March 2017

Welcome to March!

Our first networking event of 2017 was held February 23 at Wisconsin Brewing and we had a great turnout! We were treated to a brewery tour and were able to enjoy tasty beer (or water / soda)! If you have shied away from attending a networking event because they’re “intimidating”, I strongly encourage you to attend the next GMA event in the fall. The networking events were restructured to have an activity involved, which makes the networking piece come naturally during the event.

We have 2 great events coming up in March – our second PDS of the year on March 21 and GMA Revealed on March 30! The March PDS topics are: Tech Hack for Your HR Toolbelt: Solutions to Save Time and Increase Productivity and The Myths of Engaging and Retaining Millennials. Both will be great topics! GMA Revealed will be held at the Coliseum Bar and is a way to learn more about the chapter, benefits of being a member, how to get involved (no pressure!) and to talk with other GMA Members. Whether you’re a new member or have been a member for years, you’re guaranteed to walk away learning something new!

Also, don’t forget about our newly released Professional Grants available to non-members, who are interested in becoming members! Be sure to share this program with your HR Networks and encourage them to take advantage! They can register using the “Guest Application” link on the PDS Registration page.

Applications are also being accepted for our GMA SHRM Professional Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship can be used for obtaining your certification, attending the National or WISHRM conference, continuing education or any other HR related event. We can all use free money! The application process is very short and simply - I strongly encourage you to apply for this scholarship. Deadline for applications is April 14, 2017.

Finally, our Human Capital Conference will be on May 16 and focuses Cy Wakeman as our keynote speaker! Registration is now open – reserve your spot today!

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

Teen Employment Act Proposed for Wisconsin

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

A bill has been introduced in the Wisconsin Assembly which would lower the age requirement for work permits to those under 16 years of age. The assembly bill (AB 25) was introduced by Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) with bi-partisan support.

Current state law requires minors (anyone under the age of 18) to obtain a work permit prior to employment. To obtain a work permit a signed letter must be provided from both the employer and the parent or guardian of the minor employee, proof of age (i.e. birth certificate), social security card, and a $10 permit fee. The permit is specific to each employer, which now requires the minor to obtain a new permit for each job that they would be employed in until they reach the age of 18. Under the new proposed law, anyone over the age of 16 would not be required to obtain a work permit.

Wisconsin is one of 15 states that requires a work permit for minors. There are 18 states that have age requirements similar to what is being proposed. These include the neighboring states of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. It should be noted that the bill would not modify any current state or federal laws related to hours and times of day that a minor may work or any restricted and/or prohibited employment for minors.

If you are interested in tracking this bill as it makes its’ way through the Wisconsin State Legislature, you can receive updates here: http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/proposals/reg/asm/bill/ab25

To receive notifications for any legislative activity that you may be interested in, you can set up personalized email notifications here: https://notify.legis.wisconsin.gov/login?ReturnUrl=%2f

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Legislative Brief: Employer’s Guide to ACA Reporting

Submitted with permission from Pat Kelly, Hausmann-Johnson Insurance

This month, the Benefits Team at Hausmann-Johnson Insurance is pleased to share a useful guide for Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting. Click the button above to download the Employer's Guide to ACA reporting. This guide was created by attorneys from the Benefit Advisors Network, of which Hausmann-Johnson Insurance is a member.

The 2016 ACA applicable large employer reporting needs to be completed by February 28^th if you file by mail, and March 31^st if you file electronically. You need to provide employees with their 1095-C by March 2^nd.

Since these dates are approaching soon, we hope you find the Employer’s Guide to ACA Reporting useful if you are still in the process of completing your 1094-C and 1095-C’s. Also remember that you can always contact your benefits team here at Hausmann-Johnson Insurance with any questions.

Click here to view the full ACA Guide and register for the ACA Update Webinar.

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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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Productivity Tips and Tools

Megan Watt - Dream Catalyst March Professional Development Summit Presenter

Excerpted from: Discover, Act, Engage by Megan Watt
This is the last Challenge in the Act. section of the Catalyst Guide, and I wanted to go out with a bang to help you become EVEN MORE productive, because increased productivity means you are one step closer to achieve your Someday Goal!!

