Filtered Sessions

We are becoming an increasingly diverse society that needs a high level of performance from all members if we are to manifest our intended level of greatness. Studies have long indicated just the opposite is true. Diverse workforces are more creative and innovative than homogeneous workforces.  This training helps attendees assess their behavior toward those who are different and ensure everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the success of the team. Attendees discover what they actually know about those they consider different.  This 'Manifesting Hidden Greatness' presentation, based on the movie 'Hidden Figures' delivers an experience that allows participants to rethink their ideas concerning diversity and inclusion to create an environment for profitable growth.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the ways biases keep us from seeing the inherent value in those who are different.
• Learn how we use stereotypes to make ourselves comfortable around those who are different from ourselves.
• Discover the difference between diversity and inclusion.
• Recognize and utilize Unique Performance Position (UPP).
• Discuss current trends and demographics that will make our society even more diverse in the future.
• Understand the effects of prejudice, ridicule, teasing and bullying.
• Learn how to create a 'Ridicule Free Zone' – Recommit to and make any necessary adjustments to create a 'Ridicule Free Zone' for all team members.

The strongest teams are not the ones without conflict; the strongest teams are those that know how to have conflict and thrive because of it. When teams are psychologically safe and adaptive, team members can be their whole authentic selves, they can ask questions, take risks, be able to fail, and disagree. There is a commitment to constant exploring, experimenting, and evolving on an individual level and as a team. Great teams do not happen by chance - they are built by choice.   But what if people aren't able or don't know how to engage in honest conversations that are candid, compassionate, and curious? Then the room fills with avoidance and elephants start to take up space. Now our teams are not only avoiding conflict, but connection as well. To overcome our avoidance of the problem, we need to understand how and why we are feeding the elephant. By taking a Curiosity First Approach, we increase ownership, have kind and candid conversations, and build more powerful partnerships.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify common avoidant behaviors and human factors that drive them.
• Examine when avoidance may be appropriate and necessary.
• Discover different "elephants" that can emerge.
• Explore and apply the Curiosity First Model of Coaching.

No one likes talking about mental health. It's stigmatized, it's scary, and it's anything but comfortable! It's also very often misunderstood. And, it's here to stay.   As we navigate life post Covid, effectively addressing mental health is more important than ever. This session will explore the concepts of Brave Conversations, Brave Boundaries, and how to advocate for yourself and others. You will leave with actionable strategies to create safer, more supportive workplaces for everyone to thrive.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the dangers of perfectionism, people pleasing, and approval seeking.
• Learn the signs of everyday stress versus panic and anxiety, and how to prevent burnout.
• Explore how other mental health diagnosis' present themselves, so as to recognize signs in co-workers.
• Gain strategies and confidence to engage in brave conversations, and advocate for what you need.
• Leave a little more comfortable, being uncomfortable addressing mental health.

Do employees bring passion, commitment, and skills to work every day? Do your leaders inspire teams to collaborate better and perform higher? Alarmingly, only 12 percent of executives believe their organizations are driving the right culture, which leads to decreased productivity, creativity, profitability, value and growth. Discover how to create a cutting-edge culture-where people feel empowered to do their best work, trust and respect their leaders, and willingly collaborate and perform in highly effective ways. Attract the best talent and select the right individuals to inspire and lead productive teams. Alter workplace behaviors and performance-where negative conflict is controlled, accountability grows, and results are achieved. Make culture the differentiating reason your organization successfully captures both market share and mind share so skillfully.

Learning Objectives:

• Attract the best talent using attributes they target, select the right individuals to inspire and lead teams, and invest in growth experiences that enhance ability in unparalleled ways.
• Foster engagement and productivity by preventing and controlling negative conflict while cultivating accountability by removing excuses, committing to aligned goals, and achieving results.
• Appreciate and celebrate behaviors you desire and positively influence attitudes and collaboration-transforming your culture into one with higher morale, decreased stress, lower turnover, enhanced communication, deeper commitment and a stronger bottom line.

HR Professionals must know and care about finding ways to enhance people’s level of engagement, commitment and support, especially in the difficult periods all organizations experience at one time or another. Engaged employees work with passion and feel connected and loyal to their organization. This yields higher productivity, sales, and results. Non-engagement in the workplace results in poor performance, limited productivity, and an erosion of the bottom line. HR Professionals are aware and must find ways to show others that people need consistent affirmation of their value and contribution to the organization in order to know that their efforts are appreciated. This can be accomplished through the practice of Grateful Leadership.

Grateful leaders can tap into the power of personal commitment and dedication by acknowledging people in an authentic, heartfelt manner. Those leaders who model true acknowledgment behavior will inspire others to do the same and to want to dramatically increase their levels of contribution to the organization, making the power of acknowledgment transformational.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the need for Grateful leadership to create a culture of appreciation in the workplace.
• Overcome the barriers to using acknowledgment.
• Demonstrate the language and subtleties of authentic and heartfelt acknowledgement behavior.
• Describe Two of the Seven Principles of Acknowledgment in the context of participants' personal leadership styles.
• Coach teams, managers, and other corporate stakeholders in using GratefulLeadership to produce breakthrough results.

REPEATED ON TUESDAY AT 10:30am.

Your ability to be influential within conflict resolution is critical to your success as a human resource professional.  Scott Tillema is a FBI trained hostage negotiator and senior associate with The Negotiations Collective.  This session will introduce the principle-based framework used in crisis negotiations and share how professionals in HR can use this same framework to navigate tense situations, helping them find safe and successful resolutions in even the most challenging moments.

Learning Objectives:

• Have an understanding of how emotions impact how people make decisions.
• Learn the four principles required to successfully influence others: Understanding, Timing, Delivery and Respect.
• Know how Fairness, Empathy, Autonomy and Recognition need to be attended to to ensure anti-escalation.
• Appreciate the impact of cognitive biases on our thinking.

The Great Reshuffling has provided the next generation of workers more career opportunities than ever before. Increased options for the workforce creates challenges for organizations in recruiting and retaining top talent. This session will review insights from more than 24,000 young workers in 62 countries on why they do (or do not) pursue leadership positions. These insights give rise to 3 concrete strategies for recruiting, supporting, and retaining the next generation of leaders.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand Millennial and Gen Z's current engagement and empowerment as leader.
• Hear insights into the most noteworthy supports and barriers to young people deciding to pursue leadership roles,
• Explore global trends and regional differences in leadership experiences.
• Articulate three key levers for supporting young employees' engagement in formal and informal leadership.
• Reflect on how these insights inform your recruitment and retainment practices.

While leave policy seems to be changing daily, the best practices for how to support and implement leave are not. This workshop teaches HR professionals how to drive change and ensure the parental leave transition is a developmental experience for managers and employees – while retaining talent and building an inclusive environment for all working parents. Learn a proven 10-step method that embeds infinite individual flexibility through a standardized and easy-to-follow leave training process.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate why parental leave is a crucial opportunity to create an inclusive workplace culture while developing employee and manager talent.
• Leverage tools, practices, and resources that can help guide management and HR's support for career development, service navigation, and physical and mental wellbeing during this complex critical timeframe.
• Understand why being skilled and knowledgeable in supporting the full parental leave transition is becoming a required skill set for HR professionals, managers, and leadership.
• Understand the critical touchpoints and the manager/new parent aligned behaviors required at each phase of leave: 1. Preparing for Leave; 2. During Leave; 3. Returning from Leave.
• Understand how HR training and support can be the backbone of creating a thriving family-supportive work environment.

Today's employees are hungering for purpose and meaningful work at numbers never seen before.  Neuroscience shows us that people are biologically wired for purpose and a sense of purpose at work brings a range of powerful benefits to the person and the organization. Gain new strategies for weaving purpose into a wide range of talent programs. You'll build more engaged/fulfilled employees, more effective leaders, and a positive culture that attracts and retains top talent.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the growing trend of employees wanting more purpose and meaningful work.
• Learn the brain science of purpose and why it fuels human motivation around the world.
• Discover the amazing physical, psychological, and organizational benefits of purpose-driven employees.
• Learn how purpose enhances employee engagement, productivity, leadership, innovation, and retention.
• Grain new strategies to intentionally leverage the power of purpose to increase your organization's success.

