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Strategies & Leadership for Engagement & Culture
Panel: AI: the key to beating burnout and boosting productivity?
Employee burnout and wellbeing challenges continue to impact workplace performance, HR leaders are increasingly turning to AI as a potential solution. Join us to discover how AI can enhance wellbeing strategies while respecting privacy and maintaining ethical standards.
> The role of AI and digital tools - streamlining processes
> Personalising wellbeing support to address individual needs
> The ethical considerations surrounding AI in workplace wellbeing - data privacy, bias, and transparency
Speakers
Petra Velzeboer
CEO Founder, PVL
Petra Velzeboer is a renowned mental health expert, TEDx speaker, and CEO of the mental health consultancy PVL. She is the author of Begin with You and the upcoming book Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life. Her mission is to help organisations create mentally healthy cultures that thrive in a world of fast paced change.
Peter Cheese
CEO, CIPD
Peter Cheese is the CEO of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and People Development. Since January 2019, he has been co-chair of The Flexible Working Task Force, a partnership across government departments, business groups, trade unions and charities, to increase the uptake of flexible working. He is also Chair of Engage for Success and the What Works Centre for Wellbeing. In 2021, Peter’s book ‘The New World of Work’ was published, exploring the many factors shaping work, workplaces, workforces and our working lives, and the principles around which we can build a future that is good for people, for business and for societies. Prior to joining the CIPD in 2012, Peter was Chair of the Institute of Leadership and Management, an Executive Fellow at London Business School, and held a number of Board level roles.
Kirstin Furber
People Director, Channel 4
Kirstin is the People Director at Channel 4. Prior to this, she has held a number of senior people roles including BBC Worldwide, Kantar, Twentieth Century Fox and Discovery. In all of these roles, her main responsibilities include leading a strategy to enable and underpin a dynamic culture that fosters creativity, diversity, inclusion and innovation. Kirstin is also a Non-Executive for British Wheelchair Basketball. She is passionate about how organisations can support individuals being their best to drive company results. Her resource site (kirstinfurber.com) has been developed specifically to support leaders looking to create a human culture where everyone can do their best work to drive transformation and growth.
Eugene Farrell
Board Member, International Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA)
Eugene Farrell is a respected leader in mental health and wellbeing, with more than 30 years’ experience. Board member of International Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) Former twice Chair of UK EAPA, and awarded Lifetime Membership by UK EAPA for services to the EAP industry. He has been a Board Member of Employee Assistance European Forum where he helped in the development of EAP’s across Europe. He has contributed to EAP Standards in the UK and has strived relentlessly over the last 20 years to promote workplace EAP’s, mental health and the removal of mental health stigma in workplaces and beyond. Eugene is highly experienced on a global scale in the development and service provision of workplace mental health support. He has worked with many UK companies, as well as smaller organisations, mental health providers, professional bodies, World Health Organisation, The Council for Work and Health, British Chambers of Commerce, mental health charities and government. He has Presented at many conferences, written articles, papers and research over his many years in the sector. Eugene has a passion for all aspects of mental health, including digital therapy solutions and Apps, and now provides independent Consultancy.
Employee assistance – what to expect from the next generation of EAPs
This session will explore the evolution of EAPs, discussing strategies that go beyond crisis management to proactively support mental wellbeing for employees.
>Going beyond traditional EAPs - can EAPs reduce absenteeism?
>Addressing the need to be more personalised, preventative and integrated
>Supporting individual employees with their specific and sometimes complex needs
Speaker
Dr Catherine McKinven
Clinical Lead, Lyra UK & Ireland
Dr Catherine McKinven is the Clinical Lead for Lyra UK & Ireland, responsible for driving Lyra’s local wellbeing proposition to ensure clinical excellence and governance. Throughout her career, Catherine has had extensive experience working within the EAP industry and employee wellbeing providing psychological assessments, clinical consultation and leadership. Coupled with her legacy in the NHS across a wide range of clinical roles up to consultant level. As Clinical Lead, she has been integral for Lyra UK & Ireland to propel their clinically driven services to support all lifecycle needs and lead the evolution of employee mental wellbeing in the UK & Ireland.
Case Study: Building a skills-based environment to effectively train and retain talent and underpin employee health and wellbeing
In today's competitive talent landscape, organisations must go beyond traditional training programmes and foster a skills-based environment that not only supports employee growth but also promotes wellbeing. This session will explore how a focus on skill development can help organisations train, retain, and engage top talent - with practical strategies to create a more sustainable and healthier workplace, enhancing employee performance, overall job satisfaction and underpinning wellbeing in the multi-generational workplace.
> How a skills-based approach can improve long-term employee wellbeing
> Learn about line management in the future and alternative approaches to job design
> Explore how line managers can weave DEI into the way they manage people
> Difficult conversations at work - allowing employees to talk candidly about their jobs and air any grievance
Speakers
Rob Baker
Founder and Chief Positive Deviant, Tailored Thinking
Rob Baker is the founder and Chief Positive Deviant of Tailored Thinking, a pioneering and award-winning, evidence-based positive psychology, wellbeing and HR consultancy. He specialises in bringing positive psychology to life within organisations. Rob was named #8 Most Influential Thinker by HR Magazine in 2023, is a TEDX speaker, author of ‘Personalisation at Work’ and Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and the Australian HR Institute. He has written for the likes of Harvard Business Review and Work magazine and is world-leading when it comes to enabling and encouraging job crafting and personalised people experience.
Mike Smith
Head of Awarding Organisation, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
Mike Smith joined the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health to head up its Awarding Organisation in January 2024. His career has focussed on education policy, assessment and the research and development of occupational and professional standards and skills solutions for a variety of industries and professions. He has held a variety of senior roles in organisations specialising in workforce and skills development, assessment and accreditation in the UK and overseas. He’s supported employers, employer organisations and other stakeholders through the development and delivery of professional qualifications and apprenticeships.
Laura Cooper
Laura Cooper, Head of Organisational Development, Bellway Homes
Panel: Inclusive and personalised rewards and benefits – why data is the key
Employers are increasingly recognising that in order for employee health and wellbeing benefits to be inclusive and equitable, they need to be personalised to meet individual needs. Data is the key to making this happen.
> How to build a flexible benefits scheme that promotes good health and wellbeing for all demographics
> Where digital-first, personalised benefits fit into the equation for a diverse workforce
> How to use data to measure the impact of your reward and benefits
Speakers
Alex Shaw
Managing Director, &Me by Holland & Barrett
Biography to follow.
Lisa Aslam
Principal Benefits Manager, Total Rewards, Workday
Lisa Aslam is the Principal Benefits Manager for the EMEA region at Workday, a leading enterprise platform that helps organizations manage their most important assets – their people and money. Lisa has led many of the global benefit programs at Workday, positively impacting the lives of employees and their families. She is passionate about designing inclusive, sustainable solutions and collaborating with innovative vendors to help shape the future of employee benefits.
Astha Mittal
Director- Global Benefits and Mobility, Wella Company
Keynote: Understanding and supporting the next generation and their relationship with work
To win the "war for talent" employers must understand and meet the needs of the younger generations entering the workplace, whilst also navigating changing workplace dynamics and fostering collaboration.
> Are the next generation reliant on the 'bank of mum and dad'?
> Implications of the new Labour government's policies
> Multi-generational differences in workplace expectations
Speakers
Dr Eliza Filby
Author, Inheritocracy
Dr Eliza Filby is a writer and speaker specialising in generational change and contemporary values, who helps us understand how the world is changing. She has worked with a variety of organizations from Google to the Harry Potter Franchise, from the Ministry of Defence in the UK to the European Commission. She currently sits on the Board of the Mission Group plc. as Non-Executive Director. In 2022 she was awarded the Europa Forum’s 2022 Millennial Leaders Award. In 2024 Eliza was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). Eliza is the author of Generation Shift: How Generational Evolution is changing the way we think, live and work. She hosts the popular ‘It’s All Relative’ podcast and authors a weekly substack #majorrelate. This autumn she will publish her new book: Inheritocracy: Why we Should Talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad.
Dame Carol Black GBE
Independent Adviser & Chair, Centre for Ageing Better
Professor Dame Carol Black GBE is currently the Government’s independent advisor on drug misuse. She is also Chair of the British Library, the Centre for Ageing Better, and Think Ahead, the Government’s fast-stream training programme for Mental Health Social Workers. She is a member of RAND Europe’s Council of Advisers and Commonwealth Secretary- General’s Special Envoy on Ageing Well. In 2019, she completed a seven-year term as Principal of Newnham College in Cambridge University, where she was a Deputy Vice-Chancellor. She is a past President of the Royal College of Physicians of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges past Chair of the Nuffield Trust for Health Policy and a previous trustee of the National Portrait Gallery.
Fireside Chat: The future of work 3.0 – the workforce, workspace and the tech that enables it
Transformational changes across three dimensions – technology, workforce, and workplace - are reshaping the world of work. How can organisations get the best from their employees and what immediate action should they take? This session explores
three interlinked areas of the workforce, workspace, and technology.
> What are the forces of change?
> Evaluating productivity in your workforce?
> The right to privacy vs different generations vs the benefits to employees
> What will employees experience?
Speakers
Phil Askham
Head of Organisational Change & Employee Experience, Montfort Communications
Phil Askham has over 20 years’ experience helping global corporates and public bodies become more productive, purposeful and fulfilling workplaces. He is expert in employee engagement, culture development and organisational change. He knows from experience that improving employee engagement is the outcome of success on many fronts - compelling purpose, clear strategy, trusted leadership and respected line management. Effective internal communication brings everything together, helping leaders explain decisions, crystallising calls to action, embedding changes in ways of working, and fostering a sense of belonging. As a former Global Head of Employee Communications at HSBC, Phil played a major part in strengthening the firm’s risk culture. He also helped propel O2 to become the UK’s number one mobile provider by transforming its employee experience.
Geoff McDonald
Former Global VP HR Unilever & Director, Geoff McDonald Consulting
Previously the Global Vice-President of HR, Talent, Marketing, Communications, Sustainability & Water at Unilever, Geoff is now a global advocate, campaigner and consultant in addressing the stigma of mental ill-health in the workplace. He is also a very much sought-after experienced keynote speaker, strategic advisor and consultant who inspires and provokes organisations globally to put purpose and wellbeing at the centre of everything they do with a reputation for energizing and motivating people to take action in creating workplaces that enhance the lives of everyone. He brings his own experience of addressing the stigma of mental ill-health within Unilever, helping to archetype the transformation of this company with Purpose at its core and provides a real practitioner’s perspective on how to address the stigma linked to depression and anxiety within workplaces today, and on how to elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority in the Boardroom. Geoff is a Co-Founder of the Minds@Work network, a charity which endeavours to inspire and equip individuals to break the stigma of mental health within their organisations. He also advises and helps organisations define and embed their Purpose as a driver of business performance and speaks on the power of Purpose and how a sense of organisational purpose can transform an organisation/institution.
DAY TWO
Keynote: This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain – is personal autonomy the key to mental wellbeing?
Britain needs a government that will sure-footedly reshape our capitalism and society to promote growth, enfranchisement and a country at ease with itself – respecting rather than deifying its past better to build the future. Businesses can act to shape our destiny. In his new book, This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain, political economist and Observer columnist, Will Hutton, sets out a compelling vision for a better Britain and the steps that our business eaders could take to achieve it.
