HR Conference - HRHQ Live - for Human Resources Professionals
About this Event
Most HR conferences focus on HR as a function - industry trends, employee engagement, wellbeing, progressive HR practices...and everything inbetween.
And yes, of course these topics are important. These events are valuable.
But while they’re ‘HR conferences’ - are they really for HR? Or are they just about HR?
This one’s different.
HRHQ Live is for you - the person behind the HR title. The one navigating all the expectations, contradictions, and complexities of the role.
We’ll talk about HR as a career, influencing stakeholders, building resilience, being strategic - and so much more they don’t put in the job description.
Not just another HR event.
This is the one that’s been missing.
We have a great line-up of speakers ready and waiting to help you level up, and a room full of HR professionals who just get it. Step away from the daily grind, and step into a space made just for you. Leave with your cup full, your mind buzzing, and a notebook packed with ideas.
Why attend HRHQ Live?
- Invest in your own growth and focus on you (for a change)
- Build career defining skills to attract more opportunities
- Plug into the energy of growth, momentum, and new possibilities
- Equip yourself with practical tools to work smarter and lead stronger
- Grow your network in a room of like-minded people
- Feel re-energised and fall back in love with HR again
We'll focus on building your confidence, your capabilities and your community.
It's not about just helping your organisation succeed.
It's about helping you succeed. Because when you grow, your impact grows. And impact is our ultimate measure of success.
Agenda
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:00 AM
Doors Open
Info: Grab your drink of choice, say hello to someone new and settle in.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
Welcome
Info: Welcome and Opening remarks from your host for the day Lisa Young
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Resilience Reset: Staying Sharp and Focused When the Pressure Is On
Host: Carley Nicholson
Info: In HR, the pace can be fast, the work heavy, and the stakes high. Pressure is part of the job, but mental overwhelm absolutely doesn’t have to be.
When it’s been one of those days (which, let’s be honest, is often), being resilient doesn’t mean pushing through or pretending you’re fine - it’s about checking in with yourself in the moments that matter. In this session, you’ll be equipped with simple but powerful tools you can use day to day to protect your focus, recharge your energy, and truly switch off so work doesn’t follow you home.
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
The Art of Asking Powerful Questions: What If One Question Could Transform You
Host: Prajesh Chhanabhai
Info: The most effective HR professionals aren't the ones with the best answers. They're the ones asking the best questions.
When you ask the right question, something shifts. Managers think more clearly. Defensiveness drops. Ownership increases. And you become the thinking partner people genuinely want in the room, not just the person they call when something goes wrong. In this practical, neuroscience-informed session, you'll learn exactly how powerful questions work in the brain and how to craft them on demand using a proven framework. You'll leave with a structured approach and a toolkit of ready-to-use questions for performance conversations, conflict resolution, career development, and coaching discussions.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Morning Tea
Info: Enjoy some food and refreshments, connect, reflect and build your HR network.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Confessions of a CPO: The Career Advice I’d Give My Younger HR Self
Host: Celena Harry
Info: Most HR professionals prepare for their next role. Very few prepare for the one after that.
In this session, Celena shares the things she wishes she’d started working on much earlier in her HR career - long before stepping into senior roles. Drawing on real experience from executive teams and boardrooms, she unpacks the shift from advisor to leader and the moments where even high-performing HRBPs get caught out. You’ll hear truths that probably aren’t coming up in your annual performance review - but that you absolutely need to hear.
This isn’t about chasing promotions. It’s about developing the right future focussed HR leadership skills now while the stakes are lower.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:00 PM
Happiness Is a Skillset (That You Probably Weren’t Taught)
Host: Declan Edwards
Info: The majority of education and professional development focuses on the technical skills to help you become a great employee - but what about the skills that help you become a happier human being?
All too often the skills, science, and strategies of happiness are overlooked in the pursuit of success. But if we hope to enjoy healthier societies, create better workplaces, and live more fulfilling lives they become an absolute necessity. In this session you'll learn about the science of happiness and discover the 5 most critical skills to form your own happiness foundations.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Lunch
Info: Lunch is served. Use the time to connect some more with others PLUS find a moment to visit the onsite photo studio for an updated professional headshot.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM
Burnout in HR: A Research-Based Reality Check
Host: Professor Jarrod Haar
Info: In a profession so heavily focused on supporting others, it can be easy to overlook the toll our work takes on ourselves.
In this session, we'll dive into evidence-based insights from recent research into the current state of job burnout amongst HR professionals in New Zealand. We'll explore what burnout actually is, how prevalent it is, and what the data tell us about the pressures facing our field. This isn’t about buzzwords or a surface-level wellbeing chat - it’s about what the evidence actually shows us and pausing to consider what we can learn from it.
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Panel: Own Your Seat at the Table: What ‘Being More Strategic’ Actually Looks
Host: Kylie Elsom
Info: Now more than ever, our workplaces need strategic partners, not just support functions. And if you want to advance your career, that's exactly what you must become.
In this candid panel discussion, three HR leaders share how they’ve built strategic credibility, aligned their activity with business priorities, and learned to speak the commercial language that actually lands with stakeholders. We’ll also unpack the real tension between advocating for people and delivering business results — and how to navigate that balance without compromising your credibility.
🕑: 03:15 PM - 03:35 PM
Afternoon Tea
Info: Enjoy another quick break, recharge, refresh and get ready for a strong finish.
🕑: 03:35 PM - 04:05 PM
The Mid-Afternoon Recharge
Host: Lisa Young
Info: No slides. No speaker. Just an energising group activity - You’ll just have to wait until the day to find out what.
Don’t worry, no trust falls, role playing or awkward icebreakers. Promise.
🕑: 04:05 PM - 04:50 PM
What Sets You Apart, and the Power of Owning It
Host: Tash Pieterse
Info: We may be good at talking about the value of HR, but when it comes to the value we personally bring, we hesitate. It’s time to change that.
In this interactive workshop, you’ll be challenged to move beyond your tasks and duties and define your unique value proposition in a way that feels clear and compelling. Because when you can confidently articulate what you bring to the table, you stop being defined by your job title and start being recognised for the real difference you make.
🕑: 04:50 PM - 05:15 PM
Close
Host: Lisa Young
Info: Closing remarks, key takeaways, final reflections and what’s next.
🕑: 05:15 PM - 07:00 PM
Networking Drinks
Info: Join us for drinks, nibbles and extended networking as we close out and reflect on the day together
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
NZD 349.00