Some resources I love, in no particular order:

• Toggl (app, web) – time tracking tool
• Boomerang (browser extension) – email tool
• LastPass (app, web) – never forget a password again
• Asana (app, web) – project management tool
• IF (app; aka “If this, then that”) – and fun & useful
• Inbox Pause (browser extension) – email tool
• Hootsuite (app, desktop, web) – social media manager
• Unroll.me (app, web) – email declutter tool
• Stay Focusd (browser extentsion) – time burglar protection

CATALYST MOVES:

• Sign up for Evernote (app, desktop, web) – remember everything
• Sign up for Dropbox (app, desktop, web) – access everything

These are hands-down, of all the tools I’ve ever tried or researched, the top tools of all time. I use them to organize all facets of my personal and work life.

Your Challenge: Try doing only ONE of these time saving hacks, or implement one tool.

Watt’s Lightbulb Moment: Remembering the KISS method (keep it simple silly). Productivity is an entire industry, and it’s easy to think we will be more productive once we get the right app for this or system for that. At the end of the day, doing what’s most simple for you and discovering a system that works is what’s going to change your life. One of my favorite tools is a paper-and-pen daily checklist system I created. Find it for download at discoveractengage.com.

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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

Swimming in a Cleaner Pool: Wellness and Captive Insurance

By Jason Nordby - Partner, Senior Account Executive and Director of Employee Benefits Captive Practice at M3 Insurance

As an employer, your group health insurance plan likely falls into one of these categories:

Fully insured – Employer pays a defined monthly premium to an insurance company who takes on the risk/pays for all claims for members in the group.
Self-funded – Employer pays outside third party (or parties) to administer their plan, adjudicate benefits and to provide stop loss protection against large individual or aggregate claims but pay for the claims and take on the risk of claims themselves. While there is a set fixed cost such employers pay, they can win or lose based on actual claim performance.
Captive – Employer bans together with other like groups in a self-funded environment. While there are still outside third parties administering their plan, adjudicating benefits and providing protection against risk of large claims, they are essentially forming their own stop loss insurance company with the like employers to create this protection. The captive is designed to provide the stability of a the fully insured world combined with the savings/reward and control of self-funding.

There are some big differences between them, of course. But do know one way they’re the same? They all work from the basic notion that pooling employers together helps manage risks—and costs.
To put it another way, when it comes to group health insurance, basically everyone is in a pooled group of some kind (with a few exceptions, like massive corporations).
But here’s where it gets interesting. Just who you’re pooled with has a huge influence on your insurance rates. And that’s where our three categories of group health insurance are definitely not the same.

Captive insurance: a pooled group held to higher standards. First, let’s be clear: a health insurance captive is way more than just a bunch of organizations coming together to, say, counter the high cost of stop-loss insurance. As one of my captive manager partners effectively puts it, being part of a carefully assembled captive cell allows you to “swim in a cleaner pool.” Why is it cleaner? Because you not only know who you’re pooled with; you know that everyone in that pool is required to implement a wellness program. That means the captive members need to hold their employees more accountable for taking ownership of their health.

Yes, that’s easier said than done. Most people can identify areas where they could be making healthier lifestyle choices. But many don’t know how to change, and even if they do know how, they lack the tools and strategies to do it. On top of that, those most at risk may shy away from embracing wellness because they’re embarrassed by their own issues, feel too far gone to be helped, or simply don’t want to change. But that’s exactly where wellness program expertise can make all the difference.

Why does a captive work so well?
A captive model is too often associated solely with reducing insurance costs through joint purchasing power. It’s more accurate to think of the model as a set of agreed-upon unified risk management strategies. Chief among these is pooling like-minded employers together who commit to implementing wellness management, using the expertise of proven wellness partners, and providing their employees access to exceptional ongoing wellness resources.

