All Sessions - Sorted By Track

Recent advances in AI have fueled a new wave of concern regarding the exposure of workers to automation and potential displacement risk. In this session, we share findings from ongoing SHRM research which explores automation risk in the US workforce. By identifying the degree to which individual occupations are already automated, we estimate the share of current US employment that faces high to very high risk of automation displacement, both overall and by major occupational group and industry.

Learning Outcome 1: Attendees will gain knowledge about the current distribution of workers across occupations in the U.S. workforce.

Learning Outcome 2: Attendees will gain a broad sense of the set of current jobs that are especially susceptible to automation displacement, as well as the level of exposure faced by workers in specific occupational groups and industries.

Learning Outcome 3: Attendees will gain knowledge about the degree to which individual occupations are already automated, including significant variation of automation level within individual occupations.

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, the collaboration between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence is transforming HR practices. This panel, featuring leaders from top technology companies, will explore how AI and human intelligence are being harnessed to drive innovation and efficiency in HR. Despite the potential, seventy-three percent of HR leaders report having either no experience (18%) or limited experience (56%) with AI. Our experts will share insights on overcoming these challenges and leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities, improve decision-making, and foster a more dynamic and inclusive workplace.

Learning Outcome 1: Understand the current landscape of AI in HR and its potential impact on the workforce.

Learning Outcome 3: Learn practical steps to overcome barriers and build AI competency within HR teams.

Learning Outcome 2: Identify strategies to integrate AI with human intelligence to enhance HR functions.

Discover how AI can transform employee engagement and growth by delivering personalized experiences throughout the employee journey. This session will show how AI-powered data insights can drive tailored career development, onboarding, training, and feedback, fostering retention and satisfaction. We’ll also explore privacy and ethical considerations, emphasizing transparency and informed consent to build trust. Gain practical strategies to leverage AI in creating a supportive, customized employee experience that aligns with organizational goals.

Learning Outcome 1: Explore how AI can analyze employee data to create personalized career growth and development plans, fostering greater engagement and retention.

Learning Outcome 2: Understand the privacy and ethical implications of AI in personalizing employee experiences, focusing on transparency and informed consent to build trust.

Learning Outcome 3: Learn strategies for implementing AI-powered tools to enhance onboarding, training, and feedback processes, ensuring each employee’s journey is supportive and aligned with their goals.

As artificial intelligence evolves from a tool into a digital counterpart, organizations face a critical challenge: technical expertise alone isn't driving the expected business results. According to a study by Upwork in July, 2024, 77% of employees using AI say these tools have added to their workload, and nearly half (47%) of employees using AI report they do not know how to achieve the expected productivity gains. In this groundbreaking talk, Paul reveals why traditional AI training falls short and he demonstrates how organizations can achieve remarkable productivity gains by preparing employees to treat AI as a team member, while avoiding the common pitfall of anthropomorphizing these digital tools. It all starts with training employees to accept, better understand, and effectively use AI. Attendees will learn concrete strategies for managing AI-related anxiety, building trust in human-AI hybrid teams, and creating workflows that integrate both human and artificial intelligence.

Learning Outcome 1: Design and implement change management strategies for AI integration that address employee resistance, build psychological safety, and foster a culture of innovation.

Learning Outcome 2: Design and implement training programs that build AI collaboration competencies in human-AI hybrid teams, focusing on both technical skills and emotional intelligence while establishing clear protocols for collaboration.

Learning Outcome 3: Develop frameworks for ethical AI adoption that align with organizational values, ensure compliance, and maintain employee trust while improving operational efficiency.

With almost 35 states, cities, and counties with mandatory paid sick leave laws, HR's job has gotten even harder ‐ particularly in companies with employees in multiple states. HR professionals are increasingly confused about how to remain in compliance with the myriad of rules that are not consistent from one location to the next, while Payroll professionals are pulling their hair out to get their systems programmed to handle the often complex accrual and record‐keeping requirements. Join us for an interactive and lively discussion about how best to get in compliance in this ever‐evolving area of HR. This will be a hands‐on, deep dive for those who want to dig into the details of how to get into compliance in this challenging area. We will split up into small groups to develop sample policies. All HR professionals will better understand the most current sick leave laws, the complexity of multi‐state compliance, and the evolving trends.

Learning Objectives:

• A description of the current paid sick leave laws including updates for 2025.
• Paid Family Leave programs and how they differ from paid sick days.
• Understanding the impact on vacation and PTO plans.

The rules governing HR and benefits are confusing and complex. It is difficult to understand how they all fit together as coherent rules and how to apply them in various situations. Many learn ad hoc as the need arises leaving a confusing tangle of seemingly contradictory rules.

This session will provide a high-level overview of the basics of HR and benefits compliance. It will provide attendees an understanding of the structure of the core HR and benefits rules, how they work together, and how to apply them in specific situations.

The program will cover the core HR, leave, and benefits requirements that all HR professionals should know. The presenters will give the attendees a structure to bring some order and understanding to the seemingly arbitrary rules associated with HR and benefits compliance. Knowing the internal structure and logic of individual rules and regulations helps to broaden and clarify the rules when applying them to specific instances.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the overall structure, organization and methodology (versus just a recitation of specific rules) of ERISA, IRC and other laws and regulations that govern employee benefits and be able to apply to specific situations.
• Learn the overall structure, organization and methodology of the core HR rules and requirements and be able to apply to specific situations.
• Learn the basics of the various paid leave requirements in the various states and other jurisdictions and how they interact with the federal rules and be able to apply in specific situations.

According to a recent Greenwald Research study, 89% of participants agreed that having guaranteed retirement income would affect their current well-being retirement. As a result of data like this, lifetime income options are becoming the newest trend in helping plan participants prepare for retirement. And the Secure Act and Secure Act 2.0 have made this a key component in the future of retirement plans as a benefit. But what exactly IS lifetime income? How does it work? Are there different options for providing this in a retirement plan? What are the fiduciary considerations (and risks) in offering such options? What plans are this appropriate for? During our session, we'll discuss the landscape of lifetime income options and what it means to your plan and your employees. We will cover the fiduciary aspects of evaluating the need for these solutions for your employees as well as help you with some recommendations on how to choose between the various options if you decide to offer one.

Learning Outcome 1: What is retirement income and should we consider offering such options?

Learning Outcome 2: Pros and Cons of offering income options inside your plan.

Learning Outcome 3: How to establishing a prudent selection and monitoring process for income options.

The landscape of workplace leave laws in the United States is growing increasingly complex, with state and local jurisdictions introducing diverse regulations designed to address the evolving needs of today’s workforce. For employers, understanding and managing these laws is critical to fostering compliance, maintaining employee trust and relations, and creating a supportive workplace culture and environment. In this session, we will explore the trends shaping state and local leave laws, such as paid family, sick, bereavement, and other statutory leave entitlements. Attendees will gain insights into the administrative challenges posed by overlapping or intersecting laws, remote workforce considerations, and the enforcement landscape. The presentation will provide actionable strategies and tools to help employers navigate compliance while aligning leave policies with broader business objectives.

Learning Outcome 1: Understanding Statutory/Local Leave Law Trends: Learn about the latest trends and developments in state and local leave laws, including paid sick leave, family leave, and other emerging regulations.

Learning Outcome 2: Mitigate Legal Risks: Develop strategies to address conflicting federal, state, and local leave requirements to minimize compliance risks.

Learning Outcome 3: Leverage Modern Tools: Discover the tools and technology available to streamline leave administration and ensure accurate tracking and reporting.

Are you looking to attract and retain key talent? Nonqualified benefit programs are used to help provide ways for executives to shelter money from taxes, BUT they carry a lot of risks, are somewhat complicated, and can be expensive to administer. What if there was another way? What if there might be a better way? Let me introduce you to the 162 Bonus Program, a unique alternative that has a lot of upsides for the executive, eliminates the risk of forfeiture, but also gives the employer a clawback option.

Learning Outcome 1: What are 162 bonus programs and what makes then different from Nonqualified Deferred Compensation programs under IRC 409A?

Learning Outcome 2: How can an organization structure these to retain key talent?

Learning Outcome 3: What are the advantages of this approach over a more traditional executive benefit program?

Compensation is more than a budget line item—it’s a strategic tool that reflects your organization’s values and directly impacts retention and engagement. However, many employers either lack a defined compensation philosophy or rely on generic frameworks that fall short of addressing today’s workforce expectations. This session empowers HR professionals with the knowledge and tools to build a compensation philosophy that aligns with organizational goals, advances pay equity, and strengthens the business case for fair pay. Using a real-world case study, participants will explore the pitfalls of “market rate” benchmarks and discover actionable methods for calculating internal role value, correcting historical pay biases, and creating transparent compensation formulas. Hands-on tools and interactive exercises will help attendees design strategies that attract talent, improve retention, and embed fairness as a competitive advantage, providing a foundation for success.

