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| Subject: NKE Fall 2010 - Week Eight |
Posted by NKE: 9/6/2010 |
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Last week I asked Q: What are a union’s obligations with respect to the accommodation of employees? Answer: Unions have a duty to participate in the effort to accommodate an employee if they have been party to discrimination against that employee in the first place, either by participating in the creation of discriminatory work rule or by impeding efforts at accommodation. If a union has discriminated against the employee by participating in the formation of a discriminatory work rule, then the union has a joint responsibility with the employer for accommodating the employee in question. If no action is taken to accommodate the employee, both the union and the employer may be held liable for the discrimination.
Remember taking compensation in college/ university/ NKE prep? Well I’m sure most of us thought the course material was quite dry, but we all know how important it is to get paid, have benefits, be eligible for a pension plan, etc.
This chapter concentrates on comp. ratios/ formulas, but also includes the theory behind compensation. You should focus on understanding the major concepts. It is also a good idea to look at the flow charts on pages 299 – 301. These are great visuals to really understand the compensation elements. Compensation does not only include salary or base pay, but also takes into consideration educational assistance, retirement plans, and so on.
Next, it is important to understand motivation and its connection to compensation. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a critical component to understand because in order for an employee to be satisfied with their job they must have their basic needs met. This includes survival and safety needs.
So if there is anything that you take away from this blog and/ or study guide it is to read a book called, ‘First Break All the Rules’ (Gallup, 1999). It is available at Chapters in the leadership book section. I was assigned this book in a leadership class and absolutely loved the book. I couldn’t put the book down. The reason I am saying this is because on page 325 of your study guide they refer to this book. The book goes into detail about 12 rules to follow. These rules allow employees to measure their own workplace to determine the strengths (and weaknesses) of the organization. It is absolutely a must read for all managers, especially within HR!
This week a blog reader asked: “Can you terminate for cause based on an employee’s actions/ activities outside of working hours?” This is a very complex question because every situation is different! If the action impedes on an employees work performance then it could potentially lead to termination for cause. It is also important for the employer to assess whether the behaviour is related to an illness/ disability. For example, if a driver receives a DUI/ impaired driving conviction and their job requires them to drive than it is a possibility that termination for cause could occur. BUT, if this employee suffers from an alcoholic addiction (and has a disability) then it is the employer’s responsibility to accommodate (perhaps refer the employee to an employee assistance program). The employer may be required to provide counselling and further assistance to the employee.
It is also important for the employer to review contractual agreements that they may have with the employee. This would be especially important if the contract involves a professional athlete. Professional athletes usually have moral clauses in their contracts. If they have these clauses that prohibit them from engaging in objectionable conduct, such as drug use, sexual offenses and/ or any other criminal act that would bring disrepute to the team then this would be highly detrimental due to their public profile. This is why it truly depends on the situation between the employee and the employer. Hope this brings some clarification.
Now, that we are in September lets crack down on our studying. Less than four weeks to go... yikes!
Good luck studying!
Michelle |
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| Subject: NKE Fall 2010 - Week Seven |
Posted by NKE: 9/2/2010 |
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Are you having a hard time fitting studying time into your busy schedules? I am! But, just think one more month to go! Being prepared is the first step to remaining calm and to have a stress-free September.
This chapter is one of the most theoretical parts of the study guide. Understanding the employment relationship between organized labour and management is one way to understand the values and the leadership of both parties involved.
Every relationship can open the door to potential conflict. In order to manage conflict it is essential to understand the different conflict management styles. These include: compromising, collaborating, competing, avoiding and accommodating. To ensure that both parties ‘win’ or to create a mutually acceptable solution it may be wise to use a compromising and/ or collaborating approach.
Employees will likely join a union if they feel that their needs/ interests are not being met. Having a union represent them will require a collective agreement to be formed, which will be negotiated between management and the union. There are various stages involved when an organization becomes unionized, so it is important to review the clauses, processes of collective agreement, contract zone steps, grievance procedures and the various types of disputes.
Becoming aware of the legal framework can be overwhelming, yet very informative. The online book “Employment and Labour Law” that is included in the Gold package, provides in-depth coverage that supplements the Study Guide chapter.
To see a diagram of the labour relations systems in further detail go to page 279. Analyze the impact of external inputs, actors and internal inputs on the system. This shows the importance of good communication between management and employees.
The question of the week is: What are a union’s obligations with respect to the accommodation of employees?
Suggested Exam Preparation steps:
Step One: Access the online assessment test free with your purchase (you will have two times access only). This assessment will provide you with feedback on your strengths and weaknesses in the seven exam areas as well as an overall mark that you can use as a benchmark to gage your likelihood of success on the actual exam. Follow the instructions very carefully! Build a study plan based on this feedback - focus on your weaknesses and reinforce your strengths.
