Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Human Resources SHRM
Study for the PHR testing certification
386
Other
Undergraduate 1
03/24/2012

Additional Other Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Core competency
Definition
A unique capability that creates high value and differentiates an organization from its competition.
Term
HR Generalist
Definition
A person who has responsibility for performing a variety of HR activities.
Term
HR Specialist
Definition
A person who has in-depth knowledge and expertise in a limited area of HR.
Term
Human capital
Definition
The collective value of the capabilities, knowledge, skills, life experiences, and motivation of an organizational workforce.
Term
Human Resource (HR) management
Definition
The direction of organizational systems to ensure that human talent is used effectively and efficiently to accomplish organizational goals.
Term
Human resource management system (HRMS)
Definition
An integrated system providing information used by HR management in decision making.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs in an organization.
Term
Benchmarking
Definition
Comparing specific measures of performance against data on those measures in other organizations.
Term
Culture
Definition
Societal forces affecting the values, beliefs, and actions of a distinct group of people.
Term
Economic value added (EVA)
Definition
Net operating profit of a firm after the cost of capital is deducted.
Term
Effectiveness
Definition
The extent to which goals have been met.
Term
Efficiency
Definition
The degree to which operations are done in an economical manner.
Term
Environmental scanning
Definition
Process of studying the environment of the organization to pinpoint opportunities and threats.
Term
Forecasting
Definition
Using information from the past and the present to identify expected future conditions.
Term
Global organization
Definition
Firm that has corporate units in a number of countries that are integrated to operate worldwide.
Term
HR audit
Definition
Formal research effort that evaluates the current state of HR management in an organization.
Term
HR metrics
Definition
Specific measures tied to HR performance indicators.
Term
HR Strategies
Definition
Means used to anticipate and manage the supply of and demand for human resources.
Term
Human resource (HR) planning
Definition
Process of analyzing and identifying the need for and availability of human resources so that the organization can meet its objectives.
Term
Importing and exporting
Definition
Buying and selling goods and services with organizations in other countries.
Term
Individualism
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the extent to which people in a country prefer to act as individuals instead of members of groups.
Term
Long-term orientation
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the preference of people in a country for long-term values as opposed to short-term values.
Term
Masculinity/femininity
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the degree to which “masculine” values prevail over “feminine” values.
Term
Multi-national enterprise (MNE)
Definition
Organization that has operating units located in foreign countries.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs in an organization.
Term
Power distance
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the inequality among the people of a nation.
Term
Productivity
Definition
Measure of the quantity and quality of work done, considering the cost of the resources used.
Term
Return on investment (ROI)
Definition
Calculation showing the value of expenditures for HR activities.
Term
Strategic HR management
Definition
Use of employees to gain or keep a competitive advantage, resulting in greater organizational effectiveness.
Term
Succession planning
Definition
Process of identifying a longer-term plan for the orderly replacement of key employees.
Term
Uncertainty avoidance
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the preference of people in a country for structured rather than unstructured situations.
Term
Unit labor cost
Definition
Computed by dividing the average cost of workers by their average levels of output.
Term
Attitude survey
Definition
A survey that focuses on employees’ feelings and beliefs about their jobs and the organization.
Term
Exit interview
Definition
An interview in which individuals are asked to give their reasons for leaving the organization.
Term
Job satisfaction
Definition
A positive emotional state resulting from evaluating one’s job experiences.
Term
Motivation
Definition
The desire within a person causing that person to act.
Term
Organizational commitment
Definition
The degree to which employees believe in and accept organizational goals and desire to remain with the organization.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs of a workforce.
Term
Psychological contract
Definition
The unwritten expectations employees and employers have about the nature of their work relationships.
Term
Turnover
Definition
The process in which employees leave an organization and have to be replaced.
Term
4/5ths rule
Definition
Discrimination exists if the selection rate for a protected group is less than 80% (4/5ths) of the selection rate for the majority group or less than 80% of the majority group’s representation in the relevant labor market.
Term
Affirmative action
Definition
Employers are urged to hire groups of people based on their race, age, gender, or national origin, to make up for historical discrimination.
Term
Blind to differences
Definition
Differences among people should be ignored and everyone should be treated equally.
Term
Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)
Definition
Characteristic providing a legitimate reason why an employer can exclude persons on otherwise illegal bases of consideration.
Term
Burden of proof
Definition
What individuals who file suit against employers must prove in order to establish that illegal discrimination has occurred.
Term
Business necessity
Definition
Practice necessary for safe and efficient organizational operations.
Term
Concurrent validity
Definition
Measured when an employer tests current employees and correlates the scores with their performance ratings.
Term
Content validity
Definition
Validity measured by a logical, non-statistical method to identify the KSAs and other characteristics necessary to perform a job.
Term
Correlation coefficient
Definition
Index number giving the relationship between a predictor and a criterion variable.
Term
Criterion-related validity
Definition
Validity measured by a procedure that uses a test as the predictor of how well an individual will perform on the job.
Term
Disabled person
Definition
Someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits life activities, who has a record of such an impairment, or who is regarded as having such an impairment.
Term
Disparate impact
Definition
Occurs when members of a protected class are substantially under-represented as a result of employment decisions that work to their disadvantage.
Term
Disparate treatment
Definition
Occurs when members of a protected class are treated differently from others.
Term
Employment “test”
Definition
Any employment procedure used as the basis for making an employment-related decision.
Term
Equal employment
Definition
Employment that is not affected by illegal discrimination.
Term
Essential job functions
Definition
Fundamental duties of a job.
Term
Mediation
Definition
Dispute resolution process by which a third party helps negotiators reach a settlement.
Term
Pay equity
Definition
Idea that pay for jobs requiring comparable levels of knowledge, skill, and ability should be similar, even if actual duties differ significantly.
Term
Predictive validity
Definition
Measured when test results of applicants are compared with subsequent job performance.
Term
Protected class
Definition
Individuals within a group identified for protection under equal employment laws and regulations.
Term
Reasonable accommodation
Definition
A modification or adjustment to a job or work environment for a qualified individual with a disability.
Term
Reliability
Definition
Consistency with which a test measures an item.
Term
Retaliation
Definition
Punitive actions taken by employers against individuals who exercise their legal rights.
Term
Sexual harassment
Definition
Actions that are sexually directed, are unwanted, and subject the worker to adverse employment conditions or create a hostile work environment.
Term
Undue hardship
Definition
Significant difficulty or expense imposed on an employer in making an accommodation for individuals with disabilities.
Term
Affirmative action plan (AAP)
Definition
Formal document that an employer compiles annually for submission to enforcement agencies.
Term
Availability analysis
Definition
Identifies the number of protected-class members available to work in the appropriate labor markets for given jobs.
Term
Glass ceiling
Definition
Discriminatory practices that have prevented women and other protected-class members from advancing to executive-level jobs.
Term
Hostile environment
Definition
Sexual harassment in which an individual’s work performance or psychological well-being is unreasonably affected by intimidating or offensive working conditions.
Term
Nepotism
Definition
Practice of allowing relatives to work for the same employer.
Term
Phased retirement
Definition
Approach in which employees gradually reduce their workloads and pay.
Term
Quid pro quo
Definition
Sexual harassment in which employment outcomes are linked to the individual granting sexual favors.
Term
Reverse discrimination
Definition
When a person is denied an opportunity because of preferences given to protected-class individuals who may be less qualified.
Term
Utilization analysis
Definition
Identifies the number of protected-class members employed in the organization and the types of jobs they hold.
Term
Autonomy
Definition
Extent of individual freedom and discretion in the work and its scheduling.
Term
Business process re-engineering (BPR)
Definition
Measures for improving such activities as product development, customer service, and service delivery.
Term
Competencies
Definition
Individual capabilities that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams.
Term
Compressed workweek
Definition
Schedule in which a full week’s work is accomplished in fewer than 5 8-hour days.
Term
Duty
Definition
Larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual.
Term
Feedback
Definition
Amount of information employees receive about how well or how poorly they have performed.
Term
Flextime
Definition
Scheduling arrangement in which employees work a set number of hours a day but vary starting and ending times.
Term
Job
Definition
Grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the total work assignment for employees.
Term
Job analysis
Definition
Systematic way of gathering and analyzing information about the content, context, and human requirements of jobs.
Term
Job description
Definition
Identification of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.
Term
Job design
Definition
Organizing tasks, duties, and responsibilities into a productive unit of work.
Term
Job enlargement
Definition
Broadening the scope of a job by expanding the number of different tasks to be performed.
Term
Job enrichment
Definition
Increasing the depth of a job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, or evaluating the job.
Term
Job rotation
Definition
Process of shifting a person from job to job.
Term
Job sharing
Definition
Scheduling arrangement in which two employees perform the work of one full-time job.
Term
Job specifications
Definition
The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an individual needs to perform a job satisfactorily.
Term
Marginal job functions
Definition
Duties that are part of a job but are incidental or ancillary to the purpose and nature of the job.
