True – the last few years have been a reminder of how unpredictable the future of work can be. But that doesn’t mean HR shouldn’t think ahead especially when there are absolutes. Digital transformation will continue. Older workers will retire.

Ensuring that you’re prepared to respond to these workplace shifts demands strategic thinking and planning for what lies ahead. And there’s no better way to do that than at HRPA’s Chapter Regional Forum, HR Tomorrow. Happening in two locations (Toronto and London) so you don’t miss out, this is your opportunity to “peer into the future.” You’ll look at what’s shaping the future of HR – and learn how to navigate the new era of work more easily.

Read on for a few 2030 predictions and how HR Tomorrow will ensure you have the insights needed to manage these complex HR challenges.  

1. Automation and the Metaverse Will Transform HR and the Workforce

Envision this – it’s your typical workday but instead of sifting through tons of emails, you’ve got an AI-powered assistant helping you quickly and effectively streamline your admin processes. After lunch, you’ve got a team meeting but rather than it taking place in a traditional meeting room, employees have access to the virtual world of the metaverse, sparking new levels of camaraderie and collaboration.  

Sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie, right? Except it’s what workplaces are experiencing right now and will continue to experience in the next decade. Understanding how AI, the metaverse and other digital advancements will impact the future of HR and work is key. But understanding how such technologies can help upskill employees – and gather people-centric data to help drive actionable bottom-line decision-making will be critical.

At HR Tomorrow, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the metaverse and new digital advancements from an HR perspective – and uncover the tremendous opportunities it presents for your organization and workforce. Check out Stepping into the Metaverse – Impact on the Workplace hosted by Katie Bolla, Silvia Gonzalez-Zamora and Kareem Sadek, KPMG.

2. Increased Attention to Employee Mental Health

One important lesson from the Great Resignation is that employees have no issue abandoning their job for a less stressful one.

To ensure employee retention and productivity doesn’t take a nosedive, it’s important that HR professionals prioritize mental health. Today and for the future, building the necessary infrastructure and introducing the right supports will be important in cultivating a culture of wellbeing – one where employees don’t have to trade in their mental health for work.

The role pharmacogenomics in supporting mental health in the workplace is still very new but it’s rapidly being adopted in Canadian workplaces. At HR Tomorrow, join Mark Faiz, BSc P.Eng. CEO of Personalized Prescribing Inc. for an eye-opening discussion on Pharmacogenomics and Mental Health at Work.

3. Continuation of Hybrid Working

Expect flexible workplaces to continue being the norm now and for the future. For HR professionals this means new policies will be needed to address the new ways of work that include hybrid, remote and onsite – but also emerging work styles like the four-day work week. Essentially, HR leaders will need to think strategically and more broadly about how to ensure people can perform and be at their best wherever they work. This is especially amid “resenteeism,” a workplace phenomena where some employees are increasingly growing resentful of their jobs.

Luckily HR Tomorrow will cover this topic in depth. During HR Tomorrow, Tyler Hayden, best-selling author and speaker, will speak about Virtually Engaged – How to Engage Tomorrows Remote and Onsite Teams. You’ll deep dive into team engagement strategies that will enable HR leaders to be effective in their evolving practice.

4. HR Won’t Be Static

The role of HR transformed over the last few years, and it will continue to evolve. There will be new priorities and challenges for HR in the next decade – and quick changes in workforce patterns and technology’s influence on the HR function will demand HR to evaluate new and improved people practices and approaches. What will businesses expect of HR going forward? What trends, insights and priorities should HR be aware of?

To navigate the changing landscape a bit easier, HR Tomorrow will feature a special keynote called How to Apply Strategic Thinking to Future-Proof Your HR Strategy.  Led by speaker, Doug Heidebrecht, Sun Mountain Self Management, this highly interactive session will provide you with practical tools and techniques to help you apply strategic thinking to be future-ready for the HR of tomorrow.


Register for HR Tomorrow Now! (Group pricing is also available.)