Steven Garguilo, the founder of Cultivate, recently spoke at the SHRM21 Annual Conference & Exposition alongside Josh Ammirato from Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Together, the duo talked about the future of engagement analytics and how we could (and should) move on from relying solely on traditional survey data to measure community health. For Steve, this was one of the first in-person conferences since the global pandemic began.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is known as the staple HR conference. Over four days, 25,000+ HR professionals from around the world participated in 200+ education sessions. When we asked Steve what was emphasized this year at one of the largest HR conferences in the world, here's what he said:

Mental Health

Mental health is on everyone's mind, from the vendors to the attendees to Michael Phelps, who spoke for an entire session about it. While not entirely surprising given the circumstances of the last year and a half, the number of mental health-focused conversations at SHRM21 was notably higher than in previous years.

SHRM published an article this year about supporting mental health in the post-pandemic workplace. In it, SHRM shares an incredible example of senior leadership making space for mental health in the workplace. Influence & Co.’s CEO, Kelsey Raymond, knew that vulnerability could be really powerful for her team. So, she created a mental health philosophy for all of her employees. The three components of the philosophy are acknowledgment, offerings, and accommodations. Kelsey says that this has positively impacted her company's culture and makes the team feel cared for. It's also helped normalize conversations about mental health.

Overall Wellness

Steve facilitated a session with HR leaders in healthcare and said that the number one topic was promoting wellness and "proactive ways to support employees physical and mental well-being." Organizations of all kinds seem to be looking for better ways to do this.

Companies have to experiment & find what works well for their employees. MOBE CEO Chris Cronin said that employees are looking for action from their leadership after such a trying year. He said a one-size-fits-all approach won't work and that employees need personalized support. He believes that "with the right offerings, employers can make a significant impact on workforce health and productivity."

Workplace Communities

Steve held a session about workplace communities (our jam here at Cultivate). He heard many organic conversations about the importance of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), communities of practice, and remote work communities.

Workplace communities are essential considerations as the hybrid work environment becomes the norm. While the rise in remote work has led to increased flexibility and even productivity, we know it has also led to feelings of isolation and disconnectedness. Communities are the antidote – they give members a sense of belonging, break down silos, and provide a way for individuals to multiply their impact on the company.

We could share the importance of building a thriving workplace community within your org over coffee for hours, or you could read about workplace communities we love & how we created an online course designed specifically for workplace community leaders.

In-Person Will Be Back

Although a large part of the conference was virtual, "and definitely wasn't the same," Steve said there was a lot of excitement from people to connect in person again.

Undoubtedly, the global pandemic has led to fundamental, perhaps semi-permanent, changes to how we experience in-person events. But, it doesn't change our inherent desire to connect face to face (mask to mask). As we continue to find ways to battle COVID-19, prevent the spread of infection, and gather safely, we know that gathering in person is not a lost art.

HR is More Important than Ever

The demands on everyone are high and while Steve was at the exposition, new OSHA regulations came out about requiring vaccines. HR leaders need to be well-versed in so many different areas, and that's a need that will only grow. In addition, as HR leaders continue developing themselves in diversity, equity, and inclusion, data literacy will be key.

SHRM shared similar concepts at the beginning of this year. One of the trends that will shape work this year is the gender-wage gap continuing to increase as employees return to the office. In a recent Gartner survey, 64% of managers believe that office workers are higher performers than remote workers (despite data showing the opposite) and are more likely to be given a higher raise than remote workers. If men are more likely to work from the office and that bias remains, we should expect to see the gender-wage gap continue to widen.

We’re moving to a more people-first environment and culture every day. The shifts that are being made and the conversations that are being had are essential for the development of Cultivators and we hope you’ll come along for the ride.

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