Q&A Hero

Q: What does an employer violate when it terminates an employee for refusing to do something unethical, unsafe, and illegal? A) affirmative action B) public policy C) fair representation D) equal opportunity employment E) reverse discrimination

Q: Fernando, a manager at a top engineering company, believes he can hire a few employees by promising them job security and later terminating them if business slows down. On what grounds could such a termination be considered a wrongful discharge? A) Desperate times call for desperate measures. B) The terminations deviate from the promise of job security in the work agreement. C) The company overpaid the terminated employees. D) The company has policies for handling misbehavior. E) The company is under financial constraints and, at times, has to have employee layoffs.

Q: Henry, an employee at Marine Corp., is known for his short temper. One morning, he gets into a heated argument with one of his supervisors and responds with hostility. Rather than immediately terminating Henry, his manager, Evelyn, calls him in for a discussion. Evelyn treats Henry with dignity and respect, listening to what he has to say about the incident. This scenario can be best categorized as one that uses A) restorative justice. B) distributive justice. C) interactional justice. D) impassive justice. E) retributive justice.

Q: A perception of ________ is a judgment that the organization carried out its actions in a manner that took the employee's feelings into account. A) interactional justice B) employee turnover C) progressive discipline D) summary dismissal E) outcome fairness

Q: People's perception of ________ is their judgment that impartial methods were used to determine the consequences an employee obtains. A) interactional justice B) expatriation C) outcome fairness D) procedural justice E) progressive discipline

Q: Ricky reprimanded five of his employees for coming to work drunk after a lunch outing. The next week, Ricky fired another employee for being drunk at work. The employees under Ricky can conclude a lack of ________ in dealing with employees being drunk at work. A) benchmarking B) outcome fairness C) summary dismissal D) downsizing E) onboarding

Q: Maria and Devin are both data-entry clerks in the same department of a company. On the anniversary of her employment, Maria receives a 2 percent increase in salary. Later that day, while talking to Devin, she learns that on his anniversary, his pay increase was 4 percent. How could the company's supervisor and human resource department best ensure that Maria will perceive outcome fairness in this situation? A) by reducing Devin's raise, so everyone gets the same amount B) by demonstrating that raises of different sizes are associated with differences in performance C) by increasing Maria's raise, so everyone gets the same amount D) by reserving the largest raises for the most serious offenses E) by treating Maria with dignity and respect

Q: Destiny is an employee at ColorBlock Inc. She loves gossiping about her colleagues during office hours, which causes her to receive a reprimand by her supervisor, Alfonso. A few days later, Alfonso fires Colt, another subordinate, from work for a similar reason. The employees reporting to Alfonso are most likely to conclude he demonstrates a lack of ________ in dealing with employees who gossip at work. A) benchmarking B) interactional justice C) laissez-faire D) outcome fairness E) arbitration

Q: Andrew, an employee at Fulton Corp., arrives late at the office on a Monday morning due to a personal emergency. His manager fires him, although this was the first instance of Andrew arriving late at work. Andrew is upset because some of his other co-workers are chronically late to work, but they have not been fired. In this scenario, Andrew would conclude a lack of ________ in dealing with employees who arrive late at work. A) arbitration B) laissez-faire C) outcome fairness D) benchmarking E) interactional justice

Q: People's perception of ________ depends on their judgment that the consequences of a decision to employees are just. A) employment at will B) procedural justice C) interactional justice D) arbitration E) outcome fairness

Q: Talent poaching makes it difficult for companies to A) retain their top performers. B) keep their searches discreet. C) search for relevant information. D) eliminate quality control processes. E) look for employee profiles.

Q: Retaining top performers is not always easy because ________ for high-demand positions, such as software engineers, from other companies has become the norm. A) brainstorming B) poaching talent C) mind mapping D) headhunting E) reverse discriminating

Q: Liz refuses her employer's request to falsify the contents of a report to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The employer subsequently discharges Liz for "not following orders." Identify the exception to the employment-at-will doctrine that Liz is likely to choose when she files a wrongful discharge suit. A) equal employment B) public policy C) implied contract D) reverse discrimination E) affirmative action

Q: Sylas, a manager at LiveWell Corp., believes that he can fire Madison, his subordinate, at any time he wishes to do so. Which of the following, if true, would help strengthen Sylas' belief? A) Madison has not submitted her required paperwork as part of her job offer. B) Sylas has not provided Madison with an offer letter. C) Madison is an underperformer and fails to arrive at work on time. D) Madison does not have a specific employment contract with the company. E) Madison has not received a letter of employment from the company.

