Virtual · February 14–16, 2023
Better Workplace Conference 2023
Where Evidence and New Ideas Intersect
Join us for a national discussion on attracting and retaining top talent. Concerns about remote work, labour shortages, employee engagement, and compensation are top of mind for employers. Explore practical solutions and more at the 26th annual Better Workplace Conference.
What to Expect:
This virtual conference will integrate our trusted research, featuring experts from across The Conference Board of Canada along with engaging keynote speakers and interactive sessions.
Get inspired, leave with actionable takeaways, and connect with leaders who share a passion for productive, inclusive, healthy workplaces.
Be part of the national conversation and gain practical insights.
Discussions will centre around the vision, reality, and evidence of attracting and retaining top talent:
| Creating value for employees: How can workplaces stay competitive in attracting talent? | Retaining workers: What makes employees stay with an organization? | Measuring results and performance: Why measurement matters. |
|---|---|---|
| Explore how integrating a healthy workplace culture into your value promise can offer a competitive advantage. | Take a deep dive into the practical and innovative actions that retain, engage, and connect employees. Learn from organizations that are making strategic decisions to increase social connection and belonging in the workplace, and how these initiatives support retention. | Learn why indicators and benchmarking are crucial to creating lasting organizational change and how effective measurement and evaluation can enhance workplace health, wellbeing, inclusion, and safety. |
Agenda
Please note: All agenda times are in Eastern Standard Time. See what time that is for you.
12:30 pm
Dr. Susan Black, CEO of The Conference Board of Canada, will open the conference with highlights of some of our key research findings that align with this year’s conference themes: attraction and retention of top talent through enhanced employee health, safety, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. As the foremost independent applied research organization in Canada, we are excited to share these interesting insights with you.
Dr. Susan Black
Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada
12:45 pm
We’re entering a new era of work. Many organizations are offering employees more flexibility than ever before in where and when they work—something that is becoming a necessity to attract and retain top talent. Leaders need to develop new skills that enhance their ability to lead in-person, virtual, or hybrid teams, and team members need to adapt to new work demands as the competition for talent increases. Drawing on key research and diverse case studies, this keynote address will offer clear guidance and actionable strategies to handle some of the biggest questions facing employers and leaders.
David Burkus
Bestselling Author
1:40 pm
Break
1:45 pm
From financial well-being to employee benefits, the return on investment and value for employees is higher when organizations take the time to learn what they want and offer benefits and services that meet their unique needs. In this session, we will explore the benefits and challenges of offering more individualized and personalized employee services, with real-life insights from employers and well-being practitioners who have started on this journey.
Embedding employee values and needs in the workplace helps to build a healthy workplace culture that facilitates recruitment and retention. CBoC will share insights, tools, and resources from a toolkit they have developed to embed Inuit values and skills in the workplace.
Concurrent sessions will bring together workplace speakers, evidence-based research, and actionable strategies.
Moderator
Michael Lavis
Chief Executive Officer, Creative Options Regina
Speaker
Jillian Frank
Partner, Employment and Labour Law, KPMG Law LLP, KPMG Canada
Alicia Hibbert
Senior Research Associate, Indigenous & Northern Communities, The Conference Board of Canada
Eric Pfeiffer
Senior Health Management Consultant, Manulife
Employee resource groups (ERG) are playing an increasingly important role in creating inclusive workplaces. They can help employees discuss and connect on topics that matter to them and provide a sense of belonging and connection. ERGs can also generate valuable feedback and insights on issues of relevance to the group. Becoming an inclusive workplace is a journey, and this session will feature best practices and important considerations to enhance the role employee resource groups play in inclusive workplace strategies.
Concurrent sessions will bring together workplace speakers, evidence-based research, and actionable strategies.
Moderator
Angela M. Francoeur
BBA, Interim Director of Strategic Planning, WorkSafeNB
Speaker
Meghan Brooks
Assistant Director, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Bank of Canada
Sylvie Latulippe
Director, HR Policy, Programs and Business Partners, Bank of Canada
As employers move toward better integration and measurement of employee safety, well-being, and inclusion across an organization, total worker health and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) models have become more important. Presenters will dig into the implications, challenges, and benefits of applying these models within workplaces.