Learning Outcome 1: Analyze a real-world case study to identify and address gaps in compensation systems.

Learning Outcome 2: Learn actionable techniques to calculate internal role value and correct historical pay biases.

Learning Outcome 3: Gain tools and insights to build a strategic, values-driven compensation philosophy that meets employee needs, aligns with expectations, and drives pay equity.

Experts invite you to a game of “proverbial poker” where they share their hand in three “rounds”. Each round is designed to share their unique perspectives on pay equity in the new administration. This panel unites experts from two distinct fields—an Industrial-Organizational (I/O) psychologist and a labor economist —to offer a discussion on the current state and future of pay equity. The impact of legal, economic, and statistical factors on pay practices will be covered in three rounds, each involving audience polling for tailored advice: 1. “Let it Ride” – The impact of the Trump administration’s policies on pay equity. 2. “Texas Hold Em” – The rise of state-level pay laws and take-aways for employers. 3. “High Low Chicago” – Best practices for implementing adjustments. Attendees will see how to apply these insights in their organizations. Participants will gain actionable strategies to identify pay disparities, ensure compliance, and implement adjustments.

Learning Outcome 1:Assess the influence of legal and economic factors on pay equity.

Learning Outcome 2: Navigate state-level pay equity regulations.

Learning Outcome 3:Implement customized, effective strategies for addressing pay disparities.

Ever wonder why, despite offering fantastic benefits, employees seem to forget about them after open enrollment? Join us for an enlightening session where we’ll unravel the mystery behind sustaining engagement with your benefit plan. We’ll focus on the mindset shift, effective communication tactics, and building a solid benefits engagement strategy to ensure your workforce not only remembers and appreciates their benefits but uses them throughout the year.

Learning Outcome 1: Recognize the post-enrollment mind shift and challenges in sustaining benefit awareness.

Learning Outcome 2: Improve year-round communication and maximize impact using compelling messaging and diverse channels.

Learning Outcome 3: Implement a benefits engagement strategy that contributes to the employee experience and bolsters your organization’s employee engagement initiatives.

Compensation metrics are intrinsic to the smooth operation of your organization. If you're looking to improve your compensation programs and to pay your employees equitably, it is important to analyze essential pay metrics. Moreover, pay metrics are used to optimize your cash reward strategies and to ensure an aligned fit with your compensation strategy. In this session, you will learn to calculate and use the critical compensation metrics essential to your compensation programs, including compa-ratio, salary range penetration, compensation percentiles, as well as linear regression and standard deviation, and more. Comp metrics consist of more than comparing how your salaries stack up against the competition. They are also used to ensure the crucial objective of achieving pay equity throughout your organization. The more you can base your pay programs on solid industry and reward metrics, the better you'll be able to motivate your workforce and contribute to your organization's success

Learning Outcome 1: The most useful compensation metrics for managing your organization's compensation programs, such as, compa-ratio, salary range penetration, measures of central tendency, and compensation percentiles.

Learning Outcome 2: Practical compensation and pay equity applications using linear regression and standard deviation, and related real-life examples.

Learning Outcome 3: Key questions you should be asking about your pay practices and overall compensation philosophy once you've gathered and calculated your data.

Results from SHRM's Annual Employee Benefits Survey will be covered, including which employee benefits are offered by employers, their prevalence, societal factors that may be influencing employers to increase or decrease their offerings, and how members can utilize the interactive Employee Benefits Benchmarking Tool to view benefits benchmarking data applicable to their organization's size, location, and industry.

Learning Outcome 1: Identify which employee benefits are offered most prominently from SHRM member organizations.

Learning Outcome 2: Interpret increases or decreases in employee benefits offerings based on current societal and workplace factors.

Learning Outcome 3: Understand how to use SHRM's interactive Employee Benefits Benchmarking Tool.

Pay transparency is no longer optional—it's an evolving reality shaping the future of compensation practices. As organizations grapple with growing demands for clarity around pay decisions, they face a spectrum of pay transparency concerns. We will confront organizations' hard questions: How do we explain where any person is paid within the salary range? Why do employees in the same role receive different pay? What are the fundamental tradeoffs of transparency? This candid conversation will challenge participants to reflect on the complexities of pay decisions while offering actionable strategies for documenting compensation philosophies, aligning pay structures with organizational goals, and creating sustainable processes that promote equity and trust. Whether you are navigating these discussions now or preparing to transform your pay program, this session will provide practical tools to help your organization manage transparency effectively.

Learning Outcome 1: Debate and balance the trade-offs that come with pay transparency, including decisions impacting annual pay processes, salary administration, hiring guidelines, pay equity audits, and market competitiveness.

Learning Outcome 2: Develop clear communication tools to proactively address employee questions about salary range placement and pay comparisons.

Learning Outcome 3: Understand how to align pay transparency with organizational goals, covering critical aspects like compensation philosophy, pay advancement, equity processes, and overall pay structure.

Combine CliftonStrengths® insights with pickleball to engage and retain top talent! CliftonStrengths® reveals key personality and communication traits, while pickleball offers a fun way to apply these strengths in real-time with colleagues. This unique approach promotes self-awareness, teamwork, and collaboration.

In this interactive session, participants explore how CliftonStrengths® enhances individual and team dynamics, then learn the basics of pickleball to assess and apply their talents through partnership play. Whether participating or observing, everyone connects their strengths to practical teamwork strategies.

The session concludes with a meaningful debrief, linking the experience to workplace engagement and culture. This innovative method provides lasting value, transforming team development into a playful yet impactful experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a greater understanding of the impact that self and team knowledge of strengths is a key to greater engagement and retention of top talent.
• Learn the basic tenets of CliftonStrengths and how to use this assessment to gain greater self and team awareness.
• Learn the basics of pickleball and practice using partnership communication, collaboration, strategy, body language, and more on the court as a way to observe and hone individual and team strengths.

At some point, nearly all HR professionals will recognize an employee struggling with their mental health or be asked to support someone through a mental health crisis. Employee well-being is a growing concern for organizations. This session will delve into the crucial role HR plays in promoting mental well-being in the workplace and, through lived experiences, learn how to respond to those in need. Participants will gain insights into recognizing signs of mental health issues, offering appropriate resources, and fostering a supportive environment that encourages open discussions about mental health. We will also address legal and ethical considerations, ensuring HR practices align with regulations while safeguarding employee confidentiality. In the end, HR professionals will have practical strategies to cultivate a mentally healthy workplace, boosting overall productivity and employee satisfaction. Now is the time to step up and become a mental health champion.

Learning Outcome 1: Identify and recognize signs of mental health struggles among employees.

Learning Outcome 3: Navigate legal and ethical considerations while maintaining confidentiality and compliance.

Learning Outcome 2: Implement effective strategies and resources to support employee mental well-being.

Have you ever felt that someone was retaliating against you? Ever have an employee come to you and claim that they were being treated differently because they came forward to raise a concern? This engaging session will address these and other critical issues related to employment retaliation, delving into the nuances of retaliation, revealing the latest case law guidance and courtroom insights that expose the risks organizations face today. In today’s workplace landscape, employment retaliation is a pressing concern that impacts not only organizational culture and trust, but employee retention as well. Focusing on audience engagement through live polling and discussion, this session creates a dynamic environment where participant concerns are addressed in real-time via multiple avenues. Attendees will leave armed with practical insights and tools to foster an insightful and supportive workplace environment where retaliation is actively addressed.

Learning Outcome 1: 1. Identify common behaviors and organizational climates that foster employment retaliation.

Learning Outcome 2: Understand key legal cases and their implications on workplace culture and practices as well as acquire actionable strategies to effectively mitigate retaliation risks and support affected employees.

Learning Outcome 3: Develop and implement response mechanisms for addressing employee concerns regarding retaliation including best practices of policy creation and training.

This presentation will explore the critical balance between legal compliance and psychological considerations during employee terminations. Attendees will learn effective strategies to conduct safe terminations that minimize legal and physical risks while supporting the emotional well-being of all parties involved. Key focus areas will include understanding employment laws related to termination, key considerations for at-will employment versus contractual obligations, and the importance of proper documentation. The presentation will also address the emotional and psychological effects of termination on employees, strategies to mitigate negative impacts, and the importance of clear communication.

Learning Outcome 1: This presentation will provide best practices for termination meetings, including preparation, structuring the meeting, and managing reactions.

Learning Outcome 2: This presentation will review the employment laws related to termination, including key considerations for at-will employment versus contractual obligations, and the importance of maintaining proper documentation to support termination decisions.

