Organisational Development

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2025

Redefining Organisational Success: Agility, Inclusion, and Innovation
in the Ever Changing Work Environment

27-28 February 2025 | NH Johannesburg Sandton

Creating Human-centred, Future Ready Organisations

Two-day in-person & Virtual Annual Conference

Transform insight into action and meet the future, equipped
with new tools and a powerful network.

As we navigate the post-2020 world, the landscape of organisational development (OD) continues to evolve dramatically, marked by rapid technological advancements, new workforce dynamics, and a heightened focus on inclusivity and adaptability. The Organisational Development Conference 2025, taking place on 27–28 February, is perfectly positioned to explore these transformative changes, offering a comprehensive programme filled with actionable insights.

This year’s conference is packed with engaging content, including a keynote session on “Redefining Organisational Success for 2025: The view from Top Employers 2024“, and “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Beyond Compliance to Genuine Change,”. These sessions promise to deliver profound insights into leading-edge strategies and the future of work.

Attendees will benefit from specific case studies such as Standard Bank’s Salesforce LEVERS Approach to Change Management and Cell C’s Experiment with Unlimited Leave to name but a few.

The conference will also feature hands-on sessions allowing participants to work collaboratively on creating adaptive, employee-centric work environments. These sessions emphasise the practical, applied nature of the learning experience, ensuring that every attendee can implement new ideas and approaches immediately.

With over 30 years of dedication to equipping South African organisations with essential, credible knowledge, this conference is a must-attend for those eager to excel in their roles and improve their organisations. Our legacy is a testament to our commitment to delivering only the most relevant and transformative content.

Register now to secure your place at the forefront of organisational development. Embrace this opportunity to transform insight into action and meet the future equipped with new tools and a powerful network.

SPONSOR

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

Dr Sharon Munyaka

UN SDG Leadership Lab Facilitator, Presenting Institute; Facilitator and Executive Coach, Henley Business School

Juba Mashaba

Chief People Officer, Cell C

Nerisha Charlton

People and Organisation Director, Royal Canin (a Division of Mars Inc.)

Dr Gloria Mbokota

Senior Lecturer, GIBS Business School

Prof Nasima Carrim

Associate Professor, University of Pretoria, President of SIOPSA

Dr Sane Ngidi

HR Lead: Africa, Gates Foundation, SIOPSA President-Elect

Zaheera Laher

Chair, Black IOP Caucus within the Society of Industrial and Organisational Psychology of South Africa (SIOPSA)

David Plink

CEO, Top Employers Institute

Nomfundo Vilakazi

HR Director, Dis-Chem

Kim Howard

Chief People Officer, FirstRand Corporate Centre

Dominic Gaobepe

Director and Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, Cohesion Collective

Reitumetse Machaba

Head: Learning, Talent and Organisational Effectiveness, Nedbank Wealth

Phumzile Hlatshwayo

Executive: Human Capital, Netstar

Frans Kutumela

Head: Organisational Effectiveness, African Bank

Andrea Miguel

Attorney, Justine Del Monte & Associates Incorporated

Heidi Levy

Specialist: Organisational Change and Development, Standard Bank

Rumbi Mzezewa

Group Manager: Culture & Employee Experience, Walmart Africa (Massmart)

Philip Cabessa

Customer Success Director, Salesforce

Bongi Tshabalala

Head of Talent, Learning & OD, Liquid Intelligent Technologies

Frank de Beer

Director, Arbinger Institute South Africa

Marilet Clark

Group Manager: Organisational Development, Premier FMCG (Pty) Ltd

Refiloe Skosana

EAP Clinician and L&D Facilitator, ICAS

JP van Zittert

Head Organizational Effectiveness and Total Reward, Mukuru

Dr Esli Kekana

Group OD Manager, Central Energy Fund (CEF)

Anja van Beek

Talent Strategist, Leadership Expert, and Executive Coach

Jackie Kennedy

Founder, Leadme Academy

Redefining Organisational Success

Here’s what you’ll gain by attending…

Adaptability and Resilience: Learn how to create agile, responsive organisations that can swiftly adapt to disruption while fostering strong cultures of innovation and creativity. Gain insights into maintaining effectiveness even through tumultuous times.

