For the HR profession to be evidence-based, it needs to connect research insights with practitioner expertise. Join us to be part of that two-way conversation! Topic by topic, academic experts will outline what's known in the body of research and people professionals will have space to question, probe and relate to their experience. 

Topics include: 

-'Devolving to the line' - how do people managers really enact HR?

-How can AI affect HR?

-How should HR engage with self-employed contractors?

-What voice do today's employees need?

- Helping young people transition into work

Why does the HR profession need to be evidence based? What are the risks of not doing so and the benefits to be had? What does it really mean to be evidence based and how can we go about it? In this workshop, leading advocates of evidence-based management will talk you through all this, explaining the core principles and practices, how they apply to HR, and showcasing CIPD resources to help you get started. We also present an in-depth case study of evidence-based practice in action from the BBC and include time for you to discuss and reflect on how it can work for you.

For three years, the PrOPEL Hub has worked with cutting-edge academic research projects to exchange knowledge with employment and people management practice. We hear from two of the PrOPEL projects, which offer practical solutions as well as leading research insight:

- Wellbeing interventions: measuring the costs and benefits.

- Job crafting: a route to work engagement.

The PrOPEL Hub is a joint government-funded collaboration led by Strathclyde Univeristy and the CIPD. For more information see www.propelhub.org/

Speakers: Sarah Connolly, Professor of Personnel Economics, University of East Anglia

Colin Lindsay, Prof. Work, Employment and Organisation, University of Strathclyde

For the HR profession to be evidence-based, it needs to connect research insights with practitioner expertise. Join us to be part of that two-way conversation! Topic by topic, academic experts will outline what's known in the body of research and people professionals will have space to question, probe and relate to their experience. 

Topics include: 

-'Devolving to the line' - how do people managers really enact HR?

-How can AI affect HR?

-Shared services in HR: do they work?

-Underused skills, underemployed workers: why it happens and what helps solve it. 

-What voice do today's employees need?

-Managing sickness absence post-pandemic-what's changed?

What day-to-day tensions and dilemmas do HR professionals face? And how can one best approach them - for example, when is formal process a lifesaver and when is an informal approach the better option? Moreover, how do tensions affect the experiences, aspirations and self-identity of HR professionals? 

We start with general insights into how HR professional navigate a complex and sometimes contradictory role. We then look specifically at how HR works with line managers to resolve interpersonal conflict, exploring tensions in their respective roles. 

Debate on 'good' or 'fair work' often focuses on 'essentials' like pay, job security and basic wellbeing. But as humans we need more than this. We have a deep psychological need for the fruit of our labour to be meaningful and fulfilling. Meaningful work is a fast developing area of research that already has rich insights for people management. Leading expert Professor Katie Bailey will explain how and why people find their work meaningful (or meaningless) and what HR and managers can do to help. She will also discuss the obvious connection to corporate purpose and the opportunities and pitfalls in trying to link this with meaningfulness.

Social class and social mobility are increasingly recognised as the next 'big-ticket item' in the EDI agenda. Class is a culturally complex issue and a powerful influence on people's careers, but not a legally protected characteristic. Leading expert Dr Louise Ashley argues that this complexity demands alternative ways of thinking about diversity, inclusion and equality if we are to drive meaningful change within our workplaces.