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SHRM-CP Competencies Questions - Part 3
1. Navigating the Organization A new HR staff member wants to win support for her idea for a new employee benefit. The HR director has agreed to meet with her to discuss the idea briefly. How should the HR staff member prepare?
A) Research the director's professional resume.
B) Complete a detailed business case in support of the idea.
C) Think about what might be motivating the HR director in his job.
D) Gather testimonial feedback from employees who want the new benefit added.
2. An HR professional is new to his organization and wants to understand better how to gain credibility in the organization. What activity would help the most?
A) Talking to HR peers at professional meetings about what works in their organizations
B) Studying the organization's published statement of values
C) Watching how people react to other team members in team discussions
D) Interviewing people in HR management positions
3. Which is the difference between the formal and informal characteristics of an organization?
A) Formal characteristics are documented and change less frequently than informal characteristics.
B) Formal characteristics can be felt, and informal characteristics can be seen.
C) Formal characteristics focus on the role of the leader, informal characteristics on work teams.
D) Formal characteristics are better indicators of an organization's efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions. After the merger of two business entities, the new vice president (VP) of HR holds a staff meeting and tells the group that the organization now has six active vacation policies. This was identified during due diligence, but the leaders determined that it did not affect the ultimate decision to merge and that the matter should be addressed post-merger. That time has come, and the VP of HR would like the benefits managers to develop a plan with recommendations. Each policy has slightly different criteria and provisions. As a result of post-merger restructuring, it is possible for all six policies to be in effect in a single department or location. Harmonizing the policies will invariably benefit some employees and hurt others. The benefits managers need to decide if the organization should try to harmonize the policies from the merged entities or let them continue to coexist. The VP of HR adds another complication. The leadership of the two entities has been merged 'on paper,' but there is still a lot of struggling behind the scenes to establish or increase power and influence. The VP of HR would like it if the team could avoid making this issue an opportunity for a proxy power struggle. What critical first step should the benefits managers take to begin the harmonization process?
A) A. Send an e-mail to leadership advising them of the situation.
B) B. Independently implement a policy that seems the most reasonable.
C) C. Perform a risk assessment of the two options: harmonize or coexist.
D) D. Determine if the differences generate employee relations issues.
5. Given the sensitive nature of the issue and the recent nature of the merger, what approach does the HR team need to implement to communicate changes to the vacation policy?
A) A. Communicate the decision to the business leaders and request that they only e-mail the information to their employees.
B) B. After leadership approval, directly communicate to all stakeholders the decision and the impact on them and the business.
C) C. Include the decision and the new policy in the newsletter under the heading of ongoing merger and acquisition activity.
D) D. Include the information about the policy in the employee handbook and on the intranet.
A) Research the director's professional resume.
B) Complete a detailed business case in support of the idea.
C) Think about what might be motivating the HR director in his job.
D) Gather testimonial feedback from employees who want the new benefit added.
2. An HR professional is new to his organization and wants to understand better how to gain credibility in the organization. What activity would help the most?
A) Talking to HR peers at professional meetings about what works in their organizations
B) Studying the organization's published statement of values
C) Watching how people react to other team members in team discussions
D) Interviewing people in HR management positions
3. Which is the difference between the formal and informal characteristics of an organization?
A) Formal characteristics are documented and change less frequently than informal characteristics.
B) Formal characteristics can be felt, and informal characteristics can be seen.
C) Formal characteristics focus on the role of the leader, informal characteristics on work teams.
D) Formal characteristics are better indicators of an organization's efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Refer to the following scenario for the next 4 questions. After the merger of two business entities, the new vice president (VP) of HR holds a staff meeting and tells the group that the organization now has six active vacation policies. This was identified during due diligence, but the leaders determined that it did not affect the ultimate decision to merge and that the matter should be addressed post-merger. That time has come, and the VP of HR would like the benefits managers to develop a plan with recommendations. Each policy has slightly different criteria and provisions. As a result of post-merger restructuring, it is possible for all six policies to be in effect in a single department or location. Harmonizing the policies will invariably benefit some employees and hurt others. The benefits managers need to decide if the organization should try to harmonize the policies from the merged entities or let them continue to coexist. The VP of HR adds another complication. The leadership of the two entities has been merged 'on paper,' but there is still a lot of struggling behind the scenes to establish or increase power and influence. The VP of HR would like it if the team could avoid making this issue an opportunity for a proxy power struggle. What critical first step should the benefits managers take to begin the harmonization process?
A) A. Send an e-mail to leadership advising them of the situation.
B) B. Independently implement a policy that seems the most reasonable.
C) C. Perform a risk assessment of the two options: harmonize or coexist.
D) D. Determine if the differences generate employee relations issues.
5. Given the sensitive nature of the issue and the recent nature of the merger, what approach does the HR team need to implement to communicate changes to the vacation policy?
