Human Resource Association of the National Capital Area

VOLUNTEER IDEA CENTER

The following are ideas to assist HRA-NCA Volunteers in preparing and executing their Chapter Achievement Plans.  Additional ideas and information can be found on the SHRM website Volunteer Leader Resources Center (VLRC).  

VP Education, College Relations

• Assist a college in chartering a new SHRM student chapter or reactivating an inactive student chapter.
• Provide support to a local student chapter through a variety of measures which could include:
  • Encourage students to participate in the SHRM Case Competition at the region’s SHRM student conference
  • Sponsor SHRM and/or chapter memberships for student chapter faculty advisor
  • Provide speakers for student chapters, arrange student company tours, participate in career day activities
  • Provide assistance for students to participate in the region’s SHRM student conference
  • Provide a scholarship or recognition award to college student(s)
  • Coordinate/arrange for internships for students to gain HR knowledge
• Encourage engagement of student members in the chapter through a variety of measures that could include:
  • Invite students to professional chapter meetings and programs
  • Offer free membership or reduced chapter membership dues for student members
  • Offer free or reduced chapter meeting attendance fees for student members
  • Coordinate a conversion membership program for recent graduates to assist them as they make the transition from students to HR professionals
  • Provide a scholarship or recognition award to college student(s)
  • Participate in a student/member mentoring program
  • Coordinate/arrange for internships for students to gain HR knowledge

VP Education, HR Certification Institute Certification

• Create/conduct a PHR/SPHR/GPHR Certification exam study group which may include:
  • Co-sponsoring or partnering on a university-based certification preparation study course
  • Taking advantage of the special discount program available to chapters and purchasing copies of the SHRM Learning System (both facilitator and participant versions) for use in a chapter study group
• Develop and implement a certification awareness campaign which could include tactics such as:
  • Promote the benefits and value of certification (PHR, SPHR, GPHR)
  • Use the HR Certification Institute Toolkit for promoting certification in the chapter
  • Educate members on the recertification process, including using the online recertification system
  • Recognize certified chapter members at a chapter program, or otherwise recognize or reward certified members
  • Promote the online assessment exams and PHR/SPHR/GPHR certification guides developed by the HR Certification Institute

VP Membership, Diversity Chair

• Conduct, host or sponsor a diversity seminar, conference or diversity-focused event.
• Partner with a diverse or minority organization (e.g., the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Out and Equal, US Business Leadership Network, Employer Support for the Guard & Reserve, etc.) on an event.
• Host the SHRM Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Leadership Program or The Diversity Practitioner of the 21^st Century course in your locality.
• Contribute to an article or write and submit an article on the topic of diversity.
• Create a tool or resource that can be used by diversity practitioners.
• Create a diversity and inclusion awareness campaign within the chapter that could include topics such as:
• Develop a diversity advisory council for the chapter
• Utilize the chapter newsletter or web site for best-practice sharing in the area of diversity and inclusion
• Sponsor an award promoting diversity, such as a workplace diversity award
• A chapter representative attends the SHRM Diversity Conference & Exposition
• The representative could share information about the conference including ‘takeaways’ from the conference with the membership at a chapter meeting or through a chapter newsletter article
• A chapter representative attends a state or local diversity conference of another SHRM affiliate
• The representative could share information about that conference and what strides are being made in the area of diversity and inclusion outside your community and within other SHRM affiliates.
• Develop and execute a plan to diversify the chapter board to reflect the demographics of the local community. 
• Develop and execute a chapter diversity plan.
• Develop and conduct a diversity survey.

