Supervision Concepts and Skill Building 10Th Edition By Certo – Test Bank
Chapter 12
Problem Employees: Counseling and Discipline
- A problem employee is one who
- is sometimes unable to follow the rules.
- is not provided with enough support by his or her colleagues.
- C. is persistently unwilling to meet performance standards.
- does not come to work if he or she wakes up with a sore throat, cough, or a nasty cold.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: When a supervisor does a good job of leading, problem solving, communicating, and motivating, most employees will perform well. Even so, a supervisor occasionally faces the challenge of a problem employee, one who is persistently unwilling or unable to follow the rules or meet performance standards.
- In general, problem employees fall into two categories. One of the categories consists of employees causing problems and the other includes employees
- A. with problems.
- belonging to a minority group.
- with the potential to supersede the supervisor.
- with connections.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In general, problem employees fall into two categories: (1) employees causing problems—for example, by starting fights or leaving early—and (2) employees with problems, such as an employee whose money worries or home life issues are a distraction from work.
- Which of the following can be best categorized as an employee who causes problems?
- An employee who has Alzheimer’s disease
- B. An employee who leaves early
- An employee who has money worries
- An employee whose home life issues are a distraction from work
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In general, problem employees fall into two categories: (1) employees causing problems—for example, by starting fights or leaving early—and (2) employees with problems, such as an employee whose money worries or home life issues are a distraction from work.
- Which of the following can be best categorized as an employee with problems?
- An employee who leaves early
- An employee who always starts fights
- An employee who gossips a lot about his or her colleagues
- D. An employee whose home life issues are a distraction from work
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In general, problem employees fall into two categories: (1) employees causing problems—for example, by starting fights or leaving early—and (2) employees with problems, such as an employee whose money worries or home life issues are a distraction from work.
- When dealing with common problems requiring special action on the part of a supervisor, one of the two basic courses of action to be taken is ________.
- firing
- B. counseling
- authorizing
- reprimanding
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: The two basic courses of action to take when dealing with common problems requiring special action on the part of a supervisor are counseling and discipline.
- When supervisors observe poor performance in an employee, they are most likely to
- blame it on a lack of proper training.
- blame the organization for not providing enough support.
- blame it on external distractions.
- D. blame the employee for lacking ability.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: When supervisors observe poor performance, they tend to blame the employee for lacking ability or effort.
- Identify a true statement about absenteeism and tardiness.
- Employees are always more productive when they have to cover for someone who is tardy.
- A company should not pay for an employee’s unproductive hours.
- Unscheduled absences are less frequent at organizations where morale is poor.
- D. Psychological health stressors are not significantly associated with absenteeism.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: It is important to note that psychological health stressors (e.g., depression, anxiety) have not been significantly associated with absenteeism. Rather, employees seeking mental health treatment for psychological health stressors have been more likely to show up for work even when a sickness absence was justified. In other words, employees seeking mental health treatment are more likely to work under suboptimal conditions.
- One of the most common reasons given for taking unscheduled time off is
- personal needs.
- stress.
- entitlement mentality.
- D. personal illness.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: The most common reasons given for taking unscheduled time off are personal illness and family issues.
- One of the least common reasons for employees’ unscheduled absences is
- personal illness.
- B. entitlement mentality.
- family issues.
- personal needs.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: The reasons for unscheduled absences are varied. One of the least common reasons is entitlement mentality.
- Insubordination is best defined as the
- A. deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks.
- tendency of some people to avoid taking responsibility when working in a group.
- action of reporting to a supervisor about unethical dealings in a firm.
- discrimination in workplaces based on economic factors.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Insubordination is best defined as the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks.
- Joanne, an employee at Corpora Inc., has a generally poor attitude. Her manager noticed that she engages in criticizing, complaining, and showing dislike for her supervisor and the organization. Moreover, she gets into arguments over many kinds of issues. Which of the following problem behaviors is Joanne exhibiting?
- Bullying
- Excessive tardiness
- C. Insubordination
- Absenteeism
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In the scenario, Joanne is engaging in insubordination. Insubordination is the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks. Such an employee may have a generally poor attitude—criticizing, complaining, and showing a dislike for a supervisor and the organization. He or she might get into arguments over many kinds of issues.
