Microsoft's Chief Communications Officer Frank X. Shaw kicks off the day exploring the transformative impact of new AI-powered tools on the communications industry and how it is poised to revolutionize the way we connect, create, and collaborate. Drawing from his extensive experience and insights into the evolving landscape of technology and communication, Frank will discuss:

• Innovative Communications Tools: The various ways new AI-powered tools can reduce administrative burden and make lives easier for communicators such as providing Viva Engage insights, measuring employee sentiment and streamlining content creation—enabling more strategic and creative outcomes for organizations and stakeholders.
• Power of Practice to Develop New Skills: The need to demystify what the AI platform shift means for communicators and illustrate the power of practice to accelerate learning and growth in how we apply these new tools.
• Responsibility and Authenticity: The importance of responsible AI development, and the need to use these tools, aligned with the values of the companies we represent with authenticity.
• What's in It for You: Attendees can expect to leave with a deeper understanding of new tools and how they can help them make next-level impact on their organizations.

It can be challenging to engage employees across geographical, operational and technological boundaries in today’s dispersed workplace. Traditional strategies often fall short—leaving many remote, global and frontline workers feeling disengaged and disconnected. This panel showcasing real-world case studies explores innovative approaches to bridge the gap and foster unity and purpose among diverse teams. We’ll cover:

• New RTO Strategies: What’s working in navigating Return to Office transitions while maintaining engagement with remote and deskless workers.
• Cutting-Edge Tools: How to get more out of Viva Engage, Workvivo, LumApps and G-Suite—plus how to transition from Meta’s Workplace before it shutters.
• Global Comms: How to drive collaboration across time zones using intranets, mobile apps and even gamification to host fun virtual activities—plus how manager comms can help cascade information.
• Wellbeing Matters: How others are integrating Thrive and similar tools to help address employee wellbeing and work-life balance issues.
• Measuring Success: Methods to track ROI and impact of digital tools and employee engagement initiatives, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation.
• Real World Case Studies: How a global pharmaceutical giant, an international nonprofit and others are engaging their remote, global and deskless teams.

Hungry for career success in an ever-changing comms landscape? This quick, inspiring talk serves up strategies to help you not just adapt, but thrive amid constant change. Drawing from Kobe Bryant's "Mamba Mentality," we'll explore how to build an adaptive personal brand, embrace disruption and position yourself as an industry innovator. Learn surprising ways to stand out as a communicator, regardless of what the future holds. If you want to fuel your mind with tools for personal growth and skill development—this is the perfect appetizer for your comms career before we break for lunch.

Communicators face more crises and change initiatives than ever before. A study by PwC found that 70% of leaders have experienced at least one crisis in the past five years—with the average number of crises doubling over that time. To navigate these challenges, communicators must adopt a leadership mindset and employ smarter strategies. Join this panel to learn how to apply a C.A.L.M framework to thrive under pressure when all eyes are on you. We’ll discuss:

• Communicate Clearly: Proven techniques for swift, transparent and empathetic crisis comms, including social listening and monitoring tools to add to your tech stack.
• Assess the Situation: Essentials like scenario mapping, crisis drills and change management strategies to help you develop a crisis plan.
• Lead with Empathy: How to craft clear narratives in a crisis—while demonstrating emotional intelligence through active listening, vulnerability and authentic leadership and training managers to support their teams
• Manage and Monitor: How to develop the confidence and authority to lead during crises—and how metrics can help assess, adjust and fuel your leadership presence.
• Election Year Bonus: How to adapt crisis comms for potential employee unrest or external events tied to politics.

