The ARTof.HR Conference is composed of three key themes
1. HR artistry: Developing an inspired workforce through artful HR
We understand the importance of developing HR as a science, however we believe that there is an element of HR practice which is, and will always remain, art – and that this is potentially even more critical at senior and strategic levels, particularly when working in a global role. We also believe that this important aspect of HR is being overlooked currently given the increasing focus on science.
We are therefore looking forward to hearing Dave Ulrich outline how HR practitioners need to help people create meaning, as a basis for their emotional engagement and contribution..
Other sessions will consist mainly of provocations and challenges as well as case studies of organizations which have developed an artful approach. Topics we plan to see covered at the conference include:
- Growing our ambition about what our businesses may be capable of achieving with the right engagement, capability, collaboration etc.
- Increasing trust to develop internal and external relationships and to support and develop networks and communities
- Challenging and provoking existing ways of thinking
- Putting forward a more people focused agenda for the design and implementation of HR activities
- Developing our creativity and thinking differently about HR processes
- Learning from a mix of visual, performing and culinary arts, music, sports, magic etc.
Dave Ulrich on Outside In HR, Meaning and Purpose (Plenary keynote session #1)
2. Global HR: Innovating HR practices on a global stage
There’s no doubt that global HR is increasing in importance but as yet, there has been little support available to support practitioners leading, working in, or aspiring towards a global HR agenda. Therefore, whilst practitioners who may be focusing on one geography will still find this conference of interest, we are deliberately focusing it towards the complex issues experienced when working across countries, cultures, languages, legislations and representative arrangements.
We are pleased to have Dave Ulrich speaking and are looking forward to hearing him outline global HR competencies, including some of the differences in the competencies he has found between regions across the world.
Other topics we plan to see covered at the conference, mainly through organizational case studies, include:
- Increasing HR’s strategic contribution to a global business
- Managing HR processes and organizational cultures on a transnational level, responding to requirements for both consistency and differentiation
- Moving from best practice to developing tailored, potentially unique people management approaches aligned to a particular organization
- Responding to different engagement needs and optimizing diversity
- Building global HR organizations and developing practitioners’ capabilities
3. Energizing leadership: Leading business through a passion for people
Effective leaders and leadership are becoming ever more critical enablers of performance for any business. They are particularly important in a global business where the challenges and opportunities are that much greater. And they are also even more important to support an artful approach to people management in which a business wants to inspire and engage rather than command and control. HR artistry is one thing but we need artful leaders too.
We are therefore looking forward to hearing Dave Ulrich outline how a leadership brand differentiates an organization and maximizes the effectiveness of all the leaders it employs.
Other sessions will consist of a mix of conceptual and practice based insights into a range of topics including:
- Creating an organization of passion and fun where people look forward to coming to work
- Distributing leadership to all employees and across the business to create a leaderful environment
- Dealing with ambiguity and complexity to improve decision making
- Innovative approaches to leadership based on authenticity, connection and transparency
- Effective approaches to recruiting, selecting and developing leaders who will make the difference