Pre-Summit Workshops
Join us one day early on March 31st and dive deep into one of two topics during one of our full-day Pre-Summit Workshops.
*Please Note: These are not included as part of your general Summit registration.
Workshop A
HR Unplugged: 15 HR Case Studies from the Trenches – Now with AI in the Mix
Bob Kelleher – Author/Speaker/Founder | AEC Workplace Solutions
Meaghan Anderson – Program Director | AEC Workplace Solutions
The Executive Affair
An employee relationship involving a senior leader puts HR in a difficult position.
The Pay Gap Predicament
How far can you stretch compensation to land talent before culture and equity suffer?
The Social Media Surprise
Your newest hire looked perfect on paper, until someone checked their online profile.
…and many more!
Every day, HR leaders are faced with situations that don’t come with clear answers. Policies help. Employment laws provide guidance. But the toughest workplace challenges still require judgment, experience, and the ability to navigate competing priorities.
Join Bob Kelleher and Meg Anderson for an interactive, fast-paced workshop featuring 15 real-world HR case studies drawn from decades of leadership experience in the AEC industry. Working alongside your peers, you’ll tackle sensitive and complex workplace issues that spark debate, challenge assumptions, and rarely have a single “right” answer.
We’re adding a new twist.
After each case study discussion, participants will compare their recommendations with responses generated by ChatGPT and other AI tools. Together, we’ll explore where AI provides valuable insight, where it falls short, and how HR professionals can use AI as a practical thought partner when navigating difficult workplace decisions.
Topics may include:
- Employee relations challenges
- Compensation and pay equity issues
- Hiring and recruiting dilemmas
- Performance management situations
- Workplace conduct concerns
- Leadership and succession issues
- Compliance and risk management questions
- Culture and engagement challenges
You’ll leave with:
- 15 practical case studies you can use within your own organization
- Sample AI prompts for analyzing workplace situations
- Practical tools, templates, and decision-making frameworks
- New perspectives from fellow HR leaders facing similar challenges
- A better understanding of where AI can—and cannot—support effective HR decision-making
Whether you’re an AI skeptic, an AI enthusiast, or somewhere in between, this highly interactive session will challenge your thinking, sharpen your judgment, and prepare you for the future of HR leadership.
The question isn’t “What would ChatGPT do?” It’s “How can HR leaders use AI to make better decisions?”
Workshop B
Managing Your Managers to Manage Within the Law
Mike Cohen – Partner | Duane Morris Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group
We know the story. We promote high-performing employees into management positions because they excel at their jobs, and then hope they naturally know how to lead. Mistake!
Successful managers aren’t born; they’re developed. They need the skills, confidence, and legal awareness to lead effectively while navigating an increasingly complex employment landscape.
With evolving federal and state employment laws, changing workplace expectations, EEOC guidance, leave and accommodation requirements, hiring challenges, documentation concerns, and increasingly complex employee relations issues, the risks of getting it wrong have never been greater.
Join Mike Cohen for a fast-paced, interactive, business-focused workshop designed to help HR professionals better equip managers with the knowledge, judgment, and practical skills they need to lead confidently while managing within the law.
Through real-world examples, discussion, and practical guidance, you’ll explore the management challenges organizations face every day and the role HR plays in developing leaders who are both effective and legally compliant.
Topics may include:
- Building legally aware and effective managers
- Coaching managers through difficult workplace situations
- The impact of changing employment laws on day-to-day management
- Documentation and decision-making best practices
- Employee relations and workplace challenges
- Reducing organizational risk through proactive leadership
- Practical approaches to manager development and accountability
You’ll leave with:
- Practical strategies for coaching and developing managers
- Actionable guidance you can immediately apply within your organization
- Greater confidence in helping managers navigate complex workplace situations
- Tools to strengthen leadership while reducing organizational risk
- A better understanding of how employment law influences everyday management decisions
Whether you’re developing first-time supervisors or experienced leaders, this workshop will provide practical insights to help managers lead with confidence while minimizing risk and creating a stronger workplace culture.
What your colleagues said about last year’s workshops
“It was refreshing to be part of a true learning exchange. Hearing how others in the AEC industry are tackling similar challenges was just as valuable as the expert content.”
HR Director“This workshop was exactly what our team needed! Bob and Meg brought such great energy and practical insights.“
VP HR
“Incredible workshop. I walked away with a notebook full of ideas and a renewed excitement for improving our hiring process.”
Talent Acquisition Manager“Lee Rubin’s workshop was the perfect blend of inspiration and strategy. The examples he gave were memorable and directly applicable.”
Director of Human Resources
I walked away feeling motivated and ready to take our team to the next level.”
President