2025 SHRM Annual Conference Recap

villanovahrd
Jul 16
6 min read

This week the blog focuses on insights from the 2025 SHRM Annual Conference! Over three transformative days at the SHRM Conference, HR professionals gathered to explore the intersection of innovation, intention, and humanity in the workplace. From navigating AI disruption to reigniting employee engagement and embracing bold leadership, each session built on a powerful theme: HR isn’t just evolving, it’s being redefined. Day 1 laid the foundation for courageous conversations and inclusive leadership. Day 2 deepened the dialogue with reflections on empathy, equity, and HR’s role as both culture keeper and change catalyst. Day 3 accelerated the momentum, spotlighting the tools, mindset shifts, and storytelling needed to lead with agility in a future that’s never normal. Across panels, keynotes, and candid conversations, one message was clear: to build thriving organizations, HR must boldly embrace transformation, without losing the heart of what makes us human.

Day 1 (SHRM Student Conference Day):

Pictured: Introductory welcome; panelists: Raiyana Bryant (SHRM), Gerald Bush (Gbkb LLC), and Pat Lund (KAJ Hospitality); Nicole Belyna (Director of Talent at SHRM); Shellie Halstead (HR Florida State Council); Wayne Cascio (University of Colorado Denver); Betty Thompson, Chair of the SHRM Board of Directors, and special guest Jason Sudeikis.

Day 1 of the SHRM Conference offered a rich blend of strategic insights and human-centered reflection, ideal for HR professionals navigating change with both clarity and empathy. From workforce transformation to personal career choices, each session reinforced the evolving impact of HR and the intentionality it demands.

The day began with How to Proactively Manage Change, presented by Jim Link, SHRM CHRO, where attendees explored how personal mindset and business strategy must work in tandem to spark meaningful transformation. With AI, labor shortages, and shifting demographics reshaping today’s workplace, culture emerged as a retention tool, especially when rooted in inclusion, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. In the panel discussion Exploring HR Career Paths, featuring Raiyana Bryant (SHRM), Gerald Bush (Gbkb LLC), and Pat Lund (KAJ Hospitality), the focus turned to professional growth. Speakers highlighted the non-linear nature of HR careers and encouraged attendees to stay curious, embrace lifelong learning, and seek alignment between personal values and organizational mission. Emerging roles in DE&I, analytics, and strategic partnering showcased how HR continues to evolve, as both people-centered and data-driven. Nicole Belyna, Director of Talent at SHRM, led More than Money: The Secret to Saying Yes or No to a Job Offer, urging professionals to redefine fulfillment. The session emphasized that compensation isn’t everything, factors like culture fit, growth potential, and mission alignment play a central role in confident, purpose-driven career decisions. Next, The Role of Analytics in Strategic HR brought precision to the conversation. Presented by Shellie Halstead (HR Florida State Council), the session highlighted how predictive analytics can elevate workforce planning and leadership decision-making. Participants explored how data reveals patterns in engagement, retention, and productivity—and how HR leaders can turn those insights into action. Navigating Return to Office (RTO) Policies, presented by Wayne Cascio (University of Colorado Denver), closed the student programming with a timely look at flexibility and values alignment. Attendees explored ways to balance autonomy and organizational needs, with emphasis on transparency, listening, and culture as guiding forces in RTO transitions. The day concluded with the opening general session, titled A Conversation That Matters: Civility, Positivity, and Leadership, a powerful chat between Betty Thompson, Chair of the SHRM Board of Directors, and special guest Jason Sudeikis. In an honest and moving exchange, Sudeikis explored the tension between competence and confidence, sharing how imposter syndrome touches even the most accomplished. His message centered on the power of intentionality, the necessity of diversity, and the idea that vulnerability is a superpower. He reminded the audience that “we’re more alike than we realize,” and left HR professionals with an invitation to reflect: how do we channel the best parts of ourselves to move forward, choosing to fight forward, rather than fighting back?

Day 2:

Pictured: Christopher Fernandez (Corporate VP - Microsoft); Steve Browne (Chief People Officer - Larose's); SHRM general session; Johnny C. Taylor (SHRM President and CEO); panel with Rachelle Graham (Strategic Solutions Consultant & Advisor - HCM Cloud - Oracle), Guillermo Miranda (Cofounder - Atlas Copilot Ltd), Brandon Roberts (GVP of People Analytics and AI -ServiceNow), and moderated by Alex Alonso (Chief Data & Analytics Officer - SHRM).