Q: Historically, if an organization and employee do not have a specific employment contract, the employer or employee may not require a specific time to end the employment relationship. This is referred to as the ________ doctrine. A) force majeure B) laissez-faire C) employment-at-will D) due process E) implied in fact

Q: Which situation is an example of a voluntary turnover? A) Nora, a supervisor at GreenLeaf LLC, is demoted from her current position. B) Kevin, a manager at Exotic Travel Co., is suspended for a month due to drug use. C) Lila, an employee at Architect International, is about to resign her job to start her own business. D) Cody, a trainee at PublicWorks Inc., is reprimanded for arriving late at work every day. E) Claire, an employee at Alpha Corp., is transferred to another city for career growth.

Q: Hameta is a top manager at her current company. However, she is leaving the company for a better job at a competing firm. Which form of turnover is illustrated in this scenario? A) involuntary turnover B) external turnover C) voluntary turnover D) internal turnover E) dysfunctional turnover

Q: When employees initiate a turnover, when the organization would prefer to keep them, it is called ________ turnover. A) dysfunctional B) involuntary C) retentive D) external E) voluntary

Q: Which situation is an example of involuntary turnover? A) Franny, an employee at PrintMe, is suspended for a week because of workplace violence. B) Sasha, a supervisor at XTL Inc., decides to leave her job because she is moving to another country. C) Ricardo, a manager at Care Co., resigns from his job because he has a better job offer from another company. D) Xi, an employee at Future Furnishing, wants to leave her job to pursue a college degree. E) Gisele, an employee at Innovative Tech, is fired because of theft.

Q: More than 40 percent of the employees at Hile Corp. lost their jobs during a recent recession. The human resource department of Hile Corp. would term this as A) role ambiguity. B) voluntary turnover. C) role conflict. D) involuntary turnover. E) role overload.

Q: Tracey, an employee at Holander Holdings, was suspended for two weeks for drug use. Six months later, she was fired from the job because her productivity did not show any improvement even after undergoing treatment for drug use. Which form of discharge did Tracey experience? A) involuntary turnover B) voluntary turnover C) downsizing D) early retirement E) open-door policy

Q: Terminating an employee for the use of illegal drugs is an example of a(n) ________ turnover. A) retentive B) external C) voluntary D) absenteeism E) involuntary

Q: Ryan, an employee at GoBiz Inc., is known for his short-tempered and argumentative nature. During a heated exchange at work one day, Ryan makes a derogatory gesture toward his manager, which causes Ryan to be fired. This scenario is an example of A) revolving door policy. B) open-door policy. C) voluntary turnover. D) progressive discipline. E) involuntary turnover.

Q: The Job Descriptive Index is an example of a job satisfaction instrument.

Q: The two primary sets of people in an organization who most affect job satisfaction are co-workers and supervisors.

Q: To help employees manage role conflict, employers have sought a number of family-friendly policies.

Q: Job satisfaction is always based on an objective and complete measurement of the situation and not on perception.

Q: Personal dispositions do not play a role in creating job satisfaction.

Q: If an employee disputes policies on the grounds that they violate state and federal laws, he or she can go outside the organization for help to file a lawsuit.

Q: Role conflict is uncertainty about what the organization and others expect from the employee in terms of what to do or how to do it.

Q: When employees are unclear about work methods, scheduling, and performance criteria because others hold different ideas about these, they are likely to suffer from role ambiguity.

Q: Job withdrawal is a set of behaviors that discontented individuals display to avoid the work situation physically, mentally, or emotionally.

Q: The open-door policy is an example of alternative dispute resolution.

Q: Developing a formal discipline process is a prime responsibility of the human resource department.

Q: The principles of justice convey that the organization must prepare for problems by establishing a formal discipline process in which the consequences become severe if the employee repeats the offense.

Q: Under federal law, any U.S. employer that is planning layoffs must give employees 60 days' notice of the layoffs.

Q: In general, employers may conduct random searches of areas like desks, lockers, and toolboxes at any point in time without any justification to the employee.

Q: Kelly, a human resource specialist, has been asked to investigate complaints that an employee is bullying co-workers. Kelly is obligated to protect this employee's privacy by ensuring that any information gathered is relevant to the complaint.

Q: A disciplinary action meets the standards of outcome fairness if the manager explains to the employee how the action is procedurally just, treats the employee with dignity and respect, and empathizes with the employee's feelings.

Q: In procedural justice, the procedures should be consistent from one person to another, and the manager using them should suppress any personal biases.

Q: Outcome fairness involves the ends of a discipline process, while procedural and interactional justice focus on the means to those ends.

Q: Employees cannot sue employers for wrongful discharge if the employee was contracted under the employment-at-will doctrine.

