Significant barriers are faced by LGBTQ+ professionals at every stage of their careers, according to a new report from Pride in Leadership which exposes widespread homophobia in UK workplaces.

The report, called Barriers to LGBTQ+ Career Progression in the UK, is the first of its kind which combines qualitative and quantitative data from over 1,000 LGBTQ+ professionals. 

85% of respondents said they have encountered career obstacles due to their identity, ranging from discrimination in promotions and a lack of LGBTQ+ representation in leadership, to verbal and physical attacks at work.

‘Stark’ lack of LGBTQ+ data

Claire Ebrey, co-founder of Pride in Leadership, and founder of On The Level Consultancy said: 

“While other areas of diversity have been studied extensively, there has been a stark lack of data on LGBTQ+ experiences in the workplace until now. We hope it will drive real change, empowering organisations and policymakers to create truly inclusive environments where LGBTQ+ professionals can achieve their potential.”

The report also shows that the challenges intensify as careers progress, with one in four LGBTQ+ business owners or entrepreneurs reporting experiences of workplace abuse.

Denied job opportunities

More than half (56%) of respondents said their LGBTQ+ identity influenced their career choices, steering them away from certain industries, roles or locations due to fears of discrimination or lack of support.

16% believed they had been denied job opportunities because of their identity and a quarter of respondents had turned down job offers, or refused to apply for roles, in geographical locations they deemed less LGBTQ+-friendly, such as the Middle East.

One respondent, for example, said an employer commented that “they didn’t want poofs working for them”, and another said a company director changed their stance upon discovering they were gay and HIV-positive.

A third don’t disclose

Due to these obstacles, 32% said they never disclose their identity to clients or customers. 

The report calls for urgent reforms, including stronger legal protections against workplace discrimination, greater transparency in hiring practices, and more inclusive leadership. 

Matt Haworth, co-founder of Pride in Leadership and Digital Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, said: 

“This research reflects what I’ve seen as a gay leader. From homophobia in meetings to being invited on trade missions to a country where I could be sentenced to death just for being me… the playing field is far from level.”

Despite DEI backlash, now not time to cut back

Haworth added that, despite the current DEI backlash emanating from America, “now is not the time for organisations to step back from EDI initiatives”.

“We need renewed commitment. Everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed – regardless of who they love or how they identify,” he said.

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Empowering LGBTQIA+ employees in the workplace

Still on the fence about joining us on 7–8 May at ExCel London for The Watercooler Event and co-located The Office Event? Or perhaps you’re planning how to make the most of your time whilst you’re at the show?

In this final preview of our event series, we’ve rounded up nine powerful, interconnected themes that the free-to-attend conference and workshop sessions will explore—each designed to prepare you for a world of work where change is the only constant. From strategic insights to practical takeaways, sessions have been carefully curated to help you navigate uncertainty in an increasingly volatile world, support your people more effectively, and unlock their full potential—now and into the future.

Now in its fourth year, The Watercooler Event brings together two days of cutting-edge thinking on employee health, wellbeing, workplace culture, engagement and leadership. It’s where ideas are exchanged, connections are made, and the future of work takes shape. With The Office Event running alongside, you’ll gain the full 360° perspective on the evolving workspace and workplace experience—from people to place, and everything in between.

I’ve listed some of the sessions linked to these themes, but the list is not exhaustive. There are three main stages and three workshop theatres. To find all of the sessions relevant to your information needs, take a look at the full agendas here and use the filter tool to navigate.

1. Productivity now belongs in the wellbeing conversation

Productivity is a vital pillar of the future of work—yet for years, it was often viewed as being at odds with workplace culture, employee health, and wellbeing. That mindset is shifting. There’s now a growing recognition that supporting employees isn’t just a moral imperative—it’s a strategic one, with tangible benefits for both people and performance. This shift also reflects an increasing recognition that, to maintain investment, employers need to find ways to prove ROI. Focusing on how initiatives support productivity and performance is one way to do this. Some of the sessions that will hone in on this crucial theme include:

• The future of work 3.0 – the workforce, workspace and the tech that enables it with Phil Askham, Head of Organisational Change & Employee Experience, Montfort Communications and Geoff McDonald, Former Global VP HR Unilever & Director, Geoff McDonald Consulting
• This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain – is personal autonomy the key to mental wellbeing? with Will Hutton, Author, This Time No Mistakes and Mark Malcomson, Principal and Chief Executive, City Lit
• Workplace design and productivity – the art of balancing the two together – with Ana Stanojevic, Principal & Practice Group Manager – Workplace, Arcadis, Chris Moriaty, Co-founder, Audiem and Caroline Pontifex, Director, Head of Workplace & Design, Savills

2. Inclusivity: a non-negotiable

While political and cultural pressures from the US are leading some organisations to pull back on inclusion efforts, much of the content at both The Watercooler and The Office Events emphasises that inclusivity remains a cornerstone of the future of work. For anyone experiencing push back, the strategies and practical tips shared will provide you with valuable insights to bolster your approach including:

• Prioritising inclusive mental health and wellbeing programmes as a strategic imperative to deliver real benefits with Claire Wilkinson, HR Lead – Wellbeing, ERGs and Functions – Europe & India, Aecom, Marcus Herbert, Senior Wellbeing Manager, Royal Mail, Inês Reis, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing & Employee, Fujitsu and Craig Redihough, Group Belonging & Wellbeing Manager, Sky
• Empowering inclusive women’s health & wellbeing – taking a wider approach – with Ruth Jackson, Chief People Officer, The Gym Group, Matt Grisedale, Senior People Champion, E.On and Deborah Garlick, Director, Henpicked
• Why accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s business – the CCEP journey – with Mohammed Koheeallee, QESH Coordinator & Lead Accessibility Ambassador, Coca Cola Europacific Partners
• Author Spotlight: Why gender equality is the best thing to happen to men – with Dr Michelle Penelope King, Author, The Fix & How Work Works

3. Personalisation and data: turning insight into impact

A growing gap exists between the health and wellbeing support employees need and what’s currently being provided. As the future of work moves beyond one-size-fits-all solutions, personalisation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. But making that shift isn’t easy. It requires smart, data-driven strategies that translate insight into meaningful action. At the event, sessions that will explore practical ways to bring personalised, data-led strategies to life, helping organisations meet diverse needs while driving better outcomes and tracking impact include:

• Inclusive and personalised rewards and benefits – why data is the key – with Alex Shaw, Managing Director, &Me by Holland & Barrett, Lisa Aslam, Principal Benefits Manager, Total Rewards, Workday, Astha Mittal, Director- Global Benefits and Mobility, Wella Company
• Leveraging the power of data to bring the ‘people and place’ worlds together – with Jamie Davis, Director of Workplace Strategy, Fidelity International, Leah Jones, Deputy Director Workplace Experience, Government Property Agency and
• Data-driven approaches to support staff based on their intersectionality – with Nina Goswami, Head of Inclusion UK, Clifford Chance, Stephen Haynes, Director of Wellbeing Consultancy, British Safety Council, Wendy Macartney, Senior People Partner, Nedbank Private Wealth International and Arti Kashyap-Aynsley, Global Head of Wellbeing & Inclusion, Ocado Group

