The Small Practitioners Interest Group (SPIG) is a discussion and networking forum for members in small teams to share experiences, issues and challenges they face. The group meet four times a year. All are welcome.

Topic: "People Risk and Priorities in 2025: What Small and Sole Practitioners Need to Know."

Speaker: Karen Meredith | Founder & People Partner PeopleEX

People Risk and Priorities in 2025: What Small and Sole Practitioners Need to Know

Overview:

As we head further into 2025, internal auditors-particularly those in small teams or working as sole practitioners-must stay across people-related risks that are increasingly shaping organisational performance and culture. This SPIG workshop features Karen Meredith from PeopleEX, who will provide timely insights into current HR priorities and their implications for assurance professionals.

Gain practical knowledge on how changing employment law, hybrid work arrangements, talent pressures, and AI usage policies are influencing both organisational risks and audit focus areas.

Key discussion points will include:

• 2025 employment law updates and compliance implications
• Return-to-work policies and workplace culture shifts
• Responsible use of AI in people practices
• Productivity, engagement, attraction, and retention risks
• How HR supports internal audit and fosters a strong control environment
• Q&A and peer discussion

This interactive session is designed to help small and sole audit practitioners confidently engage with people-focused risks and opportunities in the year ahead.

Speaker Bio quick facts:

• People Partner at PeopleEX - an outsourced Human Resource agency.
• Karen founded PeopleEX in December 2020 and is its co-Director, alongside Jess Lawson.
• Born and raised just north of Sydney, Australia. Has been calling Te Whanganui a Tara - Wellington home since 2013 where she currently lives with her partner, daughter and son.
• 20 years' experience in HR spanning across Australia, the UK and New Zealand.
• Bachelor and Masters in HR from the University of Technology, Sydney.
• A certificate in Business Sustainability from the University of Cambridge.
• Emotional Culture Deck practitioner and a certified international executive coach.
• Passionate about people and leveraging people to stimulate better business growth, better social and environmental outcomes and better people and customer experiences. People for Better is what drove Karen to start PeopleEX.
• Licensed Private Investigator

This is an online event. Attendees will receive a Teams Link prior to the event date.

IIA NZ Event Overview and Refund Policy: https://iianz.org.nz/Site/terms-and-conditions.aspx

If you require assistance with registering, please contact events@iianz.org.nz