Real-World Successes: Engage with real-world examples from companies that have successfully navigated challenges in organisational transformation and sustainability. Understand the strategies that led to their success and how these can be applied in your context.

Cultural Competence: Discover how integrating emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can propel your organisation toward a more inclusive and high-performing culture. These elements are critical in building resilient organisations that thrive on collective strength.

Data-Driven Strategies: Equip yourself with analytics tools and techniques that help you make informed decisions. Unlock the power of data to shape your organisation’s future, ensuring that every decision is backed by evidence and strategic insight.

Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse community of OD professionals, leaders, and innovators from across industries. Build meaningful relationships that can spark collaboration and new partnerships, providing you with a network that supports growth and innovation.

Who Should Attend?

The Organisational Development Conference 2025 is designed for forward-thinking professionals and leaders who are passionate about building stronger, more agile, and inclusive organisations:

Organisational Leaders: Including Heads and Managers of Organisational Development, Design, and Effectiveness, Transformation and Change Management, and Organisation Development Advisors and Consultants.
HR Professionals: HR Directors, Heads of HR, HR Managers, and Business Partners, along with Heads and Managers of Learning and Development, Learning and Development Advisors, Consultants, Leadership Development Managers, and Business Partners.
Talent Management Experts: Heads and Managers of Talent Management, Talent Development Specialists, and Consultants.

Conference Highlights…

Keynotes by Industry Leaders

Hear directly from thought leaders who are at the forefront of shaping the future of organisational development. These keynotes are designed to inspire and challenge traditional thinking, offering new perspectives on navigating complex organisational landscapes.

Panel Discussions & Real-World Case Studies

Gain practical insights from experts who have successfully implemented agile strategies and driven meaningful cultural change. These sessions will provide you with actionable strategies and an understanding of the tools needed to enhance your organisation’s responsiveness to market shifts.

Explore Cutting-Edge Platforms and Solutions

Discover the latest platforms and solutions that can help your organisation stay competitive in today’s fast-paced environment. From technological innovations to new management methodologies, explore how these tools can streamline operations and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Redefining Organisational Success

Below is a summary of the topics across the two day agenda

Redefining Organisational Success for 2025: The View from Top Employers 2024

Discover the transformative forces shaping the future of work and learn how organisations can thrive by embracing agility, inclusion, and innovation. This session will delve into:

Key trends and insights from Top Employers 2024.
Strategies to redefine organisational success in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Embracing agility and innovation for sustained growth.

The Future of Work: Balancing Automation and Human Innovation

Explore how automation and human innovation can coexist in the future workplace. This session examines the impact of AI and automation on organisational structures and discusses strategies to maintain employee engagement and job satisfaction in an AI-driven landscape. Key topics include:

Understanding the impact of AI and automation on organisational structures.
Strategies to balance technology integration with human innovation.
Maintaining employee engagement and satisfaction in an AI-driven environment.

Cultivating leadership competencies needed for dynamic environments

Prepare for future organisational development challenges by focusing on tomorrow’s competencies. This session covers:

Adapting to rapid technological advancements, including AI and automation.
Building agility and resilience in workforce competencies.
Fostering continuous learning and innovation within your culture.
Cultivating leadership competencies needed for dynamic environments.

Redefining Organisational Success: Agility, Resilience and Inclusion in the Ever-changing Work Environment

Discover how building organisational agility can help your company prosper in a constantly changing environment. This session will delve into:

Techniques for embedding adaptability into organisational culture.
Strategies for effectively implementing and adapting to change.
Tactics for successfully executing and adjusting to transformations in ever-changing settings.

Empowering Change: Leadership's Influence on Organisational Culture

Discover how effective leadership can shape and nurture organisational culture, influencing employee behaviour, performance, and overall success. This session will cover:

Specific behaviours leaders should exhibit to positively influence organisational culture.
The importance of modelling values and behaviours that align with the desired culture.
Strategies for leaders to engage employees in the cultural development process.

