HR business forums

October 2023 - May 2024

Join us for our annual human resources (HR) forums, starting in October 2023. Wipfli’s HR forums bring together a cohort of HR professionals who participate in online sessions throughout the program year, resulting in powerful and lasting professional relationships and engaging group problem-solving.

Two levels of forums are offered — essentials and professional — both of which offer several benefits, including:

• Sound, timely and practical information on current trends and best practices in HR management.
• A professional and confidential environment to discuss and find solutions for your unique HR situations.
• Advice from experienced consultants who understand your challenges.
• An opportunity to engage with like-minded professionals who share experiences and knowledge.

The format

• Sessions are designed to be interactive in a virtual format, where participants will share experiences and insights and have opportunities for discussions.
• Both the essentials and professional forums will be presented in one forum to all participants, regardless of industry alignment, in order to provide cross-industry learning and to take advantage of best practices.
• Written materials and supporting documents are provided for each topic. 

Wipfli's HR business forums are certified for continuing education credits by the Society for Human Resource Management and the Human Resources Certification Institute. 

Description

Wipfli’s human resources essentials forum is designed to provide education in functional human resources areas. We’ll discuss current trends and best practices in an interactive, virtual environment that encourages the asking of questions with the benefit of group input.

Who should attend

The essentials forum is ideal for individuals who may not have formal training in HR management but have HR responsibilities, as well as individuals who may be new to the field or have a desire to expand, refresh or strengthen their core HR knowledge.

Schedule

The essentials forum is held every second Wednesday of the month, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CT, October through May, starting October 11, 2023.

Topics

October: Creating an effective employee handbook

A well-written employee handbook is the single source for employees to find information on policies and practices impacting them. We’ll discuss handbook policies in detail and provide participants with sample policies and an employee handbook checklist.

November: Understanding the FLSA

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has had few changes since its inception in 1938 yet remains one of the most perplexing areas for HR professionals to navigate. Exemption status, overtime laws and recordkeeping are just a few of the areas we’ll cover.

December: Complying with state and federal laws 

HR professionals maneuver through ADA, FMLA and PPACA every day. This session covers employment laws as well as discrimination and harassment. Participants will receive wage and hour information, federal record retention requirements and records retention guidelines.

January: Recruiting and selecting employees 

In today’s tight labor market, HR professionals must be savvy recruiters. Sourcing and recruiting qualified candidates is essential to operating the business with minimal disruption and optimal performance. We’ll cover in detail the dimensions of recruiting and selecting employees. Participants will receive sample documents, including a job description questionnaire and many selection documents that can be customized.

February: Managing performance and challenging employee behavior

The employee evaluation process and philosophy hasn’t changed much over the years, including the stigma of being the dreaded annual event. With the right tools and mindset, HR professionals have an opportunity to change the way managers and employees respond to the performance management process. This session provides ideas, trends and tools for you to use to create a positive experience for both employees and management. It also provides guidance on how to handle challenging employee behaviors.

March: Employee growth and development 

Due in part to the shift in the current workforce and low availability of qualified candidates, employee development is top of mind for HR professionals. Accelerating the growth and development of employees is of critical importance in this competitive and dynamic labor market. This session covers several approaches to development, including development plans, career blueprinting and mentoring.

April: Designing a compensation system 

Developing a compensation system starts with the organization’s compensation philosophy. Only then can HR proceed with developing a pay structure. This session covers both internal and external pay equity, salary structure development and incentive pay systems.

May: Understanding benefits

Employers are required to provide employees with certain mandated benefits — that’s a given. However, the list of voluntary benefits is endless. We’ll explore the most popular benefits and discuss new and emerging benefits. 

Registration

Registration ends September 29, 2023.

Description

The pace of organizational change is accelerating. With a new contingent of remote workers in most organizations and a return to in-person work for others, different challenges arise and HR priorities shift. 

Wipfli’s human resources professional forum is designed to provide information and guidance on current and cutting-edge topics of interest to HR professionals, with practical information that you can implement immediately. Consider joining us for thought-provoking discussions, timely information and an open environment to share.

