April 2017

HR InTouch

The Monthly Newsletter of the Greater Madison Area SHRM

In This Edition

President's Message

By Melissa Chadwick
 

Government Affairs & Legal Updates

2017 SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference

OSHA's New Standard on Electronic Recording and Post-Accident Drug Testing

USCIS suspends H-1B premium processing 

Professional Development

The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

GMA SHRM Professional Award - $1000

SHRM Foundation Certification Scholarships

GMA SHRM Idea Exchange
 

Compensation & Benefits

Maintain Your Competitive Edge with GMA SHRM Compensation Survey 

The Real Reason Employees Aren't Saving for Retirement
 

Workforce Readiness & Diversity

Spring Dane County Job Fair Recap


GMA SHRM Social Media

Social Media & Technology Committee

Forward HR


GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events
 

Community Partnerships Update

View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

May 16, 2017 The GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference 

East Side HR Advice Network Location Change​
 

GMA SHRM Member News

GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Welcome New Members!

Movin' Up

In Transition

 


 

 

President's Message

GMA SHRM
2017 Corporate Partners

Gold Level

Boardman & Clark Law Firm
Career Momentum
Godfrey & Kahn
The Payroll Company
Remedy Intelligent Staffing
Threadfellows

Silver Level

Bunbury & Associates
First Choice Dental
Hausmann-Johnson Insurance Group
M3 Insurance
QPS Employment Group
Summit Credit Union
Ultimate Software

Bronze Level

Adecco Engineering & Technology
The Alliance
Edgewood College
Escape This! Team Building - Special Events
The QTI Group
Stark Relocation
Unity Health Insurance

Thank you!

 


 

Greetings!

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of spring and looking forward to the warmer weather that is sure to come.

GMA’s 12th annual Human Capital Conference will be held on Tuesday, May 16th at the Alliant Energy Center.  New this year is the option to take a professional headshot while at the conference!  When you register for the conference you can register for a time for your headshot.  A portion of the money raised will be contributed to the SHRM Foundation, which provides many great benefits to SHRM members and communities.

Cy Wakeman will be our keynote speaker this year for both the morning and lunch sessions, as well as a breakout.  She is a dynamic national keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. Her groundbreaking ideas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post, The Washington Post and SHRM.org. She was also the recipient of the prestigious World HR Congress Leadership Excellence award for her innovative thought leading contributions in the HR community.  

Our HCC Committee has been busy planning a full day of high quality programming and networking opportunities for our members!  Cy’s morning keynote will be Employee Engagement is Broken: Unlocking the True Driver of Employee Performance where attendees will learn to see the science of employee engagement in a completely new way.  Her lunch session will be Reality-Based Accountability – Hardwiring Accountability into Your Workforce and Coaching for Great Performance where attendees will gain a true understanding of the four elements of the competency of accountability and understand the importance of coaching and mentoring in the development process.  Breakout sessions for the day include:

Early bird registration ends May 2, so register today!

You also will have time to apply for our $1000 professional scholarship!  Applications are due April 14th!  The process is very simple – so apply today!

As always, if you have comments or any feedback to share regarding the membership, please reach out.

 
Best Wishes,

Melissa Chadwick
President
GMA SHRM

Click here to view the full GMA SHRM Board of Directors
 

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Government Affairs & Legal Updates

2017 SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference

Submitted by:  Jeff Palkowski, Director of Government Affairs GMA SHRM and SHRM Advocacy Captain (Wisconsin 1st CD)

In March, over 700 SHRM members from across the nation gathered in Washington, DC to participate in a three-day conference to discuss timely issues that impact the human resources profession and to also advocate on several topics with their members in Congress at the 2017 SHRM Employment Law & Legislative Conference.
 
Conference attendees heard from a number of speakers including: SHRM CEO Hank Jackson, SHRM VP of Government Affairs Michael Aitken, CNN Commentators Sally Kohn and Ana Navarro, Fox News Sunday Host Chris Wallace, EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, and Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss.  In addition, there were a number of concurrent sessions covering topics such as:  drug testing, criminal background checks, workplace investigations, immigration, Affordable Care Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and labor relations.
 
