Certification Example Questions

Question 1

SMART goals should have which of the following characteristics?

a. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely
b. Situational, Measurable, Action, Relatable, Timely
c. Sensitive, Methodological, Achievable, Relevant, Timely
d. Solid, Measurable, Automated, Reliable, Tested

Answer 1

A: The SMART acronym reminds users to ensure goals are Specific (is clearly defined), Measurable (can produce data to show evidence), Achievable (is a feasible goal within the grasp of the organization and workers), Relevant (is related to the desired overall outcome), and Timely (can be reached in a reasonable period of time). The other options do not apply.

Question 2

When performing a cost-benefit analysis of a proposed project, what is a project worker’s salary an example of?

a. A stakeholder
b. A cost
c. A benefit
d. A dependent variable

Answer 2

B: The worker’s compensation is calculated as one of the costs needed to get the project done. Without paying the worker, he or she cannot be used as a resource on the project. The worker is not necessarily a stakeholder. The worker’s salary is a benefit to the worker directly in return for his or her work, but it is not considered a benefit for the purpose of a cost-benefit analysis. The worker’s pay is also fixed as a salary, and is not considered a dependent variable for the purpose of the analysis.

Question 3

Which of the following is a tool from the Six Sigma approach?

a. Value stream mapping
b. HRIS
c. SMART
d. Flow state diagram

Answer 3

A: Value stream mapping is a tool from the Six Sigma approach that shows the value added by each step within a process. HRIS refers to information systems. SMART is an acronym to guide goal setting. Flow state diagrams are not a business tool

Question 4

4. An organization’s overall attitude towards dress code, working remotely, social retreats for employees, and designated break times can best be described as which of the following?
   a. Customer-centric
   b. Work-life balance
   c. Freebies
   d. Corporate culture

Answer 4

D: Corporate culture refers to the general attitude toward regular workday activities and how employees interact with one another. The categories listed have nothing to do with customers, life outside of work, or freebies

Question 5

Which components of a SWOT matrix examine influences that are external to the organization?

a. Strengths and weaknesses
b. Opportunities and threats
c. Strengths and opportunities
d. Weaknesses and threats

Answer 5

B: Opportunities (helpful) and threats (harmful) refer to influences that occur outside of an organization that are likely to affect the organization. Opportunities include things like an influx of skilled workers moving to the area that serve as a talent pool for the organization, or federal regulations that promote the organization’s services. Threats include things like natural disasters that shut down the organization for an extended period of time, or an innovative in-home automation service that makes the organization’s services redundant.

Question 6

Which components of a SWOT matrix examine influences that are internal to the organization?

a. Strengths and weaknesses
b. Opportunities and threats
c. Strengths and opportunities
d. Weaknesses and threats

Answer 6

A: Strengths (helpful) and weakness (harmful) refer to assets and liabilities that occur within an organization. Strengths of an organization include aspects like recognition as the top leader in quality services by a credible source, or top sales received amongst all competition in the area. Weaknesses of an organization include things like a high employee turnover rate or small production facilities in comparison to the competition

Question 7

Which of the following data collection methods require the services of a skilled facilitator?

a. Paper surveys
b. Online surveys
c. Focus groups
d. Classroom trainings

Answer 7

C: Focus groups utilize a facilitator who guides high-level, tailored discussions about a specific topic between a group of identified stakeholders. Surveys may require an administrator, but are not a facilitated method of data collection. Classroom trainings are not a method of data collection

Question 8

What does it mean when a process has been validated? a. That the process has been archived and no longer needs review

b. The process has been approved by an external regulatory body, like the FDA
c. That the process has been approved by upper management
d. That process inputs are tightly-controlled and produce the same desired output each time the process takes place

Answer 8

D: Validated processes have tightly controlled parameters in order to produce the same desired output through each trial. This ensures consistent, high-quality products or services. The other options do not apply.

Question 9

What is the practice of benchmarking?

a. Using statistics to make decisions
b. Using chalk or other removable material to mark proposed specifications on a prototype
c. Comparing an organization’s initiatives and outcomes against competition and/or industry standards
d. Holding a back-up candidate for a position in case a primary candidate rejects a job offer

Answer 9

C: Benchmarking compares an organization’s initiatives or outcomes to those of competing organizations or industry standards in order to determine efficacy and added value to the organization. The other options listed do not apply

Question 10

What is confirmation bias?

a. The human tendency to seek, favor, or influence data to match personal preferences or an established hypothesis
b. Asking for professional help only from colleagues that are guaranteed to say yes, therefore eliminating one’s networking capacity
c. Choosing to select a random sample from a telephone book of names
d. Promoting evidence-based research for all decision-making within an organization

Answer 10

A: Confirmation bias is the tendency for researchers to select, find, or choose data that matches their personal preference or proposed hypothesis. For example, a researcher who believes adjunct college professors are mostly unhappy may gravitate toward interviewing only professors who have previously openly expressed dissatisfaction.

Question 11

When working with multiple stakeholders who have varied interests, what is the best way to propose and develop a new initiative?

a. Base the initiative around the interests of the stakeholder in the group who holds the highest position within the organization
b. Place all interests into a random generator, and allow an initiative topic to be randomly selected
c. Via email
d. Select an overlapping interest that could have a feasible solution

Answer 11

D: When working with multiple stakeholders to develop a new initiative, one should select an interest that is held by the most stakeholders in order to provide value to as many people for the least amount of resources. HR professionals should be sure to not favor one particular stakeholder’s interests, should not select randomly, and should not make initial inquiries solely via email (which can make the process seem impersonal and unimportant).

