HR Expertise - People

Question 1

What are the three main factors project managers traditionally. have been expected to control while completing a project?

Answer 1

1. Cost of the project = total amount of money on the project including raw materials, supplies, human capital, and other expenditures
2. Time spent on the project = total amount of time spent by employees to complete the project tasks
3. Scope of the project = refers to the requirements needed to complete the project in an appropriate fashion

Question 2

What is Lean Six Sigma used for?

Answer 2

Lean Six Sigma is a data-driven, results oriented method for increasing speed and improving efficiency while solving problems, minimizing costs, and maximizing profits. Most often used in manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma streamlines processes and eliminates activities identified as waste (ie. defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion, and extra processing)

Question 3

What are the 5 basic processes of Lean Six Sigma?

Answer 3

1. Identify general problems with efficiency.
2. Map and measure current steps in a given process to gather data (ie. observations)
3. Analyze the data, and identify a specific issue(s)
4. Improve and standardize processes to solve the issue(s)
5. Implement controls and procedures to maintain results

Question 4

What is is an agile approach to project management?

Answer 4

Agile is a software development methodology that is known for developing code in small chunks in a collaborative, team environment. Developers continually work in cross-functional teams to review and adjust their development process to meet the project needs. The team is held accountable for completing the project on time while meeting quality and functionality requirements.

At the foundation of the project, there are development best practices that are adhered to.

Question 5

What is the Kaizen approach to project management?

Answer 5

“Kaizen is everyday improvement, everybody improvement, everywhere improvement.” The word Kaizen combines the Japanese words for “Good” (zen) and “Change” (kai). Kaizen doesn’t tell organizations how to improve; instead, it presents a mindset that when adopted, will influence decisions and impact the culture. Its principals are:

Every process can be improved
Continuous improvement essential to competitiveness
Defects and errors are almost always the faults of flawed processes, not people
Every person in the organization must be involved in improvement
Incremental changes can have a significant impact

Question 6

What are examples of project management processes?

Answer 6

• Initiating: grouped activities that define the charter, team, working rules, new phases, project authorization
• Planning: activities that create the project scope, objectives, and project work breakdown and schedule
• Executing: activities that perform the planned work in the environment
• Monitoring: processes that oversee the use of time, resources, quality, and change management

Question 7

What is a critical chain form of project management?

Answer 7

Critical chain reduces the likelihood of the project’s completion being delayed. The project is scheduled backward from the date the deliverables are due, and time buffers are added to protect the tasks that ultimately drive the duration of the project. These tasks are known as the critical chain.

This form of project management is also known for identifying and mitigating bottlenecks, which helps expedite project completion.

Question 8

What is a systems thinking approach?

Answer 8

Systems thinking is the discipline of seeing things as interrelated instead of looking at each in isolation.

A system is a group of interdependent, related parts that forma. unified whole designated to carry out a specific purpose. The system must maintain stability by getting regular feedback. Because parts of a system affect one another, feedback occurs in a loop.

Question 9

What are Gantt charts used for?

Answer 9

A Gantt chart is a date and time-based bar chart that is frequently used for project management. It depicts critical deadlines for planning, scheduling and monitoring project timelines. It reflects all of the start and end dates of each element or tasks and measures the timeframes and relationships

Question 10

Critical Path Analysis (CPA)

Answer 10

Critical path analysis is a project management scheduling and planning tool that allows project managers to track project goals and make course corrections as needed. CPA pinpoints which tasks must be finished on schedule for the project to meet its overall deadline.

CPA denotes which tasks are sequential and which are parallel. CPA shows PMs and stakeholders the minimum amount of time required to finish a project.

Question 11

Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

Answer 11

PERT is another method of determining how much time is required to complete a specific project. The PERT process consists of breaking the larger project into a series of smaller, separate tasks and then organizing each of these smaller tasks into a chart.

Each task in the PERT chart is represented by a line or arrow drawn from a circle representing an event or goal to a circle representing the next event or goal. Each event/goal circle is assigned a number and the circles are arranged based on the order in which they are they are to be completed.

Question 12

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Answer 12

A work breakdown structure (WBS) is a method for breaking a project down into a series of separate, smaller tasks. It’s based on the 100 percent rule, which states that the smaller tasks must total 100 percent of the work necessary to complete the project

Question 13

Why is outcome monitoring an important part of project management?