The final day culminated in an optional visit to Capitol Hill to meet with Senators and Congressmen/Congresswomen to advocate for several initiatives that SHRM is supporting:  healthcare reform and workplace flexibilities.  SHRM advocates for these and other issues which you can read about in SHRM’s 2017 Guide to Public Policy Issues
 
About 220 attendees participated in the Advocacy Day, including 5 members from Wisconsin.  The Wisconsin delegation included HR professionals from the Fox Valley, Southeast Wisconsin, and the Madison area who visited with Senator Tammy Baldwin, Senator Ron Johnson, Congressman Mike Gallagher, Congressman Glenn Grothman, and Congressman Paul Ryan and/or their staff members.
 
If you would like to learn more about SHRM’s Advocacy “A-Team” and how you can get involved, please visit: http://www.advocacy.shrm.org
 
Next year’s SHRM Employment Law and Legislative Conference is scheduled for March 12-14, 2018 in Washington, DC.  Details will be available on the SHRM web page at:  www.shrm.org


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OSHA's New Standard on Electronic Recording and Post-Accident Drug Testing

Submitted by: Betsy Larsen, Manager of Human Resources & Safety, Fish & Associates
 
For Human Resources / Safety people who have recordkeeping responsibilities related to keeping OSHA’s 300 and 300A forms, OSHA has new requirements for recording and submitting records of workplace injuries and illnesses online on OSHA’s website.  Although this rule became effective January 1, 2017, the OSHA website for doing so is not yet up and running.  (OSHA’s most recent estimate for this website to be up and running is May 2017.)  You have until July 1, 2017, to report data from 2016. 

  • Establishments with 250 or more employees that are classified in certain industries must electronically submit information from OSHA Forms 300 and 300A and 301.  (Certain data fields can be omitted to protect employee confidentiality.)
  • Establishments with 20 – 249 employees that are classified in certain industries must electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A.
  • Employers with more than 10 but fewer than 20 employees are not required to report the data electronically, but (depending on their industry) are still required to keep OSHA 300 and 300A records and post Form 300A in a public location at their place of business. 

The rule also emphasizes that employers must inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation.  This obligation may be met by posting the “OSHA Job Safety and Health – It’s the Law” poster  - found at www.osha.gov/Publications/poster.html

An employer’s procedure for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses must be reasonable and must not deter or discourage employees from reporting, and employers may not retaliate against employees for reporting work-related injuries and illnesses.
 
More about the online reporting rule: https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/finalrule/
 
The actual rule:  https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/12/2016-10443/improve-tracking-of-workplace-injuries-and-illnesses


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USCIS suspends H-1B premium processing

Submitted by: Ross Hellenbrand, Human Resources, Sub Zero and Wolf
 
Premium processing for H-1B visas allows individuals to pay an additional fee to the government when filing for their visa.  In return, the government will provide a decision on their case within 15 calendar days. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has decided to abruptly suspend all H-1B premium processing.  This change was announcement on March 3, 2017 and will go into effect for all cases received on or after April 3, 2017.   For more information and potential impact of the decision, please click here.
 
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Professional Development

The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

GMA SHRM is excited to announce its 12th Annual Human Capital Conference will be held Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI!    
 
GMA SHRM is proud to present Cy Wakeman as our keynote presenter in 2017!   Cy Wakeman is a dynamic national keynote speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. Her Reality-Based Philosophy helps leaders and their teams ditch the drama, turn excuses into results, and find opportunities in every challenge they face.

Named one of the “Top 100 Leadership Experts to Follow” on Twitter, Cy’s influence continues to build. Her groundbreaking ideas have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New York Post, The Washington Post and SHRM.org. She is a favorite expert blogger on FastCompany.com and Forbes.com. She was also the recipient of the prestigious World HR Congress Leadership Excellence award for her innovative thought leading contributions in the HR community.  

Cy will deliver 3 captivating programs; Employee Engagement is Broken: Unlocking the True Driver of Employee Performance,  Reality-Based Accountability: Hardwiring Accountability into Your Workforce and Business Readiness: Ensuring Our Teams Are Ready for What’s Next.
 