- When Brian joined Goals Corp as a new employee, his supervisor had made sure that instructions were communicated to him clearly and that he received proper training. Lately, Brian’s supervisor has noticed that Brian never signs out at lunchtime. When questioned about this, he replies that he simply forgets to sign out. Which of the following problem behaviors is Brian exhibiting?
- Absenteeism
- Excessive tardiness
- Bullying
- D. Insubordination
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom’s: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In the scenario, Brian is engaging in insubordination. A supervisor must make sure that instructions are communicated clearly and that the employee is receiving the proper training. But sometimes an employee performs poorly or breaks rules because he or she chooses to do so. Such an employee may simply be uncooperative, or the employee may engage in insubordination, the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks.
- Employees engaging in insubordination are the ones who
- A. do not do their work properly because they choose not to.
- are sometimes unable to follow the rules.
- are not provided with enough support by their supervisors.
- do not do their work because they need help.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: It is important for supervisors to see the difference between employees who don’t do their work properly because they choose not to and employees who don’t do their work because they need help.
- Which of the following statements is true of alcohol and drug abuse by workers?
- Employees who abuse drugs are likely to be more productive than their co-workers who stay sober because many drugs have the capacity to enhance performance.
- B. Employees who use drugs are three times as likely to be tardy and more than three times as likely to be involved in an accident at work.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act does not consider drug abuse as a disability.
- In accordance with the American legal system, an employee involved in substance abuse should immediately be fired.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, employees who use drugs are three times as likely to be tardy and more than three times as likely to be involved in an accident at work.
- Which of the following statements is true of alcohol and drug abuse by workers?
- Actions taken with regard to an employee should focus only on the substance abuse itself.
- Substance abuse is always a legal ground for firing employees.
- C. Employees who abuse drugs are far less productive than their co-workers who stay sober.
- Substance abuse is not common at work.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Employees who abuse alcohol and drugs are far less productive than their co-workers who stay sober. Absences and medical costs are much greater among drug abusers.
- Substance abuse arising from an addiction is treated as a disability by the
- A. Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Javits–Wagner–O’Day Act.
- Randolph–Sheppard Act.
- U.S. Rehabilitation Act.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability, treats substance abuse arising from an addiction as a disability.
- Salma and Maria are employees at Welfare Co. Salma argues that substance abuse may not be legal grounds for firing an employee, whereas Maria says that substance abuse is always a legal ground for firing employees. Which of the following is a true statement that best supports Salma’s argument?
- It is illegal for any company to conduct random drug testing of employees.
- Employees who use drugs are far more productive than their co-workers who stay sober.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability only.
- D. The ADA treats substance abuse arising from an addiction as a disability.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: The statement that best supports Salma’s argument is that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) treats substance abuse arising from an addiction as a disability. Therefore, substance abuse may not be legal grounds for firing an employee.
- Who among the following supervisors is most likely to reduce the occurrence of workplace violence among his or her employees?
- Li, a supervisor at Colors Corp., who has psychological problems
- Arjun, a supervisor at Randomizer Inc., who is under work stress
- C. Chinua, a supervisor at Oasis Co., who fosters effective communication
- Garry, a supervisor at Coral Corp., who feels that he is treated unfairly
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Chinua, who fosters effective communication, is most likely to reduce the occurrence of workplace violence among his employees. Supervisors may sometimes be able to head off or at least prepare to handle workplace violence by paying close attention to their employees, fostering good communication, and treating employees fairly.
- Which of the following is most likely to reduce the occurrence of workplace violence?
- Segregating employees on the basis of their nationality
- Encouraging whistleblowers
- C. Treating employees fairly
- Giving absolute authority to the supervisor
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Supervisors may sometimes be able to head off or at least prepare to handle workplace violence by paying close attention to their employees, fostering good communication, and treating employees fairly.
- Identify an example that deals with an employee who engages in theft of time.
- Lee, a supervisor at Builders Co., who uses office stationery for personal use at home
- Diana, a customer of InStyle Cosmetics, who shoplifts cosmetic products
- Rahul, a finance employee at Global Inc., who transfers small sums from Global’s books to his own account
- D. Anna, a manager at Infoholics Inc., who takes extra sick leaves almost every month
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Anna, who takes extra sick leaves almost every month, is an employee who engages in theft of time. Not all thefts involve money or tangible goods. Employees can also “steal time” by giving the employer less work than they are paid for, taking extra sick leave, or altering their time cards.
