SHRM SHRM-SCP Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

SHRM SHRM-SCP Online Questions & Answers

• Question 231:

  A hybrid multinational consumer goods corporation operates 8 strategic business units which are fully- functional units with their own vision, direction, product/service, location, and target market under the umbrella of the larger business entity. The corporation has a corporate HR department while the SBUs each have autonomous HR departments that are largely independent from corporate HR. The Head of HR of each SBUs has significant authority to operate in a polycentric fashion and only interact with the Head of Corporate HR on a quarterly basis.

  Due to a significant reduction in revenue during the pandemic, the organization has made a decision to streamline its HR structure by adopting a more centralized HR structure that can provide HR services to corporate and the SBUs. The proposed centralization of the HR function is expected to result in cost reduction, consistency in HR operations, and increased HR proficiency.

  Corporate HR has created a team comprising of HR managers, HR business partners and HR admin personnel to originate and implement the new HR services model. Anna is a HR manager from a strategic business unit in California that has been drafted to join the team. Anna has 8 years of cognate HR experience working with various SBUs in the organization. Anna is the only team member who has worked with an SBU, the rest of the team have only corporate HR experience. The team has been

  working for over 3 weeks reviewing the feasibility, advantages and disadvantages of several HR structures, with most team members favoring a shared services and center of excellence model.

  How should the team start the process of determining the appropriate HR servicing model?

  A. Through the use of business cases, surveys, focus groups and cross-functional team reviews to determine the structure that is most cost-effective and efficient for the company
  B. By benchmarking, researching and implementing trends and best practices of other organizations
  C. By determining a structure that will align with the company's strategic plan and objectives
  D. By talking with employees to gain insight about what outcomes they are looking for in HR services
  C. By determining a structure that will align with the company's strategic plan and objectives

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  HR's function is to serve the strategy of the overall organization. The company's strategic plan should guide all HR processes, procedures and decisions, including the HR structure model as HR exists to enable the success of the business strategy of the entire organization. Note that cost-effectiveness may not translate into the appropriate model for business success. The best practice of other organizations may not be ideal for this organization. Employee involvement at this stage is premature.

• Question 232:

  Amanda has begun a new job as a HR Manager with a consumer goods retail company. She is seeking support for her idea for a new employee incentive program. Which type of colleague would best provide the support Amanda needs in this situation?

  A. The senior HR specialist who is a subject matter expert on HR initiatives and is marked for promotion
  B. The new Vice President of the HR division who seeks to make a favorable strong impression on the executive leadership team
  C. The experienced HR manager familiar with how resolutions are made with previous experience as a HR generalist with business units
  D. The senior-level HR generalist with expertise in developing employee compensation and benefits systems
  C. The experienced HR manager familiar with how resolutions are made with previous experience as a HR generalist with business units

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  Amanda needs support for her idea which is best provided by the experienced HR manager who is familiar with how decisions and resolutions are made in the organization (key point) and can provide Amanda with the insight she needs on the feasibility of her idea. Another advantage is that the experienced HR manager has had previous experience working with business units and can help Amanda understand how her idea aligns with the needs of the business units in the organization.

• Question 233:

  One of the basic principles of project management is to identify and manage stakeholder satisfaction. Why is this particularly important in OED interventions?

  A. Stakeholders are more likely to accept change that they have been involved in creating
  B. The effectiveness of the OED team rests on maintaining positive relationship with senior management
  C. It simplifies the process of communicating intervention findings and recommendations
  D. One of the goals of the OED intervention is to obtain support for future interventions
  A. Stakeholders are more likely to accept change that they have been involved in creating

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  OED interventions must be in line with the organization's strategic goals which is the core focus of the primary stakeholders in an organization. Stakeholders such as shareholders, employees and customers are more likely to accept and support the changes introduced in the OED process if they have been involved from the onset.

• Question 234:

  Which should the HR director recommend to a senior VP for an employee identified as a successor who needs to develop autonomy and decision-making skills?

  A. Give the employee tasks performed by peer employees.
  B. Transfer tasks involving approving projects and budgeting.
  C. Assign the employee to a different function.
  D. Send the employee to external training.
  B. Transfer tasks involving approving projects and budgeting.

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  Transferring responsibility for project approvals and budgeting gives the successor real-world decision authority and autonomy, allowing them to practice and grow those skills in context.

