Virtual · March 18–20, 2025
Better Workplace Conference 2025
Empowering Employee Voice and Choice
The 28th annual Better Workplace Conference will address emerging workplace challenges, such as polarization and technology-induced burnout, and explore how to meet the diverse needs and requirements of today’s workforce.
This year, we aim to showcase how empowering employee voice and choice can cultivate safe, resilient, and thriving workplaces while offering useful insights into today’s most pressing leadership issues.
The three-day conference will feature engaging keynote speakers, panel discussions, and concurrent sessions, and will include important Conference Board research findings.
Themes for the 28th annual Better Workplace Conference
| Addressing today’s diverse workforce needs | Enhancing psychological safety at work | Adapting to an evolving workplace |
|---|---|---|
| Discover how to assess your workforce needs and enhance personalization of your employee offerings, accommodations, and training. | Learn about proven organizational models and designs, such as Human Organizational Performance (HOP) and peer support groups. Plus, industry experts will provide best practices for implementing the Standard for Psychological Health and Safety. | Experts will explore the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) and psychological safety in the workplace and will discuss how to reduce modern-day stressors. |
Features speakers
Dr. Jody Carrington
Psychologist, human connection expert, and best-selling author
Dr. Shimi Kang
Leading expert in change, leadership, innovation, and wellness
Lee Rubin
Team-building expert
Agenda
Please note: All agenda times are in Eastern Standard Time. See what time that is for you.
The Workplace of Today: Measuring Trends
12:30 pm
This session is part of the members-only Council for Safe Workplaces, Council on Workplace Health and Wellness, and Council on Inclusive Work Environments meeting. To learn more about becoming a member of one of these councils, please contact us.
Moderator
Yanique Smith
Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Mental Health & Wellness, Intact
Speaker
Dr. Shimi Kang
Leading expert in change, leadership, innovation, and wellness
1:15 pm
Break
1:30 pm
Conference Board CEO Susan Black will introduce our conference theme in greater detail, highlighting the importance of integrating evidence-based insights into our decision-making for the modern workforce.
Susan Black
CEO, The Conference Board of Canada
1:45 pm
Three rising global trends—disease and burnout, workplace disconnection, and ongoing disruption—are impacting workplaces and presenting challenges to employees and organizations. Navigating these complexities involves fostering three critical future-ready skills: calm, to increase resilience; connection, to foster a sense of belonging and collaboration; and creativity, to drive adaptability and innovation.
Drawing on the latest science, Dr. Kang provides practical solutions and proven tools to mitigate pressing issues for organizations. And the best part? These tools are based on brain science, so anyone can use them.
Find out how neuroplasticity allows our brains to learn, change, and create in optimal ways.
Moderator
Amy Fell
Corporate and Industry Training Lead, School of Business and Media, British Columbia Institute of Technology
Speaker
Dr. Shimi Kang
Change, leadership, innovation, and wellness expert
2:45 pm
Break
3:15 pm
This workshop will delve into approaches to measuring workplace health, exploring various metrics of organizational culture that most directly impact employee wellbeing and productivity.
Attendees will walk away from this session thinking about new ways to implement effective measurement strategies that drive meaningful improvements in workplace culture and employee satisfaction.
Moderator
Natasha Malloff
Executive Director, Health, Benefits and Pensions, Human Resources, University of British Columbia
Speakers
John Moore
Founder and CEO, Mental Fitness IQ
Tegan Slot
Director, Workplace Wellbeing, Public Services Health and Safety Association
4:00–4:45pm
In a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles are under increasing scrutiny, businesses find themselves at a crossroads. The backlash against DEI initiatives in the US has begun to ripple across borders, influencing Canada’s political and cultural landscape.
This session will explore the intersection of business values, societal expectations, and the evolving political climate on both sides of the border through an insightful conversation featuring leaders from three prominent companies operating in both Canada and the United States. Panelists will share strategies for staying true to their values, reinforcing DEI policies, and maintaining focus on long-term goals amid external pressures. Attendees will leave with useful insights and a renewed sense of purpose in championing inclusion and belonging within their organizations.
Moderator
Michael Bassett
Director, Research Impact, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Sandra Cushnie
Senior Director, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion McCain Foods Ltd
Marni Panas
Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, ATCO
Staying on Top of Current and Anticipated Needs Within the Workforce and Workplace
12:00 pm
We evaluate machines based on the entire unit’s output, not the impressiveness of their individual parts. Extraordinary teams, like great machines, require certain components to hold their pieces together.
While most organizations focus exclusively on building individual skills, elite organizations invest in the stuff that transform a collection of talented people into an extraordinary team. This keynote is packed with insights, humour, and tools to help listeners take their respective teams to a higher level.
