If production becomes more standardised, what impact does this have on the work force? Discuss.

Workforce can become leaner, or Productivity can increase with same workforce Possible deskilling of workforce Potentially less HR staffing
requirements Change in people types requires Resourcing/reallocation of talent Standardising policies

What are the main drivers of globalisation?

Privatisation of government owned services Reduced country tariffs Growth of multi national corporations Cheaper wages in emerging
markets Conditional lending by international agencies to developing countries Lower labour costs Advances in communication technologies
Increasing consumption in large developing markets Reduced transport costs

Explain how globalisation impacts HR managers' roles

To gain access to talent, increased focus on reducing age and gender discrimination, offering flexible working hours, work life family balance.
Focus on senior better controls on executive salaries Corporate restructuring and downsizing Increased focus on compliance issues
Increased focus on HR planning Increased international recruitment Need for innovative remuneration, talent management and retention
techniques to retain critical staff Increased international operations requiring different policy approaches and international HRM

What are the negative outcomes of globalization?

Environmental problem, worst working condition and local culture diluting

What are the changing demographic characteristics that have accompanied globalisation?
Ageing population Intergenerational conflict Declining fertility rates Declining mortality rates Increased female participation rates in the
workforce 20 years ago (increased from 24% to 55%) Greater diversity in workforce due to immigration Increased casualization of workforce

What is one of the the main benefit of outsourcing part or all of a company's work force?
Reduced production cost due to increased specialization or re-location to a cheaper labour country Possible access to economies of scale
Availability of lower cost or more flexible employment agreements

List three key approaches to job design

Job enlargement: horizontal loading. Job enrichment: vertical loading. Job rotation: entirely different jobs.

How does the concept of job analysis interact with and and respond to human resource functions?
Job analysis provides a guide to the type of person that needs to be recruited and provides the role description and person specification for
the recruitment process. It also provides KPIs and job functions which input into the processes of performance management, compensation
management and workplace relations.

Having completed the analysis and design of a job, how would you go about bridging the gap between the potential employees
competencies and the role description person specifications?
Induction Job training and development Organization information

What should an organisation first define in order for its identified competencies to be effective?
Mission, key objectives, skills needed, strategies to reinforce, reward systems to reinforce.

What must organisations do in order for their competency profiling to be effective?

For competencies to be effective in an organisation, the business must determine it's mission and identify it's key objectives. The business
must also determine the skills required. The organisation must also implement strategies that reinforce the competencies, and also
implement reward systems to also reinforce the competencies.

What can the manager do about the gap between what is part of the job requirement and the skills possessed by the person
selected for the job?
A human resource development plan is required that identifies the objectives of the organisation and strategies of achieving it.

What steps to recruit a new employee in Human Resource Management item?

A job analysis is required, with role description and person specifications. Then the job needs to be designed, including identification of
necessary KSAs/competencies,

What are the outcomes from conducting a job analysis?

Job Outcomes Responsibilities Duties Tasks Functions Complexity Necessary authorities -- accountability, must have the authority for the
necessary outputs Links to other jobs Competencies (KSAs) required

In the context of entrepreneurship, would it make sense to hire a a team that all share the same personality traits and skills, or would
it make more sense to diversify?
It would make more sense to diversify, since the result would be employees with various views, ideas and opinions. This would greatly add to
the potential varied business ideas and ways of doing things. Different behavioural preferences could, for example, ensure a wider range of
options are considered, that teams do not jump to conclusions, and that people issues are considered as well as technical issues

What are three keys measures to assess a recruitment process?

1.The time taken to put a person in the position. 2.The quality of the person that was recruited 3. The average cost of hire through the
recruiting process.

What approach should an interviewer take in questioning a candidate?

Ask behaviourally based questions that require a candidate to describe how they dealt with an issuein the past. Each competency needs to
be tested in this way. Answers should conform to the STAR format - describe the Situation, describe the Task required, talk about the
Actions taken and describe the Results.

What are the three key performance indicators of a recruitment process and list some ways in which these might be accomplished?
* Lower time to fill a role: Develop a talent pool using previous applicants and those expressing an interest, use alumni, graduate program,
employee referrals * Higher quality of hire: Effective interviewing and selection techniques, developing and using an accurate position and
person description for the role * Lower cost per hire: Reducing use of external sources (e.g. relying on already developed talent pool instead
of advertising each role), making effective use of technology, effective use of internal transfers.