Along with outstanding keynotes and the great networking our conference is known for, we will feature 9 breakout sessions from industry experts including topics of Creating an Engaging Workplace that Attracts Talent like a Magnet, Driving the Business Value of HR, Using a Private Investigator, Grief in the Workplace, HR Legal Updates, and a presentation from SHRM’s Shelly Trent, SHRM-SCP, CAE on  Disaster Planning and Recovery… and more!

Don't miss your chance to win the new Apple iPad Air 2 sponsored by Remedy Intelligent Staffing!  The prize will be given away to one attendee at the post event reception.

New this year! - Get your professional headshot photo at the conference.  For only $40 you will receive a professional business headshot with touch ups by Lisa Wilcox Photography.  Even better?  Your sitting fee will benefit the SHRM Foundation.  

Click here for more details.

 



GMA SHRM Professional Award

The Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (GMA SHRM) has established a professional awards program encouraging continuing education in the human resources field.

Deadline is April 14, 2017.

Award
The annual $1,000 award will be given to a GMA SHRM member to support his or her professional development.
Examples of covered eligible programs include:

• Attendance at a National/State SHRM conference
• Post-secondary degree in business or human resources related discipline
• Support of certification or re-certification (PHR, SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, CCP, CEBS, etc.)
• Certificate programs in business or human resources related discipline


Eligibility
Eligible applicants for the GMA SHRM Professional Awards Program must meet the following criteria:

• GMA SHRM Member
• Currently working in an HR related field
• Current GMA SHRM Board Members are not eligible
Professionals who receive 80-100% tuition reimbursement from their employer are not eligible to use this award for tuition reimbursement.


To Apply
To be considered for the professional award, applicants must email one (1) pdf file containing the following information to chapteradmin@gmashrm.org.  Do not use the body of the email for any required portions below.

• Brief one page purpose statement explaining how continuing education or professional certification will enhance your HR career
• Current resume
• List all volunteer activities, including SHRM and relevant organizations including all community activities in which you have participated without pay.  Note all special awards, honors, and offices held. If you have participated in a research project, please include that experience as well. 

Award Provisions
Award recipients will be selected by the Professional Awards Committee based on demonstration of leadership qualities and interest in the human resources field, GMA SHRM participation, and a dedication to the advancement of the HR field.
The award program opens February 1, 2017 and all applications must be emailed in one (1) pdf file by April 14th, 2017 to be considered.  Application materials should be sent to chapteradmin@gmashrm.org.
The award will be paid on a reimbursement basis, pending a one-time submission of receipts for course work or program activity. Recipients must use monetary contributions within one year of receipt.

Additional Information
Questions regarding the professional award program should be directed to Jeff Westra.
The Greater Madison Area SHRM and its Professional Awards Committee reserve the right to alter or change this program. Any tax liability is the responsibility of the recipient.


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SHRM Foundation Certification Scholarships

Getting your HRCI or SHRM certification? 
 
Both organizations now have MOBILE APPS that you can download to help in your certification prep! 
 
Check out the App Store in your smart phone (iPhone or Android) for these helpful tools!  
 

Sheree Yates, WISHRM Certification Director

In 2017, the SHRM Foundation will award almost $500,000 in support of students seeking undergraduate, graduate, certification and professional development opportunities. It would be great to see Wisconsin SHRM members be recognized as scholarship recipients!
 
Scholarship funds may be used for any combination of test preparation expenses, such as SHRM Certification Preparation tools and/or exam fees.
 
In addition to the SHRM Foundation Certification Scholarships, your WISHRM state council sponsors a Certification Scholarship in the amount of $750 for a SHRM national member who lives or works in Wisconsin and is preparing to sit for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification exam.
 
When applying for a SHRM certification scholarship, eligible applicants will be considered for both the Foundation and WI State Council sponsored scholarship. To apply go to the SHRM Foundation Scholarship page.

The deadline for the Spring offering is coming up soon so make sure to get your application in.

The WISHRM Certification Scholarship will be awarded in fall 2017. 

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GMA SHRM Idea Exchange



Sometimes you just have that question…..you would really just like to ask an HR colleague quickly.  Perhaps it is limited to your field of work, or a specific situation.  Let GMA SHRM help! 
 
