Employee Relations & Engagement Flashcards
7 cards from real SHRM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Employee Relations & Engagement flashcards as text
What is the key difference between mediation and arbitration in workplace dispute resolution?
Answer: A mediator facilitates agreement while an arbitrator renders a binding decision
In mediation the neutral party helps the disputants reach their own agreement, whereas in arbitration the arbitrator decides the outcome, which is typically binding.
Which metric best measures the effectiveness of an employee engagement initiative over time?
Answer: Pre- and post-initiative engagement survey scores correlated with retention and productivity data
Comparing engagement scores before and after an initiative and linking them to business outcomes (retention, productivity) provides the most meaningful measure of effectiveness.
An employee discloses a disability and requests a schedule change as an accommodation. What is HR's next step under the ADA?
Answer: Engage in the interactive process to explore reasonable accommodations
The ADA requires employers to engage in an interactive, good-faith dialogue with the employee to identify effective and reasonable accommodations.
Which leadership behavior is most likely to undermine employee psychological safety?
Answer: Publicly criticizing employees for mistakes in team meetings
Publicly criticizing employees discourages risk-taking and speaking up, which erodes the psychological safety needed for engagement and innovation.
What does a high absenteeism rate most commonly signal in an employee relations context?
Answer: Underlying issues such as low morale, poor management, or workplace stress
Elevated absenteeism often reflects organizational problems such as burnout, poor leadership, or a toxic work environment rather than individual laziness.
In a union environment, what is a grievance procedure primarily designed to do?
Answer: Provide a structured process for resolving alleged violations of the collective bargaining agreement
A grievance procedure gives unionized employees a formal channel to challenge alleged contract violations through successive steps, often ending in arbitration.
Which practice best supports a culture of continuous feedback rather than annual performance reviews?
Answer: Regular one-on-one check-ins between managers and employees with documented notes
Frequent, documented one-on-one check-ins create an ongoing dialogue that addresses performance issues in real time rather than waiting for an annual event.