Post event report: People Summit 2023 - The key takeaways

At the end of September Elevayte and Techspace hosted the People Summit, a half-day event for ScaleUp Chief People Officers and People leaders. We brought together more than 40 leaders to connect and learn from others in the ScaleUp ecosystem.

2023 has been a tough year for many, and People leaders are always at the forefront of ensuring that everyone else is looked after. This event was a chance to invest in their own development, look ahead to 2024, and to connect with others who are at a similar stage of growth. The day went from the macro to the personal. 

The morning started with a panel of experienced leaders considering the future of the people function. The group then went on to solve real-life people function challenges, working through three topics of; creating a culture of continuous learning, opportunities for leveraging AI in the function, and learning hybrid high performance. The event ended with a chance to be coached by a peer, working on a current challenge or a professional development plan for the next 6 months. 

In this report we’ve tried to capture the key insights. We hope you find this interesting and helpful.

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Part 1: The future of the People Function panel discussion

Our panellists brought a wealth of experience which included all stages of growth (including up to IPO and post IPO) and had a diverse array of backgrounds. Our panellists were:

• Martin Healiss, Chief People Officer, Arqit
• Trecilla Lobo, Chief People Officer, ComplyAdvantage
• Lorraine Metcalf, Chief People Officer, Quantexa
• Charles Whitehead, Chief People Officer, Gousto
• Moderated by Kusia Pell, CCO, Elevayte

In part 1 we cover:

1. In the current economic environment, how does People leadership differ from previous downturns, and what should People leaders be prioritising?
2. For leaders and founders who have never navigated a downturn before, what support and guidance can People leaders provide?
3. Many People teams face under-investment despite having ambitious goals. What strategies should People leaders employ to demonstrate the value of their function?
4. How can AI and technology empower People teams, and what are some practical steps to start small and iterate effectively in this context?
5. What are the challenges and opportunities when it comes to harnessing generational difference in ScaleUps?

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Part 2: Solving People function challenges - World Café summary

Using the World Café format, we tackled three questions facing ScaleUp People teams:

1. How do we create a culture of continuous learning?
2. What opportunities does AI bring to the People function?
3. How do we cultivate high performance in a hybrid setting?

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A bit more about Elevayte

Elevayte coach, train, and develop ScaleUp leaders. 

Partnering with ScaleUps through a blend of 1:1 coaching, team coaching and our Elevayte Academy - leadership development programmes. 

Find us at www.elevayte.co or on LinkedIn to learn more.