What happens when captive members do those things? Employees make healthier lifestyle choices, risk factors are identified and addressed earlier, measurable positive results are produced, and over time a crucial phenomenon emerges: the trend on long-term costs begins to bend downward to amounts much lower than market averages. And isn’t that what everyone wants?

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Local Resources When Hiring Talent Outside the Area

Submitted by Gail Johnson, Corporate Relocation Manager, Restaino & Associates, Relocation Division

As you hire talent from outside the area, are you aware of all the great resources that can enhance your recruiting efforts? Finding the best-qualified applicants may take you outside the Madison area, and when that happens, it’s helpful to equip your staff with knowledge of what the Madison and surrounding areas offer for schools, significant other career searches, rental options, home finding and more.

When bringing in candidates from outside the area, you’ll need to take into consideration that they and their families are tasked with finding a new place to call home, getting acquainted with their new environment, mastering a new job and building a new support network of friends- all at the same time. Tapping into resources that are available to you and your potential new hires will relieve stress and provide more time for everyone to focus on what brought them here- their new job!

There are many local resources available at no charge. The Greater Madison Area Convention Bureau offers a two-minute video on some of Madison’s fines features https://www.youtube.com/user/VisitMadison.

Wisconsin Public Television has an overview of the state http://video.wpt.org/video/2365403441/.

The City of Madison provides current information on schools, family living and more at http://www.cityofmadison.com/live-work.

For a variety of information on Madison and the surrounding communities, check out http://www.metroeguide.net/verify/VerifySite.aspx?ClientID=459.

Your local Chambers of Commerce are a great resource for their community. For example, interested candidates can find a variety of helpful information about moving to Madison at http://greatermadisonchamber.com/about-madison/moving-here/.

Another source for valuable information for employees new to the area includes relocation services provided by many local real estate companies. Examples of what relocation specialist can provide are a welcome community box filled with extensive information on the area, such as: entertainment, recreation, biking trails, parks, local magazines, zoo and more. These can be mailed to your new hires at any time at no cost. They also offer tours, school information and introductions, rental and home options, career search resources for significant others and more.

Providing valuable resources that can make your new hire’s transition to Madison smoother, not only eases their stress, it also demonstrates that your organization cares about their people, which can positively influence their choice of employer.

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Workforce Readiness & Diversity

Spring Dane County Job Fair

In less than 1 month, the Spring Dane County Job Fair is here! On March 22, 2017 job seekers will meet companies with open jobs at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI. Over 700 job seekers attend the Spring Job Fair each year! A recent addition to the job fair is a Job Seeker Prep area, outside the Fair floor. We are looking for people to volunteer for 2 hour blocks of time throughout the job fair to:

Assess a job seeker's readiness.
Assist the job seeker with becoming more ready for the Fair
- Job Fair plan of action
- Resume review and improvement
- Introduction prep
Provide support and encouragement to job seekers.

We will have support materials available for all volunteers.

Attending the Job Fair for your employer and still want to volunteer? The first volunteer time block (10:00-12:00) occurs before the Fair opens at Noon. Additional volunteer time slots are from 12:00-2:00 and 2:00-4:00. Sign up now before all the spots are gone by following this link and providing your name, email, and phone number - http://signup.com/go/4dr375.

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7 Strategies to Defeat Unconscious Bias

By Deborah Biddle –Consultant, Career Momentum, Inc.

You can find it in every work environment, but most of us don’t see it. It interferes with good management decision making, affecting everything from hiring, promotions, layoffs and teambuilding to advertising, marketing, product development and product placement. It impacts our thought processes and can cloud our judgement.

“According to Timothy Wilson, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and author of the book Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious, we are faced with approximately 11 million pieces of information at any given moment. However, our brains are only able process about 40 of those bits of information at one time. So, the brain generates shortcuts and uses past knowledge to make assumptions. Most often, we don’t even recognize its happening.”¹ This unconscious bias results in our making decisions based on what we expect, especially when it comes to “people” decisions like hiring the best person for the job.

