CERTIFICATIONS IN

HUMAN RESOURCES

GPHR®
Global Professional
in Human Resources®

GPHR ®

Exam Content Outline

GPHR® Exam Content Outline At-a-Glance:

GPHR Exam Weighting by Functional Area:

Functional Area 01 | Strategic HR Management (25%)

IF LAWS CHANGE
We realize that
Functional Area 02 | Global Talent Acquisition and employment laws
change constantly.
Mobility (21%) Candidates are
responsible for knowing
the HR laws and
regulations that are in
Functional Area 03 | Global Compensation and effect at the time of

Benefits (17%)
their exam. This exam
content outline took
effect in 2014.

Functional Area 04 | Talent and Organizational

Development (22%)

Functional Area 05 | Workforce Relations and Risk Management (15%)

The Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®) exam is created using the GPHR EXAM CONTENT
OUTLINE, which details the responsibilities of and knowledge needed by today’s HR professional. The
GPHR EXAM CONTENT OUTLINE is created by HR subject matter experts through a rigorous practice
analysis study conducted by HR Certification Institute® (HRCI). It is updated periodically to ensure it is
consistent with current practices in the HR profession.

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Functional Area 01 | Strategic HR Management (25%)
The development of global HR strategies to support the organization’s short- and long-term goals,
objectives, and values.

Responsibilities:

01 Participate in the development and implementation of the organization’s global business strategy,
plans, and structure.

02 Develop HR strategies to support the organization’s global strategic plans and the business
requirements (examples include outsourcing, off-shoring, new product development, transfer of
technology and human capital, talent management, shared services, mergers and acquisitions).

03 Develop an HR infrastructure and processes that supports global business initiatives where HR
serves as adaptable subject matter expert and credible business partner.

04 Participate in strategic decision-making and due diligence for business changes (examples include
entry strategy, expansions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, new operations, divestitures,
restructuring).

05 Develop HR processes to establish operations in new countries (examples include greenfield

operations and integration of acquired companies).

06 Develop measurement systems to evaluate HR’s contribution to the achievement of the

organization’s strategic goals.

07 Stay current on economic, geopolitical, legislative, employment, cultural, and social trends in
countries of operation and develop appropriate HR strategies and responses.

08 Provide leadership for the development and integration of the organization’s culture, values,
ethical standards, philosophy on corporate social responsibility, risk management, and employer
branding.

09 Establish internal and external global relationships and alliances with stakeholders (examples
include diversity councils, joint venture partners, employers’ groups, unions, works councils,
business leader forums, governments).

10 Determine strategies and business needs for outsourcing and vendor and supplier selection
for HR operations (examples include centers of excellence on benefits and payroll processing,
relocation and employee services, training, global assignment management).

11 Develop strategies for optimizing workforce and minimizing related expenses using various
staffing options (examples include consultants, contract, temporary, seasonal workers).

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 12 Participate in the development and implementation of global change management strategies.

13 Determine strategy for HR technology (examples include HR information systems, intranet) to

meet organizational goals and objectives in a global environment.

14 Participate in the development and implementation of the organization’s social media strategy
and policies.

15 Participate in the development and implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

programs consistent with corporate philosophy and goals, host country legal requirements and/or
external influences.

Knowledge of:

01 The organization’s vision, values, mission, business goals, objectives, plans, processes, and culture

02 Strategic/business planning and continuous improvement processes and their implementation

03 Concepts and processes to align the global HR function as a strategic business partner (examples
include business environment, markets, consumer segments, industry specific trends and cycles,
key business factors)

04 Financial planning processes and budget development

05 Strategies and business models (examples include joint ventures, wholly owned subsidiaries,
representative offices, outsourcing/off-shoring) and their implications

06 Organizational structures (by geography, business unit, product line, and functional discipline)
and their design and implementation

07 HR analytics, methods, and processes for assessing the value and the results of HR programs
(examples include return on investment [ROI], cost/benefit analysis)

08 The organization’s values and culture and their fit with the culture, legal systems, and business
practice contexts of other countries, including local and regional differences

09 Business ethics standards and practices at a global level, while maintaining local relevance

10 Role and expectations of customers, suppliers, employees, communities, shareholders, boards of

directors, owners, and other stakeholders

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 11 HR technology (examples include HR information systems, Intranet) to support global human
resource activities.

