Making your voice heard

HR Magazine, Oct, 1996 by Deanna Gelak

It's been said that there is great strength in numbers. With 73,000 members, the Society for Human Resource Management has the potential to make a tremendous impact on legislation pending before Congress. SHRM members can make a difference by participating in the Society's Grassroots Program.

What is grassroots lobbying? Grassroots lobbying is an organized effort by a group of people who hope to influence the outcome of legislation. SHRM grassroots participants--known as key contacts--communicate with their members of Congress, educate them regarding a bill's impact on the HR field, and work to influence the outcome of that bill.

Most grassroots lobbying programs use either a qualitative or a quantitative approach. SHRM's grassroots program continually strives to encompass both strategies--to increase the number of active participants while maintaining a hands-on, personal approach.

The quantitative approach to grassroots lobbying focuses on sheer numbers. This approach is important because members of Congress receive literally hundreds of phone calls and letters every day. Clearly, 10 phone calls are better than one. Especially if they are all received by a Congressional office on the same day. Numerous phone calls, letters and visits on a hot HR-related bill can shape the fate of the legislation. The qualitative approach uses long-term relationships between constituents and their elected officials and key staff members through personalized letters, personal visits and other types of one-on-one contact.

Why is grassroots participation important? The number and complexity of human resource-related proposals continues to increase. As HR professionals, SHRM key contacts provide valuable perspectives that their members of Congress may not have considered. By joining forces with others HR professionals, SHRM members can have an even greater impact on the legislative process.

What is the Grassroots Program's goal? The goal of SHRM's grassroots program is to equip members with the tools they need to express their views on important legislative proposals affecting HR. The program aims to generate numerous contacts from SHRM members to their elected representatives. Human resource professionals are willing, able and uniquely qualified to express their concerns on legislation that affects the workplace.

How does the Grassroots Program work? Key contacts periodically receive legislative alerts on bills introduced in Congress that will affect the workplace. They respond by contacting their legislative representatives in the House and Senate through letters, phone calls, and even personal visits.

Talking points or sample letters included in the alerts SHRM sends serve as a guide for key contacts. Key contacts are asked to personalize their letters as much as possible because such letters are one of the most effective grassroots lobbying techniques.

Key contacts also receive a complimentary set of the SHRM Legislative Fact Sheets, which provides background discussions and talking points on legislative issues affecting the HR profession. Network News, a bi-monthly newsletter for the Grassroots Program, the Washington and State Insiders, and periodic legislative alerts help keep key contacts up to date on the latest legislative happenings at both the state and federal levels.

Do I have to be a political expert? The SHRM grassroots network is for political novices and seasoned professionals alike. The average age of a Congressional staff members is 24 years. Hearing directly from human resource experts helps these staffers do their jobs.

How do I benefit? Political involvement benefits SHRM key contacts in many ways. Through the SHRM grassroots program, participants can increase their involvement in their employers' strategic planning process, develop higher profiles in their chapters and communities, and gain the respect of their colleagues.

Does political affiliation matter? The SHRM grassroots network is nonpartisan. All human resource professionals with an active interest in the continued viability of the profession are encouraged to participate.

How do I join? SHRM members may contact the Society at (703) 548-3440 to request an application or call SHRM Fast-Facts, the Society's fax-on-demand service at 1-800-283-7476 and requests document #63003. Applications can also be accessed through the Society's government affairs home page, (http://www.shrm.org). Membership in the Grassroots Program is free, but it is limited to SHRM national members.