HR Conference

*Subject to Change*
7:30 - 8:30 am: Registration & Breakfast
8:30 - 10:00 am: Creating a Culture of Feedback | How to listen effectively, have difficult conversations, and document discussions appropriately
10:00 - 10:15 am: Break
10:15 - 11:45 am: Hiring Best Practices | How to hire and retain great employees
11:45 am - 12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30 - 1:30 pm: Employment law update (Anne-Marie Storey, Bernstein Shur)
1:30 - 2:30 pm: Building Compensation Models That Attract, Motivate and Retain Talent & Understanding & Implementing Pay Transparency
2:30 - 3:00 pm: Closing Conversations & Adjourn

Creating a Culture of Feedback: Effective Listening, Difficult Conversations & Documentation 

Presented by Becca Short, NE Regional Director of HR Managed Services at Skillcloud HCM, this session helps managers and leaders create a workplace built on open communication, trust, and accountability.  Participants will learn how to: 

• Strengthen communication skills through active listening and meaningful dialogue 
• Build trust and encourage healthy workplace discussions 
• Handle difficult conversations with confidence 
• Document employee conversations fairly and consistently 
• Address issues early and set clear expectations 
• Reduce bias by focusing on facts rather than assumptions 

 Key Takeaways: 

• Strong communication starts with listening, trust, and clarity. 
• Difficult conversations are an important part of leadership. 
• Regular, behavior-based feedback improves performance and accountability. 
• Healthy conflict and constructive feedback help create a stronger workplace culture. 
• Clear, objective documentation supports fair and consistent decision-making. 

Hiring with Retention in Mind: From Candidate Experience to Employee Commitment 

Join Jenn Bradford, a recruitment expert from the Skillcloud talent acquisition team in the session that introduces the “recruit to retain” approach, emphasizing that retention starts with a positive candidate experience. Participants will explore what today’s candidates value and review each stage of the hiring journey from job posting through onboarding to identify opportunities for improvement. Topics include creating effective job postings, streamlining applications, conducting compliant interviews, and strengthening onboarding practices. Attendees will also discuss hiring challenges, evaluate real-world interview scenarios, and leave with actionable ideas to enhance their hiring process. 

 Key Takeaways 

• Identify how each stage of the hiring process shapes retention outcomes  
• Understand what today's candidates prioritize
• Write a job posting rather than a job description, applying mobile-friendly title and length guidelines, leading with benefits and pay, and stating organizational mission explicitly
• Evaluate and streamline the application process to reduce candidate abandonment on both desktop and mobile
• Conduct legally sound, consistent interviews — recognizing prohibited questions, reframing compensation conversations around expectations, and standardizing questions and process across candidates  
• Build a pre-boarding and onboarding plan that keeps new hires engaged from offer acceptance through the first year, distinguishing ongoing onboarding from one-time orientation

Employment Law Update: Key Developments Impacting Maine Employers 

Presented by Anne-Marie Storey, Bernstein Shur, this session provides an overview of significant employment law developments affecting Maine employers. Topics include pay transparency legality, the ongoing impact of Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave (MPFML), considerations surrounding terminations for cause and unemployment eligibility, and will review Maines most recent legislative updates and key employment law trends organizations should monitor as they plan for 2027. 

Building Compensation Models That Attract, Motivate and Retain Talent & Understanding and Implementing Pay Transparency  

Join compensation expert Kari Meillat, Compensation Services Manager at Skillcloud HCM, for a practical and insightful session on building, refining, and sustaining effective compensation models. This presentation will guide participants through the core steps of creating a compensation model, from developing a clear compensation philosophy to conducting market research, designing equitable pay structures, and ensuring ongoing compliance and competitiveness.

In addition to foundational compensation design concepts, the session will also cover current pay transparency trends and how organizations can adapt their practices to remain compliant, competitive, and aligned with evolving employee expectations.

Whether you're building a structure from scratch or refreshing an existing one, you’ll leave with actionable strategies you can apply immediately to enhance talent attraction, retention, and internal equity.  

Key Takeaways: 

• Compensation model definition and components  
• Defining or updating a compensation philosophy  
• Step‑by‑step guidance for building compensation models  
• Designing equitable pay structures  
• Best practices for annual review and ongoing management  
• Understanding and responding to current pay transparency trends