Q: Generally, organizations encourage voluntary turnover among top performers because it is inexpensive.

Q: Identify the measures that a company should take to ensure a legally defensible performance management system.

Q: Explain the corrective action that is needed when an employee lacks both ability and motivation.

Q: List three ways a manager can schedule performance feedback.

Q: Briefly describe a calibration meeting.

Q: Briefly describe the five criteria that measure the effectiveness of a performance management system.

Q: Describe the types of rating errors that influence performance evaluation, and explain the ways in which they can be minimized.

Q: List the advantages and disadvantages of using managers, peers, subordinates, self, and customers as sources of performance information.

Q: Distinguish between behavioral observation scales (BOS) and behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS).

Q: Discuss the various purposes of performance management systems.

Q: Discuss the steps involved in the performance management process.

Q: The management of D&D Group wants to begin electronically monitoring the computer work of the employees who process claims filed by customers. Eden, the company's human resource executive, expects that employees will resist the monitoring, because they will feel robbed of their human dignity. How could the human resource department best address this concern? A) by telling employees the company has reason to believe something is wrong with their performance B) by keeping quiet the real purpose of the monitoring C) by making the data available on the company's intranet, so employees can compare their daily results with what others accomplished D) by applying the data to employee development programs that can help employees advance in their careers E) by sending the data to employee assistance programs to help with their mental health problems

Q: Jordan, the CEO of Sinc Co., believes in providing employees with a flexible and open environment to enhance their skills and growth in the company. In the context of performance management and ethical issues associated with it, which of the following would Jordan most likely oppose and why? A) He would oppose calibration meetings because they question the integrity of performance appraisal information provided by managers. B) He would oppose 360-degree appraisal because it gathers information from colleagues and subordinates, which can make the employees self-conscious. C) He would be against having a legally defensible performance management system because it focuses on scrutinizing employees who file a case against the company. D) He would be against electronic monitoring systems because they make the employees feel like robots and that they are being watched. E) He would be against top management carrying out performance appraisal of employees because it may lead to appraisal politics.

Q: How can an organization protect itself against discrimination and unjust dismissal lawsuits? A) The organization should provide a review of all top performance ratings by senior managers. B) Performance measures should evaluate personal traits. C) The requirements for job success should be clearly communicated to employees. D) The organization should use a single rater to rate all the employees. E) The organization should dismiss poor performers.

Q: Payton was recently dismissed from her job in a hardware store. She had often been late for work, and she was so unresponsive to customers' needs that the store had received several complaints about her. Furthermore, she frequently complained about policies and procedures. A week after Payton's dismissal, the store's manager learned that Payton intended to sue the company for wrongful dismissal. She was saying she had complained of management's misdeeds, so the company retaliated. How should the human resource department have prepared the company for this situation? A) by using a single well-trained rater to evaluate each employee and by having upper-level managers review those evaluations B) by dismissing poor performers quickly, rather than raising false hopes with coaching and training programs C) by basing the performance management system on measurement of employee traits, not behaviors D) by setting up a performance management system that documents employee performance problems E) by setting up a performance management system that provides evidence of management's misdeeds

Q: When Thomas Inc. dismissed Jim, his supervisor told him the reason was that he did not meet performance standards. The supervisor assumed that would prevent Jim from claiming he had been dismissed unjustly. What is the main flaw in the supervisor's assumption? A) People who file lawsuits for unjust dismissal are usually lying. B) People who sue for unjust dismissal usually claim the real reason for the dismissal differs from what the employer said. C) People who file lawsuits for unjust dismissal are irrational. D) Lawsuits often challenge an organization's performance management system. E) The supervisor provided Jim with inadequate coaching.

Q: According to research evidence, in which situation would an employer most have to guard against raters giving unfair low performance ratings to black employees? A) when most of the employees in a work group are male B) when supervisors have received rater training C) when the federal government's Uniform Guidelines do not apply to performance ratings D) when most of the employees in a work group are white E) when the performance management system is legally defensible

Q: The human resource department of Tull Time is reviewing its performance management system to make sure it can show fairness if an employee ever complains of discrimination. Which statement is a problem that must be addressed if Tull Time is to meet that goal? A) Research shows that female managers give fairer appraisals than male managers. B) Most appraisal instruments are so objective that supervisors find them inflexible. C) Employees assume that rating errors are common, though they are rare. D) Evidence shows that raters tend to give higher ratings to persons of the rater's own race. E) Performance management systems often punish people for whistleblowing.