“Most of us believe that we are ethical and unbiased. We imagine we’re good decision makers, able to objectively size up a job candidate or a venture deal and reach a fair and rational conclusion that’s in our, and our organization’s, best interests,” writes Harvard University researcher Mahzarin Banaji in Harvard Business Review. “But more than two decades of research confirms that, in reality, most of us fall woefully short of our inflated self-perception.”¹ The result is our multiple unconscious biases serve as boundaries restricting and confining decision-making capabilities.

Whether biases are based on age, race, marital status, class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, culture, or other factors, our biases impact our world view and how we understand, respond, and react to every experience. What can we do to defeat the unconscious bias that influences who we hire, fire, promote, and value as high potential in our organizations? Here are seven strategies every person can apply right now.

Check Your Initial Thoughts

Your first impressions may be clues to any biases you have. Ask yourself, “Would I feel the same way, if this person were part of a different group?” Pause long enough to give yourself time to process what you are doing and how biases might be affecting your decision.

Be Logical

Utilize the power of logic. Process how many people you actually know that conform to your actual bias. You will likely find that the number of people that conform to your bias that you personally know is quite few. Avoid allowing urgency or professional pressures to cause you to override logic and default to bias.

Focus On Skills And Eliminate Distractions

Ensure job candidates go through the same selection process when hiring for an open position. Define clear evaluation criteria and standards prior to reviewing resumes. Implement blind resume reviews, eliminating any identifying factors that could bias hiring managers. Avoid unstructured interviews by using assessments and predetermined interview questions.

Check the Data

Review company hiring trends over a specified period time. Does the data reveal a tendency toward hiring White males and away from hiring underrepresented people groups? Is there evidence of a preference for candidates under 30 years of age?
While management may stand in denial over any internal corporate bias, disproving the data in company records may reveal another story. Look at the data.

Tackle the “M” Word – Microaggression

You may have seen or experienced a time when someone was new and tried to join in a conversation with a group and they responded by acting as if the person wasn’t in the room, by physically turning away from them or by talking to everyone around the person never acknowledging their presence. Or perhaps, you were the one, consciously or unconsciously, who ignored the new person. With body language, words and distinctly pernicious behaviors, we send subtle and not so subtle signals that adversely impact our current and future interactions with individuals we encounter at work and throughout our circles of influence. These all too familiar behavioral and verbal indignities that convey insulting, unwelcoming and sometimes intimidating comments about race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status and gender are called microaggressions. As team members become aware of whom they typically interact with, how they interact with one another and how their behavior and language affects others in their workspace, the environment becomes more equitable for everyone and the effects of unconscious bias dissipate.

Be Intentional

Act as if the bias doesn’t exist. Intentionally adjust behavior to counter any biases you tend to exhibit. Set a month long specific, measurable goal to try new language and behaviors and note the differences in your encounters with team members. Don’t hold so rigidly to what you think you know that you disregard evidence of anything that might change your mind and thereby change your actions.

Promote Connectedness

Value difference and concentrate on commonalities. Lead to connect ideas and people — as one who builds bridges between cultures, between gender, between generations, trying to find common ground. Reach out to people who are different and talk about music, food, movies, books or sports. As you realize how little difference exists, bias begins to fade.
The bottom line is this: The desire to defeat unconscious bias is not enough. In order to see organizational improvement and increased productivity, strategies have to be implemented in the workplace leader to leader, team to team and business unit by business unit. Desire is a powerful force for change. However, a rational and open mind are the necessary tools. One without the other gets us nowhere. To defeat unconscious bias, we must have an awareness of unconscious biases, use our thoughts to weaken them and behave in ways that run counter to what our unconscious biases tell us to.

1 Porter, Jane. “You’re More Biased Than You Think.” Jane Porter 10.06.14 5:33 AM. FastCompany.com, 6 Oct. 2014. Web. 4 Oct. 2016.

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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

The New SHRM Foundation

You may not know that, in addition to local, state, & national chapters, SHRM also has its own foundation, made up of funds used towards scholarships for students and SHRM members, as well as research in the HR field, and more. See below for a brief description from the Mark Schmit, PhD, Executive Director of the SHRM Foundation!

