People and Strategy

How do top organizations solve their toughest leadership challenges when full-time resources are scarce? Some companies are relying on fractional c-suite leaders, seasoned executives who have opted to lend their expertise to companies on a contract basis rather than work full-time for one company.   In a special recording with a live audience for SHRM’s podcast, People + Strategy, fractional HR leaders share their insights on how they approach HR from a fractional perspective and their view on what longevity looks like for the HR profession.   Attendees will learn how fractional HR leaders are shaping the future of work and hear real-world stories of navigating change.] Related Articles:   https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/3-attributes-of-successful-fractional-c-suite-execs   https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/fractional-hr-perspective-what-does-strategic-hr-look-like    Related Podcast: https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/podcasts/rise-of-fractional-c-suite-leaders   Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr   ---  Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

What does it take for HR leaders to earn a seat in the boardroom? For executives looking to make the move, understanding how to stand out as a board-ready candidate is critical in an increasingly competitive landscape.     In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Debra Boggs, CEO of D&S Executive Career Management, to explore the path from HR to the boardroom. Boggs shares how HR leaders can define their unique value, build a network that opens doors, increase executive visibility, and position themselves for corporate board opportunities. She also offers guidance for HR leaders navigating board relationships and presenting with confidence to the board.  Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr   ---  Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

What does it take for organizations to turn AI investments into measurable business results? As companies navigate rapid technological change, HR leaders are increasingly using AI to drive efficiency, improve decision-making, and create more strategic impact across the enterprise. These findings can be used to provide HR’s value-add across the c-suite — from conversations with the CFO to the CEO.  In a special recording with a live audience for SHRM’s podcast, People + Strategy, HR leaders from global organizations share how they are approaching AI adoption, measuring ROI, and balancing innovation with human-centered leadership.   AI Field Manual for Employers: 138 Use Cases for AI at Work: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/ai-field-manual-use-cases-at-work    AI Use Case on Job Description Drafting and Refinement Job Descriptions:  https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/how-fire-departments-hr-leader-used-ai-to-rebuild-recruiting  Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr   ---  Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Kathryn Mayer, content specialist at SHRM, to discuss how employee benefits are evolving in 2026. Drawing on her extensive experience reporting on total rewards, Mayer explores how rising healthcare costs, economic uncertainty, and shifting workforce priorities are prompting organizations to rethink their benefits strategies.  She discusses the shift from a talent-attraction mindset to a cost-management mindset, how employers are balancing employee needs with financial realities, and the strategies organizations are using to manage rising healthcare expenses while maintaining trust and engagement. Mayer also explores emerging trends, including the role of AI in benefits administration, the future of financial wellness, and why some benefits remain resilient despite mounting budget pressures.   Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr   ---  Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

HR leaders are reexamining what effective leadership truly means in a rapidly transforming world — particularly as generational differences reshape expectations for how leadership is defined, practiced, and communicated in today’s workplace. This is going to become more important than ever, given the fact that the U.S. labor force demographics are shifting. The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. labor force is expected be workers age 75 and older. Supporting this talent pool and the five generations of the workforce will continue to be a challenge.  In a special recording with a live audience for SHRM’s podcast, People + Strategy, an intergenerational panel of HR leaders explores how leadership styles have evolved over time, the role of technology in shaping workplace expectations, and how different generations approach communication, purpose, and organizational change.  Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr   ---  Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r 