Term
Performance standards
Definition
Indicators of what the job accomplishes and how performance is measured in key areas of the job description.
Term
Person/job fit
Definition
Matching characteristics of people with characteristics of jobs.
Term
Responsibilities
Definition
Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.
Term
Self-directed team
Definition
Organizational team composed of individuals who are assigned a cluster of tasks, duties and responsibilities to be accomplished.
Term
Skill variety
Definition
Extent to which the work requires several different activities for successful completion.
Term
Special-purpose team
Definition
Organizational team formed to address specific problems, improve work processes, and enhance product and service quality.
Term
Task
Definition
Distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions.
Term
Task identity
Definition
Extent to which the job includes a “whole” identifiable unit of work that is carried out from start to finish and that results in a visible outcome.
Term
Acceptance rate
Definition
Percent of applicants hired divided by total number of applicants.
Term
Applicant pool
Definition
All persons who are actually evaluated for selection.
Term
Applicant population
Definition
A subset of the labor force population that is available for selection using a particular recruiting approach.
Term
Flexible staffing
Definition
Use of workers who are not traditional employees.
Term
Independent contractors
Definition
Workers who perform specific services on a contract basis.
Term
Job posting
Definition
System in which the employer provides notices of job openings and employees respond by applying.
Term
Labor force population
Definition
All individuals who are available for selection if all possible recruitment strategies are used.
Term
Labor markets
Definition
External supply pool from which organizations attract employees.
Term
Recruiting
Definition
Process of generating a pool of qualified applicants for organizational jobs.
Term
Selection rate
Definition
Percentage hired from a given group of candidates.
Term
Yield ratios
Definition
Comparisons of the number of applicants at one stage of the recruiting process with the number at the next stage.
Term
Behavioral interview
Definition
Interview in which applicants give specific examples of how they have performed a certain task or handled a problem in the past.
Term
Cognitive ability tests
Definition
Tests that measure an individual’s thinking, memory, reasoning, verbal, and mathematical abilities.
Term
Expatriate
Definition
Citizen of one country who is working in a second country and employed by an organization headquartered in the first country.
Term
Host-country national
Definition
Citizen of one country who is working in that country and employed by an organization headquartered in a second country.
Term
Negligent hiring
Definition
Occurs when an employer fails to check an employee’s background and the employee injures someone.
Term
Negligent retention
Definition
Occurs when an employer becomes aware that an employee may be unfit for employment, continues to employ the person, and the person injures someone.
Term
Non-directive interview
Definition
Interview that uses questions developed from the answers to previous questions.
Term
Panel interview
Definition
Interview in which several interviewers meet with the candidate at the same time.
Term
Person-organization fit
Definition
The congruence between individuals and organizational factors.
Term
Person/job fit
Definition
Matching the KSAs of people with the characteristics of jobs.
Term
Physical ability tests
Definition
Tests that measure an individual’s abilities such as strength, endurance, and muscular movement.
Term
Placement
Definition
Fitting a person to the right job.
Term
Predictors
Definition
Measurable or visible indicators of a selection criterion.
Term
Psychomotor tests
Definition
Tests that measure dexterity, hand-eye coordination, arm-hand steadiness, and other factors.
Term
Realistic job preview (RJP)
Definition
Process through which a job applicant receives an accurate picture of a job.
Term
Selection
Definition
Process of choosing individuals with qualifications needed to fill jobs in an organization.
Term
Selection criterion
Definition
Characteristic that a person must have to do a job successfully.
Term
Situational interview
Definition
Structured interview composed of questions about how applicants might handle specific job situations.
Term
Situational judgment tests
Definition
Tests that measure a person’s judgment in work settings.
Term
Stress interview
Definition
Interview designed to create anxiety and put pressure on applicants to see how they respond.
Term
Structured interview
Definition
Interview that uses a set of standardized questions asked of all job applicants.
Term
Team interview
Definition
Interview in which applicants are interviewed by the team members with whom they will work.
Term
Third-country national
Definition
Citizen of one country who is working in a second country and employed by an organization headquartered in a third country.
Term
Work sample tests
Definition
Tests that require an applicant to perform a simulated job task.
Term
Active practice
Definition
Performance of job-related tasks and duties by trainees during training.
Term
Behavior modeling
Definition
Copying someone else’s behavior.
Term
Cost-benefit analysis
Definition
Comparison of costs and benefits associated with training.
Term
Cross training
Definition
Training people to do more than one job.
Term
E-learning
Definition
Use of the Internet or an organizational intranet to conduct training on-line.
