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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

SHRM-CP Exam Questions

Page 8 of 50

141.

Which of the following is not a factor affecting learning and development within an organization?

  • Supply chain management

  • Talent management

  • Impact of globalization

  • Cultural issues

Correct Answer: Supply chain management

Supply chain management primarily focuses on the flow of goods and services and is not directly related to learning and development. 

Talent management aims to attract, develop, and retain skilled employees, which directly affects learning and development initiatives. The impact of globalization influences how organizations adapt their learning and development programs to meet the needs of a diverse and dispersed workforce. Cultural issues can influence how learning materials are received and implemented and thus are a relevant factor in learning and development.

142.

Why is it vital for HR professionals to play a key role in building trust with all stakeholders?

  • HR professionals are often the bridge between employees, management, and external partners, making trust-building essential for effective collaboration and problem-solving

  • Building trust is solely the responsibility of top-level management

  • Trust-building is irrelevant in HR, as it primarily deals with policies and procedures

  • Trust is only relevant when dealing with employees and not with external stakeholders

Correct answer: HR professionals are often the bridge between employees, management, and external partners, making trust-building essential for effective collaboration and problem-solving

HR professionals frequently interact with employees, management, and external parties, which requires building trust to foster effective communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Trust serves as the foundation for resolving issues, promoting transparency, and maintaining positive relationships within and outside the organization. 

While top-level management plays a significant role in building trust, HR professionals also have a crucial role in this process given their extensive interactions with various stakeholders. Trust-building is a fundamental aspect of HR, as it influences employees' engagement, satisfaction, and overall organizational success. It extends beyond policies and procedures. Trust is essential when dealing with both internal stakeholders (employees and management) and external stakeholders (partners, clients, regulators) to ensure positive working relationships and collaboration.

143.

Trigger Energy Drinks wants to move its distribution operations from Hollister, California to San Jose, California to be closer to interstates and freeways and lower delivery costs. The company relocating this business process to a lower-cost location inside the same state, or even country, is known as:

  • On-shoring

  • Relocating

  • Outsourcing

  • Near-shoring

Correct answer: On-shoring

On-shoring is the relocation of a company's business process or production to a lower-cost location inside the same country. This is also referred to as home-shoring.

Relocating is a general term that could include moving overseas, off-shoring, or to a different state. Outsourcing is using employees based in another country to complete specific job functions. Near-shoring is when a company sends work or contracts workers in a nearby country to take advantage of certain financial benefits while maintaining similar factors such as geography, time-zone, language, or culture.

144.

What is the most effective way to manage a healthy union relationship?

  • Allowing the union to actively participate in decision-making with supervisors

  • Make sure all communication between the employer and the union is in writing

  • Conceding to the majority of the union's requests and demands

  • Documenting all interactions with union representatives and represented employees

Correct answer: Allowing the union to actively participate in decision-making with supervisors

Cooperation between a company and unions provides more effective decision-making and can influence unions to become allies of employers. Unions do not need to be automatically perceived as adversarial to the company's position.

145.

Adults are motivated to learn by some internal need is an assumption of what learning belief?

  • Andragogy

  • Coaching

  • Competency

  • Institutional

Correct answer: Andragogy

One of the five assumptions of adult learning, otherwise known as Andragogy, is that adults need to be motivated from within to participate in professional development. Unlike children who do not have much choice about their learning, adults have control and must be self-driven for learning to be effective. 

Coaching comes from an external source (ie. manager) and not from an internal drive to learn. Competency is important, but an adult needs to be motivated to want to improve competency. Institutional describes practices that exclude adults from engaging in organized learning activities. 

146.

Among the following options, which one is not considered a component of Relationship Management in the context of interpersonal skills?

  • Decision-making

  • Networking

  • Relationship building

  • Teamwork

Correct answer: Decision-making

In the context of Relationship Management, the components typically include networking, relationship building, teamwork, negotiation, and conflict management. Decision-making, while an essential skill in its own right, is not generally considered one of the core components of Relationship Management as outlined in the book. 