Lee Rubin
Team-building expert
1:00 pm
Break
1:15 pm
Canadian organizations are grappling with how to meet and exceed evolving legal minimum obligations related to mental health and stress, changing employee needs, and workforce diversity. Leadership’s responses to mistakes and challenges to the status quo can make or break an organization’s ability to innovate, engage and motivate employees, and sustain a positive health and safety culture.
Presenters will share innovative strategies and actions that combine traditional health and safety (OHS), psychological health and safety, and human and organizational performance principles, which can prevent harm, create new mindsets, and promote thriving workplaces. Hear about Australia’s implementation of psychological health and safety legislation and how the Canadian energy sector and B.C. public sector are making health and safety part of their modernization efforts.
Moderator
Kim MacDonald
Psychological H&S Consulting, 13 FACTORS for Business Growth
Speakers
Natasha Jackson
CPHR, SHRM-SCP, Workplace Health Consultant, Certified Psychological Health & Safety Professional, Workplace Health & Safety, BC Public Service Agency
Gordon Walsh
Principal Consultant, Energy Safety Canada and the Safety Centre of Excellence
Speakers will provide foundational knowledge on perimenopause and menopause, examine how they intersect with a critical career stage for many women, and share strategies for organizations to reduce ageism and stigma, optimize performance, and strengthen talent management to support employees through every life stage.
Learn about new tools, strategies, and leadership best practices being developed and implemented by Sun Life in response to growing demand from Canadian employers for women’s health-related workplace supports.
Moderator
Lindsay Coffin
Principal Research Associate, The Conference Board of Canada
Speaker
Marie-Chantal Côté
Senior Vice-President, Sun Life Health
Janet Ko
President & Co-Founder, Menopause Foundation of Canada
Organizations are already using advanced technology and AI to create personalized support, training, and development experiences for their workforce that promote inclusivity and boost individual performance. We’ll discuss the critical steps needed to ensure AI systems are bias-aware and accessible.
Moderator
Shairoz Moledina
Senior Manager, Well-being, HR Planning and Analytics, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Speakers
Pranav Arya
Manager of AI, TELUS
Allen Hornung
Director, Workforce Intelligence, Digital and Experience, Enbridge
Brent Lyman
Director of AI, TELUS
Stacy Pelletier
Senior Specialist, Digital Platform Strategy, Enbridge Inc.
2:00 pm
Break
2:15 pm
New for 2025, organizations will share their innovative responses to current workplace challenges, including outcomes and learnings. These dynamic lightning showcases will provide attendees with practical insights from peers.
Submit a request to present at this session before March 6, 2025. Details are provided in your registration confirmation email.
Moderator
Bailey Farrell
Health and Safety Staff Officer, Power Workers’ Union
Speakers
Carrie Bjola
Chief Executive Officer, Service Hospitality
Chantal Dugas
CRHA, General Manager, DEI Community Relations and Partnerships, Air Canada
Andrea Vrbanac
SVP, People & Culture, Axonify
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Planning, Service Hospitality
3:00–4:00pm
Join us for this dynamic session celebrating innovation in health and safety. This year’s case study competition tackled critical workplace safety issues, including workplace violence, working alone, and considerations for small businesses.
We’ll announce the winners of the 2025 Health and Safety Case Study Awards and hear from finalists who will showcase their innovative solutions to the workplace safety issues in the case study. Attendees will gain practical insights and fresh approaches to health and safety challenges while celebrating the next generation of safety leaders.
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore innovative ways to prioritize safety, sustainability, and responsible care practices within your organization. If you’re an emerging safety professional or know someone with a passion for health and safety, this session is a must-attend.
Moderator
Jacqueline A. Stagner
Undergraduate Programs Coordinator, Faculty of Engineering, University of Windsor
Speakers
Kara Edward
Vice-President, Responsible Care, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Planning, Service Hospitality
Panelists
Boshra Mollaei
Seneca Polytechnic
Milu Thomson
Lambton College
Quinn Santoro
Western University
Partner
Being at the Cutting Edge of Cultivating the Workplace of Tomorrow
12:00 pm
This session is part of the Council for Safe Workplaces, Council on Workplace Health and Wellness, and Council on Inclusive Work Environments members-only meeting. To learn more about becoming a member of one of these councils, please contact us.
Moderator
Eric Pfeiffer
Senior Consultant, Workplace Well-being
Speaker
Lee Rubin
Team-building expert
12:45 pm
Break
1:00 pm
This engaging keynote will dive into the critical workplace issues of loneliness, polarization, and technology-induced burnout and will examine how external factors such as societal changes and economic pressures can significantly impact workers.
Learn useful approaches to help you lead the way in cultivating a psychologically safe environment, addressing diverse employee needs, and implementing strategies that prioritize rest and wellbeing. Empower your organization to build a healthier, more resilient workplace that’s ready to thrive in an evolving future.