>Weakening levels of employee engagement - the UK's down slide with international productivity and wellbeing
>Training managers on handling conflict with employees raising complaints and grievances
>The need for employees to feel heard and to have the confidence to raise issues important to them
Speakers
Will Hutton
Author, This Time No Mistakes
Will Hutton is a political economist, author and journalist. Apart from his association with Centre for Economic Performance, he is a non-executive director of the Satellite Applications Catapult, an associate of the Oxford University Martin School and writes a fortnightly column for the Observer. As one of the leading economics commentators in the country, Will is regularly called on to advise senior political and business figures and comment in the national and international media. He began his career in the City, before moving to the BBC where he became Economics Editor of Newsnight, then went to be Economics Editor of the Guardian. He spent four years as Editor-in-Chief of The Observer and was Chief Executive of The Work Foundation from 2000 to 2008. He stepped down from the Principalship of Hertford College, Oxford in September 2020. Will has chaired two government Commissions – one on Public Sector Pay for the Coalition government in 2011 and one on the Creative Industries for the Labour government in 2007. His many books include 'The State We’re In' (1995), 'Them and Us' (2011), 'How Good We Can Be' (2015), and most recently ‘This Time No Mistakes: How to Remake Britain’ (2024).
Mark Malcomson
Principal and Chief Executive, City Lit
Mark Malcomson has been Principal and Chief Executive of City Lit, Europe’s biggest adult education college, since 2011. Previously, he was the Director of Executive Education at London Business School and President of the New York Institute of Finance. Together with Baroness Hollins, Mark co-founded the Mental Wealth Festival, which is now in its 8th year. He possesses a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Edinburgh; a Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Strathclyde; and a Masters in International Relations from the University of Kent. His roles as trustee have included the National Institute of Adult Continuing Learning; University of Kent; and The English Speaking Union. Mark was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year’s Honours List for services to adult education.
Fireside Chat: How to create a thriving workplace culture and survive a toxic one
Culture is the beating heart of any business. It's not only key to talent engagement and retention, workplace culture is intrinsically linked to employee health and wellbeing. But turning around a toxic workplace culture is often seen as too hard to tackle.
> Is your organisation thriving, dynamic and growing or is there siloed decision making?
> The importance of connecting on a daily basis - the power of empathy through upskilling the workforce
> Is everyone aligned in understanding what their role is to achieve the organisational culture goal?
Speakers
Jason Bloomfield
Global Head of People Change & Experience Design, Ericsson
Jason Bloomfield joined Ericsson in 2022 as its Global Head of People Change & Experience Design, focused on transforming the employee experience for its workforce of 100,000 around the globe. His experience includes digital transformation, driving new customer centric journeys, multi-billion-dollar merger & acquisition integrations, accelerating sustainability and spearheading new ways of working. Jason has a 20+ year track record of strategic impact and meaningful innovation across geographies and industries alike. He is a hands-on leader who inspires those around him towards a shared sense of purpose, vision and outcome. Jason’s expertise has garnered industry recognition and speaking invitations on both sides of the Atlantic; expertise he’s also shared with not-for-profits as a member of their Board of Directors.
Barbara Jeffery
Partner, McKinsey & Company
Barbara Jeffery is co-lead of Employee Health at the McKinsey Health Institute. She is also a Partner in the London office of McKinsey & Company and a leader in their People & Organisational Performance Practice in the UK. She focuses on delivering transformative organisation journeys-journeys that change organisations and individuals, as people and leaders. Barbara has more than ten years of experience in organisational design, culture and change, leadership development, and HR function design in the context of transformations, mergers, separations and IPOs. Prior to joining McKinsey, Barbara worked at a leading global financial services firm, focused on structuring and marketing of fixed income derivatives. She also founded and ran Omoko, a company focused on performance transformations for PE-owned and VC-owned firms in the healthcare space.
Case Study: Building a thriving workplace – psychological safety and employee wellbeing
A healthy workplace goes beyond physical safety - it also nurtures the psychological, emotional, and overall wellbeing of employees. When organisations foster an environment in which psychological safety is prioritised, employees feel empowered to express concerns, share ideas, and engage without fear of repercussions - leading to improved mental health, productivity, and attendance in the workplace. This session will explore:
>How open communication, active listening, and a culture of trust help to address sensitive issues effectively
>The benefits of a holistic approach to employee wellbeing
>Key strategies for fostering a supportive workplace environment
>How a sense of security enhances collaboration, innovation, and job satisfaction.
Speakers
Carole Spiers
Chair, International Stress Management Association (ISMA)
Carole Spiers currently serves as the Chair of the International Stress Management Association (ISMA). On their behalf, she founded Stress Awareness Day in 1998 and to recognise its anniversary in 2018, established International Stress Awareness Week in 2018. She is also a leading international business stress consultant and CEO of the Carole Spiers Group. With her background in psychology, Carole has over 25 years of experience as an industry expert on how to reduce stress and manage organisational change. She shows organisations how they can profit from a healthy workplace culture by building resilience for improved health and wellbeing. Carole has published books such as Tolley’s Managing Stress in the Workplace and Show Stress Who's Boss! She is a Fellow and past President of the Professional Speaking Association.
Carole Smets
Change Management - Head of Corporate Sustainability, Pernod Ricard
Panel: Overcoming silos to embed health and wellbeing – by focusing on leadership development
Collaboration across the business is essential for maximum impact when building a culture of employee engagement and psychological safety. In this case study, hear how HR and L&D are working together to bring team member support to the forefront of the business - by building this into strategy from the top.
> Promoting engagement by gaining stakeholder buy-in
> How to embed the culture through organisational support at all levels
> Empowering and engaging leadership development
Speakers
Gary Acheson
Head of L&D, Rapport
Gary Acheson has been Head of Learning & Development at Rapport Guest Services since 2021. He is an energetic and optimistic HR and learning executive with over 20 years’ international experience in corporate support services and luxury hotels. His key achievement is investing in organisational design and developing change projects focused on people, talent, capability, performance and service, which as a consequence achieve results.
Polly Joseph
Talent and Wellbeing Partner and Mental Health First Aider, Hollywood Bowl Group
Polly Joseph is the Talent & Wellbeing Partner and one of the team of Mental Health First Aiders at Hollywood Bowl Group. Polly has well over twenty years’ experience in nurturing talent across both the retail and hospitality sectors via blended Learning and Development interventions and coaching. Polly is a positive ambassador for wellbeing in both life and business and is a true creator of positive energy.
Anouk van den Ing
Head of HR, Rapport Guest
Anouk van den Ing has been Rapport’s Head of HR since 2021, leading the company’s HR and recruitment strategy. She initially joined the organisation in 2017 as an HR Operations Specialist, following her tenure with Marriott Central London’s cluster offices, where she supported both Human Resources and Learning & Development across several five-star properties.In collaboration with Rapport’s Head of DEI and Head of Learning & Development, Anouk plays a key role in delivering an integrated and people-focused function that supports both our ambassadors and clients. Her passion for people has been a driving force throughout her career, and she firmly believes that it’s this people-first approach that underpins Rapport’s success. In addition to her core responsibilities, Anouk also serves as the Executive Sponsor of Rapport’s Be Well network, which champions initiatives and support around employee wellbeing.
Fiona McAslan
Head of Wellbeing, Royal Mail Group
Fiona McAslan is the Head of Health and Wellbeing at Royal Mail Group. She is responsible for setting the long-term wellbeing strategy for over 135,000 people, as well as the day-to-day delivery of the Group’s wellbeing plan. Fiona’s career includes over 25 years of varied HR experience across a number of organisations covering most HR disciplines. Her passion lies in helping people bring the best of themselves to work by actively designing a personalised proactive wellbeing proposition and promoting a positive wellbeing culture.
Moderator
Charlotte Wiseman
Leadership & Organisational Development expert, Charlotte Wiseman
A member of the British Psychological Society and International Positive Psychology Association, Charlotte Wiseman is an applied Positive Psychology and Leadership Consultant known for her pioneering research in leadership burnout and mental fitness. It was her own personal journey overcoming chronic stress, anxiety and depression as a leader, that first inspired her to explore applied positive psychology techniques in 2009. The positive changes she experienced were so inspiring that she left her long-standing career to pursue an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, a certificate in Neuroscience for Business and MHFA England Mental Health First Aid Trainer qualifications. Recognised as a leader in her field and recently named one of the top 10 most influential global voices in workplace wellbeing, Charlotte has also recently been featured in the Times Future CEO special edition, and is regularly invited to feature in specialist publications, including the Journal of Public Mental Health.
Case Study: How businesses can reduce absence by supporting musculoskeletal health in the workplace
Recognising that all parts of the workforce can be affected by MSK issues and that it's one of the most common reasons for sickness absence, this session will focus on both prevention and early intervention. It will include discussions around supporting musculoskeletal health, encouraging movement, and promoting a culture that prioritises physical activity and health as a foundation for overall wellbeing.
> The link between musculoskeletal conditions and mental health
> Creating a culture that allows time for movement and exercise
> How we can prevent health problems at work or intervene to limit sickness absence
Speaker
Lina Chauhan
Musculoskeletal & Ergonomic Specialist - BA Health Services, British Airways
Panel: Proactively supporting global employee mental health and wellbeing
This session will shine a light on best practice approaches to creating global mental health programmes that are inclusive, equitable and accessible to all employees - exploring ways to foster safe, supportive work cultures including:
> The need to prioritise mental health and foster resilience
> Providing access to the right care when it’s needed - wherever employees are in the world
> The importance of sharing and listening to other co-workers' stories
> Spotlight on remote working
Speakers
Kristina Adey-Davies
Head of Wellbeing & Inclusion - Global, Freshfields
As a business psychologist and coach, specialising in behavioural change, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, Kristina Adey-Davies has several years of experience driving change, developing and implementing inclusive business strategies and practices. She has a focus on harnessing the latest neuroscience to bring about change across the professional services, financial services and technology industries. Kristina's current role as Global Head of Wellbeing and Inclusion Global at Freshfields, focusses on driving change, through developing wellbeing and inclusion interventions across their global network. She has a particular interest in applying neuroscience and strengths-based approaches to develop more balanced, collaborative and healthy work cultures that drive and sustain high performance. A keen business psychologist, Kristina has an MSc in Occupational and Business Psychology and an MBA.
Fergal O'Connor
Finance Director EMEAI Finance & Accounting, United Airlines
Stella Gavinho
Group Head of Wellbeing, Entain
Stella Gavinho is an accomplished workplace wellbeing leader, currently serving as Group Head of Wellbeing at Entain, a FTSE 100 company and global powerhouse in sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment. With over a decade of experience developing and implementing wellbeing strategies in complex, multinational organisations, Stella specialises in embedding wellbeing into company cultures, driving positive outcomes for both employees and the business. Her expertise lies in creating sustainable, high-impact programs that empower organisations to thrive by prioritising the health and wellbeing of their people.
Michelle Okwudiafor
Founder, Career Invest
Michelle Okwudiafor is a communication, culture, and inclusion expert with over 16 years of global experience across the UK, USA, Qatar, and Nigeria. She has held senior strategic communications roles at organisations including S&P Global, TotalEnergies, ACCA, and Oando Foundation, utilizing storytelling to enhance workplace engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing. Her work sits at the intersection of strategic communication and employee wellbeing, partnering with leaders to build inclusive, high-performing workplaces where mental health is prioritised. Through culture-led campaigns and impactful storytelling, Michelle helps organisations reduce stigma, foster psychological safety and support mental health across global, hybrid, and remote teams. As the founder of Career Invest, Michelle equips professionals, especially women and underrepresented groups, with the tools to thrive through personal branding, allyship, and confidence-building. She is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to grow. Michelle also serves as a Trustee at Book Aid International.
Craig Redihough
Group Belonging & Wellbeing Manager, Sky
Prevention, Intervention, Holistic & Inclusive Wellbeing
Panel: Empowering inclusive women’s health & wellbeing – taking a wider approach
This session will break through the silence on women’s health challenges in the workplace and offer practical, actionable strategies to foster a more inclusive, supportive environment where all employees can thrive. Our speakers discuss the merits of a wider approach to health for women.