What are the major differences between the Sensing (S) and Intuitive (N) factors in the MBTI types shorthand tags?
A person who has a Sensing preference takes in information based on prior experience and what can be observed, while a person with an
intuitive preference looks for the big picture and focusses on relations and connections between facts

Why should the MBTI psychological type NOT be used as a criteria for choosing the right candidate for a job?
It only indicates the preferences of a candidate; it does not mean they don't have the right competencies or cannot behave in the way
required by a role.

HR simulations are beginning to be more widely used in HR planning. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using
simulations.
Positives:* Ability to identify likely gaps in employee numbers and disciplines* Provides time for recruiters to plan campaigns and strategy*
Facilitates exploration of alternative strategies eg recruitment vs training
Negatives include:* Requires large amount of information to be accurate, smaller organisations may not have access to this* Can be taken
as fact rather than exploration of possible outcomes * Can be costly* Can be time consuming

What is human resource planning

A process that translates organisatonal objectives into people requirements, ensuring the right people, with right skills are available in the
right place at the right time. It guides action that can be taken now to meet this objective.

What is involved in the HR planning process

Process involves labour demand forecasting, internal and external labour supply analysis, exploration of actions that mught be taken to
balance supply and demand, formulation of strategies to do this.

What are some alternatives to redundancy?

Redeployment, granting leave, job sharing, part-time work, opportunities for staff reduction due to natural attrition, early retirement schemes,
voluntary redundancy, contract work, Provide opportunities for retraining and allow travel to attend other job interviews and courses of study

What demographic changes are ocurring in Australia

Ageing population,
Intergenerational conflict,
Declining fertility rates,
Declining mortality rates,
Increased female participation rates in the workforce
Increased part time work

What are the key external aspects do HR practitioners need to understand

globalisation
key demographic changes
need to reconcile organisational and individual demands
federal and state legislation

What is redundancy (downsizing)

Downsizing occurs when an organisation reduces staff numbers because it believes that is the only way it can continue to compete in the
marketplace or effect a restructuring. An individual is redundant when their job is abolished

What sort of interventions might increase gender equity

Increase the awareness,
Identity bias hot spots,
Audit the competency framework,
Blind selection and promotion processes,
Women on selection committees
Create a learning environment

What are key outcomes of a performance review programme?

Assessement of past performance, potential for promotion or transfer, improving managers' motivation, progress discussions bring managers
and employees together, relationships strengthenedfeedback provided, talent identified, career and succession planning decisions made,
retention, reward systems provided with information

Name some typical rating erors

Halo error,
horn error,
leniency or strictnss error,
recency error,
stereotyping,
central tendency error,
fundamental attribution error

Key elements of behaviourally anchored rating scale (BARS)

Descriptions placed along a scale or continuum, identification of performance in terms of specific behaviours,
some vertical scales,
critical incidents,
reduction of rating error

What are the basic steps for disciplinary action

Documentation of unacceptable performance or behaviour,
Investigative interview,
Progressive Discipline (including opportunity to improve),
Correction or dismissal

What are the key external aspects of labour supply (analysis) do HR practitioners need to understand
Demographic changes
Workforce education
Labour mobility
Government policies
Unemployment rate
Cultural make-up

What is difference between extrinsic and intrinsic rewards

Extrinsic rewards are related to, but external to the job eg salary, bonuses, training. Intrinsic rewards come from the job itself eg job
challenge, responsibiblity, autonomy and task variety

What are the types of base pay in Australia

Job based pay
Skill based pay
Competency based pay

Flexible Remuneration/ Cafeteria Benefits

-Allows employees, within guidelines, to select their preferred combination of base pay and other benefits
-Assigned $ amount which they can divide between financial and non-financial remuneration items
-Aim to avoid expenditure on remuneration items with low return in terms of value to employees

In pay, what are indirect benefits

Indirect: - Non-financial benefits in addition to direct pay
Enhance appeal, motivation, morale

Can range from work-life balance,wellness programs, travel, canteens, laptops, mobiles, gym membership

What are the different types of individual incentive plans

Merit pay
performance grades
cumulative additions
issues of validity and reliability,cultural context and annuity
Individual recognition rewards
Individual results-based incentives

What are the benefits of having a strong, managed employee value proposition (brand)?
Improves attraction of company in market
Improves employee commitment
Reduces salaries that need to be offered to get people to join

What are key elements of strategic human resource management?

