WGU D351 FUNCTIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
TERMS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Absenteeism - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The failure of an employee to report to the workplace as
scheduled
Accountability - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The personal duty to someone else (a higher-level manager or
the organization itself) for the effective use of resources to complete an assignment
Active listening - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The intention and ability to listen to others, use the content
and context of the communication, and respond appropriately
Adverse employment action - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Any action, such as firings, demotions, schedule
reductions, or changes, that would harm the individual employee
Affirmative action - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A series of policies, programs, and initiatives that have been
instituted by various entities within both government and the private sector that are designed to prefer
hiring of individuals from protected groups in certain circumstances in an attempt to mitigate past
discrimination
Arbitrator - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A neutral third party who resolves a conflict by making a binding
decision
Assessment center - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A place where job applicants undergo a series of tests,
interviews, and simulated experiences to determine their potential for a particular job
Authority - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The right to give orders, enforce obedience, make decisions, and
commit resources toward completing organizational goals
Autocratic style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Highly directive and low in supportiveness.
Appropriate when interacting with low-capability employees.
,Consultative style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Highly directive and highly supportive
behavior, is appropriate when interacting with moderately capable employees. Give specific
instructions, and oversee performance at all major stages of a task.
Participative style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Low directive behavior and high supportive
behavior, and it is appropriate when interacting with employees with high capability. Spend a small
amount of time giving general directions and a great deal of time giving encouragement.
Empowering Style of Management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Provide very little direction or support to
employees, appropriate for outstanding employees. You should let them know what needs to be done
and answer their questions, but it is not necessary to oversee their performance.
Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) form - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A performance appraisal that
provides a description of each assessment along a continuum
Behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The actions taken by an individual
Bias - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A personality-based tendency, either toward or against something
Biological job design - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Designing jobs by focusing on minimizing the physical
strain on the worker by structuring the physical work environment around the way the body works
Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A qualification that is absolutely
required in order for an individual to be able to successfully do a particular job
Bonus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A lump sum payment, typically given to an individual at the end of a time
period
Broadbanding - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Combining multiple pay levels into one
Burnout - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Constant lack of interest and motivation to perform one's job
,Business necessity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅When a particular practice is necessary for the safe and
efficient operation of the business and when there is a specific business purpose for applying a
particular standard that may, in fact, be discriminatory
Business skills - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The analytical and quantitative skills—including in-depth
knowledge of how the business works and its budgeting and strategic-planning processes—that are
necessary for a manager to understand and contribute to the profitability of the organization
Career - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The individually perceived sequence of attitudes and behaviors
associated with work-related experiences and activities over the span of a person's life
Career plateau - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅When an individual feels unchallenged in their current job and
has little or no chance of advancement
Centralization - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Degree to which decision making is concentrated within the
organization
Coaching - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The process of giving motivational feedback to maintain and improve
performance
COBRA - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A law that requires employers to offer to maintain health insurance on
individuals who leave their employment (for a period of time)
Cognitive ability test - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An assessment of general intelligence or of some type of
aptitude for a particular job
Cohesiveness - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An intent and desire for group members to stick together in their
actions
Collective bargaining - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The negotiation process resulting in a contract between
union employees and management that covers employment conditions
, Commission - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A payment typically provided to a salesperson for selling an item
to a customer
Communication - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The process of transmitting information and meaning
Compensation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The total of an employee's pay and benefits
Compensation system - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Anything that an employee may value and desire and
that the employer is willing and able to offer in exchange
Compensatory damages - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Monetary damages awarded by the court that
compensate the injured person for losses
Compensatory selection model - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Model allowing an individual to do poorly on
one test but make up for that poor grade by doing exceptionally well on other tests
Competency model - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Model identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
needed to perform a particular job in the organization
Complexity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Degree to which three types of differentiation exist within the
organization
Conceptual and design skills - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The ability to evaluate a situation, identify
alternatives, select a reasonable alternative, and make a decision to implement a solution to a problem
Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The act of being opposed to another
Construct validity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An assessment that measures a theoretical concept or trait
that is not directly observable
TERMS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Absenteeism - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The failure of an employee to report to the workplace as
scheduled
Accountability - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The personal duty to someone else (a higher-level manager or
the organization itself) for the effective use of resources to complete an assignment
Active listening - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The intention and ability to listen to others, use the content
and context of the communication, and respond appropriately
Adverse employment action - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Any action, such as firings, demotions, schedule
reductions, or changes, that would harm the individual employee
Affirmative action - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A series of policies, programs, and initiatives that have been
instituted by various entities within both government and the private sector that are designed to prefer
hiring of individuals from protected groups in certain circumstances in an attempt to mitigate past
discrimination
Arbitrator - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A neutral third party who resolves a conflict by making a binding
decision
Assessment center - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A place where job applicants undergo a series of tests,
interviews, and simulated experiences to determine their potential for a particular job
Authority - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The right to give orders, enforce obedience, make decisions, and
commit resources toward completing organizational goals
Autocratic style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Highly directive and low in supportiveness.
