Better Workplace Conference 2022

Looking back over the past 24 months, it is fair to say we have been in some of the most challenging times ever in our careers. The pandemic has cast a long shadow, but we’ve also learned to adapt, to persevere, and to continue innovating.

Looking ahead, we might suggest that the so-called “future of work” is indeed an exercise in decoding the why of work right now. What should we do?

We must put relationships at the core of our leadership, build on our capacity to work differently, while simultaneously defining and enacting a sense of meaning in our workplaces.

It’s all doable. And yes, we might even have the pandemic to thank for thinking differently. Above all, we need tactics and techniques to improve our humanistic practices as we shift into a more caring leadership style. Let’s put the word human back in our humanity.

Dan Pontefract

Author, Speaker, Thinker, Leadership Strategist

Pedro will join Dan for a unique conversation on what companies need to know about the current state of labour in Canada. Their discussion will zero in on the economic and social complexity around labour shortages, resignations, and retention.

Pedro Antunes

Chief Economist, The Conference Board of Canada

Dan Pontefract

Author, Speaker, Thinker, Leadership Strategist

The World Health Organization calls stress "the health epidemic of the 21st century." Canada's corporate, government, and non-profit leaders are all too familiar with the debilitating stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased workloads, reactive workflows, economic uncertainty, and existential dread of the past two years have drastically diminished employee wellbeing on all levels: physical, emotional, and mental. A recent study by Workplace Strategies for Mental Health found that more than a third of working Canadians feel burned out, and other studies reveal that more than half of employees worldwide experienced full-blown burnout at least once during 2021.

But this state of affairs actually predates the pandemic: A 2019 Gallup survey found that 76% of employees had experienced some form of burnout. In the face of these numbers, we need to ask ourselves: Is self-care truly our best defense against chronic stress? And how much is burnout influenced by leadership decisions and workplace culture? In this eye-opening and personal keynote address, Hamza Khan, author of "The Burnout Gamble" and "Leadership, Reinvented", will make it clear that self-care is far from the best approach if we want to defeat burnout and build resilience. Instead of individualizing solutions, Khan says leaders must take a hard look at how they contribute to the systemic and cultural factors that make burnout inevitable. Hear action-oriented insights and real-world best practices that can promote holistic wellbeing and create a truly resilient workplace. It's time to go beyond burnout and reimagine the systems that affect workplace culture—starting with leadership.

By the end of this session, attendees will:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the upstream factors that contribute to burnout.
• Hear new burnout research that reveals the inefficacy of self-care.
• Receive a framework to promote holistic wellbeing among their employees.
• Appreciate the need to adopt a more human-centric leadership style.
• Learn how to create a truly resilient workplace.

Hamza Khan

Future of Work Expert, Author of Leadership, Reinvented

A1: Leadership Perspectives: Using ESG Principles to Cultivate Psychological Safety, Trust, and Inclusion in the Workplace

Hear three different perspectives on how ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles can foster a better workplace and contribute to improved psychological safety, trust, and inclusion within organizations.

Key takeaways from this session:

• Better understand the role ESG plays in ensuring that trust and safety are the foundation for all organizational decisions.
• Learn the crucial steps leaders can take to link the social aspect of ESG to healthy and inclusive workplace culture initiatives.
• Hear how Northern employers are recognizing Inuit skills, knowledge, and perspectives and how Inuit communities are redefining the workplace to facilitate sustainable livelihoods.

Moderator:

Henrietta Van hulle

Vice President of Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations, PSHSA

Panelists:

Bob Masterson

President and CEO, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Channa S. Perera

Vice-President, Regulatory and Indigenous Affairs at Electricity Canada

Twiladawn Stonefish

Research Associate, Indigenous & Northern Communities, The Conference Board of Canada

A2: Creating a Culturally Safe Workplace for Indigenous Employees

Cultural safety considers how social and historical contexts and structural and interpersonal power imbalances can shape one’s experiences, both in day-to-day life and in the workplace.

Enbridge Gas will share how they foster cultural safety and trust with their Indigenous employees.

Attendees will hear:

• examples of Enbridge’s efforts to improve engagement, employment, and retention of Indigenous talent across North America in order to achieve their goal of having 3.5% of their workforce be Indigenous people by 2025;
• insights into how to identify and understand internal and external barriers to Indigenous employment;
• an overview of Enbridge’s strategy to ensure they remain attentive and responsive to the needs of their Indigenous partners.

Moderator:

Corrina Hill

Manager for BC Hydro’s Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro

Speakers:

Matthew Belliveau

Senior Research Associate, The Conference Board Of Canada

Wendy Landry

Senior Advisor Indigenous Initiatives & Indigenous Engagement, Enbridge Inc

Jody Whitney

Senior Strategist, Indigenous Collaboration

A3: Redefining the Future of Work in a Post-Pandemic World

The term “future of work” was coined to describe what office life will look like in a post-pandemic world. But this phrase envisions the future as an endpoint when, in fact, the workplace journey will continue to evolve indefinitely. Several facets of work, such as technology, environment, policies, and benefits, will each need to be re-evaluated with a fresh perspective to create an optimal company culture in a modern corporate environment—the ultimate differentiator to attract and retain the best talent.

In this engaging session, Megan Smith, head of HR at SAP Canada, will explore questions and provide practical advice for leaders who are designing the future of work for their organizations, such as:

• How does technology support virtual work and transform flexible workspaces? 
• How much flexibility in working time and location will empower people while also ensuring customer and business needs are met?
• How can we achieve both the benefits of remote work and the joy, engagement, and learning that come from developing in-person working relationships? 
• Who is marginalized by this new work arrangement?

Moderator:

Tim Petersen

Acting President and CEO, WorkSafeNB

Speakers:

Megan Smith

Head of HR, SAP Canada