Preliminary rounds
Teams enter the season, debate assigned motions and compete for a place in the knockout bracket.
About the Debate
A national floor for the questions HR has not settled
The Great HR Debate brings structured argument, professional judgement and public presentation together within the National HR Conference 2026.
4
Competition stages
Preliminary to Grand Final
2
Teams per motion
Parliamentary-style rounds
2026
National season
Presented at NHRC 2026
Live
Conference finale
Main-stage presentation
Why it matters
Built to sharpen the profession’s thinking
The debate creates a national platform for contested HR questions, including AI, ethics and the future of work.
-
01
Sharpen the profession's thinking
Structured debate on the policy questions reshaping HR — AI, ethics and the future of work.
-
02
Why participate
Build public-speaking and argumentation skill, national visibility and a credential judged by senior HR leaders.
-
03
Format
Two-team parliamentary-style rounds — Preliminary, Quarter Final, Semi Final and a Grand Finale on the main conference stage.
-
04
Competition structure
Teams are seeded through preliminary rounds into a single-elimination bracket, judged by an independent panel.
Competition journey
From preliminary round to main stage
Teams progress through four stages, moving from preliminary rounds into a single-elimination bracket and the conference Grand Finale.
Quarter Finals
Successful teams advance to direct head-to-head rounds under the published match schedule.
Semi Finals
Quarter Final winners compete for the two positions on the Grand Final stage.
Grand Finale
The season concludes on the National HR Conference main stage at Monarch Imperial.
Official regulations prevailFinal eligibility, speaking time, scoring and procedural requirements are determined by the organizing committee’s approved rulebook.
Ready to make the case?
Register a team, review the season dates and prepare for a national debate platform built around the future of HR.