SHRM Blog

I Say Hello - #SHRM22 Thoughts

The lanyards are ready to be hung on my hook of past conferences. The conference bag full of swag I thought I needed is bulging as I get ready to haul it into the office and add “toys” to my ever-growing office menagerie. The memories of incredible food at several places steeped in Cajun spices still make me salivate. And, the incredible improv blues/jazz/rock melodies from the jam session where any musician could bring in their instrument and jump on stage at Cafe Negri still resonates fondly in the recesses of my...

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#SHRM22 Asked HR to #CauseTheEffect – Let’s Celebrate it!

Last week, over 18,000 HR professionals came together both in New Orleans and virtually during four incredible days at the SHRM Annual Conference and Expo.  From sessions to connections, #SHRM22 had something to offer an HR profession regardless of your level, industry, employer size or location.

With any conference or trip requiring travel, one should always expect there to be a “little rough air”, but those bumps bring the greatest opportunities to connect with someone you may have missed in the crowd.  Some of my most cherished moments this year, were the...

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#SHRM22: Are You Listening?

As I entered the general session of the conference, I was feeling excitement about seeing former President George W Bush speak at SHRM 22 in New Orleans. Then I read the following… “No recording, no photography, and no taking notes… wait a minute, I am an avid note taker - how can I survive?  and no pictures? As I sat there, I thought, I am going to have to really focus and listen well so I can remember to write down key takeaways when I leave the session. Then, I went into...

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My Lagniappe from #SHRM22

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to support SHRM 22 remotely this year. The SHRM team fully engaged the online audience with many treats and surprises as we “caused the effect”.   There were many memorable moments, I will highlight a few of my favorites. 

--Not one, but two,  focused networking sessions which were industry specific. Many discount the magic of online experiences, however, I will continue to note the unique opportunities to connect. This gives you a reason for follow-up and maybe even a plan for an IRL meeting.

--All keynotes were available to us...

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#SHRM22 - Why I "Conference" Every Year

After a few days of catching up on my sleep, I decided to take a moment to reflect on the past week in New Orleans, organize the 300+ pictures that I managed to capture with my phone, and think about what I gained from this year’s SHRM Annual Conference as well as why I have decided to “conference” every year.

Compared to some of my colleagues, I’m relatively new to the annual conference circuit, attending my first SHRM Annual Conference in 2018 in Chicago. A lot has changed in both...

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#SHRM22 – A Call for Mental Health Support

1 in 4. If you were to have a one in four chance of winning the lottery, you would play. Those chances are a no-brainer.

Those same odds represent the number of employees who feel hopeless today.

That is a hard sentence to type. 25% of our employee population struggle with some sense of hopelessness. At the SHRM Annual Conference, these numbers were shared with the roughly 13,000 attendees. Staggering to us all. We were also acutely aware that the numbers are likely worse since many may not want to divulge their...

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PODCAST: SHRM's Chief Knowledge Officer on Building Better Workplaces

Hot on the heels of the SHRM 2022 Conference and Expo in New Orleans, the latest episode of the People and Performance Podcast features SHRM's Chief Knowledge Officer, Alexander Alonso, PhD SHRM-SCP.

SHRM's research has reported that stifling certain types of speech leads to...

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#SHRM22: How Does Your Garden Grow?

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn

Upon returning from the annual SHRM conference, I was pleasantly surprised to see many flowers blooming in the backyard. When I left for New Orleans, there wasn’t much to see or enjoy in my garden. However, during my absence an abundance of rain and sunshine clearly had an impact on the planting work I had done before traveling. The outcome of my efforts, while not immediately rewarded, were now readily apparent.

A key takeaway from this is that each of...

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#SHRM22: An Attitude of Gratitude

I have just returned from SHRM22 and I want to express my gratitude:

SHRM22 Planners and SHRM staff – THANK YOU for all your efforts to plan another amazing conference experience! The #CauseTheEffect theme, the #OneHR bracelets, the keynote and session speaker line-up were all extraordinary.

SHRM22 SPONSORS – THANK YOU for making all of this possible!! Your commitment to our profession and generosity are both appreciated. 

SHRM22 VENDORS/EXHIBITORS - THANK YOU for a great expo hall at the conference. Your dedication to supporting HR professionals with essential tools and valuable resources so we can ...

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