Virtual · February 26–28, 2024
Better Workplace Conference 2024
Rethinking inclusion, wellbeing, and psychological safety at work
At the 27th annual Better Workplace Conference, Human Resources (HR) professionals will discover impactful, research-based solutions to a variety of issues in the workplace. Join us at this virtual event for three days of captivating keynote speakers, panel discussions, and best practice showcases.
Leading HR insights with practical take-aways:
Many forward-thinking organizations are re-evaluating how they can embed psychological safety, wellbeing, and inclusivity to improve workplace culture and respond to employees’ changing needs. Tangible solutions are needed to address evolving issues, such as increases in mental health claims and concerns around return-to-office (RTO) mandates.
| The future of mental health in the workplace | Integrating psychological safety | Wellbeing and inclusion | Improving safety through diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) | Social support in remote work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How can organizations more proactively address employees’ mental health concerns arising from challenges and changes in the work environment? | How are organizations integrating psychological safety into their workplace culture, encompassing not only policies and programs but also comprehensive training initiatives? What are the results so far? | What unique wellbeing challenges are faced by employees who belong to diverse groups, and how do we design inclusion into wellbeing policies and programs? | How can organizations use an inclusion lens to identify the diverse needs and perspectives of all employees and integrate them into safety protocols and practices? | How do team dynamics and social support promote wellbeing in hybrid and remote work environments? |
Featured Speakers
Hamza Khan
Future of Work and People-First Leadership Expert, Bestselling Author
Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier
Leadership Resilience and Burnout Expert
Agenda
Please note: All agenda times are in Eastern Standard Time. See what time that is for you.
12:30 pm
Join Dr. Susan Black, CEO of The Conference Board of Canada, to hear a synopsis of some of the key research findings aligned with this year’s conference theme: rethinking inclusion, safety, and wellbeing in a changing workplace.
Susan Black
CEO, The Conference Board of Canada
12:45 pm
Explore how organizations can revamp their approach to work in a post-pandemic world, embracing newfound flexibility and inclusivity. By focusing on people, we can create a thriving, sustainable, and adaptable work culture that rehumanizes the workplace.
Attendees of this session will:
- Gain insights into the pressing need to put people at the core of your organization’s mission and understand evolving employee expectations in the new work landscape.
- Explore how to adopt human-centric values that enhance individual resilience and foster a compassionate work culture, and discover strategies to build a more supportive and empathetic work environment.
Hamza Khan
Future of Work and People-First Leadership Expert | Bestselling Author
1:45 pm
Break
1:50 pm
In this council member exclusive session, participants will co-create a list of empowering coaching-style questions that can be incorporated into your role as a leader. These questions can be used in various formats, such as 1:1s, 360s, reverse town halls, and others to help promote greater belonging and engagement for all employees. Get ideas for how to creatively infuse AI into your listening processes, with an emphasis on co-creating more inclusive and thriving work environments.
This session is part of the winter meeting exclusive to members of CBoC’s Council for Safe Workplaces, Council on Inclusive Work Environments, and Council on Workplace Health and Wellness. To learn more about becoming a member of one of these councils, please contact us.
Moderators
Sarah Gauen
Program Developer, Council on Inclusive Work Environments, The Conference Board of Canada
Speaker
Hamza Khan
Future of Work and People-First Leadership Expert | Bestselling Author
1:50 pm
Learn how Humber College has implemented and promoted healthy breaks for their employees, and hear from their Centre for Innovation in Health & Wellness about the evidence behind it. Enjoy a break to stretch, take a deep breath, and move by participating in a few five-minute healthy break activities run by experienced fourth-year students in Humber’s Faculty of Health and Wellness.
Moderators
Sarah Storm
Council Manager, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Juliana Vargas Cardenas
Student Presenter, Humber College
Zita Claire Magsino
Student Presenter, Humber College
Mary Medoza
Student Presenter, Humber College
Natalie Toman
Program Coordinator/Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellness, Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Sponsored By
2:20 pm
Break
2:45 pm
This panel will explore the Future Skills Centre’s latest research on the evolving quality of work in Canada, highlighting post-pandemic changes to work dimensions. Panelists will discuss changes to the availability of benefits in response to labour shortages and the enhanced focus on mental health support. They will also address the need to deepen equity, diversity, and inclusion as key factors in improving work quality, especially for equity-deserving groups facing poorer work conditions.
