People

Question 1

Balanced scorecard

Answer 1

Performance management tool that depicts an
organization’s overall performance, as measured
against goals, lagging indicators, and leading
indicators.

Question 2

Benchmarking

Answer 2

Process by which an organization identifies
performance gaps and sets goals for performance
improvement by comparing its data, performance
levels, and/or processes against those of other
organizations.

Question 3

Environmental scanning

Answer 3

Process that involves a systematic survey and
interpretation of relevant data to identify external
opportunities and threats and to assess how these
factors affect the organization currently and how they
are likely to affect the organization in the future.

Question 4

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Answer 4

Quantifiable measures of performance used to gauge
progress toward strategic objectives or agreed
standards of performance.

Question 5

Lagging indicator

Answer 5

Type of metric describing an activity or change in
performance that has already occurred.

Question 6

Leading indicator

Answer 6

Type of metric describing an activity that can change
future performance and predict success in the
achievement of strategic goals.

Question 7

Mission statement

Answer 7

Concise outline of an organization’s strategy,
specifying the activities the organization intends to
pursue and the course its management has charted for
the future.

Question 8

Organizational values

Answer 8

Beliefs and principles defined by an organization to
direct and govern its employees’ behavior.

Question 9

PESTLE analysis

Answer 9

Scanning process that searches for environmental
forces in political, economic, social, technological,
legal, and environmental categories.

Question 10

SWOT analysis

Answer 10

Method for assessment of an organization’s strategic
capabilities through use of the environmental scanning
process, by which internal and external factors
affecting achievement of organizational goals are
identified and considered.

Question 11

Strategic fit

Answer 11

State in which an organization’s strategy is consistent
with its external opportunities and circumstances and
its internal structure, resources, and capabilities.

Question 12

Strategic management

Answer 12

System of actions that leaders take to drive an
organization toward its goals and objectives.

Question 13

Strategic planning

Answer 13

Process of setting goals and designing a path toward a
competitive position.

Question 14

Strategy

Answer 14

Plan of action for accomplishing an organization’s
overall and long-range goals.

Question 15

Systems thinking

Answer 15

Process for understanding how seemingly independent
units within a larger entity interact with and influence
one another.

Question 16

Value drivers

Answer 16

Actions, processes, or results that are needed to
deliver a desired value.

Question 17

Vision statement

Answer 17

Description of what an organization hopes to attain and
accomplish in the future, which guides it toward that
defined direction.

Question 18

Applicant tracking system (ATS)

Answer 18

Software application that automates organizations’
management of the recruiting process (such as
accepting application materials, screening applicants,
etc.).

Question 19

Competencies

Answer 19

Clusters of highly interrelated attributes, including
knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), that give rise to
the behaviors needed to perform a given job effectively.

Question 20

Employee value proposition (EVP)

Answer 20

Employees’ perceived value of the total rewards and
tangible and intangible benefits they receive from the
organization as part of employment, which drives
unique and compelling organizational strategies for
talent acquisition, retention, and engagement.

Question 21

Employment branding

Answer 21

Process of positioning an organization as an “employer
of choice” in the labor market.

Question 22

Essential functions

Answer 22

Primary job duties that a qualified individual must be
able to perform, either with or without accommodation.

Question 23

Head count

Answer 23

Number of people on an organization’s payroll at a
particular moment in time.

Question 24

Job analysis

Answer 24

Process of systematically studying a job in order to
identify the activities/tasks and responsibilities it
includes, the personal qualifications necessary to
perform it, and the conditions under which it is
performed.

Question 25

Job description

Answer 25

Document that describes a job and its essential functions and requirements (including tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, responsibilities, and reporting structure).

Question 26

Job specifications

Answer 26

Written statements of the minimum qualifications for the job incumbent.

Question 27

Onboarding

Answer 27

Process of assimilating new employees into an organization through orientation programs and their experiences in their first months of employment.

