Workshops

Description:

With the rise of AI applications, especially generative AI tools, organizations are looking to I-O psychologists to provide insight regarding the best and most responsible use of this emerging technology. This workshop aims to build I-O psychologists’ capabilities in understanding the best use of AI tools by providing direct experience, enabling them to solve relevant challenges in their role.  Facilitators will focus on practical approaches to deploying AI applications, providing participants with example use cases, a framework for considering how to choose different AI tools, and opportunities to apply these tools to current workforce challenges. Participants will generate immediate uses for these applications while also learning how they should consider potential uses as this technology evolves.

Intended Audience:

Introductory.  Little knowledge of the basic concepts covered in this learning program.  Intended for someone new to the area with little to no background experience in the content area.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss methods to use AI applications to address at least three current work problems/challenges
• Apply a framework to assess ethical and legal considerations when applying AI applications to situations commonly faced in organizations
• Recognize use cases for and apply AI techniques to improve efficiency/effectiveness in I-O psychologist duties/responsibilities
• Utilize a framework to compare benefits and limitations of four different AI applications currently available for widespread utilization
• Understand how to utilize three unique AI applications for work with different types of organizational data

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Kevin Impelman, Summit Leadership Partners

Presenters: 

Rob Stilson, PhD, People Analytics Principal Analyst with HP, Inc.

Rob Stilson is an accomplished people analytics principal analyst with HP, Inc. and part-time professor for the University of Georgia. Before his current role, Rob served as a principal analyst in Talent Analytics and Insights at Boston Scientific. Prior to that, he was a manager of People Analytics at PwC on the Workforce Transformation team. Prior to working for PwC Rob was a sr. human capital analyst with Lockheed Martin on the Employee Experience & Engagement team specializing in Employee Life Cycle Analytics and qualitative and quantitative Survey Analysis. Before joining Lockheed Martin, he was the director, Research and Test Development for TalentQuest, providing test and simulation creation for clients along with survey and ROI analysis. Preceding TQ, he was the senior manager, Research and Development for FurstPerson where he created computer adaptive and static tests for various clients. Additionally, he has experience as a freelance consultant providing reporting automation and testing expertise to various clients. Dr. Stilson earned his BS degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia and his PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida. He is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), People Analytics Future of Work (PAFOW), Georgia Association for Industrial Organizational Psychology (GAIOP), and an ally member of Blacks in Industrial Organizational Psychology (BIOP). 

Richard Landers, PhD, John P. Campbell Distinguished Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota

Richard N. Landers, PhD, is the John P. Campbell Distinguished Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota and principal investigator of TNTLAB: Testing New Technologies in Learning, Assessment and Behavior. His research examines innovative technologies including games, gamification, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality used in psychometric assessment, employee selection, adult learning, and research methods. He is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, American Psychological Association, and Association for Psychological Science. His work appears primarily in psychology and interdisciplinary human–computer interaction journals. He is the author of three textbooks on statistics and research methods and has developed two edited scholarly volumes on technology and employee behavior. He is featured frequently in the popular press, such as Forbes, Business Insider, and Popular Science, and he regularly consults as president of Landers Workforce Science LLC by providing recommendations on or auditing of talent management systems incorporating artificial intelligence.

Description:

As industrial-organizational psychologists, we can bring a broad toolkit and set of perspectives to working with teams. This workshop provides an overview of evidence-based approaches to teams, building off decades of research and practice.  We share ways to work with teams including assessment, development and building capabilities among teams, and working with team leaders and their HR business partners. We also look at working with teams in the broader context of organizational consulting, considering how to simultaneously engage in individual and dyadic coaching, balancing team development with team coaching, and how organizational design and HR practices that shape team efficiency and effectiveness. Participants will come away with a better understanding of how to weave teams into talent management practices and scale teamwork within large organizations or when many teams require development and support.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate.  Solid understanding of the basic concepts covered in this learning program is assumed and may not be discussed or only discussed briefly in this learning program.  Intended for someone with some experience in this content area.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe three evidence-based models or frameworks for team effectiveness.
• Identify three different ways to gather diagnostic information about team dynamics and performance and the benefits of each.
• Describe how aggregated individual assessments can be leveraged into a team diagnostic and incorporated into team engagements.
• Describe how team-level assessments can be leveraged into team engagements.
• Illustrate three approaches to team facilitation and when each might be a preferred approach.
• Describe how teams can be integrated into the larger set of talent management practices and, in doing so, help organizations scale teamwork.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Michael Petty, San Diego Gas & Electric

