Live Conference

Live 2025: Washington D.C.

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

8:30AM ET - 5:30PM ET

Topic

The New Era of Investing in Humans

In the face of increasing pressure for productivity, how can companies grow while building a culture based on trust and values? Employers will need to take a greater stake in the future of their employees. In our conference of HR leaders and colleagues, we’ll explore breakthroughs in thinking about how to make work fulfilling, create a sense of community, help employees increase their skills and performance, and produce better managers. You’ll discover the most innovative approaches in such fields as talent acquisition, total rewards, benefits, learning and development, employee engagement, AI and HR technology, and inclusion and belonging.

From Day One is a Recertification Provider for SHRM and HRCI. This session is eligible for 4 credits from both organizations. The Activity IDs will be sent to attendees after the conclusion of the session.

speakers

Bridgett Hart

ibex

Senior Director, Human Resources Communications & Change Management

Matt Waesche

BAE Systems

Chief Learning Officer

Michael Trusty

Fannie Mae

VP, Head of Talent and Learning

Laura Labovich

The Career Strategy Group

CEO

Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza

From Day One Contributing Editor

Journalist

Kristen Parisi

Morning Brew

HR Reporter

Jodi Davidson

Sodexo

Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion

Margarita Ramos

Splunk

Global Head of Employee Relations, People Consultants and Investigations

Lena Hall

Viasat

Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Matt Waesche

BAE Systems

Matt Waesche is the Chief Learning Officer for BAE Systems, Inc., a U.S.-based defense company that generated 2023 sales of nearly $13.6 billion and employs nearly 41,000 people around the world, with major operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and Sweden.

In this role, he is responsible for leading and formulating the company’s corporate learning and development solutions and technologies as a strategic business process.

Matt has been an HR professional and leader for over 20 years, ending a 22-year career in the Navy as an HR Officer, and the last 16+ years with BAE Systems.

His career started in the skilled trades as a Navy Aviation Machinist, later earning his commission to the officer ranks upon completing his Bachelor of Arts at San Diego State University. As a Naval Aviator, he operationally served as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander and Functional Check Pilot, highlighted by the squadron leadership positions of Maintenance Officer, Communications Officer, and Quality Assurance Officer. Upon completion of his Master of Science in Leadership and Human Resource Development in 2001 at the Naval Postgraduate School, he served as a Professional Learning and Leadership Development Master Instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2004, Matt laterally transferred to become an HR Officer, serving as a Workforce Strength Analyst/Planner at the Pentagon and an Officer in Charge of the Personnel Support Detachment at NAS Jacksonville. He retired from active service in 2008.

Matt started with BAE Systems Ship Repair in 2008, and in 2012 he moved to HR Shared Services as a Leadership Development Manager, HR Capabilities Manager, and Talent Manager working in the Talent Solutions Center of Expertise. In 2016, he returned to Ship Repair, where he rose to the Director of HR supporting five shipyards (Norfolk, Jacksonville, Mobile, San Diego, and Pearl Harbor). In 2020, he transferred to be the Director of HR in the Intelligence and Security sector, supporting both the Air and Space Force Solutions (ASFS) business area and the Corporate Infrastructure Senior Leadership Team. In 2022, he returned to the Talent Solutions Center of Expertise as the Chief Learning Officer.

Matt has served in leadership positions in the manufacturing and services communities, having held positions representing BAE Systems on workforce development committees and various industry boards.

When not working, Matt can be found enjoying the outdoor lifestyle with his wife Casey and family, residing in Falls Church, Virginia.

partners

Themes

Employee Recognition and Rewards: How Managers Can Be Empowered

Recognizing workers for their accomplishments–as well as who they are–is essential to boosting motivation and building a strong corporate culture. How do some employers miss the opportunities to recognize workers in a timely way? What can technology do to help scale recognition across an enterprise by empowering managers at every level? From the worker’s point of view, what kinds of recognition are most meaningful? Do younger workers respond differently that older ones?

Making Talent Acquisition More Efficient, Inclusive, and Personalized

Technologies like AI have given TA leaders powerful tools to cast a wide net while screening for the right skills and aptitudes. How have innovative employers made the best use of technology by managing bias in the system, improving the candidate experience, and managing expectations for flexible work arrangements? How can TA leaders respond to use of AI by applicants? What can technology do to help TA leaders take a rigorous and objective approach to judging candidates, while still bringing human connection to the role?