VP Membership, Membership Chair

• Develop and implement (or maintain) a SHRM membership campaign that could include tactics such as:
• Hold a special chapter program on the value of SHRM membership
• Hold at least one chapter program on the value of SHRM membership
• Include a link to the SHRM membership application (www.shrm.org/join) on the chapter’s website
• Publicize SHRM’s special membership promotion programs (e.g., the discounted first-time SHRM membership fee for chapter members, SHRM online membership promotions, SHRM regional discount codes for first-time members – obtain the regional promo code from your Field Services Director.)
• Develop and implement (or maintain) a SHRM retention campaign that could include tactics such as:
•      Member recognition program
•      Hold a special chapter program on the value of SHRM membership
•      Use a “looped” PowerPoint presentation at the beginning of your chapter meeting or event to highlight SHRM member benefits and/or upcoming conferences, in addition to your chapter activities

VP Legislative, Government Affairs

In coordination with the SHRM Government Affairs (GA) department and in support of the SHRM Advocacy Team initiative, develop and implement a chapter outreach program to establish/enhance relationships with state and federal elected officials.  Chapters are strongly encouraged to coordinate such efforts with the GA’s Senior Associate for Member Advocacy, ensuring consistency of SHRM’s messaging on current HR public policy matters.

Develop and implement (or maintain) an information sharing campaign to engage your members in the legislative process which include tactics such as:

Presenting, at least quarterly, a legislative update at Chapter meetings.

Providing, at least quarterly, a legislative update in the Chapter newsletter (either online or print)

A chapter representative attends the SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference and participates in the Capitol Hill Advocacy Day;

Reporting back to the chapter on the conference and the Capitol Hill Advocacy Day is a great way to include members in the experience

Share what you learned on your Hill visit through your update column in the newsletter or in your update at the chapter meeting

VP Programs, SHRM Foundation Director

Develop and implement (or maintain) a campaign to educate chapter members about the mission and work of the SHRM Foundation which could include tactics such as:

Promote the SHRM Foundation in chapter newsletters, emails, and/or on chapter website

Request SHRM Foundation materials (e.g., annual campaign brochure, latest educational packets, etc.) from the SHRM Foundation staff; make these available at Chapter meetings

Make a presentation about the SHRM Foundation at a chapter meeting (PowerPoint template available at www.shrm.org/foundation)

Use the SHRM Foundation’s educational DVDs in a chapter program (companion PowerPoint presentation and discussion guide are available at www.shrm.org/foundation.  NOTE:  These are pre-approved for recertification credit!

Highlight the availability of the Effective Practice Guidelines series (available for free download at www.shrm.org/foundation, or contact SHRM Foundation staff for printed copies)

Promote the SHRM Foundation’s scholarship programs to chapter members.  The application due date for SHRM professional members is July 15 and for student members is October 15

Provide support to the SHRM Foundation by embarking upon an awareness campaign to increase monetary donations as follows:

Make a monetary contribution to the SHRM Foundation from the chapter’s funds

Conduct a leadership campaign encouraging giving by each member of the chapter’s board of directors

Encourage chapter members to include the SHRM Foundation in their personal charitable giving

VP, PR & Marketing, Workforce Readiness CLA

Create communication and education plans for chapter and hold at least one chapter program to promote awareness and knowledge of the value and importance of workforce readiness programs

Partner with the Workforce Investment Board or similar agency to place new or re-entering workers into the workforce

Engage and partner with local, state or national workforce readiness organization(s), such as Junior Achievement, America’s Promise, etc. to complement and support the workforce readiness efforts in the community.  Local support may include sponsoring or participating in community workforce readiness activities (e.g., job shadowing, mock interviews, speakers for schools, career counseling, etc.)

Engage a local higher education institution, such as a community college, technical school, college or university to build/strengthen relationships between the business and education communities

Participate in a national or statewide workforce readiness initiative, such as Job Shadow Day, workforce readiness certification (e.g., WorkKeys) or Jobs for America’s Graduates.  You will be asked to provide the name of the program in your description and your level of involvement

Coordinate a resume service or job bank for local members and employers

OTHER IDEAS

Develop and implement a social media strategy which could include such tactics as:

Appoint a social media chair to lead the strategy development and implementation

Create and maintain a presence on social media sites (e.g., SHRM Connect) in the name of the chapter

Map the use of social media for use in areas such as membership engagement, enhancing professional development, and general chapter communication

Write/maintain a chapter blog to encourage engagement of HR professionals in the community

Contribute to best-practice sharing discussions and serve as a resource for other chapters

Co-sponsor at least one workshop, seminar or conference with another SHRM chapter

This might be in one of the core leadership areas listed above or on an HR topic

Work in partnership with another SHRM chapter (e.g., hold a joint program, assist another chapter in a project, work together for a common charity, etc.)

