SPHRi study plan

Map the HR strategy and planning domain's subareas to a one-page outline using the official exam content outline

Define strategic planning, SWOT, and environmental scanning in your own words and write a 3-sentence summary of each

Differentiate horizontal and vertical alignment of HR strategy with organizational strategy by writing two workplace examples

Draft a glossary of 15 strategy terms you cannot yet define fluently

Explain how HR metrics (turnover, cost-per-hire, revenue per employee) inform strategic decisions

Compare three organizational structures and predict the HR implications of each

Outline a basic strategic workforce planning process in five sequenced steps

Complete 40 practice items on domain 1 and log every miss with a root-cause note

Sequence the full recruitment lifecycle from job analysis through offer acceptance

Distinguish validity, reliability, and adverse impact and give one example of each

List five sourcing channels and match each to a hiring scenario

Draft structured interview questions for one role that are behaviorally anchored

Explain onboarding design elements that improve early retention

Summarize total rewards' role in retention without drifting into domain 4 detail

Calculate turnover rate and cost-per-hire from a hypothetical dataset

Complete 40 practice items on domain 2 and review all misses

Distinguish training, development, and career management and give a workplace example of each

Apply a needs assessment model to a hypothetical performance gap

List engagement drivers and one measurable indicator for each

Describe how to evaluate training effectiveness using a multi-level model

Compare base pay, variable pay, and benefits on their motivational and legal implications

Explain job evaluation and pay equity concepts and their compliance risks

Identify key employment-law risk areas and the HR controls that mitigate them

Outline a workplace safety and risk-management framework in five components

Distinguish employee relations, discipline, and grievance processes and sequence a progressive discipline approach

Explain HRIS data governance, privacy, and security basics

Interpret a sample HR dashboard and identify two decisions it supports

Complete 40 mixed practice items across domains 4-6 and log misses

Re-review your glossary and error logs and rewrite any weak definitions

Complete two timed 75-item mixed practice sets and score them

Rank your six domains by confidence and target the bottom two with focused review

Build a one-page exam-day strategy covering pacing and question triage