Learning Outcome 3: This presentation will identify the emotional and psychological effects of termination on employees and offer strategies to mitigate these negative impacts, ensuring the emotional well-being of all parties involved.

As the legal landscape surrounding employment law continues to evolve, HR professionals face new and complex challenges. This engaging session will allow attendees to actively participate in exploring vital issues related to the ADA, FMLA, and significant wage and hour considerations, among other concerns. Participants will gain insights into recent court rulings that could shape workplace policies and practices, posing critical questions as they navigate this multifaceted landscape. Through this lively game format, attendees will compete to answer questions that reflect real-world scenarios. This collaborative environment not only fosters engagement but also encourages participants to think critically about the implications of recent legal decisions on their HR strategies. By approaching these challenges in an interactive format, participants will enhance their understanding of compliance while leaving equipped with actionable strategies to support their organizations effectively.

Learning Outcome 1:Learn about the latest impactful court decisions in ADA & FMLA.

Learning Outcome 2: Gain an understanding of how the respective court decisions and requirements may alter the manner in which HR assesses situations.

Learning Outcome 3:Explore the interplay between leave, disability and wage and hour issues.

Most engagement efforts focus on workplace engagement. But Gallup claims 70% of the workforce continue to be disengaged or actively disengaged. What gives? Research and case studies from Bob Kelleher's book, I-Engage, Your Personal Engagement Roadmap highlight that workplace engagement is often triggered by what happens at home as much as what happens at work. If an employee is not happy in life, they will struggle to find engagement at work. Do you know what engages you or your people? Do you know why or your employees are or aren't engaged? Are your emotions driving your engagement? In this reflective session, discover the secrets to job fulfillment, the impact one's home and personal life have

Learning Outcome 1: Learn how to engage the WHOLE employee • How to coach employees to booster their personal engagement

Learning Outcome 3: • Understanding the two sides of engagement: personal and organizational

Learning Outcome 2: Steps to become more engaged as an individual and to identify warning signs of disengagement with people you manage

Given the boss is the single biggest driver of both engagement and disengagement- this is a significant organizational challenge. Why is this? Well, for starters, these are incredibly challenging times for all - bosses included. Many don't even want to manage people; and / or have no idea how to manage people; and / or lack the skill set to be effective bosses. They take on the role of leadership because that is how one makes more money. They often are left brain, analytics types who lack the right brain emotional intelligence DNA. In some ways, it is not their fault. It is the fault of organizations for poorly selecting 'people who lead people'.Attendees will learn the importance of training managers in these times, including best practices in selecting and training the best people to manage people. In this provocative multimedia and dynamic presentation, author and speaker Bob Kelleher takes attendees through a journey of why is has become so difficult to be a boss in these times.

Learning Outcome 1: • Discuss why people who manage people have the organization's most important job. • Discover the key success competencies of people who effectively manage people.

Learning Outcome 3: • Look for (and avoid) the 7 deadly characteristics of terrible bosses.

Learning Outcome 2: • Look for the right people to select themselves in (and out) of management.

“Will you now or in the future require sponsorship to work in the U.S.?” When a job applicant checks yes on Form I-9, what’s next? Sponsorship in this question refers to an employer facilitating the legal employment of a foreign worker. This involves assuming responsibility for the immigration application and ensuring compliance with all relevant immigration laws and regulations. In other words, you need to get an employment visa or work authorization. So, what does that even mean and where do you start? Join BAL’s immigration law experts as they provide straightforward answers to an often-hazy issue.

Learning Outcome: Learn general requirements for sponsoring a foreign national employee.

Learning Outcome: Learn the cost and time considerations associated with sponsorship.

Learning Outcome: Learn steps you need to take when filing for an employment visa.

Last year’s election may be over, but its fallout lingers on. Most of us are familiar with what can and can’t be said by employees at work, off duty and on social media regarding touchy subjects like politics, religion, protest rallies and social justice movements. But what about employees overseas? Learn just how much legal protection an employer’s workers have in other countries, and when and how us-based HR can discipline or terminate employees who engage in disruptive speech. Learn what US laws relating to speech at work may be applied to non-us employees, and what country laws protecting employee speech may shield your global workforce from disciplinary actions.

With the start of a second Trump administration, U.S. employers and foreign workers are once again facing uncertainty about the future of employment-based immigration policies. This session will focus on how employers are overcoming immigration restrictions and growing their companies with foreign professionals, examine potential changes on the horizon, and provide tips for navigating the current employment-immigration landscape, so that employers can continue to recruit and retain talent. This session is advanced-level and is geared towards human resources leaders, recruiters, and business leaders who oversee and/or are involved in the hiring process.

Learning Outcome: Understand stricter regulations on work visas and how to overcome increased scrutiny of employment-based green cards.

Learning Outcome: Understand future changes to the immigration system to anticipate future hiring needs and retention of staff.

Learning Outcome: How to navigate and overcome more government requests for evidence in visa applications.

The I-9 and E-Verify landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent years, with the introduction of virtual document examination, new state laws, and updates to work authorization policies. Under the second Trump administration, this evolution may accelerate, with a renewed focus on I-9 audits, enhanced E-Verify initiatives, and measures designed to protect US workers. As HR and compliance managers navigate this rapidly changing environment, proactive strategies can help mitigate risk. This session will unpack the latest developments in I-9 and E-Verify policies, explore emerging best practices for helping to streamline I-9 completion, and equip HR with actionable strategies to help prepare for potential audits and inspections.

Learning Outcome: Evaluate I-9 and E-Verify risk at your organization in light of recent policy changes under the second Trump administration.

Learning Outcome: Develop policies and procedures to prepare for potential I-9 and E-Verify audits.

Learning Outcome: Learn how some of the largest US employers have been virtually completing I-9s amidst increasing concerns over AI-based document fraud.

All employers who hire or send employees across international borders - whether to engage in business activities, carry out short-term assignments or relocate for the long term - benefit from having a written immigration policy that covers the legal and practical issues of global travel and international relocation. A written policy helps compa­nies meet duty-of-care obligations, prevents border issues and detainments and ensures that employees have the right to work when they arrive in their destination country. Additionally, a policy sets uniform expectations and guidelines to prevent managers and employees from running afoul of local labor laws or other sponsorship requirements. However, if you’ve never documented your immigration practices before or have a smaller corporate immigration program, you may not know where to start. Join BAL’s legal experts for a quick start guide on documenting your immigration policy.

Learning Outcome: Learn the eligibility factors that determine whether a role or individual qualifies for visa sponsorship.

Learning Outcome: Consider if the policy will have different tiers of support, like for high-level executives or urgent business needs.

Learning Outcome: Determine whether sponsorship will include both nonimmigrant and immigrant categories, as well as spouses and/or dependents.

Loneliness is a global epidemic that threatens the health of workers around the globe. Loneliness impacts employee engagement and productivity. Work and loneliness are intertwined with the rise of virtual workplaces that contribute to isolation and inadequate social connections. Now, more than ever, companies must be intentional about creating connections at work and fostering belonging. Employee well-being and business continuity are inextricable. HR professionals play a critical role. HR professionals can help organizations build hybrid workplaces where employees engage and thrive. Equipped with fresh research and new insights, international speaker Sonia Aranza returns with this upgraded version of a popular SHRM session to deepen understanding of the loneliness epidemic. In this important session, you will acquiire actionable tips to help workers mitigate loneliness and boost organizational excellence.

Learning Outcome 1: Heighten understanding of the loneliness epidemic and its connection to work.

Learning Outcome 2: Acquire important insights on the impact of virtual and hybrid workplaces.

Learning Outcome 3: Be empowered to create healthy workplaces that center on human connection.

For organizations launching or growing Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) work, the process can become overwhelming. Where do you begin and how can you ensure you'll make a difference? Effective I&D work starts with a thorough needs assessment along with a comprehensive strategy that ties to the overall business outcomes and drives organizational success. This session provides participants with the knowledge, tools and process to build their own transformational I&D strategy from the ground up.

We begin with the components of a foundational needs assessment, understanding what data and metrics are vital, and how to collect and analyze that data. From there we examine the benefits and components of a transformational versus transactional approach, an overview of the 13 areas of I&D best practice, and an understanding of the stages of organizational I&D competence. Have resistance to I&D work in your organization or don’t know how to define it or communicate the benefits? This session will cover that too. Along with case-studies from across industries, participants will be given tools and templates to produce their own best-practice strategy. 

