SHRM SHRM-SCP Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

SHRM SHRM-SCP Online Questions & Answers

• Question 161:

  Three employees are hired to assemble lawnmowers. Each employee is assigned to assemble a different but equally difficult component. Every few weeks the employees are asked to assemble a new component in addition to the original one to which they were assigned. After six months each employee can assemble a complete lawnmower by him/herself. This situation is an example of which of the following job design approaches?

  A. Job enlargement
  B. Vertical loading
  C. Group tasking
  D. Job enrichment
  A. Job enlargement

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  Job enlargement is a process in which a person's responsibilities are expanded to include more work than they originally had. Job enrichment refers to making jobs more interesting so employees enjoy their work. It has been used for decades now.Note that job enrichment is characterized by adding dimensions to existing jobs to make them more motivating. Examples of job enrichment include adding extra tasks (also called job enlargement), increasing skill variety, adding meaning to jobs, creating autonomy, and giving feedback.Note also that Job enlargement is also called horizontal loading, while job enrichment is also called vertical loading.

• Question 162:

  Which of the following is the most effective form of training for an emergency action plan?

  A. Identify hazards and explain emergency shutdown procedures
  B. Ensure employees learn the best-practice response for evacuation, shelter, and accountability
  C. Address threats, hazards, and protective actions
  D. Engage in role play and practice emergency drills
  D. Engage in role play and practice emergency drills

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  The best emergency action plans include employees in the planning process, specify what employees should do during an emergency, and ensure that employees receive proper training for emergencies, while ensuring role play and practice drills are included and held as often as necessary.

• Question 163:

  Which of the following scenarios is illegal under the Family Medical Leave Act?

  A. An employee on FMLA leave fails to pay the normal employee portion of health insurance premiums for a month and half, after which his health coverage is terminated
  B. A secretary who works for an employer with a total of 5 dozen employees has received an email from HR stating that her request for FMLA leave to care for her dying mother has been denied
  C. Two employees meet at work, get married and are now expecting a baby in 2 weeks. Each employee has requested for 12 weeks of intermittent FMLA leave. HR approves only 12 weeks of FMLA leave for both employees
  D. The CFO has been denied job restoration after taking FMLA leave to care for his sick daughter
  B. A secretary who works for an employer with a total of 5 dozen employees has received an email from HR stating that her request for FMLA leave to care for her dying mother has been denied

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  The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take twelve workweeks of leave in a 12- month period of unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Note that "key employees" can be denied job restoration if restoration will create substantial economic injury to the company. In option B, 5 dozen is 60, therefore the employee is eligible as she works for a covered employer.

• Question 164:

  Cronnie is an accounting and finance manager who believes that the best way to motivate employees is to set goals that are slightly above the employees' reach and release them to find creative ways to achieve work responsibilities and accomplish set goals on their own. According to the attribution theory, what will be the likely outcome?

  A. The team will draw on each other's strength and develop a resilient bond with each other.
  B. The employees will have to apply greater effort and creativity to reach the goals that have been set for them.
  C. The employees will develop a sense of sufficiency, independence, and accountability.
  D. The employees may become incapable of meeting the goals and may become hostile.
  D. The employees may become incapable of meeting the goals and may become hostile.

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  Attribution Theory explains how people tend to explain things. Whenever things happen, either good or bad, people will assign a cause to those events. An external attribution assigns causality to an outside agent or force. An internal attribution claims that the person was directly responsible for the event. The employees will most likely make an external attribution to any negative outcomes of the manager's leadership style. This means the employees will feel abandoned, helpless and may react in a hostile manner to the manager.

• Question 165:

  The company you work for has discussed a business strategy that would expand it into North America. Which of the following actions would you first take to help the company develop this strategic plan?

  A. A discussion of the international compensation strategies of the region
  B. A scan of the environment for both threats and opportunities
  C. A review of company leadership for a qualified expatriate
  D. The development of an advisory board to help them make the decision
  B. A scan of the environment for both threats and opportunities

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  An environmental scan is an activity that takes place before a global strategy is developed. Analyzing threats and opportunities will help direct decisions about how to best utilize resources to minimize threats and take advantage of opportunities.

• Question 166:

  Which is an accurate description of an unfair labor practice?

  A. Violation of international labor law by employers
  B. Complaint about a work condition in a unionized workplace
  C. Violation of a country's labor laws by employees, employers, or unions
  D. Work stoppage conducted as secondary support for a separate striking union
  C. Violation of a country's labor laws by employees, employers, or unions

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  An unfair labor practice is a violation of a country's (not international) labor laws. The practice can be committed by employees, employers, and unions. A complaint about a work condition is a grievance. A sympathy strike is considered one type of unfair labor practice in many countries; it is not a complete description of the term.

• Question 167:

  What is the primary benefit of using a risk register?

  A. It creates transparency and accountability.
  B. It quantifies risk exposure in risk management efforts.
  C. It shows early warning signs of risk emergence
  D. It fulfills compliance responsibilities.
  A. It creates transparency and accountability.

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  A risk register documents risks that have been identified, assessments, management strategy, and individuals responsible for implementing and monitoring the strategy. While it may include information about key risk indicators that signal increasing risk, it is not used to identify these indicators.

• Question 168:

  In a year end analysis, the Plush company achieved its strategic goal but ended up overspending its budget by 35%. The Plush company:

  A. Is efficient and effective.
  B. Is effective but inefficient.
  C. Efficient but not effective.
  D. Neither effective nor efficient.
  B. Is effective but inefficient.

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  The Plush company is effective because it achieved its goal but inefficient because it has a heavy financial cost (135%). Efficiency requires proper management of finances, time and effort. Effectiveness focuses on achieving a goal while efficiency focuses on how the goal was achieved.

• Question 169:

  A company is considering an HR structure that allows teams to specialize in their area of HR expertise and act as consultants to internal customers. Which does this best describe?

  A. Functional administrative
  B. Self-service
  C. Decentralized
  D. Center of excellence
  D. Center of excellence

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  A center of excellence comprises specialized HR teams that act as internal consultants, providing expertise and guidance in areas like talent management, learning, or compensation across the organization.

• Question 170:

  A global organization has an ongoing problem retaining employees due to high turnover across sites. Executive leadership tasks the HR director with assessing the reasons for high turnover. However, hiring new employees takes precedence; therefore, the assessment identifying the reasons behind turnover was delayed. Upon completion, the assessment reveals that job abandonment, disciplinary terminations, and resigning without notice are the primary issues. Managers are terminating employees

  consistent with the organization's disciplinary policy for high-severity offenses, but employees who commit low-severity offenses are subjectively and ambiguously terminated without considering opportunities for improvement.

  Negative perceptions of employee culture have increased as a direct result of the way terminations are being handled, causing tense employee relations and increased job abandonment. The HR director must determine what actions to take regarding the primary issue of turnover, as well as how to address and improve employee perceptions of the organization.

  Data from the investigation reveal that some employee sub-groups are being terminated at higher rates than their co-workers. Which action should the HR director take first to address this concern?

  A. Conduct a focus group with a sample of employee sub-groups to identify areas for improvement.
  B. Require leadership to participate in sensitivity training to prevent further inequity in terminations.
  C. Review company policy on disciplinary actions and discrimination to determine if policy updates are needed.
  D. Deliver a statement throughout the organization to acknowledge and take ownership of the problem.
  C. Review company policy on disciplinary actions and discrimination to determine if policy updates are needed.

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  Reviewing the disciplinary and discrimination policies ensures you identify and correct any policy gaps or ambiguities that allow inequitable terminations before taking further action.