Concurrent sessions will bring together workplace speakers, evidence-based research, and actionable strategies.
Moderator
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partners & Planning, Service Hospitality in Saskatchewan
Speakers
Craig Hrynchuk
Executive Director, Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association
Jennifer Richardson
Director, Corporate Health, Safety and Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Shairoz Moledina
Senior Manager, Workplace Well-being, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Inflation and higher interest rates have sharply reduced our outlook for global growth in 2023. Growth in the United States, for instance, is expected to stall this year, posting a gain of just 0.5 per cent. Following a solid rebound in 2022, Canada’s economy is also forecast to slow over the coming quarters. While the news seems somber, it reflects a “soft landing” scenario in which monetary policy is successful at reducing inflation from its peak levels in 2022. An exceptionally tight labour market and high job vacancies will help mitigate the impact on workers, with only modest job losses expected this year.
Join Pedro Antunes for a presentation about the impact that inflation and higher financing rates will have on consumer spending this year. What is the outlook for labour markets, wages, inflation, and the loonie? And what are the risks of a deeper recession in Canada?
Moderator
Tabatha Thibault
Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Speaker
Pedro Antunes
Chief Economist, The Conference Board of Canada
3:40 pm
Break
3:45 pm
Canadian organizations currently face challenges securing top talent. Bringing a student on board can introduce fresh new ideas to your workplace and provide opportunities to develop next-gen talent and boost organizational recruitment strategies. New perspectives are vital to innovation, productivity, and business outcomes, and students can offer invaluable new takes. Hosting a student is a rewarding experience that demonstrates your organization’s commitment to giving back and creating lasting connections with tomorrow’s leaders.
This interactive session will bring together professionals and students to network and share insights on:
- TELUS’ meaningful student programs that benefit both the classroom and workplace
- how to attract and engage top-quality students
- practical and effective ways to keep students engaged throughout the learning process
- how growth and learning help create meaning and purpose and support mental health and total well-being
Janet Young
Director of Well-being & Health Services, TELUS
4:30 pm
Adjourn
11:30 am
New Year’s resolutions are a fun tradition where we set goals for self-improvement for the coming year. Many of these resolutions surround our physical health, including fitness, nutritional changes, and cutting out poor habits, but our good intentions often fade by early February. How can we set ourselves up for success and fit health into our busy lives? Attendees will learn about the impact of physical activity on cognitive and mental health; how we can reframe our approach to fitness and exercise in the workplace; more enjoyable and habitual ways to be physically active each day; and ideas to integrate physical activity into your workplace.
Natalie Toman
Health Promotion Manager, ParticipACTION
12:00 pm
Break
12:30 pm
Chad Leaver
Director, Health, The Conference Board of Canada
12:35 pm
Having researched community leadership and human behaviour in over 30 countries, famed keynote speaker Shane Feldman has uncovered universal strategies that make teams click and businesses thrive. In this interactive and actionable session, Feldman will reveal how to cultivate a work environment centred around community that enables individuals and teams to perform at their highest levels. Shifting common misconceptions surrounding organizational culture, he will break down how to foster an inclusive work environment where teams are inspired to innovate, think creatively, and collaborate. In addition to his research, Feldman is also the serial-entrepreneur founder of Count Me In, a global social entrepreneurship incubator with a membership of 10 million across 104 countries. This campfire-style talk will include stories, strategies, and an extended moderated question period.
Join us to learn how to be a stronger community builder, lead with greater authenticity, increase unity and collaboration at all levels, and boost retention.
Shane Feldman
Founder, Count Me In
1:30 pm
Break
1:45 pm
Career transitions are inevitable. But how do we ensure that these critical moments—including necessary on and off ramps—offer growth, are available equitably, and are built from an intersectional perspective of dismantling ableism and affording accessibility?
Panelists will apply the lenses of accessibility and intersectionality to challenges and solutions around the experience of employees with disabilities, delve into what research and lived experience tells us about who is left out—or opts out—of career transitions and advancements, and explore the impact on employee retention.