>Why taking a wider approach to women’s health is urgent and essential
>What employees expect from inclusive health support
>Practical actions that make the biggest difference
>How to embed lasting cultural change in your workplace
Speakers
Ruth Jackson
Chief People Officer, The Gym Group
Ruth Jackson is an experienced board level HR Director. She is an authentic, commercial and strategic leader with wide HR and operational experience across public and private companies in hospitality and leisure. Ruth is a strong believer in the importance of all areas of talent and in the power of great internal communications to drive employee engagement. She is passionate about helping others to find what it is from their work that will truly enable them to flourish.
Matt Grisedale
Senior People Champion, E.On
As a Senior People Champion at E.ON UK, Matt Grisedale is passionate about fostering an inclusive workplace that values Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). With a specific focus on men's mental health and overall well-being, I am dedicated to opening up crucial conversations and creating supportive environments where everyone feels empowered to bring their whole selves to work. My work is driven by a commitment to meaningful change and supporting people on their journeys to personal and professional fulfillment.
Deborah Garlick
Director, Henpicked
Sarah Rees
Head of Marketing, Peppy
Case Study: The dos and don’ts of creating a diverse and neuroinclusive environment
Here our speaker will examine why raising the bar and considering the interventions that work and those that don't, when it comes to supporting neurodivergent colleagues, is vital in today's work environment.
> Going beyond diagnosis and adapting to the workplace - individual challenges.
> Gaining senior commitment to DEI and neuroinclusion
> What are the business opportunities of a neurodiverse workforce?
Speakers
Thomas Duncan Bell
The Bipolar Businessman,
Known internationally as The Bipolar Businessman, Thomas Duncan Bell has already reached millions of people with his writing, keynote speaking and through various media. He frequently works together with global companies to develop their mental health programmes while ensuring their business needs. Thomas is one of the UK’s most popular mental health speakers, as well as the primary mental health commentator and keynote speaker for the Institute of Directors. He knows how to transform a company and implement sustainable mental health programmes within the organisation, while still remaining human along the way, consistently found endearing to all whom he works with, through his candid and caring approach to change. As a FTSE 500 & SME Commercial Consultant for over 17 years, Thomas truly understands the needs of the people and the business.
Wendy Macartney
Senior People Partner, Nedbank Private Wealth International
The cost of sleep: how it can make or break workforce productivity and wellbeing
Sleep problems are becoming increasingly prevalent in modern society, contributing to widespread physical and mental health challenges, reduced employee engagement, and diminished productivity. With limited access to sleep services and long delays in seeking treatment, workplaces are well-positioned to play a pivotal role in addressing this issue.
> Key data on the impact of poor sleep on individuals and organisations
> The connection between sleep, health, wellbeing, and workplace performance
> The workplace advantage - how the workplace can be an effective setting for early intervention, reducing barriers to support and fostering a culture that prioritises high quality rest
> A collaboration with an HR leader to implement comprehensive sleep initiatives, highlighting the potential for improved employee wellbeing and organisational outcomes
> Practical strategies for embedding sleep health into workplace wellbeing programmes through education, tailored support, and cultural change
Speakers
Dr Caitlin Chasser
Sleep specialist & GP,
Dr. Caitlin Chasser is a GP, senior sleep consultant, and co-founder of The Sleep Project. A specialist in women’s health, hormonal medicine, CBT-I and holistic sleep health, she translates complex science into actionable strategies that enhance performance and well-being. With 20+ years of clinical - and personal - experience, Caitlin has researched, designed and delivered evidence-based sleep programs for individuals and Global organisations, tackling insomnia and optimising workplace health. As an Adjunct Professor at IE Business School, she educates future leaders on the critical role of sleep in productivity and innovation. Caitlin is dedicated to addressing the global sleep crisis, integrating sleep into well-being strategies to drive success and offering tailored support to help shape healthier, happier and more productive workplaces.
Louise Ellis
Associate Director, HW Global
Panel: Prioritising inclusive mental health and wellbeing programmes as a strategic imperative to deliver real benefits
Our speakers will be sharing valuable insights into both why and how employers need to prioritise inclusive mental health in the workplace to deliver real benefits - both for employees and employers, including:
> How inclusive mental health programmes impact productivity, engagement, and retention
> How does neurodiversity fit into an inclusive approach to mental health and wellbeing
> Using data to track and measure the effectiveness of your wellbeing initiatives
Speakers
Claire Wilkinson
HR Lead – Wellbeing, ERGs and Functions – Europe & India, Aecom
Inês Reis
Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing & Employee, Fujitsu
Mizzy Lees
Managing Director, Mr President
Keynote: Why accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s business – the CCEP journey
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) produce an Accessibility Matrix which involves leadership and frontline teams, laying out the parameters for an accessible and inclusive workplace.
> CCEPs global accessibility matrix - how this is being actioned in the UK
> Being an accessibility ambassador and the role of allies in advancing disability inclusion
> Expectations – delivering positive change and influencing senior leaders
> Connecting DEI with H&S via a risk assessment and empathetic approach
Speaker
Mohammed Koheeallee
QESH Coordinator & Lead Accessibility Ambassador, Coca Cola Europacific Partners
Mohammed Koheeallee is a QESH Co-ordinator Projects and The Lead Accessibility Ambassador for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP GB), looking at ways to enable colleagues with a disability to be themselves, and to support CCEP GB in becoming a more diverse and inclusive business. Having been paraplegic since the age of 6 weeks old and growing up in a wheelchair has always set challenges in front of him. After searching for a career for many years, Mo found himself working at CCEP GB, starting off as a Grocery Merchandiser. In 2022, he joined the supply chain team as an Apprentice Quality, Environment, Safety and Health (QESH) Co-ordinator. After successfully completing in Jan 2024, now being a qualified health & safety officer, Mo brings a unique perspective to a field that sometimes holds back people with disabilities and helped to create one of the first wheelchair accessible manufacturing sites in GB.
Case Study: Focus on prevention – tackling rising employee healthcare costs through a holistic approach
With rising healthcare costs, organisations are shifting towards proactive strategies that promote long-term employee wellbeing while ensuring sustainable benefits management. This session will explore how a holistic approach, integrating preventative care, mental health support, and lifestyle-focused benefits can complement traditional healthcare solutions such as Private Medical Insurance (PMI), Health Trusts, and Health Cash Plans to create a healthier, more resilient workforce.
> Designing cost-effective benefit strategies that enhance employee health, engagement, and productivity
> Integrating preventative care into benefits programmes to reduce future healthcare costs
> Maximising the value of Health Trusts, Cash Plans, and other wellbeing initiatives to create a sustainable, long-term approach to employee health.
Speakers
Lauren Lunniss
Health & Wellbeing Lead, BNP Paribas
Lauren Lunniss is a people-focused and empathetic management professional dedicated to enhancing workplace culture by embedding wellbeing into the core of organisational practices. With over 18 years of experience in the health and wellbeing sector, she uses data-driven programmes to engage effectively with all levels of the organisation, ensuring that initiatives are well-received and impactful. Lauren has a strong desire for supporting others, therefore freely shares best practices and her own personal experiences to assist companies in discovering the best ways to support their employees.
Luke Bullen
VP, UK & Ireland, Wellhub
Luke Bullen is a VP at Wellhub (until recently, Gympass), one of the world's fastest-growing companies. They work with the world's leading companies to improve employees' wellbeing - by providing unlimited and highly flexible access to 000s of gyms and studios, including Nuffield, Barry's and Fitness First, plus wellbeing apps like Calm, Headspace, and Strava. They then prove, with data, that they're helping to reduce health problems, support employees with the cost of living, and increase engagement and productivity.
Katharine Moxham
Spokesperson, Group Risk Development (GRiD)
Katharine Moxham is spokesperson for Group Risk Development (GRiD), a position she’s held exclusively since May 2009. Katharine works to generate a wider awareness and understanding of group risk products (employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness) and their benefits for employers and employees. She regularly contributes to industry and business publications and debate, and has actively raised the profile of the group risk industry with the media and business organisations. Prior to joining GRiD, Katharine built a profile as a driving force in the UK group risk market working for Towers Perrin, Aon Consulting and JLT Benefit Solutions, where she was Consulting Director of the Health & Risk practice. This broad-based industry expertise makes Katharine ideally placed for her role as industry commentator on issues affecting the group risk market.
Panel: Data-driven approaches to support staff based on their intersectionality
This session looks at the intersection between DE&I and health and wellbeing and why data-driven approaches are paramount. Trying to build through data a picture for stakeholders, to ensure that everyone belongs and can be themselves.
> Data metrics on retention
> The importance of exit survey data
> Why you need to look at your social mobility index and pay gap
Speakers
Nina Goswami
Head of Inclusion UK,, Clifford Chance
Nina Goswami is Clifford Chance's first Head of Inclusion UK, where she is responsible for developing and implementing the law firm's inclusion policies and campaigns within the London and Newcastle offices.Before Clifford Chance, Nina was the BBC's Creative Diversity Lead and headed up 50:50 The Equality Project. The multi-award-winning initiative uses data monitoring to ensure media content better reflects society. She also led work around inclusive language and supported BBC News with its diversity and inclusion strategy. This included launching impact-driven partnerships such as Reframing Disability with the Media Trust. Nina also worked as a journalist for The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph and the legal press. This was prior to her roles at the BBC, which included TV News Editor.
Nina has been named as Inspirational d&i Leader 2024. Nina has also featured in the Global Diversity List as Head of Diversity (2023), Champion (2021) and Diversity Professional (2020).
Stephen Haynes
Director of Wellbeing Consultancy, British Safety Council
Stephen Haynes is Director of Wellbeing Consultancy at British Safety Council, where he specialises in the design, implementation and management of strategic workplace health, safety and wellbeing programmes - including the development of relevant interventions, from optimisation of support infrastructures to leadership development. Previously, Stephen was Head of Programme for British Safety Council's award-winning sister mental wellbeing charity Mates in Mind.
Arti Kashyap-Aynsley
Global Head of Wellbeing & Inclusion, Ocado Group
Sofi Musleh
Executive DEI Leader,
DAY TWO
Keynote: The link between the food we eat and our health crisis – what employers can do to help
With employers increasingly looking at what they can do to support both nutrition and weight loss, this session focuses on why it makes sense to incorporate wellbeing programmes that include fitness challenges, healthy office catering options and nutrition seminars by looking at. Our speaker will provide an overview of the government policies for employers on obesity and food-related ill health and why these have failed to achieve meaningful health improvements.
> The impact of food on metabolic health
> How diet can improve employee productivity
> The shift from treatment-based therapies to nutrition and preventative medicine
Speakers
Dr Dolly van Tulleken
Visiting Scientist, MRC Epidemiology Unit & Centre for Diet & Activity Research (CEDAR)
Dr Dolly van Tulleken is a policy consultant and Visiting Researcher at Cambridge University's MRC Epidemiology Unit where she completed a PhD and postdoctoral research position examining UK government obesity policy. Dolly co-founded 50:50 Parliament's cross-party #AskHerToStand campaign which helps women in the UK get selected and elected. She is Vice President of ex-offenders employment charity Tempus Novo and an ambassador of military veterans charity Forward Assist.
Faraz Shoghi
Senior Service Manager - Occupational Health, Jaguar Land Rover
Faraz Shoghi is a strategic occupational health and wellbeing expert with extensive experience in the manufacturing sector and a foundation in medical science. He has been with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) for more than six years. Prior to joining JLR he was with Honda. He is a specialist in the effective application of evidence-based solutions to large, complex, and diverse organisations and is driven by the ideal that work should have a positive influence on our quality of life.