Case Study: Standard Bank’s Salesforce LEVERS Approach to Change Management

Discover how Standard Bank successfully implemented the Salesforce LEVERS change approach, transforming its change management journey through practical and innovative strategies. This case study will delve into how the bank:

Leveraged Change Champions across the organisation to foster engagement and momentum.
Storytelling Festivals to effectively communicate the “What’s In It For Me” (WIIFM) and connect employees with the vision.
Right Tools and Upskilling to empower employees and enable smooth transitions.
Reward and Recognition systems to motivate and sustain change efforts.
Tracked and measured progress, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement throughout the change process.

Igniting Employee Passion and Commitment through Purpose-Driven Values

Discover how aligning organisational values with employee personal values can ignite passion and commitment within your workforce. This session explores practical approaches to ensure that employees are actively engaged with the organisation’s mission and the role of storytelling in articulating purpose and enhancing cultural buy-in. Key topics include:

The significance of aligning organisational and personal values.
Practical methods to engage employees with the organisation’s mission.
The role of storytelling in articulating purpose and enhancing cultural buy-in.

Fostering Psychological Safety in the Workplace

Discover how fostering psychological safety in the workplace can enhance team performance and innovation. This session explores the significance of creating inclusive and safe spaces for open dialogue and building a culture of trust. Key topics include:

The importance of psychological safety in fostering innovation and collaboration.
Practical tools for leaders to promote psychological safety among their teams.
Strategies to build a culture of trust within the organisation.

Panel Discussion: The Rise of the 'Gig Economy 2.0'

Explore the rise of the ‘Gig Economy 2.0’ and understand the shift toward high-skill freelance work and flexible platforms. This panel discussion will delve into the implications for employers in managing a decentralised workforce, including legal considerations. Topics include:

Understanding the shift toward high-skill freelance work and flexible platforms.
Implications for employers in managing a decentralised workforce.
Legal considerations in employing gig workers and managing compliance.

Harnessing Generative AI and Technology to Drive Organisational Development

Explore how harnessing generative AI and technology can drive organisational development. This session will delve into how AI supports talent development, knowledge sharing, and innovation, as well as the ethical considerations and risks of AI in the workplace. Key topics include:

How AI supports talent development, knowledge sharing, and innovation.
Ethical considerations and risks associated with AI in the workplace.
Strategies for integrating AI responsibly within organisational processes.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Beyond Compliance to Genuine Change

Discover how to move beyond metrics and build true inclusion and equity in the workplace. This session explores strategies for fostering a genuinely inclusive work environment. Key topics include:

Moving beyond compliance to enact genuine cultural change.
Strategies for fostering inclusion and equity within your organisation.
Measuring the impact of diversity initiatives beyond numbers.

Case Study: Cell C's Experiment with Unlimited Leave

Explore how implementing unlimited leave policies impacts company culture and employee productivity through Cell C’s real-world experiment. This session will delve into:

Benefits and challenges of unlimited leave, such as increased employee satisfaction and potential impacts on productivity.
Strategies for successfully introducing and managing unlimited leave policies.
Lessons learned from Cell C’s experience in fostering work-life balance.

Data-Driven Decision Making: The Role of Analytics in Organisational Development

Learn how to leverage analytics to make smarter, strategic decisions. This session addresses overcoming challenges in data integration and interpretation. Key topics include:

Leveraging analytics for strategic decision-making.
Overcoming data integration challenges within your organisation.
Interpreting data effectively to drive organisational development.

Resilience in the Workforce—Preparing for Future Disruptions

Learn how to leverage analytics to make smarter, strategic decisions. This session addresses overcoming challenges in data integration and interpretation. Key topics include:

Leveraging analytics for strategic decision-making.
Overcoming data integration challenges within your organisation.
Interpreting data effectively to drive organisational development.