Step Two: Access the online learning module free with your purchase. This module is designed to help you gain, retain, recall and reuse the knowledge and skills outlined in the Study Guide. It is important to approach this exam from a professional perspective (action orientation) NOT an academic perspective (memorization orientation).
Step Three: Visit our Facebook Group: Canadian HR Press - Guides & Resources and this blog (and the blog archive)on a weekly basis. Participate in the discussions!
Step Four: Begin studying the Study Guide by reading the “Read Me First”, Introduction, Contributors and Required Professional Capabilities (RPCs) sections. Use your study plan to allocate time and focus on your weaknesses and reinforce your strengths. Be sure to incorporate the supplemental material (Employment Standards Q&A, HR Quick Selector and Online Books (Gold package only)) that came with your package into your study plan.
Step Five: Read the Knowledge sections and complete the activities included in the Study Guide. You are encouraged to conduct independent research on topics you require more information on. Bring your book(s) with you wherever you go…study when and where you want!
Step Six: Use the sample multiple choice questions by completing a set of questions every week – DO NOT ATTEMPT ALL QUESTIONS IN ONE SITTING! Save the last 75 until close to the exam. For example, if you have a ten week study plan, complete 30 questions per week saving the last 75 for step nine.
Step Seven: Close to the actual exam date - Use your second access to the online assessment test free with your purchase. This assessment will provide you with feedback on your strengths and weaknesses in the seven exam areas as well as an overall mark that you can use as a benchmark to gage your likelihood of success on the actual exam and compare to your results in step one. Follow the instructions very carefully!
Step Eight: Review the knowledge areas that you are weak in.
Step Nine: Use the remaining 75 sample questions to practice your timing in answering multiple choice questions. You should set aside 90 minutes to answer 75 questions.
Step Ten: Relax knowing that you have completed Canada’s most comprehensive program for preparing for the NKE Exam!
Good luck studying!
Michelle |
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| Subject: NKE Fall 2010 - Week Six |
Posted by NKE: 8/23/2010 |
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| Happy August everyone!
Our question from last week: What happens if an employee gets sick while collecting maternity or parental benefits? Answer: Employment insurance provides sick benefits for a period of up to 15 weeks. Sick benefits can be combined with maternity or parental benefits, up to a maximum of 50 weeks in total.
How is your studying going so far? We have only 6 weeks to go!
I recently spoke with a friend who wrote the NKE last October. Her advice was to review glossaries, whether they are in textbooks (from the 9 pre-requisite courses) or at the back of our Canadian HR Press Study Guide. Repetition and practice makes perfect! Using this tool will not only be a great refresher, but it will identify which areas you need to focus on.
This week instead of focusing solely on a chapter I went through the 50+ page glossary at the back of the study guide. Not only did I review all of the terms, but I put a star beside each term that I felt I needed to review even further. I also underlined key words in each definition. This is one way I am able to recall key terms.
You should also take advantage of the Online Learning Module that comes with the 2010 NKE Packages as it helps you to develop good study habits and will definitely help with retention of content like glossaries.
Remember that reading the terms once, will not be enough. Always refer to terms in the glossary for further clarification while studying the chapters. It will also be important to re-read the terms right before the exam.
For those of you who have created study groups please share some study tips on our Facebook page. Our ‘group name is: Canadian HR Press – Guides & Resources.
Till next week’s blog, have a wonderful week.
Michelle
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| Subject: NKE Fall 2010 Week 5: Staffing |
Posted by NKE: 8/15/2010 |
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First let’s answer last week’s question of the week: Do Part-Time Employees Have a Right to Vacations with Pay? The answer: Absolutely! All employees covered by employment standards laws must receive vacations with pay. However, since vacation pay is calculated as a percentage of annual earnings, part-time employees may receive less vacation pay than full-time colleagues.
Well, it took me a while to get through this week’s section - Staffing. Additionally, since this section counts for 19.8% of the NKE exam (approx. 30 questions out of the 150 on the exam), I feel a little nervous about it. For me personally, I find the easiest way to study is to highlight the most important sections (i.e. HR planning, recruitment, selection, employment offers, orientation, termination and privacy). This way you can go back to the section and review the material again closer to the exam date. I encourage you to go through the Online Learning Module that is available for Canadian HR Press customers, as it contains excellent study techniques that we will all benefit from! Remember NOT to try to memorize content - rather study to comprehend and apply the information by continually asking yourself: “Why is this important to HR Professionals?”
So first is first, what is the difference between recruitment and selection? Well this week I made a chart to summarize the key points for each. Recruitment has to do with creating a pool of applicants and Selection is actually making a decision to hire (or to not hire) an applicant. The distinction is important - I remember one of my professors continuously stressing the importance of each term in greater detail.
