Attended by 175 people, the HR Forum 2019 focused on the synergies between HR and technology, bringing together HR experts from Laos, Australia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
For the third year in a row, government, private sector, and civil society human resource (HR) managers have come together for a unique international networking and knowledge-sharing event in Vientiane designed by two Lao Australian alumni, and proudly supported by the Australian government.
“Keeping up to date with advances and innovation in technology is essential for the Lao public and private sector to stay efficient and effective in the management and development of their personnel. There are great lessons to be learned from companies leading the way in Laos, as well as from experts in the region.” Sophie Wilkinson, Second Secretary of the Australian Embassy stated in her opening remarks.
The HR Forum is the brainchild of two Australia Awards Alumni, Sittiphone Thapesuphanh of Karuna and Thiphaphone Phetmany of Enterprise & Development Consultants Co. Ltd (EDC), and received support from the Australian Government which has a long history of supporting human resource development in Laos.
The Ministry of Education and Sports and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) also co-hosted the forum.
“The Australian Government is very proud to support Australian alumni to apply their new skills and knowledge upon returning to Laos in a way that sparks change for their sector. The HR Forum is a great example of that, as it was not only the concept of our alumni but was heavily supported by other alumni volunteers and speakers”, Ms Wilkinson said.
The HR Tech Forum 2019 was targeted to guide micro, small and medium-sized companies or organizations in moving from traditional human resource management and development tools to affordable technologies. The forum provided insights about employing HR technology in both the national and international context, and targeted managers working in both the business and development sectors.
The forum also provided three breakout sessions in its afternoon program to provide participants the opportunity for a more in-depth discussion with visiting experts. Participants struggled to choose between three simultaneous sessions on organizational development and human resource management using accessible, free of charge and affordable applications and websites. Afterward, participants said the forum gave them in-depth knowledge about human resources and technology available to enhance human resource management within the workplace.
The organizing committee comprised of Karuna, Enterprise & Development Consultants Co., Ltd (EDC), Austcham Lao PDR, the Australian Embassy, and the Laos Australia Institute. The committee would like to extend their great appreciation to the gold sponsors, Vientiane College, and CS Intellect for their support.