Sheba Medical Center in Israel, ranked among the world’s best hospitals by Newsweek, has faced numerous crises head-on—including the ongoing current conflict. This case study reveals how internal comms helped the facility became a “lighthouse” of leadership for its 10,000 employees and community with empathy, clarity and unwavering commitment. What you’ll learn:

• Building Fortitude: Strategies to support employees and maintain operational excellence during crises, using change management principles and tools like pulse surveys and employee feedback.
• Global and Cross-Cultural Comms: Insights into driving effective comms and collaboration with diverse teams and global partners during times of crisis.
• Impactful Content: How Sheba’s team creates unique crisis-related content, such as the world's largest COVID-19 vaccine database—while embracing storytelling.
• Ensuring Wellbeing: Examples and ideas for fostering employee safety and mental health support through regular updates via intranet, email, and mobile apps.
• Clear Communications: Hard-won lessons for aligning comms across all channels by establishing a centralized hub with video, audio, written updates and more.
• Leadership Lessons: Why active listening, empathy and self-care for communicators matters more than ever—especially during times of crisis or conflict.

Over 80% of employees expect their company to take a stand on societal issues (Gartner). But doing so can be a tricky proposition—especially in an election year like this one. As the "conscience of the company," communicators play a crucial role in upholding corporate values while steering through the complex landscape of employee expectations, political polarization and social responsibility. This no-holds-barred fireside keynote with a Merck VP details how to navigate these issues using a custom "decision matrix" she created with her on-stage colleague—and will reveal here for the first time. You'll learn:

• Values Alignment: How to ensure your org's communications and actions align with its core values and principles amid polarization and political divides.
• Comms as "Conscience": Purpose-driven strategies for taking the lead internally around hot button social issues—and how to convene teams, SMEs, and ERGs to assist.
• The Issues "Decision Matrix": A flowchart to determine when, how, and who should speak out—your "red pill" guide helping you confront election year realities rather than taking the "blue pill" of ignorance.
• Empathetic Engagement: How to foster open conversations around activism and politics in a hybrid setting.
• Authentic Leadership: How to help cultivate leaders who can authentically and effectively communicate your organization's stance on social issues while embodying your corporate values.

The election cycle is further polarizing and politicizing DEIB—with backlash at peak levels following VP Kamala Harris' presidential campaign. Many organizations have paused or cut DEIB efforts over the past year. But employees overwhelmingly prioritize working for organizations committed to diversity and inclusion. This no-holds-barred panel gives you a playbook for navigating the minefield—safeguarding hard-won DEIB progress while fostering an engaged, inclusive workforce in what could be a “do or die” year for the future of diversity programs. We’ll discuss:

• The Election Pulse: Using surveys and real-time social listening on platforms like X, LinkedIn, etc. to gauge employee sentiment and anticipate flashpoints.
• The Steady Hand: How to communicate DEIB value to leaders, secure their ongoing support and help them model courageous conversations grounded in DEIB values.
• United Front: How to align and coordinate DEIB messaging across functions to provide clarity and consistency when resistance, backlash and misinformation spreads.
• A Safe Space: Policies and programming to insulate employee resource groups (ERGs) and maintain safe spaces for underrepresented voices.
• Measuring Impact: How to track and present the impact of DEIB initiatives on your workforce—even in the face of political headwinds.
• From the Frontlines: How DEIB champions at other organizations are addressing polarization while cultivating belonging.

CEOs are increasingly seeing comms execs as key players in shaping company strategy. So how do you step up and step into the C-suite? As you’ll discover in this insightful discussion, “reputation management” is your key to unlocking that greater influence. After all, comms leaders are often the voice at the table who must deliver hard truths about how actions will be perceived—whether responding to a crisis or navigating the changing landscapes of ESG and DEI. If you want to become a more pivotal voice guiding corporate actions and narratives, this is one inspiring session you can’t afford to miss. We’ll cover:

• Reputation’s Expanding Remit: Why internal communicators must consider “reputation management” part of their expanding scope—and how to step into the role.
• The Confident Confidant: A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to deliver world class counsel—including firsthand secrets of success and third rails to avoid.
• The Case for "Mixternal" Comms: The expanding need for strategic internal and employee communications as part of business and reputation management—and how you can take the lead in breaking down silos.
• Reputation, ROI and You: Methods for quantifying the value of your internal comms efforts and their contribution to reputation—plus how to tie reputation to ROI.
• Secrets of Success: Go behind the scenes with our guests as they reveal their hard-won secrets of gaining and growing influence at their companies—and in comms.