Term
Immediate confirmation
Definition
Based on the idea that people learn best if reinforcement and feedback are given after training.
Term
Informal training
Definition
Training that occurs through interactions and feedback among employees.
Term
Knowledge management
Definition
The way an organization identifies and leverages knowledge in order to be competitive.
Term
Massed practice
Definition
Practice performed all at once.
Term
Orientation
Definition
Planned introduction of new employees to their jobs, co-workers, and the organization.
Term
Performance consulting
Definition
Process in which a trainer and the organizational client work together to determine what needs to be done to improve results.
Term
Reinforcement
Definition
Based on the idea that people tend to repeat responses that give them some type of positive reward and avoid actions associated with negative consequences.
Term
Self-efficacy
Definition
Person’s belief that he or she can successfully learn the training program content.
Term
Spaced practice
Definition
Practice performed in several sessions spaced over a period of hours or days.
Term
Training
Definition
Process whereby people acquire capabilities to perform jobs.
Term
Assessment centers
Definition
Collections of instruments and exercises designed to diagnose individuals’ development needs.
Term
Career
Definition
Series of work-related positions a person occupies throughout life.
Term
Career paths
Definition
Represent employees’ movements through opportunities over time.
Term
Coaching
Definition
Training and feedback given to employees by immediate supervisors.
Term
Development
Definition
Efforts to improve employees’ abilities to handle a variety of assignments and to cultivate employees’ capabilities beyond those required by the current job.
Term
Dual-career ladder
Definition
System that allows a person to advance up either a management ladder or a corresponding ladder on the technical/professional side of a career.
Term
Encapsulated development
Definition
Situation in which an individual learns new methods and ideas in a development course and returns to a work unit that is still bound by old attitudes and methods.
Term
Individual-centered career planning
Definition
Career planning focusing on an individual’s career rather than on organizational needs.
Term
Job rotation
Definition
Process of shifting a person from job to job.
Term
Management mentoring
Definition
Relationship in which experienced managers aid individuals in the earlier stages of their careers.
Term
Organization-centered career planning
Definition
Career planning that focuses on identifying career paths that provide for the logical progression of people between jobs in an organization.
Term
Repatriation
Definition
Planning, training, and reassignment of global employees to their home countries.
Term
Sabbatical
Definition
Paid time off the job to develop and rejuvenate oneself.
Term
Simulation
Definition
Technique that requires participants to analyze a situation and decide the best course of action according to data given.
Term
Succession planning
Definition
Process of identifying a longer-term plan for the orderly replacement of key employees.
Term
Central tendency error
Definition
Occurs when a rater gives all employees a score within a narrow range in the middle of the scale.
Term
Contrast error
Definition
Tendency to rate people relative to others rather than against performance standards.
Term
Forced distribution
Definition
Performance appraisal method in which ratings of employees’ performance are distributed along a bell-shaped curve.
Term
Graphic rating scale
Definition
Scale that allows the rater to mark an employee’s performance on a continuum.
Term
Halo effect
Definition
Occurs when a rater scores an employee high on all job criteria because of performance in one area.
Term
Job criteria
Definition
Important elements in a given job.
Term
Leniency error
Definition
Occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the high end of the scale.
Term
Management by objectives (MBO)
Definition
Performance appraisal method that specifies the performance goals that an individual and manager mutually identify.
Term
Performance appraisal
Definition
Process of evaluating how well employees perform their jobs and then communicating that information to the employees.
Term
Performance management
Definition
Composed of the processes used to identify, measure, communicate, develop, and reward employee performance.
Term
Primacy effect
Definition
Occurs when a rater gives greater weight to information received first when appraising an individual’s performance.
Term
Ranking
Definition
Performance appraisal method in which all employees are listed from highest to lowest in performance.
Term
Rater bias
Definition
Occurs when a rater’s values or prejudices distort the rating.
Term
Recency effect
Definition
Occurs when a rater gives greater weight to recent events when appraising an individual’s performance.
Term
Strictness error
Definition
Occurs when ratings of all employees fall at the low end of the scale.
Term
Balance-sheet approach
Definition
Compensation plan that equalizes cost differences between identical international and home-country assignments.
Term
Base pay
Definition
Basic compensation that an employee receives, usually as a wage or a salary.
Term
Benchmark jobs
Definition
Jobs found in many organizations.
Term
Benefit
Definition
Indirect reward given to an employee or a group of employees for organizational membership.
Term
Broadbanding
Definition
Practice of using fewer pay grades with much broader ranges than in traditional compensation systems.
