Society for Human Resource Management
A global professional association for human-resource practitioners, providing certification, education, research, networking, and workforce-policy advocacy.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a professional association focused on human-resource management, workforce policy, and the development of HR practitioners. Founded in 1948 as the American Society for Personnel Administration, it began as a volunteer organization serving personnel administrators and later developed into a large membership, education, certification, research, and advocacy institution. The organization is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and operates through a worldwide network of chapters, state councils, professional communities, and business-facing programs. SHRM’s principal role is to support people who manage employees and workplace systems. Its membership services include HR news and analysis, compliance materials, sample policies and documents, professional communities, live advisory resources, events, and continuing education. It serves individual practitioners at different career stages as well as organizations seeking workforce-management guidance. Its membership formats include professional, student, global, and business options. The organization is particularly identified with the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credentials. The examinations are designed around applied HR knowledge and workplace judgment rather than solely academic recall. SHRM also provides preparation resources, professional-development courses, conferences, and specialized leadership programs. The SHRM Executive Network, launched in 2021, gives chief human-resource officers and HR business partners a private forum for peer exchange. Research is another major part of SHRM’s public role. Its data and analytics work examines employee benefits, recruiting, leadership, workplace culture, civility, engagement, technology, and senior HR priorities. The organization’s reports are aimed at both HR professionals and business leaders. Its 2019 research on toxic workplace culture connected harmful workplace environments with employee departures and business costs, helping make workplace culture a prominent management issue. Later work examined incivility, burnout, remote work, disability employment, leadership development, and the effects of artificial intelligence on work. SHRM also acts as a nonpartisan workforce-policy advocate. It engages with federal, state, and local policymakers on subjects including employment law, immigration, healthcare, workforce development, paid leave, overtime rules, disability employment, affirmative-action compliance, and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Its advocacy generally presents the HR profession and employers as important stakeholders while also emphasizing workplace effectiveness and employee considerations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SHRM created resources intended to help employers, managers, and workers navigate rapidly changing workplace conditions. The organization has expanded beyond traditional membership services through acquisitions and affiliated initiatives. In 2022 it acquired Linkage Inc., a leadership-development company, and CEO Academy, a learning and networking platform for chief executives. The SHRM Foundation, established in 1966 as SHRM’s philanthropic arm, supports career-development programs, partnerships, and undergraduate scholarships. In 2025, the foundation launched the Center for a Skills First Future, an online resource focused on skills-based hiring and workforce readiness. SHRM’s public positioning has evolved with debates about diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2024 it changed how it described its DEI focus by moving away from explicitly including the word equity, a decision that generated controversy. In 2025 it encouraged organizations to evaluate and elevate their DEI programs while balancing workplace inclusion and diversity with legal and federal-compliance considerations. The organization has also increasingly addressed artificial intelligence, arguing that employers should communicate about AI, train workers, and invest in reskilling while recognizing that leadership and organizational culture remain central to workplace performance. As of the supplied reference period, SHRM reported nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, more than 575 chapters, and more than 400 employees. It presents itself as the world’s largest professional association dedicated to human-resource management, although membership and reach figures are organization-reported and time-dependent.