4. Prevention, early intervention & the power of AI

As the UK government urges employers to play a greater role in their push to “get Britain working”, workplace culture, health, and wellbeing have become national priorities. With stress, burnout, and long-term sickness on the rise, organisations must act—moving beyond reactive support to adopt proactive, preventative strategies. By investing in prevention and early intervention, employers can also build healthier, more resilient teams while reducing costs and boosting retention. And when AI enters the equation, the potential to personalise and scale these efforts grows exponentially. Explore how to harness this powerful combination in sessions focused on practical, future-ready solutions including:

• Employee assistance – what to expect from the next generation of EAPs with Dr Catherine McKinven, Clinical Lead, Lyra UK & Ireland
• AI: the key to beating burnout and boosting productivity? with Peter Cheese, CEO, CIPD, Kirstin Furber, People Director, Channel 4 and Petra Velzeboer, CEO Founder, PVL
• How businesses can reduce absence by supporting musculoskeletal health in the workplace with Lina Chauhan, Musculoskeletal & Ergonomic Specialist – BA Health Services, British Airways
• Proactively supporting global employee mental health and wellbeing with Kristina Adey-Davies, Head of Wellbeing & Inclusion – Global, Freshfields, Fergal O’Connor, Finance Director EMEAI Finance & Accounting, United Airlines and Stella Gavinho, Group Head of Wellbeing, Entain
• How employers can support the government’s shift to preventative healthcare with Gethin Nadin, Chair, Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing and
• The link between the food we eat and our health crisis – what employers can do to help with Dr Dolly van Tulleken, Visiting Scientist, MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet & Activity Research (CEDAR) and Faraz Shoghi, Senior Service Manager – Occupational Health, Jaguar Land Rover

5. Wellbeing 3.0: integrating health, culture and performance

In her article “The Next Evolution of Wellbeing is About Performance,” Rachel Fellowes, Chief Wellbeing Officer at Aon, charts the evolution of workplace wellbeing—from its early, well-meaning beginnings (Wellbeing 1.0), to a more structured yet siloed approach (Wellbeing 2.0), and now to Wellbeing 3.0: a fully integrated, strategic model that connects employee wellbeing directly to both people and business performance. This next evolution embraces the full spectrum—physical, mental, social, environmental wellbeing, and job design—and recognises that lasting impact comes from weaving wellbeing into the fabric of organisational strategy. At the event, sessions will bring this to life, exploring how workplace culture, health, skills, engagement and employee experience can come together to powerfully shape the future of work including:

• How to create a thriving workplace culture and survive a toxic one with Jason Bloomfield, Global Head of People Change & Experience Design, Ericsson and Barbara Jeffery, Partner, McKinsey & Company
• Building a skills-based environment to effectively train and retain talent and underpin employee health and wellbeing– with Rob Baker, Founder, Tailored Thinking
• Building a thriving workplace – psychological safety and employee wellbeing – with Carole Spiers, Chair, International Stress Management Association (ISMA) and Carole Smets, Change Management – Head of Corporate Sustainability, Pernod Ricard

6. From boomers to zoomers: thriving in a multi-generational workplace

As AI and new technologies reshape the way we work, the generational divide in the workplace is becoming more pronounced—bringing different values, expectations, and communication styles to the forefront. Employers must understand and meet the needs of the younger generations entering the workplace, whilst also navigating changing workplace dynamics and fostering collaboration. If you’re looking for practical ways to navigate this complexity and drive long-term success across all demographics, don’t miss these insightful sessions:

• Understanding and supporting the next generation and their relationship with work – with Dr Eliza Filby, Author, Inheritocracy and Dame Carol Black GBE, Independent Adviser & Chair, Centre for Ageing Better
• Mind the workplace gap – from boomers to zoomers – with Emily Warren, Director – Inclusion, Diversity & Wellbeing, Avanade, Matt Wood, CEO, Millwood Servicing and Ronen Journo, Head of European Management Services, Hines
• From Boomers to Gen Z, Integrating Fitness into Workplace Wellbeing – with Matt Hatcher, Director of Business Development, Hussle and Colin Campbell, Top 1% Podcast Host

7. The ever-more pivotal role of leadership

In today’s evolving world of work, one thing is clear: leadership makes the difference. Employers are increasingly recognising that building thriving teams requires more than policies and tick-box exercises. Investing in leadership development isn’t just about individual capability; it’s a powerful lever for breaking down silos, fostering psychological safety, and embedding a culture of engagement and trust across the organisation. Mainstage sessions and hands-on workshops will bring cutting-edge strategies to life, offering practical insights to help leaders at every level make a lasting impact including:

• Overcoming silos to embed health and wellbeing – by focusing on leadership development – with Fiona McAslan, Head of Wellbeing, Royal Mail Group, Gary Acheson, Head of L&D, Rapport and Polly Joseph, Talent and Wellbeing Partner, Hollywood Bowl Group
• Cadent case study – the Manager’s Role in Creating Psychological Safety – with Rebecca Eaton, Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, Safety, Health, Environment & Security, Cadent and Eileen Donnelly, Founder, Ripple&Co
• Refill the cup – a guided rest for people leaders – with Lee Godwin, Head of Sales EMEA, Modern Health and Anne-Sophie Fluri, Founder, Brainwave
• How to create Psychological Safety through compassionate leadership – with Dr Natalie Isaia, CEO & Founder, Empresa Psychology

8. Rising costs and the growing demand for financial wellbeing

With inflation still stubbornly high, energy prices climbing, and uncertainty around US trade tariffs looming, financial pressures are mounting—for both individuals and organisations. It’s no surprise that financial wellbeing is top of mind for many, with 25% of pre-registered attendees for The Watercooler Event highlighting it as a key area of interest. Alongside this, the rising cost of health insurance and the increase in NI contributions are becoming increasingly urgent concerns for leaders seeking sustainable ways to support their teams. If you’re looking for strategies to navigate these financial challenges while still investing in employee wellbeing, sessions focused on these critical issues include:

• Focus on prevention – tackling rising employee healthcare costs through a holistic approach – with Lauren Lunniss, Health & Wellbeing Lead, BNP Paribas, Luke Bullen, VP, UK & Ireland, Wellhub and Katharine Moxham, Spokesperson, Group Risk Development (GRiD)
• Building a financially fit workforce in 2025 through tailored benefits – with Jane Clifford, People Director, Brewers, Gary Kindon, HR Director, Teva and Claire Blomley, Senior Benefits Manager, Teva
• Financial wellbeing that works – practical strategies for HR and reward leaders – with Katy Henrickson, Co-Founder, WellFi

9. Connection and community: rebuilding belonging in the modern workplace

In a world that’s more digitally connected yet often more emotionally disconnected than ever, the need for genuine community has never been more urgent. The content across both The Watercooler and The Office events speaks directly to this challenge—highlighting the power of human connection in shaping healthier, more inclusive and engaging workplaces. Professionals from across Wellbeing, Benefits, Occupational Health, Health & Safety, L&D, Employee Engagement, Culture & Transformation, Workplace Experience, Design and Facilities are invited to come together at The Watercooler to break down silos, spark collaboration, and reimagine what a truly connected workplace can look like.