What's the #1 factor for team success in the workplace? You'll find out the answer to that question and much more in this engaging session! Attendees will dive in to the top 10 best practices for advancing workplace equity and inclusion - everything from how to be a better ally to inclusive language tips and simple ways to shift away from micro-aggressive workplace behaviors to micro acts of inclusion in your organization. These best practices will help any organization build a proactive and positive workplace culture and maximize employee belonging.  We will discuss specific workplace examples from all sectors of industry and everyone will walk away with a copy of the ADR Vantage Inclusion Assessment Scale© and a Top 10 Best Practices infographic to help bring the learning back to your own workplace. This session is always an audience favorite that has attendees raving about how they left with ideas and specific how-tos that they were able to implement right away!

Learning Objectives:

• Learn new and proven best practices for advancing equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace that anyone can implement.
• Discuss specific examples of ways to decrease negative comments and behaviors of bias and exclusion and increase behaviors that promote a positive and inclusive workplace.
• Learn to use a unique Inclusion Risk Assessment tool to evaluate what will work in your particular organization and how to promote individual and organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) growth.
• Learn how to use and encourage others to use simple and highly effective techniques that increase employee belonging and greater organizational effectiveness.

We are experiencing a demographic shift: birth rates are down and people are living longer. It is increasingly common to have multiple generations in the workplace. Companies who fail to adjust will be at a competitive disadvantage.   Yet, even as we face talent shortages, the pool of older workers is underutilized because of misperceptions and bias. Multigenerational workplaces should be part of your strategy to build a more productive and stable workforce.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand ageism and its negative impact on the workplace.
• Clear up misperceptions about older workers Recognize that age is part of DE&I strategy.
• Know the benefits of multigenerational teams.
• Identify steps that you can take to be age-friendly.

What has happened to the women who where employed in February 2020 but are not employed now? With 10 million job openings and unemployment at historic lows, critical questions become: Why would women specifically exit the workforce? What are they doing instead? And most importantly, how can we attract and retain them? This presentation shares the results of 18 focus groups conducted in March of 2022, including audio clips of their responses for increased understanding.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn five specific reasons why women are making the choices they are making.
• Learn three things women said they need from their employers---and it's not more pay.
• Learn one thing every manager can do to increase job retention by 20% or more.

Organizations today focus their competitive advantage by building strategic business plans centred on innovation, customer care, artificial intelligence, and technology implementation.  Too often, these strategic initiatives are considered a culture change.  But is this a culture change?   This session will address whether a culture change is possible.  Using two case studies, you will understand the importance of the role of values in defining your culture, the essential place of vision or purpure, and look at the interconnections of culture or stagey.   Most executives understand, in theory, the power of culture―but theory and reality do not often align.  Cultural change efforts often fail and cause more stress for employees.  Why?  Because values are the foundation for culture, values evolve; they generally don't change overnight.  Culture renovation.  It's all about keeping what works, changing what needs to be changed, and celebrating the cultures that made you great.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the power of a company that focuses on living its values and having a passion for purpose.
• Learn effective methods for enabling your leaders to Own the Message with their teams on organizational expectations and changes.
• Explore common pitfalls and practical approaches for employee communications.
• Understand the power of the differences between leaders who act and live their values versus those who espouse the values but excuse their actions saying the values are aspirational.
• Understanding the culture and values journey is not an HR responsibility.

We've all said it:  'I would write a book, but who would believe these stories are true?'  Unfortunately, many of the human resources tales from are far too real! While it is unclear exactly as to what Helga will confront during this program, be certain they will be those confounding all of us on a day-to-day-basis. This fast-paced, practical and entertaining session will focus on uncommon HR issues and examine practical, business-focused solutions that you can use immediately to solve those problems.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine complicated human resources concerns through a practical and entertaining program.
• Analyze relevant employment laws while, at all times, keeping in mind the business realities of any complex HR scenario.
• Focus on human resources leadership and effective ways to communicate solutions to organizational leadership.

In the next five years, 84% of organizations expect to have a shortfall of leaders—and this trend has worsened as women and other underrepresented groups continue to opt down or out of the workforce all together.
It is more important than ever to create the next generation of ready-now, diverse leaders.

But how? Join Kristen Howe, Chief Product Officer at Linkage, a SHRM company, to learn how you can turn your executive leaders into inclusion champions who serve as formal Executive Sponsors of key talent.

This session will empower you to begin a critical conversation about Executive Sponsorship at your organization and will help you identify four common pitfalls Human Resources professionals should avoid as they create and implement an Executive Sponsorship strategy at their organization.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore how Executive Sponsorship differs from informal mentorship and understand how it can drive meaningful impact in your DEI metrics.
• Discover four common pitfalls to avoid as you develop and implement an Executive Sponsorship strategy and program for your talent.
• Learn best practices for adding Executive Sponsorship to your DEI toolkit and gain next steps you can immediately take to begin a critical conversation at your organization.

According to a recently Gallup poll, managers are the greatest drivers of engagement for their direct reports. The old adage is truer than ever: People join companies, but leave managers. With the quiet quitting becoming louder, modern management is all about reengaging your team and retaining top performers. In this session, you'll learn how to sustain a high-performing and engaged team that can tackle any business challenge, any day. You will get insight that can help catapult managers into true leaders and disconnected employees to highly engaged teams.

Learning Objectives:

• Engage employees with a WIIFM (What's In It For Me) mentality.
• Identify the distinct differences between praise, recognition, and appreciation.
• Exude managerial courage in unpredictable or unsupported initiatives.
• Empower others by creating a culture where it's safe to fail.

REPEATED ON TUESDAY AT 10:30am

Recession brings increased gas prices, higher costs at the grocery, and our employee's pay checks not going as far as they used to. It also means that many businesses are faced with lower than predicted revenues leading to cutbacks or layoffs. In the midst of this, retaining your key performers is critical to providing business continuity. This session will be useful for practitioners in professional industries looking to enhance their employee retention with low or no cost strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• Designing a career advancement path when the business is at a stand-still.
• Strategies to enhance the traditional 'total rewards' package including supplementary insurance and paid time off.
• Opportunities to connect your leaders and employees to the shared mission.

The panel will present on strategies and resources to target military connected talent which include veterans, military spouses and caregivers. We will go beyond the research that demonstrates the business case of why to hire to how workplaces should leverage this untapped talent pool. Panelists will present their experiences, best practices and lessons learned.

We will also share new resources and initiatives from SHRM Foundation to support your own professional development and hiring efforts so you leave the session with the strategies and support you need.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the benefits of starting your own military hiring program and how you can get there along with successful tips, tricks and management skills.
• Discover the abundance of programs SHRM Foundation has available to the successful recruiting, hiring, and retaining of members of the military community and learn why/how SHRM Foundation can help you get there.
• Increase the number of informed HR managers, business leaders and employees with programs/certificates that can help your organization flourish!

For far too long, white men have been centered, advantaged, and treated as the 'standard' or 'norm' in workplace structures and cultures. This is not surprising, considering that the same forces are at play in the wider systems in which we all work, live, and play. The systemic inequities both perpetuate and are reinforced by assumptions and biases about white men. As DEI work aims to move societies and workplaces forward into a new paradigm where all people are valued and where equity is finally established, how can we engage white men to be allies and even co-conspirators in the effort? This presentation will explore strategies for calling white men in to this work and getting them invested in dismantling the structures and cultures that have produced the inequity. This will also be a productive session for white men themselves, who have especially in the past three years, been wanting to practice allyship but lacking in the tools and the feelings of efficacy to do so.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a deep understanding of the ways that structures, cultures, and interactions include some groups and exclude others, sometimes in the most subtle of ways.
• Explore our own biases and habits regarding identity, privilege, and biases that we may bring to DEI work.
• Learn strategies for engaging white men (and others) in workplace DEI initiatives.
• Add concrete tools to your toolkit of interactive inclusively with everyone and supporting truly inclusive and equitable workplaces.