Term
Compa-ratio
Definition
Pay level divided by the midpoint of the pay range.
Term
Compensable factor
Definition
Factor that identifies a job value commonly present throughout a group of jobs.
Term
Compensatory time off
Definition
Hours given to an employee in lieu of payment for extra time worked.
Term
Competency-based pay
Definition
Rewards individuals for the capabilities they demonstrate and acquire.
Term
Distributive justice
Definition
Perceived fairness in the distribution of outcomes.
Term
Entitlement philosophy
Definition
Assumes that individuals who have worked another year are entitled to pay increases, with little regard for performance differences.
Term
Equity
Definition
Perceived fairness between what a person does and what the person receives.
Term
Exempt employees
Definition
Employees to whom employers are not required to pay overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Term
Garnishment
Definition
A court action in which a portion of an employee’s wages is set aside to pay a debt owed a creditor.
Term
Global market approach
Definition
Compensation plan that attempts to be more comprehensive in providing base pay, incentives, benefits, and relocation expenses regardless of the country to which the employee is assigned.
Term
Green-circled employee
Definition
Incumbent who is paid below the range set for the job.
Term
Job evaluation
Definition
Formal, systematic means to identify the relative worth of jobs within an organization.
Term
Job family
Definition
Group of jobs having common organizational characteristics.
Term
Living wage
Definition
One that is supposed to meet the basic needs of a worker’s family.
Term
Lump-sum increase (LSI)
Definition
One-time payment of all or part of a yearly pay increase.
Term
Market banding
Definition
Grouping jobs into pay grades based on similar market survey amounts.
Term
Market line
Definition
Graph line that shows the relationship between job value as determined by job evaluation points and job value as determined by pay survey rates.
Term
Market pricing
Definition
Use of pay survey data to identify the relative value of jobs based on what other employers pay for similar jobs.
Term
Non-exempt employees
Definition
Employees who must be paid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Term
Pay compression
Definition
Occurs when the pay differences among individuals with different levels of experience and performance become small.
Term
Bonus
Definition
One-time payment that does not become part of the employee’s base pay.
Term
Commission
Definition
Compensation computed as a percentage of sales in units or dollars.
Term
Compensation committee
Definition
Subgroup of the board of directors, composed of directors who are not officers of the firm.
Term
Draw
Definition
Amount advanced from and repaid to future commissions earned by the employee.
Term
Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
Definition
Plan whereby employees have significant stock ownership in their employers.
Term
Gainsharing
Definition
System of sharing with employees greater-than-expected gains in profits and/or productivity.
Term
Perquisites (perks)
Definition
Special benefits—usually non-cash items—for executives.
Term
Profit sharing
Definition
System to distribute a portion of the profits of the organization to employees.
Term
Stock option plan
Definition
Plan that gives employees the right to purchase a fixed number of shares of company stock at a specified price for a limited period of time.
Term
Straight piece-rate system
Definition
Pay system in which wages are determined by multiplying the number of units produced by the piece rate for one unit.
Term
Variable pay
Definition
Compensation linked to individual, group/team, and/or organizational performance.
Term
401(k) plan
Definition
Agreement in which a percentage of an employee’s pay is withheld and invested in a tax-deferred account.
Term
Adverse selection
Definition
Situation in which only higher-risk employees select and use certain benefits.
Term
Benefit
Definition
Indirect reward given to an employee or a group of employees for organizational membership.
Term
Cash balance plan
Definition
Retirement program in which benefits are based on an accumulation of annual company contributions, expressed as a percentage of pay, plus interest credited each year.
Term
Co-payment
Definition
Strategy requiring employees to pay a portion of the cost of insurance premiums, medical care, and prescription drugs.
Term
Consumer-driven health (CDH) plan
Definition
One that provides employer financial contributions to employees to cover their own health-related expenses.
Term
Contributory plan
Definition
Pension plan in which the money for pension benefits is paid in by both employees and employers.
Term
Defined-benefit plan
Definition
Retirement program in which an employee is promised a pension amount based on age and service.
Term
Defined-contribution plan
Definition
Retirement program in which the employer makes an annual payment to an employee’s pension account.
Term
Flexible benefits plan
Definition
Program that allows employees to select the benefits they prefer from groups of benefits established by the employer.
Term
Flexible spending accounts
Definition
Benefits plans that allow employees to contribute pre-tax dollars to buy certain additional benefits.
Term
Health maintenance organization (HMO)
Definition
Plan that provides services for a fixed period on a pre-paid basis.