• Question 235:

  A company focusing on improving workforce flexibility and productivity is likely to be in which phase of organizational development?

  A. maturity
  B. decline
  C. startup
  D. growth
  A. maturity

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  During the maturity phase, organizational culture and staffing issues begin to stabilize. Scheduling problems are largely resolved. The focus shifts to controlling labor costs and HR planning.To compete, businesses increasingly need a workforce that is more agile, productive and efficient - this means employees increasingly need flexibility (in terms of where, when and how work gets done). Flexible work environments better align work policies to the lives and values of employees.

• Question 236:

  A large retail company opens a distribution center directly across the street from a small competing firm's distribution center and posts a sign advertising open entry-level positions. The plant manager of the small firm notices that the sign indicates the advertised salary is higher than what the firm pays its entry-level employees. The plant manager is concerned employees will leave the firm to seek work at the competing company. The plant manager notifies the HR manager of the pay differences and requests immediate pay matching for all entry-level employees. The HR manager sets up a meeting with the plant manager, compensation manager, and HR business partner to discuss the issue. They decide to increase base pay to match the competitor's base pay but only for a subset of entry-level roles identified as critical. They also decide to put the pay increase into effect immediately, and the HR manager agrees to monitor the situation over the next three months.

  How should the HR manager analyze the impact of the pay increase on entry-level employees over the three-month period?

  A. Set up interviews with entry-level employees to identify factors responsible for the retention of current employees.
  B. Track whether conversion rates from applicant to employee increase for entry-level positions.
  C. Track online reviews about the company by employees and candidates.
  D. Administer a job satisfaction survey to compare responses of employees who satisfy their pay and those who did not.
  D. Administer a job satisfaction survey to compare responses of employees who satisfy their pay and those who did not.

• Question 237:

  How should an organization most effectively improve employee productivity during a time of rapid growth and organizational change?

  A. Increase the frequency of performance reviews.
  B. Reduce the representation gap.
  C. Introduce forced ratings distribution.
  D. Implement a 360-degree feedback initiative.
  D. Implement a 360-degree feedback initiative.

• Question 238:

  The grapevine in an organization should be: A. Managed by adding accurate information

  B. eliminated as much as possible

  C. prevented from spreading information across established lines of communication

  D. used to women employees of impending disciplinary actions

  Correct Answer. A
  A

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  Grapevine communication is an informal method of communication within a company. It's a form of unstructured communication. It operates through both external and internal channels, assisting an organization's growth. The grapevine gets its name from the fact that it spreads throughout the company in all directions.Grapevine should not be eliminated from the work system. The organizational grapevine needs to be monitored and kept in control to avoid any damage. Grapevine Management should focus on eliminating and controlling the negative sides of it by ensuring proper employee communication via formal channels.

• Question 239:

  The marketing department at a large financial services company chooses five high-performing staff members every year to receive a performance award, which includes a monetary reward and recognition at an end-of-year meeting. Employees are chosen by managers in the marketing department. Each manager nominates two direct reports, and then all managers meet as a group to discuss nominees until a consensus is reached. The names of the winners are given to HR for final approval. The marketing department is preparing to begin this year's nomination process. There have been repeat winners in each of the last three years. A marketing employee files a complaint with the HR director about favoritism in the award process. Additionally, the employee points out that newer employees rarely win the award, which lowers their morale. New employees tend not to win because they spend a couple of years training and shadowing experienced employees before receiving tasks to perform independently.

  After the nominations are submitted to HR, a product manager asks the HR director not to approve a nominee who recently insulted the manager during an argument. Which action should the HR director take?

  A. Direct the manager to discuss the issue with the employee.
  B. Meet with the nominee to learn more information about the incident.
  C. Explain to the manager that the award is based on performance and not interpersonal relationships.
  D. Suggest the manager should not influence awards for the marketing department.
  B. Meet with the nominee to learn more information about the incident.

• Question 240:

  After careful research, a company decides to expand its services into a new, growing market. What is most likely to occur as result of this expansion?

  A. Better work/life balance
  B. Labor fluctuations
  C. Market disruption
  D. New organizational structure
  D. New organizational structure

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  Organizational structure refers to the way in which work groups are related. Organizational interventions are required when an organization has changed its competitive strategies and needs to develop new skills and traits for example, skills needed to respond to market changes quickly. The organizational design must be focused in a new direction. New organizational structures often accompany organizational growth based on new needs.