History
SHRM traces its origins to 1948, when it was established as the American Society for Personnel Administration. The organization served personnel administrators at a time when personnel work was becoming more formalized within American businesses. In its early years it operated largely through volunteers, reflecting the association model common among emerging professional communities. A significant institutional change came in 1964, when the organization created a headquarters in Berea, Ohio, and began hiring staff. This shift gave it a more permanent administrative structure and enabled the expansion of member services, publications, education, and chapter support. Over subsequent decades, the association broadened its remit as personnel administration developed into the modern human-resources profession. In 1984, the headquarters moved to Alexandria, Virginia, placing the organization closer to the United States federal-policy environment. Five years later, in 1989, it adopted the name Society for Human Resource Management. The new name reflected the expanding scope of the profession, which increasingly covered organizational culture, talent management, employment law, benefits, leadership, workforce planning, and employee relations rather than only administrative personnel functions. SHRM subsequently developed a broad operating model built around membership, local chapters, conferences, professional education, research, certification, and public-policy engagement. Its chapter and council network enabled it to serve practitioners locally while maintaining a national and international identity. The organization also became an influential source of workforce surveys and management guidance, producing research on benefits, recruiting, workplace culture, civility, employee engagement, leadership, and changing work arrangements. The association’s certification system became one of its most visible professional offerings. The SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP credentials were designed to assess applied HR competence through workplace-oriented questions and professional judgment. Alongside certification, SHRM expanded learning programs for managers, executives, and HR specialists. Its conferences created venues for seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and networking, including the annual SHRM conference and specialized events such as SHRM Talent, SHRM Blueprint, and the SHRM Linkage Institute. SHRM’s policy work has covered employment regulation and workforce development. It has engaged Congress and federal agencies on the Family and Medical Leave Act, the definition of a job applicant for affirmative-action recordkeeping, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission effectiveness, disability employment, overtime regulation, immigration, healthcare, paid leave, and workforce skills. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy established an alliance with SHRM to promote employment of people with disabilities. SHRM opposed the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime regulation in 2015 and 2016, arguing against the rule’s expansion of overtime eligibility. In 1966, the SHRM Foundation was established as the association’s philanthropic arm. It has supported professional development, partnerships, and undergraduate scholarships. The foundation later became a vehicle for initiatives connecting HR practice with broader workforce access and skills development. The organization’s recent expansion included acquisitions. In 2022, SHRM acquired Linkage Inc., a leadership-development company, and CEO Academy, a C-suite learning and networking platform. These transactions extended SHRM’s reach into leadership development and executive education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SHRM created a resource center and guidance intended to help employers, managers, and workers respond to public-health requirements, changing work arrangements, and operational uncertainty. After the pandemic, its research and advocacy increasingly addressed hybrid and remote work, employee burnout, disability employment, workplace civility, skills-based hiring, and artificial intelligence. SHRM’s stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion became a prominent point of public discussion in 2024, when it changed its terminology by moving away from explicitly including equity in its DEI framing. In 2025, it described its approach as encouraging organizations to evaluate and elevate their initiatives while balancing diversity and inclusion with federal compliance. The organization also called for employers to manage the human effects of AI through communication, training, and reskilling, while emphasizing that leadership and culture are important determinants of workplace outcomes. By the supplied reference period, SHRM reported nearly 340,000 members across 180 countries, more than 575 chapters, and over 400 employees. It remains an active professional association whose activities combine credentialing, research, events, education, philanthropic work, and workforce-policy advocacy.
- 2022
Linkage and CEO Academy acquisitions
[1]SHRM expanded into leadership development and C-suite education through two acquisitions.
- 2021
SHRM Executive Network launched
[1]SHRM created a private international network for chief human-resource officers and HR business partners.
- 2006
Disability-employment alliance established
[1]The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy established an alliance with SHRM to promote disability employment.
- 1989
Organization renamed SHRM
[1]The American Society for Personnel Administration adopted the name Society for Human Resource Management.
- 1984
Headquarters moved to Alexandria, Virginia
[1]The move placed the association near the United States federal-policy center.
- 1966
SHRM Foundation established
[1]The philanthropic arm was created to support career development, partnerships, and student scholarships.
- 1964
Permanent headquarters established in Berea
[1]SHRM moved beyond its volunteer-only model by establishing headquarters in Berea, Ohio, and hiring staff.
- 1948
Organization founded as the American Society for Personnel Administration
[1]The association was established to serve professionals working in personnel administration.
Products and positioning
Professional association, certification body, education provider, research organization, and workforce-policy advocate for HR professionals and employers.
Professional certification
SHRM-CP
The SHRM Certified Professional credential is aimed at HR practitioners who apply human-resource knowledge and judgment in operational and professional settings. Its assessment emphasizes workplace situations and practical decision-making.
Senior professional certification
SHRM-SCP
The SHRM Senior Certified Professional credential is designed for experienced HR professionals whose work includes strategic responsibility, organizational leadership, and influence over workforce practices and business outcomes.
Professional membership
SHRM Membership
Membership packages provide access to HR news, workplace templates, compliance resources, professional communities, advisory support, continuing education, and networking. Options include professional, student, global, and business memberships.
