Here’s Why You Don’t Want To Miss the Influence Greatness HR Conference

Influence Greatness is different. If you’ve never attended O.C. Tanner’s flagship employee recognition and workplace culture conference, you should know upfront that it’s not your typical HR event.

Replace that mental image of 3000-plus people in a cavernous hall in Vegas, Chicago, or Orlando with one where about 300 soon-to-be friends gather in a breathtaking setting in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. Influence Greatness gives HR leaders from global organizations the chance to truly connect with one another while discovering the latest trends and best practices in workplace culture.

The secret to the conference’s success lies in our deliberate efforts to keep the attendee list small, usually peaking at about 300 HR leaders (and other executives). Attending the conference with such a limited group of leaders who face similar workplace culture challenges makes it easier to interact and form connections with peers, speakers, and the experts of O.C. Tanner, including researchers from the O.C. Tanner Institute.

“For me it’s an ability to think bigger and broader about recognition, but in the context of the whole workplace culture.”
—Genevieve Sarginson, Starbucks

The conference is carefully curated to improve workplace culture in creative ways, including more effective and unexpected uses of employee recognition. Genevieve Sarginson, director of program management at Starbucks, sums up the most recent IG conference this way: “For me it’s an ability to think bigger and broader about the importance of recognition, but in the context of the whole workplace culture.”

Read on to learn what other past attendees say about Influence Greatness, and some of the things you can expect to experience when attending the conference yourself.

Rethink workplace culture with global thought leaders

The world of work is constantly changing. And global workplaces face new trends and challenges every day. Learning to effectively respond to these trends, and even get ahead of them, is at the heart of what this conference is all about.

For IG, we don’t look for celebrities or self-help speakers. We find keynote speakers who know company culture inside and out—ones who study the behavior of the most productive organizations around the world and know what helps employees remain loyal, engaged, and effective. We choose changemakers who’ve questioned the status quo and dared to improve it.

Attendees of past IG conferences found inspiration through some of the world’s most extraordinary achievers and thought leaders. For example:

• Brené Brown teaching leaders how to be awkward and brave even when it’s uncomfortable
• David Epstein showing us why employees who take smart risks can be the most impactful to their organization
• Indra Nooyi highlighting the true dynamic between culture and strategy
• And Amy Cuddy revealing the importance of trust and presence

When asked about her experience at Influence Greatness, Merris Davey, employee recognition project manager at U.S. Bank answered, “The keynote speakers were so inspiring and encouraged me to think about life and work in new ways. Then the breakouts give me tangible takeaways and ideas. I always leave feeling renewed and excited about my work and the impact I can have on my company.”

“The keynote speakers were so inspiring and encouraged me to think about life and work in new ways.”
—Merris Davey, U.S. Bank

Jennifer Hartzke, employee engagement leader at American Airlines, credits the keynotes as one reason Influence Greatness is the highlight of her year. “From keynote speakers to workshops and networking, it's a great mix of experiences. I'm already looking forward to next year!”

The impressive list of incredible thought leaders speaking at Influence Greatness continues. Read about this year’s announced speakers who will tackle topics like total rewards and meaningful recognition.

Discover the best examples of culture innovation

Each year at Influence Greatness, we showcase some of the very best examples of innovative workplace culture initiatives. The most notable way we do this is by honoring leaders and organizations who have made extraordinary achievements in workplace culture during our Breakthrough Awards dinner ceremony.

For example, 2023 Breakthrough Award recipient Southwest Airlines found unique ways to weave recognition into 27 specific moments throughout the employee journey. "When you take a journey view of recognition and appreciation, you start to think about it differently,” explains Lori Winters, VP of Total Rewards at Southwest. “And you start to see there are many opportunities to have recognition touchpoints with employees."

"When you take a journey view of recognition and appreciation, you start to think about it differently.”
—Lori Winters, Southwest Airlines

Other recent winners of Breakthrough Awards include IAG for elevating a people-centered approach to culture, 3M for creating a unified employee experience, and Norton Healthcare for strengthening wellbeing and connection. Click on any of these winners to read a complete synopsis of their breakthrough achievements.

You’ll also get the chance to hear many examples of current best practices and case studies on culture and recognition when you attend in-depth sessions and workshops presented by leaders from some of the world’s top workplaces.

Visit our registration site to learn more about attending Influence Greatness 2024 in the mountains of Park City, Utah.

