This week we attended the creme de la creme of HR events; otherwise known as UNLEASH. With the 5th annual Spring conference promising to roadmap the ‘future of work’ as we know it, team hackajob made sure to check it out. Below we’ve outlined what we learned, as well as what you need to know if you’re thinking of attending next time:

The Talks

First things first; the talks. Billed as the most inspiring HR event of the year, the UNLEASH line-up was brilliant. Speakers came from around the world, with Cal Henderson (Slack), Cassie Kozyrkov (Google) and Reza Moussavian (Deutsche Telekom) all out in force. Want to know our favourites? Keep on reading:

Cassie Kozyrkov, Chief Decision Scientist, Google

Having personally trained over 15,000 Googlers, Cassie Kozrkov knows a thing or two about building data-driven organisations. In her talk ‘Mastering Decision Intelligence: The Next Frontier’, Kozrkov spoke about how skilled decision makers are the key to mastering AI.

Baroness Susan Greenfield, Neuroscientist, author and Broadcaster, Neuro-Bio Limited

Discussing all-things neuroscience, Baroness Susan Greenfield’s session was filled with brilliant titbits about leadership, imagination and interaction. Stating that ‘fostering creativity in people is the most important thing’, Greenfield notes that you can’t download or buy the very notion of creativity.

Joanne Lockwood, Transgender Awareness & Inclusion Specialist, See Change Happen

The Founder and CEO of See Change Happen, Joanne Lockwood is arguably one of the best sources of knowledge when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Speaking as part of the Radical Inclusion Masterclass, Lockwood spoke about the journey to ‘conscious inclusion’, and why it’s so important to adapt and react in the modern workplace.

The Swag

Flora and Fauna

Perhaps the most ‘woke’ of all the exhibitor offerings, a few brands were offering flora and fauna as part of their bespoke swag packages. Wild seeds and little succulents for desks were up for grabs, with branded pots and gardening instructions to match. The hackajob verdict? Tres Bien.

Model Aircraft

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Not quite, yet model aircraft was certainly one of the most popular pieces of swag available at UNLEASH. All you had to do was accept a product demo and the kids' toy of dreams was yours. The hackajob verdict? Nostalgia on point 👏

Water Bottles

Ever heard of the infamous Chilly’s water bottle? Everyone at UNLEASH has, and all thanks to a few select brands (cough, cough: we’re looking at you LinkedIn 😉). We all know how important it is to drink more water and a trendy bottle makes it all the more imperative. The hackajob verdict? 10/10, we all want one!

Eat, Sleep, Code, Repeat

The slogan for our infamous hackajob t-shirts, we know we’re biased, but these were a firm favourite across the board. Won via our ‘hackawheel-of-fortune’, our tee’s were one of the most popular talking points of the entire day! The hackajob verdict? No need to ask, we love them.

General Housekeeping

Up for attending the next UNLEASH conference? We recommend taking the following tips onboard:

  • Arrive early - Some of the talks fill up really quickly, so unless you want to be standing at the back (not exactly good for a ‘candid’ Insta photo), we recommend getting to talks at least five minutes before they actually start.
  • Stop by all the stands - You’ll get to meet new contacts, see amazing product demos and leave with free swag. It’s a win/win.
  • Tea & Coffee is free - be sure to take advantage 😉