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ONLINE EXAM on HRM Expert II
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jiregna
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I’m ready to help — do you want to (A) take an exam now, (B) get an exam paper you can administer to others, or (C) get study/practice questions and answers?
Below I’ve prepared a full “HRM Expert II” online exam you can use or adapt. It includes instructions, a 100‑point paper (duration, sections), 20 MCQs with an answer key, short‑answer prompts with model points and grading rubrics, two case studies with marking schemes and model answers, and quick proctoring/admin notes. Tell me if you want it shorter/longer, closed‑book vs open‑book, or converted into a quiz platform format (Moodle/Google Forms/Word).
HRM Expert II — Online Exam
- Intended level: senior HR professional / HRM Expert II
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes)
- Total marks: 100
- Allowed materials: (choose) closed‑book or open‑book (specify when administering)
- Instructions to candidates:
- Read all questions carefully.
- Answer all questions.
- Time management: allocate approx. 40 minutes for Section A, 35 minutes for Section B, 75 minutes for Section C.
- Submit within time. Plagiarism breach leads to disqualification.
Section A — Multiple Choice Questions (20 marks — 20 questions, 1 mark each)
Choose the best answer.
1. Strategic HRM most directly contributes to organizational competitive advantage by:
A) Reducing headcount
B) Ensuring legal compliance
C) Aligning people systems with business strategy
D) Standardizing job descriptions
Answer: C
2. Which selection method has the highest predictive validity for job performance generally?
A) Unstructured interviews
B) Cognitive ability tests
C) Reference checks
D) Personality inventories
Answer: B
3. The primary purpose of a 9‑box talent matrix is to:
A) Measure employee engagement
B) Balance payroll costs
C) Plot performance versus potential for succession planning
D) Rank order total compensation
Answer: C
4. Which law typically governs employee termination notices and severance minima (varies by country)?
A) Data protection law
B) Labor/employment law
C) Intellectual property law
D) Competition law
Answer: B
5. A market‑based compensation strategy primarily aims to:
A) Pay below market to control costs
B) Align pay levels with external labor market rates
C) Make pay equal for all employees regardless of role
D) Base pay solely on tenure
Answer: B
6. Which of the following is the best immediate measure of the effectiveness of a new training program?
A) Business profitability
B) Learner satisfaction scores and knowledge test results (Kirkpatrick Level 1 & 2)
C) Industry awards
D) Employee turnover after 5 years
Answer: B
7. In change management, “sponsorship” primarily refers to:
A) External funding for change programs
B) Senior leaders actively promoting and supporting the change
C) HR training the change team
D) Vendor support agreements
Answer: B
8. Which HR metric is a leading indicator (predicts future outcomes) rather than a lagging indicator?
A) Revenue per employee
B) Time to fill
C) Annual turnover rate
D) Net profit margin
Answer: B
9. Which practice most directly supports inclusion (beyond diversity hiring)?
A) Setting hiring quotas only
B) One‑time diversity training
C) Inclusive policies, equitable processes and inclusive leadership behaviors
D) Single affinity group
Answer: C
10. A fair performance management calibration meeting is intended to:
A) Ensure everyone gets the same rating
B) Align ratings across raters to reduce bias and ensure consistency
C) Enforce top‑down rating quotas
D) Decide promotions randomly
Answer: B
11. Which approach best mitigates unconscious bias in hiring?
A) Rely solely on gut impressions
B) Use structured interviews and standardized scoring rubrics
C) Use only referrals
D) Skip background checks
Answer: B
12. “Total Rewards” includes:
A) Salary only
B) Salary and benefits only
C) Nonfinancial rewards only
D) Salary, benefits, incentives, career development, work design, and culture
Answer: D
13. Best practice for HR analytics teams: the “last mile” problem refers to:
A) Poor data warehouses
B) Failure to translate analytics into actionable decisions and adoption by managers