Incivility in the workplace continues to increase and has an overwhelming negative impact on productivity and profits. Since SHRM released the Civility Index in early 2024, acts of incivility have continued to escalate. 76% of US workers stated they have personally experienced or witnessed acts of incivility over the past month. Acts of incivility are costing businesses a loss of productivity of more than $2.7 billion dollars PER DAY (and increase of an average of 600m per day from Q3 2024). This is just not acceptable. As HR & business leaders, it is essential to act now! Join SHRM’s I&D Council to learn about the SHRM Civility Toolkit in creating a culture of civility, inclusion, and belonging at your organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Through SHRM research, learn why civility, inclusion, and belonging are critical needs in business; now more than ever.

Learning Outcome 3: Make civility, inclusion, and belonging an organizational wide priority.

Learning Outcome 2: Learn about using the SHRM Civility Toolkit which will help you understand the causes of incivility, how to address, gain management buy-in, and develop a plan to become a culture of civility, inclusion, and belonging.

The research is undeniable: A global study of thousands of leaders across 22 countries revealed a hard truth—the most irreplaceable skills in the age of AI aren’t technical, they’re deeply human. Relationship-building, emotional intelligence, empathy, ethical decision-making, human connection, moral judgment, conflict resolution, and cultural adaptability—these are the competitive edge no algorithm can replicate.
Companies that master these human skills won’t just survive change—they’ll drive it. This high-impact session, inspired by the forthcoming book Beyond Belonging: How to Find, Build, and Create Your Place in the World, delivers five powerful strategies to sharpen these critical skills—ensuring HR leaders and organizations unlock higher engagement, stronger cultures, and next-level leadership.
 

Learning Outcome 1: Learn how to accelerate self-awareness, identify and eliminate culture-disruptors, and actively design an environment where each engaged employee ignites a ripple effect of growth and productivity.

Learning Outcome 2: Master the four key elements of deep connection (Connect, Acknowledge, Relate, and Expand) and leverage them to create high-trust teams and thriving workplace cultures.

Learning Outcome 3: Unlock the Five Laws of Elevation that transform HR leaders into cultural architects who lift people up, drive impact, and build legacies that matter.

There has been an alarming increase in antisemitism. Recorded levels of antisemitism are now at their highest level since the Holocaust. Like other forms of bias, employees don’t park their antisemitic views at the workplace door. Employers must do more to address this virulent virus. Acting EEOC Chair Lucas has stated that addressing antisemitism is a priority. This program provides practical advice for how HR can address workplace antisemitism, including: - Working definition of antisemitism. - Details on the escalation of antisemitism - Studies on admitted bias against Jews - Protection for Jewish applicants and employees beyond religion - I/D gaps and traps - Systemic steps to prevent and remedy discriminatory and harassing conduct at work - How to respond antisemitic postings on social media by your employees

Learning Outcome 1: Understand the definition of antisemitism.

Learning Outcome 2: Identify opportunities to prevent antisemitic discrimination and harassment at or impacting work.

Learning Outcome 3: Understand appropriate corrective action for antisemitic discrimination and harassment, including on social media.

Incivility in the workplace continues to increase and has an overwhelming negative impact on productivity and profits. Since SHRM released the Civility Index in early 2024, acts of incivility have continued to escalate. 76% of US workers stated they have personally experienced or witnessed acts of incivility over the past month. Acts of incivility are costing businesses a loss of productivity of more than $2.7 billion dollars PER DAY (and increase of an average of 600m per day from Q3 2024). This is just not acceptable. As HR & business leaders, it is essential to act now! Join SHRM’s I&D Council to learn how to utilize the SHRM Civility Toolkit in creating a culture of civility, inclusion, and belonging at your organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Learn about using the SHRM Civility Toolkit which will help you understand the causes of incivility, how to address, gain management buy-in, and develop a plan to become a culture of civility, inclusion, and belonging.

Learning Outcome 3: Through interactive and group discussions, test the application of the Civility Toolkit practices with other attendees. This will help you gain confidence when taking the Toolkit back to your organization.

Learning Outcome 2: Make civility, inclusion, and belonging an organizational wide priority.

Managing projects effectively is no small feat—especially when they stretch across divisions, time zones, and continents. The stakes are high: a poorly managed project can derail careers and jeopardize organizations, while a well-executed one can catapult you into a position of influence and secure your "seat at the table." The question is: are your Project Management skills ready to lead at that level? This dynamic and highly interactive session will equip you to:

1. Plan for Success – Build a strong, results-driven foundation
2. Lead and Execute Projects – Confidently manage teams and resources
3. Deliver Tangible Results – Ensure measurable outcomes
4. Stay on Budget and Meet Deadlines – Control scope, resources, and timelines

Whether you’re overseeing a small initiative or a global, cross-functional project, this session will equip you with the expertise to lead with confidence and deliver with excellence. Don’t just manage projects—transform them into career-defining successes.
 

Learning Objective 1: Defining deliverables in financial terms your senior leaders care about (and will actually pay attention to).

Learning Objective 2: Easy-to-implement Project Management tools for your day-to-day including Gap and SWOT analyses, Fishbone and Goal Breakdown Structure diagrams, RACI matrix, Gantt charts and more.

Learning Objective 3: Conducting comprehensive risk probability vs. impact analysis to determine where to focus your time on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure your company’s priorities are met.

When it comes to mental health and wellness this is a required skill for all of us! Have you ever had a conversation with someone that made you so mad? You just wanted to scream or throw something? You are not alone! This is the program for you! In this dynamic, high energy, and highly interactive program the audience will learn what emotional intelligence really is. Where do those pesky emotions come from? What is the process to manage them effectively? And how do you deal with all those other people that just drive you crazy?  Researchers and business experts agree that people with high emotional intelligence are consistently the top performers in their organizations. They're more resilient and flexible when things get tough and are held in the highest regard by others. Julie will share why emotional intelligence is far more than just a handy set of 'people skills,' and why many executives feel it's the one skill you must have to be successful in today's workplace! 

Learning Objectives:

• Leave with a clear understanding of what the emotional process is and how to manage it.
• Have the skills to handle others’ emotions so they can resolve issues rather than escalate them.
• Have a whole new understanding of what emotional intelligence is, the 4 key components involved, where they have the power to make changes, and how to let it go!

We know the story. We promote high-performing employees into management positions because they are good at their jobs, and then we send them off in the hopes that they have the ability to lead. MISTAKE! We cannot assume that our managers, new or experienced, have the tools necessary to lead and manage those who report to them. These skills are not inherent in everyone, and managers frequently must be taught how to manage. This fast-paced, business-focused, interactive workshop will take you through the education managers need most. Even more, we will give you the actual material and presentations so that you can bring this knowledge back to your organization. We will focus on the hiring and interview processes, performance management, the importance of empathy in keeping employees engaged and motivated, reporting responsibilities when complaints are brought or medical conditions are disclosed, recognizing and mitigating against implicit bias in decision making and more.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the subject matter on which managers must be educated and analyze the skills managers need with respect to hiring and interviewing, performance management, reporting complaints that are brought to their attention, and more.
• Learn training techniques so you can provide your managers with the tools they need to lead effectively.
• Evaluate how managers can keep their employees motivated and engaged through "soft skills" and effective performance management.

You’re on a pedestal in HR. In challenging times, Human Resources professionals are held to a higher standard. Keeping your ethical skills sharpened is crucial as you solve tough decisions in real time, and this fast-paced session will help you practice exactly that.  

Ethics is a genuinely human function – based on caring that the outcome for others is best for them and that the result is the best for your organization. As Rush Kidder said, “Ethics is not blind impartiality, doling out right and wrong according to some stone-cold canon of ancient and immutable law. It’s a warm and supremely human activity that cares enough for others to want the right to prevail. “  The HR challenge that this master class focuses on is the balance of fairness and consistency. Learn and practice how to walk that fine ethical line with meaningful case studies and reference materials to help guide your HR path.

Learning Objectives:

• Use courage properly in “The Decisive Moment” when deadlines and difficult decisions collide, even when it means standing up for and communicating challenging situations with your coworkers or boss.
• Apply critical thinking skills under tight time frames and high standards.
• Determine when to turn a teammate's off-target decision into a teaching moment rather than a more difficult personal situation.

The human resources leader is a key link between management and the employee workforce, and effective leadership matters in today’s ever-changing world. Whether you’re looking to improve your core leadership skills or need the insights and tools to implement change in your organization, IF LEADERSHIP IS A GAME, THESE ARE THE RULES is explicitly designed to address critical needs at specific career stages and help you maximize your impact. Human Resource Professionals will be given the tools to lead in the post-pandemic era and gain insight into their strengths or development areas. You will learn how to garner a positive working relationship with your colleagues and gain an understanding of and sensitivity to cultural differences. Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all all, and this session will equip attendees with a comprehensive set of leadership skills, providing them with a strong foundation to excel as HR leaders.

Learning Outcome 1: You will gain the expertise to create a people-first organization and lead with heart and consideration.

