CHRO Economic Outlook: From Caution to Concern
More than half of HR executives (53%) anticipate poor or very poor economic conditions over the next six months, a dramatic spike from only 13% in Q1, according to SHRM's latest CHRO Economic Outlook. Concerns about possible tariff increases and economic uncertainty are at the top of CHROs' minds. Here's the latest forecast and how CHROs plan to respond.
How can CHROs ensure a strong return on investment in the face of rising HR costs? In this episode, guests James Atkinson, VP of thought leadership at SHRM, and Chris Courneen, senior VP and global head of HR at MS International, dive into SHRM's 2025 CHRO Benchmarking Data Brief, unpacking trends such as increased HR spending, wage inflation, and investments in workforce technology.
Economic, technological, and social changes mean the workplace of tomorrow will look very different than it does today. The Spring 2025 edition of the People + Strategy journal highlights how organizations are preparing to future-proof their workplaces by redesigning roles, realigning cultures, and rethinking work for a new era.
HR executives are navigating a time of economic uncertainty and tightened budgets. It's time to prioritize high-impact strategies such as reskilling programs, optimizing workforce performance, and enhancing retention efforts. View the big-picture takeaways from SHRM’s quarterly CHRO Employment Outlook survey, plus the CHRO Economic Outlook and Hiring & Retention Difficulty Indexes.
EN:Insights Forum
Future-focused HR: Reorienting the Function to Lead the Organization
August 20, 2025 | 12-1 PM ET
Recent disruptions have forced HR to the front of many organization wide decisions. But rather than just reacting to these disruptions, HR must reorient the function so that it’s prepared to lead the organization into the future. Join the SHRM Executive Network on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. ET for an in-depth look at SHRM’s new HRX model. This session will provide exclusive insights into the latest SHRM research, covering the strategies HR needs to deploy to drive ROI.
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Trends & Thought Leadership
SHRM’s new CHRO Priorities and Perspectives report examines the key strategic goals of CHROs in 2025, the range of challenges they face, and their visions for the future of work. The report was based on insights collected in December 2024 from 212 CHROs spanning diverse organizational sizes and industries
This brief highlights key results from SHRM’s 2025 benchmarking data. Drawing on key insights from HR executives and leaders, these results showcase metrics that are pertinent to CHROs and others who lead their organization’s HR function. In this data brief, we examine several trends present in the data and their implications for CHROs and the world of work.
Balancing a career and caregiving presents unique challenges for an increasing segment of the workforce—but the right support can transform challenge into opportunity. SHRM thought leadership, capturing the experiences of over 5,800 survey respondents, uncovers the real-world impact of caregiving responsibilities on well-being, performance, and company success.
No matter how successful your organization is, there will come a time when an HR initiative doesn’t get the results you’re looking for. These are the moments to find untapped leverage points to help you chart a new course, author Dan Heath told attendees of the Executive Network Experience (ENX) at SHRM25.
Upcoming In-Person Experiences
Registration to select in-person events are included with your SHRM Executive Network membership. To ensure an exclusive and elevated experience, seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
June 28 - 29, 2025
Forge valuable connections with like-level executives at this exclusive convening featuring thought-provoking discussions and exclusive data.
September 25, 2025 - September 27, 2025
Are you ready to shift the paradigm of leadership in HR? Join us Sept. 25-27 in Atlanta, GA, to examine this and other critical workplace issues.