- Yolanda is a manager at Feedz Inc. She loves surfing the Internet for the latest fashion trends and tweets these trends throughout the day at work to get more followers. Yolanda is engaging in which of the following thefts?
- Theft of information
- B. Theft of time
- Theft of money
- Theft of goods
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In the scenario, Yolanda is engaging in theft of time. Not all thefts involve money or tangible goods. Lost time is more and more often spent surfing the Internet or posting status updates on social media.
- Employees sometimes use their company-supplied computers for social networking. Many employers have handled such problems by blocking the websites that are most visited. Which of the following causes the most difficulty in handling such problems in recent times?
- Not all thefts involve money or tangible goods.
- B. Many employees bring their own mobile devices to work.
- Forty percent of web surfing during work hours is for personal reasons.
- Over three-fourths of employees with Facebook accounts visit the site during their workday.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Some employers install software on their computer systems to monitor employees’ keystrokes or the websites they visit. The software analyzes the data to identify where non-work-related computer activity is occurring. Today, however, these practices are more difficult because so many employees bring their own mobile devices to work.
- Identify a correct statement about theft of information.
- The procedure for preventing and reacting to theft is standard across industries.
- Supervisors who suspect that an employee is stealing should investigate the crime themselves.
- C. Employees who feel like a part of an organization are less likely to steal from it.
- It has been made tougher by new communications technology.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Feedback: Supervisors should make sure that employees follow all procedures for record keeping. They should take advantage of ways to build employee morale and involvement; employees who feel like a part of the organization are less likely to steal from it.
- Mark works as a supervisor in the manufacturing unit of Acme Corporation. He ensures that every new employee who joins his team receives proper training about machinery and safety procedures. He observes that Jack, a new employee, frequently works without wearing proper safety gear. When asked, Jack responded by saying “Sorry, I forgot to wear my helmet.” On being warned, Jack got into an argument with Mark. In this scenario, which of the following problem behaviors is Jack exhibiting?
- A. Insubordination
- Tardiness
- Absenteeism
- Bullying
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: In this scenario, Mark is exhibiting insubordination. Insubordination is the deliberate refusal to do what a supervisor or other superior asks.
- When dealing with an employee suspected of substance abuse, a supervisor should
- focus on the problem of substance abuse itself instead of work performance.
- B. permit the employee to take a disability leave to get treatment.
- ignore problems relating to work performance.
- fire the employee immediately because there are legal grounds to do so.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: When dealing with an employee suspected of substance abuse problem, a supervisor should encourage the employee to get help, even if doing so requires adjusting the employee’s work schedule or permitting the employee to take a disability leave to get treatment.
- Who among the following is most likely to engage in violence at work?
- Jeff, a writer, who was recently involved in an accident at work
- Mary, a supervisor, whose colleague was killed in a workplace incident
- C. Dorothy, a receptionist, who is regularly abused by her husband
- John, a sales manager, who returned to work from a substance abuse rehabilitation program
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-01: Identify common types of problem behavior among employees.
Topic: Problems Requiring Special Action
Feedback: Dorothy, who is regularly abused by her husband, is most likely to engage in violence at work. Employees who are under stress, either at work or away, may explode in violence.
- Which of the following statements is true about counseling at the workplace?
- It is unlikely to evoke a positive response from employees.
- It is one of the least constructive ways for supervisors to address problem behaviors.
- It involves the “shape up or ship out” attitude toward problem employees.
- D. It is a cooperative process between a supervisor and an employee.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Counseling is a cooperative process between supervisor and employee. Employees are likely to respond more positively to counseling than to a simple order that they “shape up or ship out.”
- Counseling is best defined as the
- deliberate refusal on the part of an employee to do what a supervisor asks.
- measure taken by supervisors to prevent employees from engaging in social loafing.
- C. process of learning about an individual’s personal problem and helping in its resolution.
- practice of giving a day off to an employee to deal with his or her health issues.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Counseling refers to the process of learning about an individual’s personal problem and helping the employee resolve it.
- Which of the following is an advantage of counseling?
- A. It gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interested in their welfare.
