SHRM Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which workforce planning technique uses historical data to project future staffing needs based on organizational trends such as revenue or sales volume?
- Replacement planning
- Trend analysis (Correct answer)
- Succession planning
- Skills inventory analysis
Correct answer: Trend analysis
Trend analysis examines historical relationships between a business variable and staffing levels to forecast future workforce requirements.
Question 2: A company wants to reduce unconscious bias in resume screening. Which technology-based solution is most directly designed to address this?
- Applicant tracking systems (ATS)
- AI-powered blind resume screening tools (Correct answer)
- Video interview platforms
- Social media background checks
Correct answer: AI-powered blind resume screening tools
Blind resume screening tools remove identifying information (name, address, graduation year) to reduce bias in the initial screening stage.
Question 3: An organization's annual recruiting cost is $500,000 and they hired 100 employees. What is their cost per hire?
- $500
- $5,000 (Correct answer)
- $50,000
- $50
Correct answer: $5,000
Cost per hire equals total recruiting costs divided by total hires: $500,000 ÷ 100 = $5,000.
Question 4: Which element is considered the most important driver of quality of hire as defined by SHRM?
- Speed of the hiring process
- New hire performance and retention over time (Correct answer)
- Diversity of the candidate pool
- Recruiter satisfaction scores
Correct answer: New hire performance and retention over time
Quality of hire is primarily measured by how well new employees perform and how long they stay with the organization.
Question 5: When an organization relies heavily on contingent workers, which workforce planning risk must HR proactively manage?
- Overpayment relative to market rates
- Co-employment liability and loss of institutional knowledge (Correct answer)
- Excessive internal equity compression
- Non-compliance with FMLA requirements
Correct answer: Co-employment liability and loss of institutional knowledge
Heavy contingent workforce use risks co-employment claims and the loss of skills and knowledge that leaves when contractors depart.
Question 6: Which practice violates Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance on pre-employment background checks?
- Conducting background checks only after a conditional offer
- Using a blanket policy excluding all applicants with any criminal record without individualized assessment (Correct answer)
- Informing applicants that a background check will be conducted
- Allowing applicants to explain criminal history findings
Correct answer: Using a blanket policy excluding all applicants with any criminal record without individualized assessment
Blanket exclusions based on criminal history can constitute disparate impact discrimination; the EEOC requires individualized assessments considering the nature and relevance of the offense.
Question 7: Which internal talent strategy helps organizations address projected future skill gaps identified in a workforce plan?
- Increasing external hiring budgets immediately
- Implementing reskilling and upskilling programs for current employees (Correct answer)
- Reducing workforce size to improve skill density
- Conducting exit interviews with departing employees
Correct answer: Implementing reskilling and upskilling programs for current employees
Reskilling and upskilling programs develop existing employees to fill anticipated future skill gaps, reducing dependence on external talent.
SHRM Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning 5
Which workforce planning technique uses historical data to project future staffing needs based on organizational trends such as revenue or sales volume?