2024

SHRM Conference Review: Is it Worth Attending?

Over the last few years, a lot of new human resources conferences such as the Culture Summit have started taking place in the United States. The most well-known among them is the Annual SHRM Conference and Exposition.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a well-known group of HR professionals who are known for hosting successful HR conferences.

The conference is an opportunity for bloggers, HR managers, HR coordinators, and other HR professionals to learn and interact with the leaders of the industry.

SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition 2024

Last year, the conference was held in Las Vegas and attracted almost 17,000 attendees.

This year, the SHRM Conference and Expo will be held from June 28th to July 1st at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California.

About the SHRM Conference

The Annual SHRM Conference and Expo is a 4-day HR conference where high-level HR professionals provide HR education and a chance to network with HR analysts, experts, and leaders from all industries and backgrounds of professional development.

With tons of comprehensive learning opportunities from internationally-renowned speakers, you gain loads of insights, stories, and experiences on several HR topics.

With more than 200 concurrent sessions, there’s a good chance that you’ll attend a session that’ll give you exactly what you’re looking for and will help you advance your career, develop new skills, and help you apply your learnings.

The most common topics discussed include culture, compensation & benefits, global , employment law & regulations, technology, inclusion & diversity, talent management, and organizational effectiveness & strategic planning.

Furthermore, you can get an SHRM recertification with 28.5 PDCS and the credits are automatically adjusted, provided you’re already a SHRM member.

SHRM Conference 2024 Speakers

The speaker list this year is absolutely massive with over 100 speakers from different industries, backgrounds, and levels. You’ll find speakers from multi-million dollar startups and big companies sharing the stage.

The following are the keynote speakers of the 2024 SHRM Conference:

  • Carly Fiorina – Founder and Chairman of the Carly Fiorina Enterprises and Unlocking Potential Foundation
  • Mindy Grossman – President and Chief Executive Officer of WW International
  • Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP – President and Chief Executive Officer of the SHRM Foundation

Other than that, there are plenty of other major speakers, such as the following:

  • Richard Finnegan – Chief Executive Officer at C-Suite Analytics
  • Caroline Carpenedo – Head of Corporate HR at Gerdau
  • Rob Chesnut – Chief Ethics Officer at Airbnb
  • Jacob Goldstein – President at The Leadership Laboratory
  • Loren Murfield – CEO and President at Murfield International, Inc.

There are more speakers being added to the list as the event gets closer. You can check out the complete list of speakers here.

The speakers include SHRM members and non-members and also include speakers from the HRCI. It also includes speakers from other state conferences and state councils, as well as, other chapters and practitioners.

If you’re looking for other ways to increase your HR knowledge, then check out our HR certifications.

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What Can You Expect in 2024’s SHRM Conference?

If you’ve attended the SHRM Annual Conference before or have read reviews, you probably have a good idea of what to expect. However, it’s important to have a complete idea of what you’re getting into.

This year, there’s a huge focus on how you can shape your workplace into a more streamlined machine.

The following is a summary of what you can expect in this year’s SHRM Conference.

Comprehensive Learning Opportunities

The 4-day conference allows for more than 200 concurrent sessions from industry experts. With sessions on things like Leadership, Personal Growth, and HR Department of One, among others, the sessions are rich and full of insights.

The idea is to provide tons of inspiring stories of HR success so you can effectively apply the strategies and techniques in your own company and business.

Networking Opportunities

Easily one of the largest gatherings of professionals, the 2024 SHRM Conference provides tons of networking opportunities. You can network with VP’s, managers, and other HR professionals and peers from top organizations, startups, and SMEs in several industries, such as healthcare, tech, government, manufacturing, and more.

With the conference app and SHRM Certification app, you can make sure you can easily seek out others from your specific industry.

You can find dedicated time and space to network, connect, and exchange ideas with others. You can also go ahead and join one or many peer groups and amplify your networking experience.

Solution Discovery (Exhibitors)

The SHRM Exposition is considered the world’s largest HR marketplace where you can learn from solution-providers of several industries.

It also gives you the opportunity to explore and experience the latest HR-related services and products.

2024 SHRM Conference Sponsors

SHRM conferences have had massive sponsors over the years from top organizations. This year, the conference is sponsored by Paychex, Reward Gateway, Ultimate Software, and WGU as Diamond sponsors.

Furthermore, the Platinum sponsors include ADP, BetterWorks, and the University of Phoenix, while the Gold sponsors include Pearson and Talent Turf.

How Can I Register for the 2024 SHRM Conference?

To register for the event, you have to by creating an account with SHRM. If you already have an account, just log in and register for the conference.

The following are the rates and options for the conference:

  • Full Conference Preview – If bought by February 14, the ticket is $1,550 for SHRM members and $1,975 for non-members.
  • Full Conference Early Bird – If bought between February 14th and April 25th, the ticket will cost $1,735 for members and $2,170 for non-members.
  • Full Conference Standard – If bought between April 25 and June 26, the ticket will set you back $1,870 as a member and $2,290 as a non-member.
  • Full Conference Onsite – If the ticket is bought after June 26 or onsite, it will cost $2,030 for members and $2,465 for non-members.

Furthermore, if you register for the conference, you can become a SHRM member for only $209 for one year. Also, if you register as a group of 5 or more, you can get group discounts on the tickets.

Pre-Conference COVID-19 Update

Since the conference is only a few months away, a lot of attendees are concerned it might be canceled due to the novel Coronavirus. However, until now, the conference is approved and scheduled for June 28 – July 1.

If the problem persists or elevates, the SHRM Foundation will work closely with all vendors, public health officials, and attendees to make the necessary changes.

However, the event might also be subject to cancellation with no chance of the speaker sessions being held on webinars.

Should I Attend the 2024 SHRM Conference?

The Annual SHRM Conference and Exposition is one of the world’s largest gatherings of HR professionals from almost every industry and background. It’s essentially the perfect opportunity to network and make contacts with people of different industries and top organizations.

It’s a great way of learning all the latest information on all things HR and provides you with an opportunity to get solutions for different issues. Meanwhile, the Expo is a great place to not only learn about but also buy or sign up for the latest HR products and services.

The price tag is very high but the return on investment for the conference is tenfold. As a HR professional, this single conference can make all the difference in the world for you.

 


If you are new to Human Resources and are looking to break into a HR role, we recommend taking our HR Certification Courses, where you will learn how to build your skillset in human resources, build your human resources network, craft a great HR resume, and create a successful job search strategy.

 

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Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.