Answer 13

For a project to be successful, the project manager must constantly keep informed of the project’s status and monitor progress toward the desired outcome(s). If the project isn’t meeting pre-established key performance indicators (KPIs), the project manager must decide whether to stay the course or make adjustments to the project plan

Question 14

Why is variance analysis critical after a completed project?

Answer 14

Often an organization’s actual performance will be difficult than its projected performance. When this occurs, it’s important for leadership to try and explain why the variance exists. Having this knowledge will enable a company to make course corrections so that they can get back on track with their goals and make more accurate projections going forward.

Question 15

mission vs vision statement

Answer 15

A mission statement is intended to define only the broad declaration of the reason an organization exists. This is important in determining standards, values, strategies, and other organizational aspects and serves as a guideline for establishing the processes needed to achieve goals.

A vision statement is intended to declare the specific goals an organization hopes to achieve in the future. This is important in designing and implementing strategies necessary to meet the goals.

Question 16

What are the three grand strategies identified by Michael Porter to maintain a competitive edge?

Answer 16

• Cost leadership: obtained by providing your goods at a lower cost than competitors. This is achieved by low-cost labor or production materials and implementing technological innovations that improve efficiency of operations (ie. Southwest or Walmart)
• Differentiation strategy: involves providing unique services or products that offer innovative designs, are of exceptionally high quality, and/or possess remarkably high brand image (ie. Apple or Porsche)
• Focus or niche strategy: targets either a cost advantage or a differentiation advantage in a narrow, niche market segment. This could be a select geographic location, a predefined channel of distribution, a particular end-user or a specific product

Question 17

What is Michael Porter’s five forces model of competition?

Answer 17

The five forces model suggests that profit potential is a function of the interactions among suppliers, buyers, rival firms, substitute products, and potential entrants. Organizations can analyze these factors to determine profit potential and create a secure, competitive position

Question 18

Explain how each of the five forces affect the competitive market

Answer 18

1. Suppliers - organizations depend on the availability of suppliers to provide materials
2. Buyers - buyers can be powerful if they purchase large quantities of a firm’s goods, are one of the firms potential customers, or have the ability to buy the firm
3. Rival firms - competition is stimulated when one or more companies identify an opportunity to improve market position or a need to differentiate against mutually competitive pressure
4. Substitute products - organizations compete against other businesses that sell similar, substitute products or services, which places a limit on the prices organizations can charge
5. Potential entrants - new entrants may threaten existing companies by providing additional production capacity and shifting the market supply, resulting in less demand and price cuts

Question 19

What are the steps of conducting a SWOT analysis?

Answer 19

SWOT analysis involves scanning both internal and external factors to identify potential sources of competitive advantage

1. Define the org’s mission and objectives
2. Analyze external environment for prospective opportunities or threats
3. Analyze org’s resources for internal strengths or weaknesses. Unique skills that set the firm apart from others and support a competitive edge are called core competencies
4. Combine both the external and internal analysis and formulate a stable strategy
5. Establish trust in leadership and encourage involvement from all levels of the organization to implement the new strategy
6. Evaluate and monitor organizational results to preserve the competitive advantage

Question 20

PESTLE Analysis

Answer 20

PESTLE is an extension of the SWOT analysis and looks at how the following factors impact a business:

P - political - changes made by the government can affect a business in the form of tariffs, tax policy, and fiscal policy
E - economic - changes to inflation, interest rates, and foreign exchange rates can affect the firm’s finances and operations
S - social - cultural trends affect consumer purchases, which affect an organization’s revenue and profit
T - technological - tech used in a business can enhance or detract from a company’s innovation level and competitive advantage
L - legal - external laws and internal policies affect a firm’s day to day operations
E - environmental - climate, weather, and geographic location all have an impact on a company’s performance

Question 21

Industry analysis

Answer 21

Industry analysis is a process in which a company figures out how it ranks among its competitors so that it can find a way to differentiate to gain a competitive advantage. Examination should be conducted in the context of the PESTLE analysis.

Question 22

What are the steps involved in scenario planning?

Answer 22

Scenario panning makes assumptions what the future will look like, anticipates how the future will affect the company, and creates a strategic plan to address that impact.