REPEATED TUESDAY AT 10:30am

Employees of historically excluded racial backgrounds want more than workplaces have offered in the past. Find out the top four reasons these employees walk away. The reason may differ from what you think.   Learn how to strategically combat this before it happens and make changes that set your organization apart from other workplaces.

Learning Objectives:

• Find out the top four reasons Employees of Color walk away and how you can strategically combat this before it happens.
• Discover the possibly unknown barriers your organization has in place that push team members out.
• Challenge your workplace systems and processes that are inequitable and how to communicate the need for change to decision-makers.

SHRM Foundation, SHRM's 501(c)3 philanthropic arm, exists for you--we're here to elevate and empower HR as a force for social good. But what does that mean? In this spotlight session, learn how SHRM Foundation is here to partner with you and your state or local SHRM chapter to help you thrive, and achieve a world of work that works for all! We'll discuss the basic pools of work the Foundation focuses on, and why, and will specifically highlight the many ways that you can access, engage, and support that work--including scholarships and grants, case making research, mentorship, toolkits and trainings, low-cost certifications, and more!

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about SHRM Foundation and its efforts to support HR leaders in their work to drive social good.
• Explore the different bodies of work SHRM Foundation is focused on, and dig into how you can take advantage of SHRM Foundation's programs and services to do your work more effectively.
• Get involved in sharing, advising on, and raising funding for SHRM Foundation's ongoing efforts to improve the world of work.

Emotionally-Inclusive Practice is a framework used to integrate emotions into every part of the workplace experience. Emotions lay the foundation for behavior that grounds us in how we see the world and respond in our everyday interactions. Developing the emotional intelligence of adults across our implicit bias and cultural consciousness and understanding our trauma gives us the awareness and skills to create restorative workplace environments that prioritize all relationships and increase overall productivity.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace.
• Learn strategies to grow your own emotional intelligence.
• Learn the importance of belonging, cultural consciousness, and restorative practices in the workplace and strategies to implement emotionally-inclusive practices.

REPEATED TUESDAY AT 2:00pm

Have you ever felt lonely? Like you struggled to connect with colleagues? Like you didn't know how to approach networking?  Human connection can help you feel like you belong, it can increase your sense of perspective and it can open the doors to opportunities you never would have imagined!  In this session, you'll learn from Rob Lawless, a man on a mission to spend 1 hour, 1:1, with 10,000 different people. You'll hear how he's run into his new friends in places far away from where he's met them, what he's learned from meeting the victim of a mass shooting and how he ended up flying in a plane that the pilot had built himself.  Furthermore, you'll practice connecting with each other using the FORD framework (family, occupation, recreation, dreams) in 1:1 breakouts! You'll learn the importance of goal setting in intentional connection, and afterwards will feel confident in unlocking the true potential of conversation!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the 3 levels of value of human connection (sense of belonging, perspective, future opportunities).
• Utilize the FORD framework in getting to know new people.
• Incorporate goal setting & reflection to achieve intentional human connection.

Leaders are searching for the formula to create inclusive workplace cultures. There are so many possible solutions, how can they know which combination is correct for their organization? HR's role is to provide the roadmap. Using L&D principles, they will identify a formula that will demonstrate their own commitment to DEI as well as prompt senior leaders to use their authority to take action to embed DEI into their company goals.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the value of leader commitment to DEI.
• Determine how learning needs to be re-engineered.
• Review HR's role in creating DEI systems that work.

This session will examine the top barriers to healthy communications, provide strategies for addressing each, and identify the most common communication mistakes employers make. The session will also explore de-escalation techniques and provide tips for individuals to become better communicators.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the various types of workplace issues that may create difficult communications, including performance problems, employee terminations, workplace conflicts, and harassment issues.
• Cover stereotypes and bias as well as other common barriers to healthy communications.
• Provide techniques and tips to help attendees become better communicators.

The statistics about the number of employees who have quit their jobs and careers are staggering. It's been a long two years. People are tired and stressed. The problem is, no one likes to admit to their boss that they are burnt out and want something different. Sometimes it's easier to leave a job or organization than admit that we need a change. Learn to identify and prevent employee (and our own) burnout. Get the words to speak to employees about what they really need so you can keep your employees and help them do their best work. Take regular actions to prevent burnout and keep energy and engagement high.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the signs of employee (and your own) burnout.
• Get the words to talk about burnout so employees are comfortable sharing their needs.
• Prevent burnout with simple actions employees and teams can take daily.
• Keep employee (and your own) energy and engagement high.

This session will explore concepts from psychodynamic theory and contextualize them into the everyday worklife, bringing psychology and neuroscience into the workplace. We will explore how our minds work under stress, how our emotions influence our thoughts, and how our early relationships build a blueprint for future human connections. We will then apply these insights into the HR function and employee engagement, total rewards, conflict management, resilient teams, and inclusive workplace culture.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore key concepts from clinical psychology, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and neuroscience, their impact at work and relevance to HR.
• Recognize how workplace dynamics affect the human psyche and influence how people think and behave at work.
• Apply these insights to HR strategy development and HR program design.

REPEATED TUESDAY AT 2:00pm

What is the first thing you think of when you hear (or read) 'team building'? Why does team building, whether you spell it as one word or two, have such a negative connotation to so many? For those who are naturally active and/or outgoing, team building is often welcomed with open arms; however, for those who are introverted, and/or less athletically inclined, it's often a cause of hesitation, fear, and anxiety. By conducting a series of short surveys, Matt garnered the common opinions, and misconceptions, of what team building is, and he's sharing his findings, and solutions, with the world through his speaking engagements and his book, TAKE THE FEAR OUT OF TEAM BUILDING. Team building is more than zip lining, trust falls, and slide show presentations. Are you still feeling skeptical? It's time you participated in this interactive (yes, attendees will partake in some simple, communal activities), informative, and engaging presentation.

Learning Objectives:

• Hear why 'team building' is not a 'bad word'.
• Discover what positive team building experiences entail.
• Remove fear and anxiety around both the words, and acts, of team building.
• Learn when and how to host a productive team building experience beneficial to everyone on a team.
• Discuss how team building may provide a 'mix up' of roles, responsibilities, & leadership opportunities.

Change is constant, but it's not always easy. Even when the change is needed, the transition can be difficult, frustrating and even immobilizing if it isn't handled properly.  As an HR practitioner, how do you encourage the C-suite to focus on the human experience of change, rather than just the financial implications?  How do you lead your organization - and your people - forward confidently and assertively all while keeping morale high along the way?  Learn tactical coaching tips and insights on how to navigate the four stages of change to shape a culture of openness and acceptance.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the stages of change and manage the situation purposefully.
• Influence executives to be transparent and keep culture at the forefront of any change.
• Understand how to best lead during the different waves of change.
• Identify tools to overcome resistance and manage difficult situations effectively and directly.
• Instill hope and confidence and champion a 'we're in this together' attitude throughout the organization.

Everyone agrees that trust is an essential component of effective partnerships. But for some team members, trust building feels abstract, soft, or even 'squishy'. Often, we see teams attempt to build trust in ways that do not address the root causes of low or conditional trust, which can backfire and cause unintentional harm.  Combining the neuroscience of trust with her work with dozens of teams on building and rebuilding relationships, Sarah Noll Wilson and Dr. Teresa Peterson will share framework for understanding and analyzing trust, lead participants through a trust audit, and share strategies to create forward movement.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine a framework for understanding the core elements of trust.
• Conduct a personal trust audit that can be used with individuals or teams.
• Explore three key strategies to build, sustain, or rebuild trust.

17 million people have a felony in the United States.  119M have an immediate family member that has been incarcerated in prison or jail.  Yet, up to 75% of formerly incarcerated individuals remain unemployed one year after their release. According to Wendy Safstrom, SMRM Foundation's Executive director, 'The value of untapped talent must be recognized as more than a matter of social good or community goodwill; workers from these groups provide high return on investment and unique skills that employers should be realizing, and we want HR professionals to be more reflective of these diverse populations.'  This panel will provide a strategic overview of a program that operates inside the DC DOC and how employers can create similar approaches to finding and hiring emerging talent that is justice-impacted.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the value of unique training programs for justice-impacted individuals.
• Identify a strategic blueprint for implementing similar programs for your industry.
• Learn ongoing strategies for supporting justice-impacted populations at your company.