This dynamic panel will feature new research on career transitions from Carleton University’s Accessibility Initiative; humorous perspectives on what organizations get right (and oh so wrong) from comedian and entrepreneur Michael Lifshitz; and pointed observations and research on inclusive transitions that demand a systemic, intersectional, and anti-racist lens offered by Jade Pichette of Pride at Work Canada and Liza Arnason of the ASE Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities.
Concurrent sessions will bring together workplace speakers, evidence-based research, and actionable strategies.
Moderator
Sarah Gauen
Facilitator, CIWE, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Liza Arnason
Founder and Chair of Board, Director of Education, ASE Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities
Tara Connolly
Assistant Director, Research and Development, Accessibility Institute
Michael Lifshitz
Founder, Illumabilities
Jade Pichette
Director of Programs, Pride at Work Canada
Hear how Canada Post and the Department of National Defense are adapting to a hybrid work environment and bring your own organization’s questions and insights as we explore implications for total rewards and creating moments that matter for employees. Moderator Henrietta Van hulle will interview Nadim Kara and Brigadier-General Mark Larsen to glean insights into their hybrid workplace journeys.
Concurrent sessions will bring together workplace speakers, evidence-based research and actionable strategies.
Moderator
Henrietta Van hulle
Senior Manager, Vice President, Client Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations at Public Services Health & Safety Association
Speakers
Nadim Kara
Vice-President, Human Resources and Employee Experience, Canada Post
Brigadier-General Mark Larsen
Director Strategic Development & Deputy Director General, Military Personnel Strategic Chief Military Personnel, Department of National Defence
Emergency events like droughts, floods, and wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity across Canada. As workplaces evaluate the risks and establish response and recovery plans, it is important to consider how employees are impacted and supported during extreme events.
Attendees will hear from two organizations that recently dealt with large-scale disasters. Marine Atlantic responded to both severe flooding and Hurricane Fiona in 2022, while Fraser Health Authority dealt with large-scale floods and wildfires in 2021 that resulted in multiple emergency situations impacting hospital employees and patients in British Columbia. Both will discuss the short and long-term employee impacts workplaces should prepare for, best practices to keep employees safe, and key supports needed to help impacted employees recover and return to work.
Moderator
Corrina Hill
Manager, Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro
Speakers
Dave Keen
Fraser Health Executive Director, People Health, Well-being and Safety and BC Provincial Workplace Health Services
Kris Parsons
Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment, Marine Atlantic Inc.
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Do you want to facilitate a safe and inclusive workplace, attract and retain workers, and maximize the productivity of your workforce? Join us for this interactive session on creating organizational sustainability using the Mental Harm Prevention Roadmap, an evidence-based tool that can guide and support your journey to create and implement a psychological health and safety strategy at work. This user-friendly tool follows the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Z1003) and helps to promote mental health and prevent mental harm.
Moderator
Sarah Storm
Council Manager, The Conference Board of Canada
Speaker
Esther Fleurimond
Specialized Consultant (Healthy Workplaces), WSPS
3:40 pm
Break
3:45pm
Speakers will lead us through strategies and tools to measure DE&I in our own organizations. Early conference registrants will have the opportunity to shape the agenda by submitting their own workplace challenges around DE&I measurement, and some of these challenges will be selected, addressed, and integrated into the session.
Moderator
Amarachi Nwamadi
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, The Home Depot Canada
Speaker
Dipal Damani
Founder and President, D&D Inclusion Consulting
Jade Pichette
Director of Programs, Pride at Work Canada
This session will start with an overview of the key measurements of employee well-being and close with some important takeaways. It will also include discussion of a basic framework for measuring workplace well-being and specific examples of measures that can be used. Speakers will also respond to some of attendees’ own workplace challenges related to the measurement of employee well-being.
Moderator
Lilian Riad-Allen
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety & Wellness, Workplace Wellness & Safety, LCBO
Speaker
Neil Carson
Chief of Operations, Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Chief of Military Personnel
The success of any safety management system depends on the quality of the metrics it measures to evaluate performance. Traditionally, industries have used incident rates as their main method of safety performance measurement. But recently, industry and academia agree that TRIR is too limited to facilitate robust safety performance measurements that can inform decision-making and predictions. This presentation will explore the limitations of injury rates and present new strategies that could help improve safety performance measurements.
