I spent the last week before the holiday weekend at the Society for Human Resource Management annual conference, one of my favorite events of the year.
Though there were many lessons to be learned (including wearing sunscreen and avoiding the outdoors in 110-degree heat), there were some important topics that were reiterated throughout the four days.
Here are five major topics HR is focusing on, based on my time attending sessions, navigating my way through the crazy expo hall and, generally speaking, spending time with 15,000 of my closest HR friends.
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1. Wellness. Don't say wellness is just a fad in the workplace. Yes, wellness is increasing — and SHRM's conference was proof of it everywhere. Research from SHRM released during the conference also confirmed that wellness programs are continuing to grow in prevalence in workplaces around the country. Wellness benefits including health and lifestyle coaching, smoking cessation programs, and premium discounts for getting an annual risk assessment. are on the rise. The most prevalent wellness benefits offered are wellness resources and information (80 percent of respondents) and wellness programs (70 percent), SHRM said.
Oh, and if you want help to implement a wellness program at your workplace, then read my story, Top 10 reasons you should implement wellness, which breaks down steps to implement wellness in the workplace—and, more importantly, why you should.
Photo: SHRM CEO Hank Jackson and SHRM Chair Brian Silva. Courtesy of SHRM.
2. Overtime regulations. The U.S. Department of Labor last week proposed raising the annual salary level at which overtime pay kicks in from $23,300 to $50,440.
The proposed overtime rules, subject to a 60-day review before a final rule change can be issued, broke during SHRM's annual conference—and the majority of HR insiders were not happy about it.
According to SHRM, the regulations would affect businesses in a number of ways, including increased labor costs, automatically increased salaries and reduced flexibility.
Read more about it: What to know about proposed overtime changes
3. Globalization. The traditional office may be a dying animal. Employees now work anywhere and everywhere, thanks to technological advances and flexible employers. So employers, employees and HR better be prepared (and accepting of it).
"Globalization has made us literally expand our thinking about where and when work gets done and who does it. Companies no longer have the option of saying, 'I'm local,' because a bright employee can work from anywhere in the world. And many of them do," SHRM president and CEO Hank Jackson said during opening remarks at the conference.
"Crowdsourcing temporary [work] and remote work are all on the rise," Jackson said. "Talent is borderless so we are all global now, competing for the best and the brightest in the world."
Photo: Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Courtesy of SHRM.
4. A new role. Industry heads called on HR to be the leaders of their organizations, especially through changing regulations and new dynamics in the workplace.
"I see a growing, dynamic profession whose value to organizations has made us the business leaders. Not business partners. Not trusted advisors. Not change managers. But business leaders," Jackson said.
From Coach K coaching HR to be better leaders to Dr. Oz telling HR professionals they have the biggest heart of anyone, the importance of HR was definitely stressed.
5. Talent and people. Perhaps the biggest lesson was about people.
Forget technology. Talent is the real power behind businesses.
"Talent is the key to innovation, competitiveness and growth in the 21st century," Jackson said.
Throughout the conference, experts stressed to HR that they need to find a way to connect with employees and show them how valued they are. Otherwise—especially in a rebounding economy where talent is king—they'll lose their best and brightest.
So how does HR help grow and stabilize their talent pools?
And, as a housekeeping note, please take let us know what is happening in the HR world and take our 2015 Benefits Selling Employer Survey.
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