Employees want to work for a Company with a culture that ROCKS !! HR has the opportunity to create and own a culture where people can thrive and perform.  This session offers a strategic approach on how to intentionally define, mold and champion all aspects of Culture.  They will receive proven tools that impact retention, attract talent and develop leadership.   It will be unconventional, non-traditional and of course . . . it will ROCK !!

Learning Objectives:

• Defining Culture as Key. This session shows that 'culture' is the number one reason employees either stay or leave a company.
• Tie together various components that employees can identify in their own organizations to define their unique culture.
• Show the need to address the issues of having staff who add value to your culture and the need to embrace all generations.
• Show attendees the necessity of being a businessperson who practices HR because this is the only way to truly be an integrated and strategic force in a company.
• Receive actual examples of how to implement procedures and approaches to anchor them in how to lead, nurture and shepherd their company culture.

Is your organization negatively impacted by the increasing polarization in our society? Join us to discover how YOU as an HR Professional can identify emerging polarization in your organization and explore real-world facilitation and coaching skills to open dialogue and repair rifts, as well as build confidence and competence to act as a true business partner to coach the leaders you serve to foster such courageous and mission-critical conversations.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify current and emerging polarization patterns and their caustic implications for your people, culture, and results.
• Explore real-life case studies of polarization issues to demonstrate how to apply coaching skills to these challenging situations.
• Discover and practice three simple but powerful coaching skills to prevent and overcome polarization in the workplace - creating awareness, understanding intention, and focusing on habits and behaviors.
• Walk-away with actionable insights about how to prevent the process of polarization by keeping the doors of dialogue open for a warm collegial atmosphere in the workplace, including HR Professionals' critical role in leading empathetic interactions to foster cultures that promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

REPEATED TUESDAY AT 2:00pm

Learn the predominant conflict styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers as found through analysis of 11,000 test takers of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, revealing how generational cohorts differ in approaches to conflict. As uncovered in numerous interviews, learn what Millennials want and value in the workplace and practical methods to successfully recruit, retain, and manage this large and valuable cohort. Lastly, understand how gender impacts conflict styles and differences in younger cohorts.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the predominant conflict styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers and how to effectively manage conflict at work.
• Describe the impact of gender on conflict styles and how this differs for younger generations.
• Describe how to successfully engage Millennials at work by learning what Millennials want and value in the workplace.
• List key strategies for successfully recruiting, retaining, and managing Millennials.
• Understand generational workplace demographics and how they impact the future of your organization.

'It takes a village to raise a child.'   Statistics have shown that throughout the pandemic, working mothers have lost their job at three times the rate of fathers. This statistic is even greater for single mothers - losing 2.2 million jobs in a six-month period.  It's imperative now in the aftermath of COVID-19 and the gender-regressive effects to the workforce, that organizations prioritize some of its most vulnerable employees: working mothers.

Everyone in your organization is responsible for exemplifying and reinforcing positive, civil behavior. This means entry level employees, all the way up to C-Suite Executives, play a role in creating an inclusive work environment and culture. In order to do so, they must become aware of their own personal communication style and how it affects those around them, as well as have actionable tools for addressing non-inclusive behavior when they witness it. Leaders who attend this session will be able to go back to their organization with tangible tools for creating an inclusive workplace, where every employee is involved in sustaining a positive culture.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the origins of bias and four different types of bias.
• Define risk factors that increase our likelihood to engage in bias.
• Combat microaggressions using tried and true intervention methods including asking questions, relying on basic human values, and organizational core values etc. 
• Facilitate and participate in inclusive meetings by creating a code of conduct, starting every meeting with it, and ensuring all measures are taken to ensure inclusivity (accommodating disabilities, diverse speakers, etc.). 
• Identify resources for educating yourself on inclusive behaviors.

We all know that it is unlawful-and bad business-to consider an applicant's or employee's gender, race, color, religion, etc. in making a hiring or promotion decision. But sometimes we do so implicitly-that is, without conscious awareness. This may raise legal issues and it most certainly raises business/HR issues. This session focuses on types of implicit bias that may infect hiring and promotional processes. Tests to uncover implicit bias also are explored, as well as the sometimes unconsidered risks of those tests. The training includes a discussion of options to help bring unconscious bias to conscious awareness without creating discoverable data that can be used against the organization. Because promotions are often tied to evaluations, particular attention will be paid to implicit bias in appraisals.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand where implicit bias comes from and those sources which inform such biases.
• Appreciate the different kinds of implicit biases which impact and infect our decision-making.
• Move beyond awareness and develop strategies to combat implicit bias and to mitigate against such bias in business processes.

Companies have spent billions of dollars on DEI education and still, no one is really talking about DEI. Sure, we know the dimensions of diversity, and what unconscious bias is. We know all of the right words but we don't know how to say them. In our efforts to educate on DEI, we missed something. We missed the importance of conversational competence in the formula for change around DEI. People need a formula to have these tough, uncomfortable conversations. Formulas increase the likelihood of success and this session will provide the needed formula for productive DEI conversations.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the formula for conversational competence that can be used in many scenarios.
• Hear what you should be talking about related to DEI.
• Discover how to guide others through difficult conversations.

In a world of ever-increasing complexity and ambiguity, innovation is a top priority across organizations. An innovative organizational culture is not only  key to unleashing employees' innate potential but a driving factor for business success and talent retention. How can organizations intentionally create a culture of innovation and recognize the conditions that enable or disable this? This session will explore  how HR leaders can transform culture to increase employee engagement and propel business performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the six conditions that enable and disable creativity to inform internal initiatives that can support continuous culture reinforcement.
• Pinpoint the current state of your innovation culture through a diagnostic tool.
• Determine how C-suite, HR, and operations can successfully work together to activate solutions that create an environment in support of a synergized culture.

For most organizations, regardless of sector or industry, identifying the root causes of disparities and exclusionary behavior associated with gender is difficult to identify and challenging to eliminate. Based on a survey and personal interviews conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, the National University System discovered it had a 'gender blind spot' at the senior and executive leadership levels. NUS used this information to identify the root source of the problem and committed to creating more significant equity and inclusion for women in the organization. The presentation will highlight the intentional steps NUS took with the support of CCL to address the opportunities and challenges associated with overcoming gender bias. The presentation will highlight our best practices for managing the gender-blind spot. Regardless of sector or industry, senior and executive leaders will find this presentation very enlightening.

Learning Objectives:

• Strategies for identifying gender bias or blind spots at the leadership level;
• The opportunities and challenges associated with addressing gender bias;
• What it takes to lay a sustainable DEI foundation at the leadership levels;
• How to measure or assess short and long-term success; and
• Other insights and recommendations to help establish an inclusive and equitable work environment for women.

In today's competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent requires fresh thinking and adjusted practices. New hires are now more likely to leave jobs quickly if they don't feel connected, empowered and engaged in their roles.  Amy will discuss the key things every HR practitioner should assess in their organization right now to ensure they are best positioned to not only attract talent but make new hires feel valued and supported once onboard.

Learning Objectives:

• Developing a better understanding of what creates a supportive culture.
• How to harness the value of greater management and leadership support.
• The role of company values in empowering employees.
• Ensuring your compensation practices benefit both existing and new employees.

Understanding how to build effective relationships and lead teams through emotional challenges is critical for every HR leader in the modern workplace.  By using the four cardinal directions of the emotional intelligence compass, HR leaders are better equipped to navigate the unknowns and ever-changing landscape of today's world of work.  In this session attendees will discuss empathy, reasoning, self-care, and motivation, the cardinal directions of emotional intelligence that help to orient us as leaders and guide our teams to higher levels of performance.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the dimensions of emotional intelligence and how to improve your own emotional intelligence as an HR leader.
• Use emotional data to guide teams to higher levels of performance.
• Develop strategies to leverage and build the emotional intelligence of others.

