Skip to main content
  • Personal
  • Business
  • Foundation
    Close
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
  • mySHRM Login
  • MySHRM
    • Dashboard
    • Account
    • Logout
SHRM
  • Membership
    • Membership

      As a SHRM Member®, you’ll pave the path of your success with invaluable resources, world-class educational opportunities and premier events.

      Membership Benefits
  • Certification
    • SHRM Certification

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations.

      • Register for the SHRM US Batch
      • Self-Study for your SHRM CP/SCP Certification
      • Book your SHRM CP/SCP Exam
      Prepare for the Exam
      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance your HR credibility.

      ACHRM
      CEHRM
      AI in HR
      PMQ
  • Events
    • MENA Events

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations.

      • MENA Annual Conference
      • CEO Academy
      • SHRM Leadership Circle
      Global Events
      • US Annual Conference
Become a Member
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
Close
  • Personal
  • Business
  • Foundation
  • Membership
    back
    Membership
    • Membership

      As a SHRM Member®, you’ll pave the path of your success with invaluable resources, world-class educational opportunities and premier events.

      Membership Benefits
  • Certification
    back
    Certification
    • SHRM Certification

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations.

      • Register for the SHRM US Batch
      • Self-Study for your SHRM CP/SCP Certification
      • Book your SHRM CP/SCP Exam
      Prepare for the Exam
      • Exam Preparation
      • SHRM BASK
      • SHRM Learning System
      • Instructor-Led Learning
      • Self-Study
      Specialty Credentials

      Demonstrate targeted competence and enhance your HR credibility.

      ACHRM
      CEHRM
      AI in HR
      PMQ
  • Events
    back
    Events
    • MENA Events

      Demonstrate your ability to apply HR principles to real-life situations.

      • MENA Annual Conference
      • CEO Academy
      • SHRM Leadership Circle
      Global Events
      • US Annual Conference
Become a Member
Renew
Rejoin Now
Renew
    • Global
    • India
    • MENA
SHRM
mySHRM Login
  • MySHRM
    • Dashboard
    • Account
    • Logout
Close

  1. Press Room
  2. SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. Testifies to U.S. Senate Committee about the Evolving Workforce
Share
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.


Error message details.

Copy button
Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.


Learn More
Press Release

SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. Testifies to U.S. Senate Committee about the Evolving Workforce

Email: edward.burke@shrm.org Contact Us at press@shrm.org How We Can Help ... Press releases on breaking and trending workforce news

February 28, 2024

“Today I participated in an important testimony hearing on behalf of SHRM and our 340,000 members to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

Thank you to the committee for the opportunity to share SHRM's thought leadership and insights on the critical issues facing the American workforce. As we navigate the rapidly changing landscape, addressing talent shortages, fostering a positive workplace culture, and leveraging emerging technologies are the keys to building a future of work. The evolving workplace landscape presents many challenges and opportunities, and the private and public sectors, including the Department of Defense (DOD), are no exception. SHRM’s testimony underscores several pivotal areas where organizations can concentrate efforts to attract, retain, and empower the workforce.

Having the chance to share our thoughts on intentional HR strategies with the Senate Armed Services Committee to meet the needs of the DOD and issues of workforces, is the very thing SHRM knows well. Human Capital management. How to recruit people, retain people, motivate them and develop their talent. I am blessed and privileged in my role to represent the HR profession.

When it comes to talent acquisition, retention and skills-based hiring, we need to prioritize the skills and qualifications necessary for the role, irrespective of traditional education and experience prerequisites. This approach unveils untapped talent pools such as veterans, military spouses, and older workers. To really invest in retention, employee engagement should be at the forefront while addressing concerns such as compensation, work-life balance, and career development opportunities.

When we get to the point that we realize we don't have STEM talent available, we're already too late. We look to employers and say you have not hired enough engineers this year. We wait too long to talk about what the talent problem is. We have a pipelining problem. At SHRM we know we have to address the talent needs by developing them all the way from K-12.

Broadening existing apprenticeship programs and contemplating partnering with other organizations to establish new ones, particularly for in-demand skills, is key. We know that we need to double down on transition programs for those retiring from the military. If someone is within 6 months of retiring or completing military service, train them in how to become recruitable in the private sector. 