Executive network · 2021
SHRM Executive Network
Launched in 2021, the Executive Network is a private global community for CHROs and HR business partners. It is intended to provide peer exchange, executive learning, and discussion of senior workforce-management issues.
Workforce research
SHRM Research Reports
SHRM publishes research on subjects such as employee benefits, executive priorities, recruiting, workplace culture, civility, engagement, leadership, burnout, remote work, and emerging technology. Examples include the Employee Benefits Survey, State of the Workplace, CHRO Priorities and Perspectives, and Civility Index.
Conference and education
SHRM Annual Conference
The annual conference combines HR seminars, workshops, networking, and professional education. SHRM also supports regional, state, and specialist events, including SHRM Talent, SHRM Blueprint, and the SHRM Linkage Institute.
Workforce resource · 2025
Center for a Skills First Future
Launched by the SHRM Foundation in 2025, this free online resource helps employers consider skills-based hiring and develop teams prepared for changing workforce requirements.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 20241 Million Civil Conversations
United States
SHRM launched an initiative intended to increase civility in workplaces after research identified widespread daily incidents of workplace incivility.
- 2020SHRM COVID-19 Resource Center
United States · Global
SHRM created a resource center to help employers, managers, and workers respond to pandemic-related workplace, health, operational, and employment-policy questions.
Outcome. The initiative provided practical guidance during a period of rapidly changing workplace conditions.
Brand decisions
2024
Reframing of DEI positioningStrategyBackground
Political and legal debate over corporate diversity programs increased pressure on employers and professional associations to clarify their positions.
Action taken
SHRM changed its DEI terminology by moving away from explicitly including equity, and later emphasized evaluating and elevating initiatives while maintaining federal compliance.
Aftermath
The shift generated controversy and became a notable public issue for the organization.
2024
Responsible artificial-intelligence advocacyStrategyBackground
The spread of workplace AI created concerns about worker impact, skills, communication, governance, and organizational readiness.
Action taken
SHRM made responsible AI use a policy priority and called for communication, training, reskilling, and attention to the human consequences of adoption.
Aftermath
AI became a recurring focus of SHRM research, advocacy, conferences, and workforce guidance.
2022
Expansion through Linkage and CEO Academy acquisitionsM&ABackground
SHRM sought to broaden its education and leadership offerings beyond traditional membership and certification services.
Action taken
The organization acquired Linkage Inc. and CEO Academy.
Aftermath
The acquisitions expanded SHRM’s presence in leadership development and C-suite learning.
2015
Opposition to proposed federal overtime regulationOtherBackground
The proposed rule would have increased the salary threshold and expanded the number of employees eligible for overtime.
Action taken
SHRM opposed the Department of Labor’s overtime regulation during 2015 and 2016.
2008
Advocacy on Family and Medical Leave Act administrationOtherBackground
SHRM was engaged in federal discussion about administration of the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Action taken
Representatives appeared before the U.S. Senate to seek changes to the administration of the law.
Recent events
- 2025
SHRM launches the Center for a Skills First Future[1]
Product launch
The SHRM Foundation introduced a free online resource to help employers adopt skills-based hiring and build workforce capabilities for future needs.
- 2025
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. testifies on the education-to-employment pipeline[1]
Regulation
Taylor urged the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce to address gaps between education and employment and the country’s unfilled-job challenge.
- 2024
SHRM launches the 1 Million Civil Conversations initiative[1]
Campaign
The initiative sought to encourage more civil workplace conversations after SHRM research highlighted the scale of workplace incivility.
- 2024
SHRM emphasizes responsible AI in workforce policy[1]
Regulation · Other
Responsible artificial-intelligence use became one of SHRM’s workforce-policy priorities, alongside calls for communication, training, and reskilling.
- 2022
SHRM acquires Linkage Inc.[1]
M&A
SHRM acquired Linkage, a United States leadership-development firm, expanding its leadership education and organizational-development capabilities.
- 2022
SHRM acquires CEO Academy[1]
M&A
SHRM acquired CEO Academy, a learning and networking experience focused on chief-executive and C-suite issues.
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