The Society for Human Resource Management welcomed the bipartisan agreement to end the federal government shutdown, which disrupted operations for millions of workers, families and employers across the country.
Emily M. Dickens, SHRM’s chief administrative officer, said the shutdown tested workforce resilience and strained critical programs. The organization is now calling on policymakers to advance people-centered reforms as federal operations resume.
Policy priorities
SHRM urged lawmakers to focus on several workforce development areas, according to Dickens. These include strengthening the education-to-employment pipeline to close skills gaps, advancing skills-first hiring and training policies, supporting the nation’s 53 million caregivers through flexible workplace policies, expanding talent pathways through workplace immigration reforms, and implementing human-centered AI governance that protects workers while enabling innovation.
The organization emphasized that government must function as a responsible and reliable partner to the workforce.
Civility and workplace culture
Dickens said the moment calls for renewed commitment to civility and constructive dialogue in both workplaces and governance.
SHRM’s 2024 research found that organizations fostering civility and psychological safety are more likely to build trust, generate new ideas and retain engaged workers, according to the organization.
Future workforce challenges
The end of the shutdown should mark recognition that the American workforce and economy must prepare for rapid change, according to SHRM. These challenges include demographic shifts, caregiving pressures, a tightening labor market and accelerated technological disruption.
SHRM said it is ready to work with public and private sector leaders to help workplaces meet these challenges.
The organization has nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries and reaches more than 362 million workers and their families globally.