In response to a specific need, we are excited to launch the “Idea Exchange” as part of your membership in GMA SHRM!  The goal of the Idea Exchange is to provide a secure area for all GMA SHRM members to be able to start a dialogue and find someone to network with on a particular issue, and to share files in a more secure format - or at least share contact details so files could be shared.
 
This great new tool is available to all members of GMA SHRM.  You simply sign in on the GMA SHRM Home Page (click on Member Log In at the top) to access questions or to provide your response!”



Once you are logged in, click on ‘File Library’ at the top right, and Idea Exchange will appear on the drop down menu. 



Interested in joining the Social Media & Technology Committee? 
 
Simply want to learn more about what we do? 
 
Join our next committee meeting via telephone conference!   Contact Brittany Hanson (brittanyh@seniorhelpers.com) for details – all interested GMA SHRM members are welcome!
 


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Compensation & Benefits

GMA SHRM Compensation Survey Important To-do’s
  • Survey invitations are scheduled to go out in late April with participation opening on May 1. Watch for your invite to be delivered to your email inbox.
     
  • Schedule some time to enter salary data for your company before June 16th.
     
  • Close the door, grab a cup of coffee (or a beverage of choice), and complete the survey.
     
  • Kick back and relax as you wait for Gallagher to compile the survey data. The results are expected to be available for purchase at the beginning of September. 
     
  • Purchase your survey report for just $300. That’s half off the non-participant price!
The survey is not limited to GMA SHRM members. If you know of other organizations that would be interested in participating in the GMA SHRM Compensation Survey, please forward the information. All survey participants will receive the discounted price when purchasing the compensation survey.
 

Maintain Your Competitive Edge with GMA SHRM Compensation Survey 

A tight job market in Dane County along with the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 2.9%, has made finding talent more challenging than usual for Madison area employers. Offering a competitive wage is one of the best ways to maintain an edge in recruiting and retention, but to do that we need to know what other companies are offering their employees. That’s where the GMA SHRM Compensation Survey comes in.

Specialized to local data, the GMA SHRM Compensation Survey is an invaluable resource when compared to other surveys on the market. But it’s only as good as the information it contains. That’s where you come in! The more organizations that participate, the stronger the survey data, and the better prepared you are to reach recruiting and retention goals for your company. Survey participants will receive a 50% discount on the cost of survey results and you don’t have to be a GMA SHRM member to participate or get the discount.  
 
We are proud to have entered into an agreement with Gallagher Surveys, one of the most respected providers of regional, national, and local compensation and benefits surveys to trade and professional associations.  Gallagher has been producing compensation surveys for over forty years, publishes over 60 annual surveys, and is growing. Gallagher’s surveys are administered through a flexible and secure internet survey portal, designed to provide data that is timely and reliable, while being convenient and user friendly for participants. Results are presented by industry, total revenue, total number of employees, and type of ownership.
 
In 2015 the GMA SHRM Compensation Survey included data from 64 organizations.  With your help, the 2017 GMA SHRM Compensation Survey can be the biggest and best ever and you can get back to recruiting and retaining your best people.  




 

The Real Reason Employees Aren't Saving for Retirement

Written by: Jeremiah DeGollon, AVP-Business Development, Summit Credit Union-Madison, WI

Most of the working population is working for a reason. I work because I want to provide for my family, and enable our household the opportunities that will bring them happiness and satisfaction in their life. At the end of the day, that’s what matters to me; but to everyone else, their purpose is different. Ask yourself, “Why do I work?”

It’s easy to visualize what this purpose of our employment means; the roof over our head, the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the college tuition or student loan payment, or the vacation we’re planning. Most of the things we visualize in our lives have a financial component, and we work to afford us the opportunity to fulfill the vision. For many though, there is dark cloud that looms with every payday.

Three out of every four employees report living paycheck to paycheck. And it’s not just minimum wage earners either, 25% of those making $100,000 a year also find themselves living paycheck to paycheck. And those percentages only increase the younger the workforce, with 44% of millennials making $100K – $150K reporting their paycheck to paycheck problems.