I am very excited to introduce you to the new SHRM Foundation—we have a new mission, vision and purpose, complete with a new logo and website!

New SHRM Foundation mission:
The SHRM Foundation champions workforce and workplace transformation by providing...

research-based HR solutions for challenging inclusion issues facing employees and potential employees.
scholarships to educate and develop HR professionals and students to make change happen.
opportunities for HR professionals to make a difference in their local communities.

With this new strategy and vision we knew we needed to create a logo that would embody the three pillars of our mission.

We also knew it was time to update our website, to provide SHRM members with an easy-to-navigate online space for finding scholarship information and new HR solutions and intiatives. Today, I am pleased to introduce the new shrmfoundation.org.
We are grateful for the support we receive each year from SHRM members. It is our pleasure to serve and empower HR professionals and students. Please join us in 2017 as we take on the important work of creating inclusive workplaces.

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Community Partnerships Update

2016 was busy year for Community Partnerships and the GMA SHRM Philanthropic Committee as we embarked on a series of professional development workshops for our leadership team that focused on HR matters and were facilitated by GMA SHRM members and their colleagues. We also were the grateful recipients of financial gifts and household item donations from GMA SHRM members. Finally, with funding and support from GMA SHRM, we were able to host over 100 individuals (children and families) for a night out at Play n’ Wisconsin where families could enjoy a community meal, hours of play time on the equipment and sports courts, and an opportunity to connect with other parents and families.

2017 is already promising to be a year full of growth, development, and opportunity for Community Partnerships. We are in the process of merging with another local non-profit, Center for Families, whose mission aligns very well with ours. Together, our merged organization will provide services to over 6,800 individuals (including children and families) annually who are impacted by poverty, housing instability, mental health issues, parenting stress, and much more. Our combined impact on our community will provide stronger support and resource for families and children in need in Madison and Dane County. Effective 4/1, Community Partnerships and Center for Families will officially merge, but we’ve already begun collaboration and integration across organizations in a variety of ways.

In February 2017, GMA SHRM past President and member, Jeff Russell, presented to supervisors from Community Partnerships and Center for Families on “Learning and Communication Styles in the Workplace,” which was our final supervisor professional development workshop with GMA SHRM as part of our Philanthropic Partnership. Jeff’s workshop highlighted the differences between core personality characteristics and our behavioral profile, and how those factors impact how we communicate, interact with our environment and others, and perform in our jobs and in relationships. This was an insightful workshop for supervisors as we learned more about our own behaviors and preferences, as well as recognizing behavior profiles of those we supervise and/or work with and ways to interact with each other in more complementary ways.

While our GMA SHRM Philanthropic Partnership will be coming to an end in July 2017, there is still time to get involved in the meaningful work of Community Partnerships and Center for Families. Our signature event, Circle of Hope, happens on May 19th, 2017 and is a great opportunity to support the work of Community Partnerships & Center for Families, as well as raise awareness for mental health, wellness services, and child abuse prevention. Circle of Hope features auctions, casino gaming, entertainment, and hors d’ oeuvres. This year’s event will be even more incredible than ever because Community Partnerships and Center for Families will be announcing a new name and logo as a rebranded, merged organization, and the first time the public will see our new identity is at Circle of Hope! Find out more information about Circle of Hope by visiting our website or our Facebook event page. Tickets are available now and sponsorship opportunities are still available as well! See you there!