C) Missing payroll deadlines
D) Too many dashboards
Answer: B
14. In unionized environments, management should first:
A) Fire union supporters
B) Immediately refuse to bargain
C) Respect collective bargaining rights and engage in good faith negotiations
D) Ignore union communications
Answer: C
15. Which retention strategy is most effective for high‑performing critical talent?
A) Annual team lunches
B) Competitive career paths, meaningful work, recognition, targeted rewards
C) Random office perks
D) Rigid promotion rules by tenure only
Answer: B
16. Employee relations case: an employee posts confidential data on social media. The first HR step should be:
A) Immediately terminate without investigation
B) Investigate facts and follow disciplinary policy consistently
C) Ignore it
D) Publicly shame the employee
Answer: B
17. For global mobility, a “balance sheet” approach to expatriate compensation aims to:
A) Match differentials to host country taxes
B) Ensure expatriate’s purchasing power and standard of living remains similar to home country
C) Pay only base salary
D) Eliminate all benefits
Answer: B
18. Which is a core principle of effective competency frameworks?
A) Vague language
B) Link competencies to observable behavioral indicators and business outcomes
C) Only focus on technical skills
D) Keep frameworks secret
Answer: B
19. Psychological safety in teams is best defined as:
A) Guarantee of no mistakes
B) Team members feel safe to take interpersonal risks and speak up without fear of humiliation
C) Unlimited paid leave
D) Physical safety only
Answer: B
20. Which is a principal ethical issue in HR data use?
A) Collecting too little data
B) Ensuring informed consent, privacy, security and avoiding discriminatory automated decisions
C) Only using spreadsheets
D) Deleting all records after hiring
Answer: B
Section B — Short answer questions (30 marks — 6 questions, 5 marks each)
Answer in 6–8 sentences each. Focus on concise, structured responses. Each question 5 marks: 3 marks for content accuracy/coverage, 1 mark for practical example or metric, 1 mark for clarity/recommendation.
1. Define strategic workforce planning and list three steps to implement it.
Model points: definition (aligning workforce supply to future business needs), steps — business drivers/forecast demand, skills gap analysis/supply, action plans (hiring, training, redeployment), metrics (coverage rate). Example metric: skill gap percentage.
2. Explain the components of an effective onboarding program and two KPIs to measure success.
Model points: components — preboarding, orientation, role‑specific training, buddy/mentor, check‑ins, performance milestones; KPIs — new hire 90‑day retention, time‑to‑productivity, new hire satisfaction.
3. Describe three ways HR can reduce unconscious bias in internal talent reviews and promotions.
Model points: use calibrated/structured criteria, blind CVs where possible, diverse panels, use objective performance data, bias training, mandatory justification for decisions, auditing outcomes for disparate impact.
4. Outline the key legal considerations HR must check before implementing a redundancy program.
Model points: compliance with notice and consultation periods, selection criteria non‑discriminatory, severance entitlements, collective consultation rules, documentation and alternatives to dismissal, review of contractual and statutory obligations.
5. What is “total cost of hire” and how is it calculated? Give typical components included.
Model points: definition (all costs to fill a vacancy), formula components — external agency fees, advertising, recruiter salaries (pro‑rata), assessment costs, candidate travel, onboarding/training costs, lost productivity costs, time‑to‑fill metric relevance.
6. Describe how you would design an incentive plan for a sales team to balance short‑term revenue and long‑term customer retention.
Model points: mix of short‑term incentives (quarterly sales targets) and long‑term incentives (annual retention/CSAT/CLTV metrics), caps and thresholds, payouts tied to margin not just revenue, clawback for churn, non‑financial recognition.
Section C — Case studies (50 marks total)
Case study 1 — Organizational restructuring (25 marks)
Background: A mid‑size software company (500 employees) is shifting from on‑premise licensing to cloud subscription models. Revenue growth is slowing; the company needs new skills (product managers, cloud engineers) and fewer legacy sales roles. HR must plan a restructuring that reskills some staff, redeploys others, and if necessary conducts reductions.
Questions (answer clearly; use bullet points where helpful):
1) Outline a 6‑step HR plan to manage the restructuring, focusing on minimizing legal/brand risk and retaining critical talent. (15 marks)
2) Propose three KPIs HR should track during and after the change to measure success. (5 marks)
3) Identify ethical issues and suggest how HR should address them. (5 marks)
Model answer / marking guidance:
1) Steps (15 marks — award up to 3 marks per major step):
- Align with strategy and leadership: define future organization and critical roles/skills (3).