1. Forecast major societal, political, economic, and technological shifts (driving forces).
2. Choose two of the most pertinent driving forces to work with.
3. Create a conceivable range of potential situations it may face based on the selected driving forces.
4. The potential impacts of those situations must be assessed, and the company must create a new business strategy that accounts for them

Question 23

growth-share matrix

Answer 23

The growth-share matrix is a long-term planning tool used to evaluate a company’s products or services to determine if the company should continue investing in them. The matrix is a quadrant labeled market share long the x axis and market growth on the y

• Stars (top right - high market share, high growth)
• question marks (top left - low market share, high growth)
• dogs (lower left - low market share, low growth)
• cash cows (lower left - high market share, low growth)

Question 24

What stages does the strategic planning process go through?

Answer 24

1. Formulation - setting the foundation for the strategic plan - performing analyses (ie. SWOT, industry, etc.) to understand the current position
2. Goal setting
3. Implementation - company takes action to enact change that supports them
4. Evaluation

Question 25

FLSA - Exempt vs. non-exempt

Answer 25

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) separates employees into two main categories: exempt and non-exempt. Nonexempt employees must be paid minimum wage and overtime rates that meet both state and federal regulations

Exempt: those paid an annual wage are exempt from overtime provisions of the FSLA (ie. administrative or outside same workers, informational tech specialists, professionals, and executives. Must be paid at or above the $23,600 annual threshold as well as meet certain job duty requirements

Non-exempt: those generally paid an hourly wage and covered by minimum wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA, such as blue-collar workers, maintenance workers, and

Question 26

What are the benefits of employing interns?

Answer 26

A well-designed internship program will allow the intern to gain practical experience to reinforce their studies, learn new skills, prepare for their careers, and expand their networks. The firm will benefit from inexpensive labor and a pool of potential hires for their entry-level roles. Having an effective internship program also fosters goodwill with local colleges and the community

Question 27

What are things you would need be compliant with when managing an internshpi program.

Answer 27

• Interns must be paid at least minimum wag and are eligible for overtime pay
• Nonprofit and public sector orgs can offer unpaid internships, but for a for-profit firm to do so, the internship must receive academic credit for the internship and be the primary beneficiary of the experience. This means the firm cannot have the intern complete actual work. They should be involved only in training and purely educational exercises.

Question 28

If a company direct workers on how to act or perform their work, how would courts classify this worker?

Answer 28

Employee (behavioral control)

On the other hand, if the company allows the worker to reach a mutually agreed-upon objective in the manner that they see fit, they’re more likely to be classified as an independent contractor

Question 29

If the fir provides the worker with necessary equipment to perform the work, how would the courts classify this worker?

Answer 29

Employee - financial control

If workers purchase their own tools and supplies, they are probably independent contractors

Question 30

Are independent contractors offered benefits?

Answer 30

No

Question 31

What are the three main aspects of a job analysis?

Answer 31

1. Job competencies - detailed list of all broad skills and traits needed for a specific position
2. Job specifications - detailed descriptions of all special qualifications (ie. experience or education) an individual must have to perform the role
3. Job description - detailed written breakdown of all tasks that a worker in that role must complete as well as the job competencies and job specifications required to be qualified for that role

Question 32

Why is a job analysis an essential part of any workforce planning process?

Answer 32

Major uses include:

• HR planning to develop job categories
• Recruiting
• Onboarding (setting expectations)
• Performance evaluation (creating standards)
• Compensation (job worth and pay structures)
• Training (needs assessment)
• Discipline
• Safety
• Job redesign

Question 33

What are things an employer should keep in mind when conducting pre-employment background checks?

Answer 33

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that employers must 1) notify applicants that they administer background checks but also get a 2) signed written release consenting that the employer may receive their personal information.

Ban the box movement - prohibits employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal history at the time of application

Applicants must also have the opportunity to contest or explain adverse actions before being officially turned down for employment.

Question 34

What are some elements that will frequently. be found on a written employment contract?

Answer 34

• Length of contract
• Duties and responsibilities (if not included in JD)
• Career opportunities
• Compensation
• Benefits and bonus incentives
• Restrictive covenants (ie. confidentiality and noncompete disclosures)
• Severance payments
• Dispute resolution (ie. arbitration rquirements)
• Change of control (in the event of a merger or acquisition)

Question 35

What should be considered as part of marketing a company’s image?

