By Jason McRobbie

Is there a science to innovation? Is there an art to mastering the myriad technologies available? Might social media do serious business? Does a formula for engagement exist? How might the potential of a four generation workforce be leveraged for bottom line profitability? Is there a secret to mastering the balance of work/life?

HR is asking the tough questions.  We are a community in search of answers.

But, do we need to be asking a whole new set of questions?

With the multitude of changes that have assailed the workplace over the past several years, HR professionals are being looked to for leadership as never before. Economics, demographics and technologies have conspired to create a perfect storm for those seeking to not merely stay afloat, but to unlock the fuller potential of human capital.

The trouble is, with greater potential, greater competition and a greater call for ROI, the role of HR appears so much more complicated than before.

Fortunately, it is not and expert help is on the way. The 49th Annual BC HRMA Conference from April 14-15, 2011 at the Vancouver Convention Centre has taken a firm focus on “Complexity Made Simple”.

Building on the success of the past 48 years, this two-day conference features internationally renowned business leaders, educators, and HR professionals. Moreover, in light of these challenging economic times, prices have been decreased, perspectives widened and a stellar roster of workshops, events and networking opportunities compiled.

“HR now plays a definitive role in any strategic boardroom as the true value/cost equation of human capital becomes more immediately apparent. As human resources professionals, we have not only been called to the proverbial table, we are being called upon to provide results,” said BC HRMA CEO Simon Evans. “As a result, the energies of the 2011 Conference Committee have been channelled to provide attendees with a greater breadth of business insight, with plenty of departures from the roster of what some might consider ‘traditional’ HR.”

For those with the lingering notion of HR being the ‘soft’ department, consider that Kevin O’Leary, a definite dragon or shark depending on which of the investment guru’s shows you favour, is providing the open plenary. Prior to establishing his onscreen business persona, O’Leary was the co-founder of the extremely successful SoftKey Software Products, which after numerous acquisitions was sold to the Mattel Toy Company for $3.7 billion. Involved with numerous organizations, O’Leary has developed a cult following among financial professionals and smart investors with his pull-no-punches look at the good, the bad and the ugly with respect to the markets and economic opportunities. Put simply, O’Leary knows his business, and most likely, yours as well.

Of course, one of the greatest factors impacting businesses of every sort is the exponential surge in available technologies. Conference 2011 helps simplify matters significantly with the timely presence of Google’s former chief information officer Douglas Merrill. A champion of innovation who grew Google from an Internet start up to one of the world’s most awe-inspiring organizations, Merrill now helps businesses around the world learn to navigate the workplace 2.0 and build their sustainable cultures of innovation. For those grappling with the new tools, Merrill will provide both clarity and confidence with a presentation style that is at once informed, passionate and brilliantly counter-intuitive.

“We are drowning in information,” Merrill explained. “There has been more information created in the last 10 years than the total of all the previous years of human history, and we are struggling to keep up with it. We work more hours, spend less time with our families, and are more stressed than before. It’s important to learn new tools to manage information overload, both to be more effective and to be less stressed.”
Simplifying the dizzying array of applications, Merrill’s presentation, Getting Organized in the Google Era is guaranteed to put the right tools in your hands while equipping you with simple steps for ready usage.

Gaining a modicum of control over the present is one thing; gleaning tomorrow is another. With this in mind, Conference 2011 also showcases the insights of leading forecaster and futurist Richard Worzel. As a chartered financial analyst, best-selling author and frequent media commentator on business and economic trends, Worzel commonly challenges organizations to examine the future and plan for a world of change.

“The world around us is changing with unprecedented speed and in a wide range of areas, with the result that organizations that are not prepared for the future, risk being flattened by it,” said Worzel in preparing attendees for his presentation, Dark Clouds and Silver Linings: HR Management in BC’s Future.

At Conference 2011, Worzel addresses the big picture and the backyard alike with a keen examination of the major drivers of change on the West Coast. From global and regional economics to accelerated IT and worker displacement to shifting demographics, workplace wants and the universal need for innovation, Worzel shares the view from both ends of the telescope while encouraging HR to recognize the largesse of the role it now plays.

The role of HR in business has evolved. In fact, as the key connection between People, Passion and Profit grows more apparent, the HRevolution is well under way. What is emerging is a new HR: professionally-designated, strategic, and potent in its unique ability to engage the bottom line.

What is apparent to many in the HR profession is that the magnitude and diversity of the changes with which the working world is faced stirs strong feelings in every tier of every industry. The resultant sensations of vexation and vulnerability are, Dr. Brené Brown assures, perfectly natural and can serve as a strong catalyst for positive change. A research professor and writer at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, Brown has spent the past 10 years studying vulnerability, courage and authenticity. Her current work on wholeheartedness in families, schools and organizations will provide the backbone for the final plenary to Conference 2011, “The Anatomy of Inspiration”.
In her closing address, Brown explores the three primary components for cultivating and maintaining inspiration, the behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that sabotage inspiration, and actionable strategies for increasing creativity, innovation, and motivation in our personal and professional lives. From developing talent and connecting with employees, to building teams and fostering innovative cultures, inspiration is critical.

“Too often we look outside of ourselves to find inspiration when the true source is within us. Vulnerability is the source of our most profound feelings and experiences. It’s at the core of shame, fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it is also the birthplace of authenticity, courage, joy, love, belonging, inspiration and creativity. Vulnerability is also our wisest teacher. When we understand how and why we feel vulnerable, we gain clarity about what is truly important to us. If we want to change the way we live, love, parent, teach, lead organizations and build communities, we have to start with a conversation about vulnerability – this is where our story begins.”

Dragons, visionaries, analysts and psychologists: whoever thought an HR conference would call upon the talents of such an interesting array of individuals? Fortunately, the answer to that is simple – the committed BC HRMA members, staff and volunteers who have been guiding the growth of HR for nearly half a century.

Coupled with a Marketplace Tradeshow centered around building better business and rounded out by a full roster of workshops and seminars presented by HR professionals, Conference 2011 offers a simple solution for unraveling the apparent complexities confronting us all: be there.

For more information on the full roster of BC HRMA’s 49th Annual Conference, “Complexity Made Simple”, visit www.bchrma.org/conf2011/

(PeopleTalk: Spring 2011)