- Skills gap and workforce segmentation: identify roles to reskill, redeploy, or make redundant; candidate pools (3).
- Communication and change management: transparent timeline, manager coaching, employee forums (2).
- Reskilling & redeployment: training programs, internal mobility pathways, apprenticeship/mentorship (3).
- Fair selection & legal compliance: objective criteria, consultation, severance policy, consistent application (2).
- Implementation & support: career counseling, outplacement, retention packages for critical talent, monitor morale (2).
2) KPIs (5 marks — 1–2 marks each):
- Percentage of critical roles filled (internal vs external)
- Time‑to‑productivity for reskilled employees
- Employee engagement/retention in impacted groups; number of grievances/ER cases
3) Ethical issues (5 marks):
- Transparency vs confidentiality — address by early notice and regular updates
- Fairness in selection — use objective criteria and oversight
- Support for displaced employees — provide retraining, outplacement, fair severance
- Avoiding discrimination — audit selections for disparate impact
Case study 2 — Performance management overhaul (25 marks)
Background: A large retail chain with 10,000 employees uses an annual performance review tied to compensation. Managers complain reviews are bureaucratic and biased; employees feel feedback is infrequent; high performers leave. The CEO wants a modern continuous performance model with coaching, frequent micro‑reviews, and new calibration processes.
Questions:
1) Recommend a roadmap (phased plan) to transition from annual reviews to continuous performance conversations. Include key stakeholders and timeline. (12 marks)
2) Design a concise manager training outline (5 items) to ensure consistent, unbiased coaching and feedback. (6 marks)
3) Suggest a simple evaluation framework to measure whether the new system improves performance and retention after one year. (7 marks)
Model answer / marking guidance:
1) Roadmap (12 marks — award for clarity, sequencing, stakeholder alignment):
- Phase 0 (Discovery, month 0–2): Assess current process, stakeholder interviews, define objectives (2).
- Phase 1 (Design, month 2–4): Define new process (continuous check‑ins, goal cadence), technology needs, calibration approach, review compensation linkage (3).
- Phase 2 (Pilot, month 5–8): Pilot in selected regions/units, gather feedback, refine tools and templates (3).
- Phase 3 (Rollout, month 9–12): Train managers and employees, deploy tech, communication campaign (2).
- Phase 4 (Embed & iterate, months 12+): Monitor metrics, refine, integrate into talent decisions (2).
Stakeholders: HR, senior leaders, line managers, employees, IT, legal/compensation teams.
2) Manager training outline (6 marks — one mark per solid item):
- Giving balanced, specific and timely feedback (STAR method)
- Goal setting and tracking (OKRs or SMART goals)
- Coaching for development vs rating (career conversations)
- Mitigating bias and calibration basics (structured rubrics)
- Difficult conversations and documentation (legal/compliance basics)
- Using the performance platform to record check‑ins and action items
3) Evaluation framework (7 marks):
- Metrics to track (award 1–2 marks each up to 7): Frequency of manager‑employee check‑ins (target: weekly/biweekly), employee engagement/manager effectiveness scores, high performer retention rate (compare year‑on‑year), internal promotion rate, calibration variance (reduced rating spread), time to close performance improvement plans. Consider qualitative feedback from pilot groups.
Scoring/rubric summary
- Section A: MCQs — auto‑score (20)
- Section B: each answer 0–5 based on coverage, examples, clarity (30)
- Section C: Case 1 (25), Case 2 (25) — mark analytic rigor, practicality, alignment with business and HR law/ethics, clarity and measurable KPI suggestions.
Administration & proctoring notes (quick)
- Randomize MCQ order per candidate; use question banks for different variants.
- Decide closed vs open book. If open book, emphasize application and case analysis (less focus on recall).
- Use time limits and automatic submission.
- Use plagiarism checks and require candidate declaration (honor code).
- Allow remote proctoring if needed (webcam + screen share) and record sessions per privacy rules.
Would you like:
- A PDF/Word version of this exam ready to distribute?