Term
Managed care
Definition
Approaches that monitor and reduce medical costs through restrictions and market system alternatives.
Term
Non-contributory plan
Definition
Pension plan in which all the funds for pension benefits are provided by the employer.
Term
Paid-time-off (PTO) plans
Definition
Plans that combine all sick leave, vacation time, and holidays into a total number of hours or days that employees can take off with pay.
Term
Pension plan
Definition
Retirement program established and funded by the employer and employees.
Term
Portability
Definition
A pension plan feature that allows employees to move their pension benefits from one employer to another.
Term
Preferred provider organization (PPO)
Definition
A health-care provider that contracts with an employer group to supply health-care services to employees at a competitive rate.
Term
Serious health condition
Definition
One requiring in-patient, hospital, hospice, or residential medical care or continuing physician care.
Term
Severance pay
Definition
Security benefit voluntarily offered by employers to employees who lose their jobs.
Term
Stock purchase plan
Definition
Plan in which the corporation provides matching funds equal to the amount invested by the employee for the purchase of stock in the company.
Term
Utilization review
Definition
Audit of the services and costs billed by health-care providers.
Term
Vesting
Definition
Right of employees to receive certain benefits from their pension plans.
Term
Well-pay
Definition
Extra pay for not taking sick leave.
Term
Workers’ compensation
Definition
Security benefits provided to persons injured on the job.
Term
Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs)
Definition
Muscle and skeletal injuries that occur when workers repetitively use the same muscles to perform tasks.
Term
Employee assistance program (EAP)
Definition
Program that provides counseling and other help to employees having emotional, physical, or other personal problems.
Term
Ergonomics
Definition
Study and design of the work environment to address physiological and physical demands on individuals.
Term
Health
Definition
General state of physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Term
Health promotion
Definition
Supportive approach of facilitating and encouraging healthy actions and lifestyles among employees.
Term
Lock out / tag out regulations
Definition
Requirements that locks and tags be used to make equipment inoperative for repair or adjustment.
Term
Safety
Definition
Condition in which the physical well-being of people is protected.
Term
Security
Definition
Protection of employees and organizational facilities.
Term
Security audit
Definition
Comprehensive review of organizational security.
Term
Substance abuse
Definition
Use of illicit substances or misuse of controlled substances, alcohol, or other drugs.
Term
Wellness programs
Definition
Programs designed to maintain or improve employee health before problems arise.
Term
Arbitration
Definition
Process that uses a neutral third party to make a decision.
Term
Constructive discharge
Definition
Deliberately making conditions intolerable to get an employee to quit.
Term
Contractual rights
Definition
Rights based on a specific contract between an employer and an employee.
Term
Discipline
Definition
Form of training that enforces organizational rules.
Term
Distributive justice
Definition
Perceived fairness in the distribution of outcomes.
Term
Due process
Definition
Requirement that the employer use fair means to determine employee wrongdoing and/or disciplinary measures, and that the employee have an opportunity to explain and defend his or her actions.
Term
Employment contract
Definition
Agreement that formally outlines the details of employment.
Term
Employment-at-will (EAW)
Definition
Common-law doctrine stating that employers have the right to hire, fire, demote, or promote whomever they choose, unless there is a law or a contract to the contrary.
Term
Just cause
Definition
Reasonable justification for taking employment-related action.
Term
Non-compete agreements
Definition
Agreements that prohibit individuals who leave the organization from competing with an employer in the same line of business for a specified period of time.
Term
Policies
Definition
General guidelines that focus organizational actions.
Term
Procedural justice
Definition
Perceived fairness of the processes used to make decisions about employees.
Term
Procedures
Definition
Customary methods of handling activities.
Term
Responsibilities
Definition
Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.
Term
Right to privacy
Definition
An individual’s freedom from unauthorized and unreasonable intrusion into their personal affairs.
Term
Rights
Definition
Powers, privileges, or interests that belong to a person by law, nature, or tradition.
Term
Rules
Definition
Specific guidelines that regulate and restrict the behavior of individuals.
Term
Separation agreement
Definition
Agreement in which a terminated employee agrees not to sue the employer, in exchange for specified benefits.
Term
Statutory rights
Definition
Rights based on laws or statutes.
Term
Whistle-blowers
Definition
Individuals who report real or perceived wrongs committed by their employers.
Term
Wrongful discharge
Definition
Termination of an individual’s employment for reasons that are improper or illegal.
Term
Arbitration
Definition
Process that uses a neutral third party to make a decision.
