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2023 was another booming year for HR conferences. 3,500 HR professionals descended on Transform; 5,000 rocked up to Unleash; a dizzying 18,000 walked the floor at SHRM.
Smaller, local summits and events for disciplines within the HR and People profession also flourished. Within people analytics, for example, which has a strong tradition of community events, there were people analytics meet-ups across New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, the Bay Area, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh to name a few – and judging by the number of packed-out selfies that made their way onto LinkedIn, they were a hit.
The community spirit is, in principle, strong and alive in HR.
But how often do these meetings end with someone saying something along the lines of “We should do this more often!”? Or “Let’s carry this conversation on over email.” Or “I actually know someone who could really help you out with that.” Days, weeks, and months pass, and the conversation inevitably fizzles out.
And how often do you come away from a conference buzzing with ideas, strategies, or new technologies in mind, only to feel them slipping away the second you step back into work and the reality of your workload piles on?
“So much of what happens in HR is siloed,” says Kacy Fleming M.A., Head of Global Well-Being for a Fortune 500 Biopharmaceutical Company. “When that happens, we miss collaboration and connection. It can feel lonely when you’re solving the world's problems on a day-to-day basis and the pressures of the business are with you as well.”
Kimberley Shariff, EVP, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Penguin Random House, shares this view and emphasizes that her need for community is driven by the complexities of delivering progress within DE&I. “The work of continually redoubling our efforts, staying the course, and giving latitude to one another along the way can be draining and, at times, lonely. That said, this is also joyful and hopeful work,” she explains. “The power of community and opportunity for fellowship is the antidote to these by-products.”
Whether it’s inside or outside the company, HR leaders can do more to transparently communicate workforce problems, collaborate on practical solutions, and deliver seeing-through support for their peers.
Outside the organization
Beyond the confines of the company, there is a world of knowledge and networking awaiting HR leaders. “Conferences and meetings are a great time to connect and share ideas or to talk about struggle authentically and vulnerably. Somebody else has an answer or is willing and excited to brainstorm with you so that we can all find a mutually beneficial solution,” says Fleming.
But what can take an inspiring keynote from insightful to impactful? What can turn the lessons from an HR meeting from background listening to business-critical? And what can move social meetups into strategic coaching and mentorship?
Here are a few pointers to make sure you get the most from the wealth of experience that exists within the HR community.
1. Keep it varied: Balance large-scale conferences that bring together thousands of HR professionals with smaller community meetings. The type of input you get from a community forum, a panel of thought leaders, or a one-on-one coffee with a mentor is vastly different. Some podcasts are direct interviews, others are group discussions. Some panels are theoretical, others are extremely practical. Mix up how, where, when, and what you learn.
2. Keep it diverse: Seek diversity of thought. Each HR professional will have a unique perspective, experience, and approach, so it’s important to seek information from a broad range of people. Collecting diverse opinions across industry, seniority, function, role, experience, background, and culture also helps prevent bias. “I have multiple groups of fellow practitioners that are available to me when I need to brainstorm, vet an idea, or even just commiserate,” says Shariff.
3. Keep it relevant: Whether it’s a seminar or social event, always keep the context of your company in mind. How will acquiring X piece of knowledge help you with Y piece of work? Placing any learnings in the context of the important measures and metrics you frequently report on helps ensure community-gathered insights don’t just collect dust in an old notebook.
4. Keep it social: Whilst collaboration between HR peers should have professional relevance, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun. HR leaders are exhausted, burned out, and in need of quality time with people who understand their frustrations. Coming together to have fun, as well as to learn, makes this collaboration something leaders want to repeat. This can include recognition, argues Shariff. “It provides a place to celebrate successes no matter what the magnitude because they understand without question that all progress - whether publicly lauded or simply privately significant - is worthy of recognition,” she says.
5. Keep it going: However you acquire knowledge and relationships, don’t let them drop off your agenda. It always helps to put specific follow-ups in the diary and set aside dedicated time to keep up with them. Whether it’s adding attending further meet-ups to your monthly goals, or scheduling the next meeting with a mentor before you end the current conversation, find ways to be intentional and structured about your learning from HR peers. It’s what you’d expect of employees, after all.
Inside the organization
It's also worth considering what opportunities exist inside the company itself. There are plenty of resources available – on HR Grapevine and elsewhere – concerning HR’s role in facilitating collaboration, including the role of culture.
However, it’s often assumed that leaders within HR departments only need to rely on their day-to-day meetings and interactions to come together. This isn’t enough. Particularly in large organizations with hundreds of leaders across HR, L&D, Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, and so on, HR should create structured opportunities for shared learning.
These may range from social meetups to coaching and mentorship programs dedicated to people leaders. Here, HR professionals can turn to their colleagues for advice and support on problem-solving, knowledge and experience gaps, and cement long-term relationships between the siloes that inevitably arise in national or global companies.
There is more that unites us than divides us, as the saying goes. Fleming argues this collaboration is fundamental to employee experience and engagement. “The total of HR is better than the sum of the parts,” she says. We require the knowledge of the full group to offer the best employee experience.”
Indeed, regardless of the discipline, challenges such as AI, employee disengagement, and tight budgets are common ground. Greater collaboration and knowledge sharing is a fantastic opportunity for HR leaders to come together.
This has benefits not just for HR, but for employees as well, explains Fleming. “Coming together as HR professionals, whether internally or externally, you're not only getting problem-solving from a solution-based community or getting a compassion and empathy boost for yourself from others going through the same thing,” she says. “But you're creating a better user experience for the employees of your company.”
How will you make the most of your connections and collaboration with HR peers and colleagues in 2024?