- A shorter practice test (30–60 minutes)?
- To take the exam now (I can present questions and score your answers)?
Below I’ve prepared a full “HRM Expert II” online exam you can use or adapt. It includes instructions, a 100‑point paper (duration, sections), 20 MCQs with an answer key, short‑answer prompts with model points and grading rubrics, two case studies with marking schemes and model answers, and quick proctoring/admin notes. Tell me if you want it shorter/longer, closed‑book vs open‑book, or converted into a quiz platform format (Moodle/Google Forms/Word).
HRM Expert II — Online Exam
- Intended level: senior HR professional / HRM Expert II
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes)
- Total marks: 100
- Allowed materials: (choose) closed‑book or open‑book (specify when administering)
- Instructions to candidates:
- Read all questions carefully.
- Answer all questions.
- Time management: allocate approx. 40 minutes for Section A, 35 minutes for Section B, 75 minutes for Section C.
- Submit within time. Plagiarism breach leads to disqualification.
Section A — Multiple Choice Questions (20 marks — 20 questions, 1 mark each)
Choose the best answer.
1. Strategic HRM most directly contributes to organizational competitive advantage by:
A) Reducing headcount
B) Ensuring legal compliance
C) Aligning people systems with business strategy
D) Standardizing job descriptions
Answer: C
2. Which selection method has the highest predictive validity for job performance generally?
A) Unstructured interviews
B) Cognitive ability tests
C) Reference checks
D) Personality inventories
Answer: B
3. The primary purpose of a 9‑box talent matrix is to:
A) Measure employee engagement
B) Balance payroll costs
C) Plot performance versus potential for succession planning
D) Rank order total compensation
Answer: C
4. Which law typically governs employee termination notices and severance minima (varies by country)?
A) Data protection law
B) Labor/employment law
C) Intellectual property law
D) Competition law
Answer: B
5. A market‑based compensation strategy primarily aims to:
A) Pay below market to control costs
B) Align pay levels with external labor market rates
C) Make pay equal for all employees regardless of role
D) Base pay solely on tenure
Answer: B
6. Which of the following is the best immediate measure of the effectiveness of a new training program?
A) Business profitability
B) Learner satisfaction scores and knowledge test results (Kirkpatrick Level 1 & 2)
C) Industry awards
D) Employee turnover after 5 years
Answer: B
7. In change management, “sponsorship” primarily refers to:
A) External funding for change programs
B) Senior leaders actively promoting and supporting the change
C) HR training the change team
D) Vendor support agreements
Answer: B
8. Which HR metric is a leading indicator (predicts future outcomes) rather than a lagging indicator?
A) Revenue per employee
B) Time to fill
C) Annual turnover rate
D) Net profit margin
Answer: B
9. Which practice most directly supports inclusion (beyond diversity hiring)?
A) Setting hiring quotas only
B) One‑time diversity training
C) Inclusive policies, equitable processes and inclusive leadership behaviors
D) Single affinity group
Answer: C
10. A fair performance management calibration meeting is intended to:
A) Ensure everyone gets the same rating
B) Align ratings across raters to reduce bias and ensure consistency
C) Enforce top‑down rating quotas
D) Decide promotions randomly
Answer: B
11. Which approach best mitigates unconscious bias in hiring?
A) Rely solely on gut impressions
B) Use structured interviews and standardized scoring rubrics
C) Use only referrals
D) Skip background checks
Answer: B
12. “Total Rewards” includes:
A) Salary only
B) Salary and benefits only
C) Nonfinancial rewards only
D) Salary, benefits, incentives, career development, work design, and culture
Answer: D
13. Best practice for HR analytics teams: the “last mile” problem refers to:
A) Poor data warehouses
B) Failure to translate analytics into actionable decisions and adoption by managers
