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There’s something about August that makes you want to hold on tight to summer before it slips away. A few more evenings on the porch, one more lake trip, the last of the farmers market tomatoes. Wherever you can, take it in. You’ve earned it.
It’s also a good month to check in with yourself. Between Q3 goals, back to school chaos, and the general grind of running an HR function especially with renewals coming, self-care tends to slide down the list. But you can’t pour from an empty cup, and that’s not just a saying, it’s practically an HR operating principle. Burnout doesn’t announce itself, it creeps in through skipped lunches and late night emails, and it eventually shows up in your team too, especially when they look to you to set the tone.
That’s this month’s reminder: balance. Not the perfectly split kind, just the ongoing work of noticing when something’s off and adjusting. Here’s a small idea in that spirit. We all know summer Fridays, early releases so people can enjoy the weather. What about the winter flip side? Seasonal depression is real, and Michigan winters are long and dark. What if once a week from November through February, your team started two hours late and left two hours early, making up the time elsewhere, just to see some daylight? Small lift, potentially big impact. Worth floating as you build your 2027 calendar and continue to differentiate your perks.
Enjoy these last weeks of summer, protect your own cup, and let’s kick off fall at the Annual MISHRM Conference!
See you there! Monica | | | | Special Events for SHRM Michigan Chapters, Volunteers, & Resource Partners | | | | | | | | | | | |
Your next big idea starts in Grand Rapids, MI. Can't wait to see you October 21 through 23 for three days of inspiration, connection, and unforgettable experiences. | | | | Conference Registration is waiting for YOU! | | | | Member - SHRM Members AND/OR Local Chapter Members | | | | Non- Member - NOT a SHRM Members or Local Chapter Member | | Claim Your Booth Before They're Gone!
Exhibitor registration is open, and only 1 double booth and 7 single booths are left! Reserve your booth today and maximize your visibility at Michigan's premier HR conference. | | | | Take Your Brand Center Stage!
Sponsor registration is available, but many opportunities are selling out fast! Reach more than 1,300 HR professionals at Michigan's largest HR conference and position your company in front of key decision makers. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Contributed by: James Reid IV, Esq. SHRM Michigan Legislative Affairs Director | |
- Minimum Wage Increases Take Effect July 1 Across the Country Employers across the country face a new round of minimum wage increases effective July 1, 2026. While most states and localities set their minimum wage changes at the start of the calendar year, a number of jurisdictions, including several states and more than a dozen cities and counties, adjust their wage floors mid-year instead, on a schedule tied to inflation indexing or a phased local ordinance. For multistate employers, the July 1 changes are a useful reminder that minimum wage compliance is not a once-a-year exercise, and that wage floors should be checked on a rolling basis throughout the year rather than only in January. More Details Here.
- NLRB Signals a More Employer-Favorable Approach to Noncompete Agreements The National Labor Relations (“NLRB” or “Board”) Division of Advice recently issued guidance indicating that the agency’s current General Counsel does not view noncompete agreements as generally interfering with employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”). Although the guidance does not eliminate the numerous state-law restrictions applicable to noncompete agreements, it marks a significant departure from the position taken by the NLRB’s prior General Counsel. More Details Here.
- Washington Expands Fair Chance Act Obligations for Employers Conducting Background Checks Effective July 1, 2026, Washington employers with 15 or more employees are subject to significant amendments to the Washington Fair Chance Act (“WFCA”). The amendments delay when employers may inquire about criminal history, bar reliance on entire categories of criminal records, extend the law's protections to current employees, and require a documented two-step process before any adverse employment action may be taken. Employers with fewer than 15 employees must comply by January 1, 2027. More Details Here.
| | | | | | Contributed by: Verna Ginyard SHRM Michigan Diversity Director | |
Greetings, rituals, etiquette are customs which are the invisible fabric of culture. A bow in Japan, a handshake in the U.S., or a Namaste in India all carry meaning. Spotlight: Customs and Traditions
Organizations can train teams on cultural sensitivity, especially in global business. Respecting customs avoids misunderstandings and builds trust.
Encouraging employees to share traditions such as weddings, festivals, rites of passage create appreciation. Traditions remind us that diversity is lived, not abstract.
Feel free to join us for the 3rd Quarter SHRM Michigan Diversity Director & Friends Meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 @ 6p. Meeting ID: 812 9100 8656; Passcode: 5sh3cm.
Enjoy this month’s Voice from Natasha Haske – NMSHRM Petoskey, on the “Reflection Question” Which tradition from your culture do you most cherish?
"One of my favorite traditions from my culture: Orthodox Christmas. There is something so special about the way we celebrate Christmas. I love that it centers around family, faith, gathering together, Jesus, and the values that bring us closer to one another. One of my favorite parts is the bonfire the night before Christmas Eve. There is something magical about standing around the fire together, surrounded by family and community, carrying on a tradition that has been passed down through generations.
