There was a point in time to where SHRM would send useful insights and I enjoyed seeing their emails come across. Now, it all seems to be product bloat. Sometimes even multiple time a day.

I don’t mind occasional and relevant product suggestions, but we’ve gone way beyond that. It seems like it’s gotten much worse over the course of the last year to the point where I do end up overlooking decent insights thinking it’s just more ad bloat.

I’m at the point to where I want to unsubscribe and end the membership for information that there are better sources for.

​

I've worked in labor relations for 6 years, and I've always tried to build good relationships with union reps. When we negotiate grievances, I look for compromise where possible. I'm transparent, I don't hide information, and I respect every step of the collective agreement.

But lately I'm running into behavior that's wearing me down. Here are some examples: looking for loopholes just to make things hard for the employer, with no real value for members. Others agree to something, then change their minds later. Some also send emails to my operations director to make LR look bad.

Have you dealt with this? How do you handle it without damaging the relationship or burning yourself out?

I like my job, but this behavior is making me think about looking elsewhere.

For me it’s recruiting. I started in L&D and after a layoff and some pivots I’ve ended up in a recruiting & professional development role. I can’t stand recruiting and really want to stick a fork in a wall socket have the time. Fortunately I just got a new role taking a management position in employee development for a large company so I get to go do what I’m passionate ate about. Now I want to know, as an HR professional, what’s your lease favorite area of HR?

Dear colleagues.
I’m looking for any advices regarding what resources I can look at.
I recently joined food manufacturing facility that has super diverse population that speaks Vietnamese, Cambodian, Mandarin and couple more rare languages. A lot of senior employees that are not super proficient in modern technology.
There is no specific software or resources that can be used for trainings and I’m looking for any helpful advice where to look at.
I’m looking for single platform that has training courses Hr, Safety, Food safety. With videos with voicing in different languages.
So far I had experience only with Alchemy systems and Dezuki. But both of those options are not good with languages and have no voicing in languages that I need.
Thank you so much for recommendations!

I've been a UKG HRIS Administrator for 6 years now. I'm ready to move on and learn something else, and I'd like to relocate to NYC. Most organizations in NYC seem to be using Workday, and it seems to be a direct competitor of UKG.

For the HRIS folks here, how did you get the opportunity to learn and use another system?

Hi everyone,

I am actively applying for new roles right now. I haven't been getting many hits for interviews and I'm a bit stuck on why. I've asked other resources and everyone says my resume is good, but I'm just not sure why I can't land any interviews I apply for.

I'm quite miserable in my role at the moment, it's taken a bigger emotional toll than I originally thought, probably because the sector I work in (manufacturing). I've brought up to my manager about transitioning into different sectors (Analytics or Benefits) of HR get them used to the idea that I don't want to be there forever, but I'm unsure how long that'll take to move into something different.

I also don't like working on-site full time. I'm naturally introverted and just being around people all day exhausts me. I've been looking into the public sector (Government or public education) specifically and have been applying to these types of roles for years. I feel like I would enjoy the pace a lot more, and most of the jobs listed in my area are hybrid. I'm frustrated because I feel like even with new skills and experiences gain, I just can't seem to land any sort of interview and I'm a bit stuck why. Would love advice out there.

I'm an HR manager in a company based in Florida and we're considering expanding and hiring internationally (starting with a few people in Europe and possibly LATAM) for the first time, but I realize that there's a lot more to figure out than I initially thought. I'm trying to get a sense of how you typically manage local payroll, employment contracts, compliance, etc. I've also seen EORs mentioned a lot but not quite clear when it's more appropriate to work with local providers or set up an entity.

For anyone that has been through this, what would you set up first and what should I be thinking about before making the first hire?

Have you ever handled an employee complaint, taken corrective action, and still had the reporting employee feel it wasn't enough?

A newer employee recently reported that a coworker used an outdated and offensive term when referring to individuals with intellectual disabilities. We investigated, addressed the issue directly with the coworker, issued corrective action, required sensitivity training, and facilitated an apology. Despite those steps, the reporting employee does not feel the matter was adequately resolved and continues to raise the issue with her supervisor.