Question 12

Self-awareness, social awareness, relationship management, and self-management are components of which of the following?

a. Emotional intelligence
b. Intellectual quotient
c. Company lunch-and-learn trainings
d. New hire training

Answer 12

A: Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s capacity for positive human interaction, and requires awareness of self, others, relationships, and surroundings. Higher emotional intelligence is associated with better communication and relationships

Question 13

What factors does a PESTLE analysis take into consideration?

a. People, projects, and payments within an organization
b. Political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental trends that influence the organization
c. People, engagement, sustainability, time, limitations, and expectations in relation to a specific project
d. The most proximal direct competitor

Answer 13

B: The acronym in PESTLE stands for political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental. This refers to categorized trends that influence the organization and can be used to anticipate potential opportunities and risks in a variety of areas.

Question 14

What is the purpose of a root cause analysis?

a. To determine the foundation-level reason as to why an overarching issue is occurring
b. To determine the exact employee that caused an error during a process
c. To determine the best source of external funding
d. To determine how to allocate fixed funds within an organization

Answer 14

A: A root cause analysis is a systematic review of a larger issue that is broken down into smaller issues in order to determine the single “root cause” behind the larger issue. The aim of the root cause analysis is to resolve the root cause in order to have a positive domino effect on larger issues

Question 15

What are two popular search tools to find peer-reviewed, evidence-based research?

a. CNN and FOX
b. Medline and Yahoo News
c. Google Scholar and PubMed
d. People Quest and People Soft

Answer 15

C: Google Scholar pulls all scholarly research through Google’s search engine, and PubMed provides access to a wide range of legitimate medical, health, and life (including HR topics) research

Question 16

Meeting, learning from, and socializing with colleagues within and outside of one’s organization is known as which of the following practices?

a. Networking
b. Achieving work-life balance
c. Formal education
d. Fraternizing

Answer 16

A: Networking refers to interacting with others who have knowledge and expertise that can provide personal and professional growth. This action does not relate to work-life balance and is not a type of formal education. It is also a positive experience, whereas fraternizing normally has a negative connotation

Question 17

Lisa is an HR generalist that is posting a job online. She is proud of her company’s benefits system and wants to highlight some of them in the posting. What types of benefits could she include in the job posting?

a. Company-sponsored worksite wellness program, 401(k) matching up to 5%, and an annual sponsored mindfulness retreat
b. Job tasks, including the amount of time spent sitting each day
c. Number of direct reports for the position
d. An exact salary number

Answer 17

A: These are all unique benefits that would seem attractive to most employees. While job tasks and reports could be listed on the job posting, they do not fall under benefits. Salary is considered compensation and not an exact benefit; in addition, an exact salary is not usually posted in a job description.

Question 18

During new hire orientation, Joe wants to illustrate the company culture to new employees. What are some things he could share with them to show the organization’s culture?

a. Share that employees can choose to work remotely one day per week, that leadership sit with employees in an open workspace, and the last Friday of each month is used to celebrate an employee’s personal heritage
b. Share that new equipment will be delivered at the end of the month, and that he will follow up with each employee on assignment
c. Share his personal career story, beginning from choosing a major in college
d. Enroll employees in a required CPR/AED course

Answer 18

A: These behaviors describe the attitudes, beliefs, and values that dictate the company’s work days. The other options are relevant to job duties or could be ways to connect with the employees, but do not reflect the overall company culture.

Question 19

Mila is in the planning stages of an HR initiative that focuses on providing a catered healthy lunch to all employees each Monday. What is something she should focus on during the planning stage?
I. Developing a SMART goal to determine why she wants to pursue this initiative and how she will know if it is successful
II. Identifying stakeholders and gathering their opinions on meal types and the value of this initiative
III. Surveying employees who attended about how they enjoyed the food served
IV. Creating a budget proposal
a. I and II
b. I, II, and III
c. I, II, and IV
d. All of the above

Answer 19

C: These are all tasks that should occur during the planning stage of this initiative. Surveying employees who attended to inquire about how they enjoyed the food would be part of the evaluation stage, not the planning stage

Question 20

An HR team is developing a budget for a hiring campaign. The associated costs include marketing materials; a venue rental for a hiring fair; and the time, labor, and salaries of the staff who will work at the fair. What types of cost are these?

a. Indirect costs
b. Regulatory costs
c. Direct costs
d. Training costs

Answer 20

C: Direct costs refer to costs that are associated with a single project, its processes, and its outcomes

Question 21

Each fiscal quarter within a fiscal year is an example of which of the following?

a. Benchmarking
b. A milestone
c. Calendar divides
d. Bonus assessment period

Answer 21

B: Milestones are progressive periods by which certain business activities are expected to be completed.

Question 22

Ray and Nash report to team leader, Dan, who is regularly out of the office. Dan takes up to a week to respond to their emails and his phone usually goes straight to voicemail. Dan is always in the office on Tuesdays, when he checks in with Ray and Nash and answers any questions of theirs. What is a clear obstacle in this team dynamic?

a. Ray and Nash have to share a single office
b. Dan answers Ray’s and Nash’s questions together instead of individually
c. Dan only has two reports
d. Dan does not support a reliable communication channel

Answer 22

D: As a leader, Dan should be more accessible to his employees, either through faster email responses or through a cellphone that is answered. A single weekly meeting is not sufficient to check in with a team, especially if an urgent issue arises.

