A tailored course, built for your situation
Mastering SOC 2 for HR Specialists in Global Professional Services
Build auditable controls frameworks aligned to workforce risk standards with precision
The situation this course is for
During compliance cycles, HR teams are asked to deliver evidence logs and policy confirmations under tight timelines. Without a clear mapping between HR processes and control objectives, outputs are reworked, timelines stretch, and credibility erodes. This creates dependency on centralized GRC teams and delays attestation.
Who this is for
HR Specialist at a global professional services firm managing people data with compliance implications. Works cross-functionally with internal audit, infosec, and compliance teams. Values precision, audit readiness, and ownership over HR’s contribution to trust architecture.
Who this is not for
This is not for GRC generalists, infosec leads, or external auditors. It’s not for firms without recurring third-party audits or those using only high-level compliance checklists.
What you walk away with
- Map HR-owned processes directly to SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
- Produce evidence logs from HR systems that meet auditor standards on first submission
- Draft HR-specific control narratives that align with corporate SOC 2 posture
- Reduce dependency on central compliance teams during audit cycles
- Structure a reusable evidence pack for annual attestation
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
- Defining SOC 2 scope as it applies to HR systems
- Identifying which HR processes fall under security criteria
- Distinguishing between user access and data confidentiality controls
- How HR workflows intersect with availability commitments
- Integrity expectations for performance calibration records
- Common misalignments between HR data and auditor requests
- Case study: HR access logs in a recent Type II review
- The role of HR in change management evidence
- Linking employee exit timelines to access revocation policies
- Documenting HR’s role in logical access reviews
- Audit trail expectations for compensation adjustments
- Mapping HR-owned data to system boundaries
- Identifying systems with HR data subject to SOC 2
- Differentiating between core HRIS and auxiliary tools
- Documenting segmentation of contractor vs employee records
- Establishing ownership of access certification workflows
- Defining system user roles with audit implications
- How org charts inform system boundary decisions
- HR’s input into data flow diagrams
- Mapping identity sources to authoritative HR systems
- Handling contingent workforce in boundary definitions
- Evidence requirements for system ownership logs
- Cross-referencing HR data with IAM directories
- Versioning system boundary documentation
- Writing control objectives for employee onboarding
- Defining access review frequency for HR admins
- Establishing change management for HR system configurations
- Control expectations for background check retention
- Documenting separation of duties in HR roles
- Security protocols for offboarding workflows
- Data validation rules for HR inputs to payroll
- Control logic for compensation change approvals
- Time-bound access for temporary HR contractors
- Audit readiness for HR-led promotions and transfers
- Control narratives for manager access delegation
- Handling exceptions in HR policy enforcement
- Identifying reliable evidence sources in Workday
- Export formats acceptable for SOC 2 testing
- Timestamp standards for HR access reviews
- Sampling methodologies for auditor requests
- Documenting evidence chain of custody
- Handling redaction in compensation data exports
- Proving completeness of exit checklists
- Validating automated access revocation logs
- Linking evidence to control testing points
- Formatting reports for external auditor review
- Version control for HR policy attestations
- Maintaining evidence retention logs
- Writing HR access review policies that match execution
- Documenting exception approval workflows
- Compensation data handling under confidentiality criteria
- Retention periods for background check records
- HR system change management policy essentials
- Onboarding policy alignment with security controls
- Remote work setup as a controlled HR process
- Contingent worker onboarding documentation
- HR-led disciplinary action logging standards
- Policy versioning and review cycles
- Attestation processes for HR staff
- Integrating policy updates with system changes
- Establishing SLAs for HR evidence delivery
- Defining handoff points with GRC teams
- Aligning HR calendars with audit timelines
- Creating joint control ownership models
- Resolving control gaps identified by central teams
- HR representation in control design sessions
- Feedback loops for auditor follow-ups
- Documenting HR’s role in remediation plans
- Escalation paths for control failures
- Cross-team training on HR-related controls
- Shared dashboards for control status
- Metrics for HR compliance performance
- Common auditor questions about HR access
- Responding to requests for access recertification proof
- Explaining HR’s role in logical access reviews
- Describing separation of duties in HR systems
- Clarifying data ownership in HR records
- Handling auditor requests for compensation data
- Justifying access review frequency decisions
- Documenting HR’s role in change approvals
- Presenting evidence of user provisioning accuracy
- Addressing auditor concerns about offboarding
- HR’s response to control deficiency findings
- Maintaining communication logs with auditors
- Classifying HR data under confidentiality categories
- Access controls for sensitive employee records
- Redaction protocols for auditor evidence
- Background check data handling procedures
- Storing medical accommodation requests securely
- Encryption standards for HR data exports
- HR’s role in data subject access requests
- Documenting consent for data processing
- Retention policies for performance reviews
- Handling data breaches involving HR systems
- Training HR staff on data handling policies
- Auditing access to confidential HR files
- Defining HR’s role in change approval workflows
- Documenting configuration changes in HRIS
- Testing changes before production rollout
- Version control for HR policy updates
- Change logs for access schema modifications
- HR’s input into emergency change processes
- Communicating changes to affected employees
- Training on new HR system features
- Evidence for change success validation
- Reviewing change incidents post-implementation
- HR’s role in rollback procedures
- Integrating change management with audit cycles
- HR’s role in business continuity planning
- Documenting HR continuity during outages
- Maintaining access during disaster recovery
- HR workforce availability under BCP
- Cross-training for critical HR roles
- HR’s role in failover testing
- Communicating outages to employees
- HR support during extended disruptions
- Evidence of HR system backup procedures
- HR’s role in post-incident reviews
- Updating HR data after system recovery
- HR’s input into system recovery timelines
- Assessing SOC 2 compliance of HR SaaS vendors
- Documenting HR’s role in vendor risk assessments
- Reviewing vendor audit reports
- Managing access to external HR platforms
- HR’s input into vendor contract terms
- Tracking vendor performance and uptime
- HR’s role in incident response with vendors
- Handling data portability post-contract
- Auditing vendor access to HR data
- HR’s role in vendor onboarding
- Terminating vendor access securely
- Reporting vendor issues to compliance teams
- Creating an HR-specific audit calendar
- Establishing quarterly evidence checks
- Updating HR controls after org changes
- Training new HR staff on compliance roles
- Conducting internal mock audits
- Improving evidence collection workflows
- Integrating feedback from past audits
- HR’s role in policy refresh cycles
- Documenting lessons learned from audits
- Building an HR compliance knowledge base
- Standardizing HR’s audit response templates
- Planning for future SOC 2 scope changes
Before vs. after
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters total)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: 90 minutes of focused learning, designed to fit into a single Sunday morning.
How this compares to the alternatives
Generic SOC 2 courses focus on IT and infrastructure. This course is tailored to HR systems, workflows, and compliance responsibilities, nothing else targets this intersection.
Frequently asked
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.