C) Missing payroll deadlines
D) Too many dashboards
Answer: B
14. In unionized environments, management should first:
A) Fire union supporters
B) Immediately refuse to bargain
C) Respect collective bargaining rights and engage in good faith negotiations
D) Ignore union communications
Answer: C
15. Which retention strategy is most effective for high‑performing critical talent?
A) Annual team lunches
B) Competitive career paths, meaningful work, recognition, targeted rewards
C) Random office perks
D) Rigid promotion rules by tenure only
Answer: B
16. Employee relations case: an employee posts confidential data on social media. The first HR step should be:
A) Immediately terminate without investigation
B) Investigate facts and follow disciplinary policy consistently
C) Ignore it
D) Publicly shame the employee
Answer: B
17. For global mobility, a “balance sheet” approach to expatriate compensation aims to:
A) Match differentials to host country taxes
B) Ensure expatriate’s purchasing power and standard of living remains similar to home country
C) Pay only base salary
D) Eliminate all benefits
Answer: B
18. Which is a core principle of effective competency frameworks?
A) Vague language
B) Link competencies to observable behavioral indicators and business outcomes
C) Only focus on technical skills
D) Keep frameworks secret
Answer: B
19. Psychological safety in teams is best defined as:
A) Guarantee of no mistakes
B) Team members feel safe to take interpersonal risks and speak up without fear of humiliation
C) Unlimited paid leave
D) Physical safety only
Answer: B
20. Which is a principal ethical issue in HR data use?
A) Collecting too little data
B) Ensuring informed consent, privacy, security and avoiding discriminatory automated decisions
C) Only using spreadsheets
D) Deleting all records after hiring
Answer: B
Section B — Short answer questions (30 marks — 6 questions, 5 marks each)
Answer in 6–8 sentences each. Focus on concise, structured responses. Each question 5 marks: 3 marks for content accuracy/coverage, 1 mark for practical example or metric, 1 mark for clarity/recommendation.
1. Define strategic workforce planning and list three steps to implement it.
Model points: definition (aligning workforce supply to future business needs), steps — business drivers/forecast demand, skills gap analysis/supply, action plans (hiring, training, redeployment), metrics (coverage rate). Example metric: skill gap percentage.
2. Explain the components of an effective onboarding program and two KPIs to measure success.
Model points: components — preboarding, orientation, role‑specific training, buddy/mentor, check‑ins, performance milestones; KPIs — new hire 90‑day retention, time‑to‑productivity, new hire satisfaction.
3. Describe three ways HR can reduce unconscious bias in internal talent reviews and promotions.
Model points: use calibrated/structured criteria, blind CVs where possible, diverse panels, use objective performance data, bias training, mandatory justification for decisions, auditing outcomes for disparate impact.
4. Outline the key legal considerations HR must check before implementing a redundancy program.
Model points: compliance with notice and consultation periods, selection criteria non‑discriminatory, severance entitlements, collective consultation rules, documentation and alternatives to dismissal, review of contractual and statutory obligations.
5. What is “total cost of hire” and how is it calculated? Give typical components included.
Model points: definition (all costs to fill a vacancy), formula components — external agency fees, advertising, recruiter salaries (pro‑rata), assessment costs, candidate travel, onboarding/training costs, lost productivity costs, time‑to‑fill metric relevance.
6. Describe how you would design an incentive plan for a sales team to balance short‑term revenue and long‑term customer retention.
Model points: mix of short‑term incentives (quarterly sales targets) and long‑term incentives (annual retention/CSAT/CLTV metrics), caps and thresholds, payouts tied to margin not just revenue, clawback for churn, non‑financial recognition.
Section C — Case studies (50 marks total)
Case study 1 — Organizational restructuring (25 marks)
Background: A mid‑size software company (500 employees) is shifting from on‑premise licensing to cloud subscription models. Revenue growth is slowing; the company needs new skills (product managers, cloud engineers) and fewer legacy sales roles. HR must plan a restructuring that reskills some staff, redeploys others, and if necessary conducts reductions.
Questions (answer clearly; use bullet points where helpful):
1) Outline a 6‑step HR plan to manage the restructuring, focusing on minimizing legal/brand risk and retaining critical talent. (15 marks)
2) Propose three KPIs HR should track during and after the change to measure success. (5 marks)
3) Identify ethical issues and suggest how HR should address them. (5 marks)
Model answer / marking guidance:
1) Steps (15 marks — award up to 3 marks per major step):
- Align with strategy and leadership: define future organization and critical roles/skills (3).