The stress and problems that result from living paycheck to paycheck is a real issue that affects employees and employers.  

According to the American Psychology Association (APA), seven out of ten American workers say financial stress is their most common cause of stress, and almost half (48%) say they find dealing with their financial situation stressful. Absenteeism, presenteeism, workplace performance and social issues, garnishments and theft are just some of the problems employers deal with due to employee financial issues. But in most workplaces, employees are provided little or no resources to help them achieve greater control of their financial situation.

Money was historically a topic people wanted to avoid, or were taught that it wasn’t polite to talk about. Thoughts about money can conjure up feelings of embarrassment, shame, hopelessness, ineptitude, or the feeling of being out of control. What we are seeing more and more in the financial world, is a shift in this mentality, and people are starting to change their conversation with money. People now want more information, they want to talk about it; they want to gain control, feel empowered and make informed decisions.

For some employers though, there is still the preconceived notion that employee financial benefits stop with a paycheck and a retirement account. With 75% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck and 56%  with less than $10,000 in retirement savings, for most, the thought of retirement isn’t even an option. In fact, 37% of Americans say that they don’t see retirement as an option for them. The reason: their top day-to-day concern is paying the bills. So how valuable is that expensive employee retirement benefit, if employees can’t find the financial means to participate?

Experts tell us that about 65% of the financial products a person has in their lifetime, are based off of their employer. Which makes sense considering employers are providing, or give access to, 401K, college savings, IRA’s, HSA’s and in some cases credit unions for employees to distribute their earnings to. The problem with having the best benefit programs in the world though? If your employees can’t find the means to invest in or pay for them, it’s just wasted company resources and money.
Have you ever heard the saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results”? This is seemingly the case for many employer-sponsored financial education efforts. CNBC reports that 55% of employers provide some sort of financial related education for employees, typically the standard-annual retirement discussion.


Only 25% of employers provide education on debt management or budgeting (26%). In order to help employees visualize a happy, retired future, they need to be able to find financial balance, today.

At the end of the day, the benefits provided for employees needs make sense for the company and the employees they want to attract and retain. But, with the escalating financial impacts for employers as a result of employee financial stress and distress, it makes sense to both sides to start providing a financial wellness initiative now. Especially given the availability of no-cost financial wellness programs and easy to access resources.

There’s a simple truth to employee financial wellness: Happy employees are more productive. And that’s something we can all feel good about.

Jeremiah DeGollon, AVP of Business Development at Summit Credit Union in Madison, WI, where he oversees Summit’s CUatWork financial wellness and education program and partnerships. He is a published author and expert in financial literacy and education programming, speaker, mentor, and corporate consultant.


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Workforce Readiness & Diversity

Spring Dane County Job Fair Recap

On March 22, nine GMA SHRM members volunteered for the Job Seeker Prep area at the Dane County Job Fair. 1460 job seekers and 146 companies attended the job fair. As soon as the job seeker prep area was open, it was all hands on deck. We quickly assessed the readiness of the seekers and began to help them put the finishing touches on resumes and cover letters. We also did a few practice interviews. Thank goodness that the Department of Workforce Development  (DWD) was out in force as well – we needed everyone we could get!  According to Jon Stinemetz, then Lead Employment and Training Specialist with  DWD, we helped 126 job seekers during the six hours our nine volunteers were there. 
 
From the volunteers:
“This has been great! I’ve helped more people in the two hours I was here than I ever was able to at the Job Boot Camp. We should definitely keep doing this, but we need more volunteers.”
 
“I had a great time volunteering for the Job Fair as a GMA SHRM representative.  Everyone that stopped and asked for help was very appreciative.  It was a wonderful feeling to know that we were able to provide direction, ideas, and a bit of encouragement to those attending the Job Fair.”

Feel like you missed out? Don’t worry. We are supporting the Fall Dane County Job Fair on August 16. We’ve learned more about how many and where we need the most volunteers. Planning begins at our April 13th committee meeting.  Dial-in #: (641) 715-0632, Access code: 933677, Host PIN: 9981

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GMA SHRM Social Media

Social Media & Technology Committee

Interested in joining the Social Media & Technology Committee?  Simply want to learn more about what we do?  Join our next committee meeting via telephone conference.  January Meeting TBD - Contact Tia Gibson at tia.gibson@covance.com for teleconference dial in info!  