Presenters: 

Gordy Curphy, PhD, I-O Psychology, University of Minnesota

Gordy Curphy (PhD, I-O Psychology, University of Minnesota) helps companies select, develop, and promote leadership talent and build high performing teams. He has written 25 and sold over 100,000 leadership and team books and is the lead architect of The Rocket Model and the Team Assessment SurveyÒ--tools intended to help companies scale effective teamwork. Gordy was a tenured professor at the United States Air Force Academy and a General Manager at Personnel Decisions International before starting his own company, Curphy Leadership Solutions. He has built leadership and team assessments, certified 2,000 consultants on the use of assessments, conducted over 2,000 in-depth executive assessments, facilitated 600 senior team engagements, and trained 20,000 leaders on a variety of topics. Among Gordy’s areas of expertise are executive and organizational assessment, executive coaching and team facilitation, leadership development, succession planning, 360 and team surveys, scaling teamwork, and international business development.

Marc Sokol, PhD, I-O Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park

Marc Sokol, PhD, Industrial-Organizational Psychology (University of Maryland, College Park), has worked in large and small firms, in the public and private sector, and in internal and external roles, across 25 countries, and has led his own firm, Sage Consulting Resources, for more than a decade.  He has worked with virtually every C-level leadership role and many leadership teams, and consults to and partners with boards, CEOs, presidents, chairs, and vice-chairs, helping them extend impact across the firms they lead.  Active in professional communities of practice, he has been executive editor of People + Strategy; on the editorial board of Consulting Psychology Journal; associate editor of OD Review; author/editor of several books, including the SIOP Professional Practice volume, Strategic Workforce Planning; past president of a local applied psychology association in Minnesota; and president of the Society of Consulting Psychology.  He is a fellow of SIOP, APA, and the Society of Consulting Psychology.

Description:

Employees’ ability to operate effectively in challenging and turbulent environments is a competitive advantage for organizations and a contributor to positive engagement and reduced burnout. Helping people build, sustain, and apply their resilience over the long run requires a combination of strategies. Designed for internal and external practitioners who are charged with increasing organizational effectiveness during change and supporting the well-being of employees, this program will provide practical, evidence-based guidance for action. We will introduce a framework for understanding and describing the range of challenges that people may encounter and a set of mindsets and tools that enable them to “resilience” their way through these challenges. We will then focus on four levers for building sustainable challenge readiness in organizations: selection, development, demand optimization, and systemic support. We will share examples of how one high-performing organization has applied each of these strategies in practice and engage in interactive discussions, exercises, and Q&A. We will invite participants to apply this framework in their own settings to evaluate organizational practices and identify priorities for action and next steps.

Intended Audience:

Introductory.  Little knowledge of the basic concepts covered in this learning program.  Intended for someone new to the area with little to no background experience in the content area.

Learning Objectives:

• Apply a framework to identify and describe the range and type of challenges that people encounter in organizations.
• Compile a list of resilience-related tools and mindsets that play a role in helping people effectively address challenges.
• Analyze four approaches to incorporate into a strategy for organizational challenge readiness: selection, development, demand optimization, and systemic support.
• Evaluate current organizational challenge readiness and create an action plan to help leaders build sustainable resilience.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Joseph E. Mroz, PhD, AAA – Auto Club Group

Presenters: 

Linda L. Hoopes, PhD, President of Resilience Alliance

Linda L. Hoopes, PhD, is the founder and president of Resilience Alliance, an Atlanta-based training and consulting firm. Linda received her PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee. She has served on the faculties of Rutgers, Georgia Tech, and Colby College. She is licensed as a psychologist in the state of Georgia. In addition to her work and academic history, she brings many other influences to her work including music, photography, and sailboat racing. Prior to founding Resilience Alliance in 2007, Linda spent 17 years at ODR/Conner Partners, a consulting and training firm focused on the successful execution of organizational change. She is the author of three books: Prosilience: Building Your Resilience for a Turbulent World, which won the 2018 EPIC award for best nonfiction book; Managing Change with Personal Resilience; and Embracing Another Normal: Resilience Stories and Strategies for Raising Children with Disabilities (coauthored with Kris Burbank).