Unacknowledged or mishandled grief in the workplace not only hurts employee morale and culture but also undermines employee engagement, retention, and harms the financial well-being of your organization. The prevalence and impact of grief on corporate America is profound: One in four employees is grieving at any given time. Over half of employees will consider leaving their job when their employer does not provide support after a loved one's death. Over $113 billion is spent by employers due to reduced productivity and on the job errors from grief. An average of 4 million employees in the American workforce experience the death of a loved one each year. 

Learning Objectives:

• The problem and prevalence of grief in the workplace.
• Insights into an employee's grieving brain.
• The downstream effects of grief on productivity, ROI, absenteeism, and presenteeism.
• The importance of incorporating both head and heart-based empathetic solutions for responding and interacting with a grieving team member.
• Proven solutions for executives, CHROs, HR leaders, managers, and care teams on how to support a grieving employee.

When ranking HR professional's worst nightmares, workplace violence is among the worst. In addition to employee injury, the economic damage, decreased productivity, labor/management issues, workers compensation costs, lawsuits, exodus of employees, and damage to company reputation can have a profoundly negative impact on your organization.  Jeff Owens, a former police hostage negotiator and current Certified Threat Manager will provide you with actionable strategies to reduce the risk of workplace violence occurring.

Learning Objectives:

• Planning principles and considerations for internal protocols.
• Leadership obligations and liabilities awareness.
• Prevention strategies including risk factors, policy elements, training considerations, reporting and response systems.
• Understand the basics of Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM).
• The why, what, and how of a Threat Assessment and Management Team.

Around the world, organizations and customers are growing more diverse. To remain competitive, organizations must move from diversity to inclusion to increase employee engagement, innovation, and to win the war for talent.Today's leaders must leverage the full power of this diversity by honing their inclusive leadership skills. Inclusive leaders intentionally bring out the full potential of their team by empowering and valuing the unique contributions of individual employees. The innovation and productivity potential of these teams can only be harnessed in an inclusive work culture. These leadership skills are the tools you need to take your diverse team to the next level of performance.

Learning Objectives:

• The skills necessary to be an inclusive leader through case studies, assessments, and discussion with a global group of learners.
• How to leverage core inclusive leadership behaviors of Empowerment, Accountability, Courage and Humility (EACH) in any setting.
• Inclusive leadership skills that enable work-life effectiveness. Position yourself as a leader through inclusive communication.

REPEATED ON WEDNESDAY AT 7:30am

Toxic acts have no place at work, yet too often, people experience harm. Violations at any level foster isolation and exhaustion and erode senses of belonging. Your people's unfiltered opinions and creative ideas are your greatest assets. How can you be sure they feel safe enough to speak up?   Embrace an empathy-driven framework to label rooted issues, identify tools encouraging team member buy-in, and reinforce organizational efforts that build more welcoming cultures for all. Participants will confidently advocate for their voices in a way that ensures that everyone feels empowered to speak up, no matter their role, tenure, or social capital.

Learning Objectives:

• Diagnose why the type or severity of toxic behaviors are less critical than their neurological impact and how any level of harm can create isolation, derail creativity, and erode trust.
• Implement a tailored framework to reflect on obstacles and trust gaps before outlining organizational practices, investments, and policies that prevent harm.
• Transform how you authentically seek out, hear, and act upon your people's perspectives to determine solutions rooted in team member buy-in.
• Adopt advocacy skills and cultivate a people-centered mindset to ensure you feel confident speaking up for your safety needs and the needs of others.

VP-47 was down on their luck.  Two Commanding Officers were fired for personal misconduct.  The disgraced Skippers represented the tip of the iceberg; a squadron mired in management misconduct and failed leadership.  One year later the Sailors at VP-47 took command of their destiny, and their efforts ranked the squadron #1 in morale, leadership, and communications.  Cultivating culture through trust, teamwork, purpose, and ownership was essential in VP-47's rise to the top.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand that organizational culture's impact on employee performance is profound and is completely within the control of the leader.
• Establishing trust is ultimately the leader's responsibility and will require the leader to get uncomfortable during intentional efforts to show care.
• Encourage teamwork by creating opportunities for your employees to come together, policies to keep them together, and incentives to encourage them to work together.
• Link your employees' purpose to our unknown desire to serve others.
• Leverage the power of ownership by communicating what success looks like and letting your employees chart the course.

Did you know data shows imposter syndrome disproportionately affects underrepresented groups? Many discussions about imposter syndrome focus on how an individual can recover from it, but few focus on the examination of work cultures and how they may be perpetuating imposter syndrome. Michelle is a Hispanic woman in Tech and Miguel served as the first civilian Chief of D&I in the history of the Coast Guard. Together they bring an explosive combination of experiences and strategies to equip HR leaders with the right tools to implement sustainable, systemic solutions to ensure work is a place where everyone can thrive. This session will identify specific actions you can take to create a sense of belonging. You will learn specific steps that can help you facilitate the right workplace interventions and take a 'both/and' approach to meeting your employees' unique needs while also making the organizational shifts required to address imposter syndrome at its true source.

Learning Objectives:

• Analyzing/studying the statistics on the negative impacts of imposter syndrome in workplace belongingness.
• Applying the four strategies within the T.A.M.E framework to end imposter syndrome at work.
• Understand the toxic workplace behaviors and customs that lead to feelings of fraud in your employees.

You have several areas of suckage in your life that will remain permanently. We all wish the weaknesses in our lives would just go away, but they do not. Unfortunately, that's the place insecurity latches onto, creating inaccurate perceptions and debilitating internal dialogue. We never acknowledge it with our colleagues but it's contributed to significantly more bad communication than any other factor.

Insecurity's mantra is "You're Not Enough."

Confidence isn't just the opposite of insecurity, it's the tool we utilize to extract it from our life. The three Ingredients of Confidence - Trust, Humility & Belief - work together to remove the lies of insecurity. Once siphoned from our soul, confidence remains behind in its' place. Thus giving us confidence even where we are weak!

Learning Objectives:

• Create an understanding of how mean and dastardly insecurity is.
• Learn how a karaoke bar factors in to your freedom.
• Recognize the consequences of unaddressed insecurities in work life.
• Learn to be confident in every situation!

REPEATED FROM MONDAY AT 7:30am

Your ability to be influential within conflict resolution is critical to your success as a human resource professional.  Scott Tillema is a FBI trained hostage negotiator and senior associate with The Negotiations Collective.  This session will introduce the principle-based framework used in crisis negotiations and share how professionals in HR can use this same framework to navigate tense situations, helping them find safe and successful resolutions in even the most challenging moments.

Learning Objectives:

• Have an understanding of how emotions impact how people make decisions.
• Learn the four principles required to successfully influence others: Understanding, Timing, Delivery and Respect.
• Know how Fairness, Empathy, Autonomy and Recognition need to be attended to to ensure anti-escalation.
• Appreciate the impact of cognitive biases on our thinking.

REPEATED FROM MONDAY AT 10:30am

Recession brings increased gas prices, higher costs at the grocery, and our employee's pay checks not going as far as they used to. It also means that many businesses are faced with lower than predicted revenues leading to cutbacks or layoffs. In the midst of this, retaining your key performers is critical to providing business continuity. This session will be useful for practitioners in professional industries looking to enhance their employee retention with low or no cost strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• Designing a career advancement path when the business is at a stand-still.
• Strategies to enhance the traditional 'total rewards' package including supplementary insurance and paid time off.
• Opportunities to connect your leaders and employees to the shared mission.

It’s time to bring communication and value back to the workplace. Building community and connection across hybrid, remote, and in-person teams is vital to ensure success. This program is about developing and delivering value in everything you do. Organizations with great cultures add value to their people, products, and services. Culture matters because it boosts productivity, agility, employee engagement, and retention. A robust and positive workplace culture precedes business results. This presentation is about recognizing the many things that add value and are worth more than what you perceive has merit.

REPEATED FROM MONDAY AT 10:30am

Employees of historically excluded racial backgrounds want more than workplaces have offered in the past. Find out the top four reasons these employees walk away. The reason may differ from what you think.   Learn how to strategically combat this before it happens and make changes that set your organization apart from other workplaces.

