Future of HR Conference 2026 returns to help HR leaders solve the problems they can't ignore

HR leaders are being asked to solve some of the toughest challenges facing organisations today: skills shortages, retention, AI disruption, leadership gaps and shifting workplace culture. But meaningful change rarely comes from asking people to simply change. It comes from building the conditions, systems and culture that make change possible.

Issued by Topco Media

12 Aug 2026

Future of HR Conference 2026 returns to help HR leaders solve the problems they can't ignore

The Future of HR Conference 2026, powered by SALGA, returns to Johannesburg on 14–15 October at the Indaba Hotel, Fourways, bringing together South Africa's leading HR executives, business leaders and innovators for two days of practical, challenging conversations about how work, organisations and people need to evolve.

The conference is built for HR professionals navigating today's realities: pressure to deliver more with fewer resources, difficulty attracting and retaining critical skills, employees demanding greater flexibility and purpose, managers struggling to lead through constant change, and the accelerating impact of AI on jobs and organisational structures.

Rather than asking what the future of work will look like, the programme tackles the questions HR leaders are already grappling with:

How do you retain the people you cannot afford to lose?
How do you build the skills your organisation needs when the nature of work is changing faster than traditional career paths?
How do you introduce AI while maintaining trust, human connection and meaningful work?
How do you turn leadership strategies into actual changes in behaviour?
And how do you create an environment where people can perform, adapt and grow?

Turning challenges into practical solutions

The programme brings together leaders confronting these issues from different vantage points, giving delegates room to challenge their own thinking and walk away with approaches they can apply directly.

Featured panellists include:

Pindiwe Gida, chief officer: human capital and corporate services, SALGA
Gerhard Hartman, regional sales vice president, mid market – AME, Sage
Ntombizone Feni, group CEO, 21st Century
Dr Shirly Zinn, author, chair and non-executive director of boards
Kally Mabe, DEI-B lead, Vodacom
Thandeka Nkambule, chief transformation officer, Sanlam

Key themes on the agenda

Building trust: Strengthening ethical leadership, accountability and employee confidence in a challenging economic and social environment.
AI, Automation and the future of entry-level work: Exploring how organisations can redesign jobs, graduate programmes and skills strategies to create new pathways for young talent.
Making rewards relevant in a changing economy: Rethinking employee benefits and total rewards as organisations respond to shifting economic realities and employee expectations.
From inclusion policy to workplace reality: Tackling the gap between transformation commitments and meaningful inclusion, particularly around disability, representation and talent retention.

“Delegates will gain practical insights into the latest HR trends, strategies and technologies while connecting with leaders from government, corporate South Africa and the wider HR profession to tackle the workforce challenges shaping the future of work,” says Topco Media CEO, Ralf Fletcher.

Attendees will leave with fresh perspectives, practical tools and real strategies for workplace transformation, while also having the opportunity to benchmark against peers, learn from organisations tackling similar challenges and connect with senior leaders across the HR profession.

The Future of HR Conference 2026, powered by SALGA, is designed for HR leaders who aren't simply preparing for the future of work; they are being asked to build it, now.

Platinum Partner: SALGA (South African Local Government Association)

Silver Partners: Alexforbes, Dis-Chem Pharmacies, MyMobile/Samsung

Showcase Counter Partners: Trending Talent Solutions, SA Business School, MANCOSA, Raizcorp, Bridging and Associates, Godrej Consumer Products, Dataal, T&T Academy, SourceWorx, Etapath, National Housing Finance Corporation, Newbridge Graduate Institute, LaMI, City Power, Ornecy

Bronze Impact Sponsors: Lazar (PTY) Ltd, Postbank, GCIS

Silver Impact Sponsors: Public Protector of South Africa, SANDF, University of Johannesburg

Strategic Partner: SABPP

Media Partners: Primedia Out of Home, Glynt Group, Guardian Report, AI Impact, Xenor Projects, Nala Media, Sunday World, Tech Daily

Travel Partners: 2gether Travel, Zoway Rentals

Lifestyle Partners: Virgin Active, GQ Tissues, Foursight IT, Shara Hair, GALXBOY

View the full event fact sheet here and programme here.

For tickets, sponsorships or more information, email: az.oc.ocpot@gnitekram.

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DYNAMIC BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA Topco Media is one of South Africa's leading business-to-business media houses, producing high profile, relevant conferences and awards. Our conferences include Africa Tech Week, Standard Bank Top Women, Top Empowerment, Future of HR, National Business Awards and Future of Sustainability. We also produce authoritative and informative business and investment publications such as Top 500, Top Empowerment, Nelson Mandela 100 years to name a few.