Robert R. Hoffman, EdD, Director of Global Onboarding and US Lead at Novartis

Robert R. Hoffman, EdD, is director, Global Onboarding, and US Lead at Novartis, a multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Switzerland that focuses on developing and manufacturing innovative drugs in areas including oncology, rare diseases, neuroscience, and immunology. Bob received his MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from The University of Akron in 1982, and his EdD in Executive Leadership in Human Resources Development from The George Washington University in 1997. Since joining Novartis in 2001, Bob has had a range of roles in leadership, organization development, talent acquisition, and change management, including support for the transformation of Novartis’ global HR function, organizational acquisitions, culture change, process improvement, and organizational redesign. He has played a lead role in developing the organization’s change management strategy and resources and is an experienced and valued consultant to senior leadership teams across the organization.

Description:

ThiFFs workshop is designed to advance the science of industrial and organizational psychology by addressing the often-overlooked, yet critical, area of succession planning. Attendees will explore how to integrate KSAO-based success profiles, high-potential identification, and workforce analytics into robust succession strategies leveraging I-O foundational skills (i.e., job analysis, talent assessment, leadership development).  This session is designed to blend principles of the I-O psychology science with the practicalities of succession planning and industry. 

Key learnings include understanding how to build and implement a talent rhythm, engage boards and executives in the succession process, and establish robust evaluation methods to measure the effectiveness of succession strategies. Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies that can be readily applied in their organizations.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools, would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Design and implement a succession planning process based on organizational needs.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of at least two succession strategies using analytical tools to measure outcomes and impact.
• Identify critical roles within their organization that are essential for succession planning and organizational continuity.
• Implement at least two tools and processes for building a talent pipeline that includes ongoing assessment of talent and succession updates.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Rick Hense, Bank of America

Presenters: 

Brittany Marcus-Blank, Lead Enterprise Succession Planning

Brittany Marcus-Blank, PhD, is the leader of Enterprise Succession Planning at Johnson & Johnson. Brittany is responsible for developing the enterprise succession approach and leading the annual executive talent rhythm processes. Previously, she worked as an internal consultant in the Global Talent Management team supporting initiatives across talent management including talent assessment, talent development, workforce analytics, and talent acquisition. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Brittany led the Talent Assessment and Executive Coaching practice at General Mills where she was responsible for building a global talent assessment strategy, upgrading the efficacy of internal developmental assessment centers, and building out the executive coaching practice. Before General Mills, Brittany worked for the University of Minnesota Medical School supporting the selection, development, and training of medical residents. She earned her doctorate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Sara Evans, Lead, Global Human Resources Team at Ocean Spray

Sarah Evans joined Ocean Spray as the CHRO in 2021 and leads their global human resources team, which includes talent acquisition, DEIA, HRBPs, total rewards, organizational development, and communications.

Prior to joining Ocean Spray, Sarah served as the head of HR at Terminix. In that role, she led and engaged a diverse workforce of 10,000+ employees. She was responsible for designing and driving the human capital strategy for acquiring, growing, rewarding, and retaining the best talent.  In her previous role, Sarah was VP, Talent, where she had responsibility for talent acquisition, talent management, and talent development. 

Sarah spent several years at Walmart, where she held various positions in global talent management with responsibility for executive succession, performance management, executive coaching, accelerated development, and selection and assessment for their 2.3 million associates around the world.  She also spent 5 years with TECO Energy and has her MS in I-O from UCF. 

Lilly Lin, Executive Director at Russell Reynolds Associate

Lilly Lin is currently an executive director at Russell Reynolds Associates. She advises clients on broad talent management issues including succession, leadership development, and assessment.  Over the course of her career, Lilly has established herself as a trusted advisor who is highly skilled in preparing clients for their near- and long-term succession needs. Based in Chicago, Lilly applies more than 20 years of experience in human resource consultancy to partner with companies on succession management, executive assessment and development, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Through her work with human consultancy firms, Lilly has partnered with a variety of Fortune 500, private equity financial services, and mission-driven clients across all sectors and industries. She is an active member of the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology and is often serving as a session chair or speaking at SIOP’s annual conference. Lilly holds both a master’s and PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Bowling Green State University.  Her BS in Psychology is from University of California, San Diego. 

