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2024’s HR conference season is in full swing.
One of the biggest events in the calendar, Transform, took place from March 11 – March 13 in Las Vegas, and – despite dropping HR from its name – was home to thousands of attendees, vendors, speakers, and companies set on solving some of the most pressing issues facing the profession.
If you didn’t make this one, fear not. As ever, there’s a packed schedule of conferences over the next few months with keynote speeches, non-stop networking, and expo exhibits aplenty.
From other giant industry events like UNLEASH America (May 7 to May 9) and SHRM24 (June 23 to June 26), to discipline-specific conferences like People Analytics World (April 24 to April 25) and RecFest US (September 12 to September 13), the calendar can quickly stack up.
We all know that conferences are educational and exhausting in equal measure, so here are five tips for getting the best out of your time, energy, and money, wherever you choose to spend it.
Five ways to make the most out of 2024’s HR conference season
1. Pick and choose your conferences carefully
It’s still not too late to get tickets for many of the conferences to come. But with the amount of choice on offer, it can be hard to pick the right one(s) for your time, needs, and geography. Try to identify the conferences that will offer you the best support with the challenges you are concerned with, whether you’re terrified about the prospect of rolling out AI for your payroll, or your company can’t seem to figure out why every job listing seems to attract all the wrong candidates.
Remember, too, that these conferences are not just about the keynotes. They’re a chance for you to swap advice with peers you wouldn’t normally get the face time with. To share horror stories. To celebrate successes. Conferences are a brilliant place to catch up with old colleagues, current friends, and even future employers, so find the balance that works for you.
2. Speak to new people, gather diverse perspectives
It seems obvious, but it’s easy to attend an entire conference with thousands of visitors and only speak to the colleagues you came along with or old faces you’re reuniting with once again.
Especially for introverts, it can be tough and overwhelming in conference halls packed with more people than the eye can see.
But each person will have a unique perspective, experience, and mindset, with experience across different industries, seniorities, functions, and roles, and from different backgrounds and cultures. Conferences are a truly remarkable hub of diversity of thought, so don’t be afraid to take advantage. Remember, HR professionals are in the business of people!
3. Wear comfortable shoes
No, seriously, wear comfortable shoes. You’ll easily rack up step counts that even your office fitness fanatic would be proud of, so it’s worth investing in a pair of sneakers that will give your feet the support they’ll badly need.
Yes, it’s fun to look the part and dress to the nines, but you’ll quickly realize that everyone else is deciding to go with the latter half of smart casual. The last thing you want is to miss out on a keynote speech or impromptu ‘networking’ trip to the bar because you have to remedy some burgeoning blisters.
4. Don’t leave a conversation early
With a packed schedule stacked with buzzwords and HR hotshots aplenty, it can be tempting to cut conversations short so you can secure the best seat at the next panel. But resist the urge to break off a chat to stick to your timetable.
HR conferences are so wonderful because of the impromptu chats that spring up, which are often packed with advice, support, recognition, ideas, and opportunities. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up on the panel or attend other sessions, but these unique connections are often the ones that offer real value.
“The total of HR is better than the sum of the parts,” Kacy Fleming M.A., Head of Global Well-Being for a Fortune 500 Biopharmaceutical Company has previously told HR Grapevine. “We require the knowledge of the full group to offer the best employee experience… 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, but you're creating a better user experience for the employees of your company.”
5. Keep the fun going!
Conferences like UNLEASH, SHRM, and so on are stuffed with valuable sessions from start to finish. They’re also over as soon as they’ve started and you'll find the time flies by.
Beyond the conferences, don’t forget to keep in touch with those you meet, and find other opportunities to come together at smaller meetups and local events.
“I have multiple groups of fellow practitioners that are available to me when I need to brainstorm, vet an idea, or even just commiserate,” Kimberley Shariff, EVP, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Penguin Random House recently stated to HR Grapevine. “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 continued.
However you go about it, make sure the collaboration, networking, problem-solving, and fun that draws you to HR conferences isn’t just isolated to a two-day conference, once a year.
Got any other tips for making the most out of HR conferences? Let us know in the comments.