Gain insights from the latest Global Culture Report

Another major highlight each year at Influence Greatness? Each year, we release our latest Global Culture Report during the conference. The O.C. Tanner Institute conducts first-hand research in the largest annual study of workplace culture from the employee perspective—with more than 40,000 perspectives gathered. It’s full of insights, data, trends, and best practices leaders can apply to their organizations to positively impact culture in the coming year.

“There's so much knowledge rooted in data that helps us do our jobs better, that helps us help our people feel cared for and like they have a place in our organization,” notes Beril McManus, director of team member engagement at American Airlines. “It really just inspires us and makes us feel better and more excited every year.”

“There's so much knowledge rooted in data that helps us do our jobs better, that helps us help our people feel cared for and like they have a place in our organization.”
—Beril McManus, American Airlines

Attendees can access the new Global Culture Report in multiple formats. Dana Ullom-Vucelich, CHRO at Ohio Living loves this special perk. “I try to go out and download it so I can have it electronically and physically. I just can't wait to delve into it even more,” she raves.

In addition to getting a newly published copy of the report, conference attendees can also attend breakout sessions hosted by members of the O.C. Tanner Institute, as they summarize findings and drill down deeper into the report data.

Form lasting connections with your HR peers

Going back to one of the main factors that makes this conference unique, it’s the intimate setting—part of which is created by keeping the number of attendees on the low side. Because we intentionally keep our guest list small, you have a better opportunity to really get to know and connect with your peers.

Get inspired by HR executives and directors as you attend sessions together, collaborate on new trends, and discuss new ideas around the power of culture, rewards, and recognition.

Joanne Parti, a senior director of recognition at CIBC commented about connecting with peers at Influence Greatness. "What an amazing opportunity to connect with so many individuals with a like minded focus on creating an exceptional culture of appreciation for their employees,” she remarked. “I was thrilled at the opportunity to participate and have taken away tons of new ideas and relationships that will propel recognition at CIBC even further. Can't wait for [next year] to catch up again!"

"What an amazing opportunity to connect with so many individuals with a like minded focus on creating an exceptional culture of appreciation."
—Joanne Parti, Senior Director, CIBC

Kristina Fowler, manager of rewards and recognition at T-Mobile shared a similar sentiment. “There is nothing better than meeting new friends from around the globe who relate to the same love of recognition yet also experience the same opportunities.”

But it’s about more than just making new connections. Beril McManus, director of team member engagement at American Airlines, appreciates how attendees share ideas and learn from each other. “I think it is just the best place for you to bounce ideas off one another, learn from other organizations, make work friends that you keep for a very long time, and just get better together.”

Walk away with new perspectives and culture-building ideas

After three days of strategic, hands-on workshops and inspirational keynotes on the issues affecting workplace culture today, you’ll walk away with valuable insights and real-world takeaways. But you’ll also leave with a sense of fulfillment and invigoration, ready to take on the next challenge. It’s why many HR leaders call Influence Greatness the most important conference they attend each year.

Count Kelley Lynch, director of compensation at Capital One as one of those leaders. “What an amazing conference! It’s great to be able to connect with amazing people, hear so many different perspectives on the areas that we are all so passionate about and work on each day. Many thanks to O.C. Tanner for putting so much thought and effort into making the most meaningful conference I attend year over year!”

“Many thanks to O.C. Tanner for putting so much thought and effort into making the most meaningful conference I attend year over year!”
‍—Kelley Lynch, Director, Compensation, Capital One

If you are new to Influence Greatness, like director of academic orientation Mary Beth Heeder was, you may quickly become a fan of the event, too. “I'm a first timer and I absolutely love the conference. One of the things is the diversity of the participants. I'm from Michigan State University, so education. And it's so great to learn and listen to people from healthcare, business and industry, the creator industry, and hear different perspectives.”

And for repeat attendees like U.S. Bank VP Kerry Capwell, the conference continues to deliver on its promise. “Always inspiring, amazing experiences, and fellowship! Fascinating speakers in a gorgeous setting. So glad to be back with you all! I will return home energized!”

Visit our registration site to learn more about attending Influence Greatness 2024 in the mountains of Park City, Utah.

If you can’t attend Influence Greatness in person, consider registering for the Influence Greatness Virtual Conference.

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About the Culture Cloud® platform

See how the Culture Cloud recognition platform from O.C. Tanner can help you build a culture where people thrive and want to stay with your organization longer. Or request a demo today.