Dear SHRM Foundation,

We’ve known each other for years.  We’ve had our ups (your support of the HRGames) and our downs (the 247 Director’s Circle pins you sent me as a sign of your affection).  However, despite this rollercoaster of emotions, I’ve always supported you and been in your corner.  So, in this public forum, it is time to declare my love for you and say that you’re the best thing under the SHRM umbrella.  How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
 

1.  I love your heart and generosity- you provided $170,000 in scholarships and awards in 2015.  These scholarships and awards are available for such things as certification, studies in HR, as well as for dissertations and the HR Advisor of the Year (I'm a proud recipient in 2006).  Further, you continually give many of the products that are the result of your efforts away for free to the greater HR community.  You have changed and affected the lives of so many in such a positive, affirming away.
2.  I love your mind – You are the leading funder of HR research.  Over the past three years, you have provided over $1.8 million in grants to fund rigorous research (which is near and dear to my heart).  You are changing the face of the HR profession with cutting-edge products, such as the Effective Practice Guidelines, and the DVD Series.  Your Thought Leadership Initiative is setting the tone by identifying trends that will impact the workplace in the next 5-10 years.

Thanks for all that you do to enrich and advance the profession.

 Xoxo,

 Matt

P.S. if you know of others who love you as much as I do, please tell them to stop by Booth 2640 while at #SHRM16 and contribute to make the Foundation even stronger.  If you are reading this at home, go visit the SHRM Foundation website at https://shrm.org/about/foundation/pages/foundationhome.aspx, and read more about the great things the Foundation does. 

Several years ago, long-time family and friends got together over the holidays for a good meal.  Grown children were back in the nest, and we enjoyed the repast reminiscing about days gone by.

The conversation, however, drifted into a discussion regarding what we remember as the most upsetting or painful interaction we had with our parent/child.  For example, one son mentioned his father yelling at him across a blackjack table, "If you're not going to play RIGHT, don't play at all."

What emerged was that every child had a painful memory that the parent had no recollection of doing.  Similarly, parents held onto a moment of regret that did not even register as important to the child.

........................................................................

A HR manager who has served an organization for a significant period of time has likely had many a difficult conversation with his or her work "family."

It would not be surprising that many of these managers have held on to memories of painful discussions they have had with some of their current employees.

However, if the discussion with our friends is any indication, it is likely those employees are not hung up on those past interactions.

The theme of the 2015 SHRM Annual Conference was "tHRive."  If today's managers want to truly thrive, they'd be wise to let go of those interactions that haunt them.  They are not as important as one would believe.

 

This is my fifteenth straight year of attending the SHRM Annual Conference.  Here are my quick impressions from day 1:

• As always, kudos to the many volunteers helping to support the Annual Conference.  If you have an opportunity, be sure to thank the many individuals who give up their time to make the conference succeed
• Special shout out goes to Terry Starr and the Dice team for sponsoring the SHRM15 Blogger lounge.   The SHRM bloggers are here to provide content and perspective on the going-ons and we hope you get a few positive takeaways from them.
• Magician and entertainer Penn Jillette gave a rousing opening highlighting what it takes to thrive in Las Vegas, echoing the theme of the conference.  However, I wonder if the 100 pounds he lost referred to his silent partner Teller, who was nowhere to be seen.
• CEO Hank Jackson's opening address most likely resonated with first time attendees.   However, was there anything unique in his points that couldn't have been said in 2013 or 2014?  How is HR different today than it was one or two years ago?  How has SHRM changed in what they do this year compared to what they did last year?
• I was not looking forward to Coach K's keynote, and, being from Wisconsin, it was certainly crushing to have to revisit the "highlights" of Duke's championship win over the Badgers.  However, I appreciated his three main points of employees and employers needing to be adaptable, taking ownership of their actions (does this include flopping on the court?), and demonstrating one's feelings.
• Most embarrassing use of Twitter - the continued reference to @coachkwisdom, an account that is neither affiliated with Duke University nor Coach K.  While I am sure the manager of the account appreciated the attention, be better people.

Onto day 2....

• 
  

In about a month, individuals will be heading to Las Vegas to attend the 2015 SHRM Annual Conference.  This will be my 15th SHRM Annual Conference, and, based on my years of experience, here are the things you do NOT want to do while attending.

1.  Do NOT avoid drinking water 
Its the desert, people.  Every day will likely be 100 degrees and it will be a dry heat, so you won't even feel like you're sweating.  But, given the significant amount of walking you're likely to do as well as the arctic temperatures inside the convention center to counteract the heat, you'll need all the H20 you can handle.  Bring a portable water bottle and keep it filled and by your side at all times.

