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HR Networking | Join/Start a Local HR Group |
Real Life Examples

Are you an independent group, or part of a member organization (if so, which one)?
The HR Network is an informal group of human resources directors/managers of Twin Cities (St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN) nonprofit agencies, the majority of which are affiliated with the United Way. Some members are full-time HR directors, although others don’t work exclusively with HR.

What is the history of your group? (How long have you been around? How did you get started?)
The group began meeting in 1994, initiated by the St. Paul United Way, to share resources and discuss human resources issues.

How many people are currently in the group?
The group consists of about 25 members, with usually 10-15 at a meeting.

How do you determine who can join?
Membership is generally by invitation. The small, informal nature of the group allows for easy discussion. Confidentiality of all topics discussed is an expectation.

What is the governing structure of your group?
The group currently has no formal structure, although one member serves as the primary contact and maintains the contact list.

What resources do you offer to the people in your network?
The group usually shares projected salary increases, which is helpful to bring back to agency directors for budget planning purposes. Members have also contributed various materials into a traveling “HR resource box,” consisting of sample forms, employee handbooks, etc., that is available for checkout.

Are your events or meetings ever open to the public?
Yes. One of the HR Network’s achievements has been a collaborative effort: organizing supervisor training for staff. Several network members formed a subcommittee, identified needs, developed curriculum, and recruited trainers. Quality sessions were offered for $15 per participant. The response was greater than anticipated and future offerings are under consideration.

How often do you get together?
We meet once per month September through May. The group does not meet in July.

How are events or meetings structured?
Meeting topics are agreed upon in advance for the whole year. Sometimes a guest speaker or vendor will give a presentation, but often the group simply discusses a topic and shares how it's handled in the respective agencies. Topics have included compensation and benefits, paid time off plans, use of volunteers, exit interviews, restructuring, diversity, background checks, succession planning, and HR competencies, etc.

Do people in your group pay dues? If so, how do you take care of collecting/organizing/accounting for the budget?
The group has no budget or source of funding, but has discussed seeking funding for special projects from the United Way. Supervisor training is one tangible example of the benefits of the HR Network’s collaboration.

What advice would you give to groups in other cities that were seeking to start a similar group?
While it may take some administrative time to get going, the group provides a valuable resource and is well worth the effort.