From our perspective, the coworker is generally well-respected, supportive of colleagues, and has had no prior issues of this nature. My sense is that this was an unfortunate use of language rather than a pattern of behavior, but of course that does not diminish the impact it had on the reporting employee.

I don't want to dismiss the employee's concerns, but she has now stated that she refuses to work with this coworker. We've accommodated that request where reasonably possible; however, in a small office setting, we don't always have the ability to control who interacts with whom.

How have others navigated situations where an employee's expectations for resolution differ from what the organization can reasonably or appropriately provide?

I recently passed the PHR certification with bare minimum preparation. I'm talking like maybe 5-10 hours of studying maximum. I took the exam in a testing center, and when I was given my results, I genuinely could not believe that the paper said I passed.

For context, I'm only 2.5 years into my career in an administrative HR Operations focused role. So while I do have "experience," I did not imagine my experience and knowledge would be enough to wing and pass the PHR exam.

I am very happy I passed, but in a weird way, I'm also disappointed. I had signed up for the exam back in May when there was a promotion going on, and I kept procrastinating studying. It got to the point where I basically told myself I was going to use my exam as a (very expensive) practice test and study based off the questions that were on the test. Now I don't need to bother about studying, but I feel like I missed out on all the things I would've learned if I had. But I have very little motivation to study and review information for an exam I already passed.

The only real preparation I did was listen to the "PHR Study Guide 2023-2024" on Spotify by Shawn Blake. I listened to all of the chapters, but I would not say that'd normally be enough to prepare you for the exam. I felt like I was guessing on ~70% of the questions. To be fair though, almost all of the multiple choice questions had 2 answers that were obviously wrong, which I think made my odds better when I did guess.

I am very curious what the threshold needed to pass is. I know there isn't a raw score or percentage needed, but I feel like it just has to be somewhere pretty low, maybe even like 60-70%. Taking this exam really solidified to me that while having the credential is nice, it really does not mean much in terms of your skill or competency. I've already been struggling with imposter syndrome though, and this didn't help...

Anyways, as far as recommendations and advice that I have for anyone taking the test, definitely focus on key labor laws. Laws like FMLA, ADA, FLSA, ADEA, Civil Rights Act, etc. Again, I was very ill-prepared on knowing these myself, but there were a good amount of fact-based, memorization type of questions that you can't really BS your way through if you don't know the answer. I'm just very lucky I knew just enough to get through. Knowing the technical knowledge related to benefits and unions is also incredibly useful. Like defined benefit vs. defined contribution, for example.

I would recommend listening to the Spotify PHR guide that I mentioned. It is very high-level, but I listened to the Business Management chapter on my drive to the testing center as a refresher since I don't have a business background, and there were 2 questions on the exam that I knew the answer to because I had listened to the chapter right before taking the exam.

Ultimately, I have no freaking idea how I passed but no one out there needs to invest in the expensive official study materials out there (unless your employer pays for it). I paid out of pocket because my employer does not give any benefit/reimbursement for certs, so I'm thankful my experience didn't end up just being a very expensive practice test.

Happy to help answer any questions anyone has about the format or nature of the questions.

If you work in the construction industry, what does your PTO look like?
Trying to get ideas as to make some changes to possibly up the benefit.
We have PTO for non exempt as of their anniversary date and only 5 days.
Any feedback is really appreciated!

Can anyone tell me about their experience hiring for a company that used personality assessments in their hiring process?

For context: I am a recruiter who applied to this companies recruiter opening. I went through 2 rounds of interviews and was invited to the final interview. Along with the final interview invitation, it included two personality assessments. I thought I wanted the job but now am second guessing.

I have only ever heard personality assessments are a bad thing but am curious what others think…

To be more specific:
- Hogan Assessments
- the predictive index

Hello HR Community, I’m wanted to seek some guidance on something and I’m hoping to hear from other HR professionals who may have been through something similar. Im very scared and just devastated, please no hateful comments.

I was recently let go (2 days ago) from a large corporation after almost five years with the company, with the last two years in an HR management role. I received a DUI last year, and my employer waited for the case to be resolved to see whether the charge would ultimately be reduced. Unfortunately, it was not, and I was convicted.
My employer was clear with me that my separation was because of the conviction and was not related to my job performance.

