Event category: Plenary

Hear actual AI adoption trends to the HR function, how it’s reshaping job roles, and gain insights into HR strategies that can support AI-driven strategic initiatives from the top of some of Canada’s most innovative tech companies In addition to learning how Generative AI is enhancing the HR function today, we’ll explore how our tech businesses will be using AI in the future and how HR can support these strategic initiatives for our organizations and deal with issues including addressing fears amongst employees.

Key Takeaways:

• Practical Application of AI in HR: Understand how AI is enabling work in tech companies, learn where in HR there are already opportunities to enhance work through ‘no code/low code’ tools.
• Building an AI-Ready Organization: Hear about actual examples of leader and employee learning, adoption, and reinforcement methods to upskill and reskill for an AI-supported environment, including personalized learning paths and mentorship programs.
• Ethical Considerations and AI Governance: Gain insights into ethical considerations and best practices for AI governance and learn how HR can play a pivotal role in ensuring employee perspectives are included in design.

As the role of the CHRO expands, HR leaders must navigate a career path that now includes responsibilities far beyond traditional HR functions. Today’s People and Culture leaders act as crisis managers, reputational stewards, and navigators of global and social change, all while balancing strategic leadership with operational excellence. This session will explore how senior HR leaders can manage these growing demands, shape the next generation of CHROs, and tackle challenges such as crisis management, ESG/EDI reporting, and reputational risk. Gain insight into what’s essential for success in this evolving role and discover the next steps in advancing your career.

Key Takeaways:

• Map out your career path to the CHRO role with practical advice from experienced leaders.
• Navigate the expansion of responsibilities and determine what should be in or out of your focus.
• Gain insights on managing your role on the executive team and working effectively with investors/boards.
• Explore future career opportunities for CHROs, including pathways to CEO or board roles.

Transforming your organization’s good intentions into measurable impact is essential for sustainable success in today’s tech landscape. This session will guide senior HR leaders through practical strategies to drive performance, reduce risk, and create value by integrating purpose-led initiatives, DEI, and ESG with business priorities.  This is the missing link for strategic and business-oriented HR leaders to drive impact. Hear how to apply a proven strategy framework and solutions to help you avoid common pitfalls, gain buy-in, and get results. And walk away with actionable insights to partner with your CEO to build a better business inside and out.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to inspire engagement and innovation that benefit employees and customers.  Adopt tools to optimize decision-making and collaboration to drive better business outcomes.
• Gain tactical guidance on how to conduct a company diagnostic to identify opportunity and risks.
• Learn how to assess when the time is right for this work in your business lifecycle and how to make the case for resources.
• Understand common measures of impact and how to communicate to stakeholders.
• Methods to anticipate and circumvent common pitfalls, thus avoiding backlash and initiative fatigue.

In today’s high-pressure work environments, the ability to thrive under stress is crucial for success. Ann Gomez of Clear Concept Inc. will highlight strategies to build your resilience and mitigate stress so you can effectively navigate even the most challenging situations.

This session will help you adopt two powerful approaches: reframe stress and take positive action. We’ll discuss practical strategies that you can apply immediately so you can bring your best when it matters most.

Key Takeaways:

• Reframe how you perceive stressful situations so you can use it as a tool to drive higher performance
• Use the power of mindset to mitigate stress
• Learn how to take positive action so you can respond versus react
• Build your resilience to handle ongoing workplace demands.

In a rapidly changing world, embracing disruptive leadership is key to fostering innovation and defying the status quo. Learn how dynamic leadership style can empower teams, drive creativity, and fuel growth in entrepreneurial settings. Learn how to turn disruption into an advantage by promoting a culture of adaptability, decentralization, and bold decision-making. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to lead with impact and inspire continuous innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• Embrace Change: Leverage disruption to build a resilient, adaptable workplace.
• Empower and Decentralize: Enable autonomy and entrepreneurial thinking by decentralizing decision-making.
• Foster Innovation: Create an environment that encourages experimentation and risk-taking.
• Make Bold Decisions: Learn to balance risk and reward with decisions that challenge conventional norms.