Learning Objectives:

• Find out the top four reasons Employees of Color walk away and how you can strategically combat this before it happens.
• Discover the possibly unknown barriers your organization has in place that push team members out.
• Challenge your workplace systems and processes that are inequitable and how to communicate the need for change to decision-makers.

While employment law is continually intersecting with HR, few laws are as vexing and challenging as the ADA.  Ever changing case law decisions, fact pattern nuances and expanding coverage under the law are just a few of the reasons why the ADA is so unique.  How do you combat such a law?  Attack it head on!  Find ways to gain insight and challenge yourself to consider the possibilities.  That is what this session is designed to do.  Bring out your competitive spirit and expand your knowledge through answers and questions of the most pressing ADA issues of the moment.  Join me for this energetic, engaging and fascinating session as we take on ADA Jeopardy in 2023.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the latest issues surrounding the ADA in the workplace.
• Gain practical insights in to how to strategically plan for ADA issues in your organization.
• Enhance participants' comfort level in dealing with ADA issues in the workplace.

The time for HR to work in the background has passed. It's time for HR to be strategic at an organizational, professional, and personal level. This session will equip attendees with an approach to be intentionally strategic in their HR role regardless of their level. It will also show them how to integrate departments and create a sustainable people-first culture that values employees as true talent!!

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how to be a valued and sought-after resource as an HR leader instead of only providing support when needed.
• Learn how to effectively develop people individually from the Executive level down through the organization to the front-line team member.
• Create and work from a people-first and strengths-based position in their HR role and teach people managers to do the same.
• Effectively assess and place people in roles where they can perform and excel personally and for the organization.

REPEATED WEDNESDAY AT 7:30am

The world's changed professionally and personally as we 've all been challenged to change how we live, work and socialize. None of us are the same now that a pandemic has shown us a new normal. People are exhausted, hopeful and concerned about their jobs. To retain your team and talent, you must understand the effect change has on staff or risk losing them to a competitor. The 'Great Resignation' is upon us. Addressing this, and other employee concerns openly will increase retention, grow productivity, lower stress/burnout and health issues, as well as strengthen communications.  We understand that change is a constant and it's our job as leaders to assist staff who are struggling, give them the tools and let them know they're not alone. We'll focus on team development, growing leaders and maximizing employee performance.  Change has many forms. Sometimes, it's organizational change or health concerns. Or, it may be uncertainty in our industry, more disruption, more competition.

Learning Objectives:

• Demonstrate a greater ability to successfully lead, build collaboration and navigate a culture of change.
• Identify the seven most powerful actions (compiled from my 5-year study) we can take to successfully integrate generations in the workplace.
• Recognize the challenges of staff as some transition to a more remote work environment (as public health and business needs dictate).
• Develop a stronger-agile vision to stay productive, engage as a leader and create deeper relationships at all levels.
• Discover three key factors that allow individuals to stress less, grow engagement and produce even during challenging times.
• Engage change management skills, better communication skills and a stronger, more flexible staff/team.

REPEATED  FROM MONDAY AT 3:00pm

Learn the predominant conflict styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers as found through analysis of 11,000 test takers of the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, revealing how generational cohorts differ in approaches to conflict. As uncovered in numerous interviews, learn what Millennials want and value in the workplace and practical methods to successfully recruit, retain, and manage this large and valuable cohort. Lastly, understand how gender impacts conflict styles and differences in younger cohorts.

Learning Objectives:

• Define the predominant conflict styles of Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers and how to effectively manage conflict at work.
• Describe the impact of gender on conflict styles and how this differs for younger generations.
• Describe how to successfully engage Millennials at work by learning what Millennials want and value in the workplace.
• List key strategies for successfully recruiting, retaining, and managing Millennials.
• Understand generational workplace demographics and how they impact the future of your organization.

REPEATED ON WEDNESDAY AT 10:30am

The world of work is changing, but even with labor market shifts, companies remain focused on retaining top talent. To do this, many companies promote benefit packages, salaries and wellness programs-but savvy HR leaders know the secret weapon to retaining top talent starts with offboarding those that leave. This research-driven session shares best practices and tangible offboarding process changes (beyond the exit interview) that can help positively impact employer brand and employee experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Design a modern offboarding processes that extends beyond the traditional 'exit interview' and supports the exiting employee and broader business goals.
• Build more equitable and fair hiring and employment experiences through understanding the true experience of those leaving.
• Impact employee engagement and retention of employees that weren't let go through a thoughtful offboarding process.
• Leverage technology to help meet regulatory requirements and reduce the HR administrative burden and costs.
• Build a business case based on proprietary research & best practice ROI.

REPEATED FROM MONDAY AT 1:30pm

What is the first thing you think of when you hear (or read) 'team building'? Why does team building, whether you spell it as one word or two, have such a negative connotation to so many? For those who are naturally active and/or outgoing, team building is often welcomed with open arms; however, for those who are introverted, and/or less athletically inclined, it's often a cause of hesitation, fear, and anxiety. By conducting a series of short surveys, Matt garnered the common opinions, and misconceptions, of what team building is, and he's sharing his findings, and solutions, with the world through his speaking engagements and his book, TAKE THE FEAR OUT OF TEAM BUILDING. Team building is more than zip lining, trust falls, and slide show presentations. Are you still feeling skeptical? It's time you participated in this interactive (yes, attendees will partake in some simple, communal activities), informative, and engaging presentation.

Learning Objectives:

• Hear why 'team building' is not a 'bad word'.
• Discover what positive team building experiences entail.
• Remove fear and anxiety around both the words, and acts, of team building.
• Learn when and how to host a productive team building experience beneficial to everyone on a team.
• Discuss how team building may provide a 'mix up' of roles, responsibilities, & leadership opportunities.

DEI initiatives should help drive talent acquisition, retention and operational results. Too often, they  fade out with little lasting impact.  Sometimes, they divide workplaces or even cause legal and reputational risk.  In this interactive session, participants will learn how to apply an action based model to activate their organization's mission and values in daily workplace interactions helping to realize DEI objectives and drive organizational excellence.

Learning Objectives:

• Be introduced to an action based model to move from words to lasting daily DEI related behaviors;
• Learn an approach to communicate how their organization's DEI related values help improve operational results;
• Test core models via interactive exercises to practice and apply key session principles for use in their own  organizations.

The Wizard of Oz is an iconic story where Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion searched for the Wizard to solve their problems.  Once they discovered his lack of power, they had to find their own answers.

In much the same way, employees look for their Senior Leaders to solve complex DEI challenges. Recent insights we've gained during executive coaching and training have led to an innovative leadership engagement philosophy we refer to as "The DEI OZ Principle". This principle focuses on improving the Inclusion skills and practices of the highest-ranking leaders in the organization. It provides them with successful first-hand experience, which can establish a foundation to achieve meaningful cultural transformation.  This principle also prepares all employees to utilize their talent, skill, ability, and influence to bring about the DEIB progress they desire.

Learning Objectives:

• Highlight the parallels between today's challenging workforce trends in general, and those specifically linked to DEIB.
• Explore key characteristics of reactionary approaches to Inclusion and the indicators that DEIB has become less of an organizational priority. 
• Present the innovative "DEI OZ Principle" and how it can aid in re-igniting Senior Leadership's investment in creating "People-Centered/Inclusive" workplaces.
• Provide a 3-phased DEIB model of proven strategies, tools, and techniques that are transforming leading organizations.

How well do you know your people and when they show up differently? Are you able to recognize when their patterns of behavior shift and how that can disrupt your organizational performance? How well are you and your team communicating your organization’s commitment to mental health? And do your wellness practices incorporate how trauma in the workplace could be impacting employee experiences?

Today’s employees expect to be seen and treated as whole people and compartmentalizing thoughts and feelings about their life changes is unlikely to occur during the workday. Failure to initiate helpful dialogue and offer organizational support is something that can impact their relationships with stakeholders, work productivity and overall well-being. During this conversation, you will better learn how to recognize the trauma your people may be facing in their personal or professional lives and how to leverage your organization’s employee resources to help them through it.

