We are seeking session proposals for the upcoming HR@UW Conference, designed for HR professionals from across UW—Madison. This event brings together colleagues to share knowledge, explore emerging trends, and build practical skills that support our workforce and workplaces.
Conference tracks include: Talent Management, Total Rewards, Inclusive Excellence, Career Management, and an open category for other relevant topics.
We encourage presenters to share practical insights, innovative strategies, lessons learned, and success stories that can benefit HR professionals and campus partners.
Breakout Sessions
Breakout sessions provide attendees with practical learning opportunities focused on a specific topic, skill, strategy, or workplace challenge. Sessions should offer actionable content that participants can apply in their work.
Session length: 30 minute, 60 minute, or double session
Spotlight Sessions
Spotlight sessions are brief 10-15 minute presentations that highlight innovative programs, successful initiatives, or unique approaches to your work.
These sessions are designed to inspire participants and spark new ideas by highlighting work that has had a positive impact within a school, college or division.
Roundtable Discussion Topic Submissions
Have a topic you’d like to discuss with your HR colleagues? We invite conference participants to submit ideas for roundtable discussions at the HR@UW Conference.
Roundtables are informal, participant-driven conversations that provide an opportunity to share experiences, explore challenges, exchange ideas, and learn from peers.
Submit your roundtable topic idea and help shape the conversation at the HR@UW Conference.
Criteria
Audience
Conference participants are UW–Madison employees in human resources, including staff in the human resources job group, as well as administrative specialists, department administrators, and others whose positions include responsibility for human resources functions. The conference typically brings together 350 participants.
Honorarium
All selected speakers are provided with complimentary registration to attend the full conference, however, the Office of Human Resources does not provide an honorarium for presentations at the HR@UW Conference. Presenters should cover all their individual travel expenses if selected to present in-person.
Guidelines
Each facilitated breakout session can be 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or 2 hours in length and must be linked to one or more of the five (5) conference topics listed below. Individuals should refrain from self-promotion of products and/or services. Each proposal will be reviewed for:
- Clarity: Well-defined learning objectives that can be met in the allotted time-frame
- Relevance: Timeliness of topic/content is clearly stated; offers clear, specific, and useful best practices
- Quality: Objective for the proposal is clearly stated and supported by the information provided; depth of information; measurable outcomes; expertise of proposed speaker(s)
- Ability to Replicate: Viable, current best practices that can easily be replicated in participants’ units/departments; provides practical approaches that can be quickly adopted
2026 Important Dates and Timelines
- Proposal Submission Period: July 6 – September 4
- Notice of Acceptance: September 8-11
- Tech and Logistical Information Due: September 23
- Presentation Materials Due: November 4
- Conference Date: November 10
Topics
Advance strategies that support recruitment, retention, and development across the employee lifecycle.
Examples:
- Retention and engagement strategies
- Workforce and employee relations
- Recruitment tools and strategies
- Performance management
- Talent development and learning
- On-boarding and off-boarding best practices
- Building communities of practice
Explore total reward strategies that support institutional goals and systems.
Examples:
- Using market data to drive competitive compensation decisions
- Benefits, ETF or My Insurance Benefits
- Mid-career or retirement resources and information
- Aligning total rewards with organizational culture and strategy
- Communication strategies for making invisible rewards visible
- Pay transparency and equity
- Payroll
- Flexible work and leave
- Compensation
Learn about your professional development, career planning, growth, mentorship, and skill advancement best practices and opportunities on campus
Examples:
- Employee resources for their individual career growth
- Career mapping and goal setting
- Leadership development
- Building a professional network
- Mentorship
Focus on achieving a healthy, inclusive, and engaging work environment.
Examples:
- Recruitment and hiring practices
- Building healthy teams
- Inclusive communication strategies
- Cultural competency development
Explore emerging ideas or practices that fall outside the defined tracks but contribute meaningfully to the HR community.
Examples:
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Strategic planning and direction
- Change management
- Productivity and performance optimization
- Data-driven decision making
- Wellbeing