As the U.S. workplace navigates social unrest, mass layoffs, and a rapidly changing office culture, chief human resources officers often step in to act as guidance counselors for both bosses and employees. But they can’t do it alone. HR leaders need a diverse and knowledgeable group of peers who can help them tackle the biggest issues facing their roles, and networking groups are one of the best ways to facilitate these connections.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in history where groups served a greater purpose,” Dan Kaplan, senior client partner for Korn Ferry’s CHRO practice, tells Fortune. He added that being a CHRO can be one of the loneliest and most high-pressure C-suite positions. “HR is having the most privileged and difficult conversations every day. And the only people to kind of help them through it are peers who are going through the same thing.”
There are many trusted organizations within the HR community, with different levels of price and exclusivity; some are invite-only groups where you can network with leading industry executives, and others connect a broader range of C-suite players. It can be hard for CHROs to decide what groups will suit them best, so before looking to join an organization, leaders should have an idea of what they want to get out of it. Kaplan says the most meaningful CHRO groups are often the most personal and curated.
“I would say intimacy is important. Getting in a room with 1,000 people or your 3,000 best friends and peers is probably not going to be a whole lot of value,” he says. He also recommends looking for groups with members across diverse sectors. “It’s always good to have that local direct peer network. But you also want to get a little bit out of that echo chamber and hear from folks at other different size companies in different industries,” he says.
To offer some guidance for CHROs looking to expand their networks, Fortune has compiled a list of top HR executive groups, from highly exclusive invite-only organizations to associations that welcome hundreds of professionals.
HR Policy Association (HRPA)
Founded over 50 years ago, HRPA now has about 400 members who collectively employ more than 20 million people worldwide. U.S. organization members manage over 9% of America’s private sector workforce and include Darrell L. Ford, the CHRO of UPS, and Melissa Kremer, CHRO of Target. HRPA offers a range of professional services, including weekly newsletters, CHRO dinner networking programs, and virtual events, and seminars.
Requirements: Members must be at companies with at least two of the following qualifications: the organization has an active CHRO, employs 1,500 or more workers, has annual revenues exceeding $1 billion, and operates in several international jurisdictions. Those interested can apply online.
Cost: Memberships cost $18,500 a year, and new members who join prior to Oct. 1 can pay a prorated amount over the year. Premium content packages are also available—the Center on Executive Compensation, which equips members to support their compensation teams, is $20,800 annually, and HR Policy Global, which provides additional insight on international labor laws and markets, is $9,950 annually.
Global CHRO Council (The Conference Board)
The Conference Board has been around for over 100 years, and was first created as a way to guide business leaders through boom and bust cycles. The nonprofit organization has several councils, each with its own focus and a highly-curated group of about 40 executives. The Global CHRO Council brings HR professionals together to discuss topics like the impacts of AI, leadership development, and skills building. Council membership is entirely self-governed, vendor free, and prioritizes cross-industry members to ensure nuanced perspectives.
Requirements: Memberships are invite-only, and qualifying members should be global HR leaders from the world’s top companies. Applicants’ organizations must make multiple billion dollars in revenue annually and have a presence on at least two continents to be considered.
Cost: Membership fees vary depending on organization size and depth of resources included, with corporate membership costs starting at $10,000 and reaching up to $25,000. Those interested in a membership can contact the organization online.
i4cp’s CHRO Board
i4cp’s CHRO Board is a networking group exclusive to HR executives at leading companies. The invite-only organization drives i4cp’s research on human resource issues. People on the board get early access to the organization’s data and collaborate on how to apply these findings to fix broader HR issues. By learning from leading peers, members can be the first to know about new trends, identify next moves, and implement successful strategies that bolster HR’s function with market performances. There are thousands of executives in the network, representing companies including Amazon, Nike, Sony, and Citibank.
Requirements: Members are typically the head of HR at large organizations. They need to be invited and approved to join the group.
Cost: Memberships are invite-only and cost $20,000 per year. Those interested in a membership can contact the organization online.
Gartner for Human Resources (HR)
Gartner for HR is a networking group covering the topics that matter most to human resources executives and advises some of the world’s top HR leaders. The group has over 150 current and former HR experts who advise members through one-on-one conversations, strategy meetings, and research on client portals. The organization hosts several conferences throughout the year across different countries and offers a free peer connect program where over 100,000 members can ask questions and launch polls in the forum. Some of Gartner for HR’s notable members include Gianetta Jones, senior vice president and chief people officer for Coca-Cola, and Samira Mairaj, global head of associate experience for Alcon.
Requirements: Qualifying members must be enterprise-wide CHROs, or a regional/business unit CHRO responsible for more than 2,500 employees in the private sector, or 1,000 employees in the public sector. CHROs who qualify from an organization that provides services or products to HR professionals must be involved solely with their organization’s HR functions.
Cost: Membership prices vary. Prospective members can apply online.
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Executive Network
SHRM has over 1,000 member companies—from AARP to McDonalds Corporation to Samsung— whose members span across 48 states and more than 10 countries. The executive network offers live events, private assembly calls with members, an insights forum hosting monthly virtual discussions on topics from AI to talent, and custom trends information from SHRM’s data center. SHRM also produces a wide variety of resources and materials, from its people strategy podcast that explores industry trends to its biweekly e-newsletter briefings. The executive network features leading HR professionals at companies including Google, Meta, and Walmart.
Requirements: Applicants must qualify as senior HR leaders at middle-market and enterprise-level companies with at least 250 employees.
Cost: Membership fees vary depending on the applicant’s company size and position level but start at $3,995 for the first 12 months. To become a member, apply online.
Evanta’s CHRO communities
Evanta is one of Gartner’s more exclusive networks that brings together a curated group of C-suite professionals from top companies. The invite-only HR networking network, Evanta’s CHRO communities, has more than 18 global groups that serve over 2,500 CHROs. Each group is organized regionally, and offers year-round gatherings, exclusive community insights, and in-depth discussions on pressing HR issues. Notable members include Jacqueline Welch, CHRO of the New York Times, and Nikki Humphrey, CPO of Virgin Group. Evanta offers an executive summit and inner circle events in person, alongside virtual town halls and peer roundtables.
Requirements: Memberships are invite only and require applicants to be C-suite leaders or senior executives working at an organization that pulls in an annual revenue above $500 million. Exceptions can be considered.
Cost: None, complimentary to qualifying CHROs and VPs of HR. Those interested can apply here.
World 50 Group/HR50
World 50 Group has several intimate executive community groups. The organization’s HR networking group—HR 50—and other C-suite memberships have access to actionable insights, global benchmarking data, and video meeting replays. Members can also post questions in community chats. A few notable members of the World 50 group include Tim Campos, CIO of Apple, and Brie Carere, chief customer officer of FedEx.
Requirements: Applicants must be a senior HR executive for a company making at least $1 billion in annual revenue.
Cost: Membership fees are not disclosed to the public. To be considered for an HR 50 community membership, contact the organization online.
