Human Resources Management

Flashcards with key vocabulary terms and definitions from the lecture notes on Human Resources Management.

Human Resource Management

Designing formal systems in an organization to manage human talent for accomplishing organizational goals

Equal Employment Opportunity

Employment that is not affected by illegal discrimination

Protected characteristics

Individual attributes that are protected under EEO laws and regulations: Age, Color, Disability, Genetic information and marital status (some states), Military status or experience, National origin, pregnancy, Race and religion, Sexual orientation (some states and cities)

Business Necessity

Practice necessary for safe and efficient organizational operation

Employer bona fide occupational qualification

Legitimate reason why an employer can exclude persons on otherwise illegal bases of consideration

Work

Effort directed toward accomplishing results

Job

Grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the total work assignment for an employee

Motivation

Desire that exists within a person that causes that individual to act

Recruiting

Process of generating a pool of qualified applicants for organizational jobs

Selection

Choosing individuals with the correct qualifications needed to fill jobs in an organization

Job-Relatedness

Qualification or requirement in selection is significantly related to successful performance of job duties

Training

Process whereby people acquire capabilities to perform jobs

Talent Management

Orientation, training, HR development, career planning, performance management

Career

Series of work-related positions, a person occupies through life

Succession Planning

Preparing for inevitable vacancies in the organization hierarchy (Retirements, transfers, promotions, turnover)

Performance Management

Series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance it needs from its employees

Performance Appraisal

Process of determining how well employees do their jobs relative to a standard and communicating that information to them

Variable Pay

Compensation linked directly to individual, team, or organizational performance

Elements of strategic planning

Defining organizational strategy, or direction, and allocating resources toward its achievement

Employment Contract

Formal agreement that outlines the details of employment

Non Compete Agreements

Agreements that prohibit individuals who leave an organization from working with an employer in the same line of business for a specified period of time

Types of Separation Agreements

Terminated employee agrees not to sue the employer in exchange for specified benefits

Discipline

A process of corrective action used to enforce organizational rules

Implied Contracts

Unwritten agreement created by the actions of the parties involved

Benefit

Tangible indirect rewards provided to an employee or group of employees for organizational membership

Flexible Benefits Plan

Program that allows employees to select the benefits they prefer form options established by the employer

Adverse Selection

Only higher-risk employees select and use certain benefits

Supplemental Benefit Plans

Additional benefits that employers offer to employees to enhance their coverage for medical, retirement, and insurance.

Cafeteria Benefit Plan

Employees are given a budget and can purchase the bundle of benefits most important to them from the “menu” of options offered by the employer

Third Party Administrator

Vendor that provides administrative services to an organization

Open Enrollment

Time when employees can change their participation level in various benefit plans and switch between benefit options

Workman Compensation

Security benefits provided to workers who are injured on the job

Exclusive remedy

Workers compensation benefits are the only benefits injured workers may receive from the employer to compensate for work-related injuries

WhistleBlower Protections

Individuals who report real or perceived wrongs committed by their coworkers or employers

Wrongful discharge

Termination of an individual’s employment for reasons that are illegal or improper

Constructive discharge

Deliberately making conditions intolerable to get an employee to quit

Just cause

Reasonable justification for taking an employment-related action

Due process

When an employer is determining if there has been employee wrongdoing and uses a fair process to give an employee a chance to explain and defend his or her actions

Ergonomics

Study and design of work environment to address physical demands placed on individuals as they perform their jobs

Defined Benefit Plan

Employees are promised a pension amount based on age and years of service

Defined Contribution Plan

Employer and/or employee makes an annual payment to employee’s retirement account

Unions

Formal association of workers that promotes the interest of its members through collective action

Strike

Union members refuse to work in order to put pressure on an employer

Grievance

Complaint formally stated in writing

Arbitration

Using a neutral third party to make a binding decision, thereby eliminating the need to involve the court

Binding Mediation

Tool for developing appropriate and fair outcomes for all parties involved

Conciliation

Process by which a third party facilitates the dialogue between union and management negotiators to reach a voluntary agreement

Salting

Unions hire and pay people to apply for jobs at certain companies to begin organizing efforts

Collective Bargaining

Process whereby representatives of management and workers negotiate over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment

Vesting

Benefit that cannot be taken away

Portability

Retirement plan feature that allows employees to move their retirement benefits from one employer to another

401k Plan

Plan allows for a percentage of an employee’s pay to be withheld and invested in a tax-deferred account

Security Audit

Comprehensive review of organizational security

Workplace Incivility

Rude behavior that offends other employees

Bullying

Behavior that the victim perceives as oppressive, humiliating, threatening, or infringing that occurs over an extended time

Noncompete Agreement

Prohibits individuals who leave an organization from working with an employer in the same line of business for a specified period of time.

Organizational Justice

Fairness of decisions and resource allocations in an organization.

Procedural Justice

Perceived fairness of the processes used to make decisions about employees.

Distributive Justice

Perceived fairness in the distribution of outcomes.

Interactional Justice

The extent to which a person affected by an employment decision feels treated with dignity and respect.