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working alongside the experienced employee. Gradually, the trainee is left on his or her own
to perform the job.
• Role-playing. Trainees assume job-related roles and practice new behaviors by acting out
2. What kind of selection tools would you use to find people who would fit Nordstrom’s culture of
customer service?
The text presents a number of items that can be used for the selection process: application forms and
résumés, references and background checks, selection tests, and interviews. To find staff for
Nordstrom, which is founded on delivering excellent customer service, managers will want to get
information on an applicant’s personality, people skills, ability to work well with others, and the
3. What kind of training programs would help new employees learn what is expected of them at
Nordstrom?
Practice Being a Manager
LEGAL RECRUITING
Exercise Overview and Objective
This is an HR role-play exercise set in a hospital context. Students play roles as Nursing Shift Manager
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Preparation
No student preparation is required for this exercise. You may want to decide in advance on assignment to
work group (3-4 students per group), and to roles (Nursing Day Shift Manager, Nursing Night Shift
Manager, HR Attorney, Senior Hospital Administrator). Groups of four (4) are preferable for this
In-Class Use
Once team and role assignments are made, encourage students to use the tools from their HR study in this
exercise. They should be particularly mindful of the major issues and concerns in the areas of recruiting
and selection, as well as legal guidelines important to these HR areas.
You may modify the roles of HR Attorney and Senior Hospital Administrator to better suit your class
You may allocate time for these planning meetings as best suites your class schedule. A good range is
probably ten (10) to twenty (20) minutes. After groups have met for the allotted time, move directly to
debriefing and discussion as a class. The first step in the debriefing (Step 3 in the exercise) is to ask for
some comments from each role/perspective: a) Nursing Shift Managers; b) Senior Hospital
Administrators; and c) HR Attorneys. Listen for common themes and patterns across the teams and/or
roles. Highlight these themes and patterns. Then move to the discussion questions (Step 3):
1. What are some of the particular concerns or questions that arose in your mind as you played your
Managing human resources in today’s complex business and legal environment is not easy. Not only must
companies hire the creative and hard-working employees that will fuel growth and competitive advantage,
Develop Your Career Potential
360-DEGREE FEEDBACK
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to give students 360-degree feedback from four sources: the boss,
subordinates, peers and co-workers, and the employees themselves.
Setting It Up
This is an ambitious assignment and will take a number of class periods to set up.
First, thoroughly review the steps in the assignment: carefully selecting respondents, getting a large
asking people to provide specific feedback.
Second, review everything that students are expected to turn in for the assignment:
1. The names and relationships (boss, peers, subordinates, classmates, teammates) of those that
they’ve asked for feedback.
Since there are so many steps involved in this process, you can spread out the assignment over several
days.
For instance, on day 1, have students turn in the following things:
On day 2, have students turn in:
On day 3, have students turn in:
feedback you received.
The Assignment
360-DEGREE FEEDBACK
Whereas most performance appraisal ratings have traditionally come from just one person, the boss, 360-
degree feedback is obtained from four sources: the boss, subordinates, peers and coworkers, and the
employees themselves. In this assignment, you will be gathering 360-degree feedback from people that
you work with or from a team or group that you’re a member of for a class. Here are some guidelines for
obtaining your 360-degree feedback:
• Carefully select respondents. One of the keys to good 360-degree feedback is getting feedback
from the right people. In general, the people you ask for feedback should interact with you on a
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Here’s what you need to turn in for this assignment:
1. The names and relationships (boss, peers, subordinates, classmates, teammates) of those whom
you’ve asked for feedback.
360-Degree Feedback Form
As part of a class assignment, I, ____________, am collecting feedback from you about my performance.
What you say or write will not affect my grade. The purpose of this assignment is for me to receive
honest feedback from the people I work with in order to identify the things I’m doing well and the things
that I need to improve. So please be honest and direct in your evaluation.
When you have completed this feedback form, please return it to ____________. He or she has been
Please provide the following feedback.
Continue doing . . .
Describe three things that ____________ is doing that are a positive part of his or her performance and
Start doing . . .
Describe three things that ____________ needs to start doing that would significantly improve his or her
performance.
