A fantastic opportunity to network and attend round table events covering a range of HR topics.

This event is for HR, people management and learning professionals working or living in Lancashire, as well as those interested in developing their careers, expanding their professional network, and engaging with CIPD activities, events and opportunities across the region.

Introductions from our Branch Chair Jo Sutcliffe and Professor Adrian Wright from University of Lancashire.

**Please note there will be 6 topics run during 3 time slots, 2 topics will run concurrently. Attendees will be asked to select one of two sessions in each time slot at registration.**

Session 1 :- 10:00 - 10:45

AI/Recruitment Session:

This roundtable will explore how HR and recruitment professionals perceive the ethical challenges posed by AI in hiring, with an emphasis on fairness, transparency and accountability in practice. Drawing on emerging insights, the discussion will examine how AI tools are understood, governed and experienced, and how HR teams navigate the tensions between innovation, bias, decision making and ethical responsibility.

Tax/ Benefits/ RSM:

A practical session on key tax considerations for employers. Covering areas such as employee benefits, equity incentives, national minimum wage and international assignments, Emily, alongside colleagues from RSM, will explore current issues that should be on every people professional’s radar.

Session 2 :- 11:00 - 11:45

L&D Session:

Graham will be delivering a session focused on developing manager capability, sharing practical insights on how organisations can equip managers with the skills, confidence, and behaviours needed to lead high-performing teams and support business growth.

Employment Law:

Session run by Katy Parkinson covering the upcoming Employment Law changes and how it impacts businesses.

Session 3 :- 12:00 - 12:45

Wellbeing Session:

Clear Thinking: Wellbeing and coaching solutions – "Workplace Wellbeing: More Thanks Just A Fruit Bowl"

Is a free fruit bowl in the staff room really what enables people to thrive at work? When we think about workplace wellbeing, it's easy to focus on what we can see; like the overripe bananas and shriveled up apples that have sat in the fruit bowl all week! While the fruit bowl may well have its place, it's only a small part of the picture. Real workplace wellbeing is shaped by much more. Join Fay in this session where you will explore what really supports wellbeing at work, challenge the idea that perks equal wellbeing, and explore the everyday factors that make the biggest difference to how people feel, perform and engage at work. Because workplace wellbeing is about much more than what's sitting in the fruit bowl.

Employee Benefits Session:

A practical session covering everything from understanding what your employees want, to ensuring they know what they have — and proving the business case for investing in it.

Speakers bio:

AI/Recruitment :-

Ron Smillie, Chartered MCIPD,

People Leader and Head of HR in the UK BPO sector

Ron Smillie , where he oversees complex organisational change, workforce planning and responsible people practices across large, distributed operations. Alongside his senior HR role, he is a part time PhD researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University, specialising in the ethical implications of AI enabled recruitment and selection, with a particular focus on fairness, transparency and accountability.

Tax/ Benefits :-

Emily Marland , Associate CIPD

Associate Director in RSM’s Employer Solutions team, based in the North.

Emily brings has 10 years experience at RSM and advises clients on the design and implementation of reward and employee ownership strategies, helping to align people outcomes with wider business objectives.

She has a people-focused perspective to her work, supporting organisations to strengthen employee engagement, retention and performance through effective reward frameworks. She is also a Chartered Tax Adviser and has extensive experience advising businesses on employee share plans and incentive arrangements, including tax structuring, valuation and employee communications.

Learning and delivery :-

Graham Perkins

Director of Sales and Marketing for Dale Carnegie Northern England (Dale Carnegie NW- Graham Perkins)

Where he has been helping organisations improve leadership, sales performance, and employee development since 2008. Recognised as one of Dale Carnegie’s top-performing sales professionals globally, he works with organisations to design and deliver development programmes that drive measurable business results and strengthen leadership capability.

Employment Law :-

Katy Parkinson,

Partner, Forbes Solicitors, Commercial Employment team

Katy has extensive experience of working closely with clients and providing strategic advice on complex projects such as company restructuring, collective redundancy processes, outsourcing and TUPE. Katy also represents clients when disputes ari

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