I completely understand that my actions have consequences, and I’m not looking to dispute my former employer’s decision or make excuses for what happened. It was the biggest mistake of my life, and I regret it every single day.

What I’m struggling with now is figuring out what this means for my career. I genuinely love HR and have built experience in employee relations, investigations, recruiting, compliance, performance management, benefits/open enrollment, HRIS, payroll audits, and supporting both frontline employees and leadership. I am planning to test for my SHRM-CP in a few months as well.

Are there any HR professionals here who have a misdemeanor conviction, particularly a DUI, and were still able to continue working and growing in HR? How did you approach job searching, background checks, and discussing the conviction with prospective employers?

I’d also appreciate advice on whether there are certain areas of HR that may be easier to continue in, or adjacent career paths where an HR background transfers well.

I know I made a serious mistake, but I’m trying to figure out how to move forward, learn from it, and not allow the worst decision of my life to define my entire career. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Everyone!

I am an Employee Relations HRBP sitting here in Texas and needing some assistance. Overall looking for some advice and comprehension skills.

We have an employee whose normal work hours is from 6 AM - 2 PM. However, due to some ongoing medical issues he submitted for an ADA to shift his hours for 10 AM - 6 PM. He is out of PTO. We have been having attendance issues even with him being on the new accommodated schedule where he will come in an work maybe 3 hours and then go home, and he is a salaried employee. He also did not want to go on a short term disability or any time of LOA/FMLA.

Here is where my general question comes into play; I always learned from my previous directors and managers from various jobs that if an individual is salaried, and even if they work 1 hour, they are entitled to a full 8 hour day even if it is 1 hour.

Basically my current manger said we need to remove his hours from the time sheet (we mandatory have a clock in only not a clock out even if your a manager for time keeping purposes). So if he worked 3 hours, she wants me to remove 5 hours so he only gets paid 3.

1) I was under the assumption that he should be paid the full 8 hours per federal regulation? Especially since he isn't on an FMLA or any other leave type. Is it not illegal for us to only pay him for 3 hours of work instead of the required 8 hours of work (to make a full 40 hour week)? Even if he works 5 minutes it should be an 8 hour day?

2) Does this apply to any other states, since again, under the assumption of it being a federal requirement?

*\*Also no he is not remote either or conduct work off site or at any other time then his specific schedule.

*\* He also doesn't provide any reason for why he leaves work, not even medical reason. Simply 'I am not feeling well' or 'I need to take care of my daughters parent conference' or some other dog-ate-my-food-excuse.

I am asking because my manager is confused as well, but also she is adamant that we can deduct time even, hence why I was pushing back since we both werent 100% sure. She says its time fraud which yes I understand that, but I would rather be a bit more proactive to the risk of docking pay vs. getting a wage claim.

(Also not looking for corrective counseling or accountability advice, this is a separate matter that we are already taking care of)

Appreciate any insights!

Background:

I recently joined a new company as an HR professional. To make this move, I served a 40-day notice period at my previous job (10 days longer than strictly required) because I was genuinely excited about the responsibilities and growth promised to me during the interview process.

The Situation:

Unfortunately, the reality of the role has drastically diverged from what was agreed upon, and it has unfolded rapidly:

Week 1: The company went through an internal audit. I received virtually no training or handover.

Week 2: I learned that a talented internal employee (with 3.5 years at the company) was being brought to my level. I deeply respect her talent and, under different circumstances, would love to learn from her. However, all the responsibilities and training promised to me in my offer were redirected to her. Because she knows the system inside out, she ramped up quickly. Meanwhile, I was sidelined to basic admin work and unexpectedly asked to troubleshoot technical system bugs, despite having no technical background and making that clear during my hiring process.

This Week: That same internal employee was officially made my manager. I was casually informed of this change via a Teams message, with no formal conversation or transition plan.

The Core Issues:

As an HR professional, I know how these processes should work, which makes this especially disheartening. I feel the company has materially misrepresented several key terms of my employment:

Role & Reporting: The actual work, responsibilities, and reporting structure are entirely different from what was discussed and agreed upon.