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Kris Bahner, senior advisor for Mars Snacking and former chief global corporate affairs officer at Kellanova, to explore the state of employee retention in 2026. Drawing on a 35-year career with two decades with Kellogg and Kellanova, Bahner shares why staying can be a powerful career strategy in an era defined by job hopping. She explains how long-term investments in relationships, trust, and institutional knowledge can accelerate growth and leadership impact. Bahner also reflects on leading through major transformations, including Kellogg’s spinoff in 2023 and the Mars acquisition of Kellanova in 2025. She offers insights on retaining talent and helping employees thrive through change. Resources from this Week's Episode - Toolkit: Managing Organizational Change https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/managing-organizational-change Toolkit: Improving Employee Retention and Reducing Turnover https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/managing-employee-retention Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Shawnee Delaney, founder and CEO of Vaillance Group and a decorated former clandestine operations officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Delaney shares why HR leaders are the most underutilized intelligence asset in any organization. She explains her career journey from conducting human intelligence operations in combat zones to building insider threat programs for global corporations like Uber and Merck. Grounded in unique human intelligence expertise, Delaney explores how HR leaders can proactively manage human risk, foster security partnerships, and mitigate insider threats across the employee lifecycle. “The Quiet Threat Within": https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/people-strategy

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Jamie Durling, regional Chief People Officer for luxury goods organizations such as Dolce & Gabbana and Moncler. Durling challenges the idea that HR is still earning its seat at the table. Instead, he argues that the opportunity lies in how HR leaders use that seat to orchestrate strategy, operations, and financial performance — especially through the critical CFO partnership. Grounded in both personal reflection and real-world application, he shares how HR can balance creativity with discipline, use data beyond HR to drive productivity, and tailor operations for true revenue success. To hear more from Durling, register for SHRM26, where he’ll be speaking at the executive session HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Workforce. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

This special episode of the People + Strategy podcast features host Carolynn Johnson, president of SHRM CEO Action, in conversation with Annette Tyman, partner at Seyfarth Shaw and chair of the firm’s People Analytics practice group. Together, they unpack what inclusion and diversity (I&D) compliance really looks like in today’s shifting legal landscape. As scrutiny intensifies and expectations evolve, Tyman provides clarity by moving beyond theory into the real-world decisions CHROs are making every day. She offers a nuanced view of I&D as both a legal and leadership challenge — one that requires balancing compliance and communication without losing sight of core organizational values. SHRM’s BEAM Framework: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/beam-framework-toolkit Carolynn Johnson on Reinforcing the Importance of Inclusive and Civil Workplaces: https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/reinforcing-importance-of-inclusive-civil-workplaces Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Dan Wolf, CEO of leadership consulting company Dewar Sloan and editor of the People + Strategy Journal’s Director’s Roundtable, a regular column in the magazine that features a conversation with corporate board directors about workplace issues. Throughout the conversation, Wolf explores what it takes to navigate today’s increasingly complex boardroom dynamics. As uncertainty around rapid social and economic changes redefine the business landscape, Wolf unpacks how effective boards balance consensus with constructive debate. What emerges is the importance of building a “consideration culture” to help organizations better align talent, strategy, and governance. https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/people-strategy/chro-board-expanding-seat-of-influence https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/research/2026-global-workplace-culture-report Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Dawn Fay, operational president at Robert Half to unpack what the firm’s 2026 Salary Guide reveals about a cooling yet still competitive HR labor market. As wage growth moderates, Fay explores the growing tension between tighter budgets and rising expectations, where specialized skills in HR tech and analytics still command a premium. She helps to reframe the conversation beyond salary, urging HR and business leaders to rethink total rewards, flexibility, and the importance of “re-recruiting” their own teams to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving talent landscape. Pay Equity Toolkit: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/toolkits/achieving-pay-equity-strategic-toolkit-hr-professionals Pay Fact Sheet: https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/tools/fact-sheet/state-pay-transparency-laws-what-hr-needs-to-know Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we speak about the ROI of workplace connection with ⁠Tracy Brower⁠, vice president of workplace insights at Steelcase and author of Critical Connections. Brower shares research on the rising loneliness level and its impact on employee performance, retention, and wellbeing. She explores the role that HR leaders can play in intentionally designing systems that foster meaningful relationships — from manager development and mentoring to hybrid collaboration strategies. Brower also examines the risks of overreliance on technology, including AI, and makes the case that building authentic human connection is essential for both people and organizational success. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: ⁠https://shrm.co/nq47pr⁠ --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: ⁠https://shrm.co/coy63r⁠

