The Human Resources (HR) Industry is constantly evolving, so if you want to succeed in it then you must ensure you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and practices, and prove that you have these skills and knowledge.

One of the ways you can prove that you have these skills and knowledge is by getting a professional HR certification such as the Senior Professional in Human Resources – International (SPHRi) certification.

The SPHRi certification is a globally-recognized certification that is issued by the Human Resources Certification Institute(HRCI) to those who can prove that they have a certain level of expertise and competence in the HR field.

From increased job opportunities and salary potential to enhanced credibility and networking opportunities, there are a lot of benefits you will enjoy when you obtain an SPHRi certification.

In this article, I will be explaining in detail all the advantages of obtaining a SPHRi certification, and why you need to get one, no matter how many years you have been working in the HR industry.

So, here are the advantages of obtaining an SPHRi certification:

I. Enhancing Your HR Expertise

• Comprehensive Knowledge Of HR Strategies And Practices

Before obtaining an SPHRi certification, you will need to undergo a certification program and sit for a certification examination.

While undergoing this program, you gain comprehensive knowledge about strategies and practices in the HR field such as workforce planning, strategic management, talent acquisition and development, and employee relations, amongst others.

You must have a good understanding of these practices and strategies to be able to ace your certification exam and obtain a certification.

And after you ace your exams, the knowledge you will gain from this certification program will help you handle the challenges you will encounter in your workplace better and more strategically and will help you achieve more success for the organization.

• Understanding Of International HR Concepts

The SPHRi certification program also gives you a better understanding of International HR concepts and enhances your ability to implement HR principles on a global level.

In this program, you will also learn about international employment laws, legal frameworks, and cross-cultural management.

The understanding of these practices will come in handy when you are working in an organization that operates in different international environments and requires you to manage a global workforce and tackle multinational HR issues.

• Exposure To Global Standards In Workforce Management

As a SPHRi-certified professional, you are supposed to be able to manage a global workforce and this requires having a good knowledge of the global workforce standards.

To that effect, the curriculum for the SPHRi certification program includes the workforce standards, and practices from around the world, so that when you participate in it, you understand how organizations from different countries of the world manage their workforce.

The knowledge gained from this exposure will broaden your understanding of global workforce management and will equip you with diverse practices which you can choose from and incorporate into the organization that you work for, depending on their needs.

This implementation of this knowledge will make your organization be in alignment with other organizations around the world in terms of workforce management practices.

II. Boost Your Career Prospects

• Increased Credibility In The Job Market

When you obtain SPHRi certification, your credibility is boosted and this can increase your chances of getting a job when you apply for one.

Employers in the HR industry prefer to hire individuals that they are confident will deliver a great job and give them value for their money.

And with you having an SPHRi certification which is well-recognized in the industry, employers are assured that you have the required knowledge, skills, and experience to handle HR roles perfectly if you are hired.

• Competitive Edge Over Non-certified HR Professionals

Another advantage of obtaining an SPHRi certification is that it gives you a competitive edge over non-certified HR professionals, whether you are in the job market or working in an organization.

Having this certification doesn’t only validate the knowledge, and skills you have over the non-certified professionals but also shows that you are committed to developing and growing in your career.

• Higher Chances Of Promotions And Career Advancements

As an SPHRi-certified professional, you are preferred for promotions and leadership roles in an organization, ahead of those who lack the certification.

This is because by obtaining an SPHRi certification, you have proven that you have the required knowledge, skills, and strategies to effectively lead HR initiatives, handle strategic HR roles, and make more informed decisions that will help the organization to grow significantly.

And although these non-certified professionals might also be knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced, having a certification validates your skills and puts you ahead of them.

In addition, having a SPHRi certification makes you more valuable in the HR field, as a whole.

With this certification, your professional profile is boosted and hence your chances of landing senior HR roles and promotions in any organization are increased.

• Success Stories Of SPHRi-Certified Professionals

Numerous SPHRi-certified professionals have shared how obtaining the certification advanced their careers significantly, improved their earning potential, and helped them achieve great feats in their careers.

These stories are proof of how many advantages your career as a HR professional can enjoy when you obtain an SPHRi certification, and how much impact it can help you make in your organization and the field at large.

