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This past week I was fortunate to attend one of my favorite events – the SHRM Volunteer Leader Summit. It’s a great event for many reasons, but the main draw for me is being with other HR volunteers. We have a common bond. It doesn’t matter if you are attending for the first time or have been attending for several years. There is an instant recognition and affinity because we share some commonality in our experiences.

We are facing a productivity crisis. Global economic indicators suggest that people in westernized countries are working more hours and producing less. This should be of concern to every human resource professional.

If you still need proof that our society—and, in turn, the U.S. labor force—is getting older, look no further than our increased life expectancy and lower birth rate, according to one expert.

Thirty years ago there were more skilled people than there were available jobs. Employee turnover was approximately 4%, most of which was involuntary or business economics driven.

Two years ago, the Korn Ferry Institute suggested that HR’s evolution hinged on our profession’s decision “to be or not to be strategic.” Today, this is no longer a question.

The Atlanta region has quickly built a reputation as a hub for the tech sector, and that industry is among the leaders for economic growth at the moment, along with biosciences and advanced manufacturing.

On November 11, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Michael Jacobson (@HRTerminator) of Xpert HR about "Sexual Harassment: The Final Frontier of Workplace Gender Equality."   

In 2015, the SHRM Foundation awarded SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition scholarships to HR professionals from each of the five regions of the U.S.—the Northeast, Southeast, North Central, Southwest Central and the Pacific West. Jatisha Marsh was the southeast award recipient and attended the SHRM 2015 Annual Conference and Exposition.

Today, the HR Magazine Book Blog interviews Shawn Murphy, author of the recently published book The Optimistic Workplace: Creating an Environment that Energizes Everyone (AMACOM, 2015). 

What is workplace optimism? 

As we enter into the holiday time of the year I thought it would be constructive to address some myths about holiday pay. There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings that have developed about how and what people must be paid. Much of this comes from the past practices that people learned from working for unionized companies, nonunion companies trying to remain that way, or larger companies trying to compete for workers. Here are four common myths about holiday pay under the FLSA regarding paying employees.

HR + TV =  A Winning Formula for the Profession

Raising awareness about the HR profession is one of SHRM’s most abiding missions.  What better way to accomplish this than through the power of television – and through the voice of “real” HR professionals – not actors. 

This week, SHRM was awarded a 2015 Gold MarCom Award for its 30-second TV spot “Working for Us,” which features three SHRM-certified members.  The TV commercial is being shown on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, FOX and Fox Business Network.

Nearly all employees desire work-life fit. Take Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan who in taking the job as Speaker of the House recently requested the option to spend less time on the road and more time with his family.

No, this isn't about an office party gone awry.  But it is about almost getting it right but not quite enough. Let me give you the short version.  For seven years employee Brown performed well receiving excellent ratings on performance evaluations.  But when she was promoted she made some serious errors that more than embarrassed the employer; they nearly caused significant financial loss.

There’s been a lot of buzz the past few years about the topic of corporate culture. And in the echo chamber of HR social media, you can find hundreds of blogs about how great cultures attract and retain the best talent.