This past May, we welcomed HR Advisory members to attend our first-ever Annual Meeting in New York City, which was centered around the theme of “The Future of Work.” HR professionals from various industries, backgrounds, and cities came together with open minds and ears to discuss the most relevant topics of today’s workplace, including remote work, DEIB, inclusive benefits, HR tech, rewards & recognition, and much more.
This full-day event had a variety of presentations that attendees could experience, from speaker sessions to roundtable discussions led by experienced HR leaders at forward-thinking, innovative companies. It was the perfect opportunity to bring the conversations we have in the HR Advisory Slack channel into real life (and meet fellow HR professionals!).
Danika Davis, CEO/Managing Partner of Merit HR, emceed the event as sessions transitioned, and also led a main session about recruiting, retention, and rewards.
“By having events like this, it really gives us the opportunity to prepare for those unexpected times and to also share and collaborate on best practices and plan for the future as much as we can.”
- Rachel Noiseux, People Programs Manager at Pliancy
A Powerful Keynote to Kick Off the Event
Nicci Morris, Founding Partner of The Onward Way, got the Annual Meeting started on an exciting note with her thought-provoking keynote speech. She shared her insights and wisdom on just how big a role behavior plays in the workplace, and explained how organizations can cultivate inclusive work/life experiences through AQ, EQ, and IQ. This perspective on employee experience had everyone’s attention - and notepads open!
Engaging Speaker Sessions & Roundtables
Main sessions highlighted hot topics in the workplace, including ensuring benefits are inclusive, recruiting/retention and rewards, and performance and retention through employee engagement. Attendees could get expert tips and data-driven recommendations on how to drive change forward within their organizations. The sessions were full of innovative strategies that encouraged HR leaders to re-examine the status quo.
Breakout sessions also included roundtable discussions, which had a more interactive format. Those who attended the roundtables could choose from a variety of discussions to join in on, including the future of work, DEIB, HR tech, employee benefits, and People teams of one. Attendees were posed questions by the moderators and then invited to have an open discussion - and that’s where the magic happened.
A Real Sense of Community
Everyone brought their different perspectives, shared their experiences around issues, and offered recommendations for strategies that worked for them in their organizations. There was a real sense of community; everyone was eager to offer help, and attendees felt empowered to ask questions and participate.
There was a common thread that connected all of the discussions held at the Annual Meeting, and it can be summed up as: Taking a human-centered approach to people management.
One thing that was evident from all of the sessions was that for far too long, organizations have only looked at employees as just that - and employees were expected to leave who they were at the door and keep those two worlds separate. We’re learning now that in order to have a workforce that thrives, we need to incorporate flexibility, understanding, and an openness to trying new things into the workplace.
“We’ve had a great day of breakouts and group discussions. We’ve also had some great speakers just give us an understanding of what they’re seeing in different HR trends.”
- Hakim Myers, Talent and Diversity Leader
Wrapping It Up & Reflecting on the Day
After all of the breakout sessions finished, everyone came together to wrap up the Annual Meeting with a closing keynote session led by Danika, which brought together speakers from some of the day’s sessions and invited them to share their key takeaways from the day. This was another opportunity for attendees to ask any questions they had and get advice from the speakers/other HR professionals.
One standout piece of advice that seemed to get agreement from the audience was that there really isn’t one way to do things, and no one has all the answers - even experts who have been in the HR industry for decades still find themselves learning and adapting along the way. But it’s through meetings and communities like these that we can really help push change forward.
We can’t wait for what incredible discussions and experiences next year’s Annual Meeting will bring. Stay tuned for more information on 2023’s event - we hope to see you there!
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