HRCI SPHR Exam Questions

Correct answer: Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence ("EI" or "EQ") is a trait people have when they are able to identity and deal with their feelings and use this understanding to effectively interact with others. An emotional intelligence intervention seeks to improve individual interactions and increase individual effectiveness. Individuals with a high EQ are able to influence and motivate others to accomplish the organization's goals. While conflict resolutions and team building could involve discussing feelings, EQ encompasses all types of feelings, not just those that cause conflict or build teams. Management by objectives has to do with goals and not emotions.

Correct answer: Placement of incumbents in job groups

Executive Order 11246 AAP states that the placement of incumbents in job groups lists percentages of minorities and women employed in each job group.

Job group analysis sorts and analyzes job roles with similar duties, wages, and advancement opportunities into job groups.

Placement goals are established to help correct for minorities and women being significantly under-represented in certain job groups.

Comparison of incumbency to availability compares the availability for certain job groups within a geographic area with the percentage of women and minority job category incumbents.

Correct answer: $50,000

When an employer pays life insurance premiums for more than $50,000, the IRS counts this as imputed income. Imputed income is non-monetary benefits that are added to an employee's gross wages so taxes can be taken out.

Correct answer: Parallel

Pattern bargaining, whipsawing, and leapfrogging are all other ways of referring to parallel bargaining strategies. Parallel bargaining is one of the four basic negotiating strategies used in union environments.

The four basic negotiating strategies used in union environments are single-unit bargaining, parallel bargaining, multi-employer bargaining, and multi-unit bargaining.

• Single-unit bargaining occurs when a union meets with one employer at a time.
• Parallel bargaining occurs when a union bargains with one employer at a time, but uses the agreement made with that employer as a tool for negotiating with another employer. 
• Multi-employer bargaining occurs when a union bargains with multiple employers within the region or the industry at the same time.
• Multi-unit bargaining (coordinated bargaining) occurs when several unions represent different units within the same company.

Correct answer: Publish an expert register, and share its location and purpose with all staff.

An expert register is a directory that contains the contact information and area(s) of expertise of internal subject matter experts (SMEs). By creating this resource, explaining it to employees and showing them how to access it, the company can help prevent misinformation and improve efficiently and morale. Understanding employee FAQs is important, but does not achieve the stated objective. Links to external resources would not be helpful at all towards meeting the objective, and having each SME send separate emails out of context to all employees would create confusion and could not be easily referenced at a later time when the employees need the information.

Correct answer: Give the incumbent notice to vacate the position and reinstate the service member

This is a situation that different organizations like to handle different ways. The question is only asking what Natalie needs to do to ensure legal compliance under USERRA and that is why the correct answer is to give the incumbent notice to vacate the position and reinstate the service member. USERRA only provides protection for members of the uniformed services - not the regular workforce. However, it is common practice for employers to either find find another position in company for the incumbent or to have only hired them on a contract basis in the first place.

HR professionals typically play pivotal roles in a merger or acquisition's core due diligence activity. During due diligence, information about talent and culture—along with typical assessments of employee benefits plans and liabilities, compensation programs, employment contracts and policies, legal exposure, and more—can provide insights into the value of a property and its workforce and can decrease the likelihood of challenges once the deal is complete.

A thorough review of the following information generally occurs during the transactions' due diligence phase. The items reviewed include:

• HR documents: This includes names and locations of employees, offer letters/employment contracts, I-9 forms, visa documents, benefit plans
• Compensation documents: This includes hourly wages rates by the job, salary schedules, number of employees in each position
• Policies and procedures: This includes the policy manual, employee handbook, supervisor/manager handbook
• Equal opportunity compliance: This includes EEO-1 reports, affirmative action plans, government notices of compliance activity
• Legal compliance: This includes COBRA notices, active FMLA leave, WARN compliance, and OSHA compliance
• Labor relations: This includes collective bargaining agreement, ongoing negotiations, union activity, and grievance history
• Legal exposure: This includes pending or resolved sexual-harassment claims, termination disputes, violations of state/federal law, active workers' compensation claims

Correct answer: Electronic Performance Support System

Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSSs) are on-the-job training tools that are integrated into a computer system. They allow employees to complete tasks more efficiently because they provide instant access to information.