Learning Outcome 2: You will learn to increase employee morale and retention, improve productivity, and promote better decision making.

Learning Outcome 3: You will learn the secret to recruiting employees compatible with team members, core values, and culture.

In a recent survey, nearly two-thirds of new managers say leading people is more difficult than they expected. And no wonder – most people find themselves in a leadership role because they performed well in their previous position or had strong technical skills, not because they were experienced leaders or even exemplified traditional leadership traits.

Stepping into their roles with little to no leadership training or experience, new leaders often are suffering silently as they attempt to effectively manage their teams. Holding people accountable is tough. Resolving conflicts is tough. Addressing poor performance is tough. So, how can organizations help new leaders develop confidence in their role, find joy in their work, and effectively manage team accountability and performance? In this session, Joseph Grenny will share four confessions of new leaders and the solutions needed to help fresh and season leaders alike successfully guide their teams.

In today's competitive business environment, companies are constantly striving to outpace their rivals. This often pressures management and HR to push boundaries. But is it right to test these limits? To see how far you can go before trust is broken? HR professionals must stay impartial, balancing the needs of both the company and its employees without compromising their integrity. Any lapse in ethical standards can undermine their effectiveness. SHRM's Code of Ethics underscores this responsibility. This session will highlight the importance of adhering to both the letter and the spirit of the law, emphasizing that the reputation of HR professionals and the entire field is at stake. Participants will also explore real-world scenarios where ethical dilemmas arise and discuss strategies to navigate these challenges effectively. Maintaining ethical standards is not just about compliance; it's about fostering trust and credibility within the organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Understand the provisions of the HR Professional Code of Ethics including professional responsibilities, professional development, ethical leadership, fairness and justice, conflicts of interest, and use of information.

Learning Outcome 2: Develop a strategy to deal with ethical dilemmas in the workplace and impact change, and learn how unethical behavior has impacted other companies.

Learning Outcome 3: Identify ways to avoid the perception of being the “Department of No” and instead discover alternative solutions that are a win-win while still maintaining ethical standards.

Forget the annual review—real performance happens in the moment. The future of effective management relies on fostering real-time connections and creating a culture of ongoing dialogue. This session explores the transformative power of immediate, actionable feedback and its role in driving individual and organizational growth. Learn how to shift from static, backward-looking evaluations to dynamic, forward-thinking coaching. Discover the techniques that make feedback collaborative, empowering employees to reflect, adapt, and excel. With practical strategies to integrate feedback into daily routines, you’ll uncover how to build trust, improve engagement, and ensure continuous improvement. Walk away equipped with the tools to turn feedback into a catalyst for meaningful change, empowering your teams to achieve extraordinary results every day.

Learning Outcome 1: Understanding the difference between feedback and feedforward, and how each drives progress.

Learning Outcome 3: Embedding feedback into your team’s workflow to create a sustainable culture of growth.

Learning Outcome 2: Structuring two-way conversations to encourage openness and shared accountability, using real-time coaching as a tool for unlocking potential and solving challenges proactively.

There are three kinds of people: Those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those that say, "What happened?" Everyone secretly wants to be a mover and shaker, but fear of failure holds many prisoner. This highly interactive and humorous session will show participants how to leap from procrastinations and crash through comfort zones. Individuals will learn how to make fears disappear, visualize goals, move forward and have fun doing it! You will discover how attitude creates success, shapes your mood, and is contagious. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? This is one of the most important questions we must consider, for it has tremendous impact on our personal and professional effectiveness and performance. Learn the secrets only optimists know. Workplace Application: Studies have shown the impact of a positive attitude; optimists tend to be hired, promoted, and recognized in the workplace over pessimistic people.

Learning Outcome 1: Learn to manage your mood even under difficult circumstances.

Learning Outcome 2: Explore how the power of attitude is contagious and can change office morale and organizational culture.

Learning Outcome 3: Discover the three secrets only optimists know.

Whoever you are and wherever you work, the quality of your results depends on the quality of your relationships. Relationship intelligence gives you the insights you need to understand the motivations and strengths of yourself and others. In this session, attendees will learn what relationship intelligence is, why it's important, and how to get it. We'll look at how people, performance, and/or process motivate people when things are going well - and how they come into play when people are in conflict. With this knowledge, teams will understand each other better, interact more effectively, and produce better results.

Learning Outcome 1: Define relationship intelligence and understand why it is a key competency every team needs.

Learning Outcome 2: Overcome personality conflicts among team members.

Learning Outcome 3: Harness different motivations and strengths to build productive teams and relationships.

Leadership is often portrayed as a role of strength, vision, and decisiveness. Yet, beneath the surface, leaders often carry unseen wounds-personal struggles, organizational crises, or the emotional weight of leading others. This session explores the reality of leading while "bleeding", focusing on how leaders can navigate their responsibilities while facing personal or organizational challenges. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build resilience, lead authentically, and maintain focus during difficult times.

Learning Outcome 1: Analyze and adapt leadership approaches to balance personal struggles and professional responsibilities, using neuroscience-backed strategies to maintain resilience, make sound decisions, and inspire teams during periods of adversity.

Learning Outcome 2: Leverage challenges and adversity as powerful opportunities to fuel innovation, inspire purpose-driven transformation, and create a leadership legacy that motivates teams, aligns with organizational goals, and thrives in a rapidly changing world.

Learning Outcome 3: Implement proven tools to lead authentically by embracing vulnerability, fostering psychological safety, building trust, and strengthening team engagement, all while maintaining accountability and driving measurable results.

Difficult people are everywhere! They can be customers, co-workers, bosses, neighbors, even spouses. This program humorously reveals the six basic difficult personality styles that are out to drain you and your organization of vital energy. You will learn what they do, why they do it, and what you can do about it! Participants will learn how to stay empowered in the face of negative, reactive, and draining people – and laugh while they do it. Unfortunately, every business has its share of difficult people to deal with. Some may be customers, some may be co-workers -- but either case, dealing with them in a way that leads to success is a critical skill. "Bambi vs. Godzilla" helps participants understand negative behavior, and to increase their skill level in dealing with difficult personality types.

Learning Outcome 1:Uncover six basic difficult personalities while discovering what they do, why they do it, and what you can do about it.

Learning Outcome 2: Learn how to not react to reactive people.

Learning Outcome 3: Develop strategies for empowering your communication style and moving negative behavior toward positive results.

As today’s workforce becomes increasingly diverse and dynamic, HR leaders must equip managers with the skills to lead inclusively, navigate change, and drive continuous development. This session empowers HR professionals with strategies to foster resilient, adaptable leadership that meets the evolving needs of modern teams. Attendees will learn practical frameworks for managing diverse groups, promoting inclusion, and leveraging varied perspectives for stronger performance. Additionally, the session will explore effective approaches to career development, helping leaders build a culture of growth and alignment with organizational goals. Join us to inspire and prepare future-ready leaders in your organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Identify strategies to effectively lead diverse teams, promoting inclusion and leveraging varied perspectives for enhanced team performance.

Learning Outcome 3: Explore methods for career development and skill-building that align with organizational goals, empowering employees and encouraging continuous growth.

Learning Outcome 2: Develop a framework for leading through change, with a focus on navigating organizational shifts and fostering resilience among employees.

In today’s dynamic work environments, leadership goes beyond titles. You need influential leadership and personal branding to make a lasting impact. Your Personal Brand is more than your reputation. It’s a value proposition that helps companies evaluate you for recruitment, hiring, development, and retention. It also influences everything from future career opportunities to compensation opportunities. Once you understand what drives you and your unique qualities and skill sets, you can effectively manage your brand and communicate your best attributes to stakeholders that matter. In this program, we’ll explore the synergy of influence and personal branding, craft a Personal Brand Statement to fuel career success and build credibility, influence, and relationships to get results. Personal Brand isn’t just a catchphrase; it’s the value you offer. By discovering your unique qualities, you’ll be better positioned to manage your Brand and accelerate your career!

Learning Outcome 1: Understand how to leverage your Personal Brand as an asset, ensuring alignment with your career goals as well as your organization’s goals to drive meaningful change.

Learning Outcome 3: Develop an Action Plan for effectively communicating and promoting your Personal Brand.

Learning Outcome 2: Create your own Personal Brand Statement and understand how to use it.

Think negotiating skills are just for salespeople? Think again! In HR, every relationship and decision involves negotiation at some level. Whether you're driving company productivity, expanding product lines, acquiring competitors, improving benefits contracts, or even advocating for your own promotion, success hinges on your ability to negotiate strategically and effectively.

This highly interactive session equips you with the tools and strategies to negotiate confidently, even in high-stakes scenarios. Learn how to:

• Influence tough CEOs, vendors, or employees with strategic persuasion.
• Achieve win-win outcomes while advancing your goals.
• Build lasting relationships that strengthen your professional influence.