When creating your chart also analyze the various methods of recruiting and perhaps list the pros and cons of each. For example help wanted ads are great for small companies in the food or retail industries, yet they may not attract the best applicants in large organizations. Most organizations today are recruiting candidates using online methods, such as Workopolis.ca or Monster.ca. This type of recruiting is becoming the norm for organizations, therefore HR professionals must be aware of new recruiting trends in order to attract and retain the best talent.
For those of you who are recent graduates it may be useful to speak with a colleague or mentor regarding their own staffing experiences. I have not had many opportunities to recruit or select candidates for various positions, but I found that taking tips from experienced professionals can be very helpful. I spoke with a mentor recently and he suggested to always write down detailed notes following an interview. This will reduce error when evaluating candidates for a position. It is also a good idea to have more than one employee interviewing a candidate because this will reduce bias and ensure procedural justice.
So where are you right now in your study plan? We have 6 more weeks left to study. Are you on track?
The question of the week is:
Q: What happens if an employee gets sick while collecting maternity or parental benefits?
Have a great study week!
Michelle |
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| Subject: NKE Fall 2010 Week 4 - Organizational What? |
Posted by NKE: 8/9/2010 |
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This week let’s review the Organizational Effectiveness (OE) chapter. This knowledge area represents 8% of the exam content or about 12 multiple choice questions out of the 150 on the exam.
To fully understand the organizational effectiveness component, every HR professional must be knowledgeable about organizational development (also known as OD). OD is based on change, which is why the study guide goes into greater detail regarding the various kinds of change practices that can take place (operational, strategic, cultural, paradigm). Many individuals and organizations are afraid of change because it often encompasses the unknown, but let’s remember that to remain competitive CHANGE must take place in order to continuously improve.
When you’re studying try to imagine scenarios. Think about a situation, whether at work or at home, when a major change has taken place. Were you originally in denial? Were you resistant? This is normal! Often employees will go through the four stages: denial, resistance, exploration, commitment. The Study Guide also highlights that employees may go through these stages several times and some change initiatives fail because the employee may be completely resistant to change. In order to overcome this barrier as an HR professional it is important to have open communication with all employees and involve them regularly to instill feelings of empowerment.
Now that you have reviewed this section, what do you think? Do you feel like you have a better idea of organizational effectiveness, OD and change? Are you still overwhelmed? If so, go to the ‘Learning Objectives’ at the beginning of each part/ section and ensure that you have covered the key points. You may even want to make a checklist for yourself for each section.
This week a blog reader named Ivo asked...“ What is the PEST Analysis?” Firstly, I had to read this section twice in my study guide because I was wondering the same thing. I forgot that I took a course called ‘strategic management’ which covered this material. It was a course that was based on case studies and we often used this analytical tool to review organizations environments on an external level.
This means that when you are evaluating a firm/ company/ organization you can look at the Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors that impact the organization. To do so, you can use the questions on page 80 of the study guide in the ‘professional practice’ section to do an external analysis of an organization. Remember that to do an internal analysis you can use SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), which is covered beginning on page 78. In addition you can review the diagram on pg. 80 to see the bigger picture. Most of the material within HR is interconnected, so keep this in mind while studying.
For those of you who also feel overwhelmed about the ‘professional practice’ chapter, especially if you have minimal experience remember to stay focused. If you are worried, review the ‘professional practice’ chapter in greater detail; read the chapter over again, do the questions throughout the chapter, go back to your textbooks and look at scenario’s/ examples/ case studies. Be sure to review the RPCs frequently as these form the basis of what is being tested on the NKE exam. All of this will make you feel more prepared and the nerves will eventually go away.
In Ontario there is a misconception that just because you passed the nine required courses that you will be successful on the NKE exam. Unfortunately this is NOT TRUE. The following knowledge areas are not covered by the Ontario required courses: Professional Practices, Organizational Effectiveness and Organizational Learning - these three make up 50% of the exam and Ontario has historically had one of the lowest pass rates in the country - ouch!
I also received an email about how overwhelming the study guide/ material may be. I feel the exact same way, but this is why creating a study plan is crucial. We have 8 weeks left before the exam, which gives you plenty of time. Each week decide what chapter you are going to cover. I am personally doing the chapters in order, based on what the study guide has. Then review the glossary, multiple choice questions (at the back of the study guide), online tests, online books and visit the Facebook page using the search words: Canadian HR Press – Guides and Resources. Also, you may decide to create a study group. This will be a great way to review material and ask questions of others studying for the NKE. Check out week one’s blog for a detailed ten step Study Plan: www.canadianhrpress.ca/blog_detail.asp?user_id=3&id=180
From now on each week I will post an employment standards question on each blog. This will be one way to review important Canadian legislation.
This week’s question:
Do Part-Time Employees Have a Right to Vacations with Pay?
‘Till next week!
Michelle |
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