SPHR cheat sheet

Strategy hierarchy: corporate level (which businesses to compete in) → business unit level (how to compete in each market) → functional level (how each function supports the business strategy); HR strategy is a functional strategy.

Porter's three generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus (cost focus or differentiation focus); each implies different staffing, reward, and training priorities.

Ansoff matrix pairs products and markets: market penetration (existing/existing), market development (new markets), product development (new products), diversification (new/new); risk rises across that order.

Balanced Scorecard perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth; learning-and-growth measures are the ones HR most directly influences.

Lewin's change model: unfreeze → change → refreeze. Kotter's eight steps begins with urgency and a guiding coalition and ends with anchoring new approaches in culture.

Organizational life cycle stages: startup, growth, maturity, and decline; maturity emphasizes cost control, efficiency, and succession, while decline emphasizes restructuring, retrenchment, and severance planning.

Environmental scanning tools: SWOT (internal strengths and weaknesses, external opportunities and threats) combined with PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, environmental).

M&A HR due-diligence items: culture compatibility, compensation and benefit liabilities, pension/ERISA obligations, key-talent retention, and WARN Act notice exposure.

Workforce planning cycle: confirm strategic direction → forecast demand → forecast supply (internal and external) → gap analysis → develop action plan → monitor and revise.

Quantitative forecasting: trend analysis, ratio analysis, scatter plot, regression, and Markov analysis. Qualitative forecasting: Delphi technique, nominal group technique, and managerial judgment.

Yield ratio = candidates advancing (or hired) ÷ candidates at the prior stage; selection ratio = hires ÷ applicants; cost per hire = total recruiting costs ÷ number of hires.

Validity types: content validity (items represent job content), criterion-related validity (predictive or concurrent correlation with performance), and construct validity (measures the intended trait).

Reliability evidence: test-retest (stability over time), inter-rater (agreement among raters), and internal consistency (homogeneity of items).

EEOC four-fifths (80%) rule: adverse impact is indicated when a protected group's selection rate is less than 80% of the highest group's selection rate.

Recruiting sources are compared on yield ratio, cost per hire, time to fill, and post-hire performance and retention; employee referrals typically show high yield and low cost per hire.

Negligent hiring exposure is limited by job-related background checks, documented screening criteria applied consistently, and FCRA-compliant disclosure and authorization.

Training design follows ADDIE: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation.

Kirkpatrick's four levels: reaction (satisfaction), learning (knowledge or skill gain), behavior (on-the-job application), and results (business impact).

Needs assessment levels: organizational analysis (where training is needed), task or operational analysis (what must be taught), and person analysis (who needs it).

Appraisal methods: graphic rating scale, BARS, BOS, MBO, critical incident, and 360-degree feedback; structured behaviorally anchored formats generally show higher reliability and validity.

Rater errors: halo/horns, leniency/severity, central tendency, recency, similar-to-me, contrast, and stereotyping.

Turnover cost components: separation cost + replacement recruiting cost + vacancy/interim coverage cost + training cost for the new hire.

Succession planning steps: identify key positions, define competency requirements, assess and rank candidates (e.g., nine-box grid), develop them, and monitor readiness.

Compa-ratio = individual pay ÷ range midpoint; midpoint = (minimum + maximum) ÷ 2; range spread = (maximum − minimum) ÷ minimum.

Job evaluation methods: ranking, classification/grading, point-factor, and factor comparison; point-factor is the most common in large organizations.

Market positioning policies: lead (above market, e.g., 75th percentile), match (median/50th percentile), and lag (below market, offset by other rewards).

Green-circle rate = pay below the range minimum; red-circle rate = pay above the range maximum; both are typically frozen until range movement corrects them.

FLSA exemption requires three tests: salary basis, salary level, and duties (executive, administrative, professional, computer, or outside sales).

Variable pay types: individual (bonus, piece rate, commission), group (gainsharing, Scanlon, Improshare), and organizational (profit sharing, ESOP, stock options).

COBRA applies to employers with 20 or more employees; there is a 60-day election window and coverage generally lasts 18 months for termination or reduced hours, up to 36 months for other qualifying events.

Total rewards model components: compensation, benefits, work-life effectiveness, performance and recognition, and development and career opportunities.

Turnover rate = (separations ÷ average headcount) × 100, where average headcount = (beginning headcount + ending headcount) ÷ 2.

Human capital ROI = (revenue − (expenses − compensation + benefits)) ÷ (compensation + benefits).

HRIS selection sequence: needs analysis → RFI (capabilities) → RFP (requirements and pricing) → vendor demonstrations → reference checks → contract negotiation.

HR data confidentiality controls: role-based access, encryption at rest and in transit, audit trails, and prompt access termination at separation.

Retention rules: FLSA payroll records 3 years; I-9 retained 3 years after hire or 1 year after separation, whichever is later; OSHA 300 logs 5 years.

HR analytics maturity: operational reporting → benchmarking → predictive analytics → prescriptive analytics.

Data quality dimensions: accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, validity, and uniqueness.

Cloud/SaaS HRIS transfers infrastructure management to the vendor, but the employer retains ownership of the data and accountability for privacy and compliance.

OSHA recordable criteria: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or significant injury diagnosed by a physician.

TRIR = (recordable cases × 200,000) ÷ total hours worked; DART = (days away, restricted, or transferred cases × 200,000) ÷ hours worked.

The 200,000 constant represents 100 full-time employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year.

Recordkeeping: OSHA 300 log of injuries and illnesses, OSHA 301 incident report for each recordable, and the 300A summary posted February 1 through April 30.

Hierarchy of controls: elimination → substitution → engineering controls → administrative/work-practice controls → personal protective equipment.

Workers' compensation is a no-fault system that provides the exclusive remedy for work-related injury or illness, limiting employer tort liability in exchange for scheduled benefits.

Four elements of an effective safety program: management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.

OSHA General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) requires employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.