GRP study plan

Map the 12% global domain into its sub-areas (global pay structures, mobility and expatriate pay, local market practice, currency and cost-of-living mechanics) and rate your confidence in each on a 1-5 scale

Distinguish the four main international assignment approaches (home-based balance sheet, host-based, local-plus, headquarters-based) and write a one-paragraph comparison of when each fits business strategy

Identify the regulatory bodies and rule sources that govern pay in at least three major jurisdictions (for example EU pay transparency directive, US FLSA and state pay transparency laws, UK gender pay gap reporting) and note what each requires of employers

Build a one-page glossary of 25 global and regulatory terms (net-to-gross, tax equalization, shadow payroll, compa-ratio in multiple currencies, works council consultation) with a plain-language definition for each

Construct a base pay structure from scratch: define pay grades, midpoints, minimums and maximums, and range spread and midpoint progression math for a 10-grade structure

Calculate compa-ratios, range penetration and green-circle and red-circle positions for 15 sample employees and flag which cases need an action plan

Design a merit matrix that links performance rating and position in range to an increase percentage, and test it against a fixed 3.5% merit budget

Compare at least four short-term incentive designs (individual, team, gain-sharing, profit-sharing) on line of sight, cost variability and administrative burden, and recommend one for a sales-heavy and one for an operations-heavy workforce

Explain how variable pay plan documentation, payout curves and caps interact with governance and clawback provisions

Select the right market reference point and percentile strategy (median, 50th, 75th) for three different job families and justify each choice in writing

Match jobs to survey data using at least two published salary surveys and document the leveling decisions and any aging or trending adjustments applied

Compute an aging factor and apply it to survey data that is six months old, showing the arithmetic

Build a market competitiveness analysis that reports compa-ratio to market and identifies the five most out-of-line jobs with a recommended remedy

Choose the correct statistic for a given question (mean vs. median vs. weighted average, quartiles, regression trendline) and explain when each misleads

Trace how base pay, bonus accruals and equity awards flow through the income statement and balance sheet, and explain the difference between accounting expense and cash cost for each element

Calculate the fully loaded cost of a merit increase including benefits, payroll taxes and bonus impact, and present it as a percentage of payroll and of revenue

Draft a three-slide executive summary that translates a compensation analysis into a business recommendation with cost, risk and expected outcome

Practice answering a skeptical CFO or line-manager objection about pay competitiveness using data rather than opinion

Build a pay equity analysis: define comparable work, choose the regression or cohort method, control for legitimate factors, and interpret adjusted vs. unadjusted gaps

Run a turnover and cost-of-turnover analysis that separates regrettable from non-regrettable attrition and quantifies replacement cost by job level

Construct a dashboard of six to eight total rewards metrics (compensation cost ratio, compa-ratio, range penetration, incentive payout as percent of target, benefits as percent of payroll, offer acceptance rate) with a defined formula and data source for each

Apply basic statistical hygiene: check sample size before drawing conclusions, distinguish correlation from causation in pay data, and document data quality caveats

Assemble the components of a total rewards strategy (pay, benefits, work flexibility, development, recognition) and articulate the employee value proposition each creates

Audit a benefits and leave program against statutory minimums in at least two jurisdictions and list compliance gaps

Sequence a pay transparency compliance plan: identify the applicable rules, the data required, the communication steps and the timeline

Explain how pay transparency and reporting obligations change pay structure design, offer negotiation and manager discretion

Build a communication plan for a compensation change that segments audiences (executives, managers, employees) and specifies message, channel and timing for each

Write manager talking points and a FAQ that explain a pay structure or merit cycle without disclosing confidential individual data

Prepare a stakeholder map for a total rewards initiative and identify the decision rights, influence level and likely objection for each stakeholder

Rehearse a 5-minute business case presentation for a total rewards investment and record it for self-review

Consolidate weak areas by re-scoring the week 1 self-assessment and targeting the three lowest-confidence sub-areas with focused review

Complete timed practice sets across all nine domains and log error patterns by domain rather than by question

Re-derive from memory the core formulas (compa-ratio, range spread, midpoint progression, aging factor, fully loaded cost, incentive payout) without notes

Simulate a full-length timed exam under test-day conditions and review every missed item for the underlying concept gap