The human advantage: Investing in relational skills in the age of GenAI

LinkedIn names relationship building the fastest growing skill in the UK that professionals should be investing in to get ahead in today's world of work. As GenAI takes over more cognitive and task-based work, relational skills are emerging as the most important differentiator in today’s workforce.

Why this event matters

Just as these skills become more critical, we’re losing the natural, everyday moments that used to help us build them, through human-to-human collaboration, and shared experiences. E.g. 46% of Gen Z employees say they prefer asking AI about work-related questions rather than their colleagues or managers. This session explores why relational skills are the most future-proof investment leaders can make, and how to create work environments where they can grow and thrive.

What attendees can expect

This will be an interactive 60-minute session, during which we will explore:

• Why relational skills are becoming the most important differentiator
• Why opportunities to develop relational skills are diminishing
• How HR leaders can create environments where relational skills thrive, ultimately improving employee engagement, wellbeing, and team-wide productivity.

Timings

18:00-18:30 - Arrival, registration and refreshments

18:30-19:30 - Presentation

19:30-20:00 - Networking

About the speaker

Iga Pilewska

Iga Pilewska is a sociologist and future of work expert, with an MSc from LSE and over eight years of international experience gained in London, New York, and Washington D.C.

As a Senior Principal at Gartner, she led research on sustainable performance and strategic workforce planning, supporting HR leaders from Fortune 500 companies. Her work was presented at the ReImagineHR conference and published in Harvard Business Review.

She now leads Oneness UP, an initiative that helps organisations build work environments that foster connection, engagement, and long-term productivity. Her approach, based on research conducted in over 200 organisations, helps leaders equip employees with relational skills as a competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Please note:

1. Reminder emails will be sent to you the day before, with a further reminder on the day of the event.
2. Photography and video production may be taking place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.
3. By attending the event, you are giving consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.
4. As we are supplying refreshments, if you can no longer attend, please cancel your place either on Eventbrite, or by responding to the confirmation email.
5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.
6. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.