Free Human Resources Basics MCQs with Answers

29 Human Resources Basics MCQs from Introduction to Business, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Human resource management plans an organisation's workforce and matches people with suitable jobs through recruitment, selection, induction and placement. It also covers training, performance appraisal, compensation, promotion, employee relations, workplace safety and the distinction between personnel administration and strategic human resource management.

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29 questions · page 1 of 2

  • A. Managing an organisation's financial investments
  • B. Planning and managing people at work
  • C. Controlling the production machinery
  • D. Promoting products to target customers

Explanation: Human resource management involves planning, acquiring, developing, rewarding and retaining employees.

Correct answer: Planning and managing people at work
  • A. To determine the market price of a product
  • B. To calculate the organisation's annual profit
  • C. To identify job duties and requirements
  • D. To measure customer satisfaction levels

Explanation: Job analysis systematically identifies a job's duties, responsibilities, working conditions and required qualifications.

Correct answer: To identify job duties and requirements
  • A. Job specification
  • B. Training schedule
  • C. Selection test
  • D. Job description

Explanation: A job description states the tasks, responsibilities, reporting relationships and conditions of a job.

Correct answer: Job description
  • A. Recruitment attracts applicants, while selection chooses among them
  • B. Recruitment trains applicants, while selection evaluates salaries
  • C. Recruitment dismisses workers, while selection promotes managers
  • D. Recruitment audits records, while selection prepares budgets

Explanation: Recruitment is the process of finding and encouraging suitable people to apply for a vacancy.

Correct answer: Recruitment attracts applicants, while selection chooses among them
  • A. Negotiating a long-term loan with a bank
  • B. Introducing a new employee to the organisation
  • C. Preparing a firm's sales forecast
  • D. Auditing the firm's inventory records

Explanation: Orientation, or onboarding, familiarises a new employee with the organisation, job, policies, colleagues and workplace.

Correct answer: Introducing a new employee to the organisation
  • A. The organisation's historical accounts
  • B. A competitor's future strategy
  • C. The employee's present job
  • D. A customer's personal budget

Explanation: Training usually focuses on knowledge and skills needed for an employee's current job or immediate duties.

Correct answer: The employee's present job
  • A. Job rotation
  • B. Exit interviewing
  • C. Piece-rate payment
  • D. 360-degree feedback

Explanation: 360-degree feedback collects performance information from several groups who interact with the employee.

Correct answer: 360-degree feedback
  • A. Basic salary
  • B. Medical leave
  • C. Flexible working hours
  • D. Employee recognition

Explanation: Basic salary is direct financial compensation because it is paid to the employee for performing work.

Correct answer: Basic salary
  • A. Transfer of products between warehouses
  • B. Movement of employees into and out of an organisation
  • C. Change in the ownership of company shares
  • D. Rotation of cash between bank accounts

Explanation: Employee turnover refers to employees leaving an organisation and being replaced by others over a period.

Correct answer: Movement of employees into and out of an organisation
  • A. To calculate the cost of office equipment
  • B. To reduce the number of customer complaints
  • C. To prepare people for important future positions
  • D. To replace all temporary workers immediately

Explanation: Succession planning identifies and develops employees who may fill key positions when vacancies arise.

Correct answer: To prepare people for important future positions
  • A. Employee handbook
  • B. Job evaluation
  • C. Performance standard
  • D. Job specification

Explanation: A job specification lists the education, skills, experience and other qualities needed to perform a job.

Correct answer: Job specification
  • A. An interview conducted only by the department manager
  • B. An interview using planned questions for each candidate
  • C. An interview allowing candidates to select the questions
  • D. An interview based entirely on informal conversation

Explanation: A structured interview uses predetermined questions and often a common scoring method for all candidates.

Correct answer: An interview using planned questions for each candidate
  • A. Produces the same result repeatedly
  • B. Can be completed in a short time
  • C. Costs less than other selection methods
  • D. Measures qualities related to job performance

Explanation: Validity means that a selection method accurately measures or predicts qualities relevant to successful job performance.

Correct answer: Measures qualities related to job performance
  • A. A sense of achievement from completing meaningful work
  • B. A monthly salary paid through the payroll system
  • C. A cash bonus awarded for exceeding a target
  • D. A medical allowance included in the benefits package

Explanation: Intrinsic rewards arise from the work itself, such as achievement, responsibility or personal growth.

Correct answer: A sense of achievement from completing meaningful work
  • A. Basic wages paid for regular hours
  • B. Employer-provided health insurance
  • C. Commission earned on completed sales
  • D. A cash payment for overtime work

Explanation: Indirect compensation consists of benefits provided in addition to direct pay, such as health insurance, pensions or paid leave.

Correct answer: Employer-provided health insurance
  • A. To approve the organization's annual budget
  • B. To determine the market price of company products
  • C. To provide a channel for resolving employee complaints
  • D. To assign production targets to each department

Explanation: A grievance procedure gives employees an established process for raising and resolving workplace complaints.

Correct answer: To provide a channel for resolving employee complaints
  • A. Government agencies inspect workplace equipment
  • B. Customers negotiate prices with competing suppliers
  • C. Managers assign tasks to individual employees
  • D. Employees and management negotiate employment conditions

Explanation: Collective bargaining involves negotiations between an employer and employee representatives, often a trade union, over wages and working…

Correct answer: Employees and management negotiate employment conditions
  • A. The number of employees promoted during a year
  • B. The frequency of employees being absent from work
  • C. The length of time employees remain in one position
  • D. The proportion of applicants hired after interviews

Explanation: Absenteeism concerns employee absence from scheduled work, whether measured by days, hours or incidents.

Correct answer: The frequency of employees being absent from work
  • A. The same duties in a different work location
  • B. Less responsibility and lower organizational status
  • C. Greater responsibility and higher status
  • D. Temporary duties without a change in position

Explanation: A promotion normally moves an employee upward to a job with greater responsibility, authority and status, often with increased pay.

Correct answer: Greater responsibility and higher status
  • A. To prepare annual financial statements
  • B. To negotiate contracts with labor unions
  • C. To design products for target customers
  • D. To store and process employee-related data

Explanation: An HRIS stores and processes information such as employee records, attendance, payroll data and leave balances.

Correct answer: To store and process employee-related data

Human Resources Basics MCQs: common questions

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There are 29 Human Resources Basics MCQs in the Introduction to Business bank, shown 20 to a page with the correct answer and an explanation on each.

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