SMPHR Weekly Brew — Monday, June 22
Good morning. If you're reading this before 8:30 AM, there's a room full of HR leaders in Chesterfield right now asking the question of the year: How does HR stay at the table? That's the SMPHR CHRO Roundtable — and it sets the tone for everything in today's Brew. The stakes for HR leaders have never been higher, and the headlines below prove it.
☕ This Week in HR
EEOC moves to axe EEO-1 reporting (HR Dive)
The EEOC is proposing to eliminate the workforce demographic reporting requirement that HR and DEI practitioners have used for decades to track pay equity and representation. If it goes through, a critical accountability tool disappears — and the burden shifts even harder onto employers to self-audit.
NLRB moves toward a Republican majority (Bloomberg Law)
A Senate panel vote on the final GOP NLRB nominee would cement a majority likely to roll back Biden-era pro-union rulings. For HR, that means the labor relations playbook could shift significantly — from joint-employer standards to organizing rules. Start modeling the scenarios now.
Top-down commitment is the new baseline for inclusion (HR Dive)
At SHRM26, panelists made the business case for inclusion with hard revenue and engagement data — not aspirational language. The message: CHROs who can attach inclusion to business outcomes are the ones keeping their programs alive. If you're not fluent in that language yet, now is the time.
AI compliance is fragmenting — and HR is on the hook (SHRM)
A growing patchwork of state and federal AI laws — including Colorado's amended SB 24-205 — is creating new obligations around algorithmic hiring tools, bias audits, and transparency disclosures. HR needs a compliance roadmap now, not when the first violation lands.
📚 New in the Learning Lab
Five fresh resources were added to the SMPHR Learning Lab this week:
- 4 Forces Shaping CHRO Priorities in 2026 — Gartner's framework for the year: AI, reimagined work, mobilized leaders, and stronger culture. Article · SHRM
- Weave Mentorship into the Fabric of Your Organization — The case for a mentoring-for-all approach where every employee is both mentor and mentee. Article · HBR
- 2026 Top HR and Compensation Priorities and Predictions — Treat compensation as a strategic tool, not an afterthought. Article · Payscale
- How Salary Transparency Can Help You (and Your Workplace) — HBR unpacks how pay transparency closes wage gaps and builds trust. Video · HBR
- Leveraging Mentorship for Career Growth: Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes — The mentorship missteps that derail careers, and how to sidestep them. Video · HBR
📅 Coming Up
CHRO Roundtable — How Does HR Stay at the Table?
Today, June 22 · 8:30–10:15 AM · RGA Headquarters, Chesterfield
Three CHROs, one room, no fluff. If you're there, soak it in. If you missed it, watch for the recap.
More events on the way — check the SMPHR events page for what's coming this summer.
See you at the table. — SMPHR