The foundation of every HRCI certification program is the exam content outline (ECO). These documents are updated periodically through a formal process that involves subject matter experts and a validation survey.
Our Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®) certification is a key program for HR professionals responsible for employees in more than one country. Effective April 2020, HRCI announced several changes to the GPHR certification.
“Previously you had to have a minimum of two years of global HR experience before taking the GPHR exam,” says John McGregor, SPHR, GPHR, SPHRi, global certification team member and HR content manager. HRCI removed the global experience requirement to allow HR practitioners to experience and learn, while engaging in cross-border HR practices. Additionally, the GPHR ECO has been updated to reflect a streamlined format and content. Exams based on the new ECO will be available on October 1, 2020.
HR professionals practicing HR across borders must keep up with constant changes and cultural challenges, while conducting HR practices across multiple countries with different labor and employment regulations. HRCI ensures timely exam content to reflect talent management, global mobility, total rewards, strategic business decisions and other HR practices required to be successful.
“HR and the way it’s practiced around the world changes, so we periodically bring in subject matter experts to share what global HR professionals need to know,” says McGregor.
HRCI achieves this by relying on subject matter experts (SMEs) who design exam items to assess knowledge of cross-border practitioners. The SMEs’ actual experiences inform the exam content and help assess your understanding of the requirements for cross-border HR practice.
Although we’ve changed the eligibility requirements and refreshed the content, one thing hasn’t changed: earning the GPHR credential still has a significant impact on global HR career trajectories. The GPHR is the only certification on the market specifically for cross-border HR professionals. “GPHR is so specialized, having this credential can distinguish your career,” says McGregor. As organizations continue to expand globally, having a GPHR credential increases your career potential.