12 Procedures and practices for cross-border operation, integration, and divestiture

13 Company and site start-up practices and procedures

14 Organization business philosophies, financial models, and financial statements

15 Due diligence and restructuring processes appropriate to specific regulatory environments and
countries.

16 Best practices and application of community relations, environmental initiatives, and philanthropic
activities

17 Corporate social responsibility practices and policies

18 Strategies to promote employer of choice or employment branding initiatives and best practices

19 Social media technologies, trends, and best practices including knowledge of evolving legislation
and regulations

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Functional Area 02 | Global Talent Acquisition and Mobility (21%)
The development, implementation, and evaluation of global staffing strategies to support organizational
objectives in a culturally appropriate manner. This includes utilizing the employer brand; performing job and
cost analysis; and attracting, recruiting, hiring, and managing global mobility to meet business objectives.

Responsibilities:

01 Make sure global talent acquisition and mobility policies, practices, and programs comply with
applicable laws and regulations.

02 Develop a strategic approach for global talent acquisition and mobility that is aligned with
business needs and a diverse workforce.

03 Develop, implement, and evaluate orientation and on-boarding processes that are culturally
relevant and align with organizational strategy.

04 Monitor staffing metrics to evaluate results against global staffing plan (examples include cost-of-
hire, retention, return on investment).

05 Comply with required talent acquisition and mobility regulations (examples include immigration,
tax, visas, work permits).

06 Lead all aspects of vendor/supplier management (independent contractor, consultant, agency,

and third-party organization) in areas of staffing and mobility (examples include researching
vendor options, conducting contract negotiations, vendor selection, managing ongoing
relationship, conflict resolution, termination of engagement).

07 Utilize and promote the employer branding strategy to attract diverse talent from global and
local markets.

08 Identify, utilize, and evaluate sources of global talent (examples include personal networks,
professional and business organizations, college recruiting, job boards, social media, other
technological tools).

09 Develop a global staffing plan with key stakeholders that supports business needs.

10 Develop, implement, and evaluate pre- and post-hire policies and procedures that are culturally
appropriate (examples include selection criteria and tools, employment and expatriate
agreements, background checks, medical evaluation).

11 Create position descriptions that define job-specific responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and
abilities.

12 Prepare cost estimates for global assignments and advise management on budget impacts.

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 13 Provide consultation to potential global assignees and their managers on terms and conditions of
the assignment.

14 Manage and coordinate relocation services and expenses (examples include host location
destination services, housing disposition including property management, household goods
shipment/storage, travel and temporary living arrangements, logistics of repatriation).

15 Manage and coordinate mobility services and expenses for global assignments (examples include
culture and language training; spouse or partner assistance; employee, spouse or partner and
family mentoring and coaching, repatriation planning and implementation).

16 Establish/maintain ongoing communication practices with global assignees, host and home
country management.

17 Develop repatriation programs for global assignees.

Knowledge of

20 Applicable laws and regulations related to hiring and employment

21 Strategies to promote employer of choice or employment branding initiatives

22 Methods for developing, sourcing, and implementing a global workforce staffing plan

23 Global and country-specific recruiting and hiring practices, methods and sources

24 Position description development

25 Culturally appropriate interviewing techniques and selection systems

26 Employment contract content requirements by country

27 Deployment activities (examples include relocation, mobility services, immigration)

28 Company onboarding programs

29 Staffing metrics (examples include cost-of-hire, new hire attrition, return on investment [ROI])

30 Policies and processes related to types of assignments (examples include short-term, long-term,
permanent, commuting) that address specific needs (examples include technology transfer,
leadership and management development, project management)