1.
2.
3.
Please make your feedback as specific and behavioral as possible. For instance, “needs to adjust attitude”
Discussing the Assignment in Class
Other than helping students figure out what is involved, this assignment doesn’t lend itself to discussion
until all students have met with their facilitator and received their feedback. At that point, ask the students
the following discussion questions:
• Were you surprised, good or bad, by anything you heard?
• What was the most difficult kind of feedback for you to hear?
Now that you’ve received the feedback, what would you do different? Use this question to introduce the
Reel to Real – Biz Flix
Because they are so short, the Biz Flix videos are best used to supplement your lesson plans. They are
designed to illustrate the content rather than convey all of the chapter concepts.
Video: Played
Segment Summary:
Thief-for-hire Ray Burns (Mick Rossi) just served eight years of prison time thanks to a crooked cop
Discussion Questions from Text:
1. How would you write a job description for the recruits who will carry out the task discussed in this
scene?
Performed in the recruiting phase of human resource management, a job description is a written list of
successful robbery under their belt.
2. Would you say this is an example of internal or external recruiting?
Internal recruiting is the process of developing a pool of qualified job applicants from people who
3. Is compensation discussed?
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Compensation includes both the financial and the non-financial rewards that organizations give
Additional Discussion Questions:
1. During the interview process for the recruits, what types of questions should be asked to help
identify the best recruits?
During the interviews, the robber will ask potential recruits job-related questions to determine
whether they are qualified for the job. As with traditional jobs, the interview may take place in person
2. What kind of training should the job recruits receive before completing the task?
Because this job is to be completed within a week, there is limited time for rigorous training. As a
result, the planners of the job will identify very limited training needs, such as a team orientation and
Reel to Real – Management Workplace
Management Workplace videos can support several in-class uses. In most cases you can build an entire
50-minute class around them. Alternatively, they can provide a springboard into a group lesson plan. The
course on the first day of classes.
Video: Barcelona Restaurant Group
Managing Human Resources
Summary:
At the Barcelona Restaurant Group, turnover among wait staff is 60 to 70 percent. One way that
Barcelona tries to reduce turnover is to select the right people using a three-stage recruitment process.
First, lead-ers conduct 20-minute interviews with dozens of candidates. Next, applicants are asked to
Discussion Questions from Text:
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1. List the three main activities of human resource management (HRM) and identify which activity
is examined at length in the video.
The three activities and goals of human resource management are (1) finding the right people, (2)
2. Of the various steps in Barcelona’s employee selection process, the job interview is the most
brief. Do you agree with the company’s approach to interviewing? Why or why not?
Students’ opinions will vary. For most firms, the selection process involves multiple tools for
assessing the “fit” between the job candidate and the organization. While Barcelona makes use of
3. Describe Barcelona’s three-stage process for matching job applicants with its organizational
objectives, and explain how each stage reveals the fit between job applicants and the needs of the
restaurant.
(1) The interview – managers at Barcelona use interviews to give candidates information about
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Workplace Video Quiz
Video Segment 1
Video segment title
Managing Human Resources
Start time (in sec)
0:00
Stop time (in sec)
1:23
Quiz Question 1
According to Barcelona Restaurant’s Chief Operating Officer Scott
Lawton, the way for a business to have enthusiastic, nice, fun employees
is:
Option a
Pay them
Option b
Train them
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. Without a competent and talented workforce, companies will
stagnate and eventually perish.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Without a competent and talented workforce, companies will
stagnate and eventually perish.
Feedback for option d
Correct. Without a competent and talented workforce, companies will
stagnate and eventually perish.
Quiz Question 2
Which of the following statements from the clip gives the forecast of
Barcelona’s workforce staffing needs?