Master the art and strategy of negotiation to elevate your impact and results in every aspect of your career.

The popular television show "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning", based on the 2017 book of the same title, helps people get their living spaces in order. This session is similar but different -- the program will help HR professionals get their records, policies, practices and handbooks in proper order. While the show features an organizer, a psychologist, and a designer, this presentation will be much more relevant for HR professionals as it will be lead by an employment lawyer, an occupational psychologist, and a workplace communication expert. The three will combine to present a helpful and very entertaining multi-disciplinary presentation that will provide attendees with many suggestions on how they can clean up and improve their HR practices.

Learning Outcome 1: This presentation will help HR professionals identify policies, procedures and practices at their organization that may be in need of attention.

Learning Outcome 2: This program will help HR professionals cleanse their policies and practices to increase efficiency and functionality.

Learning Outcome 3: This program will decrease potential legal exposure for their organization by correcting policies or practices that create risk.

The list of reasons employers get sued by employees is as long as it is wide, which is probably not surprising given the array of responsibilities that managing workers involves. Whether it's pay calculations, performance or leave management, investigations, accommodation decisions, or something else, HR professionals need to be able to identify the most dangerous lawsuit threats in the day-to-day decisions they make with their workforce. Come for an engaging session by a seasoned employment lawyer with almost 30 years in the trenches reviewing his top 10 reasons why employers get sued by employees, and stay for preventative tips on how to avoid each and every one of them!

Learning Outcome 1: Attendees will be able to identify 10 of the most significant day-to-day employment decisions they make which create compliance danger if done incorrectly.

Learning Outcome 3: Attendees will learn and take back to their workplace practical and preventative solutions to each issue so as to avoid being sued (or at least minimize the likelihood of it).

Learning Outcome 2: Attendees will understand the specific legal risk of being sued which is inherent in each of those choices.

The days of top/down hierarchy organizational structures and HR as a gatekeeper are over. This session provides people with methods of how to deconstruct how HR is practiced to a more forward-thinking, fluid approach. HR can reconfigure how roles are defined and build a company and function where people work together in a collaborative and integrated way. Attendees will leave knowing how to be strategic, relevant, and impactful from their HR chair.

Learning Outcome 1: Implement a Facilitated Leadership Model - Learn how to lead meetings, training, and collaborative sessions with full participation from all levels of the company.

Learning Outcome 3: Design Roles and Responsibilities that bring about alignment, purpose and impactful results using cross functional teams built from people's strengths.

Learning Outcome 2: Become a Conductor that organizes, leads, drives and moves the organization forward strategically through its people using development as the mechanism to elevate and equip people to perform.

ADA, reasonable accommodation, and interactive process questions are among the most common, but also the most difficult day-to-day challenges for HR professionals to manage. Worse, the landscape in these areas has changed in recent years, with greater enforcement emphasis by the EEOC and more charges/suits brought than ever before, exacerbating the legal risks for employers increasingly confronted with new and continuing disability issues, like mental health conditions and remote work accommodations. This session will identify the top 10 ADA/Reasonable Accommodation Mistakes which employers tend to make, and provide practical guidance on how to avoid each and every one of them, upping the organization's compliance IQ and lowering the risk of legal exposure.

Learning Outcome 1: Recognize the 10 most common mistakes HR tends to make when dealing with employee disability issues and reasonable accommodation requests under the ADA.

Learning Outcome 3: Understand the latest legal developments related to these issues under the ADA and disability discrimination law.

Learning Outcome 2: Learn practical tips, using scenarios and examples, on how to avoid or minimize these mistakes, thereby reducing the risk of legal exposure.

Recent disruptions have forced HR to the front of many organization-wide decisions. But rather than just reacting to these disruptions, HR must reorient the function to set the stage for leading the organization into the future. In this session, we’ll share the latest SHRM research on the strategies HR needs to deploy to drive ROI across the organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Understand the key dimensions of a new HR maturity model.

Learning Outcome 3: Learn practical advice from high-performing organizations that have driven ROI effectively across the organization.

Learning Outcome 2: Discover which HR activities have the greatest impact on organization-wide outcomes.

HR can shape, define, and implement people practices to drive a business's success. HR must transform from a "support" function to a leadership function by being fully integrated throughout an organization. This session breaks down the current state of HR's traditional approach and provides an exciting, relevant alternative. Learn how to awaken the leadership attributes that already exist in you personally and professionally.

Learning Outcome 1: Learn how to equip those People Managers to be effective, consistent and supportive of their people. - We need to encourage and teach People Managers how to be people-first in their approach.

Learning Outcome 3: Leading through all you do intentionally regardless of the level of your HR role. - Leadership is not title driven. It can occur from all levels of HR practitioner including HR Departments of One.

Learning Outcome 2: Eliminate (or reduce) the time and practice of "Report and Control." - This archaic approach has never been effective or successful. See how to move away from this in a sustainable way.

In today’s workforce, where shorter tenures, shifting skill demands, and rapid market changes define the landscape, HR leaders face a critical question: how can they turn talent into a sustained competitive advantage? This fireside chat will evolutionize the talent lifecycle from a series of disconnected stages to a cohesive strategy for organizational growth. LHH’s President offers actionable steps to view the talent landscape through a 360-lens, exploring how every stage – from onboarding to career pivots – can act as a strategic lever to unlock potential, by redeploying existing skills to meet emerging needs, crafting meaningful pathways for career progression, and equipping employees with the tools to successfully adapt at every stage of their journey. This session challenges HR leaders to turn workforce challenges into opportunities for innovation, retention, and long-term success – making talent the driving force behind a resilient organization.

Learning Outcome 1: Design a cohesive talent lifecycle strategy that drives organizational goals and supports employee growth from onboarding through career transitions.

Learning Outcome 2: Implement practical approaches to identify and redeploy employees’ existing skills to address shifting business needs and emerging workforce challenges.

Learning Outcome 3: Build plans for meaningful career progression pathways and equip employees to navigate career pivots, ensuring long-term retention and adaptability.

The future of work is here, and it demands a new kind of HR leadership. In this era of constant change, HR professionals are uniquely positioned to become Chief Disruption Officers, guiding organizations through uncertainty and shaping workplaces that thrive on innovation. This program challenges HR leaders to adopt a transformative mindset, rethink traditional notions of HR’s role, and embrace a bold vision to drive innovation and strategic growth as catalysts for change. Participants will learn how to adopt a strategic mindset to align HR with business goals, challenge outdated practices to foster innovation, embrace digital transformation to optimize processes and prepare for the future, and anticipate trends to proactively address emerging challenges and opportunities. Whether you’re a seasoned HR executive or an emerging leader, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to elevate HR’s impact and drive meaningful organizational transformation.

Learning Outcome 1: Adopt a strategic mindset to align HR initiatives with business objectives and articulate compelling value propositions to executive leadership.

Learning Outcome 3: Embrace digital transformation by leveraging AI and technology to optimize HR processes and prepare your workforce for the future.

Learning Outcome 2: Disrupt traditional HR practices by implementing innovative approaches that challenge the status quo and accelerate organizational success.

In today’s competitive global labor market, the concept of a “good job” is being redefined. Workers now seek more than just good pay; they desire meaningful work, a sense of purpose, and a positive work environment. Drawing on new SHRM research from 16,000 workers across 16 countries, this session will explore the expectations and experiences of the global workforce, examining the key job features that matter most to workers globally and how workers’ level of satisfaction with these features impacts important workplace outcomes. This session will highlight key opportunities for employers to build a more resilient and motivated workforce while simultaneously driving better business outcomes. Attendees will leave with research-backed strategies to align workforce needs with organizational goals, positioning their organizations for success in a competitive talent landscape.

Think talent acquisition is just a whirlwind of posting jobs, wrangling calendars, and praying the perfect candidate drops from the sky? Think again! This session is a crash course in leveling up from HR generalist to a trusted talent acquisition advisor. It’s time to stop being the hiring managers’ “order taker” and start being their go-to recruiting consultant. Learn to sharpen your business acumen, master consultative communication, and build rock-solid partnerships with hiring managers and candidates. We'll tackle strategies to ask smarter questions, deliver insights that matter, and position yourself as a strategic advisor. No fancy tools, tech or AI needed—just your brain, and curiosity. By the end, you'll feel like a hiring Jedi and even enjoy the process. Yes, really.

Learning Outcome 1: Master Prioritization Like a Pro: Learn practical techniques to organize and prioritize recruiting tasks so you can focus on what truly matters, avoid overwhelm, and deliver maximum value to your stakeholders—without burning out.

