Conferences

Future Proofing the World of Work for the Greater Good:

The New Era of Skills Transformation and Professional Practice Enhancement

We are living in a time of increasing geopolitical polycrisis, new economic policies shaped by the climate crisis, rapid advancement of technologies such as artificial intelligence and sustainable development challenges. Businesses are experiencing the need to respond to scenarios and climates that have never existed before.

An open but critical mindset is required in order to understand, evaluate and respond to these emerging changes and technologies. Within this context, the SIOPSA 2025 Annual Conference recognises the importance of skills development, lifelong learning, and sustainable economic growth. The conference aims to unite a diverse group of psychologists, academics, psychometrists, employees across various industries, HR practitioners, and business leaders to disseminate knowledge and best practices to prepare for the future world of work. The conference will empower attendees with practical knowledge and equip them with the tools to develop a mindset of adaptability to stay relevant in their respective fields. It will provide a platform for sharing practical examples and case studies, fostering a collaborative environment for learning, growth and evolving at pace. The Conference is also an invitation to “Navigating the Future Together!”

CONFERENCE THEMES

The fundamentals of where, how, and why we work are being redefined, and our conference themes capture it as follows:

The Future-Now: Understanding the shift towards

• Sustainable economic growth and decent work
• The Rise of AI and Emerging Technologies
• Data-driven Decision-making
• Employee Experience

The Future-How: Evaluating and responding to future challenges through strategies that enable the shifting towards sustainability

• Upskilling and Reskilling: Capabilities. Competencies. Qualities.
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Lifelong Learning
• Flexible Work
• Creativity and Innovation
• Health and Wellbeing

The Future Fit IOP: Shaping the future of work through the IOP profession aligned with sustainable growth goals

• The IOP identity and evolution of roles
• The IOP Professional Practice and Value Proposition
• Ethical conduct in research, practice, collaboration and publication

CONFERENCE FORMAT

Join us for an engaging and accessible conference experience designed to maximise learning, earn CPD points, and fit a variety of budgets. The conference format offers a unique opportunity for both local and international delegates to attend a mix of virtual sessions, in-person sessions, and practical workshops tailored to various professional needs that will ultimately enhance your learning journey. CPD points will be applied for, so be sure to mark your calendars for 21 to 25 July 2025 and take part in shaping the future.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Please note that the virtual and in-person programs will feature different content tailored to each format. Conference packages will be announced in 2025 as our team develops viable options to suit diverse budgets.

• 21 July 2025 – Full-day virtual programme on the Whova platform
• 22 July 2025 – Full-day virtual programme on the Whova platform
• 23 July 2025 – Half-day virtual workshops followed by the AGM
• 24 July 2025 – Full day In-person programme followed by a Gala dinner and Presidential Awards
• 25 July 2025 – Half-day In-person workshops

This year’s conference theme examines digital transformation from several lenses, including employee-related factors and work-related outcomes at the individual, group, and organisational levels. In addition, macro dynamics should not be ignored. Labour market skills shortages caused by reskilling challenges to meet the changing digital landscape will be of particular focus.

Building on our previous conference theme (Re-humanising work), the theme for the 2022 conference requires us to think beyond the traditional application of industrial and organisational psychology. More specifically, we need to think about the role of industrial and organisational psychology and its relevance to other stakeholders (and not just organisations) – in essence, industrial, and organisational psychology without borders.

Who would be the protagonist if a story about the world of work was to be written in 2021? Would it be technology, Covid19, artificial intelligence, big data, capitalism, bureaucracies or the humanity of people “affectionately” referred to as human capital? The 2021 SIOPSA conference seeks to re-introduce humanity and the people that form part of the workforce as the lead characters in the world of work. This is on the backdrop of the various elements that have taken precedence and overshadowed what Deloitte (2021) refers to as an organisation that is “distinctly human at the core”.