This course focuses on the five functional areas that are the focus of the PHR/SPHR
exam.
Functional Area 1: Business Management
Using information about the organization and business environment to reinforce expectations,
influence decision-making, and avoid risk.
- Interpret and apply information related to general business environment and industry
best practices.
- Reinforce the organization’s core values, ethical and behavioral expectations through
modeling, communication, and coaching.
- Understand the role of cross-functional stakeholders in the organization and establish
relationships to influence decision-making.
- Recommend and implement best practices to mitigate risk (for example: lawsuits, internal/
external threats).
- Determine the significance of data for recommending organizational strategies (for
example: attrition rates, diversity in hiring, time to hire, time to fill, ROI, success
of training).
- Change management theory, methods, and application Risk Management.
- Qualitative and quantitative methods and tools for analytics.
- Dealing with situations that are uncertain, unclear, or chaotic.
Functional Area 2: Talent Planning and Acquisition
Identifying, attracting, and employing talent while following all federal laws related
to the hiring process.
- Understand federal laws and organizational policies to adhere to legal and ethical
requirements in hiring (for example: Title VII, nepotism, disparate impact, FLSA,
independent contractors).
- Develop and implement sourcing methods and techniques (for example: employee referrals,
diversity groups, and social media).
- Execute the talent acquisition lifecycle including interviews, extending offers, background
checks, salary negotiation, etc.
- Applicable federal laws and regulations related to talent planning and acquisition
activities.
- Planning concepts and terms (for example: succession planning, forecasting).
- Current market situation and talent pool availability.
- Staffing alternatives (for example: outsourcing, temporary employment).
- Interviewing and selection techniques, concepts, and terms.
- Applicant tracking systems and/or methods.
- Impact of total rewards on recruitment and retention.
- Candidate/employee testing processes and procedures.
- Verbal and written offers/contract techniques.
- New hire employee orientation processes and procedures.
- Internal workforce assessments such as: skills testing, workforce demographics, analysis.
- Transition techniques for corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence
processes, offshoring, and divestitures.
- Metrics to assess past and future staffing effectiveness including cost per hire,
selection ratios, adverse impact, etc.
Functional Area 3: Learning and Development
Contributing to the organization’s learning and development activities by implementing
and evaluating programs, providing internal consultation, and providing data.
- Provide consultation to managers and employees on professional growth and development
opportunities.
- Implement and evaluate career development and training programs such as career pathing,
management training, mentorship, etc.
- Contribute to succession planning discussions with management by providing relevant
data.
- Applicable federal laws and regulations related to learning and development activities.
- Learning and development theories and applications.
- Training program facilitation, techniques, and delivery.
- Adult learning processes.
- Instructional design principles and processes (for example: needs analysis, process
flow mapping).
- Techniques to assess training program effectiveness, including use of applicable metrics.
- Organizational development (OD) methods, motivation methods, and problem-solving techniques.
- Task/process analysis.
- Coaching and mentoring techniques.
- Employee retention concepts and applications.
- Techniques to encourage creativity and innovation.
Functional Area 4: Total Rewards
Implementing, promoting, and managing compensation and benefit programs in compliance
with federal laws.
- Manage compensation-related information and support payroll issue resolution.
- Implement and promote awareness of non-cash rewards, for example: paid volunteer time,
tuition assistance, workplace amenities, and employee recognition programs to name
a few.
- Implement benefit programs such as: health plan, retirement plan, employee assistance
plan, other insurance, etc.
- Administer federally compliant compensation and benefit programs.
- Applicable federal laws and regulations related to total rewards.
- Compensation policies, processes, and analysis.
- Budgeting, payroll, and accounting practices related to compensation and benefits.
- Job analysis and evaluation concepts and methods.
- Job pricing and pay structures.
- Non-cash compensation.
- Methods to align and benchmark compensation and benefits.
- Benefits programs policies, processes, and analysis.
Functional Area 5: Employee and Labor Relations
Manage, monitor, and/or promote legally compliant programs and policies that affect
the employee experience throughout the employee lifecycle.
- Analyze functional effectiveness at each stage of the employee lifecycle (for example:
hiring, onboarding, development, retention, exit process, alumni program) and identify
alternate approaches as needed.
- Collect, analyze, summarize, and communicate employee engagement data.
- Understand organizational culture, theories, and practices; identify opportunities
and make recommendations.
- Understand and apply knowledge of programs, federal laws, and regulations to promote
outreach, diversity and inclusion.
- Implement and support workplace programs relative to health, safety, security, and
privacy following federal laws and regulations such as: OSHA, workers’ compensation,
emergency response, workplace violence, substance abuse, and legal postings.
- Promote organizational policies and procedures, for example: employee handbook, SOPs,
time and attendance, expenses, etc.
- Manage complaints or concerns involving employment practices, behavior, or working
conditions, and escalate by providing information to appropriate stakeholders.
- Promote techniques and tools for facilitating positive employee and labor relations
with knowledge of applicable federal laws affecting union and nonunion workplaces.
- Support and consult with management in performance management process including employee
reviews, promotions, recognition programs, etc.
- Support performance activities such as coaching, performance improvement plans, and
involuntary separations).
- Support employment activities such as: job eliminations or reductions in force by
managing corresponding legal risks.
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