A) A. Communicate the decision to the business leaders and request that they only e-mail the information to their employees.
B) B. After leadership approval, directly communicate to all stakeholders the decision and the impact on them and the business.
C) C. Include the decision and the new policy in the newsletter under the heading of ongoing merger and acquisition activity.
D) D. Include the information about the policy in the employee handbook and on the intranet.
1. Right Answer: C
Explanation: The staff member is in an early stage of winning support. It may help to understand the director's goals (perhaps by observing decisions and statements) so that she can show how the benefit idea could advance those goals. It is too soon for a business case or testimonials. The resume will probably not provide an accurate sense of what motivates the director.
2. Right Answer: C
Explanation: A person's social status in an organization may be observed in how others listen and respond to what he or she says. Seeing the types of people who earn respect in the organization, the new HR professional can work to imitate their actions. Ideally, the formal aspects of the organization, such as values statements, would be good indicators, but the formal and informal aspects of organizations are not always aligned. Informal discussions are a good idea, but a formal interview with HR managers may not provide perspective from all parts of the function. The informal aspects of an organization, such as the characteristics that make someone respected and trusted, may vary from one organization to the next.
3. Right Answer: A
Explanation: The formal characteristics of an organization are expressed in some documented form, such as a handbook or organizational chart. Informal characteristics describe the nature of relationships in the organization, how people interact and communicate. Perhaps because they are not documented, informal characteristics may change more frequently than formal characteristics.
4. Right Answer: C
Explanation: C is the best answer. The best approach is to analyze the risks of the current situation and the situation in which the policies have been aligned. This will require understanding the promises and practices underpinning the original policies. Prior deals may have provided the employees with a promise of continued benefits, resulting in an ethical commitment to continue or uphold that obligation. It would be critical to include that information in considerations about how to resolve the situation. A is incorrect. Notifying the leadership is key, but HR should first develop an appropriate plan of action. B is incorrect. No policies should be implemented without input from the stakeholders. D is incorrect. By not taking action, HR neglects its responsibility to provide ethical leadership to the organization.
5. Right Answer: B
Explanation: B is the best answer. Whatever resolution is decided, communicating it to stakeholders will be important to the success of implementing the policy. Using an intentional and purposeful approach will engage leadership and create support for the way forward. A is incorrect. E-mail should never be used as the only method of communicating policy changes. Moreover, the decision should be communicated to all stakeholders, not just the business leaders. C and D are incorrect. Including information in the newsletter or simply including it in the new handbook or on the intranet leaves significant potential for misunderstanding and lack of awareness about the way forward.
Explanation: The staff member is in an early stage of winning support. It may help to understand the director's goals (perhaps by observing decisions and statements) so that she can show how the benefit idea could advance those goals. It is too soon for a business case or testimonials. The resume will probably not provide an accurate sense of what motivates the director.
2. Right Answer: C
Explanation: A person's social status in an organization may be observed in how others listen and respond to what he or she says. Seeing the types of people who earn respect in the organization, the new HR professional can work to imitate their actions. Ideally, the formal aspects of the organization, such as values statements, would be good indicators, but the formal and informal aspects of organizations are not always aligned. Informal discussions are a good idea, but a formal interview with HR managers may not provide perspective from all parts of the function. The informal aspects of an organization, such as the characteristics that make someone respected and trusted, may vary from one organization to the next.
3. Right Answer: A
Explanation: The formal characteristics of an organization are expressed in some documented form, such as a handbook or organizational chart. Informal characteristics describe the nature of relationships in the organization, how people interact and communicate. Perhaps because they are not documented, informal characteristics may change more frequently than formal characteristics.
4. Right Answer: C
Explanation: C is the best answer. The best approach is to analyze the risks of the current situation and the situation in which the policies have been aligned. This will require understanding the promises and practices underpinning the original policies. Prior deals may have provided the employees with a promise of continued benefits, resulting in an ethical commitment to continue or uphold that obligation. It would be critical to include that information in considerations about how to resolve the situation. A is incorrect. Notifying the leadership is key, but HR should first develop an appropriate plan of action. B is incorrect. No policies should be implemented without input from the stakeholders. D is incorrect. By not taking action, HR neglects its responsibility to provide ethical leadership to the organization.
5. Right Answer: B
Explanation: B is the best answer. Whatever resolution is decided, communicating it to stakeholders will be important to the success of implementing the policy. Using an intentional and purposeful approach will engage leadership and create support for the way forward. A is incorrect. E-mail should never be used as the only method of communicating policy changes. Moreover, the decision should be communicated to all stakeholders, not just the business leaders. C and D are incorrect. Including information in the newsletter or simply including it in the new handbook or on the intranet leaves significant potential for misunderstanding and lack of awareness about the way forward.
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