Who should attend

This curriculum is geared toward professionals with the desire to explore and discuss organizational development initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of the HR function within their organization. This forum is appropriate for individuals who have experience in HR management. 

Schedule

The professional forum is held every second Thursday of the month, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CT, October through May, starting October 12, 2023. 

Topics

October: Compensation and total rewards 

Total compensation is a hot topic for leadership as it is a primary consideration for attracting and retaining high-performing employees at all levels. It’s critical that organizations focus on a total compensation strategy to ensure alignment with organizational, departmental and individual performance. 

This session focuses on how to strategically and effectively manage your total compensation plan and compensation mix to achieve goals and objectives while remaining responsive to the needs of employees. At the conclusion of this session, participants should possess a working knowledge of total compensation plan elements, compensation strategies and the importance of linking pay with performance. 

November: Are your policies holding you back? 

In this challenging labor market, employers are having difficulty attracting and retaining talent. Have you considered evaluating the policies and practices that may contribute to a low candidate pool? When did you last review your hiring process to determine if it’s meeting the needs of today’s workforce and providing an increased number of candidates? 

This session covers practical changes you can make to achieve better outcomes in talent retention and the hiring process.

December: Workplace trends 

Workplaces are struggling to adapt to how COVID-19 has changed the way employees view work and their workplace needs. Employers must be cognizant of these changes in employee expectations to position themselves competitively in the labor market. 

From talks of a four-day work week to federally mandated paid leave, employers must explore trends that may impact their ability to attract and retain talent. In this session, we will discuss a variety of workplace trends that are sparking conversation. 

January: Situational awareness 

With the increase in random acts of violence in recent years, safety and security are more important than ever. Situational awareness can help people avoid or reduce the impact of catastrophe by teaching them to understand what is going on around them and draw a mental map of what may lie ahead. This session outlines the levels of situational awareness, the importance of being aware of surroundings and steps to take to protect those involved. 

February: Organizational culture — The key to a high-performing organization 

Culture has become a top priority for leaders as organizations navigate change and look for ways to improve business results and long-term effectiveness. It can impact multiple aspects of a business, including attracting and retaining talent, problem-solving, team collaboration, customer service and the achievement of business strategies. 

Unfortunately, leaders are often tasked to change culture without the benefit of understanding existing cultural gaps and what levers for change to focus on. We’ll provide insights into what really drives culture, how it can be assessed, where leaders can focus attention to have the greatest impact, and also touch upon the difference between culture and employee engagement. 

March: Delivering feedback 

Giving feedback, especially constructive feedback, is uncomfortable for most people. However, with the right methodology and practice, it’s possible to provide feedback in a nonthreatening and positive manner. In this session, participants will learn and apply a feedback model to deliver both positive and constructive feedback in an effective way. 

April: Recognizing bias and how it impacts inclusiveness

Everyone experiences unique life situations that have shaped their ways of thinking and how they view others. During this session, we will explore how to raise awareness of personal biases and how they originate and manifest themselves. We’ll also investigate how they can impact relationships and organizational success and discover how DEI programs can help.

May: Addressing skill gaps and workforce readiness 

When employee turnover occurs, employers are forced to redistribute workloads as a stopgap measure. However, with the ongoing talent shortage, many vacant positions are not filled and employees are left feeling frustrated, unappreciated and burnt out. This session can help you analyze your workforce, assessing skills and competencies to align talent with jobs. With proper alignment, your organization can better utilize employee strengths and increase engagement and productivity.

HR connect 

New this year, we are also offering HR connect included in the price of the HR professional forum. 

Each month following the HR professional forum, you will have an opportunity to connect and network with others in an industry group of your choosing. These one-hour sessions allow you to discuss hot topics, ask questions that are specific to your organization or industry and address any other topics you’d like covered.

HR connect will be held every second Thursday of the month, October through May, starting October 12, 2023. Sessions will follow the HR professional forum from 3:15-4:15 p.m. CT. 

Participation is voluntary, so you can drop in whenever you like.

To join HR connect, registration by industry is required. During the HR professional forum registration process, you will be able to choose from the following industries:

• Financial services
• Nonprofit
• All other industries

Registration

Registration ends September 29, 2023.