Option a
Option b
Option c
Option d
Correct option
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Barcelona Restaurant Group experiences a high rate of turnover
“Human resources is one of the most important things we do in our
Feedback for option b
Correct. Barcelona Restaurant Group experiences a high rate of turnover
among its staff.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Barcelona Restaurant Group experiences a high rate of turnover
among its staff.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Barcelona Restaurant Group experiences a high rate of turnover
among its staff.
most commonly associated with the restaurant industry is:
Option a
Promoting work-life balance
Option b
Using temporary and part-time workers
Option c
Job sharing
Option d
All of these
Correct option
b: Using temporary and part-time workers
Option c
Appraise them
Option d
Hire them
Correct option
d: Hire them
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Without a competent and talented workforce, companies will
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Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Because of the high rate of turnover, restaurants often use
temporary or part-time workers to fill staffing needs.
Instructions
Video Segment 2
Video segment title
Managing Human Resources
Start time (in sec)
1:23
Stop time (in sec)
3:01
Quiz Question 1
In the meeting, Barcelona Restaurant COO Scott Lawton instructs
restaurant managers on how to provide for the staffing needs of individual
restaurant locations. The focus of the meeting is:
Option a
HRM (human resources management)
Option b
MBO (management by objectives)
Option c
TQM (total quality management)
Option d
SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats)
Correct option
a: HRM (human resources management)
Feedback for option a
Correct. HRM is the process of finding, developing, and keeping the right
people to form a qualified work force.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. HRM is the process of finding, developing, and keeping the right
people to form a qualified work force.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. HRM is the process of finding, developing, and keeping the right
people to form a qualified work force.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. HRM is the process of finding, developing, and keeping the right
people to form a qualified work force.
Quiz Question 2
Which of the following statements from the managers meeting addresses a
specific recruitment tactic?
Option a
Option b
c
Option d
None of these
Correct option
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. Posts on Internet sites like Craigslist are one way to recruit new
employees.
Feedback for option b
Correct. Posts on Internet sites like Craigslist are one way to recruit new
employees.
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Posts on Internet sites like Craigslist are one way to recruit new
employees.
Quiz Question 3
Once these restaurant managers recruit, interview, and select new servers
Feedback for option c
Incorrect. Because of the high rate of turnover, restaurants often use
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Because of the high rate of turnover, restaurants often use
temporary or part-time workers to fill staffing needs.
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to work at Barcelona, the next step will be:
Option a
Promotion
Option b
Performance appraisal
Option c
Training
Option d
Separation
Correct option
c: Training
Instructions
Video Segment 3
Video segment title
Managing Human Resources
Start time (in sec)
3:01
Stop time (in sec)
6:04
Quiz Question 1
Which statement from COO Scott Lawton conveys Barcelona’s philosophy
that human resources management is critical to attaining high quality
organizational performance?
Option b
Option c
Option d
important thing you can do is have the right people in front of your
customers”
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. For a company to fulfill its organizational purpose, it has to have
the right people.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. For a company to fulfill its organizational purpose, it has to have
the right people.
Feedback for option c
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. For a company to fulfill its organizational purpose, it has to have
Option a
Employee separation
Option c
Training
Option d
Job forecasting
Correct option
b: Selection
Correct. For a company to fulfill its organizational purpose, it has to have
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. After making a hire, companies need to develop them by
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. After making a hire, companies need to develop them by
Feedback for option c
Correct. After making a hire, companies need to develop them by
providing training.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. After making a hire, companies need to develop them by
providing training.
Feedback for option a
applicants to decide who should be offered a job.
Feedback for option d
Incorrect. Selection is the process of gathering information about job
Incorrect. Selection is the process of gathering information about job
Quiz Question 3
In Scott Lawton’s multi-step staffing process, the step that allows
Barcelona to assess the intelligence and performance of job candidates is:
Option a
The interview (step one)
Option b
The “shop” (step two), where candidates visit and evaluate a restaurant
Option c
The “trail” (step three), where candidates take over management duties for
a shift
Correct option
d: Both b and c
Feedback for option a
Incorrect. During both the “shop” and the “trail,” the applicants are asked
to perform tasks that reflect the actual job.
Feedback for option b
Incorrect. During both the “shop” and the “trail,” the applicants are asked
to perform tasks that reflect the actual job.