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View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

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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March 21, 2017 - Professional Development Summit

Session 1: Tech Hack for Your HR Toolbelt: Solutions to Save Time and Increase Productivity

Gold Partner Sponsor:

Participants will leave energized and inspired to help their teams take action, specifically they will have more…

Strategies to engage their younger employees by leveraging technology they want to be using in their work
Time, thanks to free and easy-to-use tools that remove redundancy
Joy & less stress because they are able to be more productive

Session 2: The Myths of Engaging and Retaining Millennials

Gold Partner Sponsor:

Participants will:

Explore the challenges with common ‘solutions’ to how to engage and retain millennials
Understand core drivers for engagement and retention of great people
Leave with specific, actionable solutions to apply within your organization to increase engagement

Full Program Information

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March 30, 2017 GMA SHRM Revealed

The Coliseum Bar & Banquet
232 East Olin Avenue
Madison, WI 53713

5 pm to 5:30 pm - Registration, Drinks and Appetizers

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm - GMA Revealed Program: Join us for this interactive event! You will have an opportunity to meet each of our board members, learn about specific GMA SHRM committees and how your involvement can benefit your career. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn about the great programs, networking opportunities and events that GMA SHRM will offer your future.

7:30 pm to 8:30 pm Networking

Full Program Information

The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

GMA SHRM Member News

GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name: Gail Johnson

How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM? Five plus years

What committee are you volunteering with? Have you volunteered on other committees? If yes, which one? Currently, I am a volunteer on the one day GMA SHRM conference that will be hosted on May 16^th at the Alliant Energy Center. I also enjoy serving on the Membership committee and have been on the marketing committee.

What do you enjoy about volunteering? Getting to know the membership and volunteers, not only what they do, but who they are and what they enjoy about their work and living in Madison. It’s a great way too, to build your network, to be a vital resource for others. Plus, I enjoy giving back to the community that we work with, and SHRM is a wonderful association that hosts informative seminars, workshops and socials with an engaging group of professionals.

What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM? It’s a great way to share your skills and talent with your colleagues. Build a network in your industry to lean on what situations come up you’ll have someone you can call. When volunteering, you realize we are all in this together to make our community a great place to work and play and that we need to support one another.

What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM? Built stronger relationships with the membership and volunteers to be a vital resource and build a strong network in the community. Friendships- more than just a business partner. Rewarding to hear you’ve made a difference, or have someone reach out to you for information.

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Alicia Regge

Where do you currently work? Raymond Management Company

What is the focus of your position? I am an HR Generalist so my focus is anything from payroll and benefits to employee relations issues.

How long have you been in the Human Resource field? Just over 5 years

Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? At a former company I was able to help shape the HR department into what it is today by creating policies and procedures that were efficient and helped the business reach its goals.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “It’s okay! Everything is fixable.” &
That it’s okay to take time to “sleep” on something before making a final decision or give a final answer. Sometimes we just need to take the time to let our mind process the information we have been given.

Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM? I joined GMA SHRM because I am currently working on pursuing my SHRM-CP certification and wanted to find a way to get move involved with my local SHRM chapter.

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

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Welcome New Members!

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

Angela Becker-Bradley	WECC
Brandon Ellis	SmartBurn, LLC
Brian Goodman	Boardman & Clark, LLP
Carol Grundmayer	Madison-Kipp Corporation
Johnny Herndon	Student
Zach Lauersdorf	QTI Group
Ben Lodahl	Remedy Intelligent Staffing
Marjorie Nett, PHR	Boston Inc.
Julie Pahl-Washa, SHRM-CP	Madison Area Technical College
Melissa Whittinghill, SHRM-SCP, SPHR	SSM Health St. Mary's Care Center
Julie Zacher	H&H Group Holdings, Inc.

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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 .

Amended

March 2017

HR InTouch

In This Edition

Teen Employment Act Proposed for Wisconsin

Legislative Brief: Employer’s Guide to ACA Reporting

The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

GMA SHRM Professional Award

Productivity Tips and Tools

GMA SHRM Idea Exchange

Swimming in a Cleaner Pool: Wellness and Captive Insurance

Local Resources When Hiring Talent Outside the Area

Spring Dane County Job Fair

7 Strategies to Defeat Unconscious Bias

Social Media & Technology Committee

Forward HR

The New SHRM Foundation

Community Partnerships Update

View the 2017 Calendar of Events!

March 21, 2017 - Professional Development Summit

March 30, 2017 GMA SHRM Revealed

The 2017 GMA SHRM Human Capital Conference

Welcome New Members!

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