Term
Bargaining unit
Definition
Employees eligible to select a single union to represent and bargain collectively for them.
Term
Business agent
Definition
Full-time union official who operates the union office and assists union members.
Term
Closed shop
Definition
Firm that requires individuals to join a union before they can be hired.
Term
Co-determination
Definition
Practice whereby union or worker representatives are given positions on a company’s board of directors.
Term
Collective bargaining
Definition
Process whereby representatives of management and workers negotiate over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Term
Complaint
Definition
Indication of employee dissatisfaction.
Term
Conciliation
Definition
Process by which a third party attempts to keep union and management negotiators talking so that they can reach a voluntary settlement.
Term
Craft union
Definition
One whose members do one type of work, often using specialized skills and training.
Term
Decertification
Definition
Process whereby a union is removed as the representative of a group of employees.
Term
Federation
Definition
Group of autonomous national and international unions.
Term
Grievance
Definition
Complaint formally stated in writing.
Term
Grievance arbitration
Definition
Means by which a third party settles disputes arising from different interpretations of a labor contract.
Term
Grievance procedures
Definition
Formal channels of communication used to resolve grievances.
Term
Illegal issues
Definition
Collective bargaining issues that would require either party to take illegal action.
Term
Industrial union
Definition
One that includes many persons working in the same industry or company, regardless of jobs held.
Term
Lockout
Definition
Shutdown of company operations undertaken by management to prevent union members from working.
Term
Management rights
Definition
Rights reserved so that the employer can manage, direct, and control its business.
Term
Mandatory issues
Definition
Collective bargaining issues identified specifically by labor laws or court decisions as subject to bargaining.
Term
Mediation
Definition
Process by which a third party helps the negotiators reach a settlement.
Term
National emergency strike
Definition
Strike that would impact the national economy significantly.
Term
Open shop
Definition
Workers are not required to join or pay dues to a union.
Term
Permissive issues
Definition
Collective bargaining issues that are not mandatory and relate to certain jobs.
Term
Ratification
Definition
Process by which union members vote to accept the terms of a negotiated labor agreement.
Term
Right-to-work laws
Definition
State laws that prohibit requiring employees to join unions as a condition of obtaining or continuing employment.
Term
AAP
Definition
Affirmative action plan
Term
ADA
Definition
Americans with Disabilities Act
Term
ADEA
Definition
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Term
ADR
Definition
Alternative dispute resolution
Term
AIDS
Definition
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Term
BFOQ
Definition
Bona fide occupational qualifications
Term
COBRA
Definition
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
Term
COLA
Definition
Cost-of-living allowance or cost-of-living adjustment
Term
DOL
Definition
Department of Labor
Term
EAP
Definition
Employee assistance program
Term
EEO
Definition
Equal employment opportunity
Term
EEOC
Definition
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Term
ERISA
Definition
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
Term
ESOP
Definition
Employee stock-ownership plan
Term
FASB
Definition
Financial Accounting Standards Board
Term
FICA
Definition
Federal Insurance Contributions Act
Term
FLSA
Definition
Fair Labor Standards Act
Term
FMLA
Definition
Family and Medical Leave Act
Term
FSA
Definition
Flexible spending account
Term
HIPAA
Definition
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Term
HIV
Definition
Human immunodeficiency virus
Term
HMO
Definition
Health maintenance organization
Term
HR
Definition
Human resources
Term
HRIS
Definition
Human resource information system
Term
HRM
Definition
Human resource management
Term
IRA
Definition
Individual retirement account
Term
MBO
Definition
Management by objectives
Term
MSDS
Definition
Material Safety Data Sheet
Term
NLRA
Definition
National Labor Relations Act
Term
NLRB
Definition
National Labor Relations Board
Term
OD
Definition
Organizational development
Term
OFCCP
Definition
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
Term
OJT
Definition
On-the-job training
Term
OSHA
Definition
Occupational Safety and Health Act/Administration
Term
OWBPA
Definition
Older Workers Benefit Protection Act
Term
PPO
Definition
Preferred provider organization
Term
TQM
Definition
Total quality management
Term
USERRA
Definition
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
Term
WARN
Definition
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
Term
Core competency
Definition
A unique capability that creates high value and differentiates an organization from its competition.
Term
HR Generalist
Definition
A person who has responsibility for performing a variety of HR activities.
Term
HR Specialist
Definition
A person who has in-depth knowledge and expertise in a limited area of HR.
Term
Human capital
Definition
The collective value of the capabilities, knowledge, skills, life experiences, and motivation of an organizational workforce.