Networking is indeed a key component of Relationship Management, involving the creation and maintenance of professional contacts, both within and outside the organization. Relationship building is a central component of Relationship Management, emphasizing the development and nurturing of positive working relationships. Teamwork is an integral part of Relationship Management, focusing on collaborative efforts within teams to achieve shared goals.

147.

You run a background check on a candidate who just received a job offer for a financial director position. The report shows numerous criminal convictions for fraudulent activities, including forgery. You notify the candidate in writing that the company will take adverse action based on information contained in the background check. 

Notifying the candidate in such a way is regulated by which law?

  • The Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970)

  • The Reform Act (2010)

  • The Fair Labor Standards Act (1980)

  • The Fair and Accurate Consumer Report Act (2003)

Correct answer: The Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970)

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (1970) requires employers who plan to take adverse action against a job applicant to notify the applicant in writing and provide a copy of the background check report (consumer report). This action allows the candidate to verify and/or dispute the information contained in the report.

148.

Roger, a manager at an IT services firm, notices that his project team often waits for his guidance on everyday issues, which hinders their efficiency. The team has the necessary expertise, but they are not used to seeking or proposing solutions on their own. Roger wants to implement action-centered leadership to improve both the team's problem-solving abilities and their sense of responsibility. 

What approach should Roger take to foster an environment where the team is more proactive in resolving issues?

  • Empower team members by delegating problem-solving tasks, providing necessary training, and encouraging initiative, demonstrating action-centered leadership.

  • Assign all problem-solving responsibilities to a dedicated issue-resolution team to streamline decision-making.

  • Schedule regular meetings where Roger makes all the final decisions on reported issues to maintain control over the project outcomes.

  • Enforce a strict policy for managing issues that require detailed reporting and managerial approval for every step taken.

Correct answer: Empower team members by delegating problem-solving tasks, providing necessary training, and encouraging initiative, demonstrating action-centered leadership.

Roger can foster a more proactive team environment by delegating authority to address and resolve issues, offering training to fill any knowledge gaps, and encouraging team members to take the initiative. This empowers the team to act independently while ensuring they have the support and skills required. 

Creating a separate issue-resolution team centralizes problem-solving rather than encouraging it within the entire team. Action-centered leadership aims to empower the original team members to address challenges directly. By making all the decisions himself, Roger would continue to stifle the team's initiative. Instead, he should use these meetings to guide the team's decision-making process, not to take it over. A strict policy requiring managerial approval does not help the team become more proactive or develop their problem-solving skills. Action-centered leadership is about providing the team with the ability to manage their own tasks within the scope of their roles.

149.

Corporate social responsibility programs strive to enhance:

  • The organization's reputation

  • The organization's bottom line

  • The organization's workforce

  • The organization's mission and values

Correct answer: The organization's reputation

Corporate social responsibility involves keeping tabs on the organization's local, national, and international communities and participating in chambers of commerce in order to enhance the company's reputation.

150.

Why is taking the responsibility to ensure inclusion a critical aspect of a HR professional's role in cultivating diversity?

  • Ensuring inclusion creates a fair and safe environment where all individuals have equal access to opportunities and can contribute effectively

  • Inclusion is primarily about meeting legal requirements

  • Inclusion efforts are the sole responsibility of the employees themselves

  • Inclusion initiatives are only relevant for large multinational corporations

Correct answer: Ensuring inclusion creates a fair and safe environment where all individuals have equal access to opportunities and can contribute effectively

HR professionals play a pivotal role in fostering diversity and inclusion within an organization. By ensuring inclusion, they create an environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel welcome, valued, and empowered. This fosters collaboration, innovation, and a sense of belonging, ultimately contributing to organizational success. 

While compliance with legal requirements is essential, inclusion goes beyond legal obligations. It focuses on creating a culture of respect, belonging, and equal opportunities for all individuals. Inclusion initiatives are a shared responsibility between HR professionals, leadership, and all employees. HR plays a critical role in creating the framework and policies that support inclusion, but employees also contribute by fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Inclusion initiatives are relevant for organizations of all sizes, as they promote fairness, diversity, and equal opportunities, benefiting the overall work environment and organizational success.

