About this event
Interactive fireside chat with Dr Claire Handby on navigating transformation and rebuilding culture and performance post-restructure.
Join us for an engaging, conversational fireside chat with Dr Claire Handby—an expert in people-centred change - where we’ll dive into the real challenges and opportunities that people professionals and senior leaders face during downsizing, restructuring, and the critical post-restructure phase. This session is all about learning from Claire’s wealth of experience (including 3 of the 'Big 4' consultancies) and shaping the conversation around what you most want to know.
What to expect:
- Pre-session question: To make this truly tailored, please email us at manchester@cipdbranch.co.uk to tell us what you’d most like to learn from Claire. Whether it’s the delivery of business improvements through large-scale change, strategies for re-engaging remaining teams, or practical tips for embedding a positive culture post-change—you tell us, and we’ll bring those questions to the chat. Please ensure that you have emailed us before 21 May.
- Fireside chat format: A relaxed, interactive conversation between our Chair, Emma Brookes, and Claire, exploring case studies, real-world pitfalls, and success stories.
- Chatham house rules: What’s said in the room stays in the room -so feel free to share openly and learn from one another without attribution.
- Live Q&A and group discussions: Plenty of opportunities to ask questions on the spot, break into small groups to discuss, and reflect on how you can apply these insights in your own organisation.
Guest speaker: Dr Clare Hanby
An energy radiator, Claire is a performance and operational improvement leader and coach, focused to realise the growth opportunities of Major Enterprise, Portfolio, Programme and Projects within the UK and Globally. Sees requirements through People, Culture, Place, Organisation, Process, Technology and Data lenses. Has integrity, a proven track record, analytical ‘can do’ mind-set and the ability to use Management Information (MI) to drive strategic requirements across myriad complex demands, particularly within government and private sector environments. An accomplished smart leader, leads multiple requirements spanning P&L responsibilities, can pivot business strategy pipelines, underpinned by operational excellence from £5million to multi billion investment budgets.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this session, you will have:
- A clearer understanding of the role people practitioners play at every stage of change, from planning workforce reductions to supporting survivors.
- Practical techniques for maintaining trust, engagement, and performance during and after restructuring.
- Insight into the key skills and mindsets needed to foster a resilient, positive workplace culture.
- Ideas you can take back to your teams, informed by real-life examples and peer discussion.
What happens after:
Immediately following Claire’s session, please stay with us for the formal CIPD Branch in Manchester Annual Meeting. We’ll share updates on branch activities from the past year and conduct elections for our 2025–2026 committee. Your voice matters-both in our interactive chat and in shaping the future of our branch.
We look forward to hearing your questions via email (manchester@cipdbranch.co.uk) and seeing you on 5 June for what promises to be a dynamic, insightful evening.
Please note:
1. Reminder emails will be sent to you the day before, with a further reminder on the morning of the event.
2. Photography and video production may take place at the event, and these images may be used in the CIPD newsletters.
3. By attending the event, you are giving your consent for your image to be used on any CIPD promotional materials.
4. Please cancel your ticket so someone else can take your place if your plans change and you can no longer make it – there is usually a waitlist for our events.
5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.
6. Please note that refunds for CIPD Non-Member tickets will only be available until 7 days prior to the event, any cancelled tickets after this will not receive a refund.
7. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.