Question 28

Orientation

Answer 28

Process by which new employees become familiar with the organization and with their specific department, coworkers, and job.

Question 29

Reasonable accommodation

Answer 29

Modifying a job application process, a work environment, or the circumstances under which a job is performed to enable a qualified individual with a disability to be considered for the job and perform its essential functions.

Question 30

Recruitment

Answer 30

Process by which an organization seeks out candidates and encourages them to apply for job openings.

Question 31

Selection

Answer 31

Process of evaluating the most suitable candidates for a position.

Question 32

Selection interviews

Answer 32

Interviews designed to probe areas of interest to the interviewer in order to determine how well a job candidate meets the needs of the organization.

Question 33

Selection screening

Answer 33

Analyzing candidates’ application forms, curricula vitae, and résumés to locate the most-qualified candidates for an open job.

Question 34

Sourcing

Answer 34

Process by which an organization generates a pool of qualified job applicants.

Question 35

Staffing

Answer 35

HR function that acts on the organizational human capital needs identified through workforce planning and attempts to provide an adequate supply of qualified individuals to complete the body of work necessary for the organization’s financial success.

Question 36

Employee engagement

Answer 36

Employees’ emotional commitment to an organization, demonstrated by their willingness to put in discretionary effort to promote the organization’s effective functioning.

Question 37

Employee life cycle (ELC)

Answer 37

Activities associated with an employee’s tenure in an organization.

Question 38

Employee surveys

Answer 38

Instruments that collect and assess information on employee engagement, satisfaction, and perceptions surrounding the work environment.

Question 39

Performance appraisal

Answer 39

Process of measuring and evaluating an employee’s adherence to performance standards and providing feedback to the employee.

Question 40

Performance management

Answer 40

Tools, activities, and processes that an organization uses to manage, maintain, and/or improve the job performance of employees.

Question 41

Performance standards

Answer 41

Behaviors and results as defined by an organization to communicate the expectations of management.

Question 42

Realistic job preview (RJP)

Answer 42

Tool used to provide a job applicant with honest, complete information about a job and the work environment.

Question 43

Retention

Answer 43

Ability of an organization to keep its employees.

Question 44

Stay interviews

Answer 44

Structured conversations with employees for the purpose of determining which aspects of a job encourage employee retention or may be improved to do so.

Question 45

Well-being

Answer 45

Physical, psychological, and social aspects of employee health.

Question 46

ADDIE model

Answer 46

Instructional systems design framework consisting of five steps that guide the design and development of learning programs.

Question 47

Action mapping

Answer 47

Instructional design model based on concept that training should be tightly focused on specific performance measures that the organization has determined are important.

Question 48

Apprenticeship

Answer 48

Related to technical skills training; often a partnership between employers and unions.

Question 49

Assessment centers

Answer 49

Assessment tools that provide candidates a wide range of leadership situations and problem-solving exercises.

Question 50

Auditory learners

Answer 50

People who learn best by relying on their sense of hearing.

Question 51

Blended learning

Answer 51

Planned approach to learning that includes a combination of instructor-led training, self-directed study, and/or on-the-job training.

Question 52

Career development

Answer 52

Progression through a series of employment stages characterized by relatively unique issues, themes, and tasks.

Question 53

Career management

Answer 53

Preparing, implementing, and monitoring employees’ career paths, with a primary focus on the goals and needs of the organization.

Question 54

Career planning

Answer 54

Actions and activities that individuals perform in order to give direction to their work lives.

Question 55

Coaching

Answer 55

Focused, interactive communication and guidance intended to develop and enhance on-the-job performance, knowledge, or behavior.

Question 56

Developmental activities

Answer 56

Activities that focus on preparing employees for future responsibilities while increasing their capacity to perform their current jobs.

Question 57

Distance learning

Answer 57

Process of delivering educational or instructional programs to locations away from a classroom or central site.

Question 58

Dual career ladders

Answer 58

Career development programs that identify meaningful career paths for professional and technical people outside traditional management roles.