And then there is Christmas Eve dinner (Badnik).
The meal itself is simple and Lenten, yet I always leave the table feeling completely full—not just from the food, but from the love, connection, and meaning behind it.
One exiting element during the holiday is the coin bread. It's the tradition of making bread with a coin in the middle, then the head of the household gifts everyone a piece eldest, to youngest. It is said that the person who gets the piece of bread with coin in it will have health and prosperity that whole year. We look forward to it every year, and finding the coin has become such a special part of our Christmas celebration. It's one of those little traditions that I hope my children will carry with them throughout their lives and someday pass down to their own families.
These are the traditions that remind me where I come from, what matters most, and how blessed I am to share them with the people I love."
Feel free to join us for the 3rd Quarter SHRM Michigan Diversity Director & Friends Meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 @ 6p. Meeting ID: 812 9100 8656; Passcode: 5sh3cm.
I look forward to connecting with you. If you’d like to present during a quarterly Diversity Director & Friends meeting or have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me: Verna Ginyard at v2ginyard@gmail.com. | | | | | | | | | | Contributed by: Sharon Ragland-Keys SHRM Michigan SHRM Foundation Director | | | | For more information on these scholarships and awards please visit, here, or the SHRM Foundation
If you have any questions about the SHRM Foundation or need assistance with fundraising ideas for your chapter, feel free to reach out! Call: 734.576.0867 | Email: sragland_keys@jovie.com Looking forward to supporting you! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Free Leadership Webinar Series
| AI is changing what leaders do, but it can’t replicate what makes leaders trusted. As artificial intelligence takes on more of the cognitive and technical work, the uniquely human skills of leadership become your greatest competitive advantage.
Join us for this free 1-hour webinar where we’ll explore what the latest research tells us about AI’s impact on people and teams, and why presence, connection, and authentic leadership matter more than ever. You’ll leave with a renewed sense of purpose in your role and practical ways to lean into the leadership qualities no algorithm can replace. Monday, August 31 from Noon-1pm EST
*This webinar is free to attend and eligible for 1 SHRM Professional Development Credit (PDC). |
Learn more/register, here | | | | | | | | Preventive Care Saves Families Thousands While Supporting Long-Term Affordability | | Preventive care is one of the best ways to manage your long-term physical and mental health, but new research suggests it also delivers significant financial benefits for families.
A recent report from researchers at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH) found that families covered by Affordable Care Act (ACA) preventive care protections can save more than $4,000 annually in out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
The report examined the value of preventive services that are required to be covered without cost-sharing for most people enrolled in ACA-compliant private health plans.
Health insurers and providers have long emphasized how important it is to invest in preventive care today to help avoid serious health problems and higher medical costs tomorrow, but statistics show many people do not take advantage of these services.
As healthcare affordability continues to be a concern for many Americans, the report serves as an important reminder that preventive care is more than a health benefit. It is also a financial tool that can help families avoid unnecessary expenses, improve their health span and reduce the need for costly care in the future.
| | | | | | | | The Real Reason People Won't Use AI
Block out your diary for September 10 at 12pm, where Alon Lits (CEO of October, a workplace platform operating across the UK, US, and South Africa) unpacks the human side of AI adoption — why resistance is rarely about the technology, and often about identity, value and pride in work.
Most conversations about AI adoption treat resistance as a problem to be solved — through training, change management, mandates, or incentives. But the people quietly refusing to use these tools aren't being irrational, fearful, or behind the curve. They're responding to something real: AI threatens the specific tasks that make them feel competent, valuable, and proud of their work. You don't get adoption by overriding that signal. You get it by listening to what it's telling you.
In this webinar, Alon will share what his team is seeing about the identity dimension of AI adoption—why the people resisting are often your best people, what they're actually defending, and how companies getting this right are using AI to give people more of what they care about, not less.
Then we turn it over to the table: bring the resistance you've encountered, the team member you can't figure out, or the change you're trying to make. Expect a direct conversation about the human side of a technology shift.
Register, here | | | | | | Did you know, many working adults earn too much to qualify for public assistance but not enough to cover the basics like housing, childcare, transportation or unexpected car repairs? This population is ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
United Way has an accessible program for employers called United for ALICE at Work, and People Forward® is helping spread the word. It's a structured workforce approach that teaches you how to help your employees build financial stability while giving HR leaders and decision-makers practical tools to better support their teams. More informed strategies here help increase employee engagement and retention, reduce absenteeism and turnover-related costs, strengthen workplace culture and morale, and improve customer satisfaction through a more supported workforce.
SHRM certification holders earn 12 PDCs upon completion.
If you've been looking for a meaningful way to invest in your workforce and your community, this is worth a closer look.
To register for the upcoming cohort with United Way of South Central Michigan, or learn more, here | | | | | |
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