PAI were delighted to welcome over 50 delegates to our free HR L&D webinar event which took place on Tuesday 8 Sept. This session marked the launch of PAI’s Autumn/ Winter schedule of training programmes.
In the area of learning and development there have been many changes to how we work and learn that had perhaps been part of future plans but now accelerated due to the covid crisis – remote working and remote training for example. PAI’s purpose in hosting this event was as a response to the many challenges experienced over the last few months and to shine a light on the efforts of those working in the HR and learning and development areas of the Public Sector in navigating people management through this crisis and embracing the opportunities to drive progress forward.
The morning welcomed our expert trainers Sile O’Donnell (Adjunct Assistant Professor in TCD, HR and OD consultant and Training specialist with Public Affairs Ireland) and Ashley Hughes (lecturer in Leadership at MBA level at Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School & leads ILM accredited Leadership in the Public Sector programme with PAI) who shared their insights on HR Policy, HR function, Leadership, communication and coordination.
Sile kicked off proceedings discussing the challenges of managing performance when remote working and the benefits of supporting the learning and development of staff, the changing demographic of the workplace, the importance of improving diversity in the workplace and duty of care to ensure an inclusive workplace culture.
Ashley followed with a focus on the role of Leadership. Taking a reflective view on the purpose of the traditional office in creating a culture taught and upheld…a place of learning, transfer of information, picking up information and building a repertoire of learning. Highlighting how we learn and feed off of the energy of others can stimulate and encourage ideas that can be lost in this new remote working landscape while acknowledging that the traditional workplace didn’t suit everyone. What has been learned is that in the remote working office work still gets done but where we lose out is in the informal elements… the shared learning, the social capital etc.
Ashley focused on the role of leadership for HR and L&D which is more important than ever in the support of the line managers. She encouraged participants to set the agenda, refocus energy on resources and people availability and activating a virtual reset. She reflected on this webinar being a timely event and an opportunity for participants to reflect on what has been accomplished, to review where they are, to reimagine the task ahead and move forward more deliberately.
PAI are grateful to our panel of expert speakers and to the participants from the mornings event and hope to welcome out clients back for another informative HR L&D session in the near future.