Term
Human Resource (HR) management
Definition
The direction of organizational systems to ensure that human talent is used effectively and efficiently to accomplish organizational goals.
Term
Human resource management system (HRMS)
Definition
An integrated system providing information used by HR management in decision making.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs in an organization.
Term
Benchmarking
Definition
Comparing specific measures of performance against data on those measures in other organizations.
Term
Culture
Definition
Societal forces affecting the values, beliefs, and actions of a distinct group of people.
Term
Economic value added (EVA)
Definition
Net operating profit of a firm after the cost of capital is deducted.
Term
Effectiveness
Definition
The extent to which goals have been met.
Term
Efficiency
Definition
The degree to which operations are done in an economical manner.
Term
Environmental scanning
Definition
Process of studying the environment of the organization to pinpoint opportunities and threats.
Term
Forecasting
Definition
Using information from the past and the present to identify expected future conditions.
Term
Global organization
Definition
Firm that has corporate units in a number of countries that are integrated to operate worldwide.
Term
HR audit
Definition
Formal research effort that evaluates the current state of HR management in an organization.
Term
HR metrics
Definition
Specific measures tied to HR performance indicators.
Term
HR Strategies
Definition
Means used to anticipate and manage the supply of and demand for human resources.
Term
Human resource (HR) planning
Definition
Process of analyzing and identifying the need for and availability of human resources so that the organization can meet its objectives.
Term
Importing and exporting
Definition
Buying and selling goods and services with organizations in other countries.
Term
Individualism
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the extent to which people in a country prefer to act as individuals instead of members of groups.
Term
Long-term orientation
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the preference of people in a country for long-term values as opposed to short-term values.
Term
Masculinity/femininity
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the degree to which “masculine” values prevail over “feminine” values.
Term
Multi-national enterprise (MNE)
Definition
Organization that has operating units located in foreign countries.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs in an organization.
Term
Power distance
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the inequality among the people of a nation.
Term
Productivity
Definition
Measure of the quantity and quality of work done, considering the cost of the resources used.
Term
Return on investment (ROI)
Definition
Calculation showing the value of expenditures for HR activities.
Term
Strategic HR management
Definition
Use of employees to gain or keep a competitive advantage, resulting in greater organizational effectiveness.
Term
Succession planning
Definition
Process of identifying a longer-term plan for the orderly replacement of key employees.
Term
Uncertainty avoidance
Definition
Dimension of culture that refers to the preference of people in a country for structured rather than unstructured situations.
Term
Unit labor cost
Definition
Computed by dividing the average cost of workers by their average levels of output.
Term
Attitude survey
Definition
A survey that focuses on employees’ feelings and beliefs about their jobs and the organization.
Term
Exit interview
Definition
An interview in which individuals are asked to give their reasons for leaving the organization.
Term
Job satisfaction
Definition
A positive emotional state resulting from evaluating one’s job experiences.
Term
Motivation
Definition
The desire within a person causing that person to act.
Term
Organizational commitment
Definition
The degree to which employees believe in and accept organizational goals and desire to remain with the organization.
Term
Organizational culture
Definition
The shared values and beliefs of a workforce.
Term
Psychological contract
Definition
The unwritten expectations employees and employers have about the nature of their work relationships.
Term
Turnover
Definition
The process in which employees leave an organization and have to be replaced.
Term
4/5ths rule
Definition
Discrimination exists if the selection rate for a protected group is less than 80% (4/5ths) of the selection rate for the majority group or less than 80% of the majority group’s representation in the relevant labor market.
Term
Affirmative action
Definition
Employers are urged to hire groups of people based on their race, age, gender, or national origin, to make up for historical discrimination.
Term
Blind to differences
Definition
Differences among people should be ignored and everyone should be treated equally.
Term
Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ)
Definition
Characteristic providing a legitimate reason why an employer can exclude persons on otherwise illegal bases of consideration.
Term
Burden of proof
Definition
What individuals who file suit against employers must prove in order to establish that illegal discrimination has occurred.
Term
Business necessity
Definition
Practice necessary for safe and efficient organizational operations.
Term
Concurrent validity
Definition
Measured when an employer tests current employees and correlates the scores with their performance ratings.
Term
Content validity
Definition
Validity measured by a logical, non-statistical method to identify the KSAs and other characteristics necessary to perform a job.
Term
Correlation coefficient
Definition
Index number giving the relationship between a predictor and a criterion variable.
Term
Criterion-related validity
Definition
Validity measured by a procedure that uses a test as the predictor of how well an individual will perform on the job.
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