HRCI HRCI Certifications PHR Questions & Answers

• Question 21:

  There are four sections of the HR Impact Model. Which component of the model is considered to be the most client-oriented role?

  A. Programs and Processes

  B. Catalyst

  C. Consultation

  D. Policies and Procedures

  Correct Answer: C

  The consultation role is considered to be the most client-oriented role, as HR Professionals in this role help define the overall organizational strategy. Answer option D is incorrect. Policies and procedures help define the organizational framework, but isn't the most client-facing or client-oriented role the HR Professional must play. Answer option B is incorrect. The HR Professional in the catalyst role processes market demographics, employee attitudes, organizational culture, and how to implement HR best practices. Answer option A is incorrect. Programs and processes is a client-facing role, but it takes more of a functional position in the organization, such as training and development.

• Question 22:

  An organization is considering services it can successfully provide to its customers. One of the services, however, is deemed to be difficult to offer with a high degree of certainty of success. The organization has decided not to offer the service because of the risk in offering the service, and failing. What risk response is used in this scenario?

  A. Transference

  B. Sharing

  C. Avoidance

  D. Mitigation

  Correct Answer: C

  This is an example of the avoidance risk response. Avoidance are preventive actions, workarounds, and decisions to avoid a negative risk event.

  Answer option A is incorrect. Transference is a risk response that transfers the risk to a third party - usually for a fee.

  Answer option D is incorrect. Mitigation is a risk response to reduce the probability and/or impact of a negative risk event.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Sharing is a risk response that shares a positive risk event with another party.

• Question 23:

  What of the following statements defines total rewards?

  A. It is the total amount of pay a person earns per year.

  B. It is the compensation and the benefits a person earns.

  C. It is the amount of pay a person earns per hour.

  D. It is the compensation a person earns for their time.

  Correct Answer: B

  Total rewards is the total compensation plus the total benefits a person earns. Answer option C is incorrect. This isn't a valid definition of total rewards as it is more than just hourly pay.

  Answer option A is incorrect. This answer describes just the salary assigned to a person. Answer option D is incorrect. Total rewards is more than just compensation, it's also the benefits received.

• Question 24:

  Deal and Kennedy defined the four dimensions of organizational culture that you should be familiar with, as an HR Professional. What dimension of organizational culture is best defined by the hidden hierarchy of power?

  A. Culture network

  B. Joy

  C. Values

  D. Heroes

  Correct Answer: A

  The culture network is the information system of communication - also called the hidden hierarchy of power - within an organization.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Joy is not one of the four dimensions, as defined by Deal and Kennedy. Answer option C is incorrect. Values describe the beliefs that lie at the heart of the corporate culture.

  Answer option D is incorrect. Heroes describes individuals who embody the organizational values.

• Question 25:

  Martha is the HR Professional for her organization and she's working with her team to complete non-quantitative job evaluations. Martha wants to stress the available types of non-quantitative job evaluation techniques that are appropriate for her team to be communicated to managers. Which one of the following is not a non-quantitative job evaluation technique that Martha should share?

  A. Whole job ranking

  B. Job slotting

  C. Factor comparison

  D. Job classification

  Correct Answer: C

  Factor comparison is a quantitative job evaluation technique that identifies specific compensable factors and then establishes level of performances within each of those compensable factors. Answer option A is incorrect. Whole job ranking is

  a non-quantitative job evaluation technique where jobs are ranked from lowest to highest.

  Answer option D is incorrect. Job classification is a non-quantitative job evaluation technique where jobs are categorized into different levels.

  Answer option B is incorrect. Job classification is a non-quantitative job evaluation technique that sorts new jobs into an existing job hierarchy.

• Question 26:

  There are seven stages of internal consulting that a HR Professional must be familiar with. Which one of the following is not one of the seven stages of internal consulting?

  A. Exploring the situation

  B. Implementing

  C. Developing recommendations

  D. Executing the project plan

  Correct Answer: D

  Executing the project plan is not one of the seven stages of internal consulting. Executing is part of the project management lifecycle, but it is not one of the seven stages. Answer option A is incorrect. Exploring the situation is one of the seven stages of internal consulting. Answer option B is incorrect. Implementing is the sixth stage of internal consulting. Answer option C is incorrect. Developing recommendations is one of the seven stages of internal consulting.

• Question 27:

  There are seven stages of internal consulting that a HR Professional must be familiar with. Consider this scenario: Mark is a HR Professional for his organization. He is meeting with Tammy and Tammy's supervisor Eric to learn about a conflict between Tammy and Eric. Mark wants to understand both parties before addressing the scenario. Which of the seven stages is Mark, Tammy, and Eric participating in?

  A. Developing recommendations

  B. Implementing

  C. Exploring the situation

  D. Gaining agreement to the project plan

  Correct Answer: C

  Mark is first exploring the situation to determine how best to address the concerns of Tammy and Eric.

  Answer option A is incorrect. Mark, Tammy, and Eric are not developing recommendations; all parties are seeking to best understand the situation first. Answer option D is incorrect. Mark has not made a recommendation, so no project plan

  has been developed.

  Answer option B is incorrect. At this point Mark is facilitating the meeting to explore the situation, and not implementing the project plan.

• Question 28:

  Which of the following is a communication that damages an individual's reputation in the community, preventing them from obtaining employment?

  A. Gainsharing

  B. Constructive discharge

  C. Duty of loyalty

  D. Defamation

  Correct Answer: D

  Defamation is a communication that damages an individual's reputation in the community, preventing him from obtaining employment or other benefts. Answer option B is incorrect. Constructive discharge occurs when an employer makes the workplace so hostile and inhospitable that an employee resigns. Answer option C is incorrect. The duty of loyalty requires that employees act in the best interest of the employer and not solicit work away from the employer to beneft themselves. Answer option A is incorrect. Gainsharing is a system of management used by a business to get higher levels of performance through the involvement and participation of its people. As performance improves, employees share financially in the gain (improvement). Gainsharing is about people working smarter together and not just working harder.

• Question 29:

  Diane is the HR Professional for her organization and she's examining the ranges for the compensation levels of her company. Which one of the following statements best describes what a range for compensation is?

  A. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for which positions with each grade are federally mandated that employees be paid.

  B. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for which positions with each grade are generally paid.

  C. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum compensation rates for the worth of responsibilities.

  D. A range specifies the lowest/minimum and the highest/maximum value for which employees are generally paid through incentives.

  Correct Answer: B

  A range is the space between the minimum and maximum pay for the type of work or role an employee satisfies in an organization.

  Answer option D is incorrect. A range is not assigned to employees worth based on incentives. Answer option A is incorrect. Ranges are not federally mandated so this choice is not valid. Answer option C is incorrect. The choice isn't valid

  because it's not the worth of the responsibilities, but the range of pay from minimum to maximum for employees.

• Question 30:

  Virginia is the HR Professional for her organization and she is reviewing the details of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967. She tells John, one of her staff members, that the ADEA prohibits discrimination on the basis of age for employees and job applicants who are above a certain age. What age does the ADEA apply to employees and job applicants?

  A. 40 and above

  B. 50 and above

  C. 30 and above

  D. All people regardless of their age

  Correct Answer: A

  The ADEA applies to all people of age 40 and above. There is no cap on the age limit of the ADEA. Answer options D, C, and B are incorrect. The ADEA applies only to people of age 40 and above.