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Jessica Kriegel, chief strategy officer at Culture Partners and author of Surrender to Lead. Drawing on her life’s deeply personal turning points, Kriegel reflects on how learning to surrender reshaped her approach to leadership, accountability, and organizational change. Through candid stories, she challenges traditional assumptions about transparency and examines why many leaders fall into the “action trap,” mistaking activity for progress. Kriegel makes the case that modern leadership is about shifting beliefs and creating the conditions for people to choose accountability, adapt to change, and perform at their best. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, talks with renowned business scholar and HR thought leader Dave Ulrich about how and why HR has reached a true inflection point. Ulrich reflects upon his decades of experience to explore how AI, workforce burnout, and rising expectations from boards are reshaping what organizations need from HR today. Their discussion dives deep into how HR leaders can move beyond employee experience alone to create measurable stakeholder value. Together, they reflect on the hard truths facing HR, and what it will take for the function to lead with credibility, evidence, and lasting impact. SHRM State of the Workplace 2026 Report 2026 CHRO Priorities and Perspectives Report Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we talk with Sabrina Minor, VP and chief people officer at George Washington University. Minor shares candid stories about leading HR in a complex, 24/7 campus environment, including how she’s modernizing performance management, succession planning, and workplace flexibility across a five-generation workforce. She also explores how AI and technology can reduce workload, strengthen trust, and inform strategy. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on leadership, influence, and the courage required to drive change in environments built to evolve slowly. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Drew Holler, former senior vice president of associate experience at Walmart, where he worked for 20 years in operations and supply chain. He’s now the CHRO at the homebuilder Lennar. Holler explains how a focus on process, technology, and first-principles helped Lennar centralize HR, streamline routine work, and redirect teams toward higher-value, “inspired” work. He reflects on how the homebuilder is navigating industry headwinds around affordability and labor supply, while strengthening leadership capabilities to improve retention and readying HR for an AI-enabled future. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

Among SHRM’s 7 HR Trends of 2026 is workforce fragmentation, which is reshaping how organizations structure work, leadership, and culture. In this episode of People + Strategy, Nichole Oocumma, SHRM-SCP, draws on her experience leading HR across healthcare and public-sector organizations to make sense of this reality, exploring how remote, hybrid, and in-person models force difficult tradeoffs — and often create cultural tension. The conversation also examines how generational shifts and increasingly fragmented executive teams are changing the demands on today’s CHROs, requiring clearer messaging, tighter alignment, and more intentional leadership. 2026 HR Trends: Planning for Business Impact Data Brief: Understanding the Labor Shortage Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, John Bernatovicz, founder of Willory, explores what it means to run HR as a true business function. Bernatovicz shares his journey leading payroll and executive search to building a virtual HR consultancy shaped by personal experience and values. He challenges the view of HR as purely administrative, calling on leaders to adopt an owner’s mindset grounded in financial understanding and strategic thinking. Through real-world stories, John illustrates how HR can shape culture while driving measurable business results. Related Article: The CHRO of The Future Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, Darnell Lee, CHRO for the Chief Administrative Officer, reveals how leading HR for the U.S. House of Representatives means mastering the art of adaptability. With shifting leadership every two years and priorities that can change overnight, Lee has built a culture grounded in agility, excellence, and trust. He shares how competency models, data-driven planning, and curiosity around AI are helping the House modernize its workforce strategy. Hear what it takes to guide organizations through constant change — balancing service, stability, and innovation in one of the most dynamic workplaces in government. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

In this episode of People + Strategy, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and CEO of SHRM sits down with Jackson O. Lynch, founder of The Talent Sherpa to discuss workplace safety. This special episode was recorded at the SHRM Executive Network Visionaries Summit, where the duo discussed the concept of bringing your authentic self to work and why comfort is not the same thing as safety. Tune in for real world examples from the workplace, including why it’s worthwhile to forgo comfort to give employees feedback. For more information about the Visionaries Summit, visit https://shrm.org/enevents. Subscribe to People + Strategy podcast to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/nq47pr --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r