Description:

 “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is an old saying. However, recent neurobiological research suggests that we are wired to react to interpersonal feedback in a way that can not only induce emotional hurt but physical pain. Leaders have a difficult time giving and receiving feedback when attempting to balance compassion and accountability. Using research, neuroscience, and the wisdom of the room, we will explore how we can use specific strategies to facilitate effective feedback conversations to increase awareness and a commitment to change behavior for interpersonally challenging, neurodiverse, multigenerational, and gender and culturally diverse employees.  Participants will learn specific "hacks" related to goal setting and goal striving to translate feedback into new habits. Participants will also learn feedback tips, strategies, and tools regarding how to coach leaders to balance compassion and accountability, and why blind spots make it challenging for leaders to receive feedback.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools, would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe three explanations for why we do not see ourselves accurately relative to others.
• Describe the two interdependent neural pathways associated with goal setting and goal facilitation.
• Identify the three neural networks associated with empathetic concern/compassion, employee distress, and cognitive perspective taking.
• Describe three evidence-based effectiveness outcomes of providing feedback with empathy.
• List nine behavior patterns that characterize compassionate leaders.
• Describe five gaps between leaders’ self-perceptions and those of their observers.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Rick Hense, Bank of America

Presenters: 

Kenneth Nowack, PhD, Psychologist & Cofounder/Senior Research Office of Envisia Learning, Inc.

Kenneth M. Nowack, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and cofounder/senior research officer of Envisia Learning, Inc., a global leader in assessment and technology solutions. With over thirty years of experience, Dr. Nowack has significantly contributed to habit and behavior change, 360-degree feedback, leadership development, and health psychology. He holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Nowack’s publications include Clueless: Coaching People Who Just Don’t Get It, From Insight to Improvement: Leveraging 360-Degree Feedback, and Performance Feedback Strategies: Driving Successful Behavior Change. His research and publications have influenced best practices in executive development, career management, individual and team coaching, and corporate wellness programs, impacting public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

Recognized for his insights in learning and development, Dr. Nowack is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association’s Division 13: Society of Consulting Psychology and has served as editor-in-chief of the Consulting Psychology Journal.

Tricia Naddaff, MBA, President of Management Research Group (MRG)

For over 35 years, Tricia Naddaff has been an advocate for research-informed leadership development, supporting individuals and organizations around the world with coaching, consulting, and data-driven insights. She is the longtime president of Management Research Group (MRG), an international leader in development and assessment tools for self-awareness and personal and professional growth.

Tricia works extensively with MRG’s worldwide network of consultants and clients, providing thought leadership and coaching to assist in their development work with both individuals and organizations. She has spearheaded development programs for several of the world’s leading humanitarian organizations, including the ICRC, USAID, and UNHCR.

Tricia speaks globally to audiences who want to increase the positive impact they have in their organizations and the world around them. A TEDxDirigo speaker, she is a contributor to Global Coaching Perspectives: The Association for Coaching Magazine (UK).

Maria Brown, PhD, Researcher, Educator and Executive Coach for Management Research Group (MRG)

Maria D. Brown, PhD, is a researcher, educator, and executive coach for Management Research Group (MRG), a Portland, Maine-based global leader in assessment and leadership development.

Maria is trained as a developmental psychologist and has spent over 2 decades studying human development across the lifespan. Maria’s research, which she presents to audiences around the world, explores contemporary themes in leadership, motivation, and professional development. Her research has been published in Coaching Perspectives Magazine, Talent Development Magazine, and several scientific journals. In her role at MRG, she spearheads the research and education functions. Her work includes ensuring assessments are relevant and psychometrically sound and overseeing the training of practitioners around the world.

Maria is based in Kentucky, USA. She holds a BS in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and MS and PhD degrees in Psychology from Vanderbilt University.

Description:

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent in the field of learning and development (L&D), industrial-organizational psychologists are tasked with assessing its practical application and potential impact. This interactive workshop offers a structured approach to evaluating AI-based applications in L&D, focusing on the utility of AI, without overstating its capabilities. By addressing both opportunities and limitations, the session will equip participants to make informed decisions regarding the use of AI in L&D.

Participants will engage with a variety of real-world applications of AI—including the automation of content creation and delivery, adaptive learning pathways, and virtual coaching—before being introduced to a structured approach to comprehensively evaluate their effectiveness. This evaluation process will cover not only the functionality of the AI tools but also important considerations such as bias, transparency, and data security, all of which are critical for maintaining fair and ethical learning environments.

