CIPD Conference and Exhibition 2011, Manchester

Those who travelled to Manchester for the CIPD’s Annual Conference and Exhibition should have found the journey well worthwhile. This three day conference is the highlight of the HR calendar and draws an increasingly international audience with delegates from countries as diverse as Nigeria and New Zealand to Malta and Sri Lanka.

The light and airy exhibition space of the Manchester Central venue encouraged a good flow of visitors. It was great to have the opportunity to catch-up with so many HR from the midlands and the north, happy not to have to travel south to keep up with latest developments and trends. The economic climate is certainly still biting but the mood was purposeful and the conference themes of leadership, trust and engagement were being taken on board to build better organisations for the future.

We were hugely encouraged by the number of visitors that sought out the Re:locate stand to say hello and receive their copy of The Pocket Guide to Relocation and latest issues of the magazine. There were many interesting conversations with international delegates keen to learn the latest thinking on managing international assignments and relocation trends.

It was good to see the relocation industry represented by Re:locate Award winner Beswick Relocation Services and Sterling Relocation.

This year’s conference was covered by a team of three journalists Fiona Murchie, Ruth Holmes and Jack Lang to bring you hot topics and expert opinion which will be covered in our Winter issue and in themes throughout Re:locate magazine in 2012. There is coverage of key sessions in the events section of our website with more to come over the coming weeks.

CIPD Conference and Exhibition 2011, Manchester

CIPD 2011 annual conference roundup

With the prospect of recession looming once more, the CIPD’s 2011 annual conference in Manchester gave timely, practical insights into boosting the bottom line through people, writes Ruth Holmes.

Neatly recasting the sometimes-abused axiom at the heart of HR that “a company’s best assets are its’ people” by highlighting what HR professionals and employees can do for their companies, the conference reconfirmed the need for individuals and teams to seek out and incorporate good practice in these turbulent times.

Whether the conference was about bridging national boundaries via sustainable talent pipelines, to perfecting ways of attracting employees as well as customers, or finding and honing your “standout” skills – it was an inspirational showcase for innovation and excellence.

Centrica: international flexible talent pools

Describing how HR is supporting business objectives successfully, Jill Sheridan, HR Director at UK energy giant, Centrica, explained how the acquisition of a US-based business has given talent management an international dimension, with individuals’ values and cultural fit as important as their high-performing functional or operational skill set.

CIPD Conference 2011: experts highlight importance of employee engagement

CIPD11 Many of the talks on the opening day of the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition focused on the importance of employee engagement. With many businesses facing uncertain futures owing to economic trends beyond their control, keeping hold of talent has become more important than ever.

Yet many firms are yet to institute a strategy for identifying, engaging with, and safeguarding the talented individuals within their organisations.

This issue was addressed by two excellent speakers, who told delegates of their successes in the field of employee engagement.

CIPD Conference 2011: honesty and values of vital importance to leadership, says Sir Terry Leahy

CIPD11 The opening keynote speech at the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition was delivered by Sir Terry Leahy, former chief executive of Tesco.

Drawing on his vast experience, Sir Terry told delegates about some of the leadership techniques that he honed during his successful spell with the retail giant.

CIPD Conference 2011: Gill Rider calls for "active leadership"

CIPD11 The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) Annual Conference and Exhibition took place in Manchester earlier this month, attracting thousands of HR professionals from around the UK.

Taking place at the Manchester Central exhibition complex, this year's conference was based around four primary themes.

The first, Creating High Performing Organisations, concerned the pursuit of effective, efficient organisation through a highly productive workforce. Building HR Capability focused on the kinds of strategy necessary to successfully a business's staff manage, whilst talks under the theme Future-fit for Business sought to highlight processes for preparing companies for tomorrow.

CIPD Annual Conference: businesses must embrace change in order to grow

Crisis points within a firm should be viewed as opportunities for change, the CIPD Annual Conference heard on Thursday.

Karen Callaghan, people director at Innocent Drinks, told delegates in Manchester that “If organisations don’t change, they stagnate at best.”

CIPD Annual Conference: HR called on to “own” social media

HR should not “fear” social media tools, but harness them to deliver real benefits, according to the HR director of Nokia.

Speaking at the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, Matthew Hanwell, the handset maker’s HR director, community and social media, told delegates that HR departments should embrace online networking as a communication tool.

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