Connecting HR is pleased to announce the first UK Unconference for HR professionals on the 21st October 2010.  This is, we believe, the first unconference of its kind specifically catering for the field of HR. 

Please note - this is not an ordinary conference - see below!

Conference Theme

Our headline theme is around embracing social collaboration, including social media tools within the HR function (L&D, OD, ER etc) and the wider organisation to improve business performance. 

Social networking/connecting and social media tools in general are rapidly rising up the HR agenda as a policy issue, yet the active use of these tools and the ethos of 'collaboration' is not widespread within those same organisations.

Together with the unconference attendees - that's you! - we aim to discuss this dynamic and provide the opportunity for those HR professionals who are still wrestling with the practical implementation of a social strategy to debate and learn from others who have already embraced this approach.

Who should attend?

• HR professionals who are exploring social media use within their organisations - learn from those already embracing the social media in their organisations
• HR professionals who are already using social media tools - come and share your learnings with others
• Journalists/Academics and representatives of professional bodies - share your research or your analysis of how organisations are responding to the who are interested in, reporting on or studying social media
• Independent consultants and suppliers to the HR profession - share your experiences of helping organisations leverage social media for business benefit

What is an Unconference?

This event will be very different to any standard conference you have been to before.  If you are not sure what an unconference is, start here, browse a little and you will soon get the picture. No event management companies, no big budgets, no hard selling from sponsors, no fixed agenda. Just value added conversation amongst HR folk on the subjects that matter to them. 

There are a number of key differences between a standard conference and an unconference including:

• The agenda is driven by the attendees, not the event organisers.  This means that the event is highly interactive and participative and whilst there will be industry experts and thought leaders in attendance, they are not driving the agenda, or, as is typical with a normal conference, delivering long, one way presentations. 

• The event is collaborative. Attendees will get involved not only in discussions on the day, but also in the organisation of the event should they wish.  If you have a specific issue you would like to address in this forum, then simply get involved and suggest it!

The format of the event is very different too.  The day will be broken up into a number of free flowing discussion groups based around subjects as suggested by the attendees in the lead up to the unconference.  Unlike a normal conference, these groups will be small and you are free to move between them at any time.  If the conversation is not value added for you, simply get up and move onto the next!

To make this unconference a real success we need your involvement to make it happen and as such we would be keen to hear from any HR professionals who are interested in attending or who would like to go one step further and get more involved in the organisation and creation of this ground breaking event.

Further information

You can follow the Connecting HR conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #ConnectingHR.

To find out more information please also visit our new website www.connectinghr.org where you will find some background information on what we are trying to do and some of our other initiatives (including our recent tweetups): our Yammer platform where HR professionals are already actively collaborating with people like you on this initiative; and also how to make contact and or be part of the Connecting HR initiative beyond attending the conference.