Building the future of human resource management

HR Magazine, June, 1996

The Society's achievements during 1995 set the stage for an exciting 1996, with plans to dramatically expand membership programs and relocate SHRM's headquarters to a new five-story building in Alexandria, Va. Such plans would not be possible if the Society did not have a sound financial foundation.

Like any business with a vision for the future, SHRM cannot remain static. The rapidly changing world requires the Society to continuously assess and reassess member programs and services. The strong performance in 1995 helps put the Society in position to make bold strategic decisions as the human resource profession heads toward the year 2000.

To handle so many new challenges, the Society's staff must continue to grow. From 1990 to 1995, the SHRM staff increased only 23 percent - from 92 to 113 employees - despite a 62 percent growth in membership. In 1996 SHRM added seven more staff members to improve programs and services.

Such decisions, however, are not made lightly. SHRM makes service and program improvements only by strictly adhering to sound principles of fiscal management, keeping expenses down, increasing productivity, and providing members with excellent customer service. As a result, last year's performance enabled the Society to contribute $2.6 million to reserves, a 13 percent increase over 1994's $2.3 million contribution to reserves.

With continued growth and increased reserves, SHRM heads toward the future prepared to weather economic downturns. The Society is not only in a strong position to provide the resources necessary to accomplish its objectives, but also to take advantage of new opportunities.