Speaker
Dr. Jody Carrington
Psychologist, human connection expert, and best-selling author
2:00 pm
Break
2:15 pm
Intact Insurance and Nav Canada will share how they have designed and implemented impactful mental health and peer support systems within an organization to empower both leaders and teams. They will explore innovative models founded on lived experience, practical tools that foster compassion and resilience, and organizational core values.
Attendees will walk away with useful insights on building organizational readiness, implementing cutting-edge mental health and peer support programs, and creating a supportive culture where leaders and individuals are empowered.
Moderator
Jen Richardson
President & Managing Principal- HSE Consulting and Learning Services, CrossSafety
Speakers
Paula Barbaresso
Senior Consultant, Mental Health and Well-Being, Intact
Kelly Ryan
Manager, Organizational Health, NAV Canada
Lyne Wilson
Assistant Vice-President, Talent Management, NAV Canada
Presenters will share insights into workplace mental health disclosure, discussing why employees choose to disclose or conceal mental health challenges from their leaders, and will summarize leaders’ own decisions to disclose.
They will discuss an impactful initiative that has opened conversations about mental health at the LCBO, equipping leaders with the necessary tools to provide support and safety while building the competencies necessary to reduce stigma and encourage disclosure.
Attendees will leave with evidence-based knowledge and practical strategies to create a safer workplace where mental health discussions are normalized and well-supported.
Moderator
Tiffany Rickard
Consultant, Mental Health and Well-being, Bell Canada
Speakers
Anika Cloutier
Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership and Organizations, within the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University
Lilian Riad-Allen
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety, and Wellness, LCBO and Host of Lil on Life Podcast
Speakers will share insights from their work creating sustainable employee wellbeing and mental health strategies that prioritize long-term impact and measuring results. They will explore specific examples, focusing on design, implementation, and the evaluation processes that ensure their ongoing success. Attendees will learn best practices to embed sustainable mental health programs in the workplace, empowering their organizations to support employees’ mental health over the long term.
Moderator
Tabatha Thibault
Senior Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Desiree Quenneville
Wellness Coordinator, Health, Safety, Security, and Environments (HSSE), Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
Ashley Wood-Suszko
MHE & PhD candidate and Senior Manager, Health and Wellbeing, Purolator
3:00 pm
Break
3:15–4:15pm
This session will explore how data and evidence can drive innovative practices in the Canadian workplace, with a strong emphasis on empowering employee voice and choice.
Attendees will gain insights from cutting-edge research on employee preferences in areas like safety, company culture, and benefits, highlighting new Conference Board research and its practical application. Presenters will also spotlight groundbreaking work being done to integrate listening strategies—moving beyond surveys to create more dynamic, data-driven employee experiences.
Speakers
Diogo Borba
Senior Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Dr. Jaime Chau
Country Health Manager and Occupational Health Physician, Shell Canada
Maria Paquet
Vice-President, Human Resources, Shell Canada
Pre-Event
2:00–3:15 p.m.
Virtual Workshop
Stress Management for People Leaders
To address and manage workplace stress, leaders need practical strategies to manage competing demands while also supporting their employees.
During this interactive workshop, attendees will:
- Increase their awareness of what stress is, what causes it, and how it impacts the workplace.
- Consider how stress impacts their leadership ability.
- Practice ways to reduce stress as a leader.
- Learn strategies to support their employees.
We will also share evidence-based insights from our Centre for Workplace Wellbeing and Effectiveness (CWWE) study that demonstrate the impact of social connectedness on workplace stress and employee mental health.
Recording not available.
Speakers
Natasha Jackson
Workplace Health Consultant, BC Public Service Agency
Liesel Reimer
Director, People Development for the Ministry of Citizens’ Services
Tabatha Thibault
Senior Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Pranav Arya
Manager of AI, TELUS
Paula Barbaresso
Senior Consultant, Mental Health and Well-Being, Intact
Michael Bassett
Director, Research Impact, The Conference Board of Canada
Carrie Bjola
Chief Executive Officer, Service Hospitality
Susan Black
President and CEO, The Conference Board of Canada
Diogo Borba
Research Analyst, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Anika Cloutier
Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership and Organizations, within the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University
Lindsay Coffin
Interim Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Marie-Chantal Côté
Senior Vice-President, Sun Life Health
Dr. Jaime Chau
Country Health Manager and Occupational Health Physician, Shell Canada
Sandra Cushnie
Senior Director, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion McCain Foods Ltd
Chantal Dugas
CRHA, General Manager, DEI Community Relations and Partnerships, Air Canada
Kara Edwards
Vice-President, Responsible Care, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Bailey Farrell
Health and Safety Staff Officer, Power Workers’ Union
Amy Fell
Corporate and Industry Training Lead, School of Business and Media, British Columbia Institute of Technology
Allen Hornung
Director, Workforce Intelligence, Digital and Experience, Enbridge
Natasha Jackson
Workplace Health Consultant, BC Public Service Agency
Janet Ko
President & Co-Founder, Menopause Foundation of Canada
Brent Lyman
Director of AI, TELUS
Kim MacDonald
Psychological H&S Consulting, 13 FACTORS for Business Growth
Natasha Malloff
Executive Director, Health, Benefits and Pensions, Human Resources, University of British Columbia
Shairoz Moledina
Senior Manager, Well-being, HR Planning and Analytics, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Boshra Mollaei
Seneca Polytechnic
John Moore
Founder and CEO, Mental Fitness IQ
Marni Panas
Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, ATCO
Maria Paquet
Vice-President, Human Resources, Shell Canada
Stacy Pelletier
Senior Specialist, Digital Platform Strategy, Enbridge Inc.