Author Spotlight: Why gender equality is the best thing to happen to men
Men are crucial to advancing gender equality in the workplace, but there is a gap in how men perceive their own effectiveness as allies. As a leading voice for gender equality and workplace inclusion, our speaker uncovers the hidden struggles of the modern workplace, advancing workplace cultures that work for everyone.
> Why gender equality is important for men - can it benefit everyone?
> Need to create an inclusive environment
> The freedom to be ourselves at work and to be valued for this
Speaker
Dr Michelle Penelope King
Author, The Fix & How Work Works
Dr. Michelle Penelope King is a globally recognized organizational psychologist specializing in culture, leadership, and inequality. With over two decades of experience, Dr. King has held prominent roles, including Director of Inclusion at Netflix and Head of UN Women's Global Innovation Coalition for Change. She is the managing director of ECCI, the (Executive Coaching and Consulting Institute), a global consultancy dedicated to leadership and culture development. She has served as the Chief People Officer at ODI, a leading global affairs think tank. An award-winning academic with five degrees, Dr. King is also the author of the best-selling book "The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work," and her latest release, "How Work Works," published in 2023. She is also the host of the popular podcasts The Fix and My Workplace Is Killing Me! She is a regular contributor to Forbes, and her insights have also been featured in esteemed outlets such as CNN, BBC, The Financial Review, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, and Time. Recognized among the Top 100 Women at Davos and as LinkedIn's Top Voice for Equity in the Workplace, Dr. King continues to shape the future of work through her research, leadership, and advocacy.
How employers can support the government’s shift to preventative healthcare
The new Labour government’s first budget made it crystal clear that the NHS is one of its top priorities, with Prime Minister Kier Starmer saying that we, collectively, need to move to a much more preventative approach to healthcare. Organisations will need the basics in place for their employees health and wellbeing. But how can they take this to the next level? Our speakers take you through how the current government is hoping to implement change for business and the wider community and what role there is for employers to support these plans.
> How one leading UK employer sees their role in supporting not just the health of their people, but that of wider society too
> How a wider commitment to supporting public health drives greater organisational outcomes too
> The role of the Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing in supporting both employers and the government
Speakers
Gethin Nadin
Chair, Policy Liaison Group on Workplace Wellbeing
Michelle Sutton
Head of Reward & Pensions, Suez
Panel: The evolving role of occupational health – the key to preventative employee health and wellbeing
Supporting employees to enable them to thrive in the workplace – whatever their health condition or disability - needs careful attention. So how can businesses and OH ensure that they get the balance right, both for the employee and the employer?This session highlights:
> The role of OH in supporting workplace wellbeing
> Proactive health monitoring, workplace ergonomics, risk assessments and reasonable adjustments
> Early interventions to improve employee physical and mental health
Speakers
Dr Shriti Pattani OBE
National Clinical Expert, Occupational Health and Wellbeing, NHSE Clinical Director, Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service, London North West University Healthcare NHS
Shriti Pattani OBE is National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health & Wellbeing, NHS England. She is an accredited specialist in Occupational Medicine, holding fellowships of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and the Royal College of Physicians. She is the immediate past president of the Society of Occupational Medicine. She has led Occupational Health Services as a Clinical Director in the NHS for 25 years and has experience working in the public and private sector. She is the National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health and Wellbeing for NHS England. Shriti is keen to promote the agenda of ‘Work as a Health Outcome’ which includes support for all people of working age with health conditions or disabilities to find suitable work and prevent people falling out of work. She is passionate about teaching and training and has been the Course Director for the Diploma Course in Occupational Medicine for the Royal Society for Public Health since 2010.
Emily Gabrielsen
Group Health and Wellbeing Manager, Centrica
Thomas Blakey
Group Health & Wellbeing Manager, National Grid
As the UK Health and Wellbeing Manager at National Grid, Thomas Blakey leads the support for their diverse workforce driving the UK energy transition, and collaborates with the wider group health and wellbeing team on their health and wellbeing proposition across the US region of the business.
Jonathan Hill
Head of Occupational Health, Anglian Water Services
Building a financially fit workforce in 2025 through tailored benefits
Financial wellbeing benefits aren't just a nice to have. Increasingly job seekers are calling for them as a must. This, coupled with an understanding of how financial stress affects employee wellbeing, is key to their overall productivity. This session looks at programmes that offer financial wellbeing education, budgeting tools, and retirement planning to support financial security and reduce stress.
> How your financial offering can aid recruitment and retention
> Why look at a personalised approach
> Inclusivity of benefits
Speakers
Jane Clifford
People Director, Brewers
Gary Kindon
HR Director, Teva
Claire Blomley
Senior Benefits Manager, Teva
Panel: Early interventions to improve employee physical and mental health
This session will provide actionable insights on how to proactively improve the physical and mental health of employees through early interventions, reasonable adjustments, and strategic alignment with NHS services. We will explore how organisations can help remove the stigma surrounding mental and physical health issues in the workplace, raise awareness of their role in supporting employee wellbeing, and work closely with the NHS and other healthcare providers.
> Striking the right balance for reasonable adjustments
> Aligning your strategy with NHS support
> Reducing stigma in the workplace
Speakers
Fay Simpkins
Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, National Highways
Fiona Poland
Head of Commercial Delivery, MHFA England
Fiona Poland leads the Commercial Delivery team at MHFA England and she is responsible for the delivery of all in-house training and consultancy. She is passionate about creating happier, healthier workplaces, where people have the skills and resources they need to thrive, and where the mental and physical health of employees is valued equally. Her expertise lies in advising workplaces on wellbeing strategies, and training solutions, which enable businesses to minimise the impact of mental ill health and manage employee wellbeing proactively.
Krissy Simmons
Senior Business Adviser, ACAS
Jonathan Stuart
Workplace Partnerships Lead, Mind
Working closely with Mind’s Policy and Influencing team, Jonathan Stuart collaborates with employers and policymakers to drive positive change in workplace mental health. He also acts as Secretariat for the Mental Health at Work Leadership Council, advocating for the Mental Health at Work Commitment as 'the' framework of best practice. To date, the Commitment has been signed by over 3,700 organisations employing almost 6 million people. Previously, Jonathan worked in programme delivery, including the Blue Light Programme, supporting emergency responders during the Covid19 pandemic. In these roles, he led initiatives to reduce mental health stigma, design sustainable mental health resources, and influence senior leaders to embed workplace mental health as a strategic priority. His expertise lies in building cross-sector relationships and creating lasting impact, supporting Mind’s vision of mentally healthy work for all.
Mizzy Lees
Managing Director, Mr President
Luke Robinson
Employee Experience Lead, Williams Formula 1 Racing Team
The Office
Panel: Mind the workplace gap – from boomers to zoomers
As the workforce becomes more generationally diverse, it’s crucial for HR and facilities management leaders to work together to create environments that cater to the varying needs of all employees - whatever their age and lifestage. Focusing on the workplace environment and what surrounds us - find out how to deliver long-lasting success to the different demographics of your workforce.
> What the next generation are looking for from their workplace
> Boosting employee engagement, productivity, and resilience across different generations
> Creating a workplace that caters to the varying wellbeing needs of all employees
Speakers
Emily Warren
Director - Inclusion, Diversity & Wellbeing, Avanade
Emily Warren is Avanade's first Global Wellbeing Lead and is responsible for developing and implementing Avanade's Well-being strategy across 26 countries and 17,000+ employees. Her personal experience with burnout led her to establish Avanade's first cohort of mental health allies and initiated her move into HR. She collaborates with senior leaders to develop advocates and create a culture of well-being, integrating it into the Employee Experience, and shaping processes, policies and benefits. Emily's efforts have transformed well-being within Avanade, making it a strategic company priority, integrating it into Avanade's responsible business approach, and creating alignment with citizenship, sustainability, and inclusion initiatives. Through her leadership, Avanade has implemented a new training programme for managers and committed to training them in leading for well-being. A strong advocate for mental health and sharing stories, she has been recognized externally for her efforts. Her own journey has made her a thought leader and driving force behind Avanade's commitment to well-being for all its employees worldwide.
Matt Wood
CEO, Millwood Servicing
Matt Wood started his fire safety career in the Royal Navy (RN) in the early nineties and in doing so found a passion for helping others at the same time. Over the course of 30 years, he has helped more than two dozen charities to achieve their goals by taking part and organising endurance events around world bringing like-minded people together. Matt Wood has worked in the fire-safety industry whilst volunteering in the charity sector for over 30 years. In March 2024, Millwood became the first Fire Safety firm to gain B Corp certified status. In 2018, Matt was awarded the prestigious lifetime achievement award (The Companion Award) from the Institution of Fire Engineers for his dedication and volunteering in the IFE. In 2020, he received the Freedom of the City of London and, in 2021 Matt received his third accolade when he was invited to join the Missing People Enterprise Board.
Ronen Journo
Head of European Management Services, Hines
Ronen Journo is a highly experienced property management and real estate professional with over 25 years of experience in the sector. Joining Hines in 2020, he successfully led their European Management Services business and will continue to drive the creation of people-centric, technology-driven workplaces fit for the future, in his new role as Head of Global Management Services. Prior to Hines, Ronen held roles at WeWork and Cisco where his focus was on global workplace trends, technology and corporate real estate operations. Ronen’s expertise extends beyond his primary role, serving as a Non-Executive Director for the Property Agency in His Majesty’s Government, Co-Chair of the Technology and Real Estate Council for the Urban Land Institute and as a member of its Editorial Oversight Committee. He is also a Board Advisor at ARC, guest lecturer at Said Business School - University of Oxford, and a mentor at Pi Labs and REACH UK.
Claire Odgers
Corporate Services and Real Estate Regional Manager EMEA, Millennium Capital Partners
Women in The Office – design and inclusivity working together
Women are still conspicuously absent in leadership positions in the workplace design industry. This session asks - what do we want our industry to look like in the future and how do we get there?
> Considering new ways of working
> The ever evolving office - where do women fit in?
> What can organisations do to encourage more women executives into the workplace design industry?
Speakers
Lucy Golding
EMEA Colleague Experience Lead, JLL
Biography to follow.
Kristen Lloyd
Workplace Experience Lead, Volvo Cars
Bertie van Wyk
Senior Insight Strategist, Global Insight Group, MillerKnoll
Case Study: Enhancing remote work culture through the power of storytelling
This session delves into the transformative power of storytelling in remote global work environments. It highlights how a workforce sharing personal experiences can forge stronger connections, enhance mental health, and cultivate a supportive and inclusive culture. Attendees will learn from Yelp's initiative, where its culture team collaborated to engage leaders and employees in sharing deeply personal stories.
>How this initiative boosted resilience, mental health, and engagement
>Fostering an open and compassionate work culture for Yelp's global remote workforce
>Insights into creating a more connected and caring workplace
Speakers
Miriam Warren
Chief Culture Officer, Yelp
Miriam Warren is the Chief Culture Officer at Yelp and Board Chair of the Yelp Foundation. She joined Yelp in 2007, serving in a variety of marketing and operational roles, including leading the company’s expansion efforts internationally as Vice President of New Markets. Presently, Miriam heads a team working at the intersection of culture, employee engagement, social impact, sustainability, and diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Miriam is a frequent speaker and moderator. She has appeared on CNN, Yahoo! Finance, the BBC, CBS News and has spoken at Columbia Business School, Yale School of Management, and UCLA Anderson School of Management. Miriam has been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and Good Morning America online, among others. She's previously been published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, San Francisco Chronicle, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Fortune and shared her perspective on KQED. Miriam currently serves on the board of ETR, was a 2023 US Public Voices Fellow on Advancing the Rights of Women and Girls, and was named to the Gold House A100 list in 2021. Previously, she served on the boards of Common Future, Joshin, Reading Partners, and YTH.