31 Assessment and selection tools and models for global assignments

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 32 Global assignment management, tracking, and reporting

33 Intercultural theory models and their application to overall business success

34 Critical success factors for global assignees (examples include spouse or partner and family
adjustment, support, communications)

35 Global assignee preparation programs (examples include cultural and language training, host
country site orientation, relocation services, destination services)

36 Expenses related to global relocation and mobility services (examples include destination
services, housing, travel and temporary living, shipment and storage of household goods, culture
and language training, dependent education)

37 Assignment assessment measures to evaluate global assignee fit and impact on the business

38 Immigration issues related to global mobility (examples include visas, work permits, residency
registration)

39 Techniques for fostering effective communications with global assignees, management, and
leadership

40 Tools, best practices, and support services for repatriation

41 Corporate income tax ramifications of employee and employment activities in various

jurisdictions, including unintentional permanent establishment

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Functional Area 03 | Global Compensation and Benefits (17%)
The establishment and evaluation of a global compensation and benefits strategy aligned with the business
objectives. This includes financial and non-financial rewards.

Responsibilities:

01 Develop and implement compensation, benefits, and perquisite programs that are appropriately
funded, cost- and tax-effective and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

02 Establish and communicate a global compensation and benefits strategy that aligns with business
objectives and supports employee engagement.

03 Design and/or negotiate compensation and benefits programs for business changes (examples
include start-ups, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures).

04 Develop, implement, and assess job valuation systems aligned with global business strategy.

05 Establish and maintain compensation, benefits, and perquisite programs for key executives and
employees in each country of operation, including base salary structures, short- and long-term
incentive plans, supplemental benefits programs, and tax-effective compensation arrangements.

06 Develop and implement global assignment compensation terms and conditions (examples include
balance sheet and alternative approach calculations, allowances, premiums, end-of-assignment
bonuses, localization).

07 Develop and implement global assignment benefit and perquisite programs (examples include
health care, employee assistance programs, club memberships, company cars).

08 Develop, implement, and assess programs to address income and social insurance tax
obligations, including portability for global assignees.

09 Develop, implement, and manage compensation, benefits and perquisite programs for global
assignees and local employees for each country of operation.

10 Manage and evaluate global assignment-related payments, payroll, and activities.

11 Research, develop and implement technological tools (for example, HRIS, performance
management systems) to support the compensation and benefits programs.

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 Knowledge of

42 Local laws regarding compensation, benefits, and taxes (examples include tax equalization or
protection, mandatory or voluntary benefits)

43 Global assignment tax planning and compliance requirements and processes

44 Payroll requirements and global assignment payment methods (examples include split payroll,
home and host country payments)

45 Localization concepts and processes (examples include compensation and benefits adjustments,
tax implications, social insurance issues)

46 Global assignment compensation packages (examples include net-to-net, regional and host
location based, headquarters based, balance sheet, host country-plus)

47 Cost-of-living models and their impact on global assignments (examples include goods and
services allowances, efficient purchaser indices)

48 Global and country-specific benefit programs (examples include retirement, social insurance,
health care, life and disability income protection)

49 Global and country-specific perquisite programs (examples include company cars, club
memberships, housing, meal allowances, entertainment allowances)

50 Equity-based programs (examples include stock options, phantom stock, restricted shares, stock
purchase) and their global application and taxation issues for the employee and the company

51 The impact of cross-border moves on long- and short-term incentive programs

52 Portability of health and welfare programs (examples include retirement, social insurance, health
care, life and disability insurance)

53 Finance, payroll, and accounting practices related to local compensation and benefits

54 Procedures to collect and analyze data from global, regional, and local compensation and
benefits surveys

55 Appropriate mix of compensation and benefits for different local and regional markets

56 Global executive compensation, benefits, and perquisites programs (examples include bonuses,
deferred compensation, long-term incentives, tax-effective compensation methods)

