The NEHRA Café is held virtually, and is an upbeat, facilitated, connection-focused opportunity to talk with peers, discuss challenges, and celebrate wins. The Café is a member only benefit and available at no additional cost.

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

The NEHRA Café is held virtually, and is an upbeat, facilitated, connection-focused opportunity to talk with peers, discuss challenges, and celebrate wins. The Café is a member only benefit and available at no additional cost.

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

Details coming soon!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

NEHRA’s Developing HR Fundamentals Program provides HR professionals who are new to the HR field, are moving from a specialist to a generalist role, or who work within smaller organizations and wear many hats, with a solid foundation for a well-rounded career in human resources. This program provides instruction over two full days, as well as interactions and sharing through a community portal; enabling participants to be engaged prior to, throughout, and after the program. 

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

The NEHRA Café is held virtually, and is an upbeat, facilitated, connection-focused opportunity to talk with peers, discuss challenges, and celebrate wins. The Café is a member only benefit and available at no additional cost.

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

A review of a 2024 employer benefit survey on all areas of employee benefits as well as how employers are modifying their employee benefits strategy for 2024 and beyond.  Employer compliance and creative cost control strategies will also be reviewed.

Speaker: Patrick J. Haraden/Visiting Instructor Framingham State University in the Master’s in Human Resources program at Framingham State, has also provided employee benefit, retirement, and property and casualty risk management solutions to public sector and private employers, joint purchase groups and pooled arrangements for over 30 years in Massachusetts. 

LOCATION: Zoom address will be sent to all who register on our website for this meeting. 

This event is organized by MetroWest HRMA. For more information and to register, please visit their website.

Details coming soon!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Human Resources professionals know that keeping abreast of current legal developments are of the highest importance.  NEHRA'S Legal Update Webinars will run each quarter, covering the key developments in employment law and issues of current concern for employers and human resources professionals.  Led by Dan Klein, a partner in the Labor and Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw's Boston office, the Webinar will be an informative hour that will help ensure that you are up to speed in this vital area.  Free to NEHRA members, we know that you won't want to miss this informative program!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

The NEHRA Café is held virtually, and is an upbeat, facilitated, connection-focused opportunity to talk with peers, discuss challenges, and celebrate wins. The Café is a member only benefit and available at no additional cost.

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

NEHRA’s Developing HR Fundamentals Program provides HR professionals who are new to the HR field, are moving from a specialist to a generalist role, or who work within smaller organizations and wear many hats, with a solid foundation for a well-rounded career in human resources. This program provides instruction over two full days, as well as interactions and sharing through a community portal; enabling participants to be engaged prior to, throughout, and after the program. 

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

The NEHRA Café is held virtually, and is an upbeat, facilitated, connection-focused opportunity to talk with peers, discuss challenges, and celebrate wins. The Café is a member only benefit and available at no additional cost.

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Location: TBD

This event is organized by HRMA of Western New England. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Details coming soon!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Human Resources professionals know that keeping abreast of current legal developments are of the highest importance. NEHRA'S Legal Update Webinars will run each quarter, covering the key developments in employment law and issues of current concern for employers and human resources professionals. Led by Dan Klein, a partner in the Labor and Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw's Boston office, the Webinar will be an informative hour that will help ensure that you are up to speed in this vital area. Free to NEHRA members, we know that you won't want to miss this informative program!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Presented by Jackie Ross, Career Development and Mental Fitness Coach.

What strategies could you employ to manage your manager more effectively? Managing your boss is a skill you need, regardless of the relationship that you have or how effective your boss is at doing his or her job. Your professional effectiveness can be a direct result of how well you “manage up.” In this program, you will find out how to tap into the strengths and talents of both you and your boss, the power of building mentoring relationships, and the impact of professional networking. Manage Up! will help you enhance and elevate your performance and your professional standing. With the easy-to-apply tips and highly practical strategies shared in this program, you will gain mastery of important skills and increase your overall personal sense of job satisfaction and engagement. Please join us for a powerful and interactive workshop on Managing Up!

This event is organized by the HRMA of Central MA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

NEHRA's 29th Annual Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Awards Celebration honors the DEI Community of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Thursday, May 2, 2024, 5:30PM

The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts - Boston, MA

Reception, Awards Celebration, & Dinner

You are invited to join us for an evening dedicated to celebrating the collective impact of those committed to driving meaningful and lasting changes in their workplaces and communities.

To honor the work of former NEHRA Board Member and change maker Norma K. Clarke, we will present three Scholarship Awards to Massachusetts high school seniors who value education, promote harmony, and respect diversity. Learn more about Norma’s legacy here. As we reflect on the strides made in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we will also cast our gaze forward through the lens of our inspiring 2024 Scholarship Winners.

Secure your sponsorship or tickets here and join us to not only acknowledge the progress but also to leave with renewed passion to carry on the work!