Question 23

Which reputable approach encourages producing the most value from the least resources?

a. Six Sigma
b. Lean
c. Minimalist
d. Sustainability

Answer 23

B. The Lean approach is a method that originated in manufacturing, but is now present in almost all aspects of business across a span of industries. It aims to maximize output from the least amount of input without sacrificing safety or quality. It can be used in conjunction with Six Sigma, but is an independent approach

Question 24

Myra and Angela are two HR professionals who work in the same organization. Recently, Myra successfully implemented a sustainability initiative with the marketing department, where she helped them reduce the amount of paper they use. This led to saved paper, printing, and labor costs as well as reduced physical waste. Angela would like to try this initiative with the finance department, which is welcome to this idea. How can Angela begin to allocate resources for this project?

a. Copy Myra’s initiative as closely as possible, right down to the budget and timeline
b. Use her best guess to document what she believes the finance department will need in order to reduce their paper waste, and provide a written copy to the manager
c. Set up a meeting with Myra to discuss how she allocated resources and what went successfully, as well as what did not go successfully, and use this data to plan
d. Ask the HR intern to devote all of his time to her initiative

Answer 24

C: When implementing a new initiative, HR professionals can examine internal data from similar projects to help make their planning stage as useful and accurate as possible before beginning implementation. However, Angela should not copy Myra’s initiative directly, as she is working with a different team that has different needs.

Question 25

Michael leads an HR department at a federal agency. He is in the planning stage for the new fiscal year and is thrilled that he has created initiatives that are highly detailed and comprehensive, and use the resources of contracts his agency currently has in place. He is very attached to the outcomes of these initiatives. However, a presidential election is taking place in one month that will likely affect the contracts that are awarded to his agency. What can Michael do to protect his new fiscal year plans? a. Ensure that there is leftover money from the previous fiscal year to serve as a cushion should he not receive expected contracts b. Create backup plans for all of the contracts that may be affected, while calmly accepting that some changes may be unanticipated and out of his control c. Nothing, he has already distributed them to employees and archived them on the organization’s servers d. Find a new job

Answer 25

B: Even with the most diligent planning, HR leaders should expect the unexpected and never be too emotionally attached to outcomes. Michael should realize that all baseline plans are fluid and manage his expectations accordingly, while also preparing contingency plans for his operations. Most federal funds cannot roll over from fiscal years, and simply communicating information does not set them in stone.

Question 26

Larry manages three HR employees. Jane is in charge of compensation and benefit tasks, Ira is in charge of risk management tasks, and Samir is in charge of recruitment and hiring. Samir has an illness that takes him out of the office for six weeks, and during this time, all recruitment and hiring processes freeze. This majorly impacts two other departments that were waiting on new employees to begin. How could this situation have best been prevented? a. Larry should have cross-trained his three employees to fill in for each other should emergencies come up. b. Samir should have worked remotely to handle the candidates needed by the other two departments. c. Larry should have filled in for Samir’s role for the entire duration of his absence. d. Ira should have analyzed Samir’s workday operations to see if anything at work caused his illness.

Answer 26

A: Larry should have cross-trained his employees to fill in for one another in the case of emergencies. This allows normal business operations to continue, rather than halt, if an employee is absent. Samir should not have to work remotely when ill, and as a team leader, Larry should not be expected step in and fulfill Samir’s entire full-time job. Analyzing Samir’s workday for causes of the illness is unnecessary unless Samir requests it.

Question 27

An organization is trying to improve its parental leave policy. Who in the organization could be considered key stakeholders for this initiative? a. Pregnant female employees b. Male employees c. Managers of both sexes d. All of the above

Answer 27

D: All of these could be key stakeholders for a parental leave initiative. Pregnant mothers, male employees who have, are expecting, or want children, and managers who have to manage operations with decreased staff are all affected by decisions made to parental leave policies

Question 28

What is one way to build credibility as an HR expert? I. Pursue a Master’s degree in Human Resources from an accredited university II. Take online personality surveys, such as Myers-Briggs, to determine your strengths III. Earn nationally recognized certifications in the field IV. Attend workshops and share key takeaways with your organization a. I, III, and IV b. I, II, and III c. I, II, and IV d. All of the above

Answer 28

A: Taking online personality surveys, such as Myers-Briggs, to determine one’s personal strengths is not a way to build professional credibility. Such inventories can be helpful, in certain circumstances, if administered to job candidates to determine the most appropriate fit given the job responsibilities. 

Question 29

Tomas, an HR professional, is meeting with his direct manager, an entry-level employee in another department, and the vice-president of his organization to propose a system-wide HR initiative. What is the single most important thing Tomas can do during his proposal to promote buy-in? a. Wear his best suit and make sure his shoes are polished to give a solid first impression b. Go to the conference room early and make sure all of his technological devices work properly for the presentation c. Illustrate the value that the initiative will bring to the executive, managerial, and employee levels of the organization d. Offer to pay for half of the required resources out of pocket

Answer 29

C: Demonstrating how an initiative will bring value to each stakeholder is the best way to get buy-in for a new initiative. While looking professional and ensuring that all devices are working properly are important too, they are not the most important aspects. Finally, employees should not offer to pay out of pocket for company initiatives

Question 30

What is the most crucial aspect of successfully implementing organizational change? a. Work ethic b. Leadership buy-in c. Highly compensated employees d. Terminating employees who do not agree

Answer 30

B: Leadership buy-in promotes top-down change; without leaders in the company supporting new initiatives, it is highly unlikely that subordinate employees will embrace change. They are more likely to resist if they feel those in leadership positions do not find the change valuable.

Question 31

Jenny is an introverted individual who works best alone and behind the scenes. She is hired by a small firm to do data analysis and scientific report writing, two tasks she loves and excels at. She enjoys her first week very much and receives a great deal of praise from her colleagues and manager. However, a staffing change causes the firm to give her additional responsibilities, including organizing large team-building and training events. Jenny struggles with these responsibilities and after her 30-day probationary period, the firm lets her go. What is the probable reason for Jenny’s termination? a. Jenny is not a team player b. Jenny has poor work ethic c. Jenny was not a good fit with her new responsibilities d. Jenny is not smart enough to work at the firm 

Answer 31

C: Ensuring that employees are a good fit with their job duties is a critical component of job and employee success. When Jenny is hired for a job that was a good fit, she excels. When her responsibilities were no longer a match for her strengths and interests, she did not do well. However, this does not mean she has poor work ethic, low intelligence, or is not a team player.