- Skills gap and workforce segmentation: identify roles to reskill, redeploy, or make redundant; candidate pools (3).
- Communication and change management: transparent timeline, manager coaching, employee forums (2).
- Reskilling & redeployment: training programs, internal mobility pathways, apprenticeship/mentorship (3).
- Fair selection & legal compliance: objective criteria, consultation, severance policy, consistent application (2).
- Implementation & support: career counseling, outplacement, retention packages for critical talent, monitor morale (2).
2) KPIs (5 marks — 1–2 marks each):
- Percentage of critical roles filled (internal vs external)
- Time‑to‑productivity for reskilled employees
- Employee engagement/retention in impacted groups; number of grievances/ER cases
3) Ethical issues (5 marks):
- Transparency vs confidentiality — address by early notice and regular updates
- Fairness in selection — use objective criteria and oversight
- Support for displaced employees — provide retraining, outplacement, fair severance
- Avoiding discrimination — audit selections for disparate impact
Case study 2 — Performance management overhaul (25 marks)
Background: A large retail chain with 10,000 employees uses an annual performance review tied to compensation. Managers complain reviews are bureaucratic and biased; employees feel feedback is infrequent; high performers leave. The CEO wants a modern continuous performance model with coaching, frequent micro‑reviews, and new calibration processes.
Questions:
1) Recommend a roadmap (phased plan) to transition from annual reviews to continuous performance conversations. Include key stakeholders and timeline. (12 marks)
2) Design a concise manager training outline (5 items) to ensure consistent, unbiased coaching and feedback. (6 marks)
3) Suggest a simple evaluation framework to measure whether the new system improves performance and retention after one year. (7 marks)
Model answer / marking guidance:
1) Roadmap (12 marks — award for clarity, sequencing, stakeholder alignment):
- Phase 0 (Discovery, month 0–2): Assess current process, stakeholder interviews, define objectives (2).
- Phase 1 (Design, month 2–4): Define new process (continuous check‑ins, goal cadence), technology needs, calibration approach, review compensation linkage (3).
- Phase 2 (Pilot, month 5–8): Pilot in selected regions/units, gather feedback, refine tools and templates (3).
- Phase 3 (Rollout, month 9–12): Train managers and employees, deploy tech, communication campaign (2).
- Phase 4 (Embed & iterate, months 12+): Monitor metrics, refine, integrate into talent decisions (2).
Stakeholders: HR, senior leaders, line managers, employees, IT, legal/compensation teams.
2) Manager training outline (6 marks — one mark per solid item):
- Giving balanced, specific and timely feedback (STAR method)
- Goal setting and tracking (OKRs or SMART goals)
- Coaching for development vs rating (career conversations)
- Mitigating bias and calibration basics (structured rubrics)
- Difficult conversations and documentation (legal/compliance basics)
- Using the performance platform to record check‑ins and action items
3) Evaluation framework (7 marks):
- Metrics to track (award 1–2 marks each up to 7): Frequency of manager‑employee check‑ins (target: weekly/biweekly), employee engagement/manager effectiveness scores, high performer retention rate (compare year‑on‑year), internal promotion rate, calibration variance (reduced rating spread), time to close performance improvement plans. Consider qualitative feedback from pilot groups.
Scoring/rubric summary
- Section A: MCQs — auto‑score (20)
- Section B: each answer 0–5 based on coverage, examples, clarity (30)
- Section C: Case 1 (25), Case 2 (25) — mark analytic rigor, practicality, alignment with business and HR law/ethics, clarity and measurable KPI suggestions.
Administration & proctoring notes (quick)
- Randomize MCQ order per candidate; use question banks for different variants.
- Decide closed vs open book. If open book, emphasize application and case analysis (less focus on recall).
- Use time limits and automatic submission.
- Use plagiarism checks and require candidate declaration (honor code).
- Allow remote proctoring if needed (webcam + screen share) and record sessions per privacy rules.
Would you like:
- A PDF/Word version of this exam ready to distribute?
- A shorter practice test (30–60 minutes)?
- To take the exam now (I can present questions and score your answers)?
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