As a CHRO in a private-equity portfolio company, every investment—especially in people development—must demonstrate measurable ROI. When an HR leader asks to attend the SHRM Conference, the question isn’t whether the event is valuable. It’s whether the value will translate into impact, efficiency, and better outcomes inside your HR organization.
With travel, registration, and expenses easily reaching several thousand dollars, PE-backed HR leaders must approach conferences with intention and discipline. Here are five ways to ensure you get a clear return on investment when sending an employee to SHRM.
1. Set Clear, Measurable Goals Before They Attend
Before approving the trip, have your HR leader clearly identify what they plan to achieve.
Examples include:
- Expanding their HR leadership network
- Learning new compliance or employment law updates
- Gaining insights on TA, DEI, or HR tech
- Identifying vendors for future needs
- Improving recruiting or retention strategies
Clarity up front ensures expectations—and outputs—are aligned to business needs.
2. Begin With the End in Mind: Require a Knowledge Transfer
To ensure insights translate into organizational value, set a post-conference expectation:
They will present a lunch-and-learn, mini-workshop, or recap session for the HR team.
This not only spreads the learning across the department but also helps them develop communication and presentation skills. When learning is shared, the ROI multiplies.
3. Review and Approve Their Conference Gameplan
Have your HR leader build a structured gameplan before they go:
- Which sessions directly support your HR strategy?
- Which speakers are most relevant to your priorities?
- Where should they be networking?
- Which vendors or HR tech demos should they prioritize?
By reviewing their agenda in advance, you ensure they aren’t attending sessions at random. A well-planned schedule prevents wasted time and ensures alignment with organizational goals.
4. Expect Active Participation (Not Back-Row Passivity)
Set the tone early: this isn’t a vacation. It’s a strategic development opportunity.
Encourage them to:
- Sit up front
- Ask questions
- Participate in breakout sessions
- Engage with speakers and peers
- Keep the phone put away unless needed
Active participation drives deeper learning, better networking, and stronger professional visibility.
5. Conduct a Post-Conference ROI Review
Once they return, evaluate the investment:
- What skills or insights did they bring back?
- What new vendors were identified?
- What improvements can be implemented immediately?
- What connections were made that can support recruiting or HR operations?
- Did the outcomes justify the cost (travel, hotel, meals, registration)?
This review creates accountability and helps guide future decisions about SHRM or similar conferences.
Final Thoughts
When approached strategically, conferences can strengthen your HR organization, improve capability, and support the fast-moving demands of a PE portfolio company. By setting expectations, creating a learning cascade, and evaluating outcomes, CHROs can confidently maximize ROI—and ensure professional development investments translate into real business value.