Alignment of the goals and outcomes of all HR processes with the strategy of the organization.
Harvard model suggests this involves degree of employee influence & involvement, how the HR functions knit together, how the reward
systems work, and the degree of fit between the employee and work systems and the workplace.
As the org context and external environment alter the strategy, so HRM needs to alter to align

What are the key HR functions

Human resource planning
Staffing (recruitment, selection, placement)
Performance management
Training and development
Remuneration and benefits
Industrial relations

What is the difference between 'hard' and 'soft' HR

Hard HR focuses on the strategic, planning and evaluation aspects of HR.
Soft HR focuses on communication, engagement, consultation, motivation and leadership.
Both are necessary

What are the different strategies a company can follow, and which affect HR approaches?
Porter: Strategies of cost leadership, differentiation and niche approaches.
An alternative description is
Storey & Sisson: Innovation, quality improvement and cost reduction.
Each needs different HR approaches

What are the characteristics of strategic HRM (not definition)

1. Longer term focus
2. Proactive links between HRM functions and strategic planning
3. Demonstrated links between HR activities and the organisation's strategic objectives
4. Inclusion of line managers in the HR policy making process

What roles does HR play in an organization (not functions)

Strategic: org wide planning;
Operational: with line managers, ensuring planning to meet staffing needs;
Functional: activities: actions to get the right people in the right place at the right time, in a cost effective way

What capabilities do top HR practitioners need?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Be driven by the business needs

Be a strategic architect
Be able to manage stakeholders
Be a credible activist
Be able to apply expert knowledge to add value
Be a culture and change agent

What three factors are important in using an employee value proposition (brand) to attract potential employees
Howimportant is the attribute?
Do candidates care about it enoughto take into account
Arecandidates aware of the attribute?
How easy is it to get info intomarket
Howdo candidates perceive companys delivery of the attribute?
Positive or negative impressions

What does research suggest are the key categories to consider in developing a brand/EVP to attract people to your organisation

Rewards
Opportunities
Work
People
Organization
Need to establish which are the most important to your target employees

What are the main levers for retention?

Great jobs, incl remuneration and challenge, higher purpose;
Great environment: good working conditions, work-life balance, opportunity for development and career development
Great Leaders who provide respect and trust, commitment to inspiring and worthwhile vision, positive leadership

What is the difference between hard and soft skills?

Hard skills relate to technical knowledge and capability. examples are pulmbing skills, Excel skill.
Soft skills are those that relate to dealing with people. Examples are communication, feedback, relationship
management, interorganizationalteamwork and joint problem solving

What socio-demographic factors affect HR planning in Australia?

Poor literacy and numeracy
Limited education and training infrastructure
Longer life expectancy and ageing populations
Shortages of skilled staff especially finance, engineering, health and education, trades and ICT
Increase in part time work
Increasing numbers of women in work-force

What are the key steps in HR Planning?

1.
2.
3.
4.

Labour demand forecasting

Labour supply analysis (internal and external)
Balancing supply and demand
Formulation of strategies to meet the organisation's needs

In an HR context, what can diversity refer to?

Gender
Age
Race
Ethnicity
Culture
Religion
Language/Accent
Disability
Height/Weight
SexualOrientation
Education
JobTitle
JobFunction
JobSkills
Union/Non-Union
Part-Time/Full-Time
MaritalStatus
Politicalaffiliation
Other

What are the benefits of diversity in the workplace?

Attracts the most qualified employees

Increases innovation, creativity, risk-taking and ideas
Fosters high performing teams
Increases success because of diverse marketplace
It is cost-effective to be proactive (not reactive)
Competitive advantage

What is the difference between equal opportunity and affirmative action?

EEO: action to ensurethat all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, regardless ofrace, colour, religion, gender, national
origin or other characteristics
AffirmativeAction: deliberate action to advantage particular groups of (usually disadvantaged) people in the workplace.. Can be voluntary
or mandated eg South Africa legislated support for historically disadvantaged S Africans (black or mixed race)