- It gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are willing to confide in them.
- It makes employees believe that the supervisor considers them to be more efficient than the other team members.
- It makes it clear to employees that they need to perform well so as to avoid termination.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Counseling benefits employees in several ways. Working cooperatively with a supervisor to resolve a problem gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interested in their welfare.
- Identify a characteristic of counseling.
- The view that other employees suffer consequences such as working harder to make up for the problem employee’s lapses is a myth.
- The view that changes in an employee’s attitudes do not carry over to the work of other employees is a myth.
- C. It can indirectly motivate employees and improve job satisfaction.
- Employees who receive it rarely meet performance standards.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Working cooperatively with a supervisor to resolve a problem gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interested in their welfare. This belief in turn can improve job satisfaction and motivation. The resulting improvements in productivity benefit the employee through performance rewards.
- Which of the following is the most appropriate time for a supervisor to counsel an employee?
- When the supervisor feels threatened that the employee might contend for the supervisor’s position
- B. When the employee needs help in resolving problems affecting his or her work
- When the employee threatens the supervisor that he or she will reveal company secrets
- When the supervisor feels the need to humiliate the employee in public
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: A supervisor should counsel employees when they need help determining how to resolve a problem that is affecting their work.
- In the context of counseling, a supervisor should refrain from
- resolving an employee’s financial difficulties.
- suggesting various sources of help for employees.
- expressing concern over employees’ problems.
- D. handling an employee’s alcoholic family member.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: It is essential for supervisors to remember that they lack training to help with many kinds of problems. They are not in a position to save a marriage, resolve an employee’s financial difficulties, or handle an alcoholic family member. A supervisor should help an employee solve a problem only when qualified to do so. In other cases, a supervisor should simply listen, express concern, and refer the employee to a trained professional.
- Michelle’s work performance as an employee at Fort Camp Industries was suffering due to problems at home. When asked by her supervisor, Keith, she told him about her alcoholic husband. Keith listened to her problems, expressed concern, referred her to a trained counselor, and offered to talk to her husband about this. As Michelle’s supervisor, which of the following should Keith have refrained from doing?
- Listening to Michelle’s personal problems
- Expressing concern over Michelle’s problems
- Referring Michelle to a trained counselor
- D. Offering to talk to Michelle’s husband
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-02: Explain why and when supervisors should counsel employees.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In this scenario, Keith should have refrained from offering to talk to Michelle’s alcoholic husband. It is essential for supervisors to remember that they lack training to help with many kinds of problems. They are not in a position to save a marriage, resolve an employee’s financial difficulties, or handle an alcoholic family member. A supervisor should help an employee solve a problem only when qualified to do so. In other cases, a supervisor should simply listen, express concern, and refer the employee to a trained professional.
- An approach to counseling where a supervisor asks questions to an employee about a specific problem and then suggests ways to handle the problem after he or she understands the problem is referred to as
- A. directive counseling.
- emotionally focused therapy.
- nondirective counseling.
- grief therapy.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Directive counseling is an approach to counseling in which a supervisor asks an employee questions about a specific problem; when the supervisor understands the problem, he or she suggests ways to handle it.
- Cindy, the supervisor of a marketing team, is concerned about John’s continuous poor performance and arranges to have a meeting with him. This session helps Cindy identify that John was facing a problem of substance abuse. She then suggests that John take a disability leave to get treatment. Which of the following approaches to counseling has Cindy adopted?
- Nondirective counseling
- Academic counseling
- C. Directive counseling
- Grief counseling
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, Cindy has used directive counseling. Directive counseling is an approach to counseling in which a supervisor asks an employee questions about a specific problem; when the supervisor understands the problem, he or she suggests ways to handle it.
- Adil, the supervisor of a development team, is concerned about Rita’s performance at work. He decides to utilize the most focused approach to counseling and has a meeting with Rita to help solve her problem. Which of the following is the first step that Adil would take in this method of counseling?
- Suggesting ways to handle Rita’s problem
- B. Asking Rita questions about her problem
- Listening to Rita, encouraging her to look for the source of the problem
- Asking Rita to propose solutions and select one of them
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, the first step that Adil would take is asking Rita questions about her problem. The most focused approach to counseling is directive counseling, in which a supervisor asks an employee questions about a specific problem. The supervisor listens until he or she understands the source of the problem. Then the supervisor suggests ways to handle the problem.
