Tech Talk | Building a Lean HR Function: Automation that saves time & budget
- Start: 9:00am
- End: 1:00pm
- Duration: 4 Hours
- Category: Webinar
- Region: Nationwide
- Online
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This is a paid, half-day online webinar and will not be recorded
Join us for a half-day webinar featuring guest speakers, live demonstrations, and practical insights where automation opportunities in your business can save you time and budget.
AGENDA
9:00am Welcome and Introduction
Jacinta Schultz – Technology Transformation Lead, HRNZ
Setting the scene: why lean HR operations, automation, and AI matter now more than ever.
9:15am Identifying Your Biggest Automation Opportunities Across the HR Lifecycle
Presenter: Sam Gulasi – Sales Engineer, HiBob
• How to identify HR processes that are best suited for automation
• Practical HR automation examples such as onboarding, approvals, reporting, reminders, policy acknowledgements, and employee lifecycle changes.
• How automation and AI can improve efficiency, deliver ROI, and help People & Culture become a more strategic partner to IT and Finance, including examples using HiBob.
• Key takeaways and practical next steps for organisations to identify, map, and begin automating manual HR processes.
9:35am Designing Simple Workflows That Reduce Duplication and Manual Tracking
Presenter: Courtney King – Marketing & Automation Consultant, HRNZ
A practical look at:
• Mapping and simplifying HR workflows using Claude
Practical AI Use Cases for HR Teams
10:15am AI in Employee Relations and HR Advisory Work
Presenter: Gemma Coe – PX Advisor, Ministry of Justice
• Real world examples of how AI can support:
• Drafting and reviewing ER documentation
• Policy interpretation and guidance
• Improving consistency and saving time in advisory work
10:45am Setting Up an Internal HR Chatbot
Presenter: Matt Roberts – Head of People Experience, Chorus NZ
• Building an internal askHR chatbot with Copilot
• Common use cases and lessons learned
• Governance, privacy, and adoption considerations
11.05am Practical AI Workflows, Prompting Techniques, and Everyday Use Cases
Presenter: Moana Keiper – National Manager PX Operations & Insights, Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa
• Everyday AI workflows for HR teams
• Prompting approaches that improve outputs
• Using AI to refine communications before sending
• Tips for embedding AI into day-to-day HR practice
11.25am Optimising Your Existing HRIS Before Investing in New Systems
Presenter: Gemma Sloane – Founder & Consultant, Proactive HR
• How to maximise value from your current HR systems
• Common underutilised HRIS functionality
• Process improvements that don’t require new technology
• Practical advice for assessing whether new systems are really needed
12:00pm Open Q&A and Panel Discussion
An opportunity to ask questions, share challenges, and hear final insights from speakers across HR, technology, and transformation.
Webinar Fee (includes GST)
HRNZ Member = $50.00
Non Member = $70.00
Payment is due at the time of registration, if payment is not received your ticket may be cancelled.
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Presenter Details
Matt Roberts, Head of People Experience at Chorus NZ
Matt is a commercial, innovative, and strategic leader with over 20 years’ international experience (NZ, UK, USA, and Asia Pacific) in implementing Agile and adaptive operating models and cultures across a range of industries and operating environments. Significant experience in fast moving, change-oriented environments with proven success in transforming organisations through connecting and aligning the full eco-system encompassing strategy, adaptive ways of working, employee experience, culture, technology & data, talent, incentives, and leadership best practice.
Kellie Houlton, Group Chief People Officer at Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa
Kellie is a senior HR leader with over 20 years' experience in the public and private sectors. She brings a broad range of human resources experience and expertise to Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa. She is passionate about employee experience, diversity and the critical role people play in the delivery of business and tāngata whaiora outcomes.
Gemma Coe, PX Advisor at Ministry of Justice
As part of the AskHR team, Gemma provides frontline HR support to People Leaders and approx. 5,000 kaimahi at MOJ. Her role spans everything from responding to leave and wellbeing queries to interpreting policies, guiding People Leaders through employment relations matters, and supporting employees in navigating conflict resolution options via the Explore Step. She is passionate about continuous improvement, she proactively refine templates, seeks to consolidate and enhance intranet resources, and collaborate across PX teams to drive consistency and meaningful improvements that benefit their kaimahi.
Sam Gulasi, Sales Engineer at HiBob
Sam Gulasi is a technology and people transformation leader with a passion for helping organisations build better workplaces through AI, automation, and people-first digital solutions. As Regional Lead, Solution Engineering APJ at HiBob, Sam works with businesses to bridge the gap between people strategy, product capability, and measurable business impact. Drawing on experience across HR technology, enterprise SaaS, solution engineering, and strategic partnerships, Sam brings a practical yet forward-looking view of how HR teams can evolve in the age of AI. His work focuses on helping organisations simplify complexity, scale smarter ways of working, and empower People & Culture teams to become more strategic partners to the business.
Courtney King, Marketing & Automation Consultant
Courtney is a marketing consultant and automation expert, and founder of Stitch Systems. She helps small businesses attract new customers, and save time and money, by combining marketing strategy with AI-powered systems that run in the background. Her work sits at the intersection of digital marketing, AI integration, and workflow automation.
Jacinta Schultz, Technology Transformation Lead
Jacinta has over 20 years of experience in the IT industry across a variety of roles in both the private and public sectors, working with organisations of all sizes. With experience on both the vendor and customer sides of technology implementation, Jacinta understands the challenges and complexities involved in digital transformation. Jacinta recently led a full-scale technology transformation, replacing aging legacy systems, integrating new backend solutions, and launching a new website. Since the successful rollout of these systems, Jacinta has taken on a more hands-on role with HRNZ members, working closely with them to assess their HR technology needs and processes.
Gemma Sloane, Founder & Consultant at Proactive HR
With more than 20 years’ HR experience across a range of industries, Gemma helps businesses align their people systems and processes to how the business actually operates, with a strong focus on HRIS, HR data, and process design. She works with organisations to select, implement, and optimise HR systems that are practical, aligned to business needs, and support better decision-making. Her practical approach is backed by formal study in Human Resources, Business, Psychology, and Adult Education & Training. Based in rural Southland, Gemma is a passionate advocate for rural businesses and communities. Outside of work, she is a busy mum of two school-aged boys, an avid musical theatre performer, member of her local school Board of Trustees, and contributor to the HRNZ Flexible Work Network Committee.
Moana Keiper, National Manager PX Operations and Insights, Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa
Moana is a senior leader in People & Culture who drives human-centred innovation and high performance through organisational psychology, leadership development & HR technology.
Sponsor Details
