FREE SHRM-CP Situational Judgment Items Questions and Answers

Question 1

A VP of talent development requests a two-day communication skills training for the team. The VP and the trainer meet for a planning session. The VP explains the department is working on several key projects and it needs to improve its effective communication to be successful. During the training session, the trainer observes an apparent lack of trust and openness among team members, which causes some team members to withdraw from the training activities. The VP receives feedback from managers that indicates the session did not go well, so the VP requests a meeting with the trainer.

After the training session is complete, which step should the trainer take?

Accepted Answer

Review the training evaluations for the session.

Answer

Debrief the VP on observations during training.

Answer

Meet with the team's supervisor to disclose findings.

Answer

Calculate the return on investment for the session.

Question 2

A VP of talent development requests a two-day communication skills training for the team. The VP and the trainer meet for a planning session. The VP explains the department is working on several key projects and it needs to improve its effective communication to be successful. During the training session, the trainer observes an apparent lack of trust and openness among team members, which causes some team members to withdraw from the training activities. The VP receives feedback from managers that indicates the session did not go well, so the VP requests a meeting with the trainer.

Which action should the trainer take to improve group dynamics?

Accepted Answer

Assess levels of trust among team members.

Answer

Conduct a team performance appraisal.

Answer

Provide coaching to high-performing team members.

Answer

Schedule an offsite team-building activity.

Question 3

Three product leads from the research and development division of a software company meet with an HR manager to discuss the performance problems of a project manager. Each product lead reports encountering similar issues with the project manager. The biggest problem is the project manager consistently promises products will be completed by a specific date and fails to deliver. During the discussion, the three product leads complained about losing customers as a result of the project manager’s behaviors.

Six months after the initial consultation with the HR manager, the division director asks for an update on the project manager’s progress. Which is the best way for the HR manager to show this data?

Accepted Answer

Prepare a detailed performance summary for each project over the past six months.

Answer

Schedule a meeting so the product leads can share data about customer retention with the division director.

Answer

Focus on the project manager’s progress toward time and budget metrics over the last six months.

Answer

Submit a report with detailed notes from the project manager's performance meetings.

Question 4

Three product leads from the research and development division of a software company meet with an HR manager to discuss the performance problems of a project manager. Each product lead reports encountering similar issues with the project manager. The biggest problem is the project manager consistently promises products will be completed by a specific date and fails to deliver. During the discussion, the three product leads complained about losing customers as a result of the project manager’s behaviors.

The project manager says managing multiple large projects is too difficult. Which strategy should the HR manager use to best address this issue?

Accepted Answer

Help the project manager break large tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Answer

Hire a project coordinator to handle administrative project tasks.

Answer

Assign the project manager with a mentor to provide advice and assistance.

Answer

Ask the project manager's supervisor to temporarily delegate projects to other employees.

Question 5

Two manufacturing companies merge, and two middle-level managers learn that they are being paid substantially less than their new counterparts. The employees demand a meeting with their manager and HR to discuss the issue. In that meeting, both employees indicated that they believe they are entitled to a salary increase to match their new colleagues. HR is aware that the company relies on these two employees and the company needs to retain them for at least another three months to ensure they finish their post-merge projects.

How should HR respond?

Accepted Answer

Make a commitment to review the compensation structure of the individuals working in substantially similar roles and to circle back with them with your findings.

Answer

Tell the employees that their salaries will be immediately raised to the level of their counterparts, and future increases will be based on merit.

Answer

Tell the employees that their salaries will be adjusted, but it may take a few months for them to reconcile the financial assets of the two new companies.

Answer

Suggest that the employee take some time to research the market rate for individuals working in substantially similar roles in the industry and submit a report with data to support their requested increase.

Question 6

Two manufacturing companies merge, and two middle-level managers learn that they are being paid substantially less than their new counterparts. The employees demand a meeting with their manager and HR to discuss the issue. In that meeting both employees indicated that they believe they are entitled to a salary increase to match their new colleagues. HR is aware that the company relies on these two employees and the company needs to retain them for at least another three months to ensure they finish their post-merge projects.

As the merger progresses, the HR team learns that the post-merged HRIS system is capable of streamlining a number of payroll processes that could reduce the number of employees needed to work in that department. What should HR do with this information

Accepted Answer

Create a detailed report about the capabilities of the post-merged HRIS system, explaining how it can be used to further the strategic objectives of the merger.

Answer

Keep the information to themselves because it would be unethical to make suggestions that would lead to layoffs.

Answer

Share the information with leadership, but only after providing the payroll department with a heads-up about the system's capabilities so they have time to prepare for potential layoffs.