151.

What is the covenant of good faith and fair dealing in relation to employee rights?

  • An implied obligation for employers to treat employees fairly even under at-will employment

  • A legal mandate that protects only unionized employees

  • A law that only applies in non-at-will-employment situations

  • An optional agreement between employer and employee

Correct Answer: An implied obligation for employers to treat employees fairly even under at-will employment

The covenant of good faith and fair dealing is an implied obligation that mandates employers to treat their employees fairly. This applies even in at-will-employment scenarios, ensuring that employers can't act in bad faith. 

The covenant applies to all employees, not just those in unions. The covenant of good faith and fair dealing applies even in at-will-employment situations. An optional agreement between employer and employee is incorrect. The covenant is an implied obligation, meaning it is automatically in place unless explicitly stated otherwise.

152.

An employee has written a negative post about the company on their personal social media page. What action can the company take?

  • Remind the employee about the social media policy, document this

  • Require that the employee remove the negative post immediately

  • Post a new corporate social media policy online

  • Terminate the employee for speaking negatively about the company

Correct answer: Remind the employee about the social media policy, document this

Remind the employee that anything negative posted to social media about the company hurts the company. Document and have them review and sign a copy of your corporate social media policy. 

The company cannot demand that the employee remove a post from their own account, but they can encourage them to. 

There should already be an existing social media policy. 

Unless the post is threatening, the company cannot terminate for a first offense.

153.

In the context of staffing resources, which of the following is generally not a direct method for placing a candidate in a role?

  • Organizational website analytics

  • Current employees ready for promotion

  • Employee referrals

  • Job boards

Correct Answer: Organizational website analytics

While website analytics can offer insights into user behavior and can be useful for marketing strategies, they are not generally used as a direct resource for staffing decisions.

Promoting current employees is a useful internal staffing resource. It can be more efficient and cost effective to promote from within. Employee referrals often provide a valuable channel for finding qualified candidates, making them a direct staffing resource. Job boards are an external staffing resource and play a crucial role in recruiting candidates from various fields and expertise levels. 

154.

Congress took action in 2012 to amend the Railway Labor Act to change the union certification election process in the railroad and airline industries. This amendment is known as:

  • The FAA Modernization and Reform Act (2012)

  • The FAA Reform Act (2012)

  • The FAA Union Reform Act (2012)

  • The Modernization and Reform Act (2012)

Correct answer: The FAA Modernization and Reform Act (2012)

The FAA Modernization and Reform Act (2012) amends the Railway Labor Act and changes the union certification election process in the railroad and airline industries and imposes greater oversight of the regulatory activities of the National Mediation Board (NMB).

155.

In HR decision-making, what is the significance of managing political and social pressures when making ethical decisions?

  • It sometimes requires HR professionals to take principled stands, even if they involve personal or professional risks, to uphold ethical standards and maintain the organization's integrity

  • Managing political and social pressures ensures HR professionals always make decisions aligned with popular opinions

  • Managing political and social pressures is insignificant in HR decision-making, as it can compromise job security

  • HR professionals should prioritize their job security over managing political and social pressures

Correct answer: It sometimes requires HR professionals to take principled stands, even if they involve personal or professional risks, to uphold ethical standards and maintain the organization's integrity

HR professionals often face situations where ethical decisions may contradict political or social pressures. In such cases, the significance lies in their ability to prioritize ethical principles and, if necessary, make tough decisions that align with those principles, even if they involve personal or professional risks. 

While HR professionals should consider various factors, including public perception, in decision-making, the primary significance is not to align with popular opinions but to uphold ethical standards. Managing these pressures is significant because it involves navigating a delicate balance between ethical considerations and job security, highlighting the complexity of HR decision-making. Job security is an important consideration, but it should not take precedence over upholding ethical standards in HR decision-making. Balancing these factors is the challenge HR professionals face.

156.

