For practitioners, theorists, and those interested in developing in HR

HR SPRINT 2026

connecting research, academia, and experience

Can HR still create real business value?

22 January 2026, 09:00–13:00

This workshop is addressed to people who want to understand how contemporary HR can realistically support organisations in changing market conditions – technological, social, and environmental. The event combines the perspectives of research, business practice, and the everyday challenges faced by HR departments in Poland.

Location: ul. Cukrowa 8, SIL 314, University of Szczecin (Poland)

The event will be conducted in Polish

Our central question:

How can HR in Poland move from an operational support function to a real business partner in conditions of digitalisation, talent shortages, changing work roles, and growing expectations regarding organisational responsibility?

BACKGROUND OF THE EVENT

Today, Polish HR operates under strong pressure: technological, demographic, regulatory, and reputational.
On the one hand, organisations expect greater efficiency, automation, and measurable results; on the other hand, employees and candidates increasingly pay attention to the meaning of work, well-being, values, and the environmental responsibility of companies.

HR SPRINT 2026 was created as a response to these challenges.
The event creates space for critical reflection on which HR practices should be developed, which should be changed, and which should be consciously abandoned, so that HR in Poland can effectively respond to organisational needs in the coming years.

What are we working from?

The starting point of the project is the belief that effective HR requires the integration of three perspectives:
academic knowledge, organisational experience, and everyday human resources management practice.

The project is based on the analysis of current challenges faced by organisations in the Central European region, with particular emphasis on the context of the Polish labour market.
Instead of ready-made solutions, it focuses on critical reflection on existing HR practices and their adequacy to real organisational conditions.

The aim of the project is to combine academic knowledge, corporate experience, and HR practice in order to develop practical HR tools tailored to the real needs of the region.
HR SPRINT 2026 delivers this knowledge in an intensive, four-hour, interactive workshop format.

6 KEY THEMES AND ASSOCIATED ACTION OPPORTUNITIES

World Café is the heart of the workshops – a series of moderated discussions in which participants jointly identify the most important HR decisions for 2026: what to develop, what to change, and what to consciously give up.

1. HR digitalisation and AI

Which HR processes in Poland have the greatest potential for automation?
How can AI be used in HR in a responsible and legally compliant way?
Where does technology genuinely support HR, and where does it only create apparent improvements?

2. Talent development

How should “talent” be defined today in Polish organisations?
How can talent development be designed in companies with limited resources?
How can talent development be linked to real business needs?

3. Redefining job descriptions and work roles

Why are traditional job descriptions becoming ineffective?
How should work roles be designed in conditions of change and digitalisation?
How can competencies, tasks, and responsibility be integrated in modern roles?

4. Implementation and use of employee performance appraisal systems

Why do employee appraisal systems often fail to fulfil their role?
How can appraisal be designed to support development rather than only control?
Which solutions work well in smaller organisations?

5.Employer branding

How can a credible employer brand be built in Polish market conditions?
How can employer branding be linked with real employee experience?
How can the effects of EB activities be measured beyond the number of applications?

6. Green HR

What does green HR mean in everyday organisational practice?
How can HR support environmental goals without symbolic or superficial actions?
How can employees be engaged in sustainable development initiatives?

Who is the event for?

People managing teams and employees

Students and doctoral candidates in HR- and management-related fields

People starting their careers in HR

Researchers dealing with HR-related topics

HR consultants and trainers supporting organizational development

Company representatives interested in developing HR practices

What will participants likely take away?

a new perspective on key HR challenges in Poland,
comparison of their own practices with the experiences of other organisations,
concrete ideas for actions that can be implemented,
new contacts between business, HR, and academia,
participation in a process of shared learning and exchange of experience.

Participants will receive exclusive access to presentations and summaries of key conclusions from discussions conducted in small groups.
Additionally, we provide a carefully selected knowledge package on HR in the Visegrad Group countries, including the latest research results, inspiring case studies, current industry publications, and – upon request – the possibility of expanding professional networks within the HR community.

Program

09:00-09:05

Opening of the workshops and introduction

09:05-09:20

Opening

HR in the V4 region

09:20-09:45

Team for the summer vs. team for years – comparison of HR strategies in gastronomy–by Andrzej Bogumił, LUKRUM II

09:45-10:10

HR today: roles, competencies, and the real challenges of working with people – Marta Brodowska, Flex Wind Poland

10:10-10:30

Accessibility and educational activities of the Statistical Office supporting the health, development, and engagement of employees and external users

Ewelina Konarska-Michalczyk, Statistical Office in Szczecin