Question 59

E-learning

Answer 59

Electronic media delivery of educational and training materials, processes, and programs.

Question 60

Individual development plan (IDP)

Answer 60

Document that guides employees toward their goals for professional development and growth.

Question 61

Job enlargement

Answer 61

Process of broadening a job’s scope by adding different tasks to the job.

Question 62

Job enrichment

Answer 62

Process of increasing a job’s depth by adding responsibilities to the job.

Question 63

Job rotation

Answer 63

Movement between different jobs.

Question 64

Kinesthetic learners

Answer 64

People who learn best through a hands-on approach; also called tactile learners.

Question 65

Leader development

Answer 65

Training and professional development programs targeted at assisting management- and executive-level employees in developing the skills, abilities, and flexibility required to deal with a variety of situations.

Question 66

Leadership

Answer 66

Ability to influence, guide, inspire, or motivate a group or person to achieve their goals.

Question 67

Learning management system (LMS)

Answer 67

System that holds course content information and has the capability of tracking and managing employee course registrations, career development, and other employee development activities.

Question 68

Learning organization

Answer 68

Organization characterized by a capability to adapt to changes in environment.

Question 69

Mentoring

Answer 69

Relationship in which one person helps guide another’s development.

Question 70

On-the-job training (OJT)

Answer 70

Training provided to employees at the work site utilizing demonstration and performance of job tasks.

Question 71

Organizational learning

Answer 71

Acquisition and/or transfer of knowledge within an organization through activities or processes that may occur at several organizational levels; ability of an organization to learn from its mistakes and adjust its strategy accordingly.

Question 72

Pilot programs

Answer 72

Learning/development programs offered initially in a controlled environment with a segment of the target audience.

Question 73

Situation judgment tests (SJTs)

Answer 73

Assessment tools that present prospective leaders with sample situations and problems they might encounter in a work environment.

Question 74

Successive approximation model (SAM)

Answer 74

Instructional design model that works to gain feedback and build models early in the process; generally has three phases: preparation, iterative design, and iterative development.

Question 75

Training

Answer 75

Process by which employees are provided with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) specific to a task or job.

Question 76

Visual learners

Answer 76

People who learn best by relying on their sense of sight.

Question 77

Webconferencing

Answer 77

Using the Internet to conduct meetings and give presentations to an audience who has joined the meeting remotely.

Question 78

Webinar

Answer 78

Form of webconferencing where a presenter facilitates communication of material or information to an audience in real time.

Question 79

Benefits

Answer 79

Mandatory or voluntary payments or services provided to employees, typically covering retirement, health care, sick pay/disability, life insurance, and paid time off.

Question 80

Broadbanding

Answer 80

Combining several salary grades or job classifications with narrow pay ranges into one band with a wider salary spread.

Question 81

Compa-ratio

Answer 81

Pay rate divided by the midpoint of the pay range.

Question 82

Compensation

Answer 82

All financial returns (beyond any tangible benefits payments or services), including salary and allowances.

Question 83

Compensation philosophy

Answer 83

Short but broad statement documenting an organization’s guiding principles and core values about employee compensation.

Question 84

Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)

Answer 84

Pay adjustment given to eligible employees regardless of performance or organizational profitability; usually linked to inflation.

Question 85

Domestic partners

Answer 85

Unmarried couples, of the same or opposite sex, who live together and seek economic and noneconomic benefits comparable to those granted to their married counterparts.

Question 86

External equity

Answer 86

Situation in which an organization’s compensation levels and benefits are similar to those of other organizations that are in the same labor market and compete for the same employees.

Question 87

Flat-rate pay

Answer 87

Provides each incumbent of a job with the same rate of pay, regardless of performance or seniority; also known as single-rate pay.

Question 88

General pay increase

Answer 88

Pay increase given to employees based on local competitive market requirements; awarded regardless of employee performance.

Question 89

Green-circle rates

Answer 89

Situations in which an employee’s pay is below the minimum of the range.

