adminThe Games HR Summit will return to the Royal Institution on October 1 with a stronger focus on people and workplace issues across the games industry. Its programme is designed for HR professionals and business leaders navigating industry uncertainty, changing workplace expectations and new workforce challenges.
What to expect at the Games HR Summit
The event brings together practical sessions and first-hand perspectives on issues affecting games businesses today. Alongside advice for responding to immediate workplace concerns, speakers will explore how organisations can develop people strategies that remain useful over the longer term. For attendees, a practical way to prepare is to identify one current workforce challenge and consider what guidance or peer insight would help address it.
People leadership and HR influence
The opening keynote will be delivered by Sasi Venables, founder of the HR Confidence Club. Her session will examine the future of people leadership as expectations of HR professionals continue to change, with guidance on resilience and strategic thinking in games businesses.
Venables has 25 years of experience in diversity, equality, inclusion, culture and employee relations. She is a CIPD Chartered Fellow and holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management. Her work focuses on structured development for HR professionals, including articulating HR’s value, rebuilding confidence, setting boundaries and reconnecting with the purpose of the role.
Niki Head, people and development director at Stellar Entertainment, will lead a practical session titled “Challenge without conflict: how HR becomes a ‘critical friend’ to leadership.” It will consider how HR teams can build trust with leadership and contribute as strategic partners, including how to raise difficult subjects in ways that support meaningful business outcomes. A useful takeaway for participants is to frame challenging feedback around its implications for people and organisational goals.
AI, employee relations and workplace support
The programme will also address changes in how games businesses manage their workforce. Topics across presentations and breakout sessions include:
- Working effectively with trade unions.
- Supporting and managing neurodivergent employees.
- Planning for workforce, leadership and capability challenges linked to increasing workplace use of AI.
- Handling AI-generated casework in employee relations.
When considering AI-related workplace processes, organisations should pay attention to how decisions are reviewed and how employees can raise concerns. The session topics are intended to offer practical perspectives on these emerging responsibilities; attendees can bring examples of current processes to help make the discussions relevant to their own teams.
Culture, business resilience and the speaker panel
Additional keynotes will explore how workplace culture can contribute to organisational success. HR business partners and C-suite executives will share perspectives on how people strategies can support games businesses through periods of uncertainty. This focus reflects the difficult conditions many organisations have faced in recent years and the importance of connecting workforce planning with business needs.
The programme has been shaped with input from industry experts Liz Prince MBE, business manager at Amiqus; Sarah Brewster, managing director at Fresh Seed; Gina Jackson OBE, founder of Skillfull; and Emma Smith, founder of Hestia Talent Partners. Further speakers and sessions are expected to be announced.
Why the Games HR Summit matters
For HR teams and business leaders, the Games HR Summit offers a chance to examine practical questions around leadership, employee relations, inclusion and AI in the context of games workplaces. Its People and Workplace focus connects day-to-day people management with the broader goal of building organisations that can respond thoughtfully to change. Check the event’s official information for the confirmed programme and ticket details.