Q: Virginia considers Howard, her office assistant, to be both highly skilled and highly motivated. Howard frequently surprises Virginia with his creative problem solving, above and beyond the basic job requirements. What response should Virginia make to Howard's performance? A) She should not respond to Howard's behavior because no changes are necessary. B) She should refer Howard for help with stress management. C) She should offer Howard feedback that is more detailed in areas needing improvement. D) She should reward Howard and offer him opportunities for career development. E) She should investigate whether Howard feels he is being treated fairly.

Q: Rebecca, a supervisor, is meeting with an employee whose performance has deteriorated since the previous year. The employee used to do the same work well, so Rebecca believes the problem is not likely to be related to ability. Which response would be most likely to help in this situation? A) offering to make coaching available B) enrolling the employee in a training program C) directing the employee's attention to the significance of the problem D) investigating whether the employee feels she has been treated fairly E) demoting the employee

Q: Derrick, a sales manager at Kappa Corp., finds that Jack, a salesman, lacks motivation to perform well in his job. In the context of finding solutions to performance problems, what is the right way to deal with this situation? A) Derrick must reduce Jack's pay to punish him. B) Derrick must warn Jack that he will be demoted if his performance continues to be poor. C) Derrick must ask Jack to learn from salespeople who perform better than he does. D) Derrick must counsel Jack to help him understand the factors that are affecting his motivation. E) Derrick must ask Jack to take a vacation to think about what is causing his lack of motivation.

Q: William, a supervisor, is discussing an employee with Barb, the human resource manager at his company. The employee's performance has been falling, and the employee has been absent on several workdays. William is concerned about this change in behavior. The HR manager suggests that William encourage the employee to contact the employee assistance program (EAP) for a referral to a counselor. In which situation would Barb's advice be most appropriate? A) The employee no longer has the ability to carry out the tasks required for the job. B) The employee probably would respond to some praise and encouragement. C) The employee is unaware of the significance of the performance problem. D) The employee has the necessary skills but lacks motivation. E) The employee lacks motivation as well as the necessary knowledge and skills.

Q: The receptionist at Brunt Inc. is punctual, polite, and always cheerful. The firm's employees and customers all love her. However, she has difficulty with the clerical tasks that the firm's prior receptionists handled. The receptionist's supervisor recommends redesigning the receptionist's job. That recommendation would be most appropriate in which situation? A) The employee is low in both ability and motivation to meet standards. B) The employee has the ability to do better but lacks the necessary motivation. C) The employee is highly motivated but lacks ability unless she gets training. D) The employee is highly motivated but lacks ability, and training is not expected to help. E) The employee is motivated but does not understand the significance of the problem.

Q: Georgia, a new employee at Dino Co., has demonstrated low productivity for a long period. Her manager evaluates her performance and finds that she requires more training to improve her productivity. In the context of improving employees' performance, Georgia lacks A) the required motivation. B) the necessary abilities. C) accountability. D) ethical values. E) integrity.

Q: Ricky is a hardworking, reliable employee in a warehouse. His supervisor notices that this is the fifth year in a row in which Ricky's performance appraisal shows that he has met requirements for every performance standard of his job. Even so, the supervisor has identified areas for improvement. Which statement gives the most significant reason for seeking improvement in Ricky's performance? A) Ricky has a poor attitude; the supervisor believes that if Ricky improves his performance, his attitude will improve as well. B) Ricky has high levels of ability and motivation, which the supervisor wants to put to good use. C) There is no reason for Ricky to improve; the supervisor has a policy of always finding something to criticize. D) Ricky may seek further career development within the company, which will be aided by improving his performance. E) If Ricky does not respond to the supervisor's suggestions, the supervisor will have to demote or terminate him.

Q: Besides a discussion of the employee's past behavior, what other topic(s) are most important to include in a performance feedback meeting? A) a description of the employee's personality B) the supervisor "telling and selling" the ratings C) opinions about other employees in the organization D) goal setting and a decision about when to follow up E) strategic planning and a link to personal goals

Q: Olivia is giving feedback to an employee who hopes to move into a supervisory role someday. Which statement represents the most effective kind of feedback? A) "You don't seem very motivated lately." B) "You need to demonstrate stronger leadership if you want a promotion." C) "You are well organized, and your co-workers really like you." D) "Last week, when we had a problem, your comments shifted the team from complaining to problem solving." E) "When we have problems, you have a great attitude, and that will help you as a supervisor someday."

Q: Which manager is using the most effective approach to conducting a performance feedback session? A) Bianca focuses on her employees' personalities, as she helps each one work with her to solve problems. B) Pamela tells each employee his or her ratings and then justifies each rating, citing specific behaviors. C) Craig goes through the evaluation form, point by point, telling why he provided the information in each item. D) Evan works with each employee to solve performance problems respectfully, focusing on behaviors. E) Ruby lets the employee voice his or her opinions, and then she replies with her assessment of the employee's personality traits.