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Ethics in HR: How to Successfully Navigate Tricky Issues

Presented by: Abby Warren and Britt Marie Cole-Johnson,
Partner's with Robinson & Cole's Labor and Employment Group

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Virtual Zoom Meeting
7:45 - 9:00 am

In addition to complying with federal, state, and local laws that govern the employer/employee relationship, employers should manage the employment relationship ethically. As a baseline, HR professionals must be aware of legal and compliance issues that impact their workforce. Approaching the relationship with consideration and application of ethical principles will help employers maintain a stronger workplace. 

This session will help HR professionals identify and navigate potential ethical issues, comply with legal requirements, and maintain a workplace that is ethical and consistent. 

This event is organized by the Cape Cod HRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Paid Family Medical Leave, we are a few years into now, let's chat about what has changed, what is going to change, and what has not been working as employers.  

Join our amazing panelist, for updates and best practices.  We'll be discussing  the overview of program fundamentals, employer responsibilities, recent developments/updates to the statute and legal considerations.    What are the Interactions with other types of leave and wage replacement programs/benefits?  What has the Department of Paid Family Medical Leave found to be common mistakes made during the claims process and in managing leaves.

This will also be an opportunity to share your experience with PFML from the Western side of the Commonwealth, with other members along with PFML department leaders.

Panelists:

William Alpine, Director of the Department of Family and Medical Leave for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Amelia Holstrom, Partner with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C

Abigail O’Connell, senior counsel at Sun Life Financial 

This event is organized by the HRMA of Western New England. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Compassionate Leadership: Driving Growth and Well-Being

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Registration/Coffee 8:15-8:30 AM

Speaker 8:30 – 9:30 AM

Join us for an “IN-PERSON” meeting at Advocates, 1881 Worcester Road (Route 9), Conference Room C, Framingham, MA 01701

Seminar Summary:

In today’s ever-changing world, leaders encounter challenges, including the intricacies of organizational culture and change management, declining productivity, workplace conflicts, and addressing employees’ well-being, all while upholding responsibilities to stakeholders. Instead of introducing yet another benefit program or incentive, let’s take a different approach to tackle these issues. By prioritizing compassion, authenticity, resiliency, and empathy, leaders can effectively address the diverse well-being needs of their teams while driving both personal growth and organizational success.

It’s time to CARE. Compassionate, Authentic, Resilient, and Empathetic leadership nurtures a culture that genuinely supports every individual, creating an atmosphere where people feel understood and empowered to thrive. By taking a deep dive into the impacts of adverse experiences on individuals’ well-being and work capabilities, you will gain genuine insight into their needs. This awareness will help you create an environment where people feel valued and acknowledged, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and engagement.

Join Manya Chylinski as she explores how leaders who CARE can establish an environment that benefits individuals and also enhances the organization as a whole.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the signs of trauma and the importance of recognizing and addressing them.

• Feel empathy and compassion.

• Be inspired to take meaningful action to support compassionate leadership within your own sphere of influence.

Speaker:

Manya Chylinski is a keynote speaker and advocate. Her life took an unexpected turn when the Boston Marathon bombings left her with deep emotional scars and post-traumatic stress. Her healing journey led her to help individuals and organizations reimagine leadership with a focus on empathy and well-being.

A communication expert with a background in writing, research, and marketing, Manya shares her powerful insights and helps individuals and organizations understand the mental and emotional effects of trauma and build resilience during times of change and crisis. She shared her wisdom on stages like SXSW and TEDx, on CBS, NPR, and in The Boston Globe. Manya’s honest and down-to-earth approach when addressing challenging topics resonates with diverse audiences. Her passion lies in advocating for those affected by psychological wounds, emphasizing the importance of validation and visibility on the path to recovery and growth. She empowers her audiences to discover their inner strengths and take practical steps toward compassionate leadership.

This event is organized by the MetroWest HRMA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Developing a Compensation Strategy with a Focus on Transparency and Equity

Presented by Kim Dunn, SPHR, CPC - Strategic HR Consultant

Now that we have survived the pandemic and are trying to keep our heads above water with turnover and quiet quitting it is time to take a step back and think through your organizations strategy on pay.  Simple but not easy.  Wouldn’t it be easier if we could just publicize everyone’s compensation and not have to explain why one person made more money than another?  The complex make-up of Compensation which is part art and part science has led organizations to keep their Compensation process under tight security.  Find out how some organizations are cracking open the vault on compensation secrecy to create transparency.  Additionally, during the uncertain economic times how you can manage pay equity within your organization to attract and keep the best and brightest talent.

•        Understanding the value of creating a compensation strategy

• .      Simplifying and demystifying the process of gaining pay transparency

• .      Building pay equity into your talent strategy

This program is approved for 1.25 PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® and 1.25 HR (General) recertification credit hours toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

This program is organized by the HRMA of Central MA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Are you part of a 'lean' (read: small but mighty, solo, stretched thin, understaffed, etc.) HR department looking to drive impactful change and shape a thriving workplace culture? This workshop is designed just for you! Through knowledge-share, group discussions, and case studies, this engaging half-day session will explore effective strategies and best practices specifically tailored to your unique HR needs.