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 57 Financing of benefits programs, including insured programs, multinational insurance pooling and
retirement funding options

58 Information sources on global and local compensation, benefits, and tax trends

59 Due diligence procedures for business changes (examples include mergers and acquisitions, joint
ventures, divestitures, restructuring) with respect to compensation, benefits, and perquisites

60 Job valuation tools (examples include point-factor systems, salary surveys, benchmarking)

61 Tax treaties and bilateral / reciprocal social security agreements (Totalization Agreements)

62 Collective bargaining agreements and works council mandated compensation and benefits

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Functional Area 04 | Talent and Organizational Development (22%)
The design, implementation, and evaluation of organizational development programs and processes to
effectively develop a global workforce supporting business goals, culture and values.

Responsibilities:

01 Make sure talent development programs comply with applicable laws and regulations.

02 Align local and regional practices with corporate vision, organizational culture, and values.

03 Create and implement awareness programs (examples include diversity, non-discrimination,

bullying, cultural sensitivity, multi-generational workforce) that are aligned with the organization’s
philosophy and adapt to local cultural perspectives.

04 Develop systems that support the implementation of global change management initiatives.

05 Develop and implement communication programs that are effective for a global workforce and
other stakeholders.

06 Make sure employees have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to meet
current and future business requirements.

07 Implement and evaluate a process to measure the effectiveness of organizational development

programs based on global HR metrics/measurements (examples include employee engagement
surveys, turnover rates, training return on investment [ROI], benchmarking data, scorecards).

08 Develop and implement processes, programs, and tools to support organization and workforce
development at all levels of the organization (examples include career and leadership
development, succession planning, retention, repatriated employees, short-term assignments).

09 Develop programs, policies, and guidelines to support geographically dispersed and/or virtual
teams (examples include team building, project management, performance management).

10 Establish work-life balance programs (examples include job sharing, flextime, telecommuting) and
their application and appropriateness to different cultures.

11 Implement culturally appropriate performance management processes that support both global
and local business objectives.

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 12 Develop and implement global programs to support the organization’s growth, restructuring,
redeployment and downsizing initiatives (examples include mergers and acquisitions, joint
ventures, divestitures).

13 Develop and implement competency models to support global and local business goals.

14 Identify and integrate external workforce to provide services to support global and local
objectives (examples include consultants, independent contractors, vendors, suppliers) as it
relates to talent and organizational development.

Knowledge of

63 Applicable laws and regulations related to talent development activities

64 Work-life balance programs

65 Techniques to promote and align corporate vision, culture, and values with local and regional
organizations

66 Global organizational development programs and practices (examples include succession

planning, leadership development)

67 Needs assessment for talent and organizational development in a global environment

68 Training programs and their application in global environments

69 Global learning models and methodologies

70 Performance management, feedback, and coaching methods as they apply locally and globally

71 Techniques to measure organizational effectiveness in a global business environment (examples

include engagement surveys, benchmarking, productivity measurement tools)

72 Retention strategies and principles and their application in different cultures and countries

73 Redeployment, downsizing, and exit management strategies and principles and their application
in different cultures and countries

74 Career planning models

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 75 Critical success factors for global assignees (examples include family adjustment and support,
communication, career planning, mentoring)

76 Best practices and processes for utilizing the experience of repatriated employees

77 Competency models and their global applicability

78 Trends and practices for employee engagement

79 Interpersonal and organizational behavior concepts and their application in a global context
(examples include the use of geographically dispersed teams, virtual teams, culture training,
cross-cultural communications)

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Functional Area 05 | Workforce Relations and Risk Management (15%)
The design, implementation, and evaluation of processes and practices that protect or enhance
organizational value. This includes managing risk, ensuring compliance, and balancing employer and
employee rights and responsibilities on a global basis.

Responsibilities:

01 Make sure activities related to employee and labor relations, safety, security, and privacy are
compliant with applicable laws and regulations, from initial employment through termination.