Eric Pfeiffer
Senior Consultant, Workplace Well-being
Desiree Quenneville
Wellness Coordinator, Health, Safety, Security, and Environments (HSSE), Canadian Nuclear Laboratories
Liesel Reimer
Director, People Development for the Ministry of Citizens’ Services
Tiffany Rickard
Consultant, Mental Health and Well-being, Bell
Lilian Riad-Allen
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety & Wellness, Workplace Wellness & Safety, LCBO
Jen Richardson
President & Managing Principal- HSE Consulting and Learning Services, CrossSafety
Kelly Ryan
Manager, Organizational Health, NAV Canada
Quinn Santoro
Western University
Tegan Slot
Director, Workplace Wellbeing, Public Services Health and Safety Association
Yanique Smith
Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Mental Health & Wellness, Intact
Jacqueline A. Stagner
Undergraduate Programs Coordinator, Faculty of Engineering, University of Windsor
Tabatha Thibault
Research Associate, Human Capital
Milu Thomson
Lambton College
Andrea Vrbanac
SVP, People & Culture, Axonify
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Planning, Service Hospitality
Gordon Walsh
Principal Consultant, Energy Safety Canada and the Safety Centre of Excellence
Lyne Wilson
Assistant Vice-President, Talent Management NAV CANADA
Ashley Wood-Suszko
MHE & PhD candidate and Senior Manager, Health and Wellbeing, Purolator
Testimonials
Past Event
Previous conference highlights:
At the 28th annual Better Workplace Conference, discover impactful, research-based solutions to workplace issues. Join us at this virtual event for captivating keynote speakers, panel discussions, and best practice showcases.
706
Past Attendees
4.2/5
Overall satisfaction
Attendees by job function
Attendees by job title
Some noteworthy speakers from our previous conference
Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier
Leadership Resilience and Burnout Expert
Hamza Khan
Future of Work and People-First Leadership Expert, Bestselling Author
Natacha Pennycooke
Psychotherapist, Speaker, Consultant
Register
Discover the latest research and find solutions to emerging workplace challenges.
Are you a not-for-profit? Registering a group of 4 or more? Contact us for preferred pricing.
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.
New at the 2025 Better Workplace Conference
Hear Multiple Ideas in Under 45 Minutes With Our Lightning Talks
Various organizations will share their innovative responses to current workplace challenges, including outcomes and learnings. Gain quick insights and practical strategies from peers and walk away with useful ideas to implement in your own setting.
New Topics: Menopause Inclusivity in the Workforce and AI in the Workplace
Experts will discuss how perimenopause and menopause impact women in the workplace and share strategies for organizations to reduce stigma, address ageism, promote mental health and wellbeing, and support employees through every life stage.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to assist employees at work. To ensure that AI promotes inclusivity, a full session will look at the critical steps to integrate AI tools and ensure systems are bias-aware and accessible.
A Group Workshop to Help You Measure Workplace Health
Attendees will walk away from this workshop with new ways to assess workplace health and set benchmarks for continuous improvement of their organizational culture and employee satisfaction.
DEI Through a North American Lens
Given the current climate, leaders from three prominent corporations that operate in both Canada and the United States will participate in an insightful panel discussion on DEI. They will share strategies for staying true to their values, reinforcing DEI policies, and maintaining focus on long-term goals amid external pressures.
HRPC CPD Certificate of Attendance
Receive a certificate of attendance and apply for up to 13 hours toward the HRPA CDP requirement.
Building on Learnings From the Previous Day
Daily overarching themes build on the previous day’s lessons. Starting with the workplace of today and cultivating the workplace of tomorrow, attendees will identify opportunities and discover how to implement strategies for the future.