Develop and execute a special program for chapter members in transition (e.g., job search support groups, resume/interviewing workshops, etc.)

Hold an event/chapter meeting with a focus on attracting Gen X and Gen Y members/future HR professionals

Provide educational opportunities about local community groups to chapter members, such as elder care services, child care services, employee financial planning, disability assistance, etc.

Conduct at least one chapter project to benefit the community, such as collecting books for a literacy program, providing school supplies to a school, holding a toy or a food drive, organizing a business clothing drive, etc.

Conduct at least one chapter program to benefit the community, such as HR training for supervisors, employment law for small-business owners, etc.

Sponsor or host at least one program or event to benefit a charity or community organization, such as a golf tournament, where proceeds go to charity

Sponsor a special program for members related to business continuity planning/disaster preparedness and response

Partner with a local or state agency to raise community awareness about disaster preparedness

Coordinate a disaster preparedness response or business continuity planning initiative

Hold a CEO panel discussion at a monthly chapter meeting to give CEOs the opportunity to share their thoughts on the value HR brings to their organization from a business standpoint.  Invite attendees to bring their CEO to the event to encourage “peer-to-peer” idea sharing and education.

Establish/maintain a strategy for promoting the HR profession at the local level through press releases, media contacts and other initiatives

Conduct at least one chapter program around a federal or state workplace policy issue that impacts the HR profession or a program on how members can impact the public policy process

Research and identify global companies in the area.  Develop global programs/workshops or resources for HR professionals and communicate/invite the global HR professionals to attend/participate.

·         Invite senior HR professionals to be on program panels or lead a Senior HR Special Interest Group within your chapter to encourage engagement

Identify and invite non-HR professionals to attend monthly programs and participate in any applicable special interest groups or committees your chapter has formed

Develop and implement a corporate sustainability program for your chapter

Hold a chapter conference (defined as a full day or more of professional development)

SHRM provides chapters a wide array of tools to assist in developing leaders, achieving operational excellence, and developing and executing plans.

The following resources are available in the Volunteer Leaders’ Resource Center at www.shrm.org/vlrc unless otherwise specified.  Please refer to them often and share them with others in your chapter.

SHRM Web-Hosting Program (SHRM can help you develop and maintain a web site free of charge if you do not have one or would like to request SHRM web-hosting.  Visit Web Resources for Chapters and State Councils in the VLRC for more information).

SHRM News Feed Fact Sheet

College Relations: 

College Relations Toolkit

Core Leadership Area content

Diversity:

SHRM Diversity Survey Template

SHRM Diversity Toolkit

Core Leadership Area content

Government Affairs:

SHRM Government Affairs Toolkit

Core Leadership Area content

HR Certification Institute Certification:

HR Certification Institute Toolkit CD or reference online at www.hrci.org

Certification-related materials at www.hrci-org

Core Leadership Area content

Membership:

PowerPoint presentation on the benefits of SHRM membership with script

SHRM Membership Recruitment and Retention Toolkit

Core Leadership Area content

SHRM/chapters in partnership brochure, What’s In It For Me?  Elevate Value

SHRM at-large mailing lists to contact prospective chapter members (List is available from your regional team)

SHRM Foundation:

SHRM Foundation Toolkit

Core Leadership Area content

Workforce Readiness:

Core Leadership Area content

SHRM HR Disciplines (formerly known as HR Focus Areas):

Pinnacle Award Compendiums

Enterprising Leadership book

SHRM Strategic Planning Toolkit

SHRM Succession Planning Toolkit

SHRM Guide to Chapter Financial Management

SHRM’s Fundamentals of Chapter Operations

Graphic Standards Manual for Affiliates

Sourcing Your Speakers

SHRM Speakers Bureau

SHRM Chapter Speaker Program

Presentations/scripts available from SHRM for a chapter program

State Council members (e.g., state council director, district director, Core Leadership Area director, etc.)

SHRM Foundation DVDs

Senior HR members of your chapter speaking on their area of expertise, panels, etc.