Shawntell is an HR manager in a privately-held company. She has been assigned to find a vendor to conduct an employee engagement survey across the company's sites. She knows many providers, but her sister is an executive in a consulting firm that provides this service. Given these circumstances, what should Shawntell do about hiring her sister's company?

  • Shawntell should avoid selecting her sister's company because of the perception of a conflict of interest.

  • Since Shawntell knows her sister is honest and likely to provide her with good service, she should select them as a supplier.

  • Shawntell should have her direct report, an HR representative, sit in on the consultation call to ensure the vendors have equal consideration.

  • Shawntell should consider people outside of the geographical area to avoid compromise in her selection.

Correct answer: Shawntell should avoid selecting her sister's company because of the perception of a conflict of interest.

The perceived ease of selection, potential cost savings, and doing a possible favor to a family member are ways that HR professionals may justify conflicts of interest. These situations should be avoided and challenged by HR professionals as conflicts of interest undermine the organization's values.

157.

What is the primary goal of gathering critical information in HR decision-making?

  • To ensure decisions are based on accurate and relevant data

  • To expedite the decision-making process by avoiding data analysis

  • To consider anecdotal evidence and personal opinions in decision-making

  • To gather as much information as possible

Correct answer: To ensure decisions are based on accurate and relevant data

Gathering critical information is essential to ensure that HR decisions are well informed and supported by accurate and relevant data. By collecting and analyzing data, HR professionals can make evidence-based decisions that align with organizational goals, promote fairness, and yield positive outcomes. 

While gathering critical information is crucial, its purpose is to provide accurate insights for decision-making, not to skip data analysis. Relying solely on anecdotes and personal opinions can lead to biased decisions. Gathering critical information aims to ensure decisions are based on objective data. The goal is not to gather excessive information but to focus on collecting accurate and relevant data that directly impacts the decision at hand. Quality over quantity is key.

158.

How does an HR professional calculate the revenue per employee for the company?

  • Divide the revenue by the employee headcount

  • Divide the revenue minus expenses by the employee headcount

  • Add the revenue, minus expenses, and divide the total by the employee headcount

  • Multiply the revenue by employee headcount

Correct answer: Divide the revenue by the employee headcount

Revenue per employee is an organizational metric that is calculated by dividing the revenue by the employee headcount.

159.

A plant manager received a letter from the local OSHA about an employee complaint. The letter further mandated proper access and use of PPE for employees. The plant manager suspected the complaint came from someone on the day shift. In response to the letter, the manager provided additional PPE, but also changed the start time for the day shift from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, even though production needs didn't change. He also required weekend work. 

The manager's action may be construed as:

  • Workplace retaliation

  • Workplace recompense

  • Workplace harassment

  • Workplace grievance

Correct answer: Workplace retaliation

Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer takes adverse action or mistreats an employee who was involved in protected activities, such as reporting safety concerns to the OSHA office.

160.

What characterizes dispersed (or emergent) leadership within an organization?

  • Leadership that is spread among various team members who take on leadership roles at different times based on their skills and the demands of the situation

  • Leadership that is exclusively held by top management and executed according to a strict hierarchy

  • A predetermined succession plan where leadership roles are assigned to specific individuals in case of a leader's absence

  • Leadership that arises spontaneously only in crisis situations or times of significant organizational change

Correct answer: Leadership that is spread among various team members who take on leadership roles at different times based on their skills and the demands of the situation

Dispersed or emergent leadership is a model where leadership responsibilities shift among group members rather than emanating from a traditional, formal leadership position. This approach allows team members to emerge as leaders when their specific skills are most needed. 

A hierarchy describes a traditional leadership model, not dispersed or emergent leadership, which is characterized by shared leadership roles rather than a hierarchical structure. Predetermined succession planning is a structured approach to leadership contingency, which differs from the fluid and situational nature of dispersed leadership, where individuals organically assume leadership as needed. While emergent leaders may become more visible during crises or change, dispersed leadership is a continuous process that occurs in everyday situations as well as during more turbulent times. It's not limited to crises or change events.

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