02 Comply with extraterritorial laws to mitigate risk to the organization (examples include US Title
VII, US Americans with Disabilities Act, US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, EU Data Privacy
Directive and Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, UK Bribery Act).

03 Make sure the organization complies with globally recognized regulations to enable effective
workforce relations and meet acceptable workplace standards (examples include OECD
Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, ILO conventions, Mercosur, NAFTA, WTO).

04 Monitor employment-related legal compliance and ethical conduct throughout the global supply
chain (examples include consultants, independent contractors, vendors, suppliers) to mitigate the
risk to the organization.

05 Develop assessment procedures for HR internal controls, evaluate results and take corrective
actions.

06 Comply with all regulations related to employee records and data (examples include EU Data
Privacy Directive, US HIPAA, Australian Federal Privacy Act).

07 Establish alternative dispute resolution and grievance processes, disciplinary procedures, and
investigative processes in compliance with applicable laws and practices.

08 Develop and implement programs to promote a positive work culture (examples include
employee recognition, constructive discipline, non-monetary rewards, positive reinforcement).

09 Confer with employee representative groups in compliance with statutory requirements

(examples include works councils, unions, joint action committees).

10 Develop, implement, and communicate employment-related corporate policies (examples include

ethics and professional standards, codes of conduct, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, anti-
bullying).

11 Coordinate global risk management, emergency response, safety, and security practices
(examples include intellectual property, occupational health and safety, disaster and crisis
management, duty of care).

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 Knowledge of:

80 Applicable laws affecting employee and labor relations (including termination of employment),
workplace health, safety, security, and privacy

81 Major laws that apply extraterritorially (examples include US Title VII, US Americans with
Disabilities Act, US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, EU Data Privacy Directive and Safe Harbor
Privacy Principles, UK Bribery Act)

82 Globally-recognized regulations, conventions and agreements (examples include OECD

Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, ILO Conventions, Mercosur, NAFTA, WTO, UN Compact)

83 Employment-related legal compliance and ethical conduct of vendors, suppliers and contractors

84 Internal controls, compliance, and audit processes

85 Employee rights to privacy and record-keeping requirements (examples include EU Data Privacy
Directive and Safe Harbor Principles, US HIPAA, Australian Federal Privacy Act).

86 Individual employment rights (examples include employees’ rights to bargain, grievance

procedures, required recognition of unions)

87 Appropriate global and local techniques for managing employee relations (examples include small
group facilitation, dispute resolution, grievance handling, employee recognition, constructive
discipline).

88 Legal and customary roles of works councils and trade unions

89 Local collective bargaining processes, strategies, and concepts

90 Employment litigation

91 Workplace security risks including physical threats and piracy of intellectual property and other
company-proprietary information

92 Local conditions relating to personal security (examples include kidnapping, terrorism, hijacking)

93 Emergency response and crisis-management planning (examples include plans for medical
emergencies, pandemics, disasters, evacuation, riots, civil disorder, other physical threats, facility
safety)

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 Core Knowledge:

94 Basic business, global, political, and socioeconomic conditions, demographics, law, and trade
agreements, and how they relate to business operations

95 Globalization and its drivers, opportunities, consequences, and trends

96 Global management techniques, including planning, directing, controlling, and coordinating

resources

97 Global project management methods and applications

98 Global application of human resource ethics and professional standards

99 Change management strategies,processes, and tools

100 Global leadership concepts and applications

101 Qualitative and quantitative methods and tools for analysis, interpretation and decision-making
purposes and their application

102 Intercultural theory and specific cultural behaviors

103 Cross-cultural management techniques

104 Strategies for managing global vendor/supplier relationships, selection processes, and contract
negotiations

105 Communication processes and techniques and their worldwide applicability

106 Effective use of interpreters, translators, and translations

107 Techniques to promote creativity and innovation

108 Principles and practices that foster a diverse workforce

109 Strategies of globalization versus localization of HR policies and programs

110 HR capability within the organization (both global and local)

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