Learning Outcome 3: Build Unshakable Credibility: Develop skills to foster trust and credibility with stakeholders by leaning into curiosity and asking better, smarter questions. You'll become the HR pro whose insights hiring managers respect and rely on.

Learning Outcome 2: The Art of "Contracting": Discover how to conduct effective intake sessions with hiring managers, set clear expectations, and create service level agreements that define success. Bonus: you’ll finally learn how to say “no” without guilt.

Imagine a workplace where every employee sees a clear path to growth, leadership transitions are seamless, and trust in the succession process drives engagement and retention. Now contrast that with the reality: 86% of organizations struggle with succession planning, facing challenges like a lack of formal plans, ineffective leadership development, and limited transparency. These roadblocks stall growth, create leadership voids, and disengage talent. This session is your opportunity to rewrite that story. Designed for advanced HR & business leaders, we’ll explore how to break through these barriers and create transparent, dynamic frameworks that inspire trust, nurture high-potential talent, and future-proof your organization. With actionable strategies, interactive discussions, and real-world examples, you’ll leave equipped to turn succession planning from a daunting task into your greatest strategic advantage. Let’s transform your leadership pipeline—and your organization’s future!

Session Tracks: Talent Management & Acquisition

Learning Outcome 1: Analyze succession planning processes to uncover and resolve gaps, ensuring a seamless pipeline of future-ready leaders while addressing transparency and trust issues within the organization.

Learning Outcome 3: Implement innovative succession planning strategies that embrace change, prioritize engagement, and empower HR leaders to future-proof their workforce against organizational disruptions.

Learning Outcome 2: Design and create actionable frameworks for leadership development that align talent initiatives with organizational goals, fostering growth, trust, and readiness across all levels.

The ability to coach has become a sought-after quality within organizations in recent times. But what are the foundational principles that can equip someone to coach? How can we ensure coaching reinforces growth rather than limits it? And how might a growth-minded culture allow for consistent coaching to occur? By creating the shared space, establishing a presence, and ensuring we have a person's best interests at heart, we can build the foundations for coaching while identifying where it is needed most.
 

Learning Objectivess:

• Implement coaching techniques that will both encourage action and empower others to become growth-minded
• Establish a value for effective coaching that creates a space within organizations to respectfully challenge norms.
• Reinforce organizational standards through the practice of coaching to form personal and collective accountability.

Accommodation requests, especially those based on an employee’s religion, can be tricky and denials may lead to litigation. Learn from seasoned employment attorneys how to spot legitimate accommodation requests and how to deny requests when the burden to comply is simply too much. Get practical advice and real-life examples on the changes in laws affecting accommodation decisions, what red flags HR should notice and how to deal with the fallout from denials.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand when employees have legitimate requests and when they don’t.
• Get practical advice on dealing with poor performers who want accommodation and remote work requests.
• Learn why timing and documentation are so important.

Navigating change isn’t just about managing processes—it’s about leading people through uncertainty, equipping them with the right mindset, and fostering a culture that embraces transformation. In this interactive workshop, you'll go beyond frameworks to build a practical, people-centered approach to leading change.

Instead of simply reacting to disruptions, you’ll learn how to proactively cultivate resilience and adaptability within your team. Using real-world case studies and immersive group exercises, this workshop will equip you with hands-on strategies to inspire, guide, and empower your workforce.

Learning Objectives:

• Go Beyond Change Management: Understand the difference between change leadership and change management, and learn why people—not just processes—are the key to successful transformation.
• Create a Culture of Adaptability: Develop strategies to reduce resistance and build momentum for change initiatives.
• Apply the Change Leader’s Toolkit: Gain practical tools to help your team navigate ambiguity, embrace new ways of working, and stay engaged during ongoing change.

Performance management is no longer a static event—it's a dynamic journey. In this engaging and thought-provoking session, Joe Rotella, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CPBA, challenges traditional review practices and redefines performance management as an evolving continuum. Explore how organizations can move from outdated, backward-looking methods to forward-focused strategies that adapt to the needs of modern workforces. Discover the power of real-time feedback, personalized goal-setting, and technology-enabled accessibility in transforming how teams grow and succeed. With practical insights and actionable steps, this session will inspire you to reimagine performance management, aligning it with the future of work. Get ready to challenge the status quo, advance your organization along the performance spectrum, and drive meaningful, measurable results.

Learning Outcome 1: Redefine the Performance Management Continuum: Understand how performance management evolves across different stages and identify where your organization currently stands on the spectrum.

Learning Outcome 2: Build a Business Case for Change: Gain the tools to align performance strategies with organizational objectives and effectively advocate for modern, data-driven systems.

Learning Outcome 3: Implement Transformative Feedback Practices: Learn how to shift from infrequent, retrospective reviews to a culture of continuous feedback that fosters growth and engagement.

In April 2024, EEOC issued workplace-altering guidelines for harassment prevention. Have you adapted?!? Given EEOC's Guidance and current realities, we are seeing a massive proliferation in workplace harassment complaints. HR must be ready! Along with your organization's leaders and managers, HR is the key both to the prevention of inappropriate behavior that undermines these goals and to the correction when such behavior occurs. In addition to discussing the traps into which HR and leadership fall regarding their own conduct, this fast=paced and super-practical session focuses on the affirmative responsibilities of HR and managerial employees, addressing not only sexual but also racial, ethnic and other forms of unlawful harassment.

Learning Outcome 1: Understand how to minimize harassment issues from arising inside your workplace.

Learning Outcome 3: Identify common areas for exploitation of employees seeking to bring claims against your organization and discuss steps HR and leadership can take to narrow or close those gaps.

Learning Outcome 2: Analyze the affirmative responsibilities of HR professionals and managers regarding workplace harassment.

Our fast-paced and stress-filled schedules open the gate to allow people and circumstances every opportunity to push our buttons and "get our goat." HIDE YOUR GOAT puts into perspective how your daily life intersects with people of diverse backgrounds, opinions, and personalities. As an HR professional, you are tasked with dealing with problem employees who perform poorly, making it challenging for everyone else to do their jobs. The venom they eject produces by-products of bad attitudes, including resistance to change and personality conflicts. They cost plenty in terms of productivity and morale and make life challenging for everyone. You’ll learn why people have bad attitudes and explore ways to head off conflict and confront people about their bad attitudes. Armed with the information you gain from this session, you’ll be on your way to finding win-win solutions that will have you and your colleagues working effectively.

Learning Outcome 1: How to head off conflict when negativity runs rampant in your workplace and how to improve your own outlook.

Learning Outcome 2: How to deal with the by-products of bad attitudes and temper your emotional response.

Learning Outcome 3: How to disarm negativity and reframe situations into a more positive light.

Become the true HR partner your business needs. Your business relies on you to anticipate and predict their people needs of tomorrow. This highly interactive program will help you build the confidence and skills so you can deliver for your organization and its people. Explore how to artfully move from the tactical needs your business demands to focusing on the strategic work that the business needs. Unlock the secrets of your business by consultatively using data and metrics to drive the change your business requires. A highly experiential case study is woven throughout the program, allowing the participants to practice what they’ve learned and to use as a valuable resource going forward.

Program Objectives:

• Embrace the critical attributes of a strategic HR Business Partner (HRBP)
• Elevate your business acumen to effectively work with business leaders on HR initiatives that drive business performance, productivity and profitability.
• Integrate key performance indicators and business analytics into your needs analysis and presentation of potential HR solutions.
• Adopt consulting techniques and project management principles to innovate and implement solutions that optimize performance.

Program Outline

Managing change is becoming a major focal point for HR professionals as organizations continue to adapt to an ever-changing workplace. In this enlightening seminar, you will use a variety of resources to simulate a change initiative in a realistic work environment. You will interact with other professionals through group discussions, and you will problem solve using a real-world case study—all while receiving coaching from an experienced change management practitioner in a safe learning atmosphere. You will also receive a change management toolkit to reinforce and support your learning well after your classroom experience ends.

Program Objectives:

This program is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary to:

• Use SHRM's six-step change framework to guide your change management efforts
• Draw from a range of models that focus on the people side of change
• Develop change initiatives through a case study and simulation
• Identify tools and techniques for assessing change

Program Outline

This intensive program features a structured learning approach, with each level building upon the previous one. You'll progress through three stages, gaining a strong foundation in AI concepts through interactive exercises and practical applications.

Learn by Doing:

• Engaging Activities: Dive deep with interactive exercises that solidify your understanding.
• Hands-on Labs: Get real-world experience by applying your knowledge to practical scenarios.

Empower Your Learning:

• Vibrant Community: Connect with fellow learners, share insights, and ask questions in our online communities. 
• AI Experts at Your Fingertips: Get answers and guidance from our AI subject matter experts through the community forum.