This is just a taste of what’s on offer. For the full experience, take a look at the full agendas on the website, plan your day and join us in person on 7th and 8th May at Excel.

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Content, networking, launches and competitions at The Watercooler Event

From strategy to solutions: what to discover at The Watercooler and The Office Events

It’s increasingly recognised as a given that investing in managers’ wellbeing is investing in the future of a business (as explored in this feature on how to support line manager better).

However, what can Health & Wellbeing do about the unavoidable reality that line managers today have so many different responsibilities that they often feel overwhelmed, and in this state it can be harder to support others effectively? (In this feature, we explore the possible reasons behind why line managers, according to research, are seemingly struggling to support employee wellbeing.)

As we discussed in this article, the first essential steps are using data to organise the right line manager training, setting up measurement frameworks and using the right language to describe your goals and solutions.

But, once training is in place, what can Health and Wellbeing professionals do to make sure the learnings actually stick?

Here are some ideas…

1. Make sure managers understand what resources are available 

In particular, ensure they know which Mental Health experts they can signpost to, so they don’t feel the pressure to be a Health and Wellbeing expert themselves (which is a common fear).

Deborah Wilson, Country Manager UK and ROI, Lyra Health, says: “an area where many employers struggle is empowering their managers through the EAP; helping line managers understand what services it can offer, how it can benefit them but, more importantly, how it benefits their employees who might be looking to them.”

This issue of ensuring line managers know what resources are available, and where to signpost people, has become even more pronounced in the age of digital media and information overload.

“15 years ago we didn’t have such a huge amount of information but now we have information coming from everywhere, all the time,” says Rachel Lewis, Managing Partner at Affinity Health at Work. 

“Often employer wellbeing portals are massive with loads of benefits but no one knows where to start, or how to find the right ones. Line managers are vital here. They are the gatekeepers and can recognise what is happening with their team members and what they need.”

2. Ensure line managers know they can use the EAP to support themselves to support their team

Wilson continues: “line managers can call in to an EAP and speak to a counsellor straight off the bat and just say ‘I’m faced with this situation and I don’t really know what questions to ask or what to say’.”

This is an effective, quick way to get personalised, expert information and ensure that anything a line manager does say is sensitive and well thought through.

“And who better to speak to than a counsellor who’s going to be empathetic and do this day in day out? It’s like having a subject matter expert on hand to coach you through it and support you, considering you as an individual and giving you that personalised care yourself.”

3. Power of role play

Even before a line manager gets in a situation where he or she may benefit from calling the EAP to get coached through a situation, encourage them to role play scenarios before the event happens.

“One of the best things managers can do is call the EAP with a scenario and go through the process, to understand it,” says Wilson. 

“We always encourage that. Employers should ask managers to do this as part of their onboarding because it brings the process to life and managers will face a lot of different scenarios during their career from loss to child related issues.”

The big advantage of doing it in a role play situation is that the manager will not be in fight or flight mode (as would often be the case in a highly charged situation with a direct report) so would be able to think, process and absorb the information better.

“It can be difficult to talk about these topics in the heat of a situation,” adds Wilson.

4. Don’t treat training like a ‘one and done’

We talk a lot here about how Health and Wellbeing cannot be a ‘one and done’. But many employers are struggling with how to keep the training, learnings and behaviour visible – hence the rise of the phrase ‘Visible Wellbeing Leadership’.

One way Kamwell suggests in its training that is essential to do this is to focus on supporting line managers to “lead with energy”, as energy is contagious. Put high energy out there, you’ll get high energy back. The opposite is also true.

Kamwell’s third module looks at supporting line managers by learning about sleep, rest and resilience, all of which will help sustain energy.

5. Train line managers earlier

One of the reasons that line managers often feel out of their depth (apart from the growing number of different tasks landing on their desk, not just Wellbeing) is that, often, they haven’t had training in people management before they get promoted.

Some companies are trying to address this in order to increase the quality of line managers and to help them hit the ground running in their new roles. This means identifying potential top people-managing talent early on, and nurturing them towards a management role.

6. Focus on building the team, not just the individual 

As this article on resilience concludes, the consistent message from all contributors has been that resilience can’t happen in isolation. It happens as part of a wider community. That means that whilst it’s important to have processes for supporting individuals – whether that be through line manager training or an employee with career plans and feedback – ultimately one of the most powerful things you can do is consider the team as a collective.

“This is what we’re doing at Osborne Clarke; focusing on creating strong, thriving, resilient teams,” says Jo Forbes, Health, Safety & Wellbeing Strategy Manager, Osborne Clarke.

This involves, as Forbes says, listening to what team members say about their working environment and then “taking action to maintain the things people value and change the aspects causing them unnecessary stress. In this way, we can continually improve working life for our people”.

7. Develop sustainable work allocation processes and working practices

These are also focus areas for Osborne Clarke. 

“We’re making sure our work allocation processes amongst our legal teams are fair so that people have equal opportunity to do the best work and that there is an even spread of work across the teams,” says Forbes.

The law firm is also looking at its ways of working, trying to build in best practice around common drains on people’s time like inefficient meetings and too many emails.

“It is so important that we make meetings and emails as efficient as possible so people have enough clear time in their working day to focus and progress their priority work. If they are able to do this more, it will not only lead to smarter performance but should reduce their stress levels too,” she says.

“So, for me, it’s about creating resilient and sustainable teams by first and foremost looking at the underlying causes of workplace stress and changing processes and working habits where needed. If the underlying causes are not addressed, ‘resilience training’ for individuals can only ever have limited impact.”

8. Create a peer to peer supportive network

Gary Acheson, Head of Learning & Development at Rapport Guest Services, believes that one of the “biggest benefits” from the line manager development programme he saw was “the network of peers and managers” created from the classroom learning.

Similarly, Jane Clifford, People Director, Brewers, says that creating a face to face network of line managers through training has been fundamental in supporting these managers to thrive, so they can support their teams.

As she explains in this article, following survey feedback that showed some managers were feeling lonely being in this management position, she organised for every one of the company’s 200 branch managers to meet face to face last year for training.

The way she’s done this is by arguing the case for creating some face to face training where line managers can come together and meet in person to forge supportive connections with each other. 

Although this is at a greater expense than simply online training, many employers are finding the benefits of doing this for relationship building are very valuable. 