Learning Objectives:

• How to identify shifting employee behavioral patterns,
• How to assess the current workforce and well-being strategy against the needs of your staff,
• How to effectively communicate trauma support resources for your workforce,
• How to foster a culture of wellness and well-being,

In today's businesses, leaders must be willing to face hard truths about culture, behavior, and negative impacts that exist within their organizations.  What used to be isolated, one-off events of negative manager experiences are now recorded, posted, mocked, prosecuted, examined and medicated.  To ensure organizations protect the integrity of their culture there is a need to be aware of key behaviors that were once excused, and now create great liability, mental, physical and emotional illness for leaders and employees at all levels.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify three key adult bullying behaviors.
• Learn strategies to teach leaders and employees how to address bullying.
• Enhance corporate culture by implementing organization wide models of addressing issues.

What does dessert and Elvis Presley have to do with stress management? Everything! Everyone faces stress.  It's a fact of life.  What you do with it makes the difference between enjoying your life or resenting it, between being challenged or being overwhelmed. The demands and the pace of our busy lives pressure us all.  Some master it and some do not. The trick is to take back control!

In this dynamic, unconventional, and entertaining session, we will address the subject of stress from a refreshing common-sense point of view. Helping you learn how to function with stress, as well as how to reduce it. You'll learn how to feel better about yourself and become less vulnerable to stressful situations. At the same time, you will learn to lighten up and see the humor that is all around us!

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the "good" stress and "bad" stress.
• Understand your optimal stress.
• The answer to two key questions to manage any stressful situation.
• Have a guaranteed, surefire way to turn your love of dessert and the King of Rock and Roll into a practical, real-world way to control your stress!
• No deep breathing and yoga suggestions here-- I promise you have never approached stress this way before! 

Have you experienced burnout? Let's be real, we all have to some extent. The shocking truth is that it's more than just burnout. Today's workforce is stressed, sad and anxious. It's gotten so bad, that in July of 2022 the numbers 988 are designated as the new three-digit dialing code that easily routes callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It's time we put our own Mental Health as the number one priority - in business, in education, in all of our relationships. Work/Life Balance can help, but what this model doesn't address is one's own 'inner compass'. Burnout and being caught on the hamster wheel of achieving goals and chasing success is a result of prioritizing your work over truly connecting with yourself.  The burnout mind encourages neglecting time for mental health and well-being.The practice of SOUL/Life Balance puts one's own mental health as the #1 priority while reframing work as a part of being a human.  By implementing SOUL/Life Balance as a way of being,

Learning Objectives:

• How to connect with oneself & the importance of prioritizing yourself first, always.
• Actionable mindful practices in & out of the office.
• What you need to know about the mental health crisis.
• Creating harmony within the mind building an energizing & fulfilled life.

Prior to 2020, remote work was considered a job perk. The option to occasionally work from home was one way for employers to attract new talent and foster job satisfaction among existing employees. For those looking to work remotely, full-time options were typically limited to freelance or consultancy work. Since the COVID outbreak, many companies had no choice but to embrace remote work in order to survive.  Data suggests that approximately 65% of the employed U.S. workforce would prefer to work remotely every day; but what would this mean for employee mental health and overall feelings of loneliness? And to what extent do unplanned, spontaneous interactions with co-workers play a part in employee engagement, satisfaction, and belonging, as well as career progression and work performance?  Join SHRM Research as they share new data on some of the pros and cons of remote work and what your organization can do to prevent feelings of loneliness among your remote workforce.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify potential downfalls of full-time remote work as they relate to employee mental health, productivity, promotional considerations and other variables.

Commitment, Culture and Continuity all drive your organization based in part on the path set forth by case law.  Have you kept up on what courts have crafted for you this year regarding employment issues?  Challenged by what your employees are concerned about and how the courts have considered their issues?  Looking for a different lens to support your workforce? Well then join us for an engaging discussion on what the last year of decisions have brought to us and how they can all assist in supporting our efforts to develop, redefine and thrive in changing times.  Together we will explore not only these decisions and their lessons, but the ways in which altered efforts may chart an even more successful course for your organization as well as your employees going forward.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the latest impactful court decisions in employment law.
• Gain an understanding of how the respective decisions provide a path to change the manner in which HR conducts itself.
• Evaluate case law to review existing policies and procedures for potential areas of necessary alteration moving forward.

Tim Massa, SVP & Chief People Officer at Kroger, empowers his people leadership team to be true advocates & people champions for their 430K+ associates. From their well-being and benefits to career path and education to on-the-job resources, nurturing a thriving environment for every associate is critical to their advancement, a positive customer experience and the long-term success of an organization. In this session, Massa will share the role you play as HR professionals in serving, empowering, developing and unlocking the full potential of associates within your organization. Advocating for the well-being of your associates, starts with each of you!

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will learn how to be a People Champion for their associates. 
• Attendees will review examples from Massa’s career as a People Champion. 
• Attendees will understand the importance of advocacy for HR professionals.

Employees frequently complain about a 'hostile working environment.' The term has specific legal meaning that is much narrower than is typically thought. It does not ordinarily cover demanding or unpleasant bosses, rude or gossipy co-workers, or hot-tempered customers. To the contrary, it requires conduct that meets certain legal standards and is tied to a protected classification such as age, sex or race. HR professionals must know how to distinguish between complaints of a hostile working environment that potentially involve unlawful conduct and require a thorough investigation, and those that merely describe the ordinary stresses of the work day. This presentation will highlight the difference.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the legal meaning of the term 'hostile working environment.'
• Learn how to distinguish between complaints of a hostile environment that require a full investigation and those that do not.
• Learn how to address complaints that do not involve unlawful conduct or violations of company policy.

Designing technology for inclusivity and intersectionality - which includes all parts of an individual's identity - poses a big opportunity for today's organizations, and it begins from the moment a candidate engages with an organization. To ensure true tech inclusivity, organizations should always ask a critical question: are we accounting for the full spectrum of people our workforce represents? This session examines the key variables to develop and implement tech tools that empower all workers and enable a truly inclusive workplace.

Learning Objectives:

• How to design tech tools for intersectionality.
• Understanding the opportunities and challenges with workplace technology.
• Key requirements for designing tools for inclusivity.
• Knowing the benefits and importance of inclusive tech.

REPEATED FROM TUESDAY AT 10:30am

Toxic acts have no place at work, yet too often, people experience harm. Violations at any level foster isolation and exhaustion and erode senses of belonging. Your people's unfiltered opinions and creative ideas are your greatest assets. How can you be sure they feel safe enough to speak up?   Embrace an empathy-driven framework to label rooted issues, identify tools encouraging team member buy-in, and reinforce organizational efforts that build more welcoming cultures for all. Participants will confidently advocate for their voices in a way that ensures that everyone feels empowered to speak up, no matter their role, tenure, or social capital.

Learning Objectives:

• Diagnose why the type or severity of toxic behaviors are less critical than their neurological impact and how any level of harm can create isolation, derail creativity, and erode trust.
• Implement a tailored framework to reflect on obstacles and trust gaps before outlining organizational practices, investments, and policies that prevent harm.
• Transform how you authentically seek out, hear, and act upon your people's perspectives to determine solutions rooted in team member buy-in.
• Adopt advocacy skills and cultivate a people-centered mindset to ensure you feel confident speaking up for your safety needs and the needs of others.

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 Objectives:

• Uncover six basic difficult personalities while discovering what they do, why they do it, and what you can do about it.
• Learn how to not react to reactive people.
• Develop strategies for empowering your communication style and moving negative behavior toward positive results.
• Understand how to increase your behavioral repertoire when confronted with a difficult person.
• Explore how to create an energized culture and climate in your office and organization.

