As my term as C2HR President comes to a close, I have been reflecting on the epic adventure of human resources during the past three years. To say the world of work was turbulent during this time would be a laughable understatement. As HR professionals, we implemented COVID safety protocols and policies, managed the unique demands of a hybrid workforce, faced The Great Resignation and addressed burnout which the World Health Organization dubbed an “occupational phenomenon.” Collectively, these developments have forever changed the workplace and elevated the role of human resources.

As HR resiliently advanced through truly unchartered territory, one of our most valuable resources became information. In this area, C2HR truly rose to the occasion. We launched the HR Learning Series, a collection of live and on demand webinars addressing timely topics such as the return to office, workplace wellness and virtual recruiting. We analyzed data to identify industry-specific compensation benchmarks and pay trends. We strategically grew the HR Knowledge Center to be a curated collection of more than 500 recent and relevant articles and resources. And we successfully transitioned our signature annual conference to a virtual event. The 2022 C2HR CON featured dynamic speakers sharing insight on the future or work, virtual onboarding, DEI, crisis employee communications, employee engagement and more. The 2022 sessions are now available on demand to all members.

During the past few years, C2HR supported our industry’s human resources community in another critical way: by providing a forum to connect with each other despite socially distancing, work from home and reduced travel. C2HR worked to build a sense of community among our 4,800 members by introducing The Exchange, topic-specific networking forums to support candid conversations about the challenges and opportunities we were facing. We celebrated the HR success stories of the Excellence in HR Award recipients. The 2022 honorees include Laura Fields, Christine Simmons, ESPN Career Center, Mediacom Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery and WOW! Internet Cable and Phone with the recipients opening their play books in the areas of talent acquisition, learning and development, employee engagement and workplace wellness. (View the 2021 award winners)

We saw relationships flourish as board and committee members and speakers engaged with each other, and we watched our membership grow to include 8 new members: AT&T, Block Communications, Go Media, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, Midco, The Lawrence Advisory, Twin Cities PBS and Twitch.

While my time at the helm of C2HR nears its end, I look forward to watching our organization respond to HR’s evolving needs in the year ahead. In addition, I hope to finally meet many of you in person when the C2HR CON takes place live and in person on August 7-8 in Brooklyn, New York. Until then, be well my friends.

 

RELATED RESOURCES For a curated collection of articles on 25 HR topics, please visit the HR Knowledge Center.