Question 32

Lowry recently experienced the death of a loved one. While Lowry was once a stellar employee, he now begins to come to work late and is slow to finish his tasks. He appears disinterested in his work and eventually begins using up his sick days. Lowry’s manager tries to support him by providing grievance resources, offering new job responsibilities, and providing the option of working from home; however, Lowry is not interested in any of these options. What lesson can Lowry’s manager learn from this situation? a. Employees should be fired at the first sign of disengagement to avoid waste of time and resources b. Managers should not care too much about their employees, as it can cause emotional distress c. Managers should get to know their employees better outside of work, rather than only in the workplace d. Employee motivation is often influenced by factors that are outside of the manager’s locus of control

Answer 32

D: Managers can try a number of different avenues to help disengaged employees; however, they may not always be able to help with personal issues and should not be expected to always cater to employees outside of the workplace. Managers should try to come to a resolution before terminating an employee for major life-events; however, this may not always work out as hoped

Question 33

What is a lean way of communicating HR programs, policies, and practices, including real-time updates? a. An employee handbook that is reprinted and redistributed with each new version b. In-person conferences that regularly review protocols c. An online employee handbook that is accessible to every employee and is updated online d. Social media

Answer 33

C: This is a paperless method with an immediate notification system that minimizes waste yet keeps all employees informed.

Question 34

An employee sees a close colleague change numbers in an accounting spreadsheet to reflect incorrect values. The employee feels uncomfortable reporting the colleague, due to their friendship and close working relationship. However, the employee feels very concerned about the situation. What is one feasible resource that could help this employee in a situation like this? a. An anonymous and confidential HR hotline b. A close relationship with a superior c. An in-house coffee shop where the employee can go with the colleague to discuss their feelings about the situation d. Regular communication training sessions

Answer 34

A: An anonymous and confidential hotline can help employees report potentially unethical behaviors and feel less discomfort than if they had to do so publicly.

Question 35

What is the best way for HR leaders to communicate acceptable and ethical behaviors in the workplace? a. Provide written protocols about what constitutes as ethical and unethical behavior b. Relay that employees are continuously monitored with in-house cameras, so they should be especially mindful of their work behavior c. Model acceptable and ethical behavior themselves, as much as possible d. Tell employees at their new hire orientation

Answer 35

C: Modeling ethical behavior is the most effective way to show employees what is acceptable in the workplace. The other methods listed can help, but they may not be very effective on their own

Question 36

The CEO of a company holds bi-weekly meetings with his entire organization to relay new information about company performance, trends, and personal opinions relating to the industry. What is this an example of? a. Transparency b. Overshare c. Validation d. Process control

Answer 36

A: Transparency allows employees to know what is going on in most, if not all, aspects of the organization as it relates to their job. High transparency is associated with employees who feel valued, validated, and report high morale

Question 37

Where should an employee first encounter an organization’s ethical standards and policies? a. At the new hire orientation b. During the first interview c. In the job posting for his or her role d. By reading a company press release

Answer 37

C: The job posting is the first place to share the company’s mission, vision, and ethical standards. This attracts candidates with similar values to apply. Ethical standards should be reviewed again during the interview process and new hire orientation to ensure good fit and promote the values.

Question 38

Genevieve is interviewing a new candidate, Marcus, with whom she is very impressed. He has the perfect educational background, professional experience, and cultural fit for a position she is trying to fill. She has not met any comparable candidates during the hiring campaign for this position. However, when she runs a background check, she finds that he was arrested for a DUI approximately eight years prior but was not charged. Besides this event, his background check returns clear. What is the best course of action for Genevieve to take in this situation? a. Eliminate Marcus from the candidate pool and continue interviewing other candidates b. Assume there is an error on the background check c. Ignore the charge and offer Marcus the job d. Set up an appointment with Marcus to find out the context around the charge

Answer 38

D: If Genevieve is truly impressed by Marcus and feels he could benefit the company, she should allow him the benefit of explaining any red flags, especially for events that occurred over five or more years prior.

Question 39

Why is networking outside of one’s own organization a valuable professional experience? a. It can provide innovative insight that one can apply to their own organization b. It is nice to get out of the office once in a while c. It allows one to spy on the competition d. It allows one to learn more about his or her city

Answer 39

A: Networking outside of one’s organization allows one to witness the successes of others, a learning experience that can benefit one’s own workplace. The other options listed do not directly support professional growth

Question 40

There is a new employee in Janelle’s department. On the new employee’s first day, Janelle sets up a team lunch at a nearby restaurant and asks the new employee to attend. During lunch, Janelle asks the new employee about his past work experiences and personal interests. She also lets him know that she can help him with any questions he might have during his first week. What skill is Janelle practicing? a. Relationship building b. Continuing education c. Empathy d. Critical thinking

Answer 40

A: Janelle is being friendly, providing support, showing kindness, and creating a positive work environment for the new employee. These are all aspects of building a relationship which promotes better teamwork and a positive work environment.