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Forward HR

Want to know what’s going on in HR for the other areas of Wisconsin?  WI SHRM has a new blog, Forward HR. Click here to take a look.

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GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events

 

Community Partnerships Update 

As mentioned in last month’s newsletter, our Philanthropic Partner, Community Partnerships is having their annual CIRCLE OF HOPE event on May 19.  This organization has done so many wonderful things for our community and we have one last chance as GMA SHRM to help them out.  You may be asking yourself, what can you do? Here are a few options:

Thank you for considering to help Community Partnerships! 


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View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

Interested in joining the Programming Committee?  Or simply learning more about what they do?
 
Attend their upcoming meeting!  See below for details, or contact Tina Hallis (tina@thepositiveedge.net) for more info!
 
Thursday, April 13, 3-5 pm. at Boardman and Clark, 1 S PINCKNEY ST STE 410, MADISON, WI 53701
 

Get out your calendars and save these dates now for the 2017 GMA SHRM Programming and Networking Calendar!

Click here to view the calendar!


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The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

GMA SHRM will be holding our 12th annual Human Capital Conference on Tuesday, May 16th.  We are excited to present Cy Wakeman as our keynote presenter in 2017! Cy is a dynamic national speaker and New York Times bestselling author who has spent over 20 years cultivating a revolutionary approach to leadership and work. She will be presenting three distinct topics at the conference to include Employee Engagement is Broken, Reality-Based Accountability and Business Readiness.
 
In addition to our fabulous keynote presentations, we have a large variety of other topics that promise to provide value for every attendee. The topics include:

  • How to Create an Engaging Workplace that Attracts Talent like a Magnet
  • Driving Business Value for HR
  • Employment Law Update
  • Working with a Private Investigator: Why, When and How
  • Unleash Your Super Powers & Create Unstoppable Teams
  • Supportive Leadership: How to Compassionately Support Coworkers or Clients Through Loss

The conference also provides a great networking opportunity both during and after the event and the chance for some great door prizes such as an Apple iPad Air 2! The early bird registration is only $125 for members if you sign up before May 2nd. To check out all the details of the event and for online registration, go to http://www.gmashrm.org/2017-HumanCapitalConference


New this year! - Get your professional headshot photo at the conference.  For only $40 you will receive a professional business headshot with touch ups by Lisa Wilcox Photography.  Even better?  Your sitting fee will benefit the SHRM Foundation.  

Click here for more details.



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MEMBER UPDATE – East Side HR Advice Network Location Change –

The East Side HR Advice Network will now be held at Senior Helpers (4726 East Town Blvd, Madison, WI 53704 – the same building as BMO Harris Bank)

Click below for details! 

http://www.gmashrm.org/AboutOurPrograms#HRAdviceNetwork


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GMA SHRM Member News
 

GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name:  Lori Kannenberg Dorn, CLM

How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM?
Since 2007

 What committee are you volunteering with? Have you volunteered on other committees? If yes, which one?
 The Programming Committee.  I accepted the Talent Management Chair position in 2012.

What do you enjoy about volunteering?
Continuing education has always been a high priority for me.  I enjoy providing educational opportunities for people to expand their skills while also working on my self-improvement.  Serving on the Programming Committee has given me the opportunity to do both.

What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM? 
Give a little, gain a lot!  Volunteering with GMA SHRM provides you with an opportunity to build your skills, enhance your resume, develop a network of professional contacts and have fun!

What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM?
GMA SHRM has provided me with a strong network of peers who are always willing to help when questions arise.
 

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Hayley Hellenbrand, Head of Human Resources & Administration
 
Where do you currently work?  
CapSpecialty – a specialty insurance provider for small and mid-sized businesses across the U.S.
 
What is the focus of your position? 
 
It really is helping the employee (including managers and executives) navigate life at work.  I lead two amazing teams – an HR team in employee- and employment-related solutions, and an Administration Services team in providing reception, operational and facility-related solutions. We support 11 offices and remote employees across the U.S.
 