- Daniel, the supervisor of a finance team, decides to utilize the most focused approach to counseling for dealing with Sophia’s performance issues at work. He calls Sophia for a meeting to help her solve the problem. In this method of counseling, which of the following would be the right step to take after Daniel asks Sophia questions about her problem?
- A. Daniel listens to Sophia’s answers until he understands the problem.
- Daniel primarily listens to Sophia, encouraging her to look for the source of her problem.
- Daniel suggests ways to handle Sophia’s problem.
- Sophia identifies her problem.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, after Daniel asks Sophia questions about her problem, he would listen to Sophia’s answers until he understands the problem. The most focused approach to counseling is directive counseling, in which a supervisor asks an employee questions about a specific problem. The supervisor listens until he or she understands the source of the problem. Then the supervisor suggests ways to handle the problem.
- Rohan, an employee at Sigma Tech, has performance issues at work. Samantha, his supervisor, is concerned about his work performance and thus decides to utilize the most focused approach to counseling. She asks Rohan to join her in a meeting in order to discuss and help him solve the problem. In this method of counseling, which of the following would be the right step to take after Samantha listens to Rohan’s answers until she understands the problem?
- Rohan identifies the problem.
- B. Samantha suggests ways to handle Rohan’s problem.
- Samantha encourages Rohan to look for the source of the problem.
- Rohan proposes solutions and selects one of them.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: After Samantha listens to Rohan’s answers until she understands the problem, Samantha should suggest ways to handle Rohan’s problem. The most focused approach to counseling is directive counseling, in which a supervisor asks an employee questions about a specific problem. The supervisor listens until he or she understands the source of the problem. Then the supervisor suggests ways to handle the problem.
- Ashton’s supervisor Carol notices that he is always late to work. She discusses the matter with Ashton and makes him realize how his behavior is affecting everyone in the department. Carol encourages him to analyze the problem and listens to what Ashton has to say. Ashton realizes that the reason behind his being late is that he is running too many errands in the morning. So, he decides to run his personal errands during lunch and after work. In this scenario, which type of counseling approach has been used?
- A. Nondirective counseling
- Reverse psychology
- Directive counseling
- Grief therapy
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, Carol has used nondirective counseling. Nondirective counseling is an approach to counseling in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- Nondirective counseling is best defined as an approach to counseling in which the supervisor
- A. primarily listens, encouraging the employee to seek the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- asks questions and then suggests ways to handle the problem, after he or she understands the problem.
- plays an authoritative role and dictates the guidelines to the employee.
- makes the employee realize his or her fault and reprimands the employee.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Nondirective counseling is an approach to counseling in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- Kim leaves office early every day because she has to look after her alcoholic brother at home. Her supervisor, James, notices that she mostly stays only for a few hours at work. He decides to use the nondirective method of counseling for discussing her problem. Which of the following is the first step that James would take in this method of counseling?
- James would suggest ways to handle her alcoholic brother.
- James would help Kim resolve her financial difficulties.
- James would suggest to use a time log in order to handle the problem.
- D. James would listen to Kim, encouraging her to look for the source of the problem.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the nondirective method of counseling, James would first listen to Kim, encouraging her to look for the source of the problem. Nondirective counseling is an approach to counseling in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- Sam, who works for Tech Solutions Corp., has performance issues at work. Lily, Sam’s supervisor, is concerned about his work performance and decides to use the nondirective method of counseling. She asks Sam to join her in a meeting in order to discuss and help him solve the problem. In this method of counseling, which of the following would be the right step to take after Lily listens to Sam about his problem?
- Lily would suggest ways to handle the problem.
- Sam would encourage Lily to look for the source of the problem.
- Sam would propose solutions to the problem and select one of them.
- D. Sam would identify the problem after finding the source of the problem.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, Sam would identify the problem after finding the source of the problem. Nondirective counseling is an approach to counseling in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- Hussain, the supervisor of a finance team, decides to utilize the nondirective method of counseling for dealing with Susanna’s performance issues at work. He calls Susanna for a meeting to help her solve the problem. In this method of counseling, which of the following would be the right step to take after Susanna identifies the problem?