In its work with Gatwick Airport, too, Affinity Health at Work gave managers access to a follow up programme of activities for six months after the initial two day training. This included group coaching sessions which also built on community, maintaining connections and sharing learnings.

9. Create content that supports line managers

“We’re lucky that we have a videographer in the business,” says Clifford. 

She explains that even a short video of two employees talking to each other about mental health can make the idea of having a chat at work about these topics at work less intimidating and normalise it, making it easier for line managers trying to broach these topics with team members. 

“It helps people feel like ‘oh look, there’s Michael and Gemma talking about it’ and imagining themselves talking about it,” says Clifford.

10. Don’t write any managers off

Lewis says that just because these skills don’t come naturally to all line managers, does not mean they can’t be taught. “It’s not that some managers can do them, and some can’t. Managers can be trained to show these behaviours,” she says.

In actual fact, training can have the most benefit for those managers who struggle most with people management. Lewis gives the example of working with Gatwick Airport. The programme created for their leadership was particularly effective for managers who were rated lower by their colleagues at the start.

11. Hold managers accountable

There’s much talk of wellbeing-related KPIs and managers being held accountable for their team’s wellbeing, but less employers actually doing this yet.

Professionals like Arti Kashyap-Aynsley, Global Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion at Ocado, believe this is a good idea:

“Ultimately it’s a part of their responsibilities as the manager and they are held to account on those principles at Ocado,” she says.

At Bowel Cancer UK, wellbeing questions are now formally built into a line manager’s one to one team discussions. It’s a requirement that the line manager now asks the employee ‘how is your wellbeing? How are you feeling?’.

“This opens up conversations so people feel more confident about sharing information,” says Kate Sarama, Head of HR, Bowel Cancer UK. “We find that if it’s on a form, it’s a bit easier because the line manager has almost got a script and the employee will know it’s coming.”

12. Empower your line managers to make necessary changes

If you make line managers accountable, but don’t empower them to be able to effect any change in their team’s jobs, then you will breed resentment and a sense of powerlessness amongst them.

Line managers should take responsibility for identifying any damaging pressures being put on an employee, then have some way to mitigate these pressures. For example, they should have some say in work and job design and be able to reduce the negative impact of certain environmental factors.

This can be a tricky balance to strike. As Sarama says, line managers at the charity are “empowered to a certain degree but if it concerns work that has been agreed for the year, and is in the schedule, then they would have to refer the matter up to the senior leadership team”.

So, it’s important there is a clear pathway in place for these situations. The worst thing a line manager can do is identify an issue and then do nothing, or be able to do nothing

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Why Brewers ‘feels like a company that respects workers a lot more than corporate companies’

We now know, and there’s much research evidence to back it up, that finding a sense of belonging at work is vital to maintaining happy, engaged, productive employees.

If employers can create a sense of belonging, then the impacts on employee wellbeing are huge.

With this sense comes the feeling that an employee can bring their whole self to work, which makes them feel energised, creative and able to bring critical thinking to their role, instead of seeing work merely as means to an end.

Different support needed now

But our personal and work lives have completely changed over the past few years and now require a different kind of support to help us feel that we truly belong. 

Employees are, today, looking for an organisation whose goals and values that they can relate to. If a company’s goals and corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach aligns with theirs, this creates an environment where they feel like they can be part of a wider purpose. They can also connect with their colleagues through this shared goal.

This “culture first” approach is becoming more and more popular when recruiting new employees. 

Employees want relatability

To attract talent, there’s a bigger emphasis on having a relatability to the values that organisation holds. For instance, 40% of active job hunters cite company culture as the most important factor in finding a new position.

As an employer, we’re finding that interviewees are commonly now asking questions about subjects such as business sustainability, CSR strategies and the overarching values of the business. 

Practical tips for creating a culture of belonging

Creating a culture of belonging doesn’t happen by accident, though — it takes intention, action and continuous learning.

When you’re considering how you can help employees feel a sense of belonging, HR is one function that can really help. 

Top 3 tips for HR teams to demonstrate purpose:

1. Put company culture at the forefront of the recruitment process. Think about your company message on your website, social media and job adverts and how this appeals to people with shared values.
2. Be clear about your onboarding process. Plan how to introduce new starters to the values and purpose, including how they’re welcomed to the company in advance so they understand the company culture and can how the company aligns with their own values.
3. Invest in management training and ensure that the team feel connected to their line manager. Employees should see their line manager as the first point of support.

Golden thread

It’s important to think about how to make people feel included from day one. Organisations are made up of lots of different cultures – it’s okay to recognise that one size does not fit all. As long as you’ve got a golden thread that brings them everyone together to create community in the workplace, then this is an environment that can support and encourage everyone’s individual identity.

About the author

Vicky Walker is Chief People Officer at Westfield Health and has over 20 years’ experience in client-centric HR environments. She is a solution-oriented leader whose priority is to look after Westfield Health’s people so they can deliver the best possible service. Her remit is to deliver the strategic vision, create a people focused plan and make Westfield Health a top 100 employer.

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In the intricate tapestry of organisational structure, managers act as the crucial thread that weaves together the strategic vision of the senior leaders with the operational fabric of the workforce. Their position, however, is one of precarious balance, teetering between the demands from above and the needs from below, a balance that is critical not only for achieving corporate goals but also for ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees. 

The management conundrum

Managers play a pivotal role – turning strategy into action while supporting teams and meeting targets. The job demands leadership, empathy, and brings its own pressures. When stress builds at the top, it often spreads, affecting team morale and performance.

Since the pandemic, expectations for psychological safety have grown. People want to speak up without fear. Yet many managers still lack the confidence to respond – highlighting a growing gap we can’t afford to ignore.

Catching up is vital, as psychological safety is increasingly linked to physical safety at work. When employees feel safe to speak up, they’re more likely to flag hazards, leading to safer environments. One survey found that those who felt psychologically unsafe were 80% more likely to be injured, while workers discouraged from reporting issues were 2.4 times more likely to get hurt.

This underscores the importance of fostering a workplace environment where employees feel supported and respected, which in turn can lead to safer physical work conditions.

But how many managers truly recognise their role in supporting wellbeing? Many still defer to HR, unaware or uncomfortable with the responsibility. But without embracing it, they risk becoming blockers to progress. Organisations must clearly define this role and equip managers to own it.

Emotional intelligence: the keystone of effective management

Emotional intelligence (EI) is essential for psychological safety. Managers who can recognise and manage emotions—both their own and others’—build more empathetic, effective teams.

Traditional, theory-heavy training often fails to change behaviour. Instead, emotionally engaging, practical experiences help managers apply learning in real situations.

Like learning to drive, EI develops through doing. Knowing how something works isn’t enough—it’s the practice that matters. Managers need hands-on opportunities to apply and reflect on these skills to embed them into everyday leadership.