Dr Lalith Wijedoru
Founder, Behind Your Mask
Dr Lalith Wijedoru is the Founder of storytelling consultancy, Behind Your Mask. He is passionate about celebrating our true, personal stories. He is a former UK-trained National Health Service (NHS) consultant paediatrician in emergency medicine. He has won multiple UK national awards including the Health Services Journal Staff Engagement Award using his storytelling approach for NHS staff. He is also a Strategic Partner of the All-In Diversity Project, where he is outsourced to kickstart courageous conversations on sensitive DEI topics and uncomfortable truths. He features in Aliza Nisenbaum’s Tate Liverpool exhibition as a storytelling facilitator during the coronavirus pandemic, and on Emmy Award-winning US TV chatshow host Montel Williams’ Free Thinking podcast talking about emotional wellbeing.
Panel: Designing sustainable workplaces – the link to ESG
With the growing focus on ESG goals and net zero targets, organisations are looking at the sustainability of their buildings, not just as a choice, but as a strategic priority to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world when it comes to employee health and productivity.This session will share insights into best practice approaches to sustainable office design and innovations for 2025.
> The growing importance of sustainable office design
> How to create the most sustainable office building
> Understanding how working practices impact sustainability
> Key steps that organisations need to measure the link to ESG
Speakers
Mike Povey
Vice President - Corporate Services, VISA
Chris Moriaty
Co-founder, Audiem
Biography to follow.
Esme Banks-Marr
Strategy Director, BVN Architecture
Keynote: Moments over mandates – why the future of work is all about intention
The return-to-office (RTO) debate is often framed as a struggle between top-down mandates and employee pushback. By designing spaces, schedules, and experiences with purpose, organisations can foster collaboration, innovation, and engagement- on employees' terms. This session will share actionable insights to help organisations rethink their RTO approach - shifting from rigid mandates to intentional moments that make the workplace a space employee actively choose.
>The role of smart scheduling and booking systems in boosting collaboration
>Why neighbourhood planning improves efficiency and connection
>How peak-day management prevents overcrowding and reduces real estate costs
>How companies can cultivate meaningful in-office experiences
Speaker
Ryan Jans
Regional Head of Leasing, WeWork
Ryan Jans is the Regional Head of Leasing at WeWork, overseeing UK, Ireland, EMEA, and APAC, a portfolio spanning 12 million sq. ft. and serving cira 130,000+ members. With a deep expertise in flexible workspace real estate and strategy, Ryan leads the leasing operations, market expansion, and key partnerships teams across some of the world’s most dynamic commercial real estate markets. Since joining WeWork in 2019, Ryan has held multiple leadership roles, including Head of Leasing for UK&I, Head of Sales for South Africa, and Head of Agent & Broker Partnerships for UK&I, predominantly focused on driving revenue growth and shaping the company’s regional leasing presence. Prior to WeWork, Ryan was a Corporate Real Estate Advisor at JLL, specialising in Occupier Strategy and Corporate Consulting. He holds an MBA from GIBS Business School, completed his Property Investment & Development Programme at the University of Cape Town, and earned a BCom in Management Science from Stellenbosch University.
Why work a 5-day week when you can work a 4-day week?
The four-day work week is now more relevant than ever as Labour pushes forward with a promise to make flexible work a guaranteed right from day one. But how can employers be sure that the four-day week won't mean reduced productivity? This session looks at how productivity at work and how to measure it is ultimately linked to the workplace design and the workplace experience of employees.
> Do we need a 4 day week?
> How do you trial it initially with no loss of pay
> How to meet our regulatory and compliance requirements
Speakers
Maud Santamaria
Global Workplace & Corporate Real Estate Director, GWI
Maud Santamaria is Global Workplace and Corporate Real Estate Director at GWI in the UK, where she is an experienced workplace and FM consultant.
Sam Hunt
Business Network Coordinator, 4 Day Week Campaign
Biography to follow.
Mark Eltringham
Publisher, Workplace Insight
Panel: Leveraging the power of data to bring the ‘people and place’ worlds together
Employee experience data should play a crucial role in leadership decision-making, but often it doesn't. Employees are quite often the most expensive line item on an organisation’s P&L, yet what they actually need to thrive and succeed in their work is often unknown and sometimes ignored.
> The type of data needed to understand what employees need
> The positive outcomes that can result from getting this right
> Maximising outcomes for the business and employee experience for the employee
> Using data to define and measure the impact of your workplace strategy
> Insights onto what data says and what to do with it
Speakers
Allison English
Co-CEO, Aéto Strategy
Allison English is the Co-CEO of Aéto Strategy, which she co-founded in August 2024. Prior to that, she was Deputy CEO at Leesman for over four years. Her key achievements include helping organisations improve workplace experience for millions of employees around the world, achieving B Corp Certification, tripling revenue, and a successful trade sale in 2022.
Jamie Davis
Director of Workplace Strategy, Fidelity International
Leah Jones
Deputy Director Workplace Experience, Government Property Agency
DAY TWO
Keynote:The healthiest building in the world?
In this case study session our speaker will share how they have opened their new HQ with the ambition of being the healthiest building in the world.
> How do you create one of the healthiest workplaces in the world?
> Leading the delivery of an innovative workplace focused on health and performance
> Understand how workplace design impacts health and wellbeing
Speakers
Ann Marie Aguilar
Senior Vice President; EMEA Region, International WELL Building Institute
Chris Higgins
Head of EMEA, Workplace, Real Estate & Facilities, GSK
Keynote Fireside Chat: An evidence-based approach to the hybrid versus return to office mandate debate
There is still much discussion of the (so-called) debate around hybrid versus return to office and, if hybrid, if there is an optimal number of days to be in or out of the office. Like all such discussions, the right answer is 'it depends'. There isn't a right answer - there isn't a 'debate' - it all depends on organizational objectives and how practices and policies around hybrid impact (or do not impact) these objectives. But how can we identify the potential costs and benefits to the business of different hybrid or RTO policies? Answering such questions is exactly what an Evidence-Based HR approach to practice is designed to do. It does this through a combination of critical thinking and the use of the best available evidence from multiple sources. Issues addressed in the presentation include:
>What is Evidence-Based HR and how does it work?
>How can we identify key strategic objectives of the business and the role of employee behaviour in achieving those objectives?
>How are our current hybrid policies impacting employee behaviour in ways relevant to strategic objectives? What are the costs and benefits?
>How might changes to current hybrid policies impact employee behaviour in ways relevant to strategic objectives? What are the costs and benefits
>What types of evidence do we need to collect and from which sources to answer these questions?
>How can we use the best available evidecne to answer these questions and enable us to make better-informed decisions around hybrid policites?
Speakers
Rob Briner
Professor of Organisational Psychology, Queen Mary University London & Associate Director, Research Corporate Research Forum,
Rob Briner is Professor of Organisational Psychology in the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London. He conducts research into several areas of organisational psychology and HR such as work and well-being, the psychological contract, work-nonwork relationships and ethnicity. In addition, he is very active in developing evidence-based practice in management, HR and organizational psychology. Before moving to the University of Bath in 2011, he worked for 20 years in the Department of Organisational Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London, where he also served as Director of the PhD Programme, Director of Research and Head of School.
Kasia Maynard
Head of Research & Editorial, Worktech Academy
Panel: Designing neuroinclusive workplaces
Work environments today need to be designed to be inclusive for all. But to be inclusive we need to embrace design principles that aid in accommodating various personality traits, work styles and neurotypes. Spaces today need to reflect the diverse makeup of organisations. Not only is designing to be inclusive the right thing to do, there is a compelling business case for it as well. Join us as we share the findings to date, some case studies of clients that have designed for inclusion, and to understand how we can design a more neuroinclusive community.
> Is neuroinclusive design the key to creating inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive?
> Key factors that are impacting neurodivergents in the building environment
> Develop design strategies to address the key impact factors
> How we can design a more neuroinclusive community
Speakers
Dr Kate Gaudion
Designer, The Royal College of Art
Katie Gaudion, PhD, is a design consultant and senior research associate at The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, an inclusive design research centre at the Royal College of Art in London. Her work focuses on collaborating with neurodivergent individuals to improve their daily experiences, a journey she navigates daily as a neurodivergent person.
Giovanna Jagger
Global Development, IWBI
Giovanna Jagger brings over 15 years’ experience working in business development and sustainability to IWBI. She has an extensive understanding of industry and reporting requirements, having worked closely with organisations around the world to map strategic objectives to leading frameworks. In 2020, Giovanna’s leadership was recognised when she was named one of the 10 Most Influential Women in Tech.
Nicola Gillen
EMEA Lead for Total Workplace, Cushman & Wakefield
Nicola Gillen is the EMEA Lead for Total Workplace at Cushman & Wakefield, where she specialises in the relationship between design, people, behaviour and the built environment. An architect, author and teacher, Nicola draws from 25 years’ experience delivering design development advice to developers and workplace strategy to occupiers internationally. Nicola is a BCO National Judge. She is also a regular conference speaker and author of three books.
Alison Kilby
Associate Director, ARUP
Alison Kilby is a Chartered Engineer and the Arup Workplace Advisory lead who collaborated with HOK in delivering transformative workplace for Arup in Birmingham. She also provides engineering design across the property sector to ensure the interior design principles of refurbishment or new build spaces are complemented by the servicing and acoustic designs to truly provide spaces to suit the diverse workforce.
Gregory Shewan
Project Manager for Interiors, HOK
Workplace design and productivity – the art of balancing the two together
Businesses now know that workplace design and productivity are undoubtedly linked, the next stage is looking at how they need to be balanced.
> The evolution of the office and management thinking
> How does your organisation deal with productivity in the workplace?
> The measurement of productivity - can we prove it?
Speakers
Ana Stanojevic
Principal & Practice Group Manager - Workplace, Arcadis
Chris Moriaty
Co-founder, Audiem
Biography to follow.
Caroline Pontifex
Director, Head of Workplace & Design, Savills
Back to the office… or not? Unlocking the potential of remote work
The need to foster a more connected and productive workforce in today’s evolving landscape is now more apparent than ever. But many are still struggling to make remote working work for everyone. Discover how the practices outlined below could enhance employee wellbeing and boost engagement.
> Retaining a work-from-anywhere policy
> The new ways of working
> Virtual work options
Speakers
Tim Haynes
VP of People & Culture, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Claire Jones
Principal, United Minds
Claire Jones is a specialist in leadership, culture, change and employee experience. She brings extensive experience working with senior leaders and delivering programmes that make businesses more human, create better experiences for employees, and in turn lead to stronger organisational results. Claire has more than 15 years’ experience working with clients across a range of sectors, from pharmaceuticals such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Sandoz, to FMCG companies including Coca-Cola and Mars, Incorporated and luxury clients, such as Richemont, and financial services organisations. Before joining United Minds, Claire led internal communications for Whirlpool EMEA. Prior to that she spent five years at Tesco PLC in a range of internal- and external-facing corporate communications roles, working primarily on employee communications and investor relations.
Panel: People-centric office design – balancing employee wants and needs
There is a growing trend for FM teams to sit in the people/HR department rather than focusing solely on their role in design. Our speakers will assess whether this is a signal that the way organisations are thinking about the workplace is becoming more people and performance focused rather than cost based. Our speakers will outline the essential ingredients of workplace designs that meet individual needs and boost employee engagement, retention and wellbeing.
> Individual initiatives vs creating the right environment
> Healthy workplace designs - where they can be effective
> Designing workplace experience well
Speakers
Brad Taylor
People Strategy & Workplace Experience Consultant, AWA (Advanced Workplace Associates)
Brad Taylor is a senior HR and OD specialist, with significant experience in the not-for-profit/professional membership association and retail banking sectors. He advises CEOs, Boards and senior HR professionals on how to gain strategic advantage through effective people and workplace strategies, organisational wellbeing and change programmes. Brad has led HR and OD teams to deliver ambitious and successful people strategies, joint ventures, organisational redesign and workplace transformation. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, where I was also previously People, OD and Workplace Director.