III. Expand Your Professional Network

• Access To A Global Community Of Certified HR Professionals

When you obtain an SPHRi certification, you gain access to a community that contains other certified HR professionals from around the world.

Being a part of this community allows you to connect with other HR experts and share your ideas, knowledge, challenges, and interests with them.

It also gives you the opportunity to learn from the vast knowledge, experience, and diverse perspective of these experts while also expanding your professional network.

• Networking Opportunities Through Events, Webinars, And Forums

When you obtain an SPHRi certification, you will be attending events, conferences, seminars, forums, virtual gatherings, workshops, webinars, and forums specifically organized for only SPHRi-certified HR professionals, and this will provide you with a great avenue to network.

In these events, you will be interacting with HR professionals at different stages of their careers, and from there, you can build relationships with them and also widen your network within the global HR community.

• Potential Collaborations And Partnerships

Another benefit of being part of an SPHRi-certified community is that it offers you the possibility of connecting, collaborating, and partnering with other HR professionals.

You can collaborate and partner with these HR experts on projects, initiatives, research, and HR programs, amongst others.

These collaborations can help you gain more recognition and visibility within the global HR community.

In addition, your connection with the veteran HR professionals in this community can also provide you with guidance, mentorship, and insights, which can help your career grow.

IV. Increase In Your Earning Potential

• Higher Salaries For Certified HR Professionals

As an SPHRi-certified HR professional, you earn a higher salary than those who are non-certified.

This is because as an SPHRi-certified HR professional, you are allocated more complex and advanced roles than without are not certified and this makes you earn higher.

You are also assigned to higher positions than your colleagues or not certified, and typically, the higher the position, the higher the salary.

Also, because you will be offering a high value to an organization, the employers will need to compensate you with a good salary for your services, in order to attract and retain you.

• Justification For Salary Negotiations

In situations where you are being paid or offered a salary that you are not satisfied with, an SPHRi certification is a strong justification you can use to demand an increase.

When you are aiming for or applying for a promotion, this certification is also valid and tangible evidence you can bring forward to show that you have enough skills, knowledge, and experience.

This certification shows that you are committed to continually learning, developing, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and practices in the HR field.

It also shows that you have spent time, effort, and resources to gain the necessary skills, and knowledge in the HR field.

And with this, employers will most likely consider offering you an improved salary or position to keep your level of expertise in their organization.

• Research And Statistics On The Impact Of Certification On Income

According to several researches and statistics, HR professionals with a professional certification earn more than their colleagues and counterparts who are non-certified.

It will be difficult to state how much professionally-certified HR professionals earn over those who are not certified because it depends on factors such as the organization, the industry, and experience.

Nevertheless, the researches and statistics support the notion that HR professionals who have a certification earn more than those who don’t.

This information can be another valid piece of evidence that you use when negotiating an increase in your salary with your current or potential employers.

However, you must bear in mind that earning a certification is not the ONLY factor that is considered before your income is increased, there are other factors that will need to be considered as well.

V. Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends

• Continued Learning And Professional Development Opportunities

The process of obtaining and maintaining an SPHRi certification provides you with opportunities to keep learning and developing your personal HR abilities.

Before obtaining the certification, you will need to sit for an exam that requires you to learn properly and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the HR industry.

And even after you have obtained the certification, you will need to keep on learning and remain current with the trends in the HR field to be able to maintain it.

To maintain your SPHRi certification, you are required to continue attending seminars, workshops, or webinars, carrying out original research, participating in educational activities, and completing certain HR-related courses.

The aim of all these activities is to keep you informed about new concepts and trends, and involved in innovative HR practices which will add to what you already know.

• Access To Exclusive Resources, Research, And Publications

As an SPHRi-certified HR professional, you are provided exclusive access to resources from certified HR bodies and professional HR organizations.

These resources usually include industry reports, research studies, best practice guides, white papers, and case studies.

Access to these resources gives you insights into some innovative HR strategies which you incorporate into your role and keeps you aware of the latest benchmarks and trends in the HR industry.

That’s not all, as an HR professional with SPHRi certification, you also get exclusive access to discussion forums, platforms, and communities where you can gain and share knowledge and insights.