In recent years, managing people has become more complex and the demand for strong HR leadership has increased exponentially. Many small organizations that started out with the owner or another executive handling employment issues are now looking to their small HR departments to lead change and influence the direction of the organization. Join us for this workshop, where we’ll review effective strategies for leading organizational change and culture shifts, while ensuring your company’s HR policies, processes, and practices unlock the full potential of your workforce.

Workshop Highlights:

✅ Leading change: Even with limited resources.

✅ Culture Shaping: Learn to create a culture that inspires success and innovation.

✅ Strategic Communication: Discover communication strategies that resonate with your team.

✅ Process Excellence: Identify tailored process improvements to boost efficiency.

✅ Quick Wins: Find immediate, actionable steps to make a positive impact.

✅ End Goals: Define a vision and create a roadmap for HR success in smaller departments.

Whether you're a one-person HR powerhouse or part of a small HR team, this interactive workshop is your opportunity to gain the knowledge, strategies, confidence, and support you need to make a big impact!

Registration Rates:

$249 members

$349 Non-members

This event is organized by NEHRA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Building Employee Connection to Reduce Turnover

Presented by Jessica Gifford, LICSW - Founder and Chief Connection Creator of ProjectConnect

Levels of turnover remain exceptionally high post-pandemic, with two thirds of U.S. employees actively looking for a new job. This takes an enormous toll on workplaces. Each employee who leaves causes a hit to morale, increases the burden on remaining employees, and costs an estimated .5 and 2X of that employee’s annual salary to replace them!

The solution is to create a work environment where employees want to stay ... but how? Most people think that improving salary and benefits is the fix—and those are important—but the truth is, workplace culture has an even bigger impact on an employee's decision to stay or leave. In fact, liking and feeling connected to co-workers is the number one reason people choose to stay in their jobs AND the top predictor of job satisfaction. That makes creating a culture of connection and community the most powerful thing you can do to improve job satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

This interactive presentation will give you a snapshot of the impact of a more connected workplace, teaches three quick connection-building exercises, and gives an overview of the ProjectConnect program, which provides a proven roadmap for creating connection. Participants will practice the exercises during the session and leave with three easy-to-implement activities to build stronger relationships in their workplace.

This program is pending PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® and HR (General) recertification credit hours toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

Meet our Presenter:

Jessica helps businesses and organizations build employee connection, because positive relationships in the workplace are pivotal to job satisfaction, engagement, and retention. Jessica created the ProjectConnect program to help small groups of participants get to know each other and build strong relationships quickly. ProjectConnect has been used by over 75 organizations to build connection, and 98% of participants say they would recommend it to a friend or co-worker.

Jessica has a master's degree in social work. She began her career providing individual and group counseling before moving into developing and delivering programs that improve well-being. Jessica has worked with a wide range of organizations—including health care, law, and education—to build employee connection.

This event is organized by the HRMA of Central MA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.

Cultivating an Ethical Work Environment as an HR Manager

Virtual Meeting

Presented by Dawn Tedesco, Career Compliance Solutions

Organizations have a growing need for its employees to question whether specific business practices are acceptable, to use values, knowledge, and experience to recognize issues, and to resolve those issues by making good ethical decisions reflecting business and society. As an HR Professional, it’s imperative for you to continually foster a work environment grounded in such principles.

Dawn will discuss factors of an effective ethics program and how HR professionals can impact individual factors affecting ethical awareness, judgement, and decision making in the organization on topics such as protected characteristics including age, and gender including gender transition. She will review modern day examples from companies such as Microsoft, Verizon, and Fidelity.

How can Human Resources align the cultivated character traits of employees with those of the organization? Dawn will discuss strategies for HR to encourage individual virtue and integrity among organization members including the use of their knowledge, skills, and experience. She will also discuss how Human Resources can help organization members align their goals with that of the organization using the values of trust, empathy, fairness, truthfulness, responsibility, and organizational citizenship.

At the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Identify the values for culture establishing conduct in the workplace such as trust, empathy, fairness, truthfulness, responsibility, and organizational citizenship.

• Identify factors for an effective ethics program.

• Advocate culture in a way that affects how individuals act with each other inside and outside the organization.

• Direct the way in which culture is expressed both formally and informally using direct and indirect communication throughout the organization.

• Impact individuals’ judgement and decision making on sensitive work topics such as age, and gender transition.

This program is pending for PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® and ETHICS recertification credit hours toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

Our Presenter:

Dawn Tedesco, owner of Career Compliance Solutions, has extensive experience in employee and management skills development and over 20 years' hospitality operations and HR management and training experience with organizations such as Sodexo and Aramark. She has designed and developed training programs for several large organizations and now specializes in instructional design, eLearning development, and helping businesses with management skills and compliance training.

Dawn is an experienced diversity and ethics trainer and frequently presents her SHRM certified course, Organizational Ethics for HR Managers. She works with organizations to advocate culture by providing inclusive onboarding, hiring, and lifecycle processes. Dawn is a volunteer for the New England Society of Association Executives, the American Society of Association Executives, and the Human Resources Association of Central Connecticut. She has been an Adjunct Faculty member for four Connecticut colleges and universities.

This event is organized by the HRMA of Central MA. For more information or to register, please visit their website.