PHR key terms

The process of setting long-term goals for the organization, analyzing internal and external conditions, and deciding how people, money, and other resources will be allocated to reach those goals.

A structured review of an organization's internal strengths and weaknesses plus its external opportunities and threats, used to focus strategy, priorities, and resource decisions.

A measurement framework that tracks results across financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth perspectives so leaders monitor strategy execution rather than financial results alone.

A quantifiable measure selected because it signals how well the organization or a function is achieving a critical objective; good indicators are few in number and tied directly to strategy.

Comparing an organization's practices, processes, or results against peers or recognized leaders in order to spot gaps and set improvement targets.

Software that stores and processes employee data such as personnel records, payroll inputs, benefits enrollment, and compliance reporting, giving HR one source for workforce information.

A planned approach to moving people from current practices to a desired future state through communication, stakeholder support, training, and reinforcement so the change holds over time.

The systematic gathering of information about a job's duties, tasks, working conditions, and required worker characteristics; it underpins job descriptions, pay decisions, and selection criteria.

A written summary of a job's essential duties, reporting relationships, and minimum qualifications, usually derived from job analysis and used in recruiting, screening, and accommodation decisions.

A defined set of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that predict success in a role or organization, used to structure hiring, development, and performance management.

Forecasting how many employees and which capabilities the organization will need, then comparing that demand with the supply of talent available internally and in the external labor market.

Identifying and preparing internal candidates for key roles so replacements are ready when vacancies occur, typically through competency assessment, mentoring, and developmental assignments.

A selection interview in which every candidate receives the same predetermined questions and is scored on a consistent rating scale, reducing bias and improving the accuracy of hiring decisions.

A substantially lower selection, promotion, or retention rate for a protected group compared with a reference group; it can trigger legal scrutiny even when no discriminatory intent exists.

An enforcement guideline stating that a protected group's selection rate falling below 80 percent of the highest group's rate is evidence of adverse impact and warrants employer justification.

The degree to which scores on a selection tool correspond to a measure of job performance, such as supervisor ratings or output, showing the tool predicts who will succeed.

A review of organizational, task, and individual factors to determine whether a performance gap is best addressed by training and, if so, what content learners actually require.

A specific, measurable statement of what participants should be able to do after training, describing observable behavior along with the conditions and standard of acceptable performance.

A five-phase instructional design process - analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation - used to build training that addresses a clearly identified performance need.

An evaluation framework that measures training through participant reactions, learning gained, behavior change on the job, and results such as productivity, quality, or retention improvement.

The extent to which learners actually apply what they learned in training back on the job; it depends on manager support, practice, and real opportunities to use the new skills.

A developmental relationship in which a more experienced person advises, guides, and advocates for a less experienced colleague over time, supporting career growth and knowledge transfer.

A short-term, goal-focused process in which a coach helps an employee build specific skills or improve performance through observation, feedback, and structured practice.

The combined value employees receive from pay, benefits, recognition, and development opportunities, managed as one package intended to attract, retain, and engage talent.

A systematic method for determining the relative internal worth of jobs using factors such as skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions, producing a defensible pay structure.

Setting pay levels by collecting and analyzing compensation data for comparable jobs in relevant labor markets, then positioning the organization's pay relative to that market data.

The minimum, midpoint, and maximum pay established for a job or grade, allowing differences in experience and performance while controlling internal equity and cost.

An employee's or group's salary divided by the midpoint of the applicable pay range, expressed as a percentage, showing how actual pay compares with the structure's target.

Compensation that changes with performance or results, such as bonuses, commissions, and gainsharing, rather than being guaranteed as part of an employee's base wages.

A retirement plan such as a 401(k) in which the employer contributes a set amount and the employee bears investment risk; the retirement benefit depends on the account's value.

The process by which an employee earns a nonforfeitable right to employer-provided retirement or benefit contributions, usually according to a schedule based on years of service.

An employee who meets federal salary and duties tests and is therefore not entitled to overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The degree to which employees are committed to the organization and invest discretionary effort in their work; engagement is linked to retention, productivity, and customer outcomes.

A graduated response to performance or conduct problems - typically verbal warning, written warning, suspension, then termination - giving the employee notice and a chance to correct.

A standard requiring that discipline rest on sufficient evidence, be applied consistently, fit the seriousness of the offense, and follow fair notice and an opportunity to respond.

A formal, step-by-step process through which employees or their union raise complaints about contract or policy violations and seek resolution, often ending in binding arbitration.

Negotiation between an employer and a union over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment, producing a contract that governs the represented bargaining unit.

An employment relationship either party may end at any time for any lawful reason, subject to contracts, collective agreements, and laws prohibiting unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

The federal agency that sets and enforces workplace safety and health standards and requires most employers to record certain work-related injuries and illnesses.

A no-fault insurance system providing medical care and partial wage replacement to employees injured on the job, in exchange for limits on their ability to sue the employer.

The process of identifying workplace conditions or practices that could cause harm and estimating how likely and how severe the resulting injury or loss would be.

A ranked approach to reducing hazards: eliminate the hazard, substitute something safer, apply engineering controls, then administrative controls and personal protective equipment.

A structured plan that brings injured or ill employees back to productive work as soon as medically appropriate, often with modified duties, shortening disability duration and controlling costs.

A confidential employer-sponsored benefit offering short-term counseling, referral, and support services for personal problems that may affect attendance, safety, or job performance.