Our 2023 HR Conference
On Thursday 5th October, our HR colleagues from across the Trust gathered together for their annual HR Conference.
The day consisted of training, sharing best practices, hearing from guest speakers and, of course, networking together.
As Co-op Academies Trust has grown to 32 academies, our HR colleague network is continually expanding. Working cooperatively together is a key part of ensuring success across each of our academies.
Our colleagues provide an essential service in their day-to-day work life, but it’s important to provide opportunities to step away from the office and take time to network and plan for the future.
CEO of the Trust, Dr Chris Tomlinson, opened the event to talk with staff about the key role they play:
”We know the fantastic contributions school staff make to improving the life chances of students, but it’s also important to recognise the staff working behind the scenes. HR colleagues are responsible for the welfare of all staff in our schools, including teachers and headteachers. Our HR departments help staff stay motivated, feel valued, and receive the CPD they need - all a huge part in helping teachers to perform better, and in turn, impacting student success. Thank you for your hard work, it’s hugely impactful and appreciated.”
Leading the conference was our Chief People Officer, Juliet Caunt, who said of the day:
“The HR conference is one of the highlights of my year. It’s a great opportunity to connect directly with the colleagues working hard to deliver HR activities in all our academies, to hear directly from them, and to give them a greater insight into how the part they play at a local level is key to our overall success as a team. There were some fabulous pieces of work and ideas being shared on the day, and I’m looking forward to those conversations between colleagues continuing in our new Google HR Space.”
During the breakout sessions, colleagues discussed what they’re most proud of from the past year and examples of great HR practices. They also talked about challenges faced and the solutions to help overcome these moving forward.
It was fantastic to be joined by Shannon Rogerson, from Health Assured (one of the largest EAP Providers in the country). Health Assured is the Trust’s Employee Assistance Provider and Shannon shared details on the services they provide.
Guest speaker, Sally Bolton, also provided a fantastic training session on menopause awareness. Sally is a health and fitness coach specialising in menopause health and wellbeing. Sally shared some really useful information, stats, examples and resources of how colleagues can provide support to those experiencing menopause in the workplace.
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