recently experienced a series of product line defects and supply chain shortages. At the request of the chief operating officer (COO), the firm hires a new VP of operations who worked for the COO at another company for many years. The VP is well known for achieving results quickly and efficiently. During a conference call with the COO and all operations managers, the new VP begins making angry remarks toward the managers because the VP believes they are not responding quickly to questions about the recent problems. When the managers speak the VP responds by criticizing them and speaking with a loud aggressive tone of voice. The COO advises the VP to focus on identifying the root cause of the problem rather than criticizing the managers. In response, the VP accuses the COO of being too lenient on the managers during a period of crisis that requires quick and deliberate action. After the meeting, the managers send a formal letter to the firm's regional HR director describing the VP's behavior and requesting an immediate response.
The regional HR director discovers that the VP's onboarding process was shortened because the firm needed the VP to oversee multiple high-visibility initiatives. What should the regional HR director do to ensure the VP understands the business impact of the company's leadership and culture standards?
A rapidly growing company in a competitive labor market has been paying above-market wages. To better align base salaries to the market median, the company is considering a change. Which plan helps keep the firm above the current market?
A newly hired chief human resource officer (CHRO) discovers a flaw in the time-keeping policy that allows senior executives to receive full salaries and benefits without working the expected full-time hours. The CHRO reviews corporate data and identifies three senior executives in the sales department who regularly worked half the expected full-time hours for the past two years. The CHRO also discovers that the sales department has the lowest levels of employee engagement and morale across the corporation. However, the CHRO knows these three senior executives have been with the corporation for over a decade and have established strong alliances with the CEO. The CHRO presents the issue to the CEO and learns the CEO was unaware of the flaw in the policy. The CHRO and CEO agree to discuss the issue during the next executive team meeting.
During the executive team meeting, the sales department senior executives make allegations about the CHRO’s professional qualifications that the CHRO knows are false. Which action should the CHRO take?
A small technology company needs to design and create a marketing campaign for a new software product it plans to offer in three months. Which type of worker should the HR manager select for the project?
A newly hired chief human resource officer (CHRO) discovers a flaw in the time-keeping policy that allows senior executives to receive full salaries and benefits without working the expected full-time hours. The CHRO reviews corporate data and identifies three senior executives in the sales department who regularly worked half the expected full-time hours for the past two years. The CHRO also discovers that the sales department has the lowest levels of employee engagement and morale across the corporation. However, the CHRO knows these three senior executives have been with the corporation for over a decade and have established strong alliances with the CEO. The CHRO presents the issue to the CEO and learns the CEO was unaware of the flaw in the policy. The CHRO and CEO agree to discuss the issue during the next executive team meeting.
Prior to the executive team meeting, the three sales department senior executives confront the CHRO in person. The executives state that working less than the expected full-time hours is justified because the CEO has made them return early from vacation on multiple occasions. How should the CHRO respond?
A company creates a foundation to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to fund projects aimed at uplifting the living conditions of the local communities. Aside from the grants, the company will also assign key employees to help manage the projects. This is an example of which type of community engagement?
How should an HR director create a workforce plan to manage headcount?
At an organization positioned for substantial growth, the HR leader is evaluating whether to outsource several HR functions. Which question should the HR leader first consider in the evaluation process?
Which element is fundamental to an inclusive global workplace?
An HR business partner (HRBP) in a large organization has recently been dealing with various issues with the chief human resource officer (CHRO). The HRBP reports to the CHRO. The CHRO does not consistently and clearly communicate information regarding business and strategic issues to the HRBP. The lack of communication has been presenting problems, as the HRBP's internal clients look to the HRBP for information and guidance on all HR topics and initiatives. As a result, the HRBP is often uninformed and unable to assist the clients. The lack of communication and transparency by the CHRO has been negatively impacting the HRBP and the HRBP's clients. The HRBP spends a lot of time trying to get information and often is unprepared to address client issues. In some cases, clients have received HR-related information ahead of the HRBP. Unfortunately, the CHRO has operated in this manner for years, with HR employees often feeling isolated from information and not feeling like they are part of a coherent unit. Despite this, the CHRO has expressed to the HRBP a belief that they have a very effective working relationship with one another.
The HRBP wants to provide suggestions to the organization’s executives about how to improve communication within the company, but the CHRO does not include the HRBP in strategic discussions that the CHRO has with other executives. What should the HRBP do?
What is the first step in recruitment content marketing on social media?
The executive leadership team at a global IT company with over 300,000 employees in 140 countries decides they want more information about the state of the talent at the organization. They are concerned that they do not have enough insight about the talent pool across the organization. This has prevented HR from identifying and planning for retention risks and has caused delays in filling critical positions. Additionally, leaders across the organization lack an effective way to identify the best staff for their teams and must rely on recommendations from others. The VP of HR is asked to identify a talent management software solution and oversee its companywide implementation.