2.  Do NOT suffer from SWAG remorse.
 
The exhibit hall is going to open at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 and you going to be tempted by every vendor with some sort of gee-gaw or doo-dad that you absolutely have to bring back to the office.  You may have already received an inch tall pile of vendor mail and you've mapped out your strategy for maximizing your haul.  You may have even packed light so that you have plenty of room in your suitcase for all the giveaways.  It is free, right?  You HAVE To grab it.  Trust me, as a former victim, you will suffer from SWAG remorse.  It may take a week....it may take a month, but you are going to look at that tote bag full of "goodies" you brought back and you are going to ask yourself why you grabbed that 7th t-shirt or 14th squeeze ball.  Regret always tastes sour.

3.   Do NOT accept anything being handed to you by anyone on the Las Vegas Strip

You'll suffer from more than SWAG remorse.  Trust me on this one.

4.  Do NOT bring a rollerbag to the conference
 
I have posted this several times since 2010, and people are still not listening.  Rollerbags are the scourge of the exhibit hall.  They get underfoot, and people are often unaware of the people behind them when toting it along.  Don't be that person.
 
5. Do NOT get in the way
 
You make think the exhibit hall is huge, but the rows are narrower than you think.  If you see someone you know, step out of the way, so that others can traverse the area more freely.  If people have to walk around you, you're doing it wrong.
 
6.  Do NOT use the phrase "Seat at the Table" or you'll be fined $100
 
The phrase "seat at the table" is officially barred from mention at the conference.  If you say it, you owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation.  If you overhear it in Las Vegas, tell that person they owe $100 to the SHRM Foundation. If a speaker uses it in a session, please tweet out the following phrase:

"(Insert speaker name here) owes $100 to the @shrmfoundation for saying "Seat at the table." #SHRM15 #SHRMShame"
 
7.  Do NOT be Gwyneth Paltrow in "Contagion"
 
I know you are excited to be going to Las Vegas, and hanging with 13,000+ of your favorite HR friends.  You may have already spent significant dollars on travel, hotel, Cirque tickets, etc.  However, if you are even remotely close to being ill, please consider staying home.  It seems I get ill once every couple of years, and most likely I caught something from a sick person.  So, do not be patient zero.  Dr. Oz may be a keynote speaker, but I doubt he can magically prevent germs from being spread.
 
8.  Do NOT treat students with disrespect
 
This one goes out to the exhibit hall vendors.  Ideally, every person who walks through the exhibit hall should be treated with respect.  However, it is inevitable every year that my students will come back with horror stories about being treated rudely by someone manning an exhibit hall booth.  I know you are there to make potential sales connections, and a student is unlikely to be a customer anytime soon.  However, if these students are dedicated enough to travel to Las Vegas to attend the conference, they are dedicated to the profession, and will likely be a potential customer in the future.  Don't burn a bridge before it has a chance to be constructed, as those students will remember who did them wrong!
 
9.  Do NOT text or tweet and walk
 
There will be 13,000+ individuals in attendance at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  When that General Session with Marcus Buckingham or Dr. Oz lets out, you and all your new friends will simultaneously be trying to get out of the hall and head to the next session, the bathroom, or to grab some coffee.  Please do not start walking and stare down at your phone.  I am excited that you have the Twitter, Facebook, or Hootsuite app, and you are using the #SHRM15 hashtag.   But, inevitably, you will run into the back of someone.  This will not be one of those "meet cute" scenarios you see in the movies. Instead, you will likely be called out because that person you just ran into will see your name on your badge.
  
10.  Do NOT make me stand up & participate during your session 

If you are a speaker and part of your schtick is to get me to do some activity as part of the session (particularly as a warm-up at the beginning), unless it magically causes me to lose 40 pounds, you will receive the lowest rating possible.  It tells me you do not have enough material for the time required.
 
11.  Do NOT wear your SHRM Conference badge at night.
 
As SHRM notes, wearing your badge outside of the convention center will peg you as a visitor from out of town and a target for crime.  Even worse, many of you will likely heading to one of the bevy of parties that are out there.  Bad behavior might ensue.  Wearing your badge will likely make your name live in infamy as people mention your sordid exploits at future conferences.  Try to drink in relative anonymity and leave your badge in your hotel room.  Sight see, but do NOT be a sight to be seen.

