Over 300 hotel delegates, including general managers, owners and HR professionals from across Ireland gathered at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise recently for the fifth annual Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) People Day Conference.
This year’s event ‘The Human Workplace in the Age of AI’, explored how technology, shifting workforce expectations and new models of leadership are reshaping the future of work. The conference coincided with International HR Day 2026, whose global theme – ‘Empower People to Lead Change’ – mirrors the IHF’s own commitment to shaping brighter futures across Ireland’s hotel and guesthouse sector.
Throughout the day, delegates heard how the future of hospitality remains fundamentally human, even as AI reshapes how organisations operate. Sessions examined the opportunities and risks of AI in HR, the importance of leadership wellbeing, and the growing need for human-centred approaches to digital transformation.
Delegates also engaged with topics such as menopause and equity in the workplace, the architecture of stigma, the power of mattering, and the challenge of leading across generations in an increasingly diverse workforce.
Through keynote talks, panels and interactive sessions, speakers explored how leaders can build workplaces where people can truly thrive.
A national database of live opportunities in the tourism industry is available at tourismcareers.ie.
