The InHouse Recruitment community enters 2026 facing a paradox: demand for talent has never been higher, yet organisations seem to be grappling with one of the most constrained and complex labour markets in recent memory.
Talent teams continue to face skills shortages, shrinking early-career pipelines, shifting candidate expectations, rising pay and reward pressures, and an operational strain caused by overhauling legacy processes to provide a service that can match the speed and sophistication required by hiring managers and leaders today.
And add to that the disruption of AI, the seemingly never-ending return-to-office debate, and increasing scrutiny on fairness, ethics and employer brand transparency, heightened expectations from Gen Z and (soon to be entering the workplace) AlphaGen, increasing Government interference and it’s clear why InHouse Recruitment teams might be feeling pressure from every direction.
But alongside these pressures there also sits a wave of practical innovation – and this year’s InHouse Recruitment Expo 2026 is set to showcase exactly that. Taking place on February 24th 2026, at the Excel arena the Expo will bring together practitioners, researchers, analysts and recruitment and technology leaders to explore real-world solutions: how to build resilient pipelines, how to make recruitment more human while using automation thoughtfully, and how to support recruitment teams themselves as expectations intensify.
Our trusted mix of seminars and masterclasses will cover everything from skills-based hiring frameworks and smarter workforce planning to ethical AI, intelligent automation, recruitment transformation, the Government’s Employment Rights Bill, and new approaches to candidate experience, onboarding and internal mobility.
Amongst the Seminar sessions we will hear a key presentation from Martin Stubbs, Head of TA at Rolls Royce, about how they transformed their recruitment model from 100% agency reliance to 80% direct hire, embedding workforce planning, Mark Kunalseelan and Steve McNally fro University of Arts London will talk about how to attract talent in the ‘age of purpose’ and how to differentiate your offering to attract candidates who are looking for meaning in their work. Chris Heron, Head of Global Employer Brand at Kuka, about shaping and delivering a total TA transformation.
Debbie Johnston, Head of People Solutions at Tribal, asks how we can keep people at the heart of hiring in a key session – Human First Hiring in an AI World – and Vijay Swaminathan, CEO at Draup, talks about the shifts in global job trends, and a lack of skills clarity, following the launch of ChatGPT.
We will also have 2 panel discussions – in the first HR Analyst Mervyn Dinnen will chair a discussion on the Employment Rights Bill, looking at it’s impact for HR and Talent leaders, and in the afternoon Martin Dangerfield will lead an important discussion on how recruitment teams should develop and enhance their capabilities
Meanwhile in our Masterclass sessions Alexandra Kafka, founder of workplace wellbeing platform Oxyzn, asks the question “what if your mind had a gym membership?”. In an interactive session she will show you how mindfulness is the ultimate cognitive workout, boosting focus, creativity and resilience. Ben Sheridan will introduce us to Focus Shift, a data-driven way to map out your teams’ hidden skills and interests.
Matthew Webb, Head of Assessment at Omincor, will look at the science behind high quality interviews and assessments, helping us to make more evidence-based hiring decisions, whilst Steve McNally (Write Recruit) and Jon Foyle (Click Story) will lead a highly practical masterclass on how you can powerfully convey your employment proposition with written and video based communications that really connect with candidates.
Finally, for those who struggle to understand the preferences and expectations of Gen Z in their workplaces, podcast host Mervyn Dinnen will present a session on Unlocking the Power of a Multi-Generational Workforce, including how Boomers and Gen Z/Alpha Gen together can help deliver the best results.
Our thanks goes out to Silver Sponsors – Draup, Ai Tech Event Partner – Reed.ai, and media partners PT Jobs, HR Magazine and OnRec for their support.
With one of the widest ranges of content, information and sessions that we’ve been able to put together, there really is no excuse for not joining us on February 24th 2026 and finding out how to supercharge your recruitment. Make sure you book your place today and we look forward to seeing you there!
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