Our goal is to demonstrate the value AI can bring and provide participants with the insights and practical tools to ensure a balanced, evidence-based approach to evaluating AI-based applications in learning and development.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and list key applications of AI in learning and development (L&D), including tools for I-O and L&D professional as well as products designed for learners.
• Describe the benefits and potential risks of AI in L&D applications from the perspective of various stakeholders.
• Develop strategies to monitor and mitigate risks.
• Apply a structured framework to evaluate AI-based L&D applications.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Josh Allen, Walmart

Presenters: 

Ben Hawkes, Succession Planning and Assessment Lead at GE Aerospace

Ben Hawkes is the succession planning and assessment lead at GE Aerospace and has previously held leadership roles in talent assessment and development at Activision Blizzard and Shell International.

Prior to these in-house roles, Ben spent over a decade in assessment and leadership product development at IBM Kenexa, developing innovative solutions incorporating simulation, game-based assessment, and predictive analytics.

His ongoing research explores the use of AI to augment I-O workflows, including content generation, virtual coaching, and the personalization of the learner and employee experience. In 2019 he presented “Artificial Intelligence: What Lies Between the Hype and the Hate?” at the SIOP Leading Edge Consortium (LEC).

Ben is also the founder of the Talent Assessment Practitioner Network, a global group of talent assessment leaders representing over 50 Fortune 500 and other large organizations.

He holds a BSc (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Surrey and the University of North Texas.

Cassie Colton, AI for HR and Senior People Science Lead at Owens Corning

Cassie Colton is the AI for HR and senior people science lead at Owens Corning, where she leads AI initiatives within HR. Her work involves developing AI adoption roadmaps, evaluating third-party AI solutions, and building AI communities of practice through bespoke builds, pilots, and training programs.

She has also designed and implemented global engagement surveys, employee voice initiatives, and prehire and developmental assessments for large organizations. Prior to Owens Corning, she was a vice president in People Science at Goldman Sachs, where she managed enterprise-wide employee assessment and listening efforts.

She holds a BS in Psychology and a BS in Innovation Management from Oregon State University, and an MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Ohio University. Cassie is currently ABD and is expected to complete her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Ohio University in 2025.

Description:

AI technologies are being rapidly developed and introduced into organizations to recruit, select, develop, and evaluate employees; however, there is often a lack of awareness of the standards these tools should meet to comply with existing federal, state, and local laws and little understanding of how to comply.  This workshop will review the legal requirements of federal, state, and local EEO laws and discuss acceptable ways I-O psychologists can meet them when using new technologies.  The workshop facilitators will encourage participants to bring examples of the use of AI-based tools in their practice along with their concerns regarding compliance with existing laws.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the requirements of federal, state, and local laws that apply to common applications of I-O psychology (i.e., recruitment, selection, promotion, development, placement). 
• Discuss new technologies used for recruitment, selection, promotion, development, and placement. 
• Apply I-O methodologies to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. 
• Identify strategies for discerning the appropriate actions to minimize legal risk with respect to the use of AI-based tools used for recruitment, selection, promotion, development, and placement. 

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Jeff Labrador, Humancore

Presenters: 

Nancy Tippins, Principal of The Nancy T. Tippins Group, LLC

Nancy Tippins is principal at The Nancy T. Tippins Group, LLC, with over 40 years of experience as both an internal and external consultant. Her expertise spans workforce planning, recruiting, job analysis, selection, training, executive assessment, succession planning, and EEO-related policies. Active in the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), Nancy served as president (2000-2001) and is currently the president of the SIOP Foundation. She has contributed significantly to the development of testing standards, including cochairing the committee for the current revision of the Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures and serving on the committee to revise the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Nancy has authored and edited numerous works, including Designing and Implementing Global Selection Systems, Handbook of Employee Selection, and Technology Enhanced Assessments.

Keith E. Sonderling, Former Commissioner, US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Keith E. Sonderling was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a commissioner on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2020, serving until August 2024. He also served as vice chair from 2020 to 2021. The EEOC enforces laws preventing discrimination in employment. During his tenure, Sonderling focused on ensuring that artificial intelligence and workplace technologies comply with civil rights laws. Prior to the EEOC, he served as Acting and Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, where he led record-breaking enforcement and educational outreach initiatives. He also practiced labor and employment law as a partner at Gunster in Florida and taught employment discrimination at George Washington University Law School. Sonderling published and spoke on the use of AI in the workplace. He holds a BS, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and a JD, magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.