Experiential learning: a pathway to improvement

Using an experiential learning model, such as that developed by Kolb (1), is a powerful and effective tool, in upskilling managers, where they are immersed in a practical, hands-on experience that challenges them to solve real-world problems and make critical decisions.  Through this experiential model, Ripple&Co’s clients have seen managers grow significantly in confidence in taking a human-centric approach and holding supportive conversations – core to the Talkworks approach.

The training uses facilitator-actors to deliver authentic, experiential learning. Managers work through realistic scenarios from their own workplace – observing, giving feedback, and practising conversations in small groups, guided by a facilitator, all within a safe, supportive environment.

When delegates were asked – “To what extent does the following statement reflect how you feel? I feel confident about having a support conversation with a member of my team,” 87.5% of delegates responded, “True of me or Very true of me,” and 100% of delegates responded, “Somewhat true, True of me or Very true of me”.

You can watch an example here:

Conversation is a core tool for managers. A human-centric approach relies on their ability to communicate with empathy and authenticity.

How everyday managerial behaviour shapes the work environment

1. Control and power

Managers hold significant influence over employees’ careers – shaping pay, roles, and even reputations through feedback. The HSE Management Standards highlight just how much managers set the tone for workplace culture.

To use this power well, managers should create environments that offer autonomy within business constraints – like flexible hours, project choice, or development opportunities. Even when final decisions rest with the manager, involving employees and offering choice builds trust, engagement, and a healthier work environment.

2. Influence

Managers are often unintentional role models – closely watched for behaviour, tone, and decisions. Even small mood shifts or throwaway comments can be misread as signals about performance or team stability.

This visibility means managers must be mindful of their actions and the ripple effects. At the same time, the pressure it creates shouldn’t be underestimated.

In today’s complex environment, employees seek not just information, but meaning. A transparent approach—sharing feelings, explaining decisions, and aligning with values—builds trust and confidence.

3. Identity, significance and ripple effect

Work is more than a place. It shapes identity, self-esteem, and purpose. People find meaning through their roles, skills, and achievements, while shared goals create a sense of belonging and community.

The impact of work extends beyond the office or worksite. Research consistently shows that satisfaction and happiness at work can enhance overall life satisfaction, contributing to less stress and more happiness in personal life. The interpersonal relationships we have at work are the main driver of job satisfaction and 86% of that is the relationship with management (2).

Managers shape workplace culture by recognising each employee’s unique contributions and roles beyond work. Fostering inclusion and trust boosts not just workplace wellbeing, but also positively impacts employees’ lives outside of work.

But what about the managers?

Middle management is often seen as one of the most demanding roles in organisations. Tasked with delivering results, enforcing policies, and motivating teams, they carry heavy workloads and high stress levels. While many report job satisfaction, nearly one in four frequently feel overwhelmed—some even regret their roles or consider leaving due to stress.

This group, critical to operational success, faces challenges that affect not just their wellbeing but also their ability to lead and support teams effectively. It highlights the need for support beyond professional development, with a focus on mental health, resilience, and self-care.

Training like Ripple&Co’s Talkworks helps managers build emotional intelligence to better support others—and themselves—by recognising and managing stress, impulses, and anxiety.

Middle managers aren’t just cogs in the machine; they’re the linchpins of thriving organisations, especially in hybrid and remote settings. Valuing and supporting them is essential for long-term resilience.

About the author:

Eileen Donnelly is CEO of Ripple&Co. Over her 20-year career, she has been instrumental in guiding companies towards purpose-driven strategies and cultures, tackling issues from climate change to mental health, culminating in a directorial role at a global FTSE 250 firm. Founding Ripple&Co in 2019, she now partners with giants like Mott MacDonald, NatWest, Cadent Gas and Virgin, championing workforce wellbeing through holistic mental health and wellbeing programmes, to enhance productivity, talent attraction, and retention.

www.rippleandco.com

References:

1 – Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, 1984

2 – De Neve, Oxford University 2019

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Deborah Garlick, Director, Henpicked, is one of the names synonymous with the menopause revolution in the UK workplace, and she’ll be speaking on a panel about inclusive women’s Health & Wellbeing at The Watercooler on 7 & 8th May in London.

This panel will be looking at how to take a wider approach to women’s health, which is something Garlick feels strongly is the right move now, given the campaign around menopause has put the topic firmly on the corporate and political agenda.

We caught up with her to find out more ahead of her panel at The Watercooler…

You are a big believer that, when it comes to menopause awareness at work, the UK is doing it best. Why is that?

I often credit employers as being the ones who have actually made the biggest impact on this front.

If we rewind to 2016, there wasn’t a menopause policy in the whole of the UK. At that time I was working with the team who wrote the Government Equality Office report on the effects of menopause on economic participation in the UK. 

That resulted in headlines that said the UK is losing billions every year because bosses don’t understand menopause. That create a huge trigger for many UK employers to take action.

E.on was one that took early action, right?

Yes. Its menopause policy was published in 2017, and I’m aware of two others published that year because I was involved in all of them. (Matt Grisdale, Senior People Champion at E.on will be sitting on the same panel as Deborah at the Watercooler Event).

All three were very different in their approach – and they had to be because every organisation is unique with different leadership styles, cultures and job roles. 

So, yes, you can download a policy off Chat GBT today but that doesn’t mean it’ll work for your organisation. We see factual inaccuracies when employers do this too. The best policies come from when you’ve clearly listened to your people and created something that is right for your organisation and its employees.

Any other advice on writing a good menopause strategy?

It should absolutely not be a tick box exercise, created and stored with other policies. You need to bring it to life, embed it into the culture and practices of your organisation. Regularly communicate it. Engage with your people around it. Otherwise, you might as well not bother and you’ll probably find the organisation is more at risk from tribunals.

How so?

When somebody goes to tribunal, one of the first questions that is asked is ‘what’s the policy in your organisation?’

And if you’ve written a company policy and just stashed it away without engaging people and upskilling people, you’re more at risk of losing a tribunal.

When you look at the tribunals where employers have lost, there is a consistent theme around line managers who don’t know about menopause or how to support someone.

You have a Master’s and your specialism was financial strategy. Did this help in terms of credibility when fighting for employers and government to take note of the impact of menopause on economic activity?

It’s definitely a benefit because I know how corporates work. I know that if you want to do anything in an organisation you’ve got to look at a return on investment. You’ve got to say how does this contribute to the business? Menopause programmes can actually save employers money!

How easy is it to link things like menopause to reduced economic activity?

It’s like anything to do with wellbeing; it’s very difficult.

But we tend to switch the ROI equation around.

We say that we know X number of people experience symptoms. We’ve got research showing X women consider leaving work. We’ve got research saying X leave. So, we encourage employers to consider that if you can save one person leaving your organisation, you save the cost of replacing that individual and, if the programme costs less than that, it’s already making a positive impact on your bottom line.

Because we’ve been supporting employers for nearly a decade now, we have researchers looking at the impact these programmes have made.

Are you seeing organisations cut back on training at the moment with the financial pressures, like National Insurance Contribution increases?

