Human Resources Domain: Key Concepts for the FACHE Exam

• Strategic Human Resources Management

  • Workforce Planning: The process of analyzing and forecasting the talent an organization will need to achieve its strategic goals. This includes assessing current staff, forecasting future needs, and identifying skill gaps.

  • Job Analysis & Design: Understanding the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job (job description) and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform it (job specification).

  • Succession Planning: A proactive process for identifying and developing internal talent to fill future leadership positions.
     

• Recruitment and Selection

  • Sourcing Candidates: Knowing the pros and cons of recruiting from internal sources (e.g., promotions, transfers) versus external sources (e.g., job fairs, online postings).

  • Selection Techniques: Understanding different interview types, with a focus on behavioral interviewing (asking candidates to describe past behavior to predict future performance). Be aware of the legal and ethical considerations in selection to avoid bias.

  • Onboarding: The process of integrating a new employee into the organization and its culture. A strong onboarding program is crucial for retention.
     

• Employee Engagement and Retention

  • Definition of Engagement: The emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and its goals. Engaged employees are motivated to contribute to organizational success.

  • Key Drivers of Engagement: These include meaningful work, trust in leadership, opportunities for growth, and recognition.

  • Measuring Engagement: Familiarity with tools like employee satisfaction surveys and pulse surveys to gather feedback.

  • Retention Strategies: Understand that retention is driven by factors like competitive compensation, positive work culture, work-life balance, and strong management. High turnover is extremely costly.
     

• Performance Management

  • Performance Appraisals: Know different methods, such as Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) and Management by Objectives (MBO). The goal is to provide fair, objective, and constructive feedback.

  • Disciplinary Procedures: Understand the concept of progressive discipline—a sequence of actions (e.g., verbal warning, written warning, suspension) that provides employees with opportunities to correct their behavior.

  • Providing Feedback: The ability to have regular, constructive coaching conversations is a key leadership skill.
     

• Compensation and Benefits

  • Total Rewards Strategy: The concept that compensation is more than just a salary. It includes base pay, variable pay (bonuses), benefits (health insurance, retirement), and non-financial rewards (recognition, development).

  • Compensation Philosophy: Understanding how an organization positions its pay relative to the market (e.g., lead, lag, or match the market).

  • Benefits Administration: General knowledge of common benefits like health insurance, retirement plans (e.g., 401(k), 403(b)), and paid time off.
     

• Labor Laws and Regulations (Crucial Area)

  • You must be able to identify the purpose of key federal employment laws.

  • FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act): Establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards. Differentiates between exempt (salaried) and non-exempt (hourly) employees.

  • FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act): Provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for specific family and medical reasons.

  • EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission): The federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin).

  • ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities and requires employers to provide "reasonable accommodations."

  • OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act): Ensures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards. In healthcare, this includes things like bloodborne pathogen safety.

  • NLRA (National Labor Relations Act): Guarantees the right of employees to organize, form unions, and bargain collectively.
     

• Employee and Labor Relations

  • Conflict Resolution: Understand different approaches to resolving disputes, from informal mediation to formal grievance procedures.

  • Grievance Procedures: A formal process for employees to voice complaints without fear of reprisal, often part of a union contract.

  • Union Environment: In a unionized setting, managers must adhere to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which governs wages, hours, and terms of employment.

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