Question 41

During a performance review, Jordan’s manager shares some concerns that Jordan does not seem to have friends at work, show interest in others, or get along well with her team members. Jordan knows that she is a shy person, but would like to use this opportunity for personal improvement. How can she proactively address this opportunity? a. Throw a weekend party for everyone at work and force herself to socialize b. Schedule a couple ten-minute intervals during her work day where she actively and positively engages with her coworkers c. Send a flowery apology email to her coworkers d. Ask her best friend to apply for a job at her company so that she can prove her manager wrong

Answer 41

B: Creating pockets of time during the course of the day to cultivate positive interactions with colleagues is an effective way to work on intrapersonal skills. The other options listed would be fairly inappropriate and socially unacceptable responses to a performance review

Question 42

The vice-president of an organization has noticed that a particular employee, Ben, has been working extremely hard and has made a positive impression on a large majority of the organization’s leadership. The vice-president meets with Ben and asks him about his work. Ben shares all of the accomplishments that his team has achieved in the last quarter. What is Ben displaying during this meeting? a. Ego b. Individualistic behavior c. Team-oriented culture d. Humility

Answer 42

C: Rather than speaking about all of his hard work and contributions, Ben chose to share his team’s accomplishments without singling anyone out. This is a display of strong team-oriented culture in the workplace

Question 43

A manager in a non-HR department is having difficultly scheduling leave for his team members in a new online scheduling system. How can an HR professional provide support in this situation? a. Offer to do all the scheduling for the manager b. Provide a training that walks through all of the steps of scheduling leave in the system, from the time the employee requests leave to when they return c. Assume that the manager will eventually figure it out with time and practice d. Relay to the manager that the system has been easily adopted in other organizations

Answer 43

B: Taking the time to teach the manager how to use a new system is the best way to show support without taking over the manager’s responsibilities or ignoring expressed concerns

Question 44

Karen is an employee in an organization’s finance department who has been feeling burned out at work. She sets up a meeting with Rita, an HR employee, to discuss this issue. When Karen arrives, Rita notices that Karen looks tired and defeated. As Rita shares her issues, Karen shows empathy and observes Rita’s body language. When Rita is finished speaking, Karen shares her perception of Rita’s concerns and asks if she is understanding correctly. What is Karen practicing in her conversation with Rita? a. Active listening b. Conscious listening c. Friendly listening d. Passive listening

Answer 44

A: Active listening engages all of the listener’s senses to communicate with the speaker, and also asks for confirmation from the speaker to ensure communication is perceived correctly

Question 45

An organization eliminates its pension package for retirees, which causes a group of retirees to arrive in the HR department. The group is angry and yelling at the HR employees. One woman even bursts into tears at the thought of receiving less money in retirement. What is the best way for HR employees to respond to this outburst? a. Take it personally and feel defeated b. Close the doors to the HR department until the retirees leave; after all, the department is unable to change the outcome c. Provide the president of the company’s direct line and tell the retirees to call  d. Actively listen to the feelings of the retirees, show empathy, and try to communicate with logic and objectivity

Answer 45

D: In all HR-related matters, staff members should welcome competing points of view, remain objective, and not take attacks personally. HR professionals often have to deal with emotional topics, so they should prepare to remain calm and professional in such events.

Question 46

Two HR staff members who are planning a worksite wellness initiative state that one of their initiative goals is to have healthier employees in their workforce. What is wrong with this goal? a. The goal is placing pressure on employees who are already busy b. The goal is pushing personal agendas on other employees c. The goal is too detailed d. The goal is ambiguous

Answer 46

D: This goal is ambiguous. It provides no baseline, no definition of what constitutes as a healthy employee, no definition of what constitutes as a successful initiative, and is very subjective in nature.

Question 47

Xiaoli is conducting a stakeholder meeting to review how a flu shot campaign conducted by the HR department is going. One of the stakeholders begins asking questions about the pharmacy that is providing the vaccines to the organization, and Xiaoli is unable to answer his questions. What is the best course of action for Xiaoli to take in this situation? a. Tell the stakeholder she doesn’t know anything about the pharmacy, and move on to the next item on the agenda b. Tell the stakeholder information that she feels like is probably accurate, based on something she read the other day c. Provide the stakeholder with the pharmacy’s contact information so that the stakeholder can call and get any information he needs d. Tell the stakeholder she doesn’t know the answers to his questions, but will find out and follow-up with him within 24 hours

Answer 47

D: Stakeholders are extremely valuable to initiatives and their questions should be answered thoroughly, accurately, and promptly. Although Xiaoli did not know the answers to her stakeholder’s questions, she offered to find out and provided a specific timeframe in which she would provide them.

Question 48

Maryam writes a message to her team leader to ask a question about a project. The team leader answers back with one sentence that seems terse to Maryam. What should Maryam do in this situation? a. Assume the team leader is angry that Maryam asked a dumb question b. Feel angry that the team leader did not think to add a greeting, closure, or other kind words to set the tone for the email c. Assume nothing, and ask the team leader about the brevity of the message when possible d. Assume the team leader is busy and just answered as quickly as possible

Answer 48

C: HR professionals should not make any assumptions behind communications. They can make educated guesses to provide context, but if they truly cannot be objective in their reasoning, they should solicit more information from the person with whom they are communicating

Question 49

Soliciting feedback from stakeholders is an important part of which of the following process stages? a. Evaluation b. Control c. Testing d. Documentation

Answer 49

A: Feedback is an important part of the evaluation stage, which examines if processes were implemented smoothly, effectively, and provided value.

Question 50

A company based in the United States is opening a new facility in Ireland. What will be a concern of HR professionals as the facility gets ready to launch? a. US foreign policy relations b. The assumption that the US site and the Irish site will not get along with one another c. The weather in Ireland d. Immigration laws and work visas for new employees at the site

Answer 50

D: Depending on the candidates that apply for jobs at this new site, immigration and work visas will need to be considered based on what is required by Irish law.