Joshua Reynolds
Strategy & Communities Lead - Workplace Experience, Lloyds Bank
Jeff Dewing
CEO, Cloud
Jeff Dewing is the CEO of Cloud & Mindsett, an International Energiser, Top 50 Workplace Leader and the No.1 best-selling business author of Doing the Opposite. Cloud’s tech has disrupted a £200 billion industry and they’ve been named Queens Award winner for Innovation (2019) and a global leader in IoT-enabled predictive maintenance by Gartner. Jeff’s first business went bankrupt, leaving only £7.60 in his bank account, while also relying on benefits. Jeff refused to give up. Instead, he turned his life around, learnt to code and started Cloud from his garden shed. He built it from the ground up to a £70M turnover without a penny of investment. Jeff has since worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, including Tui, Pizza Express, Chiltern Railways and The Rank Group. He has contributed to several television segments, radio shows, podcasts and online and printed media publications including The Times, Financial Times, BBC, and Fast Company, among others.
Hanieh Motamedian
Business Development - Workspace Solutions, Pure Audio Visual
Workshops
Gambling harms – the hidden addiction putting your business and your employees at risk
Unlike drug or alcohol addiction, the signs of gambling harms are incredibly difficult to spot. There is also a huge amount of stigma associated with gambling addiction, so the likelihood of your employees disclosing this is very slim. In this session, you can listen to a lived experience perspective of gambling harms and get some helpful tips on what you can do to support your employees and protect your business.
- 27% of employees have been gambling while at work in the last 4 weeks
- For every one person experiencing gambling harms, there are between 6-10 people also affected, work colleagues, friends, family
- Few companies (under 10%) have policies or training on the issue, which has a hidden cost of potentially millions
- Gambling harms is now a major public health issue screened for by GP’s – so why aren’t more people talking about it in workplaces?
- Very few EAP programmes consider the issue – missing help and support that could save lives
- Early conversations based on experience of how to have them, are vital
How to survive the data deluge – a practical guide to understanding what employees think and WHY
As organisations wrestle with return to office mandates, hybrid working desires, wellbeing initiatives and more besides, how do we know what our people really feel, want and need?
We’ve never had so much structured and now unstructured data at our fingertips. But how do we design an approach to guarantee the insights needed to improve both business performance and employee benefits?
This session will offer tools and understanding to empower workplace professionals to think more creatively, learn more quickly, and engage more meaningfully within their organisations.
Attendees key learning points:
- Laying the right data foundations
- The importance of holistic workplace data
- Rethinking your research methods
- Words and numbers: what to use and when
- Unlocking hidden insights from existing data
Speakers
Chris Moriaty
Co-founder, Audiem
Biography to follow.
Ian Ellison
Director and Co-Founder, Audiem
Ian Ellison has spent 25 years in the UK workplace industry. Following a senior lecturer role at Sheffield Hallam University, he co-founded 3edges Workplace, focusing on workplace education, research and consultancy. Ian co-hosts the Workplace Geeks podcast and is also co-founder of the AI-powered workplace experience insights platform, Audiem.
Selecting the best employee wellbeing and mental health support provider
Insights from a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Choosing the right mental health and wellbeing support provider is vital for fostering a healthy workplace. In this session, Dr Nick Zygouris, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, will guide participants through the key factors to consider when selecting a provider. The workshop will cover essential topics such as clinical expertise, customisation of services, accessibility, confidentiality, and measurable outcomes. Attendees will learn how to assess providers effectively, ensuring they meet the specific needs of their organisation and employees. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with practical tools and insights to make informed decisions, ultimately enhancing employee wellbeing and organisational performance.
Speaker
Dr Nick Zygouris
Chief Clinical Officer, IPRS
Dr Nick Zygouris is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in mental health, workplace wellbeing, and clinical leadership. He has worked across NHS, private, and corporate settings and currently serves as Chief Clinical Officer at Handl Group. In this role, he leads the clinical governance and delivery of the mental health services. Nick has led the design and evaluation of mental health programmes for national organisations and advises on selecting effective and ethical support providers. He combines clinical insight with practical knowledge to help organisations make informed decisions about employee wellbeing and mental health provision.
Cadent case study – the Manager’s Role in Creating Psychological Safety
How can managers foster psychological safety? Cadent takes delegates on an immersive journey to explore this critical question. Using professional actors to simulate real-life scenarios, this session brings to life their approach to dealing with the challenges and opportunities managers face in building trust and open communication in high-pressure situations.
Through this dynamic case study, Cadent shares insights from their own experiences and initiatives, demonstrating the tangible impact of psychological safety on team performance and wellbeing.
You will leave with practical takeaways and a deeper understanding of how leadership behaviours can shape a culture where every voice is heard, and safety is prioritised.
Speakers
Rebecca Eaton
Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, Safety, Health, Environment & Security, Cadent
Rebecca Eaton is a specialist practitioner in occupational health and an experienced wellbeing professional, having implemented wellbeing strategy in several large organisations. She currently leads an in-house occupational health and wellbeing team at Cadent Gas. Rebecca isn’t afraid to break the traditional moulds for wellbeing and focus’ on having a measurable proactive impact on improving employee health and wellbeing. She focuses on embedding a culture of care and has a passion for ensuring that work has a positive effect on people’s wellbeing.
Eileen Donnelly
Founder, Ripple&Co
Eileen Donnelly’s 20-year career has focused on supporting companies to build purpose-driven business strategies and workplace cultures, by responding to, and investing in, the most relevant issues, from climate change to mental health, latterly as a director in a global FTSE 250. She believes passionately that investing in employee’s resilience and positive mental health is critical to successfully achieving bottom-line productivity as well as talent attraction and retention. After founding Ripple&Co in 2019, Eileen now works with organisations such as NatWest, Virgin, Mott MacDonald, XPO and VolkerWessels. She supports them in building healthy, productive and motivated workforces, through a holistic approach to developing wellbeing programmes, with an emphasis on mental health.
From Boomers to Gen Z, Integrating Fitness into Workplace Wellbeing
With a workforce spanning multiple generations, understanding how to make benefits accessible and engaging for everyone is more important than ever. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore how organisations can create inclusive wellbeing strategies that cater to employees of all ages.
We’ll be joined by Colin Campbell as we dive into Hussle’s latest data on the key barriers and motivators to exercise - uncovering what drives different generations to stay active and what holds them back.
Expect data-driven insights, expert perspectives, and actionable strategies to help shape a more active, healthier workforce.
Join Hussle, to discover how you can bridge the fitness gap and integrate wellbeing into workplace culture for every generation.
Speakers
Matt Hatcher
Director of Business Development, Hussle
Matt Hatcher is an experienced sales director who’s been working with employee focussed solutions for the last 10 years and has spent the last seven in the wellbeing space, introducing preventative and crisis management tools to companies and their employees globally. Matt joined Hussle mid summer 2024, to lead and grow the corporate sales team. He is a family man with a huge passion for fitness and helping people live healthier lives.
Colin Campbell
Sales Director, Top 1% Podcast Host
Fuelling success – nutrition for workplace wellness
Boost energy, focus, and productivity with smart workplace nutrition! This engaging 30-minute session explores how food impacts mood, energy levels, and performance. Learn how to avoid sugar crashes, stay hydrated, and fuel your brain with essential nutrients. Discover easy meal prep tips and healthy snack ideas to sustain energy throughout the workday. Perfect for busy professionals looking to improve workplace wellness, reduce fatigue, and enhance mental clarity. Walk away with actionable nutrition strategies to stay productive and feel your best. Join us to power your workday with the right foods!
- Food impacts focus and mood - learn how key nutrients like Omega-3s, B vitamins, and magnesium support brain function, reduce stress, and enhance productivity
- Balance is key to sustained energy - discover how to structure meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs to maintain steady energy levels and avoid afternoon slumps
- Ditch the sugar rollercoaster - understand the effects of processed foods and high-sugar snacks on energy and concentration, and learn healthier alternatives
- Hydration matters - find out why dehydration leads to fatigue and brain fog, and get practical tips for increasing water intake during the workday
- Smart snacking and meal prep - get easy, time-saving strategies for preparing nutritious meals and snacks that fit into a busy professional lifestyle
Speaker
Jo Kelly
Registered Nutritional Therapist & Health Coach, Flourish with Nutrition
Fit for change – using physical activity as a menopause management tool
As 8 in 10 women will experience menopausal symptoms at some point in their lives, finding effective management strategies is essential. The protective effects of physical activity throughout the menopause lifecycle cannot be underestimated. Regular physical activity can play a crucial role in reducing symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, managing mood and sleep disturbances, and supporting heart health, bone density, and overall wellbeing.
Join us for a fresh stance on exploring your own physical activity behaviour and uncover opportunities to support your wellbeing, and that of your workforce, as part of the menopause lifecycle.
Topics to be covered include:
- The research landscape on physical activity and menopause - what do we understand?
- Understanding behaviour change principles to harness individual change
- Physical activity approaches - where to start and work towards to
- Simple but powerful physical health markers to check regularly that impact mortality risk
- Actionable steps to consider and implement for you and your organisation
Speaker
Declan Doyle
Learning & Development Officer, Health@Work
Declan Doyle is a dedicated physical health and wellbeing specialist with extensive experience in designing physical activity and health interventions for both individuals and organisational clients. He has worked across various performance fields, including corporate settings as well as supporting female athletes with weight management support leading up to competitions. With an academic background in exercise science and a research degree in physical activity and health, he is passionate about the role physical activity can play in supporting individuals’ health and wellbeing across the lifespan. Declan’s remit at Health@Work focuses on bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application and continues this focus studying a PhD exploring the role physical activity and health interventions can play in individual and organisational wellbeing.
How to create Psychological Safety through compassionate leadership
This workshop is your essential next step in your journey to create psychological safety in your organisation.
Attendees will learn about:
Next steps you can take to begin to measure key psychometrics across your teams, and ensure that any wellbeing interventions you invest in are targeted and evidence-based
The key factors that you need to address when tackling burnout and increasing psychological safety in your workplace
How compassionate leadership will transform your teams and create an environment that is high in psychological safety
A practical tool that you can take away and use to start your journey towards building your skills in Compassionate Leadership
Speaker
Dr Natalie Isaia
CEO & Founder, Empresa Psychology
Dr Natalie Isaia is a Clinical Psychologist who has over 15 years of experience supporting individuals and teams working in high stress environments and experiencing burnout. Years of keeping up to date with scientific literature convinced Natalie that supporting wellbeing in the workplace results in employees feeling happier and being in better health, which, in turn, leads to increased productivity, efficiency, and creativity. Natalie founded Empresa Psychology to bring her expertise and experience into the corporate space, to transform workplace wellbeing. Her mission is to support companies to achieve business excellence without compromising wellbeing.
Refill the cup – a guided rest for people leaders (Day One)
A restorative experience for CPOs, HR managers, and people leaders.
Those who hold space for others often carry the most — quietly, consistently, and without pause. Refill the Cup is an immersive and interactive session designed to offer these leaders a moment to pause, process, and replenish.
Delivered by Modern Health, with Brainwave - through guided visualization and cognitive reflection techniques - participants will:
- Release the emotional weight of holding space for others
- Reconnect with their purpose and the human heart of leadership
- Reflect on the unseen wins they create within culture and teams
This isn’t just a workshop - it’s a chance to exhale. Participants will leave feeling lighter, recharged, and deeply seen.