We have to utilize AI tools for recruitment, learning, and other HR functions while ensuring ethical considerations and transparency are at the forefront. Acknowledge the value of human intelligence and synergizing it with AI to enhance performance and innovation is imperative.

Americans have been having fewer children over the last 2 decades. We have a birth rate problem; we have a replenishment problem. We need to fill these 8, 9, 10 million open jobs. It is nonsensical that, in many instances, we would have people we’ve allowed to come to the US; we’ve educated them in our schools and then we send them back. We have open jobs for them to fill and employers are saying we need this talent. We do not have the luxury of saying we have a bias against people who are not born and trained here.

Increasingly corporations are building their own childcare facilities and fully subsidizing them to draw and retain talent. People often decide not to take jobs because there is no one available to care for their parents and grandparents. It is not only childcare but broadly dependent care that can be a barrier.

We have a middle group of workers who are 45-55 years old and who want to work. So many of our training programs disproportionately focus on young people but we’re ignoring a significant swath of the population that is available and wants to work, and we don’t supply reskilling and upskilling. What happens to that 45-year-old whose job is significantly impacted by advances in technology but does not know how to reskill?

We need to do better about investing in teaching people how to be effective managers. Too often, we naively assume because someone is a great mechanic, that they’ll make a good manager of mechanics. When we don’t invest in training them how to be a manager, they grow to hate the job and the people who work for them hate their job which leads to a spiraling retention problem. We must teach them how to manage people effectively in order to keep people as they grow in their careers.

Lastly, implementing these recommendations will help employers construct a robust and resilient workforce equipped to confront the challenges of today and the future. It’s imperative to remember that attracting and retaining talent is a continuous process that necessitates ongoing evaluation, adaptation, and investment.

By prioritizing the needs of employees and embracing innovative approaches, private and public sector employers can ensure a competitive and thriving workforce. This commitment to the workforce will enhance operational effectiveness and contribute to competitiveness and the need to meet global challenges.”



Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.



Related Content

(opens in a new tab)
News
How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

(opens in a new tab)
News
A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

(opens in a new tab)
News
Rising Demand for Workforce AI Skills Leads to Calls for Upskilling

As artificial intelligence technology continues to develop, the demand for workers with the ability to work alongside and manage AI systems will increase. This means that workers who are not able to adapt and learn these new skills will be left behind in the job market.

HR Daily Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest HR news, trends, and expert advice each business day.

Success title

Success caption

Manage Subscriptions
Our Brands

SHRM Foundation Logo
SHRM Executive Network Logo
CEO Circle Logo
SHRM Business Logo
SHRM Linkage Logo
SHRM Labs
Overview


  • About SHRM
  • Careers at SHRM
  • Press Room
  • Contact SHRM MENA
  • Ask an Advisor
  • SHRM Newsletter
  • Copyright & Permission
Contact Us


Email: SHRM.MEA@shrm.org
Landline: +971 43649464

SHRM KSA Office (Riyadh)
+966507266968

SHRM UAE Office (Dubai)
+971581101786


© 2025 SHRM. All Rights Reserved
SHRM provides content as a service to its readers and members. It does not offer legal advice, and cannot guarantee the accuracy or suitability of its content for a particular purpose. Disclaimer

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

  1. Privacy Policy

  2. Terms of Use

  3. Accessibility

Join SHRM for Exclusive Access to Member Content

SHRM Members enjoy unlimited access to articles and exclusive member resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Limit Reached

Get unlimited access to articles and member-exclusive resources.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join to access unlimited articles and member-only resources.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join the Executive Network and enjoy unlimited content.

Already a member?
Free Article
Exclusive Executive-Level Content

This content is for the SHRM Executive Network and Executive Content Subscription members only.

You've reached the limit of 1 free article this month. Join and enjoy unlimited access to SHRM Executive Network Content.

Already a member?
Unlock Your Career with SHRM Membership

Please enjoy this free resource! Join SHRM for unlimited access to exclusive articles and tools.

Already a member?

Your membership is almost expired! Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew now

Your membership has expired. Renew today for unlimited access to member content.

Renew Now

Your Executive Network membership is nearing its expiration. Renew now to maintain access.

Renew Now

Your membership has expired. Renew your Executive Network benefits today.

Renew Now