Answer 35

Employment branding/image stems from the company’s employer value proposition (EVP), which is what they have to offer as compared to other firms. EVP may include work environment, internal opportunities, benefits, and compensation.

Question 36

How can an organization showcase a positive EVP and brand?

Answer 36

• Describing benefits, perks, and culture on their website, in their job ads, and in other promotional materials
• Sharing current employee testimonials about how great it is to work there
• Doing charity work in the community and demonstrating a commitment to corporate responsibility

Question 37

What are the types of preemployment tests?

Answer 37

Aptitude test - examination designed to determine if an individual has the basic knowledge to perform the tasks associated with a particular position

In-box test - the individual must determine the appropropriate way to handle particular problems

Question 38

What are the advantages associate with preemployment tests?

Answer 38

They allow the organization to have more control over the information gathered and they make it easier to gather information in a consistent way. The results will either support or refute the information gathered during the interview.

Question 39

What are the disadvantages of preemployment tests?

Answer 39

It’s easy to unintentionally cause a disparate impact to a protected class if questions are not relevant to the position for which the candidate is applying. A series of poorly worded or irrelevant questions may make it more difficult for members of a particular group of people to get the job, which may make the organizations legally liable.

Secondly, preemployment tests do not allow for flexibility because the same questions are asked of every applicant.

Question 40

What are the main disadvantages associated with selection interview?

Answer 40

Interviewer bias - preconceived ideas of a particular candidate or a particular type of candidate can influence the evaluation

Intelligent applicants, wanting to cast themselves int he best possible light, try and control the interview

When interviewers don’t ask the right questions, applicants may appear to be viable candidate even though they may lack the necessary skills or traits to do the job

Question 41

construct vs. content vs. criterion validity as it relates to job selection

Answer 41

Construct - assess the specific traits shown to indicate success for a particular position. It must test for specific characteristics shown to be indicators of job performance

Content - assess the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the tasks associated with a particular position

Criterion - used to predict how an individual will behave in the workplace based on written or verbal test scores

Question 42

What are the two types of criterion validity a HR professional may evaluate to determine if a screening or selection tool is valid?

Answer 42

Concurrent validity - indicates that the individually currently possesses the desired trait or will behave in the desired fashion

Predictive validity - indicates that the individual will possess the desired trait or will behave in the desired fashion at some point int he future

Question 43

What does an authoritarian culture look like? When is it beneficial and how does it impact employees?

Answer 43

An authoritarian culture is extremely focused on efficiency and productivity. In this culture, employees produce out of fear or anticipation of rewards. Characterized by micromanagement, this culture can be appropriate during times of uncertainty, when one strong leader takes the helm and makes all of the decisions. This culture can result in low morale as employees have zero input, autonomy, or ability to be creative.

Question 44

What does a mechanistic culture look like? How does it impact employees?

Answer 44

A mechanistic culture is characterized by organization, specialization, and strong guidance from leadership. Focused on productivity, employees in this culture operate like a well-oiled machine. This culture’s decision-making can be bogged down by an overly bureaucratic structure. In addition, this culture does not foster collaboration or creativity, which could result in low morale.

Question 45

What does a participative culture look like? How does it impact employees?

Answer 45

A participative culture features open communication and shared power. In the spirit of democratic decision making, employees may have the opportunity to voice opinions, give input, or take ownership of decisions completely. This culture is characterized by training, collaboration, empathy, and empowerment. Although morale may be high, the drawback is that it can be hard to get anything accomplished quickly.

Question 46

What does a learning culture look like? How does it impact employees?

Answer 46

A learning culture aims to use knowledge, abilities, and innovation to adapt to an ever-changing business environment. Characterized by creativity, initiative, experimentation, and collaboration, knowledge is shared freely. This culture earmarks a lot of resources for training and development.

In a learning culture, failure is not feared. It’s merely another learning experience. This culture encourages employees to solve problems and improve workflows whenever they see an opportunity to do so.

Question 47

What does a high-performance culture look like? How does it impact employees?

