Skilful talent acquisition and management of three generations

About this event

Skilful talent acquisition and management of three generations: guidance on effective and ethical talent acquisition and management

Eleanor Lewis will explore how improved approaches to attracting, managing, and retaining a three-generation workforce are making a tangible difference for staff at Milton Keynes University Hospital. Drawing on real-world experience, she will share practical guidance on effective internal and external talent acquisition and workforce management, while balancing ethical considerations and employees’ evolving work–life expectations.

With unprecedented financial pressures across the NHS nationally and regionally, organisations must be more skilled than ever at persuading candidates to apply, attend interviews, accept offers, and remain in post. At the same time, the NHS 10-Year Health Plan has introduced strategic objectives that have significantly complicated traditional workforce planning. Although an updated national workforce plan has yet to be published, government messaging is clear: retention of experienced and trained staff must improve.

Predicting workforce demand is increasingly complex, particularly as NHS organisations are asked to shift resources from hospital to community services while hospitals face intense pressure to reduce waiting lists and maintain high-quality patient care. From April 2026, new staff standards and increased expectations of NHS leaders will place even greater emphasis on improving the experience of working in the NHS.

Eleanor will explain how these challenges can be addressed creatively and effectively, even within tight budgets.

This will be an interactive session, featuring practical examples, shared learning, and discussion of positive, achievable improvements for people professionals.

Speaker:
Eleanor Lewis
Recruitment Manager
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Timings

18:30-19:00 - Networking

19:00-20:15 - Presentation

You will be supporting your Continuing Professional Development because through working with the facilitator, you will understand HR profession map core knowledge and core behaviours:

HR map core knowledge:

• people practice: how managers can actively improve policies and procedures
• culture and behaviour: how supporting staff can assist good working lives
• business acumen: how HR can support organisation success
• evidence based practice and problem solving tools: how to demonstrate business value from improved practices
• technology and people: understanding the impact of technology on people at work
• change: understanding how to enable change effectively

HR map core behaviours:

• ethical practice: how changing policies can be ethical as well as legal
• professional courage and influence: how HR can assist their managers to improve processes
• valuing people: how valuing all people improves business success
• working inclusively: how to ensure all employment processes embed inclusion and diversity
• commercial drive: how to show savings from improved employment processes
• passion for learning: how your learning assists you to support others
• insights focused: how improving processes improves business outcomes
• situational decision-making: how to respond to challenges from staff

This free event forms part of a series under the running title "HR Heroes" offering members a range of topical subjects for both generalists and specialists.

Please note:

1. Webinar joining instructions will be sent to you again one day before the event, with a further reminder, 30 minutes prior to the event starting.
2. This session will not be recorded.
3. The chat function will be used for participants to engage with the webinar, so just be mindful of the login name you use and ensure you are happy for other people to see this.
4. For security reasons, it is requested that participants join the live session 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and with the same name as registered on Eventbrite as not doing so may cause a delay or non-admittance to the event.
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. 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.