The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest professional association devoted to human resources (HR) management. SHRM promotes the role of HR as a profession, provides extensive benefits to its 250,000 individual members, and lobbies Congress on HR issues. An online library houses thousands of articles, white papers, research reports, toolkits, sample forms, and other HR-related information. Hundreds of archived articles address issues specific to congregations and faith-based organizations. Many templates and tools can be easily adapted to congregational contexts. Examples include how-to guides; sample interview questions; sample policies; and sample HR forms. SHRM also offers hundreds of free and fee-based educational programs - including webcasts, mini-courses, seminars, and conferences. Over 575 SHRM-affiliated professional chapters offer opportunities for local programming and networking. Member benefits include the monthly HR Magazine, a weekly e-newsletter highlighting critical HR issues, bimonthly legal updates, and quarterly online articles for supervisors. Most SHRM resources are available only to professional members at a cost of $190 per year. Some congregational administrators may find the size and diversity of SHRM’s network and resources overwhelming. However, the website is well-organized with customizable features and an advanced search engine.

Curated by Sandra Herron