2024 Message from Your State Director
Writing this has been a bit challenging because I am not a person who looks back. Ask any team member of mine and they can confirm that my view is if it’s in the past, it’s done. Learn from it, adjust if needed and move on. However, there is much we need to spotlight and share from 2023 before we move forward…
One tremendous success we need to celebrate is our Workplace Policy Conference that was held at the Premier Park Hotel in Madison, WI in February 2023. We changed the format and had three exceptional speakers, engaging us with workplace policy, safety of employees/customers, advocacy topics and employment law updates. Not even a snowstorm could “white out” the lessons learned from all three speakers – excellent day of learning.
Later in 2023, Workforce Readiness spearheaded great programs like the HR Apprenticeship partnership with the state of WI and the Library Workforce Connection (formerly LAWDS) program. Both have been great successes and we look forward to continued partnerships.
We welcomed virtual and in-person attendees in October to the 2023 WI State Conference “HR Changing the World of Work” where we learned resiliency, the three “Ts” of confidence, going from surviving to thriving and much, much more. Co-chairs Amy Doepke and Amy Utzig, along with the Conference committee worked long and hard to make this conference a huge success!
In December, members of the State Council and Chapter Presidents met to continue the strategic planning process, which we started a few years ago. We heard updates and strategies around the four pillars and areas we focused on in 2023 - Chapter Support; Membership; Diversity, Inclusion & Workflex and College Relations. Focus areas for 2024 will be to continue with Chapter Support, Membership and Diversity, Inclusion & Workflex. We will be sharing more details throughout 2024 and encourage your feedback as we progress. If you are interested in working more closely in one or more of these areas, please contact me at statedirector@wishrm.org.
Our first event in 2024 will be somewhat of an encore presentation. This year’s Workplace Policy Conference will again be at the Premier Park Hotel in Madison on February 29, 2024. Evan Rosen will be doing Part II of his Life Cycle Training (of an employee from hire to fire), Boardman Clark LLC will update us on legal and employment law and Jim Morgan from MRA will help us reimagine workplace dynamics. This will be an awesome event…don’t miss it!
If you would like to get more involved with the State Council or within your chapter, please let me know. I can be reached by email at statedirector@wishrm.org or by phone at 920-226-0803. WI SHRM has volunteer opportunities available and I invite you to check out the website at www.wishrm.org for more information.
Connie J Bitter, SHRM-CP, PHR
WI SHRM State Director 2023|2024