WGU Managing-Human-Capital - WGU Managing Human Capital C202, UXC2

Internal recruiting involves filling job vacancies with current employees from within the organization. One significant benefit of this approach is that it enhances employee engagement and morale. When employees see that the organization values their growth and offers opportunities for advancement, they are more likely to be motivated, committed, and loyal. This practice also reduces the time and cost associated with onboarding and training new hires, as internal candidates are already familiar with the company's culture and processes.

Motivation can originate from internal or external sources. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler,intrinsic motivationoccurs when employees are driven by internal satisfaction, enjoyment, or fulfillment derived from the work itself rather than external rewards.

Employees who find their work meaningful, challenging, or personally rewarding are intrinsically motivated. Dessler emphasizes that intrinsic motivation is associated with higher levels of engagement, creativity, and long-term commitment because the motivation comes from within the individual rather than from pay, bonuses, or promotions.

External, extrinsic, or incentive motivation refers to behavior driven by external rewards or avoidance of punishment. Since the question specifies fulfillment from the work itself, the correct classification isintrinsic motivation.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Motivation and Engagement

Disparate Treatment:This involves deliberate discrimination where an individual is treated differently based on a protected characteristic (e.g., race, gender, age).

Intentionality:The key aspect of disparate treatment is the intent to discriminate.

Adverse Impact:Also known as disparate impact, this occurs when a policy or practice that appears neutral results in a disproportionate negative effect on a protected group.

Unintentional Discrimination:Adverse impact does not require intent to discriminate, only that the outcome of a practice is discriminatory.

Legal Standards:Both concepts are critical in employment law and are evaluated under different standards of proof and remediation.

The main reason for the failure of mergers and acquisitions is often a culture mismatch between the merging organizations. When two companies with different corporate cultures come together, clashes can occur if their values, beliefs, and ways of doing business do not align. This can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and a lack of cohesion, ultimately hindering the integration process and reducing the chances of a successful merger or acquisition.

"Mergers and Acquisitions: Managing Culture and Human Resources" by Mark E. Mendenhall and Gary R. Oddou

McKinsey & Company articles on mergers and acquisitions

Human resource planning is a critical function of human resource management that involves forecasting an organization’s future human resource needs and planning for how to meet those needs. This includes designing jobs and workspaces for optimal efficiency, ensuring the right number of employees with the right skills are in place, and aligning human resources with the organization's strategic goals. This planning ensures the organization can meet its future demands and remain competitive.

Human Resource Planning, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) website

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 establishes several key labor standards, including a national minimum wage, overtime pay eligibility, recordkeeping, and child labor regulations. The FLSA is administered by the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor and ensures that workers receive fair compensation and that minors are protected in the workplace.

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) website

Executive Order 11246:Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, this order requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure that equal opportunity is provided in all aspects of their employment.

Affirmative Action Plans:Contractors must develop and implement affirmative action plans to promote diversity and eliminate discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.

Enforcement:The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces these requirements and conducts compliance evaluations to ensure adherence.

Impact on Federal Contractors:This legislation has significantly impacted hiring practices and policies within organizations that do business with the federal government, promoting a more diverse and equitable workforce.

Mandatory benefits are benefits that employers are legally required to provide to employees. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, these benefits are established by federal and state laws to protect employees’ economic security and well-being.

Examples of mandatory benefits include Social Security, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and in some cases family and medical leave. Employers do not have discretion over whether to offer these benefits, as failure to comply can result in legal penalties.

Dessler distinguishes mandatory benefits from voluntary or customary benefits, which employers may offer to remain competitive or attract talent. Therefore, mandatory benefits are best defined as thoserequired by law.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Benefits and Legal Compliance

Askills inventoryis a database or record of employees’ current skills, abilities, experiences, education, and qualifications. According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, maintaining accurate skills inventories is especially valuable forworkforce redeployment efforts.

Dessler explains that organizations use skills inventories to match employees with internal job openings, project assignments, or new roles when business needs change. During restructuring, downsizing, or strategic shifts, skills inventories allow management to identify employees who can be reassigned or retrained rather than laid off. This supports internal mobility, reduces turnover costs, and preserves organizational knowledge.

Skills inventories are not primarily used for voluntary termination practices or legal hiring procedures. While they may indirectly support staffing decisions, they are far more critical for internal workforce planning than for external sourcing. External sourcing focuses on recruiting talent from outside the organization, whereas skills inventories emphasize maximizing the use of existing human capital.

Therefore, the activity most directly benefited by maintaining skills inventories isworkforce redeployment efforts.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Workforce Planning, Succession Planning, and Talent Management

According toHuman Resource Management, 16th Editionby Gary Dessler, employers are legally required to report serious workplace incidents to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within a specified time frame. OSHA regulations mandate that an employer must notify OSHAwithin 8 hoursof a workplace fatality or whenthree or more employees are hospitalizedas a result of a work-related incident.

This reporting requirement is part of OSHA’s broader mission to ensure safe and healthy working conditions by allowing the agency to investigate severe incidents promptly. Timely reporting enables OSHA to assess hazards, enforce safety standards, and prevent similar incidents in the future. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements can result in significant penalties and legal consequences for employers.

Dessler emphasizes that managers must be familiar with OSHA notification rules as part of their responsibility for employee safety and health. Immediate reporting reflects an organization’s commitment to legal compliance and reinforces the importance of maintaining a safe workplace. Therefore, the correct answer is8 hours.

Source:

Gary Dessler,Human Resource Management, 16th Edition, Chapter on Employee Safety and Health