Speakers
Lee Godwin
Head of Sales EMEA, Modern Health
Lee Godwin is focused on breaking down barriers to mental health support by delivering accessible and equitable solutions through his work at Modern Health, Ripple Suicide Prevention & Papyrus Suicide Prevention
Anne-Sophie Fluri
Founder, Brainwave
Anne-Sophie Fluri is a published neuroscientist passionate about helping everyone understand their brain through no-nonsense neuroscience. She believes that the science shouldn't feel distant or complicated, it should be a practical tool for better living.
The future of health and wellbeing at work (Day One)
In line with the Make A Difference Leaders' Club’s mission to champion and promote best practice in workplace culture, employee health, and wellbeing—and informed by insights from the Commission for Healthier Lives’ recent Action for Healthier Working Lives report—this session offers a space for Leaders' Club members to share perspectives on the key developments they see on the horizon and how they’re preparing to respond.
Make A Difference Leaders' Club members are invited to join this interactive workshop to discuss:
- Navigating the shifting healthcare landscape – opportunities and challenges
- Recommendations for shaping a bold, long-term vision for a new approach
- Practical steps, incentives, and best practice to help prevent employees from leaving the workforce as a result of ill-health
Speaker
Dame Carol Black GBE
Independent Adviser & Chair, Centre for Ageing Better
Professor Dame Carol Black GBE is currently the Government’s independent advisor on drug misuse. She is also Chair of the British Library, the Centre for Ageing Better, and Think Ahead, the Government’s fast-stream training programme for Mental Health Social Workers. She is a member of RAND Europe’s Council of Advisers and Commonwealth Secretary- General’s Special Envoy on Ageing Well. In 2019, she completed a seven-year term as Principal of Newnham College in Cambridge University, where she was a Deputy Vice-Chancellor. She is a past President of the Royal College of Physicians of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges past Chair of the Nuffield Trust for Health Policy and a previous trustee of the National Portrait Gallery.
Harness natural human curiosity to unlock potential and build a thriving, engaged workforce!
In today’s complex and fast changing world, many organisations struggle to find authentic and practical solutions to engage their employees in a meaningful way. Investments are made but well-intentioned initiatives sometimes do more harm than good.
But what if you offered your workforce the opportunity to explore their own curiosity, perhaps in philosophy, magic, literature, languages or music, together with likeminded people in the office, for just a few hours a month?
Join us for an interactive workshop that challenges the way you think about mental health, workplace culture, personal and professional development and wellbeing. Learn how by simply harnessing natural human curiosity you can unlock potential and build a thriving, engaged workforce!
What you’ll gain from this workshop:
- A fresh perspective on why curiosity-driven Sociable Learning is the missing piece in employee engagement, mental health and wellbeing
- Practical insights into how Sociable Learning can unlock creativity, resilience and potential
- Live interactive polls to explore your own curiosity and reveal the workplace relevance of Sociable Learning
- Actionable steps to deliver this innovative and authentic solution in your organisation
- Curious? Come along to discover how a simple shift in mindset can transform culture and unleash untapped potential!
Speaker
Karissa Hollis
Founder, Curious Vitae
Karissa Hollis is the founder of Curious Vitae, a business specialising in transforming mental health, wellbeing and workplace culture through the power of Sociable Learning. Curious Vitae experts deliver bespoke lectures, workshops and tutorial-based courses across a wide range of topics from philosophy to French, physics to fine art and music to magic. A lawyer, educator and mother, Karissa founded Curious Vitae to enable people to engage in lifelong learning throughout their busy working lives. To develop their Curious as well as their Curriculum Vitae you might say, whilst also providing an innovative and authentic solution for enlightened companies to inspire their people and reap the rewards of a more creative, collaborative and committed workforce.
How AI can help crack the holy grail of habit change
Neuroscientist and Founder of Holidity, Dr Julia Jones, is back at Watercooler this year to reveal the outcome of her latest research examining wellness solutions for habit change.
Julia will explain how the brain forms habits and the science underpinning common problems employers are facing when approaching behaviour change. She will also showcase some of the latest case studies that are attempting to harness the power of AI to make the challenge of habit-change simpler and affordable.
This session will give you tips and science-backed solutions to consider in your own workplace strategies for improved retention results.
Speaker
Dr Julia Jones
Neuroscientist and Founder, Holidity
Julia is a neuroscientist and former Olympic psychologist who through her habit-change company, Holidity, has been examining the effectiveness of employee wellness solutions since 2019. She has been a supporter and member of the UK government’s All Party Parliamentary Group for AI for 6 years and also a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Healthy Places. Julia has delivered employee wellness keynotes and programmes for many corporate employers including Barclays, Goldman Sachs, ITV, Oracle, Wickes, SAP, Entain, SAGA, NHS and more. She is currently welcoming corporate employers as design partners in the final development of a new and affordable human-led, AI-supported, habit-change solution for the wider population. She has published three Amazon bestselling health hacking books and in 2023 launched a collaboration with Universal Music to create a new type of breathing tool called MusicHacks. For further details visit www.holidity.com
From policy to practice – how employment legislation changes impact your working parents
In 2025, UK businesses face significant employment law updates that will directly impact working parents. But compliance alone isn’t enough - organisations must turn policy into meaningful workplace change. With working parent support linked to £43.5 billion in productivity losses, the cost of inaction is too high to ignore.
This dynamic 30-minute session equips HR leaders with the knowledge and tools to move beyond legal box-ticking and create a workplace where working parents can thrive.
What attendes will take away:
- A clear breakdown of the latest employment law updates and their business impact
- The financial and cultural risks of failing to adapt
- Practical strategies to transform policies into real, measurable workplace impact
By the end of this session, you’ll have the insights and actions needed to future-proof your organisation, drive engagement, and retain top talent through meaningful parental support.
Speakers
Hannah Porteous-Butler
Founder, The People Practice Group
Hannah Porteous-Butler is a speaker, coach, and founder of The People Practice Group, a consultancy that helps organisations maximise the potential of their working parents and retain top talent through practical, inclusive strategies. With over 20 years in senior leadership and people strategy, Hannah works with HR and C-suite leaders to improve retention, boost wellbeing, and drive culture change. She has worked with organisations including DDB UK, Mind, TUI, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and Bidwells. As a mother of three and special guardian to a fourth child, she brings deep personal insight to her work alongside professional expertise in coaching, neuroscience, and mental health. Hannah regularly speaks at HR and leadership events and facilitates programmes that turn good policy into real-world support for working parents.
Kellie Nedelcoux
Founder, Career & Parenthood
Kellie Nedelcoux is the Founder of Career & Parenthood, a leadership and parental transition coaching business that helps organisations create family-friendly cultures and empower working parents to thrive. With an extensive career in HR, Kellie has held global roles, including her last position at Sky, where she honed her expertise in talent retention and employee support. Through Career & Parenthood, Kellie partners with organisations to bridge the gaps in supporting working parents, offering tailored coaching, workshops, and consultancy services. Kellie has since joined forces with Hannah Porteous-Butler from The People Practice Group to create an even stronger offering - delivering greater value to clients by supporting both individual growth and systemic change.
What it ACTUALLY means to be a workplace wellbeing professional – the new Workplace Wellbeing Profession Map™
With the absence of a governing body to guide Workplace Wellbeing Professionals on how to get the most impact out of their work or to support in their career development, the profession has been running on the back of trends and awareness days for too long. Hence the creation of the Workplace Wellbeing Profession Map™ – the first of its kind in the UK. During the session, we’ll give some background on the creation of the profession map, what it actually shows, as well as how you can use it to develop your career
Attendees will leave the session with an understanding of:
How the Workplace Wellbeing Profession Map™ was created
What an impactful Workplace Wellbeing Professional should be doing in their role
How to identify your areas of development to become the best Workplace Wellbeing Professional you can be
Speaker
Elliot Foster
Workplace Wellbeing Strategy Consultant, SuperWellness
Elliot Foster is a Workplace Wellbeing Strategy Consultant at SuperWellness, a workplace wellbeing company focused on prevention. As a qualified Business Psychologist, Elliot helps organisations move away from “tick-box” wellbeing to thinking more strategically. By doing this, he not only helps organisations to improve the wellbeing of their staff as well as improve performance, but also helps them be less wasteful in the process by focussing on prevention and ensuring a needs-led approach. He has helped organisations of different sizes and from different sectors to think beyond the more stereotypical wellbeing programme, and reframe wellbeing as something that is no longer a nice to have, but a business necessity. Outside his strategy and consultancy work, Elliot is hugely passionate about supporting those in the Workplace Wellbeing Profession, helping to formalise the profession and change the way that workplace wellbeing is sometimes looked upon by those outside the profession as “fluffy”.
Why domestic abuse is a workplace issue – and what employers can do about it
Domestic violence affects 1 in 5 employees across the UK, meaning that virtually every workplace will have both victim-survivors and perpetrators. Domestic abuse is fundamentally a business issue, the cost of lost output due to domestic abuse to businesses in England alone is a staggering £17 billion per year. For someone experiencing domestic abuse, work may be their only safe place, and employers are uniquely positioned to take effective action on domestic abuse and protect their employees. Informed directly by survivors and nearly 2000 employer members, EIDA has created a host of resources every employer can use to take effective action on domestic abuse – for business and for society.
This powerful workshop will cover the following issues:
Essential employer tools for any organisation - practical steps to create a supportive and proactive workplace response
Domestic abuse and the role of the employer - why employers play a vital part in taking effective action on domestic abuse
Spotting the signs - how might you spot the signs someone is experiencing abuse in the workplace?
The business case for wellbeing and the Mindful Business Charter – for law firms,in-house counsel, their clients and beyond
Low wellbeing in the legal sector is a frequently discussed, and much publicised topic, often accompanied by lurid headlines and criticisms that while there has been lots of calls to action, things aren’t changing because priority is too focused on the bottom line to truly take wellbeing into account.
In the launch of this white paper, we will examine how positive, preventative wellbeing initiatives that look to reduce the causes of unnecessary stress can actually reduce needless waste, reduce costs, reduce risk and increase revenue, creating healthier, more productive workplaces. In essence - to improve the bottom line, we need to improve wellbeing.
Learn how we can increase revenue to ensure our firms success and sustainability in an increasingly competitive market
Discover how generational trends are affecting the costs of recruitment and retention, and the competitive advantage employers can take in this area
Explore the impact of AI on professional services and how this relates to wellbeing in terms of the billable hour
Speaker
Charlotte Clegg
Community Engagement Executive & Psychotherapist, The Mindful Business Charter (MBC)
Charlotte Clegg has worked for the MBC since 2022, where she supports law firms, financial institutions, and professional service to reduce unnecessary stress to create healthier more productive workplaces. She has experience of working with wellbeing in a variety of sectors including retail, corporate, and charity settings. She is also a psychotherapist in private practice with a keen focus on evidence-based practice, using research and discussion to inform on the best initiatives to apply in a variety of contexts.
Cadent case study – the Manager’s Role in Creating Psychological Safety Copy
How can managers foster psychological safety? Cadent takes delegates on an immersive journey to explore this critical question. Using professional actors to simulate real-life scenarios, this session brings to life their approach to dealing with the challenges and opportunities managers face in building trust and open communication in high-pressure situations.
Through this dynamic case study, Cadent shares insights from their own experiences and initiatives, demonstrating the tangible impact of psychological safety on team performance and wellbeing.
You will leave with practical takeaways and a deeper understanding of how leadership behaviours can shape a culture where every voice is heard, and safety is prioritised.