Description:

The strategic workforce planning workshop aims to advance the science of industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology by integrating cutting-edge predictive modeling and workforce analytics into strategic planning. Participants will gain practical skills in data-driven decision making, linking workforce planning to business planning and performance optimization. The workshop’s interactive format, featuring real-world case studies and hands-on activities, ensures that attendees can immediately apply these techniques, enhancing their ability to drive organizational success.

Selected for its relevance to both SIOP members and nonmembers, this program addresses critical industry needs and reflects the latest research and best practices in I-O psychology. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive toolkit for strategic workforce planning, positioning them as leaders in their field and equipping them to tackle complex workforce challenges with confidence and expertise. This workshop not only bridges the gap between theory and practice but also fosters a deeper understanding of how advanced analytics can transform HR functions.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the differences between three types of workforce planning and to which business situations they apply.
• Translate business strategy into the 7-10 differentiating organizational capabilities and workforce requirements.
• Determine the top 10 roles and skills most critical to executing the business strategy and organizational capabilities.
• Use data and analytics to highlight workforce gaps (roles, skills, costs) and influence leadership decisions.
• Build a talent strategy and create connections to five other talent and HR processes (recruiting, talent reviews, succession, rewards, and development).
• Avoid five common pitfalls when implementing workforce planning.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Courtney Van Overberghe, PhD, SHL

Presenters: 

Aaron Sorensen, PhD, Partner, Head of Transformation & Chief Behavioral Scientist, Lotis Blue Consulting, Inc.

Aaron’s passion is helping businesses find new ways to grow and transform using data and behavioral science. He has over 2 decades of experience helping businesses change their performance trajectory. At Lotis Blue, Aaron leads client engagements where complex and interrelated issues related to organization, leadership, and workforce constrain growth and create execution challenges. He also serves as the head of the Business Transformation practice and leads the Behavioral Science Center of Excellence. He has shared his perspectives with many organizations, including The Conference Board, SHRM, WorldatWork, HR Retail, and SIOP. He is a two-time contributor to The Talent Management Handbook on topics related to workforce planning and the employee value proposition.  Aaron has a PhD and master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from DePaul University and a bachelor of science with honors in Psychology from the University of Iowa.

Michael Walsh, PhD, Senior Director of Workforce Analytics and Planning at Eaton

Michael’s passion is helping organizations and business leaders bridge the gap between academic research and practical business outcomes. This passion led him to his current position as the director of Workforce Analytics and Planning at Eaton.  In this role, Michael leads a team that is responsible for the evolution of workforce analytics tools, enabling strategic workforce planning and predictive modeling, and driving standardization and automation in the use of HR analytics.  Michael is also an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois, where he teaches a graduate-level human resources analytics course.  Michael’s work has been published in several industry and academic outlets and has served as a speaker on numerous panels.  His book, HR Analytics Essentials, was awarded “Readers’ Favorite” from Vibrant Publishers. Michael holds a PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University and a master’s degree in HR and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Description:

Driving action from employee surveys is the ultimate goal, yet the hardest part. This workshop focuses on how to maximize survey-based change. Starting upstream with design strategies to maximize organizational attention, we will cover how to design an action framework (focusing on action “assignments” for executives, managers, HR, and others), effectively implement that design with proper support, expand points of contact into other organizational interests and programs with a systems perspective, leverage scientific and technological tools, and ultimately manage the ongoing listening landscape. The presenters, with a wealth of experience and stories from both internal and external roles, will share advice and tactics relevant to early as well as more evolved survey programs (from HRBP support to AI; from executive interests to nudges). This workshop will appeal to any who own survey listening programs within organizations or are otherwise chartered with driving data-based change.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Using the strategy-insight-action framework, create two approaches for survey-based change that align with an organization’s overarching business priorities.
• Design one action framework that includes a structured roles and responsibilities matrix, differentiating the unique responsibilities that managers, HR, and executives have in driving survey-based change.
• Create a framework document that provides at least three clear responsibilities/points of accountability and three points of tailored guidance for each level of leader across the organization.
• Discuss two ways that survey results can be integrated into broader organizational processes, such as performance management, leadership development, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Identify up to five scientific and technological tools that speed up insights and drive data-informed actions to maximize survey utility, such as AI.
• Describe what a Listening Landscape is and how it promotes a continuous improvement loop, ensuring alignment with organizational change efforts over time.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Anne Whiting, Black & Veatch

Presenters: 

