Workforce Development
SHRM supports policies that create opportunities for individuals to attain the skills needed to find a good job and improve their quality of life through career advancement. These efforts must also ensure workforce development opportunities are available to nontraditional talent pools and individuals facing barriers to employment.
As AI transforms the workplace, SHRM supports responsible policies that address job displacement by preparing workers for new opportunities while equipping employers with the skilled workforce they need to drive innovation and growth.
SHRM recognizes that to see a true return on investment, AI must be paired with Human Ingenuity as AI transforms jobs and creates roles emphasizing human skills such as creativity and critical thinking.
Empowering the Workforce: SHRM's Data-Driven Insights for Skills, Growth, and Opportunity
Stay ahead with SHRM’s curated insights and research on AI trends shaping the workplace.
Explore key talent trends for 2024 and beyond, including hiring challenges, skills shortages, and workforce development strategies.
SHRM Foundation provides tools and training to help HR leaders hire, retain, and advance individuals facing barriers to employment.
SHRM research examines employer investment, challenges, and innovations in workforce training and development.
SHRM Testifies Before Congress: The Education-To-Employment Talent Pipeline is Broken, Leaky, and Busted
That said, our system is still the best in the world. Imagine what we could be if we unleashed the power of talent?
SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor Jr. testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee on The State of American Education, emphasizing that SHRM members are the front line of America’s workforce. He warned that the education-to-employment pipeline is leaky, broken, and busted—a critical issue affecting workplaces, workers, and the skills gap. While the U.S. system remains the best in the world, its full potential can only be realized by unlocking the power of talent.
Read his full testimony here.
We have seen drastic changes in the employment market, but the reality is it does nothing to erase the underlying skills gap. In fact, it may exacerbate the skills gap in the long term. We need to continue to forge a better alliance between education and employment, invest in workforce training and open our recruiting efforts to nontraditional pools of talent.
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SHRM’s Vision for Closing the Workforce Participation Gap and Shaping the Future of Work
U.S. businesses do not have access to the talent that they need to fulfill current workforce needs, much less future needs. Declining birth rates and an aging population will challenge businesses in attracting and retaining skilled workers, while the workforce participation gap will widen without addressing its root causes.
SHRM urges policymakers to adopt workforce development policies that:
- Invest in workplaces, with employers and governments responsible for equipping individuals with skills to close the workforce participation gap
- Improve opportunities for untapped talent to adapt to new technologies through both traditional and alternative education paths
- Strengthen the education-to-employment pipeline to ensure workers can acquire the skills they will need to meet future workforce demands
- Collaborate with policymakers to address the effects of AI displacement and establish a clear federal framework for preventing unlawful bias and promoting responsible use in the workplace
SHRM has been leading the way in helping policymakers and the business community understand and adapt to the future of work. SHRM emphasizes the critical need for employers to be knowledgeable about its impact on workplaces, as decisions made today will have profound implications for all industries and business sizes.
AI+HI = ROI: Human Intelligence is the Key to Successful AI Integration
SHRM recognizes that to see a true return on investment (ROI), AI must be paired with Human Intelligence (HI) as AI transforms jobs and creates roles emphasizing human skills such as creativity and critical thinking. As AI transforms the workplace, SHRM supports responsible policies that address job displacement by preparing workers for new opportunities while equipping employers with the skilled workforce they need to drive innovation and growth. Policymakers must support initiatives that encourage AI adoption to enhance recruitment, learning and development, and performance management, ensuring organizations can meet the complex demands of the modern workplace.
Our Workforce Agenda
SHRM-Supported Legislation:
In the 119th Congress, SHRM advocates for congressional action to strengthen workforce development, invest in talent, and foster resilient economic growth by supporting:
Career and Training Services: Strengthening federal support for workforce development efforts nationwide. SHRM supports providing federal support for workforce training programs at community and technical colleges and expanding Pell funding eligibility to short-term, high-quality workforce development programs and providers.
Apprenticeships: Modernizing the national apprenticeship system to incentivize the expansion of programs across occupations. Apprenticeships serve as an alternative pathway for talent development, connecting students and mid-career professionals with essential skills. SHRM supports modernization that avoids overly burdensome procedures and excessive regulations that inhibit small-business participation and innovation.
Employer-Provided Education Assistance Clarifying the tax treatment of these benefits to facilitate their expansion and effectiveness. SHRM supports policies for modern education assistance programs and advocates for permanently expanding the tax exclusion to include student loan repayment and increasing the tax-free amount.
SHRM's Workforce Development Priorities
Contact SHRM Government Affairs at governmentaffairs@shrm.org to learn more.