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About SHRM

Our Purpose Is to Elevate HR

Our mission is to empower people and workplaces by advancing HR practices and by maximizing human potential. Our vision is to build a world of work that works for all.

SHRM creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together.

SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally.

Key Dates in SHRM History

SHRM stands for the Society for Human Resource Management, which traces its orgin back to the founding of the American Society for Personnel Administration (ASPA) on Nov. 21, 1948.

  • 1949: The first annual conference is held in Cleveland with 67 attendees.
  • 1953: The first chapter is established in Metropolitan New York.
  • 1964: Headquarters are established in Berea, Ohio.
  • 1973: ASPA gives its first testimony before Congress.
  • 1976: The first credentialed member is recognized through the ASPA Accreditation Institute.
  • 1984: The board votes to move to the Washington, D.C., area, citing the need to “create a national presence” and to “have more consistent engagement” on workplace public policy.
  • 1989: The ASPA is renamed the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
  • 2023: SHRM celebrates its 75th anniversary as the trusted authority on all things work.
SHRM Civility Logo

Are You a Catalyst for Civility?

 

We know people and businesses work best when we choose civility. That’s why SHRM is sparking 1 Million Civil Conversations.

Together, we can encourage inclusivity, bridge divides and build understanding, one conversation at a time.

Learn More

Financial Transparency

SHRM is a mission-driven organization that makes available for public inspection its annual information return via Form 990. Here we provide the organization’s finances and activities, including grants, fundraising fees, program service revenue, and employee salaries as required by the IRS filings.