- Hussain would ask questions about the problem
- B. Susanna would propose solutions and select one of them
- Hussain would listen to Susanna’s answers until he understands the problem
- Hussain would suggests ways to handle the problem
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In the given scenario, Susanna would propose solutions and select one of them right after she identifies the problem. Nondirective counseling is an approach to counseling in which the supervisor primarily listens, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- After having a discussion on what the problem is, which is the next step of the counseling interview process?
- Selecting a solution for the problem
- B. Considering possible solutions to the problem
- Scheduling a follow-up meeting
- Identifying the pros and cons of the problem
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The counseling interview starts with a discussion of what the problem is. It then moves to a consideration of possible solutions and the selection of one solution to try. The interview ends with the supervisor scheduling a follow-up meeting.
- In the counseling interview process, which step comes right after the consideration of possible solutions to a problem?
- A. Selecting a solution for the problem
- Discussing what the problem is
- Identifying the pros and cons of the problem
- Scheduling a follow-up meeting
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The counseling interview starts with a discussion of what the problem is. It then moves to a consideration of possible solutions and the selection of one solution to try. The interview ends with the supervisor scheduling a follow-up meeting.
- What is the last step of the counseling interview process?
- Identifying the pros and cons of a problem
- Discussing what the problem is
- C. Scheduling a follow-up meeting
- Selecting a solution for the problem
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The counseling interview starts with a discussion of what the problem is. It then moves to a consideration of possible solutions and the selection of one solution to try. The interview ends with the supervisor scheduling a follow-up meeting.
- A salesperson in a hardware store has a 10-year-old son with behavior problems, and this is affecting his work. The supervisor gets to know about this and plans counseling sessions with him. In one of these sessions, the supervisor says, “I’ve noticed that we haven’t received any more customer complaints about your service and, in fact, one customer told me you went out of your way to help.” From the given information, identify the stage in which the process of counseling has most likely reached.
- Selecting a solution
- Considering possible solutions
- C. Scheduling a follow-up meeting
- Discussing the problem
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The counselling process has reached the scheduled follow-up meeting stage. Supervisors should schedule a follow-up meeting, which should take place just after an employee begins to see some results. At the follow-up meeting, the employee and the supervisor review their plans and discuss whether the problem has been or is being resolved.
- Who among the following should begin a counseling interview?
- If an employee requested help, the supervisor should begin.
- Irrespective of who requested the counseling, the supervisor should begin.
- C. If a supervisor set up the interview because something seemed wrong, the supervisor should begin.
- If a supervisor set up the interview because something seemed wrong, the manager should begin.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The person who requested the counseling begins by describing the problem. If the employee requested help, the employee should begin. If the supervisor set up the interview because something seemed wrong, the supervisor should begin.
- Which of the following is the most common reason behind employees becoming emotional during counseling sessions?
- Counseling involves talking about personalities instead of behaviors.
- B. Counseling involves the personal problems of employees.
- Supervisors tend to have angry outbursts during counseling.
- Supervisors become sympathetic and forgive employees’ behavior during counseling.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Because counseling often occurs as a result of an employee’s personal problems, the employee may be emotional during counseling sessions. The supervisor needs to be prepared for crying, angry outbursts, and other signs of emotion.
- Which of the following is true of counseling?
- The most appropriate time for counseling an employee is when the supervisor feels threatened that the employee might contend for his or her position.
- Counseling gives employees a sense that the supervisor and organization are interfering in their personal issues and hence should be avoided.
- A counseling interview should ideally start with the employer reprimanding the employee for his or her lapse.
- D. During the counseling session, the supervisor should focus on the behavior and performance of the employee rather than who they are.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: The supervisor should focus on behavior and performance—what people do, not who they are—and encourage the employee to do the same.
- Which of the following is the most effective way to end constant whining and complaining by an employee with a problem behavior?
- A. Asking the employee to suggest solutions
- Scheduling a follow-up meeting about the problem
- Describing appropriate and inappropriate ways to express emotions
- Reassuring the employee that these signs of emotion are neither good nor bad
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Employees are more likely to cooperate in a solution they helped develop. Asking an employee to suggest solutions can be an especially effective way to end constant whining and complaining by that employee.