So, what else would you tell attendees NOT to do?  Leave a note below, or tweet your suggestion to #SHRM15Festivus .  Also, check out the #NextChat twitter discussion on Wednesday, June 3 at 3:00 p.m./2:00 Central for all things #SHRM15 related from the #SHRM15Blogger crew

I've been a SHRM student chapter advisor for nearly 20 years.  For most of that time, I have brought several dedicated students each year to  SHRM Annual, who want to advance their learning as they pursue a career in HR.

Dedicated students are giving up nearly a week of their summer break, sacrificing a few days of work where they earn tuition money, to attend SHRM Annual, often on their dime.  Students have raised money through the student chapter during the academic year to attend, or they are paying for hotel, airfare, food, discounted conference registration and other incidentals out of their pocket.

However, we are not unique. There are many student advisors as well as hundreds of student members across the country who do the same.  Some colleges, including my own, even offer course credit to students who attend the conference

One of the highlights of the conference for them (as well as me) was a stand alone student conference on Saturday and Sunday morning prior to the start of the SHRM Annual Conference.  Faculty members could meet and discuss the future of HR education.  Students get to share best practices and ideas with their peers across the country. SHRM also highlights quality student chapters as well as recognizes the advisor of the year award.

But, of particular note, was the quality of the programming that was geared directly to students.  HR leaders such as Laurie Ruettimann, Jennifer McClure, John Hudson, Matt Charney, Meredith Soleau, Jon Petz, Simon Bailey, Joe Gerstandt, Clint Swindall, Libby Sartain, Tim Sackett, and Ryan Estis have provided quality content to those attending.  Several have offered content multiple years.

Unfortunately, after 20+ years, SHRM will no longer be offering the student conference at this year's meeting in Las Vegas. Like everyone else, students would have to pay extra to attend the Saturday Pre-Conference One-Day Workshops.

So, I reach out to my dedicated readers for suggestions for alternative HR activities to students arriving early to the SHRM Annual Conference.  Unfortunately, a Zappos tour is not available as the last tour is on Friday, June 27 at 1:00 pm.

Are there other plant tours one might take?  Are their readers out there getting into Vegas early, who might be able to give 45 minutes to an hour of their time on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning to sit with a few students and discuss a HR topic of their choosing?  Starbucks is on me.

Let me know in the comments if you have any other suggestions to enhance the learning of the HR leaders of tomorrow.

With the news  that hotel reservations are now being accepted for the 2015 SHRM Annual Conference, I bring you my 6th annual expose of SHRM hotel costs.


I look at selected SHRM conference brochures (i.e., the ones that I still possessed) over the past 15 years to see what it would cost a person to book a single room on a per night average.  Clearly, prices in 2001 will be different than in 2015, so I use an inflation calculator to adjust costs to today's dollars.  So, how does the 2015 Conference in Orlando compare to years past?

Cost of an Average SHRM-Affiliated Hotel (per night: 6/28-7/1)
 Chicago (2008): $267.00 (sd of $30.74)
San Francisco (2001): $266.69 (standard deviation of $58.80)
San Diego (2010): $254.95 (sd of $43.88)
Chicago (2013): 253.46 (sd of 20.99)
Washington DC (2006): $240.38 (sd of $41.30)
Philadelphia (2002): $226.45 (sd of $60.54)
San Diego (2005): $212.11 (sd of $51.72)
Atlanta (2012): $204.31 (sd of $22.80)
Las Vegas (2007): $173.20 (sd of $33.38)
Orlando(2014): $162.07 (sd of $36.07)
Las Vegas (2015): $142.79 (sd of $22.85)
Las Vegas (2011): $133.83 (sd of $18.56)

Not surprisingly, when you saw Las Vegas as the location of choice in 2015, you knew you would be able to get a hotel relatively cheaply, and the numbers don't lie.   This will be the 2nd lowest average hotel cost in the last 15 years.  Half of the hotels are below the median cost of $149.  The first quartile is at $131, and the 3rd quartile is at $1596.   The lowest price hotel is at $99 with a top price of $179.  5 star hotels such as the Bellagio ($179), Venetian ($149), or Wynn ($165) can be had for not much more than the average hotel room...just be leery of the resort fees.   Even better SHRM hotel costs in Las Vegas are usually competitive even against such sites as Hotwire and Priceline.

Just get ready to save your pennies, as more expensive hotels will be expected as Washington, DC and Chicago will be the destinations in the not too distant future.

See you in Las Vegas