Taylor has held senior human resources and legal executive roles with Viacom and its subsidiaries including
Blockbuster Entertainment,
Paramount Pictures, and
Alamo Rent a Car. He was General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for
Compass Group USA before becoming partner and Chief Executive in the
McGuireWoods law firm. Taylor worked for
IAC/InterActiveCorp, a media company, first as the senior vice president of human resources, and then as the president and chief executive officer of IAC subsidiary
RushmoreDrive. From 2010 to 2017, Taylor led the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). This includes 47 publicly-supported historically Black colleges and universities, six law schools, two medical schools, and over 300,000 students. On June 1, 2017, the
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) named Taylor president and chief executive officer. Taylor led a $20 million financial turnaround of SHRM, which took a loss of $5.6 million in 2016 and registered net income of $14.1 million by 2018. He is credited with building a "challenge culture" where employee input is encouraged. In July 2024, Taylor led SHRM's shift from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to just I&D (inclusion and diversity). He cited "societal backlash and increased polarization" in advocating for an "inclusion-first approach".
Author Taylor wrote the 2021 book
Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval. He is co-author of ''The Trouble with HR: An Insider's Guide to Finding and Keeping the Best People,'' which covers employee relations, compensation and benefits, training, on-boarding, and development practices. Taylor's weekly column in
USA Today, titled "Ask HR", touches on employee burnout, job productivity, workplace culture, and other topics. In July 2024,
U.S. News & World Report published an opinion piece by Taylor where he advocated for civility at work amid political tensions. Alongside Career Club president Bob Goodwin, Taylor hosts the podcast "The Work Wire", discussing how the latest news affects the workplace. in 2019
Public speaking Taylor has delivered presentations where he discusses the future of human resources. He speaks on business leadership, diversity, management, politics at work, and human resources. Taylor has been featured by
The Today Show,
CNBC,
Reuters,
CBS Evening News,
Time,
Fortune,
The Wall Street Journal,
The Guardian, and
HR Magazine, among others. In September 2021, Taylor held a virtual event as part of the Big Ideas Speaker Series at Rotman Livestream, where he discussed his book, ''Reset: A Leader's Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval'', remote work, and increased focus on diversity and inclusion. In 2022, Taylor spoke at the University of Miami graduation ceremony at the
Watsco Center. On December 1, 2023, he was guest speaker at the 15th Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, where he discussed "Creative Resilience, Leading in an Age of Discontinuity". In May 2024, Taylor spoke at the
Milken Institute Global Conference about workforce resiliency. In October 2024, Taylor mentored students at
High Point University (HPU) as HPU's "Human Capital Expert in Residence". That same month, he delivered the keynote speech at the Global Conference on Human Resources in Accra, Ghana, discussing the intersection of artificial intelligence and HR technologies. In May 2025, Taylor spoke about leadership at
Oklahoma City Community College. Taylor has testified before Congress and U.S. government agencies, covering workforce issues such as sexual harassment and paid leave. In April 2021, he testified before the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the civil rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to its disproportionate impact on people of color, women, and other vulnerable workers. In February 2025, he testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee on workforce development. In July 2025, Taylor took the stage at the SHRM25 conference with former President
Joe Biden to discuss his thoughts on the workplace. At the conference, Taylor urged HR professionals to lead employees through “the storm” of artificial intelligence, mass layoffs, and other economic factors.
Board positions Taylor sits on the corporate boards of Guild Education, Flores HR, and XPO, Inc. He also serves on several nonprofit boards, including United Way Worldwide and Jobs for America’s Graduates. Taylor is chairman of LifeGuides’ Social Impact Council. Taylor was previously on the boards of the University of Miami, iCIMS,
Gallup Inc.,
Au Bon Pain,
Cooper Union, SHRM, Drake University, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Leader to Leader Institute (the
Peter F. Drucker Foundation), YMCA of the USA, and
Johnson C. Smith University. He was an advisor to Safe Streets and Second Chances, a program working to reduce recidivism among previously incarcerated individuals. Taylor has held several government-appointed positions. He was chair to President Trump’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and served on the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, which advises the National Council for the American Worker. In 2020, Taylor was U.S. Representative
Mark Walker's guest for the
State of the Union address. and in 2024, he was appointed as an official advisor and member of Nectar's Advisory Board. That same year, Taylor was reportedly on the Trump administration’s short list for
U.S. Secretary of Labor. He responded, "It would speak to the magnitude of impact SHRM has on work, workers, and workplaces globally."
Articles • "The digital transformation is a skills and education opportunity for all. Companies must use it."
World Economic Forum (February 20, 2019) • "Can worker get written up for changing TV to Fox News? Free-speech rights differ in office"
USA Today (March 26, 2019) • "Flexibility in the Workplace Is No Longer an Anomaly"
Future of Business and Tech (December 11, 2019) • "The Power of People You Overlook"
Wiley Library (September 26, 2021) • "How do I support employees' caregiving needs? Ask HR"
USA Today (May 3, 2022) • "How can workplace health equity lead to a fair and just society?"
World Economic Forum (May 12, 2023) • "How do I advance my career to the executive level? Ask HR"
USA Today (July 2, 2024) • "Should there be flexibility in company vacation policies? Ask HR"
USA Today (March 4, 2025) • "How do I prepare for potential layoffs at work? Ask HR"
USA Today (May 6, 2025) • "Can a worker be fired without a reason? Ask HR"
USA Today (June 3, 2025) • "How do I avoid nepotism perception when recommending a relative for a job? Ask HR”
USA Today (July 8, 2025) • How do I reenter the workforce after taking a 5-year hiatus to care for a sick child? Ask HR" USA Today ( September 30, 2025) • Is it possible to date a co-worker without drama or bias? Ask HR" USA Today (November 4, 2025) • Should your employer be informed about your side gig? Ask HR" USA Today ( November 25, 2025) • Should I tell my boss if I use AI at work? Ask HR” USA Today (December 2, 2025) • Can job hopping harm your career? USA Today (Match 3 2026) • Can an introvert be an effective leader? Ask Johnny USA Today (February 10, 2026) • How do I stop a co-worker from oversharing personal drama? Ask Johnny USA Today (January 25 2026) • When is it OK to apply for an internal transfer? US Today (April 28, 2026) • How do I turn negative feedback into career advancement? Ask Johnny US Today (March 31, 2026) • As a recent college grad, how can I showcase my experience? USA TODAY (March 17, 2026) • Stepping Inside SHRM: Our Reflection on Culture, Leadership, and Experience (April 21, 2026) • How do I respectfully ask for the raise I was promised? USA TODAY (April 21, 2026) == Awards and recognitions ==