By Renée Preston
At its core, a professional association will unite and inform people who work in the same industry. Associations provide networking and professional development opportunities, allowing members to connect with their peers and industry experts.
I’ve seen firsthand the power of an association and the positive impact it can have on its members, as well as the difference it can make to an industry. I’ve made a career of association management, starting in the late 1990s with a small group of executives who began to see themselves as “outsourcing professionals.” The outsourcing industry was still in its infancy, but even in those early years, there was a need for a network where individuals could come together and share. With that, the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) was born.
For the past two-plus years that I’ve been with the HRO Today Association, I’ve seen the same need for like-minded professionals to connect and learn from one another, especially given the ever-developing world of HR. I am pleased to continue the great work that Zachary Misko and the entire HRO Today team has done to get us to the place we are today. Zachary, now global executive director emeritus and board member of the HRO Today Association, will continue to consult with SharedXpertise, sharing his expertise and thought leadership when applicable.
The HRO Today Association is as committed as ever to advancing professionalism in HR and providing learning and networking opportunities to its members. We’ve kicked off 2020 with an impressive lineup of livestream sessions, which I encourage you to check out here. Industry certifications have also been introduced to improve professionalism and provide a level of accountability to HR’s standards and ethics. The HRO Today Provider Certification Program is raising the bar for HR service delivery and developing consistent standards and practices for the industry to save time and costs, and to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
In future issues, I look forward to sharing developments on how Provider Certification is impacting the industry as well as the HR Procurement Center. What’s the HR Procurement Center, you say? Stay tuned!
To all of our members, I thank you for your participation and your demonstrated commitment to the industry. To those of you reading this who are not members, make 2020 the year you invest in your professional development -your future self will thank you! Click here for more information or call me directly at 215-606-9562.