• Staying Informed On HR Laws, Regulations, And Best Practices

There are employment laws, labor regulations, and industry standards in every jurisdiction and you need to know them to be able to comply with them and prevent legal risks in your HR practices.

And that is why one of the sections of the Content Outline and Curriculum for the SPHRi certification exam talks about the need to have a proper understanding of HR laws and regulations within the jurisdiction(s) you work because as an SPHRi-certified professional, you are required to know them.

However, knowing these laws and regulations alone isn’t enough, you also need to stay current with them because from time to time, changes are made to them.

To get updated on the legal changes and the best practices in the HR field, you can either attend a specialized training hosted for such reasons by Professional associations and certified bodies or get online resources to learn more.

Another way to stay updated is by subscribing to the newsletters of professional associations and certified bodies in the industry.

VI. Demonstrate Commitment to HR Excellence

• Showcasing Dedication To Professional Growth

Obtaining an SPHRi certification proves that you are dedicated to continuous learning and professionally growing your HR career and delivering top-quality services.

The process of getting this certification isn’t an easy one. You need to study extensively, prepare properly, and write a complicated certification exam and ace it before you will be issued this certification.

Successfully enduring and passing through these processes shows that you are intentional and committed to improving and enhancing your HR knowledge and skills.

• Promoting Ethical And Responsible HR Practices

To be able to ace your SPHRi certification exam, one of the areas you need to have good knowledge of is ethical and responsible HR practices.

These practices include responsible use of HR data, fairness, confidentiality, and diversity, amongst others.

So, when you pass your certification exam and obtain the SPHRi certification, it is a sign that you have good knowledge of these practices and you are committed to upholding them.

Hence, when you have this certification, employers are confident that you will bring those ethical and responsible manners to their organization.

• Contribution To Organizational Success Through Effective HR Management

The curriculum and content outline for the SPHRi certification exam also requires you to have comprehensive knowledge of HR topics such as strategic management, performance management, talent acquisition, and employee development and relations, to be able to ace the exam.

With comprehensive knowledge of these topics, you will be able to design and implement effective HR strategies that align with the goals of the organization you work for.

So, your SPHRi certification serves as proof that you have the required knowledge, skills, and experience to provide strategic HR practices that can boost an organization’s performance, and drive positive change by solving HR challenges, making informed decisions, and enhancing employee engagement.

VII. Broaden Your Global HR Perspective

• Understanding Cultural Diversity And Inclusion

In preparation for your SPHRi certification exam, you need to properly gain knowledge about global HR differences, cultural differences, and the importance of cultural diversity and inclusion.

Gaining this knowledge doesn’t only help you pass the certification exam but also gives you a better understanding of diverse traditions, and values.

This knowledge comes in handy when you need to manage a workplace with people from different regions of the world.

With the knowledge you have gained from the certification process, you can be able to create a working environment that will be conducive for individuals from diverse backgrounds without leaving anyone out or making them feel uncomfortable.

• Developing Cross-cultural Communication Skills

Another benefit of getting SPHRi certification is that it helps you develop cross-cultural communication skills so that you can be able to effectively interact with your colleagues, employees, and stakeholders, who are from diverse cultural backgrounds.

So, it comes as no surprise that in one of the sections of the SPHRi certification program, insights are provided into the challenges involved in cross-cultural communication, the strategies you can use to overcome language barriers, and how you can properly collaborate and work in a multicultural team.

When you follow these insights and develop your cross-cultural communication skills, it becomes easier for you to bridge the communication barrier, and interact and build a relationship with employees and stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds.

• Addressing Unique Challenges Faced By Multinational Organizations

The HR challenges faced by an organization vary from location to location, and as an SPHRi-certified professional, you are required to be able to address these challenges in different nationalities.

And thanks to the understanding you gain from the SPHRi certification program about the unique global HR challenges and the best practices you can use to solve them, you can be able to address HR challenges in different organizations located in different parts of the world.

With this understanding, you will be able to make more informed decisions which will help you tackle complex HR challenges in different countries.

Conclusion

There are a lot of advantages that you will enjoy when you obtain an SPHRi certification, some of which include an increased income potential, more recognition, enhanced knowledge, and an increased global network, amongst others.

So, as an HR professional who meets the eligibility requirements, ensure you apply for the SPHRi certification and get it.

It will do you and your HR career a lot of good.

And if you need to be equipped with the right knowledge you need to pass the SPHRi certification exam and obtain an SPHRi certification, then you can take our self-paced online SPHRi training program.

However, if you live in either Nigeria or Ghana, then you can apply for our instructor-led SPHRi training program where you will be taught everything you need to know to scale through the SPHRi certification process.

FAQs

1. What Is The SPHRi Certification, And Who Is It For?

SPHRi certification is a certification that is meant to validate the knowledge, skills, and experiences that HR professionals have in handling HR functions and prove that they are competent enough to effectively handle international HR roles.

2. How Does The SPHRi Certification Differ From Other HR Certifications?

The SPHRi certification differs from other HR certifications because it focuses on validating global HR knowledge and skills, specifically for HR professionals currently working or aspiring to work in international HR roles.

3. What Is The Exam Format For The SPHRi Certification?

The exam consists of 115 questions that are scored, and 25 pretest questions that are not scored. These questions are set from four different functional areas in the HR field.

4. How Much Does It Cost To Get An SPHRi Certification?

The cost of the application and exam fee for the SPHRi certification examination as stated on HRCI’s official website is $595.

Nevertheless, if you are getting study materials and undergoing training programs which you will get to help you properly prepare for the exam, you will spend more.

5. How Long Is The SPHRi Certification Valid For, And What Are The Recertification Requirements?

The SPHRi is valid for 3 years and to get recertified you can either participate in professional development activities organized by the (HRCI), and earn a stipulated amount of recertification credits, or retake the SPHRi certification exam to make your certification valid for another 3 years.

If you must get recertified using recertification credits, then you must make sure you get 45 HR and 15 Business recertification credits (60 total) over a three-year time span to be recertified, or else you will have to retake the certification exam.

To gain these credits, here are the activities you need to participate in:

Attending HR seminars, conferences, webinars, and workshops
Completing online HR courses
Serving as a volunteer HR expert in an organization
Researching and publishing HR-related articles

…amongst others.

6. What Are The Eligibility Requirements For The SPHRi Certification?

To obtain an SPHRi certification, you need to meet one of these eligibility requirements:

You must have a minimum of 4 years of professional-level experience in an HR role with either a Master’s degree or an international certificate that is equivalent to it.

You must have a minimum of 5 years of professional-level experience in an HR position with a Bachelor’s degree or an international certificate that is equivalent to it.

You must have a minimum of 7 years of professional-level experience in an HR position with a high school diploma or an international certificate that is equivalent to it.

7. What Resources Are Available For Preparing For The SPHRi Exam?

Some of the study resources you can use to prepare for the SPHRi exam include:

8. How Does Having An SPHRi Certification Impact Salary And Job Opportunities In HR?

With an SPHRi certification, you bring more credibility, knowledge, and skills in international HR practices to the table, and this gives you an edge over your colleagues and counterparts who are non-certified.

Hence, you will be paid higher than them and you will be more preferred by employers than them.

9. What Are The Main Advantages Of Obtaining An SPHRi Certification For Both Individuals And Organizations?

For an individual, here are the advantages you enjoy when you obtain an SPHRi certification:

Your knowledge and expertise in global HR practices are enhanced.
Your career prospects are boosted.
Your professional network is expanded.
Your income potential is increased.
You stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
Your commitment to achieving HR excellence is showcased.
Broadening your global HR perspective.

Meanwhile, for organizations, here are the advantages of having employees with SPHRi certification:

It enhances your credibility and reputation in your industry.
It shows that you are committed to following international HR standards, and practices.
It gives you a competitive advantage over your competitors in the global markets.
Your HR practices are improved.
You become more productive.
You comply with international laws and regulations and avoid legal risks in different countries.

10. Can The SPHRi Certification Be Used As A Stepping Stone To Other HR Certifications Or Advanced Degrees?

Yes, it can. The knowledge, and skills that you gain in the SPHRi certification process form a solid foundation of what you know about HR practices, and they can be very valuable when you are pursuing other HR certifications or advanced educational degrees in the HR field.

27th September 2023

sphri certification

Advantages Of Having An SPHRi Certification