Which action should the VP of HR take first to identify a talent management software solution?
After witnessing an employee violation, a manager discusses the violation with HR and other managers before preparing a documented description. The manager informs the employee of the disciplinary action at a performance appraisal meeting. What is the mam problem with the manager’s procedure?
Which documentation strengthens a claim of harassment against an employer?
A new HR director is hired into the HR department of one at a midsize, engineering company. The HR director immediately notices that, unlike all other major departments, HR is never invited to any important meetings, or involved in strategic discussions. The president of the company sees the sole use of an HR department as meeting legal requirements and the core duties of the HR director are to onboard new employees, help them complete their paperwork and address employee complaints. The HR director sees several areas where HR can add value to the company such as improving employee engagement, automating various HR systems, and introducing a performance review process. The HR director recognizes that the company needs one to two additional HR employees to truly be able to implement these important initiatives. When the HR director asks the president about the possibility of hiring two new HR employees, the president laughs and replies that one HR employee is costing the company more than enough.
A recently hired female engineer submits an HR complaint saying that she is not given the most visible opportunities despite her being one of the most experienced engineers at the company. After confirming that this is happening what should the HR director do in response?
An HR department at a midsize company hosts regular manager meetings to provide updates regarding company structure practices, and policies. During the recent meeting, the HR director notified all managers of the company's new code of conduct policy and plans for an upcoming training about the policy. The policy explicitly states that managers must not form personal relationships with their direct reports. The HR director explains that the policy was created because concerns about fairness related to promotions and rumors about favoritism were beginning to cause conflict within some departments. Some of the managers express that training is not necessary, but they all agree to attend it. A few days after the training, the HR director receives a complaint from an HR employee who claims to have seen a manager and one of the manager’s direct reports at a restaurant. The HR director was already concerned about this manager's judgment because the manager approved a promotion for the same direct report even though the direct report has documented performance-related issues. The HR director discusses the issue with the manager. In response, the manager criticizes the new policy and insists the relationship did not impact the direct report's promotion recommendation. The manager also states that the training was unclear and that other managers have the same opinion.
Several employees heard of the manager's personal relationship with the direct report. They approach the HR director with concerns that the direct report may have been unfairly promoted. How should the HR director respond to these concerns?
A company's CEO will address all employees on the closing down of the call center operations as a result of outsourcing. The HR business partner (HRBP) was tasked to help the CEO craft the message and accompanying presentation. Who is considered the source in this situation?
How should an organization most effectively improve employee productivity during a time of rapid growth and organizational change?
The global mobility team contacts an expatriate on assignment and advises that a new position has opened in the home country and a repatriation process will be initiated in two weeks. What is the most effective way to manage the repatriation process in this situation?
Due to a global health crisis a manufacturing company halts operations for an indefinite time period. The HR manager reviews the company's crisis response plan but does not find information about paying employees. Which element was most likely skipped during the crisis planning stage?
A nonprofit health care facility conducts an engagement and culture survey, and the results indicate that employees throughout the organization believe leadership engages in favoritism by providing unequal opportunities for staff. General perceptions of the company's culture are poor, and many employees report intentions to leave their jobs. Several additional concerning findings are isolated to the philanthropic department, which is responsible for acquiring donors and securing charitable partnerships. Employees from this department report poor working relationships among staff, including gossiping and bullying among co-workers. Although the leadership team is aware of the poor working relationships in the philanthropic department, they have not asked the department director to address the issues because of the department's outstanding performance in recent years. However, after considering the recent survey results the leadership team decides to initiate a project to address the culture issues at the facility overall and within the philanthropy department specifically. The operations VP will oversee the project and ask an HR business partner (HRBP) to lead the project. The VP of operations requests that the HRBP collect additional survey data and conduct focus groups during the first phase of the project.
The philanthropy department director confides in the HRBP that behavioral issues with specific employees have not been addressed because the director prefers to avoid interpersonal confrontation. Which action should the HRBP take?
During a workforce audit, an HR mobility leader discovers several expatriates who are not part of the organization's global mobility program. Which is the first step the HR leader should take in response to this discovery?
In one of the warehouses of a retail company, several international employees complain to HR that the warehouse manager has forbidden them from speaking in their native language in the workplace. The HR manager speaks with the warehouse manager, who says there have been several reports that the international employees only interact with each other and they have difficulty conversing with the local employees due to language barriers. The HR manager also learns that the international employees can speak the primary language used in the company well enough to understand instructions from their supervisors. Fortunately, there have been no incidents of safety issues where language has been a barrier between local and international employees. However, senior management believes there is a lack of rapport between local and international employees and instructs the HR manager to resolve the issue.
Senior management asks the HR manager to investigate whether other warehouse locations face similar issues between local and international employees. Which approach should the HR manager take to gather the most accurate information?
When an employee presents evidence of corporate wrongdoing, which is considered the HR leader’s primary responsibility under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002?
A nonprofit health care facility conducts an engagement and culture survey, and the results indicate that employees throughout the organization believe leadership engages in favoritism by providing unequal opportunities for staff. General perceptions of the company's culture are poor, and many employees report intentions to leave their jobs. Several additional concerning findings are isolated to the philanthropic department, which is responsible for acquiring donors and securing charitable partnerships. Employees from this department report poor working relationships among staff, including gossiping and bullying among co-workers. Although the leadership team is aware of the poor working relationships in the philanthropic department, they have not asked the department director to address the issues because of the department's outstanding performance in recent years. However, after considering the recent survey results the leadership team decides to initiate a project to address the culture issues at the facility overall and within the philanthropy department specifically. The operations VP will oversee the project and ask an HR business partner (HRBP) to lead the project. The VP of operations requests that the HRBP collect additional survey data and conduct focus groups during the first phase of the project.
Although the leadership team initiated the project, a few members express concerns that the project is not a good use of the facility's funds. They are skeptical that the project will lead to any tangible benefits for the facility. Which action should the HRBP take to address the leadership team's opposition to the project?
The marketing department at a large financial services company chooses five high-performing staff members every year to receive a performance award, which includes a monetary reward and recognition at an end-of-year meeting. Employees are chosen by managers in the marketing department. Each manager nominates two direct reports, and then all managers meet as a group to discuss nominees until a consensus is reached. The names of the winners are given to HR for final approval. The marketing department is preparing to begin this year's nomination process. There have been repeat winners in each of the last three years. A marketing employee files a complaint with the HR director about favoritism in the award process. Additionally, the employee points out that newer employees rarely win the award, which lowers their morale. New employees tend not to win because they spend a couple of years training and shadowing experienced employees before receiving tasks to perform independently.
After the nominations are submitted to HR, a product manager asks the HR director not to approve a nominee who recently insulted the manager during an argument. Which action should the HR director take?
Which group should be absolutely engaged when designing a global HR structure?
Which compensation program is offered to encourage recipients to create long-term shareholder value?
The executive leadership team at a global IT company with over 300,000 employees in 140 countries decides they want more information about the state of the talent at the organization. They are concerned that they do not have enough insight about the talent pool across the organization. This has prevented HR from identifying and planning for retention risks and has caused delays in filling critical positions. Additionally, leaders across the organization lack an effective way to identify the best staff for their teams and must rely on recommendations from others. The VP of HR is asked to identify a talent management software solution and oversee its companywide implementation.
A talent management software package has been selected. Which action should the VP of HR take to create an effective implementation project team?
An HR director is hired to address the executive team's concerns about negative workplace culture and its impact on financial performance. During an initial investigation the HR director discovers that the two division directors often fail to communicate with each other and their employees. Each division maintains separate workplace policies, and the workspaces for the divisions are spread out across multiple floors. For employee management, the director of the client services division is assisted by a small HR team. The director of operations does not work with the HR team and instead uses company funds to seek employee management advice from an executive coach, who has no official coaching training. The HR director suspects facilitating change at the company will be challenging because engagement data indicates many employees distrust the company’s leadership and HR.
Which action should the HR director take to improve the flow of information throughout the company?
An organization is experiencing an influx of administrative tasks and needs additional support on a short-term basis for four hours a day. Which is the best type of contingent worker for the role?
The president of a large company is planning to retire soon. The president has been with the company for 40 years, the longest tenure of any employee in the company, and has been president for the last 10 years. In addition to replacing its top leader, the company is also in the midst of conducting strategic planning for the next three years. The HR director has been placed in charge of overseeing the selection and transition process for the new president and has organized a search committee consisting of external board members. The search committee has identified three internal candidates for the position and must move forward with the process of selecting one to be president.
Senior leaders at the company have learned of the upcoming transition and the identity of the candidates. What should the HR director do to ensure the senior leaders stay with the company even if their favored candidate is not selected for the job?
A start-up technology company is growing rapidly, and senior leadership would like the company to be publicly traded in the near future. The company regularly exceeds its financial goals, but outside analysts express concerns about the inconsistent practices and procedures within the company. The company values innovation, and very little attention is paid to documenting or standardizing work processes. This provides employees with a great deal of freedom to experiment in their roles, but it also leads to confusion about individual assignments and areas of responsibility. In preparation for a public offering, the company's leadership asks the HR director to gather information on best work practices in every functional area and create the required documentation.
Many team managers do not believe that documentation is necessary and they do not want to spend time creating it. How can the HR director convince them that this initiative is worthwhile?