There’s concern about the economy, general cutbacks, headcount reductions and redundancies. Sending out wellbeing messages while there are redundancy programmes happening doesn’t sit comfortably. It makes people ask: why are you spending on this when you’re laying people off?

But remember that research tells us that people increasingly look for employers that look after them, and if employers want to retain and attract talent, wellbeing programmes are essential.

So what’s  your advice to Health and Wellbeing professionals in this current cutting climate?

Remember it’s cyclical. 

I’ve worked in corporate life for over 40 years now and worked through everything from Covid to all sorts of purchase order freezes.

Trust, and have faith that it will change. Don’t stop what you’re doing.

The key for me is that many organisations have made huge progress on menopause. But we can’t stop until the job’s done. 

How can they keep going if the messaging might not sit comfortably in the current cutting climate?

We offer all sorts of opportunities to keep going without costing employers a lot. For example, we do lunch and learn programmes and great value training and membership options. Use things like that to keep the drumbeat going.

As well as financial pressures like the NIC rises, employers also have to think about legislation like the Employment Rights Bill. How’s that going to impact the market do you think?

Yes, that is thundering through parliament right now, which is understandable given Labour’s manifesto was all about making work pay.

There’s a big focus on women’s health and keeping women in work. 

For instance, all employers with over 250 employees must now have an ‘equality action plan’. When it was first published it actually said ‘menopause action plan’. Of course, I was happy about that! But I’m very aware that the conversations around menopause have opened up the conversations around women’s health more widely.

And do you think that’s where employers should focus more going forward, widening the focus of women’s health?

Yes. We’ve been doing menstruation training for two years now,  and it was primarily because organisations told us that after doing sessions on menopause they were getting more queries about other lifestages. We’ve now got a Menstruation Friendly Membership and a range of training options.

Where would you like the conversation to go now?

Menstrual health is really important. 

One in 10 women experience endometriosis, for example, but we are constantly hearing that people have no idea they might be experiencing a menstrual health condition. 

Women are still told that the pain is just something to ‘put up with’ for the next 40 years when, actually, there could be things they could do to help prevent them being held back at work because of it.

And there are lots of other conditions besides endometriosis.

The fact that careers are still being so held back simply because you’re a woman is shocking to me.

Women make up nearly half of the UK’s labour market and their economic participation is key to productivity. We’re an aging population and, for most of us, it takes two incomes to pay the mortgage. So the best thing employers can do is make workplaces women friendly.

The more we raise awareness, provide education and support, the more we avoid losing more women. That is still what gets me up every day.

---

You can hear Deborah speak at The Watercooler Event, which takes place on 7th and 8th May 2025 at ExCeL in London, which is Europe’s leading trade show, with free-to-attend content, dedicated to creating workplaces that empower both people and business to thrive. She’s speaking on Day 1, as part of the Prevention, Intervention, Holistic & Inclusive Wellbeing stream.

You can find out more and register to attend here.

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‘AI can create better jobs & less stress, but only if we plan for a future that mitigates risks, and benefits us all’

In the lead-up to Mental Health Awareness Week—this year centred on the theme of “community”—AXA has released its fifth Mind Health Report, uncovering a striking insight: nearly three-quarters (71%) of Gen Z adults aged 18–28 say they find it difficult to stay focused during conversations, often reaching for their phones just two minutes and 15 seconds in.

The poll* of 2,000 UK adults also found that 39% feel a ‘strong urge’ to look at their phone while conversing with someone in real life. Social events (28%), speaking with friends (18%) and parents (17%) are some scenarios where the younger generations switch off. And 28% said they are even switching off at work, potentially impacting their productivity.

50% of people in the UK experiencing issues with their mental wellbeing

The survey was conducted to support the fifth annual AXA Mind Health Report**, a study of 17,000 people aged between 18 and 75 from 16 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and American countries, which found that 50% of people in the UK are experiencing issues with their mental wellbeing.

For 18-28-year-olds, the biggest temptations to look at their phone when chatting face-to-face with someone include checking messages (48%), scrolling social media (44%) and even opening YouTube (18%).

Meanwhile phone calls (32%), WhatsApp messages (23%) and social media mentions (14%) are some of the notifications deemed hardest to ignore, as 38% admitted they find real world interaction boring,

And despite the interactions with others via the internet, 63% admit they struggle with real-life interaction – and 77% use their phone as a form of escapism.

Both enlightening and alarming insights

Tara Foley, CEO of AXA UK & Ireland explains: “The results of our fifth Mind Health Report are both enlightening and alarming. As a society we’re so well connected via our screens that sometimes we’re losing the human touch. Phones give us a hit of dopamine which is hugely powerful, especially on younger minds that are still developing. It’s unsurprising so many parents are worried about the impact phone use could be having on their children.

“The way we communicate has evolved dramatically, but not always for the better. While social media and instant messaging allow for constant connection, they can also make us all feel lonelier than ever.

“We hope this research will encourage a more collaborative approach so that solutions which foster resilience and improve mental health outcomes can be developed for everyone, but especially for young people.”

Impact on productivity

This year’s study went on to find 22% of Gen Zs polled find themselves struggling to focus, or lacking productivity every day – as a direct result of phone use.

A third (34%) say their mental health has suffered due to scrolling social media before bed, while 33% have been affected by comparing their appearance to others online.

Just under one in three (32%) are also uncomfortable when they don’t have access to their phone, and 28 per cent say being without their phone causes anxiety.

With 54% admitting they feel under pressure to reply to messages instantly, even when they don’t want to.

Of those who have issues with mental health, the person most would turn to would be a friend (37%) or partner (31%), with only 14% opting for a healthcare professional – the same amount who said they wouldn’t have anyone to confide in.

More than half (56%) have also intentionally taken breaks from social media or phone use, to better their mental health.

Connected yet lonely

Commenting on the report, Dr Linda Papadopoulos, Psychologist and Broadcaster said: “We’re seeing a generation that’s more connected than ever, yet lonelier and more anxious. Constant notifications, endless scrolling and the pressure to be ‘always on’ are overstimulating their nervous systems and fragmenting their attention spans. Excessive phone use can undoubtedly have an impact on young people’s mental health.

“Many I work with will report waking up throughout the night to check if friends have replied on social media apps – impacting mood, sleep and self-esteem. To counter this, we need to help young people build healthier digital habits – not necessarily by removing phones entirely, but by creating structure around their use. That might mean phone-free time in the mornings and evenings, limiting notifications or engaging in daily activities that are screen-free and intentionally present.” 

As part of its ongoing commitment to prioritising mind health—clearly stated on the cover of its latest Mind Health Report—AXA has also launched a new documentary, Group Therapy, now available on Amazon Prime. The film shines a light on the importance of mental wellbeing, exploring the personal experiences of comedians working within the entertainment industry.