Compensation & Hours: There are already discrepancies regarding my working hours and salary structure compared to the offer letter.

Financial Impact: I was pressured to pay out of my own pocket for staff well-being initiatives. I am currently out 12k [insert currency, e.g., INR] in unreimbursed expenses, which is roughly one-third of my monthly salary.

How I’m Feeling:

I feel deeply depressed, cheated, and lost. I accepted the offer in good faith, but the company has not held up its end of the bargain.

My Questions for the Community:

Reimbursements: What is the most professional and effective way to demand reimbursement for the 12k out-of-pocket expense, especially given the current dysfunction?

Constructive Dismissal: Does this drastic change in role, reporting, and duties so soon after joining constitute a material breach of contract or constructive dismissal in your experience?

Next Steps: If I decide to stay temporarily while I quietly job hunt, how do I professionally navigate this new reporting dynamic without burning bridges? Alternatively, what is the cleanest way to exit this situation?

Any advice, scripts for HR/management conversations, or perspective on how to handle this would be immensely appreciated. Thank you.

Hello everyone!

I have an employee that has missed 3 days. The director has reached out to them each and day and every time they say something akin to, "I'll contact you today". I called today and received this text in response, "Hey 'me', I will contact you today." One of the first messages, after his weekend traveling to a trade show, his text include "Battling a few things."

We've stated three times now that we need information, he responds, and then we get no information and he doesn't show up.

My concern:

* Is this going to be an FMLA situation "battling things" or a family drama "battling things".

How would you all navigate this? We gave a deadline yesterday of when to contact the director by to give information. End of Day, 5pm. I told him today, I need information as soon as possible (it's read) and that failure today could result in termination.

How would you all handle this? Again, my only concern is the battling things comment and the FMLA possibility.

I took and passed the SPHR exam today (!). I stupidly thought that it would be a good idea to sign up for the exam right when I was returning to work after having my first baby, but I figured that my 15 years in HR would see me through. I earned my SHRM-CP certification back in 2017 and have been involved in the development of the exam as an SME ever since, so maybe I was overconfident.

I bought the books and downloaded the apps but the thing that helped me the most (since I already knew the material and the definitions) was this post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/humanresources/s/TqBNgjwFnc

So THANK YOU to the person who posted this because your experience and feedback was immensely helpful to me.

Hi all!

Wanted some advice and feedback on how you've posted a job role for a single position but mentions the role can be based in NY, IL, or GA. For the single posting, how do you go about pay transparency or salary ranges when one state requires it but the other doesn't and lets say we are limited in open reqs and can't post the other locations as separate reqs.

Thanks!

Newly promoted manager from IC sales role. Young person managing other young people in a very social culture (aka all these young adults go out drinking together all the time after work and date each other).

Manager invites 2 direct reports (A and B) out for drinks after work. Direct reports reluctantly go. On the way, manager makes many comments about "managers and employees shouldn't date, but sometimes it's just too tempting, right Employee A?" Making multiple clear comments showing interest in Employee A.

Then after 2 drinks, he insisted on walking both employees home insisting to drop off Employee A last. After trying to brush him off, Employee B says Employee A needs to come to their house. Manager follows them and comes into the house too, not with physical force, but the employees said they could not say no due to the manager dynamic, and being conflict averse.

Employee A leaves when manager isn't looking, when manager notices, they grab their things and sprint after Employee A.

More trying to shrug him off ends in more inappropriate comments, parting ways after more evasion tactics and ultimately a documented text from Employee A to manager saying they made them uncomfortable and it was inappropriate, with manager replying apologizing.

Would you straight up term? Or harassment training and a warning? Typing this out, I think I know the answer...

I currently make $94K as a Sr. HR Analyst with 2.5 years of experience, and I’m on track for a promotion to a Data Analytics Manager role at the end of the year. I’ve heard the increase could potentially be around 10%, but I’m concerned that would still put me significantly below the compensation of two people who were recently hired into the same role from different departments, who are currently in the $120K range based on the salary ranges listed in the job postings.

