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.
In this episode of People and Strategy at SHRM25 in San Diego, Thanh Giddarie, director of HR for MIT Health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses how organizations can leverage data to communicate the value of HR. Giddarie shares her journey from marketing to HR, the importance of annual HR reports and trending analyses, and how quantitative and qualitative metrics can demonstrate HR’s value to the C-suite.
Growth requires creating additional capacity within the organization, the leadership team, and even within yourself. The Summer 2025 edition of the People + Strategy journal offers fresh insights into the critical investments HR leaders should make today to drive organizational growth and accelerate their own career development.
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
Priorities and Perspectives Series: Learning & Development
September 17, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET
In today’s evolving workplace, staying competitive requires employers to secure top talent with the skills essential for success. As new technologies reshape industries and market dynamics shift, HR executives face the pressing challenge of keeping their workforce agile and ready for what’s ahead.
Join the SHRM Executive Network on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. ET for an exclusive session on the future of workforce learning and leadership.
New SHRM research — based on input from more than 175 CHROs and learning and development (L&D) leaders — highlights the key topics and actions these executives are prioritizing in the year ahead. The research also uncovers the multifaceted challenges L&D leaders face, such as market-related pressures and personal obstacles, and reveals how executives view emerging workplace trends, including the growing role of AI.
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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.
September 25 – 27, 2025
Atlanta, GA
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September 28 – 30, 2026
San Diego, CA
Step into a space designed for senior leaders to think boldly, connect deeply, and elevate their impact. Exclusively for SHRM Executive Network members at the SHRM Linkage Institute.
ENX | June 2026
SHRM26 | June 16 – 19, 2026
Orlando, FL
Exclusively for SHRM Executive Network members, this in-person event brings together the top tier of HR leadership for advanced executive programming, peer-to-peer connection, and conversations you won’t find anywhere else.