Question 51

An organization notices that its workforce is 78% females who are Caucasian. How can the organization make its workforce more diverse? a. Actively recruit underrepresented employees by highlighting diversity as a priority in job postings and favoring it during hiring b. Hire underrepresented workers even if they are not really qualified c. Terminate current employees and hire underrepresented employees d. The workforce is acceptable as is; clearly, candidates from other backgrounds are not available

Answer 51

A: In order to make workforces more diverse, organizations sometimes need to focus on actively recruiting underrepresented candidates that have qualifying credentials and experiences for the position. Workplaces that are more diverse are associated with better financial gains and higher rates of employee retentions, reported satisfaction, and performance. However, qualified candidates sometimes are unaware of job opportunities or may not feel comfortable being the minority in an organization

Question 52

What is one way an organization can provide benefits that cater to a diverse talent pool? a. Provide higher salaries to underrepresented groups b. Provide progressive options like benefits for same-sex partners or paternity leave c. Provide different benefit options based on employee background and interests d. Ignore benefits that deal with the employee’s personal life, such as family benefits

Answer 52

B: Organizations that consistently rank high in diverse and inclusive business practices often base business decisions on personal needs of employees, such as offering spouse and dependent benefits to same-sex partners, and offering paternity leave in addition to maternity leave.

Question 53

If an organization has a high turnover rate among employee groups that are already underrepresented, of what is this likely indicative? a. All employees at the organization are actually quite dissatisfied b. The competition is poaching employees to make their own workforces more diverse c. Underrepresented groups are actually not qualified to do the work they are hired for d. Some kind of barrier exists within the workplace or work environment that makes underrepresented groups feel uncomfortable or unhappy

Answer 53

D: This situation is likely to indicate that some barrier to inclusivity exists, and this is a cause for investigation, including follow-up with employees who may have resigned

Question 54

Barbara, Cassandra, Debbie, and Enid have all worked in the same HR team for two years as generalists. Their supervisor currently left the organization to pursue another opportunity. All four employees are viable candidates for this position, and all have submitted applications. However, Barbara worked with the director of the group in another organization and has a close friendship with her. What is the fairest way to conduct interviews and selection for the supervisor position? a. Allow the director to have the final selection, as it is her department b. Barbara should be given the position since she already has a close relationship with the director and they are likely to work well together c. A panel of interviewers from all parts of the company should interview all of the candidates and make a selection together based on merit d. Allow the supervisor who resigned to provide feedback

Answer 54

C: In this case, it seems as though Barbara might be favored even though all four candidates are equally qualified. Utilizing a panel of interviewers can reduce or eliminate any unconscious or conscious biases that a single leader may have during the hiring process

Question 55

Vera is an HR generalist that works for a medical devices company. She is in charge of recruiting and hiring engineers for the research and development team; however, she knows nothing about the product that the engineers will be building. Why could this be a major problem during the hiring process? I. Vera may hire engineers that do not have the correct skillset  II. Vera may provide incorrect details about job responsibilities III. Vera may provide compensation packages that are too high or too low for the job a. I and II  b. II and III c. I and III d. All of the above

Answer 55

D: HR responsibilities have a major influence on other departments within the organization. HR professionals’ determination of what talent the organization needs, who is hired to fill these needs, how employees are compensated, how to mitigate personnel liabilities, and so forth should be based off internal demands of the organization. If Vera does not know this information, she cannot make appropriate hiring decisions.

Question 56

In a healthcare organization, which of the following might constitute as a KPI during an established fiscal period? a. Reimbursed payments b. Cash payments c. Revenue cycle d. Number of uninsured patients

Answer 56

A: Healthcare organizations need to collect payments, and reimbursements come from patients, insurance companies, and so on. The amount of payment collected is a key performance indicator that shows how much actual revenue is generated

Question 57

Creating candidate profiles, updating job postings, removing filled positions, and flagging resumes can all be accomplished by which tool? a. HRIS b. HIIT c. HIFT d. CHIT

Answer 57

A: HRIS, or HR information systems, are a component of business technology that automates a great deal of HR-related paperwork and other tedious tasks

Question 58

Quinn is an HR recruiter who has a quarterly goal of hiring 35% of all employees that reach the interview process. He normally meets this goal. However, one quarter found him at a rate of 10%. What tool can Quinn use to learn more about this poor performance? a. Lean b. Oracle c. Gap analysis d. Value stream map

Answer 58

C: A gap analysis views a process when there is a discrepancy between expected performance and actual performance, especially when milestones, goals, or benchmarks are not met.

Question 59

What is a step-by-step diagram that shows the purpose of each stage called? a. Root cause map b. Value steam map c. Fishbone diagram d. Staircase diagram

Answer 59

B: A value stream map deconstructs a procedure and defines the value each step provides in relation to an established goal. Value stream mapping clearly illustrates when a process step is wasteful or misaligned with goal achievement, and allows the user to eliminate steps where possible to create a more efficient process

Question 60

Fiona is mapping out a process for a new initiative. She compiles the full timeline and processes of customer solutions, then brainstorms with her team about potential failures, obstacles, or setbacks that could occur at each stage. In what practice is Fiona engaging? a. Process mapping b. Negative facilitation c. Value stream mapping d. Risk identification

Answer 60

D: Risk identification is a way for HR professionals to mitigate or eliminate all potential setbacks, especially when delivering a solution to a valued customer. By identifying risks, they are able to develop contingency plans that allow the delivery of solutions to continue uninterrupted.

Question 61

Jeremy wants to implement an HR initiative that allows department leads to swap employees for specified periods of time in order to facilitate cross-training. What sources could Jeremy share with leadership to support his case for trying this? a. A case study in the New York Times that features a Fortune500 company that did this successfully b. An online forum where this idea is casually referenced as something that could work c. Anecdotal evidence from a friend who tried it at his company of 10 employees d. A college student’s podcast that he listened to on the way to work

Answer 61

A: The New York Times is a reputable publication, and the case study is an in-depth investigation at a large business. The other sources are not very credible, as they either have not successfully tried testing this initiative or utilized a very small sample size (which cannot be statistically significant).

