graphic of a connected world globe

Global Policy

SHRM is the go-to organization for international leaders and global businesses on all matters related to HR and the global workplace.

SHRM’s Global Worker Project

In partnership with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and Seyfarth Shaw LLP, the SHRM Global Worker Project is focused on building a shared, human-centered understanding of the future of the workplace to inform policymakers through policy recommendations and best practices on how workers and employers can thrive. Current initiatives include: 

SHRM has surveyed workers in the United States, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom to gauge the true needs and desires of different types of workers. This stands in contrast to other research efforts, which generally focus on the worker experience within a workplace rather than the needs and perspectives of workers across industries and types of employers.

Based on the data collected from its research, SHRM is creating a playbook that describes 30 global worker personas and presents the results of the research. It will also deliver policy recommendations and best practices for policymakers and employers to ensure workers and workplaces across the globe thrive.

SHRM, in partnership with the IOE and Seyfarth, convened experts, researchers, global leaders and workers from around the world in Geneva, Switzerland and New York City to discuss how employees, global business leaders, civic organizations and policymakers can work together to secure the lives and livelihoods of today’s and tomorrow’s workers.

B20 India

The Business 20 (B20) is the business voice of the G20, the multilateral platform connecting some of the world’s major developed and emerging economies.

b20 summit india presenters on stage
women and man work from laptops in a library

SHRM’s J-1 Visitor Exchange Program

This program provides highly educated foreign employees and students the opportunity to visit the United States for a short time to receive on-the-job training and engage in cultural exchange. SHRM is designated by the Department of State as a J-1 Visa sponsor for the trainee and intern programs.

SHRM Advocacy Partners

To advance SHRM’s global policy efforts, SHRM partners with the following international organizations:  

The IOE is the largest network of private-sector employers in the world, with more than 150 business and employer organization members. 

The WHO is the United Nations agency working to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. 

The ILO is a United Nations agency that advances social and economic justice by setting international labor standards.

SHRM Chief of Staff and Head of Public Affairs Emily M. Dickens serves as the Secretary-General for WFPMA, a global network representing over 700,000 people management professionals and over 90 national human resource associations. SHRM President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. serves as a board member, with SHRM serving as the WFPMA Secretariat.

The USCIB is an independent business advocacy group that was founded to promote free trade and represent U.S. businesses at the United Nations. SHRM President & CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. is a member of USCIB’s Board of Trustees, and SHRM Chief of Staff and Head of Public Affairs Emily M. Dickens is a member of the USCIB Board of Directors. 

SHRM serves as the Secretariat for NAHRMA, an organization that represents the national human resource associations of Canada, Mexico and the United States. 

Created in 2007, the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a state-led, informal and non-binding process, which helps shape the global debate on migration and development. It provides a flexible, multi-stakeholder space where governments can discuss the multi-dimensional aspects, opportunities and challenges related to migration, development, and the link between these two areas. The GFMD process allows governments - in partnership with civil society, the private sector, local and regional governments, youth, the UN system and other relevant stakeholders – to analyze and discuss sensitive issues, create consensus, pose innovative solutions, and share policy and practices. 

Learn more about SHRM’s global affairs work and policy priorities by contacting SHRM Government Affairs at governmentaffairs@shrm.org.