Key SPHR terms in plain English. The SPHR is a senior, strategic credential, so the vocabulary is weighted toward HR strategy, leadership, risk and organisation-wide programmes rather than day-to-day procedures.
| term | definition |
|---|---|
| HRCI | The HR Certification Institute, the body that administers the PHR, SPHR, aPHR and global credentials such as the SPHRi. |
| SPHR | The Senior Professional in Human Resources credential, HRCI’s senior, strategy-focused certification for HR leaders. |
| PHR | The Professional in Human Resources credential, HRCI’s operational, mid-level certification that the SPHR sits above. |
| SHRM-SCP | The senior credential from SHRM (a different body), the parallel to the SPHR, which emphasises behavioural competencies. |
| Functional area | One of the five weighted content areas of the SPHR exam, each with a published percentage weight. |
| Leadership and Strategy | The largest functional area (33%): leading the HR function and aligning HR with organisational strategy and risk. |
| HR strategy | A plan for how the HR function will support and advance the organisation’s strategic goals. |
| Talent management | Designing and running programmes - development, succession, performance, engagement - that build a high-performing workforce. |
| Succession planning | Identifying and developing internal talent to fill key roles in future, supporting business continuity. |
| Workforce planning | Forecasting the organisation’s future talent needs and planning how to meet them across business cycles. |
| Talent acquisition | The strategy and process of attracting, sourcing and hiring the people an organisation needs. |
| Employer branding | How an organisation presents itself as a place to work in order to attract and retain talent. |
| Total rewards | The full mix of pay, benefits and non-monetary rewards, set as a strategy aligned to the business. |
| Total rewards philosophy | The guiding principles behind how an organisation pays and rewards people, balancing business and individual needs. |
| Change management | Leading and supporting people through organisational change so that performance goals are met. |
| Key performance indicator (KPI) | A measurable value that shows how effectively the organisation or HR is meeting key objectives. |
| HR metrics and analytics | Measures and data (such as turnover, cost per hire and ROI) used to inform and assess strategic HR decisions. |
| Human capital risk | The risk to an organisation arising from its people, which HR analyses and helps to manage. |
| Corporate social responsibility (CSR) | An organisation’s commitment to operating ethically and contributing to social and environmental goals. |
| Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) | Strategies and practices that build a fair, varied workforce where all employees can participate and progress. |
| Labour strategy | The organisation’s approach to unions and collective relationships, including bargaining and grievances. |
| Recertification | Maintaining the SPHR by earning 60 credits (45 HR + 15 Business) per three-year cycle, or retaking the exam. |
| Scaled score | A standardised score reported by HRCI, rather than a raw percentage, that allows results to be compared across exam versions. |