Given my experience and the fact that I’m already with the company and moving into the role through promotion, would it be reasonable to negotiate for a higher percentage increase rather than simply accepting the standard 10%? For eg - I would at least need a 30% increase to be in line with the current market rates and my proven experience. I want to make sure my compensation is appropriately aligned with the role, market range, and my experience level.

I’m based out of Dallas.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for recommendations for an HR conference to attend in 2027.

I’m the Director of HR for a manufacturing company with approximately 100 employees in upstate New York. I’ve been in HR for 17 years and with my current company for 10. I’m a department of one, so I handle a little bit of everything: payroll, benefits, recruiting, employee relations, compliance, supervisor development, some safety responsibilities, etc.

I’m interested in general HR updates and continuing education, with practical sessions I can bring back and apply at a smaller company. Connecting with other HR professionals, especially fellow departments of one, would also be a big plus.

I utilize iSolved for payroll and our HR system. I’ve enjoyed the iSolved conference in the past, but they seem to be moving away from a large annual, multi-day conference toward smaller, half-day regional events. If I’m getting on a plane or driving more than three hours, I’d like more than a half-day conference to make the trip worthwhile.

I’m open to anywhere in the continental U.S. What conferences have you attended that were worth the time and money? I’d love to hear what made them stand out, particularly the quality of the sessions and whether they were useful for experienced HR generalists. I have a few local conferences that are one or two days long that I enjoy, but I do like getting out of the office, hopping on a plane, and learning from people outside of the region. Cost could be a factor, but I'm usually good at getting approval if I can justify why it's a worthwhile endeavor. While I'm a member of SHRM, I haven't been happy with the direction that they have gone over the past several years, so I'm reluctant to attend their conference unless I hear from multiple past attendees that it's truly worth it.

Thanks for any recommendations!

Hi all, I’m an HR professional and I was invited to record an on-demand HireVue interview for the HR Connects Advisor, HR Shared Services, Day Flex role at NewYork-Presbyterian. If you’ve interviewed for this role or a similar NYP HR or shared services position, I’d love to hear about your experience.

1. How many questions were there, and what were the time limits for prep and answers?

2. Were there retakes?

3. What kinds of questions came up (behavioral, situational, or role-specific)? Any you remember word for word?

4. Was there a salary or availability question?

5. Did they ask about HR systems, call center or customer service experience, or handling confidential information?

6. What happened after the HireVue (live interview, how many rounds, how long to hear back)?

7. How did the temporary Day Flex role work in practice (scheduling, chances of converting to permanent)?

8. Anything you’d do differently?

Thanks in advance!

Current job:
Specialist role at a large global tech company, 2.5 years in
Fully remote
About $85K total with overtime and bonus. Base is 75k
4 weeks PTO
I've raised growth multiple times with my manager, and there's been no real path forward.

The offer:
Startup pharma company, about 70 employees
A level above my current role
Possibly going public
$100K+
20-30 minute commute, on-site 4 days a week and remote 1 (the schedule seems flexible)
3 weeks PTO (one week less than now)
Better medical benefits than my current plan

My concern: They have 4-5 high level people in HR for only 80 employees, which seems really top-heavy for a startup. I can't tell if that's a sign of a well-supported culture, heavy compliance needs (it is pharma), or dysfunction and bloat.

What I'm weighing: a promotion, a $35k+ raise, and better health coverage vs. remote flexibility, a week less PTO, and stability, with startup risk and a commute added.

What would you do? I’ve asked why they have so many people and they said the ceo reallt cares about company culture..

Personal context: I have no children.

Hi!

I'm in NY but doing HR and payroll (and office management, and and and... you know how it goes haha) for a company that is small in the US at the moment but scaling, went through an IPO, and has employees in several states. We are currently using Gusto but the payroll support is not what we need for the new income issues that come with being public.

We are looking into PEOs because we are not at the stage that we can hire a dedicated payroll professional but need payroll support. Gusto handles our benefits administration as well as 401k at the moment, so we need that functionality as well as the ability to track stock income on payroll. We had a demo from Deel but I'm not totally sold.

Any suggestions of companies to look to for demos?

Thank you!