Does 'belonging' to an HR community help or hinder HR careers?

FOMO often finds HR professionals at the foot of community membership – it’s sniper’s alley for the lone soldiers that don’t tap into the wealth of expertise around them, or is it?

I belong to several ‘communities’ offline, online and everything at the halfway-house stage – having my fingers that are usually attached to the keyboard on the pulse of what is going on in the industry that I write about makes my job easier. I can’t do that without learning from the HR community but can I like other professionals in my sector be just as successful without them and what do they really give us when we cut out all the PR plaudits and white noise? I asked a few HR professionals to give me some insight on the value of being ‘in’ and the JOMO of being ‘out’.

‘Professional growth can sky-rocket’

Nick Schutz, Interim HR Programme Director says being ‘in’ helps CPD and knowledge harvesting, “Being part of HR communities has certainly contributed to my professional growth. They keep me updated on industry trends, like advances in HR technology, expand my network, and provide insights that go beyond the scope of my job.”

Connecting with others that walk the same HR path provides informal mentorship, a source for ideas and a hub to feel stronger.

David Balls, an experienced Chief People Officer says, “Offline communities, like conferences and meetups, offer more personal networking opportunities that build stronger, long-term professional relationships. Importantly, those professionals that attend conferences feel better equipped to address workplace issues, which was backed up by a report produced by SHRM in 2019 that said, 74% of respondents felt this way.”