Scott Brooks, Partner/VP for OrgVitality

Scott Brooks is a founding partner and head of consulting for OrgVitality, one of the few I-O-led survey research firms in the marketplace. His clients cover all major industry sectors, and span from global Fortune 100 corporations to local non-profits. He has been active in survey related practice and research since 1990. Prior to OrgVitality, he led the consulting group within Kenexa’s survey practice, was the West Coast General Manager for Gantz Wiley Research, and worked internally within organizational development for a division of Target, Inc. He provides research and survey related support to both the Mayflower Group and the IT Survey Group (survey consortia). He is a SIOP Fellow, is coauthor of the employee survey chapter in SIOP’s upcoming Handbook on the Practice of IO Psychology, as well as many other book chapters and articles. With Jeffrey Saltzman, he wrote the book Creating the Vital Organization, covering research and stories about innovation and organizational change. Scott holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.

Dr. Julian B. Allen, Director, Global Talent Management for MiTek

Dr. Julian B. Allen is the Director of Talent Management at MiTek, a Berkshire Hathaway Company. In this role, he leads the design and execution of MiTek’s core talent processes (i.e., Performance Management, Talent and Succession Planning, Leadership Assessment, and Surveys). Previously, he was with PepsiCo on the Global Talent Management team serving in multiple roles with responsibilities in the employee listening, leadership assessment, and selection space. With a background in survey research, consulting at OrgVitality, and a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University, Julian has a deep expertise in talent management and talent analytics.

Description:

This workshop bridges the gap between I-O psychologists and technical professionals, empowering participants to effectively communicate and collaborate with software engineers, computer scientists, data scientists, and academic researchers. Co-facilitated by both a practitioner and an academic researcher, it offers practical strategies for embedding I-O psychology methodologies into software development and interdisciplinary research, particularly in the AI/ML space. Through use cases and interactive role-plays, participants will learn how to position I-O psychology as a critical asset in software development and interdisciplinary research, driving better talent-related decisions and fostering successful cross-disciplinary partnerships.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights to effectively influence software development processes and to integrate I-O psychology principles seamlessly into research collaborations. This session advances the science of I-O psychology by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in a technology-driven world, helping practitioners and researchers alike apply these skills in real-world scenarios.

Intended Audience:

Intermediate. Solid understanding of human resources practice, including general understanding of the professional guidelines and laws governing the broad range of human resources, for example, recruiting, selection and assessment, bias, compensation, privacy, performance management, and so on. A basic understanding of artificial intelligence and large language models including recent legislation, as well as basic grasp of generative artificial intelligence tools would be beneficial but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe key communication strategies that facilitate collaboration between I-O psychologists and software engineers, data scientists, and other technical professionals in software development and interdisciplinary research projects.
• Demonstrate the application of I-O psychology methodologies in the software development process through use cases and role-play exercises.
• Analyze how embedding I-O psychology practices early in software design impacts product outcomes, particularly in tools influencing talent decisions.
• Identify practical steps I-O psychologists can take to influence software development and collaborate more effectively with technical teams.
• Apply methods to integrate I-O psychology principles seamlessly into interdisciplinary research collaborations, enhancing partnerships between academics and industry professionals.

Questions? Contact the Program Coordinator: Kyle Morgan, EEI

Presenters: 

Josh Liff, PhD, Director, Product Science at HireVue

Dr. Josh Liff is the Director of Product Science at HireVue, where he is focused on building and researching next-generation assessment and interview solutions that integrate state-of-the-art machine learning and data science with IO Psychology practices. Prior to joining HireVue, Josh was an assessment consultant with Oracle and Taleo Corporation. As an external consultant with Taleo and Oracle, Dr. Liff focused on developing and validating employee selection tools and processes for enterprise clients across a diverse

range of industries, job roles, and levels. In the technology space, Dr. Liff was a principal developer of a comprehensive online system for providing vocational guidance and occupational matching to students and job seekers. Dr. Liff received his M.S. and PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University. He has contributed to professional practice and research via industry and academic conference presentations, invited talks, and peer-reviewed journal article publications, including most recently, several in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Louis Hickman, PhD, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech

Louis Hickman is an Assistant Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Virginia Tech, a Senior Fellow at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a Research Fellow at ghSMART. He earned his PhD from Purdue University. His interdisciplinary research focuses on applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing in organizations, including addressing concerns about algorithmic bias and how these technologies influence workplace behavior. His research has been published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Organizational Research Methods, among others, and he serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Applied Psychology and Organizational Research Methods.