Welcome back to this week’s P | A | C | T news, your bi-weekly newsletter by Tech Talent North.
This week’s PACT article captures the energy and insight that came out of Tech Talent North Western Edition 2025. From redefining leadership to reimagining trust in a world of constant change, this year’s conversations proved that HR is no longer just responding to disruption — it’s shaping the future of work.
In “From Complexity to Clarity: Six Real-World Lessons from Tech Talent North,” we distill the key takeaways and practical lessons that People & Culture leaders can apply right now to lead with confidence, clarity, and care in the year ahead.
Happy Reading!
Erin Roddie
Editor, P | A | C | T
Program Director, Tech Talent North
The conversations at this year’s Tech Talent North Western Edition reflected where the world of work truly is; faster, more distributed and deeply human. Across every stage and breakout, leaders shared how they’re navigating transformation with practical strategies, data-driven decisions and a renewed focus on trust.
The takeaway was clear: the pace of change isn’t slowing down but HR leaders are now shaping how organizations adapt to it.
Here are six lessons from the event that will help People & Culture teams lead with confidence, clarity and care in 2025 and beyond.
1. Leading Through Uncertainty
Fahd Alhattab, Founder of Unicorn Labs, opened the morning with a reminder that leadership in fast-moving environments starts with calm and structure.
“Leadership isn’t about putting out every fire; it’s about teaching your team how to stay calm in the smoke.”
Fahd shared a decision-making model that helps leaders find focus when everything feels in motion: What, So What, Now What.
This framework turns reaction into reflection, giving teams context and direction in the moment.
The lesson: clarity gives people confidence, even when the path forward is still taking shape.
2. Securing The Hiring Process
As hiring fraud becomes more sophisticated, Timothy Khoo-Jones, VP of Strategic Growth and Human Capital at Hillspire, urged HR leaders to get proactive about prevention.
Falsified credentials, AI-generated résumés and identity theft are growing risks, but the fix starts with process and awareness.
Top steps include using live identity verification, asking spontaneous questions and creating cross-functional review teams with HR, IT and Legal.
Building vigilance into hiring protects both the business and its culture.
3. Using AI With Purpose
While Artificial intelligence was a central theme the focus remained on practical results rather than speculation.
Speakers across sessions shared how HR teams are using AI to improve workflow, elevate decision-making and free people to focus on higher-value work.
Rocky Ozaki of The NoW of Work summed it up perfectly: “AI adoption equals culture transformation.”
The message was consistent: choose clear use cases, train people before tools and lead AI adoption with intention and transparency.
4. Protecting Culture In Hard Moments
Culture isn’t just a value statement; it’s what holds teams together during difficult transitions.
In the session on maintaining culture through layoffs and leadership change, panelists including Tina Lai of Kabam and Tara Ataya of Hootsuite shared how communication and consistency keep people connected.
When organizations face tough decisions, the most effective leaders are transparent, empathetic and steady. They preserve rituals, provide context and create space for dialogue.
Culture is proven in how we lead when it’s hardest to do so.
5. Defining Great Talent
Simran Bahia, Senior People Business Partner at Klue, shared one of the day’s most practical takeaways: a three-part framework for defining and developing great talent based on performance, potential, and culture contribution.
“Clarity,” she said, “is what turns performance management into progress.”
The framework gives leaders a common language for assessing growth, reducing bias and aligning on what excellence looks like.
Clear standards elevate individuals, but they also create stronger and fairer systems for everyone.
6. Preparing For The Augmented Workforce
The discussion turned future-focused in Sanctuary AI’s session on the evolution of physical AI. Speakers Lewisa Anciano and Ben Nyland explored how organizations can prepare people and systems to work alongside intelligent technologies.
Their advice: start building readiness now through education, open communication and ethical frameworks. Teams that understand why technology is being introduced will adapt faster and more confidently.
AI will increasingly support human capability but its success depends on leadership that guides integration with transparency and care.
The Thread That Connected It All: Trust
Trust surfaced again and again as the foundation beneath every strategy shared on stage. Whether the topic was AI integration, hiring integrity, or leading through change, trust is what allows organizations to move with speed and stability.
It is earned through consistent communication, credible leadership and follow-through.
When trust is strong, teams can navigate anything together.
Why This Year Mattered
2025 marked a shift in how HR leads transformation.
People & Culture is no longer just responding to disruption, it is defining what good looks like in the midst of it.
The conversations in Vancouver reflected a profession that is bold, strategic and grounded in human connection.
The future of work is unfolding quickly, and this community is not waiting for change to arrive. It is building the blueprint for what comes next.