Question 90

Incentive pay

Answer 90

Form of direct compensation where employers pay for performance beyond normal expectations to motivate higher performance.

Question 91

Internal equity

Answer 91

Extent to which employees perceive that monetary and other rewards are distributed equitably, based on effort, skill and/or relevant outcomes.

Question 92

Job classification

Answer 92

Job evaluation method in which descriptions are written for each class of jobs; individual jobs are then put into the grade that best matches their class description.

Question 93

Job evaluation

Answer 93

Process of determining a job’s value and price for the purpose of attracting and retaining employees by comparing the job against other jobs within the organization or against similar jobs in competing organizations.

Question 94

Job ranking

Answer 94

Job evaluation method that involves establishing a hierarchy of jobs from lowest to highest based on each job’s overall value to the organization.

Question 95

Job-content-based job evaluation

Answer 95

Job evaluation method in which the relative worth and pay structure of different jobs are based on an assessment of their content and their relationship to other jobs within the organization.

Question 96

Lump-sum increase (LSI)

Answer 96

One-time payment made to an employee.

Question 97

Market-based job evaluation

Answer 97

Job evaluation method in which the relative worth and pay structure of different jobs are based on their market value or the going rate in the marketplace.

Question 98

Merit pay

Answer 98

Situation where an individual’s performance on the job is the basis for the amount and timing of pay increases; also called performance-based pay or pay for performance.

Question 99

Paired-comparison method

Answer 99

Job evaluation method in which each job is compared with every other job being evaluated; the job with the largest number of “greater than” rankings is the highest-ranked job, etc.

Question 100

Pay compression

Answer 100

Occurs when there is only a small difference in pay between employees regardless of their experience, skills, level, or seniority; also known as salary compression.

Question 101

Pay for performance (P4P, PfP)

Answer 101

Situation where an individual’s performance on the job is the basis for the amount and timing of pay increases; also called merit pay or performance-based pay.

Question 102

Pay grades

Answer 102

Used to group jobs that have approximately the same relative internal or external worth and are paid at the same rate or within the same pay range.

Question 103

Pay ranges

Answer 103

Set the upper and lower bounds of possible compensation for individuals whose jobs fall within a pay grade.

Question 104

Performance-based pay

Answer 104

Situation where an individual’s performance on the job is the basis for the amount and timing of pay increases; also called merit pay or pay for performance.

Question 105

Perquisites

Answer 105

Compensation provided on an individual basis in the form of goods or services.

Question 106

Person-based pay

Answer 106

Pay systems in which employee characteristics, rather than the job, determine pay.

Question 107

Point-factor system

Answer 107

Job evaluation method that looks at compensable factors (such as skills and working conditions) that reflect how much a job adds value to the organization; points are assigned to each factor and then added to come up with an overall point value for the job.

Question 108

Premiums

Answer 108

Payments in return for the achievement of specific, time-limited, targeted objectives.

Question 109

Productivity-based pay

Answer 109

Pay based on the quantity of work and outputs that can be accurately measured.

Question 110

Red-circle rates

Answer 110

Situations in which employees’ pay is above the range maximum.

Question 111

Remuneration surveys

Answer 111

arket compensation and benefits practices (including starting wage rates, base pay, pay ranges, statutory and market cash payments, variable compensation, and paid time off).

Question 112

Single-rate pay

Answer 112

Provides each incumbent of a job with the same rate of pay, regardless of performance or seniority; also known as flat-rate pay.

Question 113

Time-based step-rate pay

Answer 113

System in which pay is based on longevity in the job and pay increases occur on a pre-determined schedule.

Question 114

Total rewards

Answer 114

Direct and indirect remuneration approaches that employers use to attract, recognize, and retain workers.

Question 115

Total rewards strategy

Answer 115

Plan or method implemented by an organization that provides monetary, benefits-in-kind, and developmental rewards to employees who achieve specific business goals.