Joshua Patterson

Policy Not Politics. Civility is a Choice. These two statements aren’t just SHRM values—they’re my personal beliefs as a CEO and as a citizen. Following our President Joe Biden SHRM25 keynote announcement, I’ve read many of your reactions. I will always welcome different perspectives, yet today I’m deeply concerned by the incivility in some of the comments. We’re losing our ability to disagree without being disagreeable. This has been a noticeable trend for a while, that’s why we launched our call to increase Civility last year.  68% of employees say their perception of workplace civility is shaped by the behavior of their leaders.  We can measure the downfall of behavior in America’s workplaces. Civility is important because of the direct impact it has on us and our teams. A decline in respectful conduct – both online and in real life – is hurting productivity, relationships, and culture. Let me be clear: inviting President Biden is not about politics. It’s about learning from someone who has held one of the most demanding leadership roles in the world. Only 45 individuals in history have served as President of the United States and only a few are still alive to tell their stories. We are fortunate to hear from any one of them. Their experiences transcend partisanship and provide unique insights into leadership, decision-making, and resilience. Since 2022, SHRM has had the honor of hosting President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton. Both brought their own perspective, shaped by their time in office and their personal journeys. This is not about political affiliation; it’s about learning from those who have navigated extraordinary challenges. And we are committed to bringing top leaders to the stage for the extreme leadership lessons they can share. My goal is to help all of us learn from leaders across a wide variety of sectors and beliefs—even when we don’t agree with everything they say or do. As workplace leaders, we understand this truth: Leadership is not about unanimity—it’s about understanding. You don’t have to agree with every speaker, or every decision made. In fact, respectful disagreement is a cornerstone of growth and innovation. But disagreement must never devolve into disrespect. Let’s remember that how we communicate matters. Let’s choose words that build bridges, not walls. Let’s act in ways that inspire collaboration, not division. Civility is a choice. It’s a choice we must make every day—in our workplaces, in our homes, and in our communities. Together, we can lead the way in showing what respectful, constructive dialogue looks like. Because at the end of the day, how we treat one another defines who we are. Let’s lead with civility. Let’s lead with purpose. Let’s lead together. #SHRM #HR #HumanResources #SHRM25

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I had the pleasure of attending the SHRM Howard County (formerly Howard County Human Resources Society) 2025 Conference last week, and it reminded me why spaces like these matter so much for HR professionals. The theme, “Workforce Reimagined: Find, Train, and Keep the Talent You Need,” couldn’t be more timely. In every session, one message stood out loud and clear: retention is the new recruitment. We can hire all the talent in the world, but if we don’t invest in culture, development, and recognition, our strategies will fall flat. I especially appreciated the focus on HR as more than compliance keepers; we are change agents and culture shapers. April Perry, SHRM-CP shared "workforce development architect" as a reframe I can appreciate. The conversations reinforced that while strategy sets the direction, it’s culture that keeps the workforce engaged enough to walk the path with us. What I valued most? The opportunity to connect with peers who are equally passionate about shaping the future of work. Sharing stories, challenges, and wins reminded me that we’re not in this alone as we are building it together. My biggest takeaway: When we reimagine the workforce, we’re not just solving today’s needs; we are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s success by looking at a "self-sustaining local workforce by focusing on what we each do best to create a dynamic workforce that meets business needs." I will end with a nugget from the conference: "Turnover is the enemy of momentum, and retention is everyone's responsibility".

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Work is taking a toll on employees' health. I'm not referring to the workload here. It's the workplace culture. The SHRM data is clear: 94% of workers say civility is essential to their mental health. So when incivility shows up, the mental and emotional impact is immediate and measurable. Here’s what's happening: 🚨 50% feel stressed. 🚨 37% feel burned out.. 🚨 28% struggle to concentrate. This is a crisis for employees and employers. Because when mental health suffers, performance, retention, and productivity suffer too. In Q2 2025, U.S. organizations lost an estimated $2 billion a day in productivity and absenteeism due to incivility. Each uncivil act costs workers an average of 37 minutes in lost focus. And when employees feel unsupported by their manager after an incident, they’re nearly 48% more likely to be looking for another job compared to those who receive strong support. So let's stop tiptoeing. If you manage people, you shape culture. If you lead a team, you set the tone. Civility is about creating the conditions where people can think, contribute, and stay well. This is NOT optional. This is the job. #SHRM #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealth #Leadership #CivilityAtWork

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If the brand of HR had a tagline, it would be: "It Depends." We live in the ambiguous, constantly assessing pros and cons while attempting to mitigate risk. We strive to do right by our people, while ensuring we protect our organization. We write policies and handbooks to communicate expectations and set standards that ensure we are consistent, fair and defensible. And then, we get the call. The email. The late night Slack message. You know the one. The one that oozes with exception. "I know the policy says X, but...". These situations are like ambulance dispatch for us. Suddenly, we have to shift from a compliance standard mindset to a critical thinking, problem solving mindset. This is something you don't often see articulated in job descriptions for this profession. If you thrive in the comfort of the certain, HR is not the job for you. Those who do well are able to charge a storm, painting murals of grayscale that portray hundreds of variations of black and white mixes, resulting in definition, design and impact. Our minds are a constant flow chart of "if = then, or" boxes, making calculated decisions and guiding leaders through impossible Sophie's-Choice situations. Sometimes we get it wrong. But you know what makes a good leader? The one willing to make a choice, see it through, and take responsibility for the outcome. Anyone can "do" HR. But it takes a high level of intellect to be an HR practitioner.

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I am grateful to have been asked to contribute to this important discussion, and thank you to Katica Roy and MSNBC for highlighting the impact job losses have on Black women. When Black women are excluded from the workplace, decision-making tables lose insight, innovation, and resilience. That’s not just our loss, it’s everyone’s 🤷🏾‍♀️ Over 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs in the US since Trump’s return. Heartbreaking but not shocking. History shows us in both the US and the UK: when the economy dips, Black women are the first to feel it and the last to recover. Let’s be clear, this is not about capability, talent, or ambition. Black women bring immense value, perspective, and leadership to the workplace. These losses are about systems and biases that continue to push us out. The real tragedy is that when Black women are excluded, organisations and economies miss out on the very leadership and innovation needed to thrive in uncertain times. To all the Black women impacted in the US and here in the UK — your value is not diminished by this moment 👸🏾👸🏾 To leaders — protect your pipelines, invest in sponsorship, and recognise that the cost of losing Black women is far greater than any single job cut 💪🏾🙌🏾 Representation isn’t symbolic. It’s the difference between organisations that stagnate and those that thrive. POCIT 68/90

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Strategic HR isn't a seat at the table. It's building the table. It isn't about showing up to leadership meetings with people slides. It's about: - Challenging business priorities when needed. - Designing people strategies that drive revenue. - Solving for the future, not the past. - Asking 'Are we building a business where people thrive and results follow?' How do you define strategic HR in your organization? #StrategicHR #Performance #BusinessImpact #HRLeadership #BusinessStrategy #PeopleAndCulture #ExecutiveLeadership

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