Moderator
Natasha Malloff
Director, Health, Wellbeing, & Benefits, Total Compensation, Human Resources, The University of British Columbia
Tricia Williams
Director, Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Mobilization
Speakers
Luc Bissonnette
Associate Professor of Economics, Université Laval
Dr. Olga Morawczynsk
Founder of Heal-3
Dr. Andrea (Andie) Noack
Associate Professor, Sociology, TMU
To design a holistic system that supports employee wellbeing for an increasingly diverse workforce, support functions need to collaborate on program design to meet changing workforce needs. Hear about the strategies and best practices that create employee inclusion, cultural and psychological safety, and wellbeing.
Attendees will:
- Hear about BC Hydro’s experience integrating employee inclusion, psychological safety, and mental health supports to cultivate a healthy, people-centric workplace culture.
- Learn practical strategies to create a culturally safe employee experience.
- Discuss methods to broaden impacts through community involvement.
Moderator
Henrietta Van hulle
Vice President of Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations, PSHSA
Speakers
Kevin Berube
Senior Advisor Community and Indigenous Engagement, Enbridge
Corrina Hill
Manager, Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro
Lesley MacDonald
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA), Human Resources, BC Hydro
3:45 pm
Adjournment
11:00 am
Learn about responsible care within health and safety, featuring a compelling case study and celebrating the innovation and expertise of students and recent graduates.
We will announce the winners of the case study competition and hear from students about the innovative solutions they have proposed. It’s an opportunity to learn new and inventive ways to prioritize safety, sustainability, and responsible care practices in your organization.
This session and the awards are presented in partnership with Minerva Safety Management Education, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), and The Conference Board of Canada (CBoC).
Thank you to the award judges: Erika Harris, EHS and Responsible Care Specialist, BASF Canada Inc.; Larry Masotti, Vice-President, Minerva Canada Safety Management Education; Dave Meston, Owner, H&S Consultants Inc.; Anthony Pasteris, President, Minerva Canada Safety Management Education.
Moderator
Lisa Hallsworth
Board Member, Minerva Safety Management Education, CIAC, CEO SDS RiskAssist
Speaker
Vanessa Foran
Responsible Care Program Officer, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Ryan Jamieson
Student, Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance, Flemming College
Nivedha Krishnakumar
MSc., Registered Nurse and Occupational Health and Safety Graduate Student, Toronto Metropolitan University
Verna Liezl
Mental Health & Psychological Safety Specialist, Modern Niagara
Judges
Erika Harris
HS and Responsible Care Specialist, BASF Canada Inc
Larry Masotti
Vice President for Minerva Canada Safety Management Education
Dave Meston
Owner, H&S Consultants Inc
Anthony Pasteris
President, Minerva
Sponsored By
12:00 pm
Break
12:30 pm
Hear from executive leaders as they explore ways to balance vision and strategy with genuine commitment to a better workplace that prioritizes DEI and employee wellbeing and safety.
- Insights: Hear valuable perspectives on the role of accountability in workplace culture change.
- Prioritization: Explore the challenges and struggles organizations face when prioritizing employee health.
- Integration: Learn key actions to integrate employee safety, wellbeing, and inclusion as part of a core business function.
Moderator
Donnebra McClendon
Global Head, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dayforce
Speakers
Jane Fedoretz
Executive Vice President of People, Culture and Chief Administrative Officer, TransAlta
Dr. Victoria Lee
President and CEO, Fraser Health Authority
Vivek Sood
Executive Vice President, Related Businesses, Sobeys
Sponspored By
1:30 pm
Break
1:45 pm
Uncover the challenges and opportunities around fostering inclusion for persons with disabilities, highlighting their experiences throughout the employment journey. Gain insights into the national landscape and hear broad strategies that support employment for people with disabilities and address the accessibility challenges that many face. Speakers will also share tangible ways to integrate these principles into your organization’s policies and procedures. The discussion will include specific examples from real-world scenarios, offering a detailed exploration of the positive impact that accessibility inclusion can have within organizations.