*Additional research to support the Mind Health Report campaign was conducted by One Poll between 28 March – 31 March 2025 among 2,000 UK young adults aged 18-28

** AXA Mind Health Report research was conducted between 8 October and 11 November 2024 in 16 countries among representative samples of the population aged 18 – 75 in each country (1,000 in each)

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With so much happening at our vibrant sister events — The Watercooler and co-located The Office Show — at ExCel on 7–8 May, we’ve pulled together a quick guide to help you navigate some exhibitor highlights and make the most of your visit.

It’s great to see the variety of solutions being showcased this year – reflecting the far-ranging content of the three main stages and the three workshop theatres. It really is “A celebration of the future of work, where workplace culture, employee health & wellbeing and workplace experience connect”.

From anaphylactic shock, to beating burnout. Next-generation Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) through to neuroinclusion. Financial wellbeing to menopause, cancer support and ear care. Whatever you’re looking for, with 100+ suppliers showcasing their workplace culture, employee health and wellbeing products and services – as well as an array of workspace and workplace experience solutions – it’s worth planning which exhibitors you want to check out.

Whether you’re just getting started and need help devising a health and wellbeing strategy for your workplace, or you’re moving to the next level of implementation and looking for leadership training to create a culture of psychological safety. Or you’re seeking a digital wellbeing hub that’s easy for colleagues to access, or ways to help employees manage their weight. Or you’re sourcing health insurance for your global workforce, or crisis and trauma support, or ways to help new parents. Or you want to engage teams through sustainability.

Wherever you are on your workplace culture, employee health and wellbeing journey, at The Watercooler there is something for everyone. Co-located with The Office Event for the full 360 degree workplace experience.

Navigating the maze

The exhibitors highlighted are those that responded to our outreach for information about what they’ll be showing. You can find the full exhibitor list here.

When selecting employee health and wellbeing suppliers, it’s also worth referring to this really useful guidance that has been created by the Society of Occupational Medicine, providing evidence-based frameworks to make informed and effective buying decisions.

1. Cost-effective prevention and intervention

With rising rates of stress, burnout, and long-term sickness across the UK workforce, it’s more important than ever for employers to take a proactive and responsive approach to employee wellbeing. Balancing prevention with timely intervention not only supports healthier, more resilient teams but also helps reduce costs and improve retention. A whole host of exhibitors will help you to find the right approach to both cost-effective prevention and intervention for your organisation including:

• Wellhub, one of the event’s Silver Sponsors, provide an easy-to-access corporate wellness platform that connects employees to the best partners for fitness, mindfulness, therapy, nutrition, and sleep, all included in one subscription designed to cost less than each individual partner.
• H&B & Me by high street favourite Holland & Barrett will also be exhibiting with their solution designed to revolutionise employee support for health and wellbeing in the workplace. With H&B & Me, employees can discover their biological age, receive tailored, expert guidance, as well as track their progress to help improve their health and wellbeing. 

2. Coaching, Leadership & Management Development, Workshops and Wellbeing Strategy

Over the past few years, as employers recognise the pivotal role that leaders play in creating thriving teams, and that a tick box approach is not enough to have a real impact, demand for help with devising clinically-informed wellbeing strategies and wellbeing workshops – as well as leadership and management development – has grown. Three of the exhibitors in this space include:

• Empresa Psychology who deliver evidence-based training and support to teams in high-stress environments. This helps to foster trust and create a culture where teams thrive and business excellence can be achieved without compromising wellbeing. As well as exhibiting on Stand 428, their Founder, Clinical Psychologist Dr Natalie Isaia, will be presenting a workshop at the event showcasing: “How to Create Psychological Safety Through Compassionate Leadership“. You can read more about Empresa Psychology’s approach here.
• Ripple&Co will be bringing their award-winning actor-led training sessions to the show floor. Showcasing an immersive manager experience which is one of the solutions they provide, along with mental health first aid training, suicide awareness programmes and the digital plato platform that equips mental health first aiders with essential resources and real-time guidance.
• Superwellness will be announcing their new Level 5 Diploma in Leading Strategic Workplace Wellbeing. As part of this they will also be introducing the Workplace Wellbeing Profession Map^TM, along with a self-assessment tool for wellbeing leads to discover their strengths and development areas. And showing their platform, which allows organisations to design their own bespoke wellbeing programme, by selecting the building blocks they need from across three key areas of effective workplace wellbeing

3. Stress assessments, health screening, flu jabs and vaccinations

By proactively helping to identify potential health issues early and reduce the risk of illness, employers can support a healthier workforce, minimise absenteeism, and create a culture of care and wellbeing. Two of the range of exhibitors in this space are:

• Firstbeat want to know: Are you balancing your stress with enough recovery?Is your sleep restorative enough? Firstbeat Life is a professional HRV-based stress assessment that helps each employee boost their resilience, and at a company level, supports those at risk.
• FluClinic2U provides a quick and convenient way to check for Vitamin D deficiency, which can contribute to fatigue, muscle weakness, and a weakened immune system, all of which impact overall health and workplace productivity. They will be offering tests for low vitamin D on their stand.
  

4. Crisis and trauma support for colleagues

While prevention is essential, it’s not always enough—employees may still face both mental and physical health challenges that require timely and effective support. Investing in the right interventions ensures those who are struggling receive the care they need to recover, stay in or get back to work, and feel supported by their employer. Two of the many exhibitors that can help with this are:

• Lyra Health, are Gold Sponsors of The Watercooler Event. They will be sharing their clinically led solution – offering bespoke mental health and wellbeing support to care for all employee lifecycle needs. They aren’t a typical EAP model – instead, they support and therapeutically assess each individual to implement a customised care pathway suited to their needs.
• Hedroc engages industry leaders to work alongside public and private organisations to deliver evidence-based clinical mental health interventions as well as proactive mental wellbeing services. They also provide data-driven consultancy around mental health and wellbeing in relation to staff and their roles and training and workshops, specialising in mental health and wellbeing.

5. Neuroinclusion, DE&I strategy and new parent support

In the UK, neuroinclusion, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and support for new parents remain a priority for employers that want to foster inclusive workplaces that attract and retain top talent and address the evolving needs of the modern workforce. Three of the range of exhibitors that can help with this are:

• Harley Row Clinic believes that for too long, neurodivergent people – those with ADHD, autism, and other cognitive differences – have been expected to fit into systems that don’t accommodate them. At their stand you can find out how Harley Row flip that narrative by listening, recognising strengths and tailoring support with a functional medicine approach. They also equip businesses with the tools, strategies, and understanding needed to foster a genuinely supportive work environment. Through Access to Work, helping companies to provide practical workplace adjustments, specialist coaching, and mental health support ensuring employees don’t just survive but thrive.
• The MumPod® team will be showcasing their Pop-Up MumPod® and offering employers a solution to their requirement to offer a private, clean and comfortable space for their staff who need to pump while they are at work. MumPods can also be useful for employees to take their rest break when they are pregnant or just back from maternity leave.
• The People Practice Group helps organisations retain senior talent and experienced leaders by supporting expectant, new and seasoned working parents. They will be showing how their tools and expertise help organisations move from policy to practice, creating genuinely inclusive workplaces for working parents.