Answer

Reach out to other companies that use the same system to gather information about how they realigned their payroll staff as they rolled out the technology.

Question 7

Over the objections of HR, a company lays off more than 40% of its workforce to reduce payroll costs and redirect funding to acquiring a new company. The company merges with the acquired company, and employee morale drops to an all-time low. Leadership notices a decline in productivity and becomes concerned about employee engagement and retention, especially because they know that the current level of staffing will be insufficient to complete a number of critical projects. In addition, the company is fairly certain it will not be able to meet the commitment it made to provide a minimum number of volunteers for an annual summer run which it oversees with a number of other companies in the industry. Furthermore, they will not be able to adequately staff the annual holiday gift drive. The gift drive is incredibly important for the community members who rely on the holiday gifts. It is also incredibly important to the company because it bolsters its reputation on the national stage which leads to stock price increases and increased market share. Leadership first approaches HR about its concerns about being able to provide enough volunteers for the upcoming summer fun run.

How should HR respond?

Accepted Answer

Offer to reach out to some of their colleagues at other companies to see if they might be able to sign up additional volunteers.

Answer

Tell leadership that they knew this was going to happen, which is why they objected so strongly to the layoffs.

Answer

Suggest that leadership require all employees to attend the run.

Answer

Suggest that all managers personally ask their employees to attend the run as a way to compel their attendance.

Question 8

Over the objections of HR, a company lays off more than 40% of its workforce to reduce payroll costs and redirect funding to acquiring a new company. The company merges with the acquired company, and employee morale drops to an all-time low. Leadership notices a decline in productivity and becomes concerned about employee engagement and retention, especially because they know that the current level of staffing will be insufficient to complete a number of critical projects. In addition, the company is fairly certain it will not be able to meet the commitment it made to provide a minimum number of volunteers for an annual summer run which it oversees with a number of other companies in the industry. Furthermore, they will not be able to adequately staff the annual holiday gift drive. The gift drive is incredibly important for the community members who rely on the holiday gifts. It is also incredibly important to the company because it bolsters its reputation on the national stage which leads to stock price increases and increased market share. Leadership first approaches HR about its concerns about being able to provide enough volunteers for the upcoming summer fun run.

When leadership approaches HR about its concerns regarding how it will adequately staff the holiday gift drive, how should they respond?

Accepted Answer

Offer to reach out to staffing companies that specialize in placing seasonal workers.

Answer

Tell leadership "we told you so," and explain that they should have considered this before gutting their workforce.

Answer

Suggest that managers re-prioritize the current workload of their employees to free up some of their time to work on the gift drive.

Answer

Suggest the company downsize the event in the coming year and explain that it plans to revert back to the original size after it has had time to move through its current transition.

Question 9

Over the past six years, a local restaurant chain has been successfully building its internal DE&I practices. Across each of its seven locations, employee culture scores are at an all-time high, turnover rates have dropped, and customer satisfaction scores have increased. The restaurant's president and other executives task the marketing team with more effectively communicating the upgraded practices and policies to the workforce and to customers. Communication team leaders elect to seek the guidance of the HR department to advise in giving the most appropriate messaging and most accurate communication of programs and initiatives. Together, the marketing and HR team decided to start with internal statements and then address external communications.

When assessing the use of internal statements in support of DE&l policies and practices, which of the following types of statements would be the most practical to refer to when communicating the company's values with new employees?

Accepted Answer

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission affirmation statement in employee handbook

Answer

Companywide email from the president supporting DE&I development

Answer

DE&I affirmation posters in each break room

Answer

Dedicated DE&I section in the weekly newsletter affirming organizational support

Question 10

Over the past six years, a local restaurant chain has been successfully building its internal DE&I practices. Across each of its seven locations, employee culture scores are at an all-time high, turnover rates have dropped, and customer satisfaction scores have increased. The restaurant's president and other executives task the marketing team with more effectively communicating the upgraded practices and policies to the workforce and to customers. Communication team leaders elect to seek the guidance of the HR department to advise in giving the most appropriate messaging and most accurate communication of programs and initiatives. Together, the marketing and HR team decided to start with internal statements and then address external communications.

Which of the following policy upgrades would be most effective at combining internal policies with external recruiting practices?

Accepted Answer

Publishing accurate pay scales with job requisitions

Answer

Exclusively advancing candidates in the hiring process that are recommended by applicant tracking software screenings

Answer

Designing recruiting flyers with diverse individuals

Answer

Listing the diversity dimension preferences within job requisitions