Chapter president Polly DLG Masga, who was Tuesday’s speaker at the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting at the Hyatt, said local businesses are more concerned with workforce and labor issues.
She said that businesses are at a “wait and see stance” with the umbrella permits issued to contract workers expiring in November this year, and with waiting for the regulations yet to be released this month.
Immigration and healthcare reform issues among others are other challenges that faze local businesses.
“The SHRM local chapter keeps in touch with the USCIS, the local labor department and other agencies on these prevalent issues so we keep everyone updated on what’s going on,” Masga said.
She said joining SHRM can help businesses in making their human resources department work more efficiently with time-saving tools, ideas for adapting competitive benefits and employee engagement programs, timely legislative alerts through email, and free or low-cost professional development options.
More benefits
SHRM provides useful resources that you could literally start an HR department by browsing through its website. Among the contents are toolkits covering almost every possible topic on human resources such as tips on how to get your HR department go paperless; samples that you can check on how to write job descriptions, mission statements, and other forms that will help you get started, and any legal issues that can help you to move on.
SHRM also produces the Human Resources News, a monthly newsletter to keep members updated the latest developments.
2011 chapter initiatives
SHRM targets several accomplishments in five areas this year. First, on its membership, the organization which was established in 1997 has a total of 77 members in 2010, and they are hoping to increase this number by 10 percent this year.
On its college relations initiative, SHRM is working with Northern Marianas College to have the human resource management course listed as a requirement instead of as an elective for all students who major in business. They are also targeting to start an HR internship with the college students.
The government affairs/advocacy initiative is designed to ensure that the members are kept informed about changes to laws relating to the HR and any changes in the U.S. immigration during this transition period.
Diversity and workforce readiness are the last two of the initiatives that SHRM is looking forward to developing this year. Last year, SHRM conducted a study to ensure that the members of the local chapter composition parallel the diverse ethnicities in the CNMI. At the same time, SHRM continues to promote and support programs that provide training and opportunities to hire and train students and job seekers.
But SHRM’s biggest priority is to help businesses advance in their professions.
SHRM is the largest association for HR professionals, with over 250,000 members and 575 chapters, including the local chapter.
Masga is urging the business community to become SHRM members and avail of benefits designed to help businesses stay on top of their respective industries, and develop an improved workplace.
To register for membership or for more information, call Polly Masga at 237-5122,e-mail [email protected], or visit www.shrm.org.
