Why do senior HR professionals not attend conferences?
Cary Cooper, 05 January 2010
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2 comment's on this article.Last month HR magazine asked: Did you attend the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition. 60% said yes 40% said no
Given the recession and attendant cutbacks in budgets, I was not surprised to see that 40% of senior HR professionals did not attend the annual conference this year. Nevertheless, given the significant budgetary constraints in many companies, the fact that 60% did attend is good news - it could have been much worse.
At a time of real austerity and redundancies, I suspect many HR managers will feel guilty about attending conferences while some of their staff have either lost their jobs or have had to endure major cuts. On the other hand, it is very important during this downturn for HR to engage in more positive and optimistic behaviour, in an effort to change the negative psychological climate endemic in many organisations over the last two years.
By attending conferences and attempting to do HR ‘business as usual', senior HR managers are communicating to others that business is picking up, that we are beginning to see the proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel' and are, at least indirectly, demonstrating a confident attitude about the future.
I understand HR professionals have a real dilemma in difficult times, on the one hand of attempting to exude confidence and positivity, while cutting back on staff and downsizing on important HR activities (which they perceive to be important but top management consider as ‘soft options'). But now is the time for being positive and robust, we need an ‘HR call to action' to support and encourage senior management to re-configure the organisational psychology to ‘positivity mode'.
This means attending conferences, encouraging staff events and celebrations and generally showing that business is returning to normal-it is time to throw caution to the wind and get out of the ‘trough of despond'.
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CHRIS MILLS - 05 January 2010
I don't believe this conclusion is a reflection to the question asked. "Why do senior HR professionals not attend conferences". You have only asked for feedback on one very specific conference. The CIPD is still not widely seen as a credible organisation for many senior HR professionals and businesses, and attending the annual conference is certainly no yard stick to measure if senior HR professionals attend conferences by. If the question had of been put differently, "How many senior HR professionals have attended a conference this year ?" I believe your results would have been significantly different. The feedback I consistently hear from the CIPD conference is that it was the same old same old and if anyone should attend, it would be probably better suited to those still climbing up the HR ladder. For us to justify our time there has to be a perceivable benefit. I would also imagine that few if any attend the CIPD conference for the speakers and sessions, rather it is seen as a good opportunity to network, get away from the office for a few days on a jolly and lastly a chance to have a good old knees up at the suppliers expense. As a senior HR professional I think I can better use my time and have attended much more meaningful conferences.
Wyn Llewellyn - 05 January 2010
Interesting perspective from Chris with respect to conferences other than CIPD that are meaningful and value adding for senior HR professionals. I totally agree with the need for senior HR professionals to spent time 'out of the functional box' to gain different perspectives. I am perplexed, however, that CIPD is 'not widely seen as credible', and wonder what the reasons might be - and who else might be more credible in the HR arena.
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