“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 us now has the responsibility to plant the seeds of knowledge we acquired at #SHRM22 and use these to help employees in our companies grow and develop. In essence, our organizational culture and our employees’ experiences are a garden that we need to tend to and cultivate. Therefore, I invite each conference participant to review your notes and key points of learning from the variety of sessions you attended and find ways to effectively implement and advance innovative and strategic HR practices. The work you contribute today will help others bloom in ways that you may not even foresee or envision.
The annual conference also provided opportunities to nurture relationships within our HR community. We need to continue to connect and support one another throughout the year in order to keep this kinship and our professional landscape flourishing. Let’s commit to connecting on social media platforms, sharing ideas, and caring for one another. Together, we can continue to #CauseTheEffect of helping others and advancing the important work within our profession.
I look forward to seeing everyone for #SHRM23 in Las Vegas. It’s a safe bet that I’ll be there!
Dr. Melanie Peacock has over 30 years’ experience as a Human Resources Management professional and is an Associate Professor at Mount Royal University and past president of the Faculty Association. Dr. Peacock was the first woman of colour and the first woman in over 28 years to hold this position. As well, Dr. Peacock is the incoming president of Western University’s Alumni Board.
Dr. Peacock has been extensively involved in professional HR initiatives as a senior manager, independent consultant, and educator. She obtained her Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction) from the University of Alberta, her MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business (Western University), and her PhD through the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.
Due to her extensive knowledge and competencies, Dr. Peacock is a sought-after media contributor and commentator at the municipal, provincial, and national levels. In addition to this text, Dr. Peacock has authored books regarding training and development and change management.
Dr. Peacock was presented with HRD’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award in the HR Industry at the Canadian HR Awards. As well, in 2021 and 2020 she was named to HRD magazine’s list of the top 100 HR global professionals and was acknowledged in HRD magazine’s 2017 Hot List as one of the top 30 most influential HR practitioners in Canada. Dr. Peacock’s other recognition includes being named to the Most Inclusive HR Influencer List (2021 & 2020) as one of the top 250 global HR social media influencers, being given the Fellowship Award (2021) and Distinguished Career Award (2014) by CPHR Alberta, being awarded the first Mount Royal Faculty Association Teaching Excellence Award (2014), and being presented with Western’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2016).
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