A Note of Thanks from Colorado SHRM's State Director

Greetings to my fellow professionals working in HR!

I want to take a quick moment and share a message of thanks and appreciation. This has been quite the year, but as we are nearly through Q4 and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, it feels appropriate to send a note sharing my appreciation for all of you! The last thing I want to do is start with some message around 2020 and COVID-19 and the same general commentary you have heard over and over, but truly, it would be a mistake not to recognize what we have done in the profession this year 

We started 2020 thinking, a new decade, a new vision (forgive the pun) and plenty of challenges at the forefront of the year, as with any year. And then, and then... COVID-19. Unemployment rises, lockdowns and shutdown, furloughs and layoffs, social injustice and systemic dysfunction, political unrest, and changes in leadership all within a VERY short period of time. It has been the year of challenges.

About a year ago, I remember sitting in the SHRM National Volunteer Leaders Business Meeting. SHRM CEO, Johnny C Taylor, Jr. was giving his closing remarks, and I vividly remember him saying, something is coming. He didn’t know what it was, or what things were going to shift, and maybe we were thinking from a political climate, or equity and paid medical leave being a key focus point in many state and federal bills, but it felt like we needed to be ready, as a profession.

The people in HR knew it was coming. I am not sure if we knew exactly what, but we have been working hard to be ready to serve when we were needed. We have been talking about our need for being included in leadership roles and discussions in our companies for over a decade - to have a seat at the table. We were preparing to be ready, as professionals.

And I feel our response to 2020 has been a testament to that preparation. I am proud of the work you have done in your companies and communities. The support you have given and the hard work, sometimes unnoticed by many, contributing to the health, safety, and success of the people you work with. I want to say thank you for your work in our profession.

Now, more than ever, is the time for us to continue to connect and engage with each other. Continuing to work toward diversity, equity and inclusion and sharing information around new legislation happening today, to be enacted at the start of the year, and to prepare for in the coming years.

Our workplaces are the front lines where all of this is happening, and we want you to know you are not alone! Colorado SHRM and our six local chapters want to continue to support your needs as we navigate our world and the dynamics of change happening at a very rapid rate. Please connect locally with your community HR teams at your local chapter, be on the lookout for our COSHRM Connection coming out every month, and be ready to network and engage virtually, and hopefully in-person more and more as we continue to build and offer content to support your work in the HR profession.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ericson
Colorado SHRM State Director