Day 2 at the SHRM Conference was a masterclass in balancing innovation with empathy, challenging HR professionals to ask: Are we designing workplaces for people or just processes? The morning opened with Leading Through the AI Transformation: A Human-Centered Approach presented by Christopher Fernandez (Corporate VP - Microsoft), urging leaders to prioritize transparency, ethics, and trust-first strategies, especially as technology continues to reshape roles and workflows. Later, Steve Browne (Chief People Officer - Larose's) in HR Without Boundaries presented a candid session that invited reflection on whether our cultures invite or exclude, reframing interruptions as connection points and emphasizing curiosity over compliance. The takeaway? HR’s strength lies in building organizations where advice flows freely, even to the CEO, and presence matters more than process. Practical prompts like “say hi to everyone” and “choose joy” reminded participants to lead with intention. The SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor presented Rising Above the Storm: HR's Higher Calling, highlighting the importance of equity over mere equality, the realities of human displacement and work readiness, and the vital role of civility in shaping workplace culture. The day concluded with AI + HI Unleashed: People & Machines Making It Happen Today, a dynamic panel with Rachelle Graham (Strategic Solutions Consultant & Advisor - HCM Cloud - Oracle), Guillermo Miranda (Cofounder - Atlas Copilot Ltd), Brandon Roberts (GVP of People Analytics and AI -ServiceNow), and moderated by Alex Alonso (Chief Data & Analytics Officer - SHRM). This session's aim was reinforcing HR’s role in guiding AI adoption through governance, ethics, and people-centric strategy. With insights ranging from the power of knowledge retrieval to the emerging “agent layer” collaboration model, the final session emphasized that the magic isn’t in the machine, it’s in how we use it, together. Day 2 closed with a resounding call: HR must remain the bridge between human intelligence and technological possibility, shaping futures that are strategic, inclusive, and deeply people-first.

Day 3:

Pictured: Dana Scardella (Leadership Coach & Culture Consultant - Compass HR Consulting); general session space; The Office co-stars and best friends, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey moderated by Brad Rencher of BambooHR; Jennifer McClure (CEO & Chief Excitement Officer - Unbridled Talent LLC & DisruptHR LLC).

Day 3 at the SHRM Conference opened with Never Normal: Embracing Disruption & The Future of AI, a bold keynote by Dana Scardella (Leadership Coach & Culture Consultant - Compass HR Consulting) urging HR leaders to shed legacy thinking and meet disruption with agility and purpose. Using references from the Jetsons to FedEx, she drew powerful parallels between fiction and reality, exploring how AI is moving from automation to autonomy through innovations like Specialized Language Models and synthetic data. The message was clear: adapt talent strategy to a workforce facing labor shortages, burnout, and shifting expectations—hire for agility, assess with nuance, and lead through ambiguity. In a candid and humorous midday session, Around the Water Cooler with The Office Ladies—Clarity Over Chaos: Workplace Truths and Trends, moderated by Brad Rencher of BambooHR, speakers explored the messiness of modern work and reaffirmed why strong culture remains the heartbeat of thriving organizations. Later, Activate the Remarkable reminded HR professionals that 68% of U.S. employees are disengaged, calling for a recognition-first mindset, purpose-driven leadership, and daily practices that reignite optimism and authenticity. The final session of the day, HR as Chief Disruption Officer: How HR Leaders Can Drive Transformation and Shape the Future of Work, delivered a powerful close with Jennifer McClure (CEO & Chief Excitement Officer - Unbridled Talent LLC & DisruptHR LLC) challenging attendees to stop waiting for permission and take the lead. She spotlighted major shifts in HR’s identity, from program builders to culture shapers, from experience designers to disruption leaders, and emphasized how trust, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking must fuel the next era of HR. With disruptions like AI adoption, capability building, and reframing employee experience as human experience, HR was called to tell a new story, one that honors transformation, courage, and intentional influence. Day 3 wrapped with five resounding takeaways: see the system, harness entrepreneurial thinking, influence with intention, fuel creativity, and tell a new story, a collective blueprint for bold, visionary leadership in shaping what comes next.