Computer-based training is an interactive method, based on the programmed instruction method, that consists of recorded demonstrations and lectures, as well as one-on-one and simulation training, which allows learners to gain real-world experience.

Distance learning allows participants from various geographical locations to participate in the same training simultaneously. 

Blended learning uses multiple delivery methods to enhance the learning experience.

In order to attract, retain, and reward employees, it is important for HR professionals to be aware of and understand total rewards. Generally, total rewards can be defined as any benefit, financial or non-financial, provided to an employee that is seen as valuable. Total rewards generally include two components: monetary and non-monetary compensation. Monetary compensation is defined as anything that is costing the employer, which may include direct or indirect compensation. 

Direct compensation is defined as payments associated with wages and salary, which includes base pay, pay differentials, performance pay, and variable pay. Pay differentials are often paid in addition to base pay or any other commissions or bonus payments. Common types of pay differentials include overtime, shift pay, on-call pay, call-back pay, reporting pay, hazard pay, and geographic pay. 

Piece rate pay is a form of wage payment that provides a fixed wage per piece of production or output. This would not be considered pay differential, but rather base pay.

Car allowances are not a form of direct compensation. Rather they are considered indirect compensation and are generally not considered pay differential.

Correct answer: Elton Mayo

Between 1924 and 1932, Elton Mayo conducted a series of experiments to determine the impact of working condition on the performance and behaviors of employees. Mayo found that when better lighting was added to employee areas, the employees responded well because they believed the company cared about their well-being and were observing them more closely. However, the effect only lasted a short time before the employees returned to their former levels of performance as the increased lighting was not the factor increasing productivity, but rather the time and attention received from management.

Correct answer: Social responsibility

The new normal for many companies is a strong sense of social responsibility for the communities in which they operate. Giving back to the community through volunteerism, financial support, and other ways supports worthwhile social causes.

The other choices are also positive ways to be ethical as an organization.

When developing a training program, being able to determine the best instructional method for the training is important. The three common types of instructional methods include:

1. Passive training methods include training that is conducted in a passive manner. They are instructor focused and require the learner to listen and absorb the information. Passive training methods include lecture, presentation, or conferences.
2. Active training methods include training that focuses on the learning experience of the participant in an interactive format. This can include training methods such as case studies, simulation training, vestibule training, etc.
3. Experiential training methods include training that provides an experience to the learner in real time. This can include training methods such as demonstration, one-on-one training, or performance based training.

Correct answer: Techno-structural intervention

Organizational development (also referred to as OD) is a way of analyzing an organization and developing action strategies to achieve business goals. The strategies are known as OD interventions. There are four categories of OD interventions are: strategic, techno-structural, human process, and human resource management.

• Strategic interventions: Used to implement changes to the vision, mission, and values of the organization. Examples include change management, knowledge management, and learning organizations.
• Techno-structural interventions: Address how the work is completed within the organization by examining the extent to which employees are involved and by redesigning work processes. Examples include Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma.
• Human process interventions: Serve to develop individual competencies. Examples include creative problem-solving and team building activities.
• Human resource management interventions: Focus on how individuals interact within the organization. Examples include leadership development, career management and career pathing.

The ADDIE model, developed in the 1970s, is the most well-known framework for designing instruction to improve human performance. ADDIE is an acronym representing the five stages of the instructional design process: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.

• The Analyze phase is the foundation for all other phases of instructional design. During this phase, you must define the problem, identify the source of the problem, and determine possible solutions.
• The Design phase involves using the outputs from the Analyze phase to plan a strategy for developing the instruction. During this phase, you must outline how to reach the instructional goals determined during the Analyze phase and expand the instructional foundation.
• The Development phase builds on both the Analyze and Design phases. The purpose of this phase is to generate the lesson plans and lesson materials. You will develop the instruction and any supporting documentation/tools during this phase.
• The Implementation phase refers to the actual delivery of the instruction, whether it's classroom-based, lab-based, or computer-based. The purpose of this phase is the effective and efficient delivery of instruction.
• The Evaluation phase measures the effectiveness and efficiency of the instruction. Evaluation should actually occur throughout the entire instructional design process–within phases, between phases, and after implementation.