The audience will explore the strengths and limitations of various safety measurement methods and will be encouraged to think of balanced approaches. Speakers will respond to some of the safety measurement workplace challenges organizations are facing today.
Moderator
Jennifer Richardson
Director, Corporate Health, Safety & Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Speaker
Dr. Elif Erkal
Senior Associate, Exponent
4:30 pm
Adjourn
11:15 am
The more we learn about psychological health and safety in the workplace, the more we see how factors related to diversity, equity and inclusion play a part. Join this engaging discussion about how DE&I may be impacting employees’ mental health and how we can integrate work in psychological health and safety and DE&I. This is a great opportunity for participants to be primed for the keynote session and learn from one another.
Moderator
Tabatha Thibault
Research Associate, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Speakers
Liz Horvath
Manager, Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
Tiana Field-Ridley
Senior Program Manager, Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health Commission of Canada
12:30 pm
Dianne Williams
Head of Strategy, The Conference Board of Canada
12:35 pm
Focusing on effective strategies to support mental health and wellness on both a personal and organizational level, this keynote session will leave the audience with actionable strategies to better support themselves and those around them and a greater understanding of how mental health, wellness, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) are interconnected.
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Physician, Changemaker, Transformative Leadership, Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion
1:40 pm
Understanding how absenteeism and presenteeism may interact in the workplace, and the associated implications for workplace mental health, is critical to helping organizations develop effective workplace mental health and wellness policies. This session will highlight preliminary findings from a Conference Board research project that examines employee perceptions and organizational policies, practices, and priorities related to workplace absenteeism, presenteeism, and mental health.
Lindsay Coffin
Interim Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
1:55 pm
Break
2:00 pm
We come back from a conference refreshed, energized, and full of new ideas and inspiration, but as we get back into our routine, the excitement fades and those great ideas get put on the back burner. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Attendees will learn about the initiatives this panel of top executives are prioritizing to address attraction and retention through creating a safe, inclusive, and healthy work environment; hear tips on how to communicate about the initiative and the evidence needed to get executive buy-in and commitment; and learn to identify common barriers to implementing a new initiative and how to mitigate them.
Moderator
Susan Black
CEO The Conference Board of Canada
Panelists
Nancy Nazer
Chief Human Resources Officer, OMERS
Janelle St. Omer
Vice President, Impact & Inclusion, Benevity
Cristian Rodriguez
Vice President EHS and Sustainability, Wajax
3:00 pm
Break
3:15 pm
This interactive closing session will reflect on key takeaways from the BWC and help you maximize the ROI of your conference experience through post-conference activities that transform knowledge into action. You will also:
- Learn to draw on your company’s values and purpose to gain a greater understanding of how to create a better workplace—one that inspires employees to join, engage, and thrive.
- Understand how to prioritize initiatives that will have the highest impact for your organization and get tips to help maintain positive momentum.
- Find inspiration by connecting with other session attendees and use the conference as a springboard to further action.
Co-Chair
Dianne Williams
Head of Strategy, The Conference Board of Canada
Speaker
Nadim Kara
Vice-President, Human Resources and Employee Experience
3:45 pm
Adjourn
Better Workplace Conference sessions have been pre-approved for CPD hours through the HRPA. Attendees may apply up to 14.25 hours toward their CPD requirements.