In Employee Benefits, Balancing Cost Efficiency With Good Employee Outcomes

As the cost of health care keeps rising stubbornly, benefits leaders need to be ever-more innovative in finding ways to keep spending under control while serving an increasingly diverse set of employee needs. How are benefits leaders using new tools and approaches toward evaluating their prospective and current providers? What kinds of surveys and feedback methods are they using to evaluate both employee needs and employee experience? What kinds of benefits are increasingly meaningful to workers, including financial wellness, and which ones have proven to be less impactful?

Managers Are Overwhelmed. How Leadership Development Can Help Them

Managers face more responsibilities than ever, thanks to the hybrid work, tight budgets, and shifting organizational needs. How can L&D leaders make the most effective investments to identify where managers need help and then responding with initiatives that work at scale as well as for individual managers? What are the most innovative approaches to supporting young and first-time managers? How is AI taking a role in training managers and helping them solve everyday problems?

What Employers Can Do to Help Ease the Childcare Crisis

While local initiatives to improve childcare gained traction in November elections, the crisis over the cost and quality of childcare calls for a multifaceted approach. What can companies do with limited resources to help ease the crisis, which is swallowing worker paychecks and disproportionately affecting women employees, who take responsibility for caregiving of many kinds? How are some employers trying innovative approaches to on-site care, emergency back-up care, care subsidies, and help in searching their communities for suitable and affordable care?

Change Is Hard. What HR Leaders Can Do to Make it Easier and More Successful

Digital transformation and evolving business strategies can leave some employees baffled, overwhelmed, or resistant. How can HR executives and talent managers take an employee-centered role in planning changes, defining new roles and responsibilities, communicating change to workers, and measuring the outcomes? How can HR leaders work with C-suite colleagues to ward off unnecessary or counterproductive changes, as well as encouraging feedback and warding off change fatigue?

How HR Leaders Can Leverage AI to Make Their Work More Effective and Fulfilling

While putting AI to work has its challenges, the technology can help shift the nature of the HR work from administrative tasks toward greater human connection, innovation, and problem-solving. How have HR leaders successfully launched AI in fields ranging from talent acquisition to total rewards? How does it change the nature of their jobs? Is it likely to fully replace certain roles? What are the pitfalls and how can companies set up guidelines to avoid them? What are the risks, on the other hand, of going too slowly in embracing AI?

The New Essentials of Worker Productivity That’s Sustainable and Attainable

At a time of rising labor costs, HR leaders and their C-suite colleagues need to make sure they’re finding the right combination of productivity-boosters for their workers. What is proving most effective in approaches to new technology, organizational development, as well as improved communication between managers and workers? How can HR leaders build surge capacity into their workforces to avoid see-saw hiring and employee burnout? How can HR and TA leaders become more adept in workforce planning to match the right workers with future organizational needs?

Bridging the Gap: Empowering and Supporting Women in Leadership

Women hold just 28% of C-suite roles, according to a 2023 Women in the Workplace Report. This is a record high, yet still far from equal representation. So why aren’t there more? How can companies foster a culture that supports women in leadership roles and ensures equal opportunities for growth? What are the most innovative well-being solutions that support the unique needs of women in the workplace? What are the best practices for empowering these leaders and supporting their long-term success?

Culture That’s Real: Translating Company Values Into Everyday Reality

Corporate leaders talk about the importance of strong culture in setting expectations of performance and team cohesion, but according to research by Gartner, 57% of HR leaders believe managers don’t enforce the company’s culture, while 53% say leaders don’t feel accountable for demonstrating cultural values. How can employers do a better job of spelling out core values that fit the company’s mission, articulating how managers can put them into practice, and be attentive to gaps between the ideal behaviors and the realities in practice?

The Connection Solution: Bringing Workers Together for Well-Being and Innovation

In widely reported surveys, workers say they’re lonely and anxious–and that their employers don’t care about their well-being nearly as much as they did during the pandemic era. How can employers build more community opportunities for their workers to make connections, offer mutual support, and share insights? What cultural initiatives can companies pursue, as well as technological support to foster new and abiding connections? What new approaches can employers take to support and grow their employee resource groups (ERGs)?

Gen Z on the Rise: Responding to the Needs of Emerging Talent

As Gen Z makes its mark on the workforce, many companies report higher-than-expected turnover and disengagement among their potential rising talent. How can employers connect better with the singular needs of this generation, while taking care not to lump them all in one basket? What can managers do to respond to Gen Z’s desire for rapid advancement? How can employers create stronger programs for training new managers, some of whom need to supervise workers of multiple generations? How can multiple generations in the workforce, including older workers, benefit from connecting with one another?

VENUE

The conference will take place at Convene, the leading hospitality company, passionate about hospitality, innovation, and changing the way people meet and work.