Moderator
Ingrid Wilson
Senior Human Resources Executive & CHRO and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Strategist
Speakers
Joanna Goode
Executive Director at Canadian Association for Supported Employment
Aaron Orban
Executive Director from the Ministry of Justice
Joana Valamootoo
Employment Partnership Consultant/Cultural Liaison Advisor, 4to40
Attendees will gain invaluable insights and strategies for creating trans-inclusive spaces and driving conversations for improvement; explore the essence of championing inclusion—learning to appreciate change for its role in cultivating greater belonging; and leave with practical solutions and a roadmap for navigating workplace evolution.
Moderator
Manisha Mistry
Senior Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at CSA Group
Speakers
Dani Gomez-Ortega
Senior Manager, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, McCain Foods
Abhishek Sarathy
Associate Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Canadian Tire
The landscape of health and safety is evolving to accommodate current roles and their unique safety challenges. Delve into the new skill sets necessitated by these changes for health and safety practitioners and leaders. Engage in discussions and examine real-world examples to uncover practical strategies that ensure safety measures not only safeguard, but also respond to employees’ needs.
Attendees will:
- gain a better understanding of how the health and safety practice is evolving to respond to changes in the workplace;
- learn how a DEI perspective can be thoughtfully integrated into workplace safety to enhance communication and improve results;
- discuss challenging scenarios faced by health and safety practitioners.
Moderator
Jennifer Richardson
Director of Corporate Health, Safety and Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Speaker
Larry Masotti
Vice Chair, Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals
Cheryl Young
Senior Specialist, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Enbridge Inc.
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
This session will explore the escalating risks faced by workers across Canada amid many internal and external stressors and address the growing threats of workplace violence and harassment, such as uncivil, disrespectful, and abusive behaviours. We will discuss why these behaviours are on the rise and how a trauma-informed approach can be strategically employed.
This approach aims not only to prevent internal violence and harassment, but also to create a safer environment for employees, emphasizing the importance of encouraging understanding and embracing diverse perspectives. Participants will actively reflect on their personal conflict resolution strategies, with an emphasis on learning and applying effective communication techniques for de-escalating individuals who are becoming agitated. The session will underscore the critical role of equipping workers with these essential skills and providing post-incident support as integral components of psychological health and safety, aiming to reduce the likelihood of mental harm or injury.
Kristy Cork
CRSP, Health and Safety Consultant (Workplace Mental Health), Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
Sponspored By
4:00 pm
Adjournment
11:30 am
Explore and discuss the transformative impact and implications of AI for worker health and wellbeing and advances in learning technology, which has the potential to provide personalized learning and training customized to employees’ individual needs. This members-only forum offers an opportunity to discuss and interact in a safe environment under Chatham House Rules.
This session is part of the winter meeting exclusive to members of CBoC’s Council for Safe Workplaces, Council on Inclusive Work Environments, and Council on Workplace Health and Wellness. To learn more about becoming a member of one of these councils, please contact us.
Moderator
Jody Young
President & CEO, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
Speaker
Arif Jetha
Associate Scientific Director and Scientist, Institute for Work & Health, Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Tamara Vatcher
CEO, Training Works
12:30 pm
Break
1:00 pm
This comprehensive session will provide valuable strategies to embed, evaluate, and audit psychological health and safety in your workplace, using real-life examples. Hear key insights on how to design impactful training that responds to employees’ and supervisors’ needs and how the results were evaluated.
Attendees will:
- explore the evaluation of a psychological health and safety program, including auditing, comparison with current standards, building buy-in from front-line workers, and securing buy-in from leadership by demonstrating return on investment (ROI);
- gain insights into developing and evaluating a tailored training program for specific industries and employees;
- learn how to integrate initiatives into your organization’s psychological health and safety program.
