2006: a good year for advancing the profession

HR Magazine, Dec, 2006 by Susan Meisinger

Part of the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) mission is to advance the human resource profession. To accomplish this, we've taken a two-pronged approach: delivering a full array of member services and educating the business community about HR's importance as a contributor to organizational success.

We strive to provide information, tools and services that help HR professionals succeed in their leadership roles. Resources on building strategy, research on emerging trends in the profession and business, and in-depth online content are examples of these efforts.

Many executives who have never worked with a strategic HR function don't know what they should expect. A major focus of our ATP (Advance the Profession) campaign is to educate business leaders on the value that HR can bring to their organizations.

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Our sponsorship of "CEO Exchange," now in its second year, is one such effort. We are working with our partner, PBS affiliate WTTW, to create another season of high-level programming to provide viewers insights into the leadership styles and human capital management strategies of today's most successful chief executives.

We've also formed a partnership with CNBC, the nation's premier business television network. Designed to increase visibility for the profession, the partnership has produced exposure for HR in broadcasts from the World Economic Forum Summit, aired video vignettes focusing on strategic HR, and created monthly "billboards" highlighting the Leading Indicator of National Employment--SHRM and Rutgers University's monthly economic indicator.

SHRM also sponsored an award recognizing Outstanding Leadership in Strategic Human Capital Initiatives at the 2006 CNBC Executive Leadership Awards event, which will be broadcast by CNBC in January 2007.

This year the HR profession and SHRM gained broad exposure on National Public Radio through SHRM's sponsorship of "Marketplace," "Marketplace Money," and Marketplace's new series, "Conversations from the Corner Office," featuring select CEOs from episodes of "CEO Exchange." These broadcasts reached approximately 4.4 million listeners weekly.

Our 2006 media coverage included mentions in more than 4,500 stories, positioning SHRM as the authority on workplace issues. High-profile outlets citing SHRM included The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and key publications such as Forbes, Fortune, U.S. News & World Report and Business Week magazines. Also this year, SHRM spokespersons appeared on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," CNBC and MSNBC.

This year also marked the third year SHRM sponsored the Great Place to Work Institute's ranking of "50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America," to recognize that great companies to work for can also be very successful companies.

In short, we are committed to pulling out all the stops to ensure that the work of HR professionals is recognized as an essential component of organizational success.