Culture in Action: Signs of a Thriving Company Culture

Company culture is a living, ever-evolving force. It grows and adapts with us, shaped by every interaction, decision, and shared value. But how do we know when we’ve truly ‘got it right’?

In this discussion, we’ll explore the key indicators of a successful culture in action, focusing on themes such as:

The People Factor: The heart of company culture: the people who live it.
Empowerment at Every Level: Demonstrating a culture where individuals and teams hold themselves accountable, fostering integrity and trust.
Resilience Through Change: Understanding how culture holds strong through transitions and change, providing stability and direction.

Decent Work: Ensuring Fairness and Dignity in the Modern Workplace

Explore the concept of “Decent Work” and its importance in today’s organisational landscape. This session will delve into:

Ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions by prioritising ethical labour practices.
Promoting work-life balance and flexibility through supportive policies.
Creating equitable opportunities for growth and advancement.
Empowering workers’ rights and voice within the organisation.

Purpose Led- Organisations

This talk will focus on how OD practitioners can strategically position purpose, strategy and culture as strategic focus in organisations to have meaningful impact in supporting the people strategy.

The core of purpose-led organisations
Purpose in today’s modern work reality
Integrating culture and purpose in the workplace
Purpose driven strategy as a competitive advantage
The role of leaders in a purpose led organisation

Designing Career Pathways for a Global Workforce: Driving Alignment and Growth in Fintech

Explore how job architecture can foster alignment, growth, and agility within a dynamic fintech landscape. This session will delve into:

Strategic Alignment Across Borders: Discover how unified job architecture ensures consistency and adaptability across multinational operations, aligning global strategies with local needs.
Empowering Career Progression: Learn how structured career paths enhance employee development, retention, and mobility in an evolving fintech environment.
Enhancing Organisational Agility: Understand how clear job definitions and progression frameworks support scalability, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Career Pathways Insights: Uncover Mukuru’s innovative approach to career growth and progression.

Advanced Strategies for Improving Employee Experience as a Catalyst for Organisational Success

Discover advanced strategies to enhance employee experience and drive organisational success. This session will delve into:

The correlation between employee experience and company performance.
Crafting meaningful and personalised employee journeys.
Aligning employee engagement with strategic business objectives.
Transforming employee experience into a driver of growth and competitive advantage.

The Intersection of Well-Being and Productivity: Building Healthier Organisations

Understand how employee well-being directly impacts organisational success. This session explores:

Implementing effective wellness initiatives that improve morale and performance.
Exploring social well-being alongside physical and mental well-being.
The importance of social well-being in employee engagement and brand reputation.
Strategies to build a culture of well-being that enhances productivity.

BROCHURE DOWNLOAD

Don’t miss out!

View registration options and fees for the
OD Annual Conference 2025

Download the conference brochure

Contains full programme and more information on our featured speakers coming soon!

PARTNER WITH US!

Sponsorship & Exhibition options available!

For over a decade, KR has curated this premier event, attracting HR leaders who are influential decision-makers. Elevate your brand and establish robust business relationships, lead generation and a thriving pipeline through our sponsorship opportunities.

Benefits of becoming a partner:

Engage directly with current and potential business partners.
Forge significant connections, generate leads, and close sales.
Showcase your most recent product and service innovations.
Feature your executives through speaking opportunities that solidify your market position.
Access an elite networking platform with top HR decision-makers.
Demonstrate your products’ and solutions’ practical applications within our inventive conference agenda.
Select from a variety of sponsorship packages to fit any budget.

NOTE

This conference is not a large tradeshow. It is purposefully designed for networking, sharing, and learning. Therefore, sponsorship and exhibition spaces are selectively available.

For more information on our varied packages, please contact Charmaine Shangase at charmaine@knowres.co.za.

FIND OUT MORE

VENUE

NH Johannesburg Sandton

NH Johannesburg Sandton is conveniently situated near the heart of Sandton, offering easy access to many of Johannesburg’s top attractions. Take advantage of early booking to experience the luxury of a world-class venue and the vibrant energy of the city.