HR Gets Political: SHRM Members Share Their Hopes for President-Elect Trump’s First 100 Days
The dust has settled, and Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. We all have hopes for what his administration might bring, and human resources professionals are no different.
At the recent 2016 SHRM Volunteer Leaders’ Summit, SHRM asked some of its members to talk a bit about what they’d like to see President-elect Trump focus on during his first 100 days in office. The members’ responses were recorded and made into a quick, but insightful, four-minute video.
Here’s a recap of the main concerns expressed by SHRM members; scroll to the bottom of the page to watch the full video:
1. The Skills Gap
“What we need in the Ohio area, for sure, is not new jobs, necessarily,” says SHRM member Stephen Ligus of Cleveland, Ohio. “New jobs are important to [bring back], but what we truly need is individuals who are trained, especially in the trades and in skilled labor, to come in and fill those jobs that we have openings for now.”
2. The New OvertimeRules
Planned changes to the Fair Labor Standard Act’s overtime regulations are currently in limbo, but that doesn’t mean HR pros have forgotten about them. If the changes do go into effect, 4.2 million formerly exempt workers will gain overtime pay. While many in the HR field believe that changes do need to be made to the overtime rules, they aren’t too keen on how the changes are being rolled out.
“Right now, we do support that something needs to be changed as far as the increase [of the overtime threshold],” says SHRM member Jehane Myers of Vero Beach, Florida. “But as far as the amount of the increase, it’s so overwhelming in some of the businesses. As for the nonprofits and the small businesses, they can’t handle it budgetary-wise. So we think that maybe a more phased in approach would be appropriate.”
3. Regulations
Like many others, SHRM member Steve Browne of West Chester, Ohio, believes that American businesses are currently choked by too many regulations.
“I think the top priority is regulating regulations,” Browne says, echoing a common sentiment among HR pros. “We have been buried by constant regulatory effects as employers, and I would like to see a more balanced look that takes into account both the employer and the employee.”
4. Healthcare Reform
“I think the rising health care cost, especially for the Northeast, [should be the top priority],” says SHRM member Tina Sharby of Manchester, New Hampshire. “Organizations are not able to handle the increases that continuously get passed on to employers and employees. I think that the administration really needs to take a look at what types of costs are involved and maybe look at a way to reform the way that reimbursements are made for prescription drugs or any type of relief that we can get with regard to health care costs.”
Watch the Full Video: