The human resources group SHRM brands itself as “the voice of all things work.” But when sued for racial discrimination, the organization tried to keep its own HR expertise out of the courtroom — only to lose $11.5 million.
Naturally, the HR community is aghast and embarrassed. SHRM has been controversial for some time among HR professionals. Two small examples of how HR lost faith in SHRM happened when CEO Johnny Taylor bragged about terminating an employee and outsourcing her job to India after she asked to work remotely, and removing “equity” from the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) platform, changing it to D&I (diversity and inclusion).
Beneath the political drama is a simpler truth: SHRM didn’t lose because of ideology. It lost because its HR team wasn’t trained. And that should scare every employer reading this.
To keep reading, click here: SHRM’s $11.5 Million Mistake Shows What Happens When HR Isn’t Trained