Today, few companies offer benefits focused on mental health for employees or dependents. Today's HR professionals are faced with employee mental health burdens like never before and don't have tools or answers, resulting in fear and stigma by all parties.   Dan Pontius will address the stigma associated around mental health, what businesses can do to address the youth mental health crisis and why it is costing your company money by not acting now.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a better understanding of the youth mental health crisis in the U.S. and how it is negatively impacting the performance of working parents.
• Learn tools and options for how Human Resource professionals can have meaningful mental health conversations with staff.
• Understand what mental health and wellness benefits should be added to employee benefits packages and identify actionable steps to implement support for mental wellness into corporate cultures.
• Hear why supporting the mental health of employees and their dependents makes sense for the long-term success of a business.

The concept of personal branding may seem like a catchphrase being thrown around by authors and self help gurus; however, the concept isn't new. You already have a personal brand - whether you know it or not.

Your personal brand is more than your reputation. It's a value proposition that helps companies evaluate whether or not to recruit, hire, develop and retain you - and also whether or not people want to work with you, or at your company.

Your personal brand is an important aspect of your career, and impacts everything from future career aspirations to your existing compensation opportunities. Once you understand what drives you, as well as the qualities and skill-sets that are unique to you, you can effectively manage your brand and communicate your best attributes to the constituencies that matter.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what is included in your personal brand, what isn't, and why it matters.
• Discover how personal branding relates to managing and growing your career.
• Create your own personal brand statement, and understand how to use it.
• Incorporate your "whole self" into your personal brand to create personal and professional opportunities.
• Develop an Action Plan for effectively communicating and promoting your personal brand.

In today's world of work, empathy is a critical component to organizational culture.  It not only impacts employee attitudes and behaviors, but also impacts an organization's bottom-line results.  Research showing empathy's impact on organizations will be shared, pointing to the need for organizations to both measure empathy and make it an area of focus for HR practitioners.  SHRM's new Empathy Index Tool will be shared as a measurement solution for organizations to use in determining where they are on the empathy scale, how they compare to organizational empathy benchmarks, and where they may be able to focus potential efforts for improvement.

Learning Objectives:

• Define empathy and its components.
• Identify how organizational empathy impacts employee attitudes and behaviors.
• Identify how organizational empathy impacts a business's bottom-line results.
• Understand how to use SHRM's new Empathy Index Tool.

Learn what stress is, what it isn't, why it prevents you from achieving your goals, and how the right coping methods matter. In this no-nonsense presentation, attendees will be armed with what they need to move from frustration and dread to clarity and momentum.  Professionals look for stress relief by addressing external problems (hire/fire staff, take CE courses, throw money at marketing, etc.), which only serves as a Band-Aid. External solutions are not going to resolve this internal, biological reaction. Learn where stress is present in your business, why it prevents you from achieving your goals, and how to move from functional to OPTIMAL.  In her pragmatic approach, Jen Butler (master executive and board certified coach) debunks the myths behind stress in business and shares how to navigate stressors successfully. Attendees will build an action plan to incorporate practical, effective coping methods with the end result being less stress and higher profits.

Learning Objectives:

• KNOW YOUR STRESS- Understand the different kinds and types of stress and the effect on the business.
• ASSESS YOUR STRESS- Evaluate personal stress levels and how to recognize the team's stress levels.
• REDUCE YOUR STRESS- Recognize stress triggers and how to change them.
• ACQUIRE LONG-TERM- strategies to improve coping skills and reduce stress.

REPEATED FROM TUESDAY AT 2:00pm

The world's changed professionally and personally as we 've all been challenged to change how we live, work and socialize. None of us are the same now that a pandemic has shown us a new normal. People are exhausted, hopeful and concerned about their jobs. To retain your team and talent, you must understand the effect change has on staff or risk losing them to a competitor. The 'Great Resignation' is upon us. Addressing this, and other employee concerns openly will increase retention, grow productivity, lower stress/burnout and health issues, as well as strengthen communications.  We understand that change is a constant and it's our job as leaders to assist staff who are struggling, give them the tools and let them know they're not alone. We'll focus on team development, growing leaders and maximizing employee performance.  Change has many forms. Sometimes, it's organizational change or health concerns. Or, it may be uncertainty in our industry, more disruption, more competition.

Learning Objectives:

• Demonstrate a greater ability to successfully lead, build collaboration and navigate a culture of change.
• Identify the seven most powerful actions (compiled from my 5-year study) we can take to successfully integrate generations in the workplace.
• Recognize the challenges of staff as some transition to a more remote work environment (as public health and business needs dictate).
• Develop a stronger-agile vision to stay productive, engage as a leader and create deeper relationships at all levels.
• Discover three key factors that allow individuals to stress less, grow engagement and produce even during challenging times.
• Engage change management skills, better communication skills and a stronger, more flexible staff/team.

Quiet quitting is the latest buzzword that sounds like someone is resigning from their job, but in fact describes a rebellion against the hustle culture of going above and beyond what a job requires. As a fast follow to Quiet Quitting, came Quiet Firing, which involves an employer creating a hostile work environment in the hopes that it will cause an employee to quit, and not necessarily quietly. No matter what label is used, it all comes down to one issue.. that few people are thriving in the workplace today. This session will take attendees through an assessment process that will help them crystalize the opportunities for employee experience improvement and identify the barriers that are holding up their progress.

Learning Objectives:

• Review the current employee experience and what events have lead to the current state.
• Assessment of attendee's organization through three lenses of experience.
• Create an action plan that includes key strategies to improve the employee experience in today's challenging work environment.

In this provocative multi media 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. 
Gallup claims that only 33% of the workforce is engaged, but for the first time, the boss is less engaged than the employees they 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 and training 'people who lead people'.

Learning Objectives:

• Hear what has caused leadership engagement to drop.
• Discuss why people who manage people have the organization's most important job.
• Discover the key success competencies of people who effectively manage people.
• Look for the right people to select themselves in (and out) of management.
• Look for (and avoid) the 7 deadly characteristics of terrible bosses.
• Implement the BEST (Behaviors / Experience / Skills / Traits) Profile in management selection.

REPEATED FROM TUESDAY AT 2:00pm

The world of work is changing, but even with labor market shifts, companies remain focused on retaining top talent. To do this, many companies promote benefit packages, salaries and wellness programs-but savvy HR leaders know the secret weapon to retaining top talent starts with offboarding those that leave. This research-driven session shares best practices and tangible offboarding process changes (beyond the exit interview) that can help positively impact employer brand and employee experience.

Learning Objectives:

• Design a modern offboarding processes that extends beyond the traditional 'exit interview' and supports the exiting employee and broader business goals.
• Build more equitable and fair hiring and employment experiences through understanding the true experience of those leaving.
• Impact employee engagement and retention of employees that weren't let go through a thoughtful offboarding process.
• Leverage technology to help meet regulatory requirements and reduce the HR administrative burden and costs.
• Build a business case based on proprietary research & best practice ROI.

In 2021 King's Hawaiian embarked on an ambitious journey to ditch their annual performance review and merit process and radically reimagine the mutual pact between employer and employee. What emerged was a holistic Total Rewards philosophy and approach that invests in people who, in turn, create value for the business. Join Amy Hirsh Robinson, Chief People Officer at King's Hawaiian, as she shares what the path to 'irresistibility' looks like and learnings from the journey.

Learning Objectives:

• Promote wellness to improve employees' physical, mental, financial, social, and professional health to be their best at work and at home.
• Provide development to grow employees and build leadership so that everyone can achieve their full potential.
• Ensure that pay is appropriately aligned with people's capability:  their talents, strengths, skills, knowledge, and their role in the organization.
• Create opportunities for recognition that celebrate the success of employees in the moment and turn those moments into experiences with lasting emotional value.
• Deliver rewards for the contributions that people make that create value for the organization.

Middle management was critical to keep information flowing and providing insight across the organization on what was happening. Yet technology, including CRMs, started changing the business landscape. Information to manage the entire business can be seen and accessed across the organization while you're getting coffee. Middle management now struggles to remain relevant. The most logical role for middle management is to serve as the vital cog in the alignment of strategy and people - better known as culture.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how middle management can serve as the vital cog in the creation of a positive organizational culture.
• Learn how middle management can serve as an essential part of the organization by breaking down internal barriers to growth and productivity.
• Learn how to Increase productivity, reduce theft, and Increase talent retention through empowerment and connection.