Answer 47

A high-performance culture promotes goal achievement by setting clear objectives, clearly spelling out employee responsibilities, encouraging continuous development, and fostering trust. This culture is characterized by innovation, collaboration, communication, leadership support, and accountability.

To sustain high levels of productivity, this culture promotes employee wellness so that workers can continue to operate at their best.

Question 48

What is the difference between involuntary and voluntary absenteeism and turnover?

Answer 48

Involuntary absenteeism and turnover are caused by situations beyond the employee’s control such as illness, family concerns, relocation, layoffs, and terminations

Voluntary absenteeism and turnover occur when employees have a choice and intentionally miss work or resign.

Question 49

What are the employee life cycle stages?

Answer 49

Recruitment > integration > development (ie. training programs, promotions, etc.) > departure

Question 50

How do you calculate retention? turnover?

Answer 50

Retention = (number of employees who were employed for a entire measurement period / number of employees at start of measurement period) x 100

Turnover = (number of employees who left during the measurement period / average number of employees during the measurement period) x 100

Question 51

What is an employee retention program?

Answer 51

An employee retention program is a set of policies, procedures, and practices designed to encourage employees to stay with the organization. An employee retention program may offer extra benefits or compensation (such as vacation time and bonuses), which can help the organization retain key staff and function effectively

Question 52

What is engagement vs. satisfaction vs. commitment?

Answer 52

Engagement can be viewed as the level of connection employees feel to their work and their employer. This connection affects the amount of effort that they will put into fulfilling their roles.

Satisfaction is a measure of how happy employees are with their work and their employer. This can also be viewed as their level of gratification or fulfillment derived from their employment.

Commitment is a measure of how dedicated employees are to their employer and their employer’s goals. It can also be viewed as their sense of obligation to be loyal and perform at their best.

Question 53

How does the equity theory address motivation problems and levels of job satisfaction?

Answer 53

Individuals tend to feel satisfied and report fair conditions when they perceive a state of equity - evaluating if what they get from a job is commensurate with what they put into a job. For example, attitudes of pay can be influenced by the rate of pay, the work done to earn pay, and whether the ratio of pay to work appears to be fair in comparison to the pay to work ratio of others.

To reduce inequality:

1. Alter inputs (ie. time effort, hard work, loyalty, commitment, and trust)
2. Alter outcomes (ie. salary, benefits, recognition, and achievement)
3. Cognitively manipulate inputs or outputs by rationalizing or self-justification
4. Distorting the inputs or outcomes of others
5. Changing objects of comparison
6. Leaving the field

Question 54

What is job enrichment vs. job enlargement?

Answer 54

Job enrichment involves redesigning roles so that they have more meaning, are less monotonous and are more challenging to employees. To achieve this, employees may be asked to take on additional planning, decision-making, and controlling responsibilities. The goal is to provide greater opportunity for autonomy, responsibility, recognition, achievement, and advancement.

Job enlargement is adding more duties to the role that are at the same level of difficulty as the employee’s current tasks. This can help them learn new things and add variety to their work day.

Question 55

How do performance appraisals serve organizational functions?

Answer 55

1. Guide HR decisions - performance data is required for supporting and justifying promotion or termination decisions
2. Reward and motivate employees
3. Promote personal development
4. Identify training needs

Question 56

What should performance appraisals assess?

Answer 56

1. Progress toward goals set at the last appraisal meeting
2. Completion of normal job duties
3. Organizational behaviors (ie. cooperation, innovation, motivation, and attitude)
4. Any notable achievements

Question 57

What are the different types of performance appraisals?

Answer 57

Self-appraisals are most beneficial when used for personal development and identifying training needs, but less beneficial when they are used as a basis for the formal evaluation process.

Supervisor/manager appraisals are used to evaluate performance and provide meaningful feedback.

360 degree appraisal - these are expected to share a broader perspective of performance because they include feedback from everyone the employee interacts with

Question 58

What are the different ranking techniques of performance appraisal?

Answer 58

Straight ranking - involves listing all employees in order with number one being the best, 2 second best, etc.

Alternate ranking - entails choosing the best and the worst from a list of all employees, removing names from the list and repeating until there are no names left

Paired comparison - consists of evaluating only two employees at a time, deciding which is better and continuing until each employee has been paired against every other employee.