Question 62

Lars is collecting data relating to employee productivity. He notices that facility employees are more likely to take sick days in December, while the rest of the organization have sick days scattered throughout the year. Lars hypothesizes that facility employees call out sick to have extra holiday time. What is the issue with this reasoning? a. The program that generated this report has not been double-checked b. Lars is clearly showing confirmation bias c. Facility employees often work outdoors, which could be a confounding variable d. There are no issues with this reasoning

Answer 62

C: Since facility employees often work outdoors, they could truly be sicker in December, which is a colder month. Lars cannot jump to conclusions from a single data collection without investigating all potential variables. There are no indicators in the case as described that he is showing confirmation bias or that there are issues with his data software.

Question 63

Mina is conducting a professional development satisfaction survey. She needs to survey 75% of her organization, which has over 3,000 employees. What is the best way for her to collect detailed data from this many people? a. Online survey b. Paper survey c. A series of focus groups d. Face to face interviews

Answer 63

A: Online surveys can be quickly distributed to a large group of people, can collect any type of information the researcher needs, and do not have paper waste. However, since surveys can have low completion rates, Mina may need to send regular follow up reminders or ask leadership to make the survey required in order to reach her completion goal.

Question 64

Elias sees a pie chart that shows about two-thirds of HR professionals hate their jobs, and only one-third find it satisfactory. What should he do before sharing this information with anyone? a. Ask his colleagues in the HR department how they feel about their jobs and see if it lines up with the chart b. Source who conducted the research and the sample size of respondents c. Review his own career choices so far d. Nothing, he should feel free to share the graph because it looks professional and accurate

Answer 64

B: Sources should always be checked for any data report. Also, visual representations of data are more susceptible to misconstrue the true meaning and should always be examined further. Elias may find out that the study only surveyed six people, or that it was conducted at a career fair, which would contribute a level of bias.

Question 65

Masao is an entry-level HR employee in an advertising agency. He is working on a project that focuses on diversity trainings offered in the workplace, and is conducting preliminary research to review best practices. Masao’s manager asks for a compilation of key findings. Masao sends a zip file full of every evidence-based journal article relating to diversity trainings in the workplace that he could find using Google Scholar. Masao’s manager responds that he is unable to review so many articles, and doesn’t say anything else. What would be a better approach for this task, moving forward? a. Masao asks his manager the total number of articles he should send at a given time b. Masao works independently from now on and leaves his manager out of his planning work c. Masao and his manager work together to determine the SMART goals of the diversity training offerings, and Masao pulls specific information from recently published scholarly papers that pertain to the goals to share with his manager d. Masao should be moved to a different team with different communication styles

Answer 65

C: As a less experienced employee, Masao should receive clear guidance from his manager on what he expects to receive as a result of Masao’s research. Additionally, they should work together to review goals for the potential initiative so that Masao can better filter his results and key findings.

Question 66

Cassandra is the new HR director at a small organization. She is reviewing her company’s employee handbook when she realizes that large pieces of information have not been updated in four years. As she reviews further, she realizes much of the handbook is obsolete. What should Cassandra do? a. Inform the head of the company, and let the head deal with the situation b. Speak to her superior and offer to develop a new online handbook that can be easily updated; communicate to the organization that there is a new iteration of the handbook that is more relevant and informative when the handbook is complete c. Return to her old company, which was much more disciplined and high-tech d. Say nothing, since she is a new employee

Answer 66

B: This is a proactive, lean approach to find a solution for an existing problem. Cassandra also utilizes proven ways to communicate changes to her organization. The other options listed are not the actions of an engaged employee.

Question 67

Ashley is conducting a workflow analysis in a patient clinic to identify sources of waste. Each day for two weeks, she sits in different areas of the clinic and examines the daily activities of each staff member. She records each task that the staff member completes, the amount of time it takes to complete the task, any obstacles that arise during the task, and anything that Ashley feels makes the task easier for the staff member she is observing. What is this type of data collection called? a. Focus group b. Work in progress c. Observational d. Transactional

Answer 67

D: This is an example of observational data collection that is recording both quantitative (time spent) and qualitative (type of task, obstacles) sources of data.

Question 68

When reviewing data or published studies, what constitutes as “recent” data collection or study? a. Data collection or study publication that occurred within the past two years b. Data collection or study publication that occurred within the past three years c. Data collection or study publication that occurred within the past four years d. Data collection or study publication that occurred within the past five years

Answer 68

B: Ideally, when referencing sources to drive decision-making, HR professionals should only use studies that took place within the past three years. Since innovation occurs quickly and best practices are susceptible to change, literature older than this may be obsolete.

Question 69

Louise is meeting for the first time with a potential vendor to assist with her organization’s annual wellness fair. What types of expectations should Louise discuss in person with the vendor? a. The vendor’s anticipated role during the wellness fair and communication timelines leading up to the fair b. The vendor’s work history and time in business c. The vendor’s goods and services d. The vendor’s personal health philosophy

Answer 69

A: These topics cover the relationship that Louise expects to have with the vendor leading up to the fair and during the event. The vendor’s business history, work history, and services are items that should have been reviewed (such as online or over the phone) before taking the time to meet with the vendor. The vendor’s personal health philosophy is not relevant.

Question 70

Joelle is a new employee at an organization. She is skilled in customer service and looks forward to managing the HR needs of her organization. At her previous organization, Joelle was expected to answer all inquiries within 24 hours. She was taught that this was the industry standard. Her current organization uses the 24-hour rule for emergencies, and allows up to three business days to respond to non-urgent inquiries. What practice should Joelle follow and why? a. 24 hours for all inquiries, as per the industry standard b. 24 hours for all inquiries, to show her organization that she is extra committed to her work c. 24 hours for emergencies and up to three days for other inquiries, per her current company’s protocols d. 48 hours, as a middle ground

Answer 70

C: Joelle should follow her current organization’s practices to show that she is team-oriented and embraces the company culture. There may be a reason that her current company allows more time for non-urgent issues, such as other responsibilities that Joelle is expected to fulfill.

