Managers from across Queen’s University will gather with their colleagues for the first annual HR Summit on May 6.

Hosted by the Human Resources Department, the summit will feature a keynote address by Jana Raver (Smith School of Business) and a number of breakout sessions.

“The HR Summit furthers our ongoing commitment to provide continuing education to our clients,” says Dan Bradshaw, Interim Associate Vice-Principal (Human Resources). “We want to equip managers with the tools they need to succeed in their roles and help improve the overall performance of the organization.”

Dr. Raver, associate professor and the E. Marie Shantz Faculty Fellow of Organizational Behaviour, will speak about recent trends and evidence that supports the importance of creating civilized and respectful work environments. She will also provide resources to promote high-quality relationships, which help ensure that civility becomes the norm in the workplace.

“Having Dr. Raver come and speak at the summit is a great example of how fortunate we are to be able to tap into the existing expertise right here at Queen’s,” Mr. Bradshaw says.

The HR Summit furthers our ongoing commitment to provide continuing education to our clients. We want to equip managers with the tools they need to succeed in their roles and help improve the overall performance of the organization.
— Dan Bradshaw, Interim Associate Vice-Principal (Human Resources)

During the break following the keynote speech, managers can network with their colleagues or consult with Queen’s HR experts in attendance. The summit will conclude with a number of concurrent breakout sessions covering topics such as resilient thinking, bridging the generation gap, promoting a respectful workplace, and employee recognition.

Heather Shields, Director and Counsel, Employee and Labour Relations, says the HR Summit builds on Thrive, a week-long initiative HR hosted in November to promote mental health and resiliency across campus.

“Through Thrive and other initiatives, HR has been working to promote a healthy work environment,” Ms. Shields says. “The summit, with the theme of 'Balancing the Needs of the Organization and the Employee,' will further our efforts in this area and get managers thinking more about the needs of the employees they supervise.”

In addition to the summit, HR delivers customized training sessions for managers across campus. Email hrelr@queensu.ca for more information.

Managers interested in attending the HR Summit are asked to RSVP to hrelr@queensu.ca. Participants can register for a breakout session through the HR Learning Catalogue. The deadline to sign up for a session is April 22.