Final Mixed Practice Set

Final Mixed Practice Set Overview

This final set is designed to be taken under timed conditions (approximately 1 minute per question) to simulate the pace of the SHRM-CP exam. It encompasses a mix of knowledge and situational judgment items across all clusters and domains of the 2026 BASK. The set includes both stand-alone questions and scenario-based sets, where multiple questions refer to a shared case study.

Exam Strategy

★ When approaching situational judgment items, always identify the root cause before selecting an intervention. HR should act as a strategic business partner by speaking the language of business (ROI, cost, and data) and ensuring compliance with employment law while maintaining ethical integrity.

Key Concepts and Benchmarks

HR Metrics & Business Acumen

• Revenue per Employee: Calculated as Total Revenue divided by the number of Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs).
• Yield Ratio: The percentage of candidates moving from one stage of the hiring process to the next.
• Cost of Turnover: Includes recruiting, training, and lost productivity costs.
• Leading Indicators: Predictive metrics that forecast future outcomes (e.g., the percentage of critical roles with a ready-now successor).
• Lagging Indicators: Results-based metrics that look at past performance (e.g., last quarter's turnover or last year's benefits expense).

Organizational Culture & Change Management

• M&A Due Diligence: The most critical cultural task during an acquisition is assessing differences and identifying risks to retaining key talent. Cultural fit is a leading cause of M&A failure.
• Kotter’s Model of Change: Step 7 is "Sustain acceleration" (or consolidate gains), which occurs immediately before Step 8, "Anchoring changes in the culture."
• Post-Acquisition Integration: Harmonizing policies and benefits is a core change management activity.

Leadership and Management

• Situational Leadership: For a highly skilled, motivated team working on familiar tasks, a Delegating style is most appropriate.
• Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory:
  • Motivators: Factors that lead to satisfaction (e.g., Recognition for achievement, the work itself).
  • Hygiene Factors: Factors that prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate (e.g., Salary, company policy, working conditions).
• 9-Box Grid: A tool used in succession planning and development that plots an employee's Performance against their Potential.

Compensation & Benefits

• Lead-Lag Strategy: Paying above market at the start of the plan year so the organization matches the market on average over the full year.
• Zero-Based Budgeting: A method requiring every expense to be justified from zero each new period.
• Cash Balance Plan: A hybrid retirement plan that is legally classified as a Defined Benefit Plan, where participants have hypothetical accounts with pay and interest credits.

Legal & Regulatory Compliance

• NLRA Section 7: Protects "concerted activity," which includes employees discussing working conditions (like scheduling policies) on social media.
• ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Medical examinations for current employees must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. HR cannot require a psychological evaluation based solely on a manager's observation if performance is fine.
• FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act): Requires a pre-adverse action notice before rejecting an applicant based on a third-party background check.
• OSHA Reporting: Fatal workplace accidents must be reported within 8 hours.
• Employee Thresholds for Compliance:

Employee Relations & Global HR

• Negotiation (BATNA): Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement; knowing the fallback position if no agreement is reached.
• Hofstede’s Power Distance: The extent to which less powerful members of a society accept that power is distributed unequally.
• Global Surveys: Must include translation, cultural adaptation, and compliance with local data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR).