| For the PHR and SPHR examinations Human | | | | internal and external data sources, a knowledge |
| resource professionals will be tested on various | | | | management system and a Web-based personal |
| aspects of the Federal laws related to the field of | | | | portal that can be customized for different employees |
| employee and employer relations. You should be | | | | and managers. |
| aware that even though you may perform HR | | | | Today, new Web-based technologies make setting up |
| functions on your job on a daily basis, you must | | | | HR systems fast - a matter of weeks or months, not |
| answer the questions correctly from the view of the | | | | years. Web and HR portal technology is far more |
| Society of Human Resources. With constantly | | | | advanced, and the Web has been effectively |
| increasing use of information related to human | | | | integrated into a variety of HR applications, such as |
| resources and employees, the exam will cover how | | | | self service systems and service centers. Moreover, |
| information should be stored and used at the | | | | the Web is a good place to advertise jobs, collect |
| workplace. Information sharing is only part of this | | | | resumes and facilitate transactions involving |
| technological revolution. Now you can use point and | | | | employees and managers. opportunities, HR |
| click technology to place text, data and video on the | | | | professionals face an overwhelming amount of |
| Web, where it can be edited, stored, retrieved and | | | | information. With the Web, employees can often obtain |
| shared. Given this direct access to information, | | | | and process some of the information they need on |
| managers and employees can make better, faster | | | | their own. The Web can also help provide individualized |
| decisions about a variety of employment issues, such | | | | HR plans and programs. Thus, in planning and setting |
| as hiring, retention, employee development and | | | | up your company's HR department, work toward a |
| compensation. Often, employees can access | | | | customer-driven model that responds to individual |
| information they need without unnecessary paperwork | | | | interests and needs. |
| and without additional help from the HR department. | | | | If you use a self-service system, employees can |
| Depending on your needs, you can set up this system | | | | access services more quickly for themselves across |
| as an Intranet within your company, as an extranet | | | | a broad range of plans and programs. These can |
| with other companies or on the Internet, permitting | | | | include health and welfare plans, pension and |
| even broader access. You can use passwords, | | | | investment plans, compensation plans, performance |
| encryption and firewalls to limit access to designated | | | | appraisals, training and education, employee |
| users. These new HR technologies consist of a | | | | communication, employee and management |
| number of components linked through an HR data | | | | development, labor relations, safety and environmental |
| mart and HR applications. HR functions that can be | | | | health planning, and more. Virtually everything you do in |
| linked include an HR service center, HR store, | | | | HR now can be offered more effectively through |
| employee and manager self-service, distance learning | | | | these Web technologies. |
| programs, links with vendors and suppliers, access to | | | | |