1. It is commonly known that one of the senior vice presidents in your company has a business on the side that involves maintenance of electronic copy machines, including Xerox and Cannon. When your company begins its search for a new vendor to handle copier maintenance, the senior vice president raises his hand and says he can give the company a really good deal on the cost of a machine maintenance contract. What should you do when you hear this?

2. Rolly has been director of HR at his company for 2 years. He is now facing the task of making use of all the employee data that is available to him. What should he do?

3. Shirley is new to her job as director of human resources. She has been asked by the CEO to prepare a business case supporting HR’s representation in executive strategic planning sessions. What should Shirley do to create that business case?

4. There is so much data involved in HR problems. How is a new HR professional supposed to handle it all?

5. Allison is the HR manager in her organization. She has just been told she must find a supplier for employee service awards. As it turns out, she is well acquainted with all of the local companies offering such products. One of them is owned by her husband. Given that circumstance, what should Allison do about placing an order?

6. Anton has been VP of HR for 3 years now. He has been gradually adding metrics to the HR department since he took over as leader. Are there practical limits to the amount of metrics that can exist in an organization?

7. It is Thursday, and just as you reach your desk, the phone rings. On the other end of the line is an employee saying one of the company’s executives sexually assaulted her. After a 3-month-long investigation, you have gathered volumes of testimony from the employee’s co-workers. But there were no witnesses to the assault. And the executive has denied all charges. He didn’t even contend a consensual encounter was behind the current complaint. He just says, “Nothing happened.” During the complaint investigation you discover this accused executive is the key contact for your company with a major international customer. What will you do at the conclusion of the investigation, assuming the employee has more credibility than the executive in this complaint? There are no witnesses to the assault, but co-worker statements support the employee’s credibility as well. The company sees itself as an ethical organization, and it rewards managers for ethical behavior on occasion.

8. When inputs to HR on any given workday become so varied and intense, the HR professionals must do what?

9. Latisha is a new HR analyst. She has been tasked with training her contacts in client departments on the changes in medical insurance benefit programs for this year. How should she handle that assignment?

10. Renaldo has just been appointed director of HR. At the same time, the company has announced a merger that will result in a new line of business. How can Renaldo make the transition easier for the merging company employees?

11. It is Thursday, and just as you reach your desk, the phone rings. On the other end of the line is an employee saying one of the company’s executives sexually assaulted her. After a 3-month-long investigation, you have gathered volumes of testimony from the employee’s co-workers. But there were no witnesses to the assault. And the executive has denied all charges. He didn’t even contend a consensual encounter was behind the current complaint. He just says, “Nothing happened.” During the complaint investigation you discover this accused executive is the key contact for your company with a major international customer. What will you do at the conclusion of the investigation, assuming the employee has more credibility than the executive in this complaint? There are no witnesses to the assault, but co-worker statements support the employee’s credibility as well. The company sees itself as an ethical organization, and it rewards managers for ethical behavior on occasion.

12. Elliot has just been invited to present an analysis of employee benefit programs that the executive team wants to consider for use beginning next year. How should he do that?

13. Rolly has been director of HR at his company for 2 years. He is now facing the task of making use of all the employee data that is available to him. What should he do?

14. When inputs to HR on any given workday become so varied and intense, the HR professionals must do what?

15. Shimone has been recently promoted to senior HR representative. On nearly the first day of her work in the new position, one of her internal clients comes to her with a request to approve an expense voucher. When she reads the voucher, she sees it will be a payment to a foreign government agency to help facilitate her company’s sale of product to their country. What ethical issues, if any, should Shimone be cognizant of?

16. Sofia has just been asked to draft a new policy for employee engagement efforts and programs. What key components should her analysis include?

17. Elliott is a senior HR analyst in his organization. What impact do you think new state and federal laws will have on his work?

18. Sadie is a new HR analyst, and this is her first professional HR job. Her first assignment is to determine how other companies in the area are handling the problem cost of housing is creating for employee recruiting. What should Sadie keep in mind above all else?

19. Juanita is the HR representative for her assigned department. She handles all of the HR issues that come up. Recently, Juanita saw an article in the news about a new requirement that will likely impact her company’s workers. She decides that the company lawyers will probably take responsibility for digesting that information and distributing it to the HR professionals. What would you tell Juanita about her decision?

20. The best way managers and HR professionals can learn from others is to:

21. Savanah has just been appointed to the HR staff as an entry-level professional. What should she recognize about the need for critical evaluation in her decision-making?

22. There is so much data involved in HR problems. How is a new HR professional supposed to handle it all?

23. Sofia has just been asked to draft a new policy for employee engagement efforts and programs. What key components should her analysis include?

24. When Achmed became an HR professional, there were only four people in the HR department. The other three staff members were women. Achmed has trouble working with women and giving them the respect they deserve. Nonetheless, he attempts to be careful to make sure that doesn’t interfere with his personal job interactions. Achmed should do the following to be sure his bias doesn’t impact his job-related decision-making.

25. Allison is the HR manager in her organization. She has just been told she must find a supplier for employee service awards. As it turns out, she is well acquainted with all of the local companies offering such products. One of them is owned by her husband. Given that circumstance, what should Allison do about placing an order?