PHR
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PHR
The PHR certification training equips HR professionals with operational and strategic expertise across business management, workforce planning, talent acquisition, learning and development, total rewards, and employee engagement, enabling them to drive effective people initiatives.
120
Minutes
115
Questions
$495
Exam Cost
Who Should Take This
HR practitioners who have at least one year of experience with a master’s degree, two years with a bachelor’s, or four years without a degree are ideal candidates. They seek to validate their operational competence, deepen strategic insight, and advance their careers by earning a recognized professional credential.
What's Covered
1
All seven functional areas of the HRCI PHR exam (2024 outline): Business Management
2
, Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition
3
, Learning and Development
4
, Total Rewards
5
, Employee Engagement
6
, Employee and Labor Relations
7
, and HR Information Management
What's Included in AccelaStudy® AI
Adaptive Knowledge Graph
Practice Questions
Lesson Modules
Console Simulator Labs
Exam Tips & Strategy
20 Activity Formats
Course Outline
60 learning goals
1
Functional Area 1: Business Management
3 topics
Strategic HR and business alignment
- Implement HR strategies that align with organizational mission, vision, values, and business objectives by translating strategic goals into operational HR plans and initiatives.
- Analyze organizational structures including functional, divisional, matrix, and flat models to recommend HR service delivery configurations that support business efficiency and employee experience.
- Evaluate HR's contribution to organizational performance using balanced scorecard frameworks, HR scorecards, and return-on-investment calculations for human capital initiatives.
- Implement HR budget development processes including headcount cost modeling, benefits cost forecasting, training investment planning, and variance analysis to support organizational financial planning.
Change management and project management
- Implement change management methodologies including Kotter's eight steps, Lewin's three-stage model, and ADKAR to guide organizational transitions and minimize employee resistance.
- Apply project management principles including scope definition, work breakdown structures, Gantt charting, resource allocation, risk identification, and stakeholder communication to HR initiatives.
- Design stakeholder communication plans that address change readiness, resistance factors, adoption milestones, and feedback mechanisms for organizational transformation programs.
Ethics and corporate governance
- Implement ethical standards and codes of conduct covering conflicts of interest, confidentiality, fiduciary responsibilities, whistleblower protections, and organizational accountability.
- Analyze corporate governance frameworks to evaluate HR's role in board reporting, executive compensation oversight, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management.
2
Functional Area 2: Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition
3 topics
Workforce planning and labor market analysis
- Implement workforce planning processes including demand forecasting, supply analysis, gap analysis, and scenario planning to ensure organizational talent capacity meets business requirements.
- Analyze labor market data including unemployment rates, industry growth trends, skills availability, compensation benchmarks, and demographic shifts to inform talent acquisition strategy.
- Design succession planning frameworks that identify critical roles, assess talent readiness, develop high-potential pipelines, and ensure business continuity for key leadership positions.
- Implement contingent workforce strategies including temporary staffing, independent contractor engagement, statement-of-work arrangements, and managed services to address variable workforce demands.
Talent acquisition strategy and execution
- Implement multi-channel recruiting strategies including direct sourcing, passive candidate engagement, social recruiting, employee referral programs, and diversity-focused sourcing initiatives.
- Analyze selection instrument validity and reliability including criterion-related, content, and construct validity to ensure pre-employment assessments predict job performance accurately.
- Design an employer branding strategy that articulates the employee value proposition, leverages employee advocacy, and differentiates the organization in competitive talent markets.
Onboarding and new hire integration
- Implement comprehensive onboarding programs that address compliance requirements, cultural integration, role-specific training, mentoring assignments, and 30-60-90-day milestone tracking.
- Analyze onboarding effectiveness using new hire retention rates, time-to-productivity metrics, hiring manager satisfaction scores, and new employee feedback to optimize integration outcomes.
3
Functional Area 3: Learning and Development
2 topics
Learning strategy and program design
- Implement needs assessment methodologies including organizational, task, and person analysis using surveys, focus groups, competency gap analysis, and performance data to prioritize learning investments.
- Design learning programs using instructional design models including ADDIE, SAM, and action learning that incorporate adult learning theory, spaced repetition, and multimodal delivery approaches.
- Analyze learning program effectiveness using Kirkpatrick's four levels, Phillips' ROI methodology, and learning analytics to demonstrate business impact and justify training investment.
- Implement learning technology platforms including learning management systems, virtual classrooms, mobile learning applications, and microlearning tools to scale training delivery across the organization.
Leadership development and organizational development
- Implement leadership development programs including coaching, executive education, stretch assignments, cross-functional projects, and 360-degree feedback for emerging and senior leaders.
- Apply organizational development interventions including team building, process consultation, appreciative inquiry, survey feedback, and culture transformation to improve organizational effectiveness.
- Design knowledge management systems including communities of practice, mentoring programs, job shadowing, documentation repositories, and cross-training matrices for institutional knowledge preservation.
4
Functional Area 4: Total Rewards
3 topics
Compensation strategy and administration
- Implement compensation structures using job evaluation methodologies including point-factor, market pricing, and hybrid approaches to establish internally equitable and externally competitive pay systems.
- Analyze compensation survey data to determine market positioning, identify pay compression issues, evaluate compa-ratio distributions, and recommend salary structure adjustments.
- Design variable pay programs including merit increases, short-term incentives, sales commissions, profit sharing, and gainsharing plans that align employee rewards with organizational performance goals.
- Implement executive compensation elements including base salary, short-term incentive plans, long-term incentive plans, stock options, restricted stock units, and deferred compensation arrangements.
Benefits design and administration
- Implement employee benefits programs including group health plans, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts in compliance with ACA and ERISA requirements.
- Implement retirement plan administration including 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit plans, vesting schedules, employer matching, fiduciary responsibilities, and participant communication requirements.
- Analyze benefits utilization data, claims experience, employee satisfaction surveys, and market benchmarks to evaluate plan effectiveness and recommend cost-effective design modifications.
Compensation compliance and pay equity
- Implement FLSA compliance procedures including exempt versus non-exempt classification analysis, overtime calculations, minimum wage requirements, recordkeeping, and audit preparation.
- Analyze pay equity data using statistical methods including regression analysis, cohort comparison, and compa-ratio analysis to identify and remediate compensation disparities across protected groups.
5
Functional Area 5: Employee Engagement
3 topics
Culture development and employee experience
- Implement organizational culture initiatives that reinforce core values, promote psychological safety, support diversity and inclusion, and align employee behaviors with strategic objectives.
- Design employee experience programs encompassing the full lifecycle from candidate engagement through onboarding, development, daily work experience, and offboarding touchpoints.
- Analyze organizational culture assessment results including culture surveys, behavioral indicators, and alignment metrics to identify gaps between espoused and enacted values.
- Implement diversity, equity, and inclusion programs including unconscious bias training, employee resource groups, inclusive leadership development, and equitable talent processes.
Engagement measurement and recognition
- Implement employee engagement measurement systems including pulse surveys, annual engagement surveys, focus groups, and sentiment analysis tools to monitor workforce commitment levels.
- Design recognition and reward programs including peer recognition platforms, service awards, spot bonuses, and team-based incentives that reinforce desired behaviors and organizational values.
- Analyze engagement survey data using statistical methods, demographic segmentation, and trend analysis to identify drivers of engagement and develop targeted action plans.
Work-life effectiveness and flexible work
- Implement flexible work arrangements including remote work policies, hybrid schedules, compressed workweeks, flextime, and job sharing while maintaining productivity and compliance.
- Design work-life effectiveness programs including employee assistance programs, dependent care benefits, wellness initiatives, sabbatical policies, and return-to-work transition support.
6
Functional Area 6: Employee and Labor Relations
4 topics
Employment law compliance
- Implement EEO compliance programs including adverse impact analysis using the four-fifths rule, affirmative action plan development, applicant flow tracking, and EEOC charge response procedures.
- Analyze employment law scenarios involving Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, USERRA, and GINA to determine employer obligations, employee rights, and legally compliant responses.
- Implement reasonable accommodation processes under ADA including interactive dialogue procedures, essential function analysis, undue hardship assessment, and documentation requirements.
- Design leave management programs that comply with FMLA, ADA, state leave laws, and company policies including eligibility determination, concurrent leave tracking, and return-to-work procedures.