Question 71

Nate is an HR employee who works with his organization’s operations departments. He is in the middle of resolving a short-term disability claim for an employee who is not present in the office. As he is working, the CFO of his organization visits his desk and asks for assistance with an urgent task that affects all employee data. This task is expected to take a full work day to complete. What should Nate do? a. Tell the CFO he is finishing a task for an employee, but will come help as soon as he is finished b. Pause work on the short-term disability claim till the next day to help the CFO, but communicate a status update to the employee it affects c. Immediately stop working on the short-term disability claim and help the CFO d. Tell the CFO he is not available and refer him to another HR staff member

Answer 71

B: Nate should prioritize the leadership issue that will impact a large number of employees, especially since the employee with the disability claim is not physically in the office. While Nate cannot share that he is prioritizing a leadership matter over an employee matter, he can inform the employee with the short-term disability claim that he is still working on the issue and will have a resolution the following day.

Question 72

What is one way to eliminate job applicants who may not be a good cultural fit for an organization? a. List aspects that are relevant to corporate culture on the job posting b. Make assumptions based on looks and body language when candidates arrive for in-person interviews c. Market all jobs at in-person job fairs only where HR staff can make decisions based on their first impressions d. It is difficult to pinpoint a mismatch between the organization and applicants until they are on the job

Answer 72

A: The job posting should highlight aspects of corporate culture that are likely to attract the ideal applicant fit and may seem unattractive to those who are not good fits

Question 73

Two employees who perform well individually have been placed on a project team together. However, in a team setting, they have very different work styles and attitudes and often clash angrily. How can an HR staff member help resolve this issue? a. Separate the two team members and put them on different projects b. Put them on a probationary warning c. Provide coaching that allows the employees to see the shared end goal of the project and how to compromise personal differences to reach it d. Allow them to resolve it autonomously, as this is more empowering

Answer 73

C: HR staff members should help non-cooperating employees find common ground to work together toward an end goal, rather than separating or punishing employees, whenever possible. If there are too many failed attempts at resolution, it may be necessary to escalate tactics.

Question 74

It is a new fiscal year, and an HR department is unsure of which initiatives to implement during the upcoming year. What is the first step they can take to target some ideas? a. Search online for current trends in HR initiatives b. Conduct a needs assessment that accounts for needs of the organization and interests of the employees, and find common ground c. Ask their friends in the organization for ideas or personal interests d. Select the ideas the HR department feels most passionate about

Answer 74

B: Accounting for the organization’s needs and interests that represent a large majority of the employees in the organization (rather than the interests or passions of just a select few) is the best way to select initiatives that will be useful, welcomed, and supported

Question 75

Where is a location that informal, yet effective, communication takes place at work? a. The break room b. During webinars c. In a conference room d. In a company newsletter

Answer 75

A: Break rooms are not places where formal work matters take place, such as the other options listed. However, it is an area where employees convene, relax, and often discuss work in an informal way that can often generate new and creative ideas.

Question 76

During a project meeting, Mary creates a table that includes a detailed description every task needed for the project, a deliverable date for each task, and the owner of each task. Each member is able to access and update the table with status updates. What is Mary helping her team do? a. Helping each member feel accountable b. Micromanaging c. Modeling ethical behavior d. Collecting data

Answer 76

A: Mary is providing clear, visible expectations of project tasks and completion dates. By sharing who is assigned to each task, it provides a sense of transparency and ownership. Together, these help individual members feel accountable for the role they play on the project

Question 77

Why do all employees need to build a wide range of intrapersonal skills? a. It correlates with higher pay over time b. It is the primary factor associated with cohesive teams c. It leads to better relationships at home d. It allows them to work well with other employees, even when they are on project teams that they have not selected themselves

Answer 77

D: Team members may be assigned by project rather than personally chosen; therefore, it is important to develop wide-ranging engagement skills that promote positive interactions. This is crucial to job satisfaction, since employees often spend full days with their team members. If they do not get along with their team, they will likely be miserable at work

Question 78

What are the known benefits of showing concern for fellow employees at work? a. It correlates with higher pay over time b. It builds employee morale and fosters positive working environments c. It correlates with more frequent promotions if one stays at the same organization for at least three years d. It leads to a self-reported sense of spiritual satisfaction

Answer 78

B: Employee morale and positive working environments are associated with compassionate and empathetic coworkers. This allows people to feel cared for and valued in the workplace

Question 79

A small business owner has hired four staff members. The business owner considers herself a fair and ethical person. However, she has hired one relative, her best friend from college, and one person from a job posting site who was previously unknown to her. All three employees are highly qualified, care about the business, have exceptional work ethic, and will be cross-trained in the same functions. What is one way that the business owner can mitigate potential bias in her treatment of the employees? a. Go out of her way to be extra supportive and kind to the employee found from the job board b. Pay each employee the exact same salary and ensure that each performs the same percentage of various business tasks c. Try to notice when she shows bias and stop the behavior whenever she catches herself d. Go out to lunch daily as a group

Answer 79

B: Standardizing pay and work tasks is one way to mitigate bias in situations where bias could arise.

Question 80

Which term refers to an organization’s identity—including mission, values, and culture—as it is communicated to current and prospective employees? a. Transparency b. Social presence c. Employer brand d. Workplace statement

Answer 80

C: Employer brand. Just as a company brands itself to customers—that is, it creates and presents an image encompassing its identity, quality, and personality—employers also brand themselves to employees. Employer brand is closely related to the EVP, which encompasses all the factors—tangible and intangible—that contribute to workers’ perception of value gained from working for a particular employer. Employer brand is built on things like mission, values, and work culture.