AHRI VIC Conference 2025
4 June 2025
Pullman Melbourne On The Park
Wednesday 4 June
8:30am
Coffee and networking
9:00am
OPENING COMMENTS
9:20am
OPENING KEYNOTE - From overload to action: Navigating the future of work that’s already here
The future of work isn’t on the horizon — it’s already here, unfolding in real time. HR leaders are navigating a complex labour market, where skills shortages collide with underemployment, workforce health shapes who can work, and digital and psychological resistance is shifting worker power. At the same time, ‘little tech’— the invisible software often introduced by HR itself — is quietly reshaping workplace dynamics faster than policies can keep up. These aren’t distant trends; they’re part of what Reanna calls the adjacent present — subtle yet profound shifts already underway.
The real challenge isn’t just recognising these changes but knowing how to respond effectively. In this session, Reanna will help HR leaders decode these hidden shifts, uncover the patterns they’re shaping, and move from insight to action. Instead of adding to an already full plate, she’ll share how to unlearn outdated assumptions, rethink change, and make small yet powerful Monday-morning moves to shape the futures of work we actually want to build.
10:15am
Morning tea, expo and networking
10:45am
SESSION 2 - Navigating the seasons of your HR career
This session helps HR professionals understand and navigate different phases of their careers. Attendees will learn how to recognise their current season and develop strategies for long-term success. It also equips them with tools to build a strong leadership brand that boosts influence and impact.
11:30am
SESSION 3
Information coming soon.
12:15am
SESSION 4 - Leveraging stress to your advantage: A guide for HR leaders
Workplace stress is often viewed as a challenge to overcome, yet when managed effectively, it can be a catalyst for growth, resilience, and peak performance. HR leaders have a unique opportunity to shape how stress is understood and managed within an organisation, ensuring employees feel supported while nurturing a culture of productivity and well-being. By promoting strategies that encourage balance, emotional intelligence, and recovery, leaders can cultivate stronger empathy, patience, and healthier working relationships among team members.
Key takeaways for HR Leaders:
- Understanding stress as a performance tool
- Identifying & mitigating burnout
- The role of active recovery & sleep in resilience
- Leadership’s role in psychological safety & wellbeing.
This session will equip HR leaders with the tools to transform workplace stress into a catalyst for performance while safeguarding employee wellbeing.
1:00pm
Lunch, expo and networking
2:00pm
SESSION 5 - The leadership stack: You + AI
As HR leaders navigate the future of work, a key challenge arises — how can we develop leaders who confidently harness AI while maintaining their strategic edge? Drawing from my experience as a CEO who led organisations through disruption and transformation, the Leadership Stack introduces a groundbreaking framework designed to reshape leadership in an AI-powered world.
Through the innovative STACK framework (Strategise, Think, Act, Create, Know), this interactive session will explore:
- Developing AI-enhanced leadership capabilities and future-ready leaders
- Transforming data into clear organisational and people insights
- Making faster, more confident talent and strategy decisions
- Scaling leadership impact while preserving human judgment
- Leading cultural and organisational transformation in the AI age.
This isn’t another technical AI session — it’s a practical, behaviour-driven approach to amplifying leadership impact through AI.
2:45pm
SESSION 6
Information coming soon.
3:30pm
Afternoon tea, expo and networking
3:55pm
SESSION 7 - Winning heart & minds: The art of influence for HR leaders
As custodians of the World of Work, HR Leaders are tasked with shaping cultures, driving change, and influencing people at every level. Yet, in a world of competing priorities and constant transformation, getting leaders, employees, and stakeholders aligned can feel like an uphill battle.
In this session, AJ Kulatunga will unpack the psychology and neuroscience behind impactful leadership — while also revealing how personal branding plays a crucial role in building trust, credibility, and influence. HR professionals will be equipped with practical strategies to position themselves as trusted advisors, foster engagement, and drive initiatives forward.
Walk away with powerful ideas to elevate your presence, inspire action, and transform the workplace through the art and science of influence.