Moderator
Tegan Slot
Manager, Workplace Wellbeing, Public Services Health and Safety Association
Speakers
Craig Hrynchuk
Executive Director, Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partners & Planning, Service Hospitality in Saskatchewan
As organizations strive to adapt to a dynamic environment and address labour-market challenges, evidence of the benefits of job autonomy and flexible work arrangements is increasingly appealing. Explore various emerging work arrangements, such as hybrid and remote work models, flexible work weeks, and results-based work environments. Speakers will summarize the Conference Board’s findings on how prevalent and effective these arrangements are, examine their positive impacts on employee wellbeing and inclusion, and explore the associated implementation challenges. They will also offer guidance on first steps to take if you would like to introduce one or more of these new ways of working to your organization.
Moderator
Angela M. Francoeur
Director, Regulatory Review and Training – Prevention Division, WorkSafeNB
Speakers
Diogo Borba
Research Analyst, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Liz Marcil
Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Dilys Leman
Senior Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Delve into the critical intersection of racial trauma and employee well-being. A psychotherapist will offer a unique blend of expert insights, practical strategies, and real-world examples to foster a workplace environment that prioritizes equity, inclusivity, and mental health. Explore the impact of racial trauma on employees, understand the importance of bringing anti-oppressive practice to employee wellness programming, and learn how top employers are implementing equity-informed health and wellness programs. Attendees will leave this session equipped with new knowledge and actionable strategies for promoting mental health and healing in the workplace.
Moderator
Sheena Chaudhry
Senior Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Canada Goose
Speaker
Fiona Bertram
Canada Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging Lead, Accenture
Ken Yau
Utilities Industry Lean & Mental Health ERG leader, Accenture
Natacha Pennycooke
Psychotherapist, Speaker, Consultant
2:15 pm
A leading expert in leadership and burnout will share the potential psychological impacts of artificial intelligence and its associated changes in the workplace, and will demonstrate simple ways to mitigate its less-desirable impacts while optimizing the positive ones for you and your team. Hear practical, research-based, and experience-informed advice that will help attendees take the next steps with leadership and agility.
Audiences will learn:
- how AI might affect work-life balance in interdisciplinary ways;
- the impacts AI may have on psychological health, and how to turn them to your and your team’s advantage;
- how to reconfigure your plan for psychological resilience and agility as it relates to AI.
Moderator
Tara Warren
Director of Growth, Medcan Health Management Inc
Speaker
Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier
Leadership Resilience and Burnout Expert
Sponsored By
3:15 pm
As we wrap up the conference, we will reflect on the learnings throughout the sessions and challenge attendees to actively bring the knowledge they have gained back to their workplaces and continue the conversations post-conference.
Speakers
Leah Ringwald
Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Brandy Zimmerman
CEO & Founder, Thriving Workplaces
Sponsored By
3:45 pm
Adjournment
Speakers
Fiona Bertram
Inclusion and Diversity lead, Accenture in Canada
Kevin Berube
Senior Advisor, Community and Indigenous Engagement, Enbridge Inc.
