Professor Dimitrios Buhalis will be contributing to theAssociation of British Travel Agencies (ABTA) Business Resilience Webinar SeriesManaging Travel Workforces

Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, International Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Research (ICTHR) will be contributing to the

Association of British Travel Agencies (ABTA) Business Resilience Webinar Series

Managing Travel Workforces 17 March 2021, 10:30 – 12:15 –

Venue: Zoom followed by a virtual networking platform

REGISTER https://www.abta.com/events/abta-webinar-managing-travel-workforces

This webinar will provide an essential update for those responsible for managing workforces in travel. Listen to sessions on key areas affecting travel employment before taking part in a new virtual networking session with other HR and industry peers.

In the morning, get an employment law update, including the latest information on the furlough scheme, and what the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement means for your staff. Following the Government’s COVID-19 roadmap announcement, understand your responsibilities for homeworkers and staff returning to the office. Learn the key considerations for when you are developing and implementing new remote working policies, and get an insight on how you can use technology to support your staff. Hear expert advice on training, motivating, and engaging with staff that have worked through the pandemic and those returning from furlough. Get guidance and advice on how you continue to look after your staff as working patterns change, providing support both in the office and at home. Finish the morning by taking part in a new interactive networking session. This discussion group on an innovative   platform ‘Wonder’ will allow you to discuss common issues with colleagues, and follow up directly with webinar speakers.

 

 10:30 Welcome from the moderator 

Vicki Wolf, Education Manager, ABTA 

10:35 Employment law update 

  • •Furlough – understanding the latest extension
  • •Sending staff to work in the EU – considerations following the EU-UK Trade and Cooperationagreement
  • •Possible legislative changes coming in 2021
  • •Employer duty of care – planning your return to the office

 

Ami Naru, Employment Partner, Travlaw

11:00 Hybrid workforce – what does this mean? 

  • •Staff collaboration and communication channels
  • •Remote working, transformation and duty of care

 

Simon Johnson, General Manager, UK&I, Freshworks

11:20 Staff wellbeing and engagement 

  • •Motivating, managing and engaging with returning staff
  • •Looking after your staff remotely and in the office
  • •Redundancy support

 

Hazel Craig, Senior Data Analytics Consultant, Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing

11:40 Panel discussion: future talent in travel 

  • •Developing future talent pipelines
  • •Filling skills gap because of COVID-19
  • •Utilising apprenticeships
  • •Diversity and inclusion

 

Moderated by: Vicki Wolf, Education Manager, ABTA

Jo Roche, Managing Director, Northern Training Academy

Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, Professor in Marketing, Strategy and Innovation, Bournemouth University

Carole Hodgson, Apprenticeship Delivery Manager, Hays Travel (TBC)

12:10 Summary and close of webinar 

Vicki Wolf, Education Manager, ABTA 

12:15 Networking and discussion 

ABTA is hosting a virtual discussion group on an innovative platform, specifically designed to make networking easy and fun. Meet your industry colleagues and discuss common issues surrounding your workforces. The interactive platform will have a number of areas to help start discussion, feel free to join a specific meeting group or network informally with colleagues. Discussion groups to include:

  • •IT resources
  • •Restructuring and workforce management
  • •Diversity and inclusion
  • •Apprenticeships
  • •Staff engagement