The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is arguably the most well-known and established association for HR professionals. With its classes, certifications, local chapters, and multiple annual conferences, which have drawn thousands of paying attendees to hear the musings of marquee guests like Qualtrics CEO Zig Serafin and singer Janet Jackson, SHRM is a household name (or acronym?) for industry pros nationwide. But SHRM isn’t the only player in the conference game—others include Workhuman, HR Tech, and HR Vision. Now add HR Mavericks to the list, an organization that’s vying to steal SHRM’s thunder, producing what it positions as an alternative to the industry’s biggest bacchanal.

The goal? “Democratizing” HR by offering similar lectures and workshops for free, Stephen Fortuna, community organizer for HR Mavericks explained to HR Brew.

Fortuna said the price of attending SHRM’s conference in-person makes it difficult for many industry pros. (Early bird tickets for in-person admission for SHRM’s June 2023 conference are $2,395 for non-members.) Among others, the price may exclude “small business HR professionals who can’t…get their employer to foot the bill on conferences or membership,” Fortuna said. HR Mavericks hopes to open its doors to more professionals by offering its virtual conference free of charge. The date? June 12, smack in the middle of SHRM’s shindig, which takes place June 11–14.

HR democratized. HR Mavericks, which is produced by the all-in-one HR platform Eddy, strives to toss out the traditional HR education curriculum and start anew. The current landscape provides a “centralized model of HR education,” which is dominated by SHRM and can feel exclusionary, Fortuna argued. Instead, HR Mavericks is about getting “everyone who’s in HR into a space, and they can talk about what they’re doing, what’s working for them, what’s not working, and have a more person-to-person feeling in education.”

Keep reading.—SB

In 2019, Walmart set a target for 10% of its employees at the Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters to stop using their cars for their daily commute. After experiencing difficulty meeting that target, the company hired Kourtney Barrett, a local entrepreneur, to help meet the goal.

Cindi Marsiglio, Barrett’s manager and Walmart’s SVP for corporate real estate, told Bloomberg that this push will help the company cut its carbon emissions but also improve employee well-being and productivity. It’s also an effort to attract younger talent.

“This could be an effective way to reduce their Scope 3 emissions…employee travel is a significant part of [a company’s] carbon emissions,” said Şafak Yücel, assistant professor of operations management at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, to HR Brew after reviewing Walmart’s plan.

“This is actually the first time that I’ve seen this type of a comprehensive strategy and integrated design and an incentive package associated with it,” he added.

New HQ, new commute. Around the same time as the target was set, Walmart also announced plans for a new corporate headquarters where approximately half of employees would live within five miles, according to Bloomberg. All employees will have access to bike parking, showers, and locker rooms.

The new office park has opened, and Barrett’s job is to advocate for cleaner commuting options such as walking, biking, scooter, carpool, or public transportation, to a new campus that is more sprawling and connected to its local community through bike trails and park-like features.

Keep reading.—AK

Ellen Slane’s nature is to serve others. She sees her work in HR as a way to help people, and, yes, to help the business along the way. In her work as an HR business partner, Slane provides support to a handful of small and mid-sized companies.

After years as an HR specialist and generalist at different manufacturing companies, Slane was looking for something different, with more flexibility and work–life balance. She’s now loving her work educating business leaders who “don’t know what they don’t know” on compliance, employment law, and better people practices, pleading her case to presidents and CEOs about the importance of human resources so that they can get back to doing what they do best.

What’s the best change you’ve made at a place you’ve worked?

There’s a small…distribution company that I’m working with, it’s an e-commerce company…I have been really proud of myself for coming in there and…making sure that they have a handbook, but also implementing some safety protocols as well…I’m very proud of setting that up within the small company because they really didn’t have anything in place.

What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job?

I think there is a common misconception that going to HR is like going to the principal’s office. We are not bad people! The majority of HR professionals are emotionally intelligent, servant-heart-based, and very empathetic to the needs of their employees—just give us a chance!

What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job?

I really empathize with the limits that small businesses can have, especially when it comes to operating expenses. They have a heart for their product and for their people. I enjoy helping them to think of new and creative ways to reward and recognize their folks, without breaking a tight budget.

Keep reading.—AD

Today’s top HR reads.

Stat: 79% of business executives say their employees trust the company, but only 65% of employees agree. (PwC)

Quote: “We know that if you feel threatened, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode…Even from a purely business perspective, organizations should realize that if their employees are constantly in a state of fear, or in a state of stress, they’re going to produce a worse outcome.”—Tera Allas, director of research and economy at McKinsey UK and Ireland, on the importance of employee praise and appreciation to support retention (Insider)

Read: Layoff decisions that were formerly determined by seniority at US businesses can now involve lengthy deliberations between multiple business functions, including HR, to decide who stays and goes. (the Wall Street Journal)