SHRM25 Concludes with Inspiring Keynote from President Joe Biden on How to Lead with Empathy and the Human Connection
President Joe Biden sat down with SHRM President & CEO, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. on the Main Stage, captivating the audience with insights as a world leader.
SAN DIEGO, CA – Today, SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, workers, and the workplace, concluded a successful Annual Conference & Expo (SHRM25) in San Diego and virtually with former President Joe Biden taking the Main Stage in a rare appearance to discuss leadership, workforce transformation, and the future of work.
The San Diego Convention Center welcomed more than 20,000 human resource professionals, executives, students, and others from across the country and around the globe. Approximately 2,000 of those attendees registered to attend virtually.
President Joe Biden provided a keynote on the Main Stage, followed by an insightful discussion with SHRM President & CEO, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. On the stage, Biden captured applause on his stance to lead with empathy, absorbing roars of laughter with his candid humor, and even bringing forth emotional tears when speaking about his personal tragedies of losing his wife and daughter decades ago.
Most importantly, President Biden addressed the HR professionals who traveled far to attend in-person and those attending virtually, saying with pride, “You shape the workplace. You build the culture. You set the tone. You’re at the forefront of tremendous change. Change is the very nature of work. It’s creating opportunities, but it's also threatening jobs and entire industries. So, now more than ever, what you do matters, because you know, people are the most important asset that we have...be brave when bravery is called for. This is the kind of leadership we need right now. It’s how we build strong workplaces, strong economies, and a strong nation. I’m grateful to every one of you, helping build a world where workers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
Johnny also gave an inspiring speech on the Main Stage Monday during the conference, calling on HR to rise above the storm.
“You, the people who advocate tirelessly for our workers, have not stopped caring,” said Johnny. “And the critical work of providing equal opportunity for all is still desperately needed. It isn’t about politics — it’s about people and performance.”
On Monday, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, a family foundation of William G. McGowan, in partnership with SHRM announced its 2025 Ethical Leader of the Year Award-winner, Bank of America CEO, Brian Moynihan.
Additionally, multiple SHRM Research reports were released during the conference, including the much-anticipated 2025 Benefits Survey and the Price of Success report.
SHRM officially announced the next SHRM Annual Conference & Expo (SHRM26) will be held in Orlando, Florida from June 16 – June 19, 2026.
The next SHRM conference, BLUEPRINT 2025, will take place in Louisville, Kentucky October 26 through October 29, 2026. Visit https://conference.shrm.org/blueprint for more information.
About SHRM
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. Discover more at SHRM.org.
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