The HRD 2002 exhibition and conference runs from Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 April at Olympia, London.

We've already published a number of features in the run-up to the event; this week, we'll be reporting live from the show itself and bringing you all the latest announcements and launches as they happen. This page will be continually updated througout, so make sure you log on regularly if you want to get the latest from the event over the next few days.

Two of the key draws for this year's conference are Dr Stephen Covey, author of the best-selling book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and Dr Meredith Belbin (previously interviewed on TrainingZONE) who will give advice on how to manage without power. Read more about some of the main seminar sessions here...

Over at the exhibition, 350 providers will be exhibiting this year, showcasing flexible learning, training software, drama training and team development, among other topics.

Latest news

Tuesday

The first day of the exhibition. New CIPD research published reveals that the knowledge economy presents a significant challenge for trainers in the workplace.

Another survey finds that only a third of organisations are actually using e-learning at work, despite the huge amount of exposure given over to the discussion of online delivery of training.

Professor Michael West identified insufficient attention to work organisation as a limitation on innovation and creativity. Read the full summary.

TrainingZONE's highlight of the day was a Topic Taster by Robin Hoyle of EBC, on why learners can be put off e-learning and how to avoid this.

Wednesday

In a seminar on Bringing your Soul to Work, Alan Briskin explored how the relationship between employer and employee has to change from a tyrannical relationship to one of shared responsibility. He believes that there is an urgent need for organisations to move from resembling machines, to become organic and soulful, especially since work has become more central to our lives.

Sir John Whitmore of Performance Consultants spoke on how to manage coaching relationships to retain learner commitment, reflecting the large number of organisations providing coaching at HRD.

This afternoon Sarah Simpson of the Lamplugh Trust speaks about handling aggression in the workplace. Marion Furr of the Department of Health and Ian Canning of Zurich will discuss the latest CIPD research on Barriers to Learning.

The other side of the conference is concerned with Learning Organisations, with sessions on workplaces that learn, attracting and supporting e-learners, and developing senios managers.

E-learning also features in the Training Cinema and the Topic Tasters. Meanwhile in the Learning Arena it's drama-training day, featuring several of the organisations who took part in our Drama-based training.

Thursday

Baroness Susan Greenfield looks at how an understanding of the Psychology of Learning leads to greater employee satisfaction and enhanced performance.

Robert Holden of the Happiness project looks at the need for contant change and development by individuals in order to keep pace with changes in work, and how to help people find the confidence for change.

Dr Meredith Belbin picks up the theme of change, to speak on how the workplace needs to change to reflect wider social change, and how future leaders must learn to manage without power.

Otherwise there's more on e-learning and blended learning, and a look at successful stress management.

In the Learning Arena some fresh approaches aim to make you aware of emotional intelligence, and of the value of activity-based and interactive learing styles.

Preview