SHRM26 Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., Take Back HR Keynote Speech

Why It Matters

HR’s declining credibility threatens its ability to manage talent, compliance, and culture; a decisive shift is essential for companies to remain competitive and resilient.

Key Takeaways

• CEOs still view HR as low‑value, many merely tolerate it.
• HR functions are being fragmented and reassigned to other departments.
• Recent layoffs show top executives questioning HR’s necessity.
• HR must evolve into work‑design experts, not just people managers.
• A coordinated “revolution” is needed to restore HR’s strategic relevance.

Summary

Johnny C. Taylor Jr., SHRM President and CEO, opened his SHRM26 keynote by warning that HR faces an existential crisis. He cited a recent survey of 92 CEOs in which only ten said they love HR, sixty merely tolerate it, and thirty view it as dispensable, underscoring a deep perception gap between HR professionals and the C‑suite.

Taylor highlighted concrete threats: HR work is being sliced off and reassigned—compensation to finance, employee relations to legal, learning to external vendors—while high‑profile layoffs at companies like Uber and public criticism from CEOs such as Bolt’s leader illustrate a growing belief that HR can be eliminated without harming the business. He recounted a personal encounter with a skeptical CEO who admitted HR was “the most important function” yet still dismissed its value, and he referenced the post‑COVID great resignation and rising AI anxieties that have left CEOs questioning why they should protect employees.

The keynote stressed that HR must stop being a cost center and become a strategic partner that understands both technology and work design. Taylor urged HR leaders to master the economics of talent, become experts on how work gets done, and act courageously to reclaim their influence. He framed this shift not as evolution but as a necessary revolution to prevent the profession’s extinction.

If HR fails to adapt, businesses risk losing the strategic insight needed to navigate talent shortages, compliance complexities, and rapid technological change. Conversely, a successful HR renaissance could restore confidence, improve employee experience, and drive sustainable growth across organizations.

Original Description

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.'s inspiring speech at SHRM26 in Orlando, FL. June 18, 2026

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