Culture and diversity – what does that mean to your company? More importantly, what does that mean to your employees, both present and potential? Inclusion (and its implications on a business) is one of the hottest discussions in HR. Culture, and the never-ending search for the ‘be-all, end-all’ approach to it, is constantly shifting how we approach organizational strategies. These were the key themes for DisruptHR YVR on June 6, 2018.
Life in the Envol Lane
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending my very first event as a member of the Envol team. DisruptHR is a fast-paced, educational journey with HR leaders from around the city. The event was a smashing success, with over 400 attendees learning (and doing yoga!) together.
DisruptHR 2018 Recap
DisruptHR was one of my first introductions to the world of Human Resources in Vancouver. I’m not going to lie – the event was so big and there were so many successful people I was a bit intimidated at first! More than anything though, I left the event feeling inspired and ready to jump in to my new role with Envol. Here are some of my ‘first impression’ thoughts of the event:
Details: I need to start attending more events that give out Truffle and Rock Salt Popcorn goody bags!- Attendees: Vancouver’s HR scene is a very close-knit (aka SMALL) group of talented individuals – I saw a lot of familiar faces at the event.
- Location: Science World is an awesome place to host events (SO cool seeing it after hours – I felt like I was living out a 9-year old’s dream!).
Top 4 Takeaways
There were 8 speakers that presented Pecha Kucha style – short 5-minute presentations with timed slides. This presentation format made for a very engaging event. There was a ton of information and I loved hearing each speaker’s point of view. Here are a few key messages that especially stood out:
- “You Repeat What You Don’t Repair”
- Jessie Nelson, founder of KITH+common|Community Consulting, did a fantastic job presenting the value of words. In a time where inclusion is one of the most talked-about themes of workplace culture, this quote really resonated with me.
- “The Day I Realized I Hate HR”
- Nahal Yousefian, Chief People Experience Officer at MEC, had the audience in tears from laughing during her hilarious presentation. HR needs a makeover and her talk was refreshingly candid about her experiences in HR, both past and present.
- “Inspiration ≠ Imitation”
- Eric Termuende, co-founder of NoW Innovations, provided such insightful thinking into the way other company cultures can influence our own. He talked about how keeping your culture different and unique can ultimately be the best thing you can do for your organization.
- “Culture is a Donkey, Not a Unicorn”
- How many people have chased that elusive unicorn Google-like culture? Laurie Bennett, Founding Partner of Within People, provided a refreshing perspective on culture. It’s not about the shiny unicorn. The culture we really want is a donkey that works hard and is real – flaws and all.
So…What’s Next?
The metamorphosis of HR continues to challenge, inspire, and delight HR professionals (especially newbies like myself!). As the business landscape continues to shift, and as we continue to learn and grow, HR practices will evolve too. Here are some of my predictions for the future of HR:
- More companies will start to recognize that an authentic culture is a defining factor of their business (and it doesn’t always mean having beer taps in the office kitchen!).
- Diversity means different things to different companies, but inclusion doesn’t end with race, gender, ability, etc (think: non-visible diversity).
- As technology advances, human relationships will become even more important.
Last Thoughts
DisruptHR was a fun and engaging way to learn more about current, relevant issues facing the diverse landscape that is Human Resources! It was a great start to my internship here at Envol and I’m looking forward to attending many more awesome events!
What were your key takeaways from DisruptHR 2018? Comment below!