Featured Speakers
David Burkus
Bestselling Author
Shane Feldman
Founder, Count Me In
Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Physician, Changemaker, Transformative Leadership, Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion
Speakers
Pedro Antunes
Chief Economist, The Conference Board of Canada
Susan Black
Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board of Canada
Meghan Brooks
Assistant Director, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Bank of Canada
Neil Carson
Chief of Operations, Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Chief of Military Personnel
Lindsay Coffin
Interim Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada
Tara Connolly
Assistant Director, Research and Development, Accessibility Institute
Dipal Damani
Founder and President, D&D Inclusion Consulting
Dr. Elif Erkal
Senior Associate, Exponent
Tiana Field-Ridley
Senior Program Manager, Workplace Mental Health Mental Health Commission of Canada
Esther Fleurimond
Specialized Consultant (Healthy Workplaces), WSPS
Angela M. Francoeur
BBA, Interim Director of Strategic Planning, WorkSafeNB
Sarah Gauen
Facilitator, CIWE, The Conference Board of Canada
Alicia Hibbert
Senior Research Associate, Indigenous & Northern Communities, The Conference Board of Canada
Corrina Hill
Manager, Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro
Liz Horvath, B.A.Sc., CRSP
Manager, Workplace Mental Health Mental Health Commission of Canada
Craig Hrynchuk
Executive Director, Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association
Nadim Kara
Vice-President, Human Resources and Employee Experience
Dave Keen
Fraser Health Executive Director, People Health, Well-being and Safety and BC Provincial Workplace Health Services
Sylvie Latulippe
Director, HR Policy, Programs and Business Partners, Bank of Canada
Brigadier-General Mark Larsen
Director Strategic Development & Deputy Director General Military Personnel Strategic Chief Military Personnel, Department of National Defence
Michael Lavis
Chief Executive Officer, Creative Options Regina
Chad Leaver
Director, Health, The Conference Board of Canada
Michael Lifshitz
Founder, Illumabilities
Shairoz Moledina
Senior Manager, Workplace Well-being, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Nancy Nazer
Chief Human Resources Officer, OMERS
Amarachi Nwamadi
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager for The Home Depot Canada
Kris Parsons
Director of Health, Safety, Security & Environment, Marine Atlantic Inc.
Eric Pfeiffer
Senior Consultant, Workplace Well-being, Manulife
Jade Pichette
Director of Programs, Pride at Work Canada
Lilian Riad-Allen
Senior Director, Workplace Health, Safety & Wellness, Workplace Wellness & Safety, LCBO
Jennifer Richardson
Director of Corporate Health, Safety and Environment, Royal Canadian Mint
Cristian Rodriguez
VP, EHS & Sustainability, Wajax
Janelle St. Omer
Vice President, Impact & Inclusion, Benevity
Sarah Storm
Council Manager, The Conference Board of Canada
Tabatha Thibault
Research Associate, Human Capital
Natalie Toman
Health Promotion Manager, ParticipACTION
Henrietta Van hulle
Vice President of Outreach, Stakeholder & Government Relations, PSHSA
Alison Wall
Director, Strategic Partners & Planning, Service Hospitality in Saskatchewan
Dianne Williams
Head of Strategy
Janet Young
Director of Well-being & Health Services, TELUS
Past Event
Previous conference highlights:
Last year’s Better Workplace Conference 2022, explored the components of a healthy work culture and what a “better” workplace really means, we took a deep dive into the challenges leaders face today and heard from leaders who are dedicated to cultivating a healthy and caring workplace culture. Here are some highlights:
839
Past Attendees
Attendees by job function
Attendees by job title
Some of our noteworthy speakers from BWC 2022
Dr. Lisa Belanger
Behavioural Change Expert, Researcher
Hamza Khan
Future of Work Expert, Author of Leadership, Reinvented
Anthony McLean
Leadership, Mental Health, Inclusivity
Tina Varughese
Cross-Cultural Communication and Diversity Expert
Testimonials
Advisory Board
Angela M. Francoeur
BBA, Interim Director of Strategic Planning, WorkSafeNB
Corrina Hill
Manager, Health and Recovery Services, BC Hydro
Michael Lavis
Chief Executive Officer, Creative Options Regina
Eric Pfeiffer
Senior Consultant, Workplace Well-being, Manulife
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
Register
Connect, explore, and get inspired to create a better workplace using credible, evidence-based information.
Registration now closed, if you are an attendee please login here.
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.
Register With Confidence
We Take a Research-First Approach
As Canada’s foremost independent research organization, we’re dedicated to building a culture of evidence-based decision-making across Canadian organizations.
We’re Experienced
Last year’s Better Workplace Conference was our biggest ever. This year’s highly anticipated 26th annual BWC will continue to deliver on our promise of excellence and evidence.
We’re Leading the Conversation
The Conference Board of Canada is featuring more experts than ever before. Hear from progressive organizations and industry thought leaders who bring both practical and academic perspectives.
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