How long have you been in the Human Resource field?
 
Approximately 20 years.  I was fortunate to have been exposed to HR early on through my High School’s business co-op program.  I was placed in various HR functional departments during senior year and subsequent summers, which led me to seek out a college track in Human Resources at UW La Crosse.  Go Eagles! 
 
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? 
 
There are a lot of little successes in HR every day!  I would have to say my proudest accomplishment is my current role.  I assumed this leadership role sooner than I expected – honestly, sooner than I thought I was ready.  It has been a very tough transition.  I drew on my past experiences, my PHR and SHRM-CP learning, my HR group memberships (national and local), and a great network of friends and HR professionals.  But I’m lucky to also have a reserve of some of the best advice and mentorship a person could have received over the years – not to mention an awesome team!  With all of this, never without, these past two plus years have been a very rewarding challenge.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and others.  For me, it’s about learning from your mistakes, continuing to move forward, staying true to yourself, and doing it all with honesty and integrity.
 
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? 
 
I’ve been the fortunate receiver of a lot of good advice, so I can’t just pick one. 

  • Always do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
  • Stop believing everything you think!  Stop Judging!  Start Helping!  (Thank you, Cy Wakeman!)
  • Focus on a solution to the problem, not just the problem.
  • And the one that keeps me sane – The “Serenity Prayer” by Reinhold Niebuhr.

 
Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM?
 
Being a member of the student chapter at UWL, I knew once I started my HR career, I wanted to continue in a local chapter.  I joined around 1999, initially to continue to learn more about HR and to learn how other HR professionals apply all this vast HR knowledge.  Happy to say I’m still learning, but I also value my membership for the connections and networks that I’ve been able to make.



If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Brittany Hanson at brittanyh@seniorhelpers.com  

 

Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in February 2017!

Kim Gjertson Penn State University
Darlene Hanson Roundys/Kroger
Holly Heuer McFarland State Bank
Amy Hutchinson  
Andrew Klein MassMutual Financial Group
Amy Ragatz AE Business Solutions
Sara Shoys SVA
Andrea Wyant The QTI Group



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Movin' Up


Have you started with a new company? Has your organization recently promoted you to a new position? Or do you want to recognize a new person or promotion within your department? If so, we want to hear about it. Send us an e-mail, and we’ll publish your good news in the next HR InTouch!

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In Transition


If you are a member who is in between jobs, or who is currently employed but seeking new positions or career paths, write us a brief description of your skill set, areas of expertise, what you’re looking for, etc. Send us an e-mail. We’ll publish your information in the next HR InTouch.

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HR InTouch Guidelines

Article Writing:

Do you have an interest in writing for the HR InTouch? We have an interest in learning more about your area of expertise!

Why should you volunteer? Top three reasons: 1) to share your knowledge and experiences to educate others; 2) to become more connected in the HR and Dane County communities; and 3) to contribute towards the advancement of GMA SHRM and the HR profession.

The first step is for you to choose a submission option: you can pre-submit an article to GMA SHRM at any time for us to use in any of the upcoming newsletters, you can sign up to write for a particular month, or we can put you on a list of people to contact in future months whenever we need articles.

Article length:

Because the HR InTouch is now in an online format, the size is flexible. The article should be engaging and hold readers’ attention. Include the core information in your article, and we will advise if it is too lengthy.

Solicitation:

GMA SHRM is conscious not to allow solicitation through the articles, in an effort to protect the interests of our partners and members. The nature of the article should be educational (i.e., what are the business advantages of having a product like yours) or informational. Otherwise, if you truly are interested in advertising through the HR InTouch, you can work with our Marketing Committee. As a rule of thumb for article writing, if the submission relates to a for-profit event, or specifically markets your company (vs. your industry), it is an advertisement, and should be purchased. If it is a not-for-profit event that your company is hosting, or an announcement (i.e., a SHRM member recently joined your company), it is an acceptable addition to the HR InTouch content. If you have any questions related to the appropriateness of your submission, please contact us.

If you have questions, or to submit an article, contact GMA SHRM at chapteradmin@gmashrm.org .

 

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