Put Your Knowledge into Action:

• Capstone Project: Apply your learnings to a real-world challenge. Develop a customized implementation plan you can take back and put to use in your organization.

Earn Your AI Specialty Credential:

• Comprehensive Program: Complete the instructor-led training (ILT), capstone project, and five self-paced modules to achieve your credential.

Become an AI Champion and unlock the potential of this transformative technology in your organization.

Program Outline

Gain the critical knowledge needed to develop employment guidelines that satisfy the intricate California labor code – including 52 updated CA laws for 2024, minimize potential litigation risks, and meet the strategic objectives of your organization. The SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential allows you to experience the full scope of dynamic and unique challenges human resource professionals face on a daily basis while leading workforces in California. Its more than just mitigating risk, earning this credential will empower you to run a high-performing, compliant business in this incredibly complex terrain.

The SHRM California Law HR Specialty Credential learning package includes all three of the following components:

• Enrollment the California HR: Applying CA Law to Employment Practices program. This program includes an eLearning course called Foundations of CA Employment Law that should be completed before the program begins.
• Five comprehensive SHRM e-Learning courses on California-specific topics:
  • CA Wage and Hour Laws
  • CA Privacy, Safety and Security
  • CA Mandated Benefits and Workers Compensation Insurance
  • CA Protected Leaves of Absence
  • CA Employee and Employer Relations
• Pass an online California knowledge assessment.

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your email signature, resume and social media profiles, proving your specialty in California HR to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

As an HR Department of One, you face unique challenges that require you to bring the full range of HR expertise to your organization. How do you elevate HR as a solo practitioner? Earn your SHRM HR Department of One Specialty Credential to expand and leverage your resourcefulness, agility and ability to focus on the changing needs of your organization. Distinguish your credibility and validate the critical role you play in developing new insights and setting strategic initiatives while balancing operations for your organization.

Intended Audience: Individuals interested in earning a specialty credential that demonstrates the unique knowledge and competencies required of a solo HR professional. 

The SHRM HR Department of One Specialty Credential package includes:

• Enrollment in the HR Department of One: Strategies for Success educational program
• Two comprehensive SHRM eLearning courses focused on skills required of an HR Department of One
  • HR Department of One: Developing Targeted L&D Solutions
  • HR Department of One: Gaining Support for HR Initiatives
• Pass an online HR Department of One knowledge assessment

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your resume, e-mail signatures and social media profiles, proving your HR Department of One credibility to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

Every workplace has a culture and whether it's intentionally designed or habitually overlooked is a critical differentiator in the success of an organization. Diverse, inclusive, flexible and engaging workplaces are where people thrive. The Inclusive Workplace Culture Specialty Credential gives HR professionals the strategies and tools needed to successfully shift organizational culture. In this program, participants will learn how to maximize potential through fostering a positive work environment rooted in inclusivity and belonging, ultimately unlocking the organizational gains of a diverse and dedicated workforce.

Intended Audience: Individuals interested in earning a specialty credential that demonstrates the continuing effort to reinforce positive change and forwarding thinking within the workplace.

The SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture Specialty Credential package includes:

• Enrollment in the Inclusive Workplace Culture: Leading and Sustaining a Culture Transformation educational program.
• Three comprehensive SHRM eLearning courses focused on skills required of an Inclusive Workplace Culture.
  • Cultivating Support for an Inclusive Workplace Culture
  • Introducing Allyship to Foster an Inclusive Workplace Culture
  • Measuring Successes of an Inclusive Workplace Culture
• Pass an online Inclusive Workplace Culture knowledge assessment

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your resume, e-mail signatures and social media profiles, proving your Inclusive Workplace Culture credibility to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

Talent is the largest, most significant, ongoing investment made by successful organizations. However, most people decisions are made based on intuition and instinct. With the amount of information available in today's workplaces, HR professionals are now able to leverage people-related data and analytics to drive business decisions and make data-based recommendations. By earning the SHRM People Analytics Specialty Credential, HR professionals can begin their journey into the field of people analytics, investigate relevant, real-world business issues, and effectively communicate data-supported findings

The SHRM People Analytics Specialty Credential package includes:

• Pre-seminar access to the People Analytics: Foundations of Data Literacy eLearning module (to be completed before the People Analytics seminar).
• Enrollment in the People Analytics: Taking Data-Driven Action Educational Program
• Two additional comprehensive SHRM eLearning courses on People Analytics:
  • People Analytics: The Metrics Behind People Analytics
  • People Analytics: Understanding Your People Data
• Pass an online people analytics knowledge assessment

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your resume, e-mail signatures and social media profiles, proving your talent acquisition expertise to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

Sourcing, engaging and retaining the best talent are top priorities for organizations. Earning the SHRM Talent Acquisition Specialty Credential recognizes the key role that talent acquisition professionals play in today’s challenging business environment by demonstrating your proficiency as a strategic talent acquisition partner.

The SHRM Talent Acquisition Specialty Credential package includes:

• Enrollment in the Talent Acquisition: Creating Your Organization's Strategy Educational Program
• Three comprehensive SHRM eLearning courses on talent acquisition:
  • Global Hiring
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) in the Talent Acquisition Space
  • The Virtual Talent Acquisition Life Cycle
• BONUS! Cyber security has grown from a nonexistent job title to a requirement for most companies. In these four bonus videos, brought to you by SANS (the content in these bonus videos are not included on the assessment), we discover why cyber security is such an "in demand" functional area. Specifics job areas in cyber security are explored to give HR professionals a high-level overview of what a cyber workforce structure may contain.     
  • Understanding Cyber Recruiting 101 – What You Need to Know
  • Assessing Cyber Talent
  • How to Build a Cyber Security Team - Challenges and Creative Next Steps
  • The NICE Workforce for Cyber Security - Recruiting, Developing, and Planning Your Cybersecurity Workforce
• Pass an online talent acquisition knowledge assessment.

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your resume, e-mail signatures and social media profiles, proving your talent acquisition expertise to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

The number of jobs greatly outweighs the amount of qualified talent to fill them. Workers today are negotiating for more than just a competitive salary. Plus, every compensation plan has a limit. So, what can you do to access talent? That’s where SHRM’s Total Rewards Specialty Credential comes in. Gain the knowledge and guidance in a way that fits your schedule and budget. Register now to gain credibility in creating a Total Rewards strategy and package to position your organization to attract and retain today’s top talent. Now more than ever, you need to inspire and reward workers to reach their full potential.

The SHRM Total Rewards Specialty Credential includes:

• Enrollment in the Compensation & Benefits: Unlock the Power of Total Rewards Educational Program
• Two comprehensive SHRM eLearning courses on total rewards: 
  • Optimizing Total Rewards Through External Vendors
  • Equitable Total Rewards
• Pass an online total rewards knowledge assessment.

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your resume, e-mail signatures and social media profiles, proving your total rewards expertise to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

Even the best run organizations will encounter situations that may require an investigation to mitigate workplace risk. Complaints require careful attention from HR professionals including when and how to engage external counsel, what justifies a formal investigation, effective interviewing and data gathering, analyzing results and drawing conclusions and providing recommendations for resolutions. Empower yourself to effectively and accurately operate in your role as an investigator and learn how to lead a workplace investigation in your organization by earning SHRM’s Workplace Investigation Specialty Credential.

The SHRM Workplace Investigations Specialty Credential Package includes:

• Enrollment in the Leading Workplace Investigations Educational Program
• Two comprehensive SHRM e-Learning courses focused on Workplace Investigations- specific topics
  • Managing Bias in a Workplace Investigation
  • Competent Workplace Investigation Interviews
• Pass an online Workplace Investigations knowledge assessment.

After passing the assessment, add your Specialty Credential to your email signature, resume and social media profiles, proving our specialty in Workplace Investigations to your employer and your network.

Program Outline

This comprehensive program, led by a SHRM-certified HR practitioner, will help prepare you to earn your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification. You will experience a detailed review of the current SHRM Body of Applied Skills & Knowledge™ (SHRM BASK™). During your learning experience, your expert facilitator will build upon the foundation you've already established through your studies, guiding you through interactive discussions, sample test questions and periodic progress checks. You will be able to identify your areas of strength and build on them, and pinpoint areas where you need further concentrated study in preparation for either exam. Your dynamic classroom experience, along with your in-depth study of the SHRM Learning System, will help ensure that you're well-prepared and confident on exam day.

The SHRM Learning System, combined with a dynamic classroom environment and personalized instruction, will help ensure that you're well-prepared and confident on exam day.

Features & Benefits

• Led by qualified and certified instructors.
• Classroom environment provides networking opportunities
• Outside-the-classroom assignments help reinforce seminar sessions
• Sample test questions and periodic process checks keep you confident in your breadth of knowledge

Program Outline

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!