Luc Bissonnette
Associate Professor of Economics, Université Laval
Susan Black
President and CEO, The Conference Board of Canada
Diogo Borba
Research Analyst, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Sheena Chaudhry
Senior Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Canada Goose
Zita Claire Magsino
Student Presenter, Humber College
Kristy Cork
CRSP, Health and Safety Consultant (Workplace Mental Health), Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
Jane N. Fedoretz
Executive Vice President, People, Culture and Chief Administrative Officer, TransAlta
Vanessa Foran
Responsible Care Program Officer, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Angela M. Francoeur
Director, Regulatory Review and Training – Prevention Division, WorkSafeNB
Sarah Gauen
Program Developer, Council on Inclusive Work Environments, The Conference Board of Canada
Dani Gomez-Ortega
Senior Manager, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, McCain Foods
Joanna Goode
Executive Director at Canadian Association for Supported Employment
Lisa Hallsworth
Board Member, Minerva Safety Management Education, CIAC, CEO SDS RiskAssist
Corrina Hill
Manager, Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro
Craig Hrynchuk
Executive Director, Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association
Ryan Jamieson
Student, Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Compliance, Flemming College
Arif Jetha
Associate Scientific Director and Scientist, Institute for Work & Health, Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Nivedha Krishnakumar
MSc., Registered Nurse and Occupational Health and Safety Graduate Student, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Victoria Lee
President and CEO, Fraser Health Authority
Dilys Leman
Senior Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Verna Liezl Perdon
Mental Health & Psychological Safety Specialist, Modern Niagara
Lesley MacDonald
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility, Human Resources, BC Hydro
Natasha Malloff
Director, Health, Wellbeing, & Benefits, Total Compensation, Human Resources, The University of British Columbia
Liz Marcil
Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Larry Masotti
Vice Chair, Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals
Donnebra McClendon
Global Head, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dayforce
Mary Medoza
Student Presenter, Humber College
Manisha Mistry
Senior Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at CSA Group
Dr. Olga Morawczynsk
Founder of Heal-3
Dr. Andrea (Andie) Noack
Associate Professor, Sociology, TMU
Aaron Orban
Executive Director from the Ministry of Justice
Natacha Pennycooke
Psychotherapist, Speaker, Consultant
Jennifer Richardson
Director of Corporate Health, Safety and Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Leah Ringwald
Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Abhishek Sarathy
Associate Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Canadian Tire
Tegan Slot
Manager, Workplace Wellbeing
Vivek Sood
Executive Vice President, Related Businesses, Sobeys Inc.
Sarah Storm
Council Manager, The Conference Board of Canada
Natalie Toman
Program Coordinator/Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellness, Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
Joana Valamootoo
Employment Partnership Consultant/Cultural Liaison Advisor, 4to40
Henrietta Van hulle
Vice President of Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations, PSHSA
Juliana Vargas Cardenas
Student Presenter, Humber College
Tamara Vatcher
CEO, Training Works
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partners & Planning, Service Hospitality in Saskatchewan
Tara Warren
Director of Growth, Medcan Health Management Inc
Tricia Williams
Director, Research, Evaluation and Knowledge Mobilization
Ingrid Wilson
Senior Human Resources Executive & CHRO and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Strategist
Ken Yau
Business Development Executive, Accenture in Canada & Canada Mental Health Employee Resource Group lead
Cheryl Young
Senior Specialist, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Enbridge Inc.
Jody Young
President & CEO, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
Brandy Zimmerman
CEO & Founder, Thriving Workplaces
Testimonials
Advisory Board
Sheena Chaudhry
Senior Director, Global Diversity & Inclusion, Canada Goose
Angela M. Francoeur
Director, Regulatory Review and Training – Prevention Division, WorkSafeNB
Craig Hrynchuk
Executive Director, Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association
Natasha Malloff
Director of Health, Wellbeing, and Benefits, Human Resources, UBC
Manisha Mistry
Senior Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), CSA Group
Shairoz Moledina
Senior Manager, Workplace Well-being, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Jennifer Richardson
Director of Corporate Health, Safety and Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Henrietta Van hulle
Vice President of Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations, PSHSA
Past Event
Previous conference highlights:
The 2023 Better Workplace Conference focused on how to attract and retain top talent. Employers discussed their pressing concerns about remote work, labour shortages, employee engagement, and compensation. The event featured trusted Conference Board research and experts from across its areas of expertise.
613
Past Attendees
4.5/5.0
Overall satisfaction
Attendees by job function
Attendees by job title
Some noteworthy speakers from our previous conference
David Burkus
Bestselling Author
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Physician, Changemaker, Transformative Leadership, Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion
Michael Lifshitz
Founder, Illumabilities
Some titles and organizations may have changed since this event took place.
Registration is now closed.
The Conference Board of Canada delivers insights that help Canadians build a stronger future. Proceeds from this event are invested back into producing and disseminating our evidence-based research.
Sponsors
Is your organization interested in becoming a sponsor? Learn more about our sponsorship packages and contact us to hear more about the opportunities and benefits of sponsoring a CBoC event.
Thank you to all sponsors who help make The Better Workplace Conference possible.