Workplace investigations and discipline
- Implement workplace investigation protocols including complaint intake, investigator selection, witness interviews, evidence preservation, findings reports, and corrective action recommendations.
- Apply progressive discipline procedures including coaching, verbal counseling, written warnings, performance improvement plans, suspension, and termination with appropriate documentation at each stage.
- Analyze wrongful termination risk factors including implied contracts, public policy exceptions, covenant of good faith, and employment-at-will limitations to ensure lawful separation decisions.
Labor relations and collective bargaining
- Implement NLRA compliance procedures including recognizing protected concerted activity, responding to union organizing campaigns, conducting lawful employer communications, and avoiding unfair labor practices.
- Analyze collective bargaining scenarios including mandatory, permissive, and prohibited subjects of bargaining, impasse resolution mechanisms, and grievance arbitration procedures.
- Design alternative dispute resolution programs including mediation, arbitration, peer review panels, and ombudsman offices to reduce litigation exposure and resolve workplace disputes efficiently.
Workplace safety and risk management
- Implement OSHA compliance programs including hazard communication, recordkeeping (OSHA 300 log), workplace inspections, safety training, and citation response procedures.
- Design workplace safety programs addressing hazard prevention, emergency preparedness, workplace violence prevention, substance abuse policies, and return-to-work accommodations.
7
Functional Area 7: HR Information Management
2 topics
HRIS and people analytics
- Implement HRIS system administration including employee master data management, self-service portals, workflow automation, system integrations, and report generation for operational efficiency.
- Analyze workforce metrics including headcount, turnover, cost-per-hire, time-to-fill, revenue per employee, training ROI, and engagement scores to generate actionable insights for HR and business leaders.
- Design HR dashboards and reporting frameworks that present key performance indicators, trend analyses, and predictive insights to support evidence-based workforce decision-making.
Data governance and privacy compliance
- Implement data governance policies including employee data classification, access controls, retention schedules, secure disposal, and breach notification procedures for HR information systems.
- Analyze data privacy compliance requirements under HIPAA, state privacy laws, and industry regulations to ensure HR data collection, storage, and sharing practices meet legal obligations.
Scope
Included Topics
- All seven functional areas of the HRCI PHR exam (2024 outline): Business Management (14%), Workforce Planning and Talent Acquisition (14%), Learning and Development (10%), Total Rewards (15%), Employee Engagement (17%), Employee and Labor Relations (20%), and HR Information Management (10%).
- Business management principles including organizational strategy, HR's role in business operations, change management, project management, corporate governance, ethical practices, and HR technology integration.
- Workforce planning and talent acquisition: labor market analysis, succession planning, sourcing strategies, employer branding, structured selection processes, pre-employment testing validity, onboarding effectiveness, and talent pipeline management.
- Learning and development: needs assessment, program design and delivery, leadership development, organizational development interventions, knowledge management, and learning technology platforms.
- Total rewards: compensation philosophy and strategy, job evaluation methodologies, salary structure design, incentive programs, executive compensation, benefits plan design and administration, retirement planning, and regulatory compliance (FLSA, ERISA, ACA).
- Employee engagement: culture development, employee experience design, engagement measurement, recognition programs, work-life effectiveness, remote and hybrid work policies, and organizational communication strategies.
- Employee and labor relations: employment law compliance (Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, NLRA), workplace investigations, progressive discipline, alternative dispute resolution, collective bargaining, unfair labor practices, and workplace safety (OSHA).
- HR information management: HRIS administration, people analytics, data governance, privacy compliance, reporting and dashboards, workforce metrics, and technology-enabled HR service delivery.
Not Covered
- C-suite strategic advisory, enterprise-wide organizational transformation leadership, and board-level governance responsibilities covered by the SPHR certification.
- International employment law, cross-border workforce management, global mobility, and international compensation frameworks covered by the GPHR or PHRi certifications.
- California-specific employment regulations, wage orders, and state-level nuances covered by the PHRca certification.
- Advanced statistical methods for people analytics, machine learning applications in HR, and data science techniques beyond standard HR metrics and reporting.
- Deep financial modeling, corporate finance, and investor relations beyond HR's role in supporting business strategy.
Official Exam Page
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