Q: How can managers improve employee satisfaction with the feedback process? A) by keeping the feedback session short and concentrating on only the positive aspects of performance B) by using the tell-and-sell approach during the feedback session C) by avoiding decisions about following up on goals as these tend to intimidate the employee D) by letting employees voice their opinions and discuss performance goals during the feedback process E) by focusing on the employee's personality

Q: The ________ approach to performance feedback is used by most managers. A) problem-solving B) tell-and-sell C) tell-and-listen D) tell-and-train E) listen-and-sell

Q: Which approach to performance feedback is generally most effective? A) problem-solving B) tell-and-sell C) tell-and-listen D) tell-and-train E) listen-and-sell

Q: Helen, a supervisor at Covington Materials, asks Hunter, the human resource manager, for advice on delivering performance feedback. Helen finds that the meetings tend to be confrontational and don't lead to performance improvement. She tells Hunter how she carefully fills out the appraisal form ahead of time and then invites the employee into the conference room to discuss her feedback immediately, before the employee has time to think up excuses for poor performance. What advice should Hunter give Helen for delivering performance feedback? A) Helen should move the feedback meetings into her own office. B) Helen should have Hunter conduct the feedback meetings. C) Helen should forbid employees from overstating their accomplishments. D) Helen should give employees a chance to complete a self-assessment ahead of time. E) Helen should define all areas for discussion when she fills out the appraisal form.

Q: What attitude do employees typically express toward performance feedback? A) They prefer not to get feedback, because the experience feels awkward. B) They prefer to get all their feedback at one time, during an annual performance review. C) They like to be surprised, especially if the feedback is positive. D) They appreciate regular feedback, because they want to know if they are on track. E) They are most engaged when the company schedules feedback every few months.

Q: Brianna, a supervisor in a shoe store, observes Charles, an employee, becoming anxious and defensive when a customer complains about some shoes. The customer reacts to Charles' behavior by raising her voice and demanding to talk to a manager. When should Brianna give Charles performance feedback related to his handling of customer complaints? A) at Charles' annual performance appraisal B) within the next few weeks, whenever she has time for a formal meeting with Charles C) as soon as she has time to list all of Charles' areas for improvement D) as soon as she is finished talking with the complaining customer E) during the next month in which performance appraisals are scheduled

Q: Identify a way in which an organization can promote fairness and reduce political behavior in the appraisal system. A) use different performance standards to evaluate different employees B) hold a calibration meeting in which managers discuss employee performance ratings and provide evidence supporting their ratings C) discourage employees from discussing their weaknesses D) require that managers give feedback once a year during the annual appraisal E) encourage managers to recognize accomplishments that only employees have identified

Q: Kate, the CEO of Era Co., wants to carry out the first company-wide performance appraisal. However, she needs to make sure that the information obtained for performance appraisal is free of bias and that the managers have provided information about subordinates without any personal issues influencing the information. Which option will assist Kate in obtaining her objective? A) Kate must focus on obtaining information only from supervisors of employees being appraised because managers have incentives for giving accurate information. B) Kate must occasionally work alongside the employees to ensure that they are working diligently. C) Kate must personally question all the managers who appraise their subordinates in the performance appraisal as this will ensure integrity of information. D) Kate must devise a policy that focuses on confidentiality of appraisal information once it is gathered from different sources because this will ensure security of information. E) Kate must hold calibration meetings because they hold managers accountable for the appraisal information they provide about their subordinates.

Q: When Keenan joined Rod Riders as its human resource manager, he was surprised to hear some of the executives repeatedly laughing over stories about how the company's founder ensured that his fraternity brothers moved into management positions. According to the stories, the executives embellished the performance appraisals of these employees, which also influenced later staffing decisions. Keenan talked to some employees about performance management at Rod Riders and learned that the system was widely viewed as corrupt. What can Keenan do, besides discouraging the storytelling, to decrease the political behavior related to performance management? A) He should learn to accept political behavior, because it occurs in every organization. B) He should make sure that raters are accountable to each employee being evaluated. C) He should make sure appraisal results are directly linked to highly desirable rewards. D) He should persuade executives not to tolerate or ignore distorted ratings. E) He should train managers to list only the accomplishments their employees are aware of.

Q: Under which circumstance is appraisal politics most likely to occur? A) when top executives forbid distorted ratings B) when the goals of rating are compatible with one another C) when performance appraisal results are directly linked to developmental programs D) when senior employees tell newcomers stories about distorted ratings E) when performance appraisal is not directly linked to highly desirable rewards