6. Ear care, eye care, weight management and getting employees active

With a focus on prevention again, ear care is increasingly on employers’ radars – this article on the topic was one our most-read of 2024. Also helping to foster healthier workforces and reduce absenteeism is the introduction of initiatives that help with weight management, as well as those that get employees active. Here are four of the many exhibitors that can help with these preventative approaches:

• On their stand, Hearology® will be talking about the importance of taking proper care of hearing health in support of the productivity and wellbeing of your teams and offering a video ostrocoscopy on their stand. They explain that hearing is an area that’s easy to neglect. Just like individuals, organisations tend to look after employees’ eyes and teeth without question, but ears and hearing are often forgotten.
• Workplace Ear Care will be showing their on-site Ear Health Wellbeing services, explaining the importance of maintaining healthy hearing in typically quiet workplaces like offices and showing the vital links between hearing health, overall wellbeing, mental health, and productivity at work.
• When it comes to encouraging employees to get active, Total Active Hub will be showing how movement can be seamlessly integrated into your company’s wellbeing strategy.

7. Financial wellbeing

With inflation rising, energy price increases kicking in, and now the potential impact of US trade tariffs hanging over the economy, finances remain tight for many. So it’s not surprising that a whopping 25% of pre-registered attendees for The Watercooler Event have indicated that they’re looking for financial wellbeing solutions. There will be a dedicated Financial Wellbeing Zone at the event curated by Financial Wellbeing Month. Here is one of the exhibitors that can help:

• Starting in April 2025, Help to Save will be available to all Universal Credit claimants in work. This change will open the scheme to more people, enabling them to save and build their financial resilience with the support of a 50% government bonus. On Gov.uk Help to Save‘s stand you can find out how their scheme can support your employees’ financial goals and how it can be integrated into your employee benefits package.

8. Culture change, social wellbeing and sustainability

• WebMD Health Services helps organisations to build a great workplace culture, reach diverse populations and inspire wellbeing in everyone. They do this by empowering organisations to create a well-rounded programme that reflects their culture, offering personalised experiences that achieve better health, happiness, and overall wellbeing.
• The Employee Experience Project helps accelerate progress towards your culture goals. They will be exhibiting to share the tools, development and specialist support needed which they provide to cultivate a great culture in your business.
• The Secret Majority are on hand to help on their stand if you’re looking for training for colleagues on how to have courageous conversations.
• Uniting teams around a shared mission, Jump wants visitors to their stands to see sustainability engagement as an employee benefit. Using a combination of technology, communications, and rewards they create habit-forming actions – helping organisations to harness their people power so that they can exceed their sustainability goals.
• Finally, from Terrarium Making to Planting for Charity, Lemonade Events provide nature-inspired team building and wellness experiences at your workplace. They will be exhibiting and launching their new charitable initiative – Plants For People.

9. Workspace & workplace experience as well as hybrid working

Last but not least, whether you’re facing challenges with encouraging employees back into the office or you’re aiming to optimise hybrid working, The Office section of the show offers a range of solutions designed to support your goals, including (amongst many others):

• Interaction, who are on a mission to Banish Boring Offices and will be hosting scheduled meetings with their experts to chat about all things office, design and workplace strategy. Or you can just drop by the stand to find out how to create the perfect workplace.
• For those seeking hybrid working solutions, NearU will be showing the NearU platform in action, to highlight how their booking and data capabilities can support an effective workplace strategy.
• Nook is supporting The Watercooler’s mission of wellbeing and inclusion by providing 10 Nooks for the 1-to-1 meeting area, 2 in the VIP zone and a dedicated Relaxation Zone designed for mindful recharging. They’re keen to meet anyone rethinking environments for the neurodiverse, the overstimulated, or simply the human. You can read more about Nook’s pods here.

This is just a taste of what’s on offer. For the full experience, take a look at the website, plan your day and join us in person on 7th and 8th May at ExCel.

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‘When it comes to culture change you need to just start. Start anywhere. There’s no perfect answer.’

‘AI can create better jobs & less stress, but only if we plan for a future that mitigates risks, and benefits us all’

Speaker Spotlight: Emily Warren – Driving generational inclusion and wellbeing at Avanade

UK employers are set to steeply increase AI investment this year by more than 25%, according to new research from Freshworks’ AI Workplace report.

The report puts this sharp rise down to employee demand, with the vast majority of UK employees surveyed – 80% – saying that they now consider AI a powerful tool for work.

However, while there’s no doubt that AI is here to stay in our workplaces, and has the potential to make employees more productive and less stressed, there are also serious risks to employee wellbeing that must be mitigated.

Danger employees become victims of AI revolution

Union Unite has warned that there’s a danger that workers become “victims” of the AI revolution, citing the ill-effects of surveillance and effects on recruitment, performance assessments and discipline. It also cautioned employers that the new technology could lead to employees feeling “alienated and demotivated”.

Unite’s General Secretary Sharon Graham said:

“The UK needs to embrace new technologies, but we also need proper protections from AI’s pitfalls and workers must have a say in how that happens.”

Particular AI threat to DEI agenda

Graham said she was particularly concerned about the effect of AI on the DEI agenda due to AI being discriminatory, owing to the way it’s programmed via internet algorithms.

“After years of fighting against discrimination, there is now the genuine threat of it being further embedded through AI, against women, Black and Asian ethnic minority, disabled and LGBTQ+ workers,” she said.

She urged that the introduction of AI into workplaces must happen “with” workers and not “to” workers.

“Government, employers, and unions all need to be working together to avoid the potential dangers of workplace AI,” she said.

CIPD echoed Unite’s concerns

Her words were echoed by Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD, when he spoke to us on this topic, ahead of his session on AI at The Watercooler Event (see end of story for more information).

He said businesses must “teach people how to use AI responsibly” and stressed the importance of employers creating organisational strategies and frameworks in order to do this, rather than allowing it to evolve organically. 

“We can harness the power of these technologies and create better jobs. We can reduce our stress and produce more with less, and hopefully create more meaningful and value adding work. But none of this is going to happen by accident,” said Cheese.

He echoed Union’s concerns regarding the DEI agenda saying, when using AI, employees should always be encouraged to ask: should this be trusted? Are there other, different opinions or sources of information that should be expressed?

You can hear Peter Cheese speak more on this topic at The Watercooler Event, which takes place on 7th and 8th May 2025 at ExCeL in London, which is Europe’s leading trade show, with free-to-attend content, dedicated to creating workplaces that empower both people and business to thrive. He’s speaking on Day 1, as part of the Strategies & Leadership for Engagement & Culture stream.

You can find out more and register to attend here.

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‘AI can create better jobs & less stress, but only if we plan for a future that mitigates risks, and benefits us all’