SPHR Exam Information and Guideline
Senior Professional in Human Resources (HRCI SPHR)
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Showcase the HR leadership recognition you deserve with the Senior Professional in Human Resources® (SPHR®) from HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). The SPHR demonstrates your mastery of the strategic and policy-making aspects of HR management as practiced in the U.S. The credential is designed for big-picture thinkers responsible for planning rather than implementing HR policy. Organizations seek out SPHR professionals for their proven accountability for HR department goals, for breadth and depth of knowledge in all HR disciplines, and for understanding business issues beyond the HR function.
Exam time: 3 hours
Exam length: 150 scored questions (mostly multiple-choice) + 25 pretest questions
Computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE testing center
Leadership and Strategy (40%)
Talent Planning and Acquisition (16%)
Learning and Development (12%)
Total Rewards (12%)
Employee Relations and Engagement (20%)
01 Develop and execute HR plans that are aligned to the organizations strategic plan
(for example: HR strategic plans, budgets, business plans, service delivery plans, HRIS, technology)
02 Evaluate the applicability of federal laws and regulations to organizational strategy
(for example: policies, programs, practices, business expansion/reduction)
03 Analyze and assess organizational practices that impact operations and people management to
decide on the best available risk management strategy (for example: avoidance, mitigation, acceptance)
04 Interpret and use business metrics to assess and drive achievement of strategic goals
and objectives (for example: key performance indicators, financial statements, budgets)
05 Design and evaluate HR data indicators to inform strategic actions within the organization
(for example: turnover rates, cost per hire, retention rates)
06 Evaluate credibility and relevance of external information to make decisions and recommendations (for example: salary data, management trends, published surveys and studies, legal/regulatory analysis)
07 Contribute to the development of the organizational strategy and planning (for example: vision, mission, values, ethical conduct)
08 Develop and manage workplace practices that are aligned with the organizations statements of vision, values, and ethics to shape and reinforce organizational culture
09 Design and manage effective change strategies to align organizational performance with the organizations strategic goals
10 Establish and manage effective relationships with key stakeholders to influence organizational behavior and outcomes
01 Vision, mission, and values of an organization and applicable legal and regulatory requirements
02 Strategic planning process
03 Management functions, including planning, organizing, directing, and controlling
04 Corporate governance procedures and compliance
05 Business elements of an organization (for example: products, competition, customers, technology, demographics, culture, processes, safety and security)
06 Third-party or vendor selection, contract negotiation, and management, including development of requests for proposals (RFPs)
07 Project management (for example: goals, timetables, deliverables, and procedures)
08 Technology to support HR activities
09 Budgeting, accounting, and financial concepts (for example: evaluating financial statements,
budgets, accounting terms, and cost management)
10 Techniques and methods for organizational design (for example: outsourcing, shared services,
organizational structures)
11 Methods of gathering data for strategic planning purposes (for example: Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats [SWOT], and Political, Economic, Social, and Technological [PEST])
12 Qualitative and quantitative methods and tools used for analysis, interpretation,
and decision making purposes
13 Change management processes and techniques
14 Techniques for forecasting, planning, and predicting the impact of HR activities and programs
across functional areas
15 Risk management
16 How to deal with situations that are uncertain, unclear, or chaotic
01 Evaluate and forecast organizational needs throughout the business cycle to create or develop
workforce plans (for example: corporate restructuring, workforce expansion, or reduction)
02 Develop, monitor, and assess recruitment strategies to attract desired talent
(for example: labor market analysis, compensation strategies, selection process, onboarding,
sourcing and branding strategy)
03 Develop and evaluate strategies for engaging new employees and managing cultural integrations
(for example: new employee acculturation, downsizing, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions,
divestitures, global expansion)
17 Planning techniques (for example: succession planning, forecasting)
18 Talent management practices and techniques (for example: selecting and
assessing employees)
19 Recruitment sources and strategies
20 Staffing alternatives (for example: outsourcing, temporary employment)
21 Interviewing and selection techniques and strategies
22 Impact of total rewards on recruitment and retention
23 Termination approaches and strategies
24 Employee engagement strategies
25 Employer marketing and branding techniques
26 Negotiation skills and techniques
27 Due diligence processes (for example: mergers and acquisitions, divestitures)
28 Transition techniques for corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, offshoring,
and divestitures
29 Methods to assess past and future staffing effectiveness (for example: cost per hire,
selection ratios, adverse impact)
01 Develop and evaluate training strategies (for example: modes of delivery, timing, content)
to increase individual and organizational effectiveness
02 Analyze business needs to develop a succession plan for key roles (for example: identify talent,
outline career progression, coaching and development) to promote business continuity
03 Develop and evaluate employee retention strategies and practices (for example: assessing talent,
developing career paths, managing job movement within the organization)
30 Training program design and development
31 Adult learning processes
32 Training and facilitation techniques
33 Instructional design principles and processes (for example: needs analysis, content chunking,
process flow mapping)
34 Techniques to assess training program effectiveness, including use of applicable metrics
35 Career and leadership development theories and applications
36 Organizational development (OD) methods, motivation methods, and problem-solving techniques
37 Coaching and mentoring techniques
38 Effective communication skills and strategies (for example: presentation, collaboration, sensitivity)
39 Employee retention strategies
40 Techniques to encourage creativity and innovation
01 Analyze and evaluate compensation strategies (for example: philosophy, classification, direct,
indirect, incentives, bonuses, equity, executive compensation) that attract, reward, and retain talent
02 Analyze and evaluate benefit strategies (for example: health, welfare, retirement, recognition
programs, work-life balance, wellness) that attract, reward, and retain talent
41 Compensation strategies and philosophy
42 Job analysis and evaluation methods
43 Job pricing and pay structures
44 External labor markets and economic factors
45 Executive compensation methods
46 Non-cash compensation methods
47 Benefits program strategies
48 Fiduciary responsibilities
49 Motivation concepts and applications
50 Benchmarking techniques
01 Design and evaluate strategies for employee satisfaction (for example: recognition, career path)
and performance management (for example: performance evaluation, corrective action, coaching)
02 Analyze and evaluate strategies to promote diversity and inclusion
03 Evaluate employee safety and security strategies (for example: OSHA, HIPAA, emergency
response plan, building access, data security/privacy)
04 Develop and evaluate labor strategies (for example: collective bargaining, grievance program,
concerted activity, staying union free, strategically aligning with labor)
51 Strategies to facilitate positive employee relations
52 Methods for assessing employee attitudes, opinions, and satisfaction
53 Performance management strategies
54 Human relations concepts and applications
55 Ethical and professional standards
56 Diversity and inclusion concepts and applications
57 Occupational injury and illness prevention techniques
58 Workplace safety and security risks, and strategies
59 Emergency response, business continuity and disaster recovery strategies
60 Internal investigation, monitoring, and surveillance techniques
61 Data security and privacy
62 The collective bargaining process, strategies, and concepts (for example:
contract negotiation, costing, administration)