Correct answer: No, the employer cannot cancel COBRA coverage until the payment is at least 30 days past due

COBRA requires businesses with 20 or more employees to provide health-plan continuation coverage to employees and /or their dependents when certain qualifying events occur. Employers may charge COBRA participants a maximum of 102 percent of the group premium (includes a 2% administration fee) for coverage and must include COBRA participants in any open enrollment periods or other plan changes. If COBRA payments aren't received from the participants within 30 days of the time they're due, employers may discontinue COBRA coverage.

Correct answer: Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits are most often the largest overhead expense for an organization.

When assessing candidates for the suitability of open positions, it is important to ensure the type of interview selected matches the needs of the position, the organization, the work environment, etc. There are a variety of interview styles, and the most common are listed below:

• Behavioral interviews: Behavioral interviewing is a job interviewing technique where candidates are asked to describe past performance and behavior to determine whether they are suitable for a position. The philosophy is that past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. Behavioral-based interviewing provides a more objective set of facts to make decisions compared to other interviewing methods.
• Situational interviews: Similar to a behavioral interview, during the situational interview, candidates are asked specific questions about how they would handle certain circumstances but is more future-focused than behavioral interviews. The candidate is asked to assess a situation and to provide solutions on how they would handle it.
• Structured/directive interviews: A structured interview is a controlled interview that is organized around specific questions and subject areas. The set questions do not vary between candidates interviewed except in response to candidate answers to the set questions (e.g., to request further information or clarification). This type of interview structure can reduce discrimination or bias by asking each candidate a list of predetermined questions.
• Nondirective interviews: An unstructured interview or non-directive interview is an interview in which questions are not predetermined. These non-directive interviews are considered to be the opposite of a structured interview which offers a set amount of standardized questions.
• Patterned interviews: A patterned interview is designed to cover specific areas (e.g., work history, education, home situation) for each candidate, but at the same time give the interviewer the chance to steer the dialogue into additional topics or to ask questions on points that need to be clarified.
• Panel interviews: A panel interview is a job interview in which an applicant answers questions from a group of people who then make the hiring decision. Hiring managers use panel interviews to gain perspective from other people in the organization and, occasionally, those outside the organization.
• Stress interviews: A stress interview is used to put an interviewee in an awkward position and to throw them off balance. It is designed to reveal how a candidate acts under pressure, deals with stress, and handles workplace conflict. This type of interview is commonly used in stress-based occupations such as law enforcement, astronauts, airline pilots, etc.

Correct answer: Provide access to the area to an OSHA officer and any maintenance/safety records related to the problem

The human resource director must give the visiting OSHA officer safe access to the area identified in the complaint to inspect and provide corrective directions. All safety records and maintenance reports relating to the hazard in question must also be made available for review. The hazard should be corrected immediately to prevent further safety issues and reports.

Correct answer: HMO

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) control costs through managed care that focuses on preventative care by requiring a primary care physician (PCP) or "gatekeeper" to determine whether patients really need to be seen by a specialist.

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) include a network of healthcare providers but do not require patients to consult with their PCP prior to seeing a specialist. Patients may also see providers outside of the network, as long as they pay the difference in cost between the in-network and out of network providers.

Point-of-Service (POS) Plans are a combination of HMOs and PPOs in that patients have to consult their PCPs prior to seeing a specialist, but patients may also choose to see out of network providers.

Fee-for-Service (FFS) Plans can be the most expensive plans because they do not restrict which healthcare providers or facilities patients may use.

Correct answer: Discipline

High-Involvement Organizations (HIOs) have defined hierarchies that are flat.  Employees tend to manage themselves by creating their own processes, completing the work needed and being held accountable for the results. Feedback and information flows happen between the self-directed work teams.  Edward E. Lawler III identified four elements needed to create a High Involvement Organization (HIO):

1. Power
2. Information
3. Knowledge
4. Rewards

Discipline is not one of the four elements needed to create a high-involvement organization as identified by Lawler.