- Jeniffer, a supervisor of a customer service team, is concerned about Mark’s performance. She decides to talk to Mark and schedules a meeting with him. If Jeniffer is using the directive counseling approach, which of the following should be Jeniffer’s first step?
- A. She should ask Mark questions about his problem.
- She should propose possible solutions to Mark’s problem.
- She should encourage Mark to look for the source of the problem.
- She should primarily just listen to Mark.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: If Jeniffer is using the directive counseling approach, her first step should be to ask Mark questions about his problem. The next step is to listen to the employee to understand the source of the problem.
- Alex, a supervisor of a manufacturing unit, is concerned about Keith’s work performance. Alex decides to set up a meeting with Keith to understand the situation better. In the context of the counseling interview, which of the following should be Alex’s first step?
- Alex should begin the meeting by scheduling a follow-up meeting with Keith.
- B. Alex should begin the meeting with a discussion of what the problem is.
- Alex should offer Keith a list of possible solutions to his problems.
- Alex should allow Keith to select one possible solution to try and see if it works for him.
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: Alex should start the counseling interview with a discussion of what the problem is. It should then move to a consideration of possible solutions and the selection of one solution to try.
- Katherine, a floor supervisor, finds out that her secretary, Joanne, has been coming to work rather late. Katherine sets up a meeting with Joanne and listens to what she has to say. Katherine encourages Joanne to analyze the problem and explains how Joanne’s coming late to work is affecting the departmental processes as well as the other employees. Joanne realizes that the reason behind her being late to work is that she has been taking care of her sickly daughter, Susan. So, she decides to hire a nanny to help take care of Susan. In the context of counseling techniques, which of the following types of approaches has been used in this scenario?
- Grief counseling
- Rehabilitation counseling
- C. Nondirective counseling
- Relationship counseling
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-03: Describe counseling techniques.
Topic: Counseling
Feedback: In this scenario, Katherine uses nondirective counseling. With this approach, a supervisor should primarily listen, encouraging the employee to look for the source of the problem and propose possible solutions.
- Which of the following terms is defined as the permanent removal of an employee from a job?
- Warning
- Suspension
- Demotion
- D. Dismissal
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 12-04: Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.
Topic: Discipline
Feedback: Dismissal is the permanent removal of an employee from a job. The organization cannot really regard dismissal as a success because it then has to recruit, hire, and train a new employee.
- Jerry is a supervisor in a manufacturing company. He observes Kate displaying certain undesirable behaviors in team meetings. Jerry sets up a meeting with Kate to discuss the issue further. In the meeting, Jerry says, “Kate, I have noticed that in the last couple of team meetings, you have arrived late. This tends to disrupt the meetings and leads your colleagues to take you less seriously. I expect you will put in more efforts to be punctual, or there will be consequences.” Which of the following terms refers to the disciplinary measure exemplified in this scenario?
- A. Warning
- 360-degree feedback
- Detour behavior
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-04: Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.
Topic: Discipline
Feedback: In this scenario, Jerry is using the disciplinary measure of warning the employee. A warning may be either written or oral.
- John, the chief supervisor of a manufacturing company, is conducting an investigation into a series of allegations of theft levelled against Moby, a mechanist. In order to control the situation and conduct a fair enquiry in the matter, John asks Moby not to come to work for a period of three weeks. John also informs Moby that during the span of investigation, the company will not pay Moby. Which of the following disciplinary measures is exemplified in this scenario?
- Warning
- B. Suspension
- Demotion
- Dismissal
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-04: Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.
Topic: Discipline
Feedback: In this scenario, John is using the disciplinary measure of suspension. A suspension is the requirement that an employee not come to work for a set period of time, during which the employee is not paid.
- Mary was promoted to the position of senior editor in a publication firm last year. However, soon after she started working as a senior editor, she realized that the job was more than she could handle. She began neglecting her work, and her productivity dipped. Her supervisor, Pete, noticing her performance issues, transfers her to the role of junior editor, the position she held before. Which of the following disciplinary measures is exemplified in this scenario?
- Suspension
- Warning
- C. Demotion
- Dismissal
AACSB: Analytic
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 12-04: Discuss effective ways of administering discipline.
Topic: Discipline
Feedback: In this scenario, Pete is using the disciplinary measure of demotion. A demotion is the transfer of an employee to a job with less responsibility and usually lower pay.
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