2024 NSW HR Strategy Summit

In an era of rapid change, strong and adaptable HR leadership is vital for organisations. Recently, BVN’s Head of People and Character Brian Clohessy 

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This event united industry leaders as they navigate disruptions and successes around the future workforce, tech upskilling, psychosocial risk management, and wellbeing.

With a career trajectory that has taken him from architect and project leader to studio director and now Head of P&C, Brian has a unique insight into the challenges and opportunities ahead for the architecture, design and construction sector.

Here are the top takeouts from the event:

• Differences of opinion are inevitable. They can be opportunities rather than roadblocks. When it comes to disagreements, it helps to have an established language that empowers us to lean into the tension in a way that focuses on ideas, not individuals. That way, we can have a productive dialogue that respects different perspectives.
• We’re all seeing the surge in AI tools and there’s a fear that AI is going to replace jobs. Every company needs to be across tools that are relevant to their disciplines. When we harness AI tools to perform mundane tasks, our people’s time is freed up for more creative endeavours and problem-solving.
• Harnessing AI and boosting efficiency also aligns with our Climate Positive ambitions. Eliminating waste in everything we do ties into our mission ‘to be ‘smarter, more creative, and better for the planet’.
• Long hours continue to be a barrier to wellbeing. To ensure our teams have sustainable and fulfilling careers in the industry, we need to tackle the ingrained perfectionism and the perception of architecture and design as a ‘calling’. We were asked whether we’re crawling, walking or running and I’d say we’re walking in terms of putting systems in place that foster high-performance without it leading to burnout. BVN takes our organisational pulse through quarterly wellbeing surveys and puts wellbeing at the fore through a proactive combination of evaluating hours worked alongside project resourcing, encouraging flexible work practices, offering healthy studio activities and wellbeing support groups as well as ensuring all our people have access to our EAP (Employee Assistance Program).

The 2024 NSW HR Strategy Summit was presented by Forefront Events. Panel members included Stryker’s Senior Director – HR Nicki Luther; Airtasker’s Head of People and Culture Alice Kennedy; Relationships Australia’s General Manager of People Culture and Learning Stacy Gershberg; and Culture Amp’s Senior Account Executive Harry Goldman as moderator. 

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