Last month, I had the pleasure of welcoming almost 1,000 of our Volunteer Leaders to SHRM’s Volunteer Leaders’ Business Meeting (VLBM). This was near-record attendance for this yearly event.
Formerly known as the Volunteer Leaders’ Summit, VLBM is our annual business meeting with State Council and Chapter Volunteer Leaders, hosted in our nation’s capital. During this three-day event, we explored fresh, strategic, and innovative ways we can partner with our key leaders to empower SHRM’s network of more than 300,000 HR professionals in over 500 communities nationwide–and build better workplaces in 2020 and beyond for all employers, employees and their families.
It was a pleasure to be together with so many of our leaders at VLBM. Their dedication and commitment to our members, the HR profession and SHRM is remarkable.
Now, if you are reading this blog, you are likely a national SHRM member and are familiar with SHRM and the value of national membership. When you join a local chapter, those benefits are multiplied. We are better together.
SHRM has 577 chapters throughout the U.S. and its territories. Joining a local chapter and attending meetings and events in your community are great ways to build one-on-one relationships with local HR professionals. This also helps you stay on top of local HR trends and effective practices.
By joining a local SHRM chapter, you have access to:
- Expanded Networking Opportunities: Create a network of HR professionals in your community; tap into their knowledge and learn about career advancement opportunities.
- In-depth Career Resources: Take advantage of local professional development opportunities and stay in the know on pending local, state and federal legislation that may impact your company’s operations.
- Additional Professional Development Opportunities: Earn professional development credits (PDCs) for attending chapter programming approved for SHRM recertification.
National SHRM membership complements these offerings by giving you access to thousands of essential resources that keep you at the forefront of the HR profession including:
- HR Toolkits and sample documents
- interactive tools
- how-to guides
- legal and compliance resources
- access to Knowledge Advisors who can help you individually with your HR questions,
- opportunities to raise your voice on public policy issues affecting the workforce,
- and much more!
If you aren’t part of a local SHRM chapter, I encourage you to find one in your area using our website and contact them to join today. Consider even taking on a volunteer leadership position.
And if you haven’t already, remember to renew your SHRM membership. Not a national SHRM member? Join today using the promo code STATE20.
I’m looking forward to another great year in 2020!
Mike Aitken was appointed Senior Vice President for Membership in 2018 after 15 years leading SHRM's successful advocacy programs as Vice President of Government Affairs. Mike is a leading authority on the issues important to the human resource profession and drives SHRM's membership vision, ensuring excellent member experiences, and implementing the organization's newly developed business strategy. He applies his proven model of engagement to shape the future of work, workers and workplaces. He is an expert relationship-builder across diverse constituencies and stakeholders, always seeking out the "win-win" in every situation. As a member of SHRM's senior management team, Mike also plays a key role in setting the strategic direction of the organization, offering important counsel on SHRM's educational programs and professional development opportunities. Prior to joining SHRM in 2003, he spent 14 years with the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR), which represents more than 23,000 HR professionals at over 1,900 higher education institutions. In 2015 and 2016, Mike served as an employer representative on the U.S. delegation to the International Labour Conference. Mike currently serves as a board member for OpenWork. He is also a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Labor Relations Committee. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego.
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