1. Economic Downturn Doesn’t Slow SHRM Conference
Attendance doesn’t hit a record level, but SHRM officials and vendors are happy with the turnout of more than 13,000. During the show, SHRM also did not name a successor to its outgoing president. The effect of soaring gas prices on work was the show’s hottest topic.
2. The Challenge Ahead
As SHRM wraps up its 60th annual conference, it faces the important task of selecting a leader who can sharpen its focus and deliver on the commitment to make its members strategic assets to their organizations.
3. Heard in the Halls, Day 3: No Booth Too Far
4. The Tao of SHRM
Why does this conference swing from serious speakers to frenzied trinket lust?
10. Tailoring SHRM to Your Needs
When it comes to HR’s biggest annual conference, one size doesn’t fit all. Newbies to human resource positions, midlevel HR professionals and senior leaders in the field will benefit from different sessions and events at the Society for Human Resource Management.
11. The Best of Chicago
Whether you’re staying for a whole week or just trying to visit a few places in between conference activities, you will want to get a taste of the best of Chicago. The third-largest city in America is also one of the country’s most popular convention spots, and Chicago always has its welcome mat out. Family-friendly attractions, distinctive neighborhoods, upscale shopping and a vibrant nightlife are sure to please your family, significant other and even your boss.
12. SHRM 101
San Diego. Washington. Las Vegas. Chicago. The cities may change and the venues may differ, but there is a comfy familiarity I always feel at the Society for Human Resource Management’s annual conference.In other words, if I’m stuck in some cavernous convention hall.
Good business at the edge of the world, a winner for research and a visit with the ‘onboarding fairy.’
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Heard in the Halls—Tuesday, June 24
Day 3: No Booth Too Far
Booth in the back: One would think that being the very last booth on the
SHRM show floor would be a detriment to business.
Not so, says Dan White, owner of the Immigration Group of Nashville. Traffic was
steady throughout the show, he said, despite being booth No. 5446—or, as he
described it, "the edge of the world."
"We were worried we’d be talking to ourselves," said White, whose three-person
firm only deals in immigration law. "I’m pleased with the percentage of people
coming by who are interested in what we do."
It’s White’s first SHRM. And, he’s hoping to move in a little closer.
"Just so long as we’re not next to the booth with a karaoke machine," he
Award winner: SHRM on Tuesday presented the $50,000 Michael R. Losey
Human Resource Award to Herbert G. Heneman III.
Heneman is a Dickson-Bascom professor emeritus of management and human resources
at the University of Wisconsin School of Business. A researcher, Heneman also
continues to teach, speak and publish. He is the senior author of four
textbooks, the latest being Staffing Organizations, published in 2006.
"There are few more deserving of this award than Dr. Heneman," said SHRM
president and CEO Sue Meisinger. "His dedication and contributions to the
profession over the past few decades have helped shape the direction of HR and
made it the profession we know today."
Ax man: The gentle notes of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" drifted from the
Dice.com booth, courtesy of longtime Chicago musician Rob Curtis.
"I mix it up, see what turns heads," said Curtis before launching into a couple
Beatles tunes.
A full-time musician who occasionally picks away at trade shows, Curtis also has
a band that ranges from nine to 24 pieces.
"We’ve really enjoyed having him here, and I think he’s brought a lot of people
by," said a Dice staffer as she listened to Curtis strum away on "Blackbird."
Double take: Also at the Dice booth were Cory and Kristin Veselka—sisters,
singers, songwriters, dancers, models and, yes, twins.
The 22-year-old Milwaukee residents tour the globe as spokesmodels. And since
you need two dice to make a set, well, the twin concept worked quite well.
"We just got back from Mexico and Palm Springs," said Cory. Or maybe it was
Kristin. "We’re going to Vegas next week."
Fairy good idea: If you grabbed a box lunch on Tuesday—what’s up with
no fruit or veggies?—you no doubt noticed the picture of the fat guy in the
fairy suit on the outside of it.
And not far away from the tables full of lunches, there he was in person, posing
for pictures and yelling, "I’m the guy on your lunch box."
The Onboarding Fairy—only in HR, folks—was a local actor and was helping
Raleigh, North Carolina-based Peopleclick launch its new onboarding program.
The theme is whether companies are sending the right message to new hires, said
Ginny Gomez, Peopleclick’s senior VP of product management and marketing. The
new ad uses three models—new hires are told the job is like pulling teeth, that
they will be treated like royalty (guy dressed as a king) or that they’ll be
working from home (guy dressed in pajamas).
So, why the onboarding fairy? "He’s like the tooth fairy," Gomez said, "for the
job that’s like pulling teeth." —Rick Bell
Next Article: 4. The Tao of SHRM
Why does this conference swing from serious speakers to frenzied trinket lust?
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