Feedback for option d
Correct. During both the “shop” and the “trail,” the applicants are asked to
Review Questions
1. Outline the basic process for human resource planning.
The major steps are: (1) determining human resource needs through human resource planning; (2)
2. List and explain the major employment laws affecting human resource practice.
• Equal Pay Act (1963): Prohibits unequal pay for males and females doing substantially
similar work.
• Civil Rights Act (1964): Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender,
or national origin.
3. What are the two types of recruiting? How do companies use job analysis in recruiting?
For internal recruiting, managers can use job posting and career path management. Job posting is a
procedure for advertising job openings within the company to existing employees. A career path is a
4. What selection procedures do companies use during the hiring process?
Companies use numerous tools to ensure that they hire the right person for the job. Most commonly
used selection devices include:
• Resumes and application forms: Resumes are written by the job applicant and usually include
5. Compare structured and unstructured interviews.
In unstructured interviews, interviewers are free to ask applicants anything they want, and studies
6. Describe the types of selection tests that companies use to evaluate job candidates.
In addition to using the devices listed in question 5, managers often choose to administer selection
tests as a means to predict applicants’ future job performance. Specific ability tests (aptitude tests)
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7. Describe several training methods and indicate the objectives each is best suited to meet.
Before training employees, managers must conduct a needs assessment, which involves identifying
and prioritizing the learning needs of employees. Then managers should choose a training method by
8. What methods can managers use to accurately measure employee job performance?
Top managers understand the importance of formal performance feedback to the growth and
development of their workforce. The traditional method for evaluating employee performance is the
9. What kinds of decisions do managers face when designing employee compensation?
Compensation is the financial and nonfinancial rewards that organizations give employees in
exchange for their work. Four basic types of compensation are:
• Pay level: Whether to pay workers at a level that is below, above, or at current market wages.
10. What are the four kinds of employee separation?
Employee separation is the voluntary or involuntary loss of an employee. Four types of employee
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11. What is the difference between functional and dysfunctional turnover? What is the relationship
between turnover and employee separations?
In general, most companies try to keep the rate of employee turnover low to reduce recruiting, hiring,
Additional Assignments and Activities
Out-of-Class Project: “Employee Benefits.” Divide the class into small groups. Each group should
thoroughly research employee benefits provided by a particular company. Students can use the
organization for which they work as the company researched or any organization in which they have
contacts (parents, family friends, your college personnel). Each group should be ready to present their
findings to the class.
Out-of-Class Project: “Taped Interviews.” Consult your campus career center to find out if they would
help you videotape a couple of mock interviews for your class. (The center might already have a library
Assignment: “Adverse Impact.” Give students the following data and assign them to build a
spreadsheet to calculate if adverse impact has occurred (i.e., the four-fifths rule has been broken). Instruct
students to build their spreadsheet in such a way as to be able to play with the data to determine what
hiring rates for each group are required to keep from violating the four-fifths rule.
Given this data, the four-fifths rule has been violated for Black males (hired only 60.8% as often as white
males), American Indian males (78.6%), and Hispanic males (58.2%). If students have built their
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In–Class Activity: “Interviewing Role Play.” Divide the class into groups of three or four students each.
One student in each group will be an interviewer, and one student will be a job candidate. Other students
in the group will be observers and note takers. Provide a fictitious resume for the job candidate to all
students and a relevant job for which the candidate will be interviewing. Have all job candidates wait
outside the classroom for 10 minutes to allow the interviewer to prepare some questions to ask the
candidate. As the interviews occur, have observers take notes on how well the interviewer and candidate
performs. Sample job positions that can be used for this exercise are: 1) Junior marketing manager
position for a toy company; 2) Sales associate for a music store; 3) Management position in an electronics
store; 4) Public relations specialist for a large company; 5) Journalist/reporter for the local newspaper.
above.
EEOC. Go to the Web site of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at
these tips to either: 1) write your résumé (if you don’t already have one); or 2) revise your résumé (if you
already have one). Make sure your résumé matches the type of job you may be seeking after graduation.
Employee Separation and Retraining. Go to the Web site of the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Summarize at least four types of training.
Outplacement. Find three Internet sites of companies that deal with outplacement of terminated
employees. Write a one-paragraph summary of the services that each of these outplacement firms offers.