The first DisruptHR event comes to Prague this week

“It’s really for anyone who is involved in people management, organizational development, and corporate culture,” Kladova says adding that the event is designed to challenge attendees to think differently and inspire them to make changes within their organizations.

The concept, which originated in the US in 2013 has since spread to cities in Australia, Japan, and Europe. The event sees fourteen speakers take the stage in one evening to give rapid-fire 5-minute slide presentations designed to shake up corporate culture.

Kladova and co-organizer Tereza Macháčková curated local speakers who they think have important things to say about topics that shape the working landscape for all professionals; leadership, branding, diversity and inclusion, innovation, and management.

Talks will address the current challenges of HR — engagement, recognition, hiring, talent assessment, and development — in a dynamic way. Says Kladova of the current state of HR in the Czech Republic: “It’s a bit old-fashioned here; while you have recruiters who are tech-savvy and open-minded, HR personnel tend to be more focused on the administrative side of things.”

Among the speakers scheduled to appear at the DisruptHR evening are Lucie Neumanova, CEO of Femme Palette who will talk about mentoring and redefining career development, Dinah Spritzer, CEO of Media Confident will speak on workplace harassment, Jonas Waloschek, a tech recruiter who will present on candidate engagement, and Jakub Nesetril, founder and CEO of Cesko.Digital who will discuss corporate social responsibility.

All talks will be given in English, an intentional decision by organizers, which allows everyone attending to be aligned and inclusive, says Kladova.

“If we want to disrupt the world of work we need to be ready to leave our comfort zone, to stir the pot and English can obviously help with that,” she adds.

A portion of the DisruptHR Prague proceeds support charity initiatives: Zajicek na Kone for disabled children in the Czech Republic and Hope for Justice aim to end modern slavery and help vulnerable children.