Free SHRM Practice Questions (2026)

1. A mid-size technology company is experiencing 28% annual turnover among software engineers. Exit interviews reveal that employees feel there are limited growth opportunities. Which retention strategy would MOST effectively address this concern?

2. An HR manager discovers that a department has been classifying several workers as independent contractors rather than employees. The workers use company equipment, follow set schedules, and report to a company supervisor. What should the HR manager do FIRST?

3. A company is implementing a new HRIS system that will change how all 500 employees submit time-off requests, access pay stubs, and update personal information. Significant resistance is emerging. According to change management best practices, which approach is MOST effective?

4. A global consumer goods company is restructuring from a functional hierarchy into a matrix organization where product managers and regional directors share authority over teams. Which challenge should HR MOST anticipate?

5. An employee files a harassment complaint against their direct supervisor. The accused supervisor is a high-performing vice president who manages a $20 million revenue division. What is the MOST appropriate first step for HR?

6. A manufacturing facility experiences an incident where an employee is hospitalized overnight after inhaling chemical fumes. Under OSHA recordkeeping requirements, within what timeframe must the employer report this hospitalization?

7. An HR director is presenting a business case for a $200,000 leadership development program. The program is projected to reduce management turnover by 15%, saving $350,000 annually in replacement costs. What is the ROI of this initiative?

8. An HR team at an international retail company is conducting a strategic environmental scan before expanding into Southeast Asian markets. Which framework would BEST help them analyze macro-level external factors affecting workforce planning in the new region?

9. An HR business partner learns that the CEO wants to terminate an employee who posted critical comments about the company on social media. The CHRO instructs the HR partner to process the termination without documentation. What should the HR business partner do?

10. A newly promoted HR director needs to influence senior leaders to adopt a new diversity and inclusion initiative, but has no direct authority over the business unit heads. Which leadership approach is MOST appropriate?

11. Two department heads are in an escalating conflict over resource allocation for a critical project. Both have valid business justifications and have stopped communicating directly. As the HR business partner, what is the MOST effective conflict resolution approach?

12. During a team meeting, a usually engaged employee becomes visibly upset after receiving critical feedback on a project. The employee shuts down and stops participating. As the team leader, what is the BEST immediate response?

Are these practice questions really free?

Yes. The 12 sample questions on this page are completely free with no account required. SHRMpractice also offers a free tier with 20 flashcards and 2 mini exams. Full access to 500+ flashcards, 50 mini exams, and 7 full-length practice exams starts at $39.99 per month.

How similar are these questions to the real SHRM exam?

These questions are designed to mirror the format, difficulty, and style of actual SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP exam items. They include both knowledge items (factual recall) and situational judgment items (scenario-based decision making) across all six content domains. However, they are not sourced from SHRM and should be used as supplementary study material.

What topics do the practice questions cover?

The questions span all six SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge (BASK) domains: People, Organization, Workplace, Business, Leadership, and Interpersonal. Topics include employee retention, worker classification, change management, harassment investigations, OSHA compliance, ROI analysis, ethics, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

What is the best study strategy for the SHRM exam?

Start with a diagnostic assessment to identify weak areas, then focus your study time on the domains where you score lowest. Use flashcards for knowledge items and practice exams for situational judgment items. Aim to consistently score above 80% on practice exams before scheduling your real exam date. Study for 8 to 12 weeks, dedicating 10 to 15 hours per week.

Do I need an account to access the practice questions?

No account is needed for the sample questions on this page. To access the full library of 500+ flashcards, 50 mini exams, and 7 full-length exams, you will need to create a free account. The free tier gives you 20 flashcards and 2 mini exams at no cost.

What is the difference between flashcards and mini exams?

Flashcards present individual concepts with a prompt on one side and the answer on the other, ideal for memorizing knowledge items like employment law statutes and HR frameworks. Mini exams are timed sets of 10 to 15 scenario-based questions that simulate exam conditions and build your situational judgment skills under time pressure.