HR Technology Conference 2011 – Going All In
Its hard to imagine that after a year’s worth of anticipation and planning the 14th Annual HR Technology Conference and Exposition is in the record books – literally and figuratively. While I haven’t seen the final attendance figures, I’ve been told that the numbers far exceeded those of the conferences of the past. Showing off it’s international appeal, the event draws people from all over the world, including South Africa, Australia, various points throughout Europe and Latin America. Regardless of where the attendees arrive from they all look to learn about the latest innovations in HR practices and technology from world class practitioners who share their successes (and failures) for others to learn from.
Conference Co-Chair Bill Kutik spends a good portion of the year planning the event to the most minute detail including the brand of coffee served to attendees and the placement of lig
hting in the room where the general sessions are held, to deliver the best possible experience for the attendees who invest not only the cost of the conference and travel, but their precious time as well. Kudos to the newly married Mr. Kutik and the rest of the conference team for pulling off another successful event.
What makes the HR Technology Conference and Exposition so successful? See the details below:
Doubling Down on the Location
Moving the conference from Chicago to Las Vegas resulted in some new attendees, enabling many from the west coast to attend a conference they might have otherwise skipped due to the cost or time commitment to travel. Fortunately for those of us in attendance we were treated to something that has been lacking in the previous years in Chicago – a conference center which is directly attached to the conference hotel. While Chicago’s McCormick Place does have a hotel attached, it is not the official conference hotel. The Mandalay Bay offered conference attendees top notch accommodations, dining options galore, numerous entertainment options, and of course the gaming action that Las Vegas is known for. The location offered something for everyone even if an attendee didn’t gamble or drink.
Being Dealt a Full House
With a agenda filled with some of the best and brightest in the business its no surprise that attendance was through the roof with general sessions being completely packed – standing room only. Conference attendee traffic on the floor of the exhibit hall was quite heavy with many vendors I spoke with reporting high levels of engagement with prospective customers. While some vendors dug deep into their bag of tricks to attract people to their booth by way of dancing, celebrity impersonators, and flashing toys, many choose to instead go back to the basics and engage in dialogue absent the gimmicks. My friend Dwayne Lay posted his HR Tech 2011 swag video here dishing on all the cool giveaways.
Winning the Jackpot
Two of my favorite events on the HR conference calendar came together this year, resulting in a two for one experience for a number of attendees. While the HR Technology Conference was the big draw, a much less known event, HRevolution was also incorporated into the overall festivities this year. For those of you not familiar with HRevolution, I would strongly encourage you to check it out next time. An unconference is a loosely structured conference model absent powerpoint presentations, one-way communications, and the formality typically found in many conferences. Pairing this event with the HR Technology Conference offered attendees the best of both worlds.
Counting Cards
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