Appropriate when interacting with low-capability employees.
,Consultative style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Highly directive and highly supportive
behavior, is appropriate when interacting with moderately capable employees. Give specific
instructions, and oversee performance at all major stages of a task.
Participative style of management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Low directive behavior and high supportive
behavior, and it is appropriate when interacting with employees with high capability. Spend a small
amount of time giving general directions and a great deal of time giving encouragement.
Empowering Style of Management - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Provide very little direction or support to
employees, appropriate for outstanding employees. You should let them know what needs to be done
and answer their questions, but it is not necessary to oversee their performance.
Behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS) form - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A performance appraisal that
provides a description of each assessment along a continuum
Behaviors - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The actions taken by an individual
Bias - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A personality-based tendency, either toward or against something
Biological job design - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Designing jobs by focusing on minimizing the physical
strain on the worker by structuring the physical work environment around the way the body works
Bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A qualification that is absolutely
required in order for an individual to be able to successfully do a particular job
Bonus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A lump sum payment, typically given to an individual at the end of a time
period
Broadbanding - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Combining multiple pay levels into one
Burnout - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Constant lack of interest and motivation to perform one's job
,Business necessity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅When a particular practice is necessary for the safe and
efficient operation of the business and when there is a specific business purpose for applying a
particular standard that may, in fact, be discriminatory
Business skills - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The analytical and quantitative skills—including in-depth
knowledge of how the business works and its budgeting and strategic-planning processes—that are
necessary for a manager to understand and contribute to the profitability of the organization
Career - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The individually perceived sequence of attitudes and behaviors
associated with work-related experiences and activities over the span of a person's life
Career plateau - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅When an individual feels unchallenged in their current job and
has little or no chance of advancement
Centralization - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Degree to which decision making is concentrated within the
organization
Coaching - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The process of giving motivational feedback to maintain and improve
performance
COBRA - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A law that requires employers to offer to maintain health insurance on
individuals who leave their employment (for a period of time)
Cognitive ability test - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An assessment of general intelligence or of some type of
aptitude for a particular job
Cohesiveness - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An intent and desire for group members to stick together in their
actions
Collective bargaining - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The negotiation process resulting in a contract between
union employees and management that covers employment conditions
, Commission - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A payment typically provided to a salesperson for selling an item
to a customer
Communication - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The process of transmitting information and meaning
Compensation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The total of an employee's pay and benefits
Compensation system - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Anything that an employee may value and desire and
that the employer is willing and able to offer in exchange
Compensatory damages - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Monetary damages awarded by the court that
compensate the injured person for losses
Compensatory selection model - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Model allowing an individual to do poorly on
one test but make up for that poor grade by doing exceptionally well on other tests
Competency model - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Model identifying the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
needed to perform a particular job in the organization
Complexity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Degree to which three types of differentiation exist within the
organization
Conceptual and design skills - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The ability to evaluate a situation, identify
alternatives, select a reasonable alternative, and make a decision to implement a solution to a problem
Conflict - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅The act of being opposed to another
Construct validity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅An assessment that measures a theoretical concept or trait
that is not directly observable