Speakers
Rebecca Eaton
Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, Safety, Health, Environment & Security, Cadent
Rebecca Eaton is a specialist practitioner in occupational health and an experienced wellbeing professional, having implemented wellbeing strategy in several large organisations. She currently leads an in-house occupational health and wellbeing team at Cadent Gas. Rebecca isn’t afraid to break the traditional moulds for wellbeing and focus’ on having a measurable proactive impact on improving employee health and wellbeing. She focuses on embedding a culture of care and has a passion for ensuring that work has a positive effect on people’s wellbeing.
Eileen Donnelly
Founder, Ripple&Co
Eileen Donnelly’s 20-year career has focused on supporting companies to build purpose-driven business strategies and workplace cultures, by responding to, and investing in, the most relevant issues, from climate change to mental health, latterly as a director in a global FTSE 250. She believes passionately that investing in employee’s resilience and positive mental health is critical to successfully achieving bottom-line productivity as well as talent attraction and retention. After founding Ripple&Co in 2019, Eileen now works with organisations such as NatWest, Virgin, Mott MacDonald, XPO and VolkerWessels. She supports them in building healthy, productive and motivated workforces, through a holistic approach to developing wellbeing programmes, with an emphasis on mental health.
Recognising professional development and competence – in Occupational Safety and Health
Recognising professional development and competence in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is essential for maintaining a safe work environment. Competence in OSH involves not only knowledge but also practical skills and the ability to apply them effectively. Continuous professional development through accreditation, training, and experience ensures that safety professionals stay current with regulations and best practice. Organisations benefit from a competent OSH workforce by reducing accidents, improving compliance, and fostering a safety culture. By investing in development programs and acknowledging skill growth, businesses can enhance overall workplace safety and protect their most asset, their people.
Key learning points:
- Explore how the recognition of individuals against professional standards can provide a benchmark for individuals and businesses
- Develop awareness of the IOSH competency framework for OSH professionals
- Understand IOSH, the global professional body for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals
Speaker
Mike Smith
Head of Awarding Organisation, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
Mike Smith joined the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health to head up its Awarding Organisation in January 2024. His career has focussed on education policy, assessment and the research and development of occupational and professional standards and skills solutions for a variety of industries and professions. He has held a variety of senior roles in organisations specialising in workforce and skills development, assessment and accreditation in the UK and overseas. He’s supported employers, employer organisations and other stakeholders through the development and delivery of professional qualifications and apprenticeships.
Feeding employee engagement – the role of food in the modern workplace
Join Deliveroo for an insightful discussion on the role that food plays within the modern workplace. We will delve into why food is a key contributor to employee engagement and how employee expectations have evolved in the years since the pandemic, featuring real-world examples and expert insights. Discover how food can be a powerful tool to enhance employee satisfaction, boost productivity and foster a thriving workplace culture.
Attendees will:
- Discover the latest workplace food trends and the importance of healthy options
- Learn how companies are successfully using food as a key contributor to employee engagement
- Assess your food programme’s effectiveness and how it contributes to a healthier, happier workforce
Speakers
Spencer Walker
Global Director, Deliveroo for Work
Spencer Walker leads Deliveroo’s B2B business, partnering with thousands of clients globally to cater to all of their workplace food needs. Since joining in 2017, he has played a key role in driving Deliveroo’s hypergrowth from start-up to IPO. Whilst he was Regional Director for London, he signed household-name restaurant brands such as Dishoom and Wingstop, partnerships that have cemented Deliveroo’s position as the number-one choice for great food. Before Deliveroo, Spencer spent twelve years in the music industry, founding an independent label and touring the world as a drummer.
Marina Moschoviti
Performance Management Program Manager (Rewards & Benefits), Deliveroo
Marina Moschoviti leads the global performance management and promotion processes within Deliveroo's Reward and Benefits team. Since joining in 2022, she has focused on improving workflows and implementing a new system to enhance the employee experience and support high-performing teams. Marina is dedicated to fostering a workplace culture where employees are happy and have opportunities to grow their careers, helping to create an environment where people feel valued and motivated.
Financial wellbeing that works – practical strategies for HR and reward leaders
What if one of the most powerful tools for enhancing employee wellbeing, engagement, and performance was right under your nose? Financial stress remains a silent barrier in many UK workplaces, impacting productivity, retention, and overall wellbeing.
This session reveals how forward-thinking HR leaders are addressing this challenge head-on. Discover:
• How to implement high-impact support tailored to your workforce
• Strategies that are easy to manage and genuinely valued by employees
• Why it won’t require overhauling your entire benefits programme
Financial wellbeing isn't a luxury -it's a necessity for thriving workplaces. Join us to explore practical approaches that can make a meaningful difference without breaking the bank.
Speaker
Katy Henrickson
Co-Founder, WellFi
Katy Henrickson Co-Founded WellFi in 2021 along with business partner and husband, Terry. She has over 20 years’ experience working in client facing roles in finance, starting her career in pensions actuarial consulting and moving into relationship and client director roles in investment management. Seeing the continued challenge that companies face trying to increase benefit engagement and awareness amongst their employees, Katy and Terry decided enough was enough, and have made it their mission to change financial communication and make financial education accessible and engaging for all.
Beyond sentiment – getting to the heart of what really drives culture
Have you found yourself caught in the 'you said: we did' cycle trying to evolve your culture, with employee feedback or a culture audit that just gives you a list of surface level fixes that you know won't really change anything? Let’s be honest—most culture audits and employee surveys often don’t tell you what you really need to know. They focus on how people feel in the moment, but they don’t uncover the deeper drivers that shape the way your organisation actually operates. That’s why so many businesses get caught in the sentiment trap - measuring engagement scores, tweaking benefits, and hoping for the best.
Join us for a fresh take on diagnosing and driving culture that actually works. In this session we'll equip you with a practical, structured approach to uncovering and influencing the real drivers of your culture - so you can move beyond reactive culture audits and start making a meaningful impact.
Giving you full access to our Culture Catalyst Scorecard, we’ll help you cut through the smoke and focus on the elements that truly drive culture in your business.
This workshop will be covering: How to pinpoint the real forces driving your culture - beyond just employee sentiment surveys, using a data-driven approach
- Why focusing on culture mechanics (not just moods) is key - and how to map leadership tone, management impact, colleague readiness, and systems & processes
- A simple but powerful framework - to help you decode what’s happening in your organisation and identify the biggest opportunities for cultural alignment
- Actionable steps to move from reactive audits to proactive transformation - so you can influence your whole organisational system rather than relying on short-term interventions
Speaker
Paula Brockwell
Founder, The Employee Experience Project
Paula Brockwell C.Psychol, the Founder of the Employee Experience Project is on a mission to take the overwhelm, isolation and frustration out of culture change for HR leaders. Making it manageable, mainstream, and ultimately more effective in creating a business where people can thrive and deliver. With over 20 years’ experience in supporting clients with fostering great behaviours in their business and a grounding as a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, she has an in-depth, practical and evidence-based understanding of what drives healthy organisational systems.
THE WORKPLACE ECOSYSTEM – supporting a neurodiverse workforce through best practice adjustments
Are you ready to transform your workplace into a hub of wellbeing and productivity?
Join us for an engaging 30-minute workshop led by Harley Row Clinic experts, Lucy Vallis and Dr Pablo Jeczmien.
Discover how addressing workplace wellbeing including mental health difficulties and neurodiversity - through a truly holistic approach - including workplace adjustments, will unlock your team’s full potential.
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from the experts. Take the first step toward a healthier, more productive workforce, and retain your greatest assets - YOUR PEOPLE!
Delegates will learn:
- What does a holistic approach to supporting employees truly mean?
- How identifying difficulties and building a bespoke solution can empower employees to thrive personally and professionally
- What should the role of Harley Row Clinic be in the holistic management of your employees’ wellbeing?
- How best practice in workplace adjustments and access to work can support you in creating an inclusive environment
- Actionable tools to foster a culture of wellbeing
- Clear steps to implement workplace adjustments that help employees stay in work and succeed
- Expert insights on supporting your greatest asset - your people
Speakers
Lucy Vallis
CEO, Possability People
Lucy Vallis is the CEO of Possability People, a Sussex-based charity that enables and empowers disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to live the life they choose through a range of services and projects. With a background in social science, Lucy spent some of her early career examining how workplace cultures, policies, and societal structures impact inclusion, belonging, and opportunity. Her expertise spans disability, diversity, equity, and inclusion, workplace wellbeing, and employee experience.Having navigated a squiggly career, Lucy understands firsthand that career paths don’t always follow a traditional route, especially for neurodivergent people. She is passionate about shaping environments where disabled and neurodivergent people are not just included but empowered to thrive.
Dr Pablo Jeczmien
Consultant Psychiatrist & Psychotherapist, Harley Row
He embodies Harley Row Clinic’s three-fold approach - a combination of psychological intervention (therapy, counselling or coaching), medication, and functional medicine (gut health and nutrition) together with lifestyle, that leads to long-term, lasting results. This comprehensive approach allows him to tailor treatment and clinical management to the needs of each individual client. He previously served as a Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult Psychiatry for the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and is a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. His expertise spans community, inpatient, and forensic settings. Pablo firmly believes that mental health issues cannot be addressed through a physical lens alone. His approach, which has been inspired by various schools of thought and experience, focusses on the whole body, and treating the root cause of a condition, not just the symptoms.
Simon Walters
Executive Coach & Mentor, Harley Row Clinic
Equipping managers to support their people – an introduction to the Interpersonal Framework (Day Two)
A practical, people-first approach to modern management.
Managers are the front line of employee experience — yet they’re often underprepared to navigate the complex dynamics that shape team wellbeing, trust, and performance. This talk introduces a clear, actionable Interpersonal Framework designed to help managers lead with confidence, empathy, and intention.
Whether you're supporting new managers or upskilling seasoned leaders, this session offers a powerful foundation for people-centric leadership.
In this talk, we’ll explore:
- Common interpersonal blind spots that erode connection and impact — and how to address them
- Practical tools for helping managers navigate emotionally charged conversations with clarity and care
- How to embed the Interpersonal Framework into manager development programs
Attendees will leave with a fresh lens on what it really means to support people - and how to equip managers to do it well.
Speakers
Lee Godwin
Head of Sales EMEA, Modern Health
Lee Godwin is focused on breaking down barriers to mental health support by delivering accessible and equitable solutions through his work at Modern Health, Ripple Suicide Prevention & Papyrus Suicide Prevention
Dr Pannavat "Palm" Veeraburinon
Counselling psychologist & Global Inclusive Council Member, Modern Health
Diagnosed with ADHD and a learning disorder at age eight, Dr Palm understands firsthand the power of support in overcoming challenges like anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Now as a counselling psychologist, he combines his personal journey with professional expertise to help others grow.
TECHNOGYM – the future of corporate wellness
Uncover the five key steps to a successful corporate wellness programme for 2025 and beyond!
Executing a great corporate wellness strategy has so many clear benefits for employee wellbeing, happiness and business success.
The goal of this workshop is to provide clear steps and considerations for the successful launch, engagement and continued success of corporate wellness programme - employee habits and requirements are constantly changing from fitness content to wellbeing, meditation and relaxation - now more than ever corporate wellness has a much wider scope and deploying content along with engagement plans to key to success. However difficult or awkward it is to talk about this at work, and how ultimately, this will help improve your employee experience and retention.
Attendees will:
- Discover and explore the five key steps based on experience and insight
- How engagement and continual focus is key to success
- Explore different approach and solutions to cater for your workforce size and needs
Speaker
Conrad Betton
Head of Health, Corporate & Performance, Technogym UK
Conrad Betton leads the Health, Corporate and Performance at Technogym, heading up a team to deploy solutions across many industry sectors and company sizes. He has worked on a number of projects across the corporate sector is therefore perfectly placed to give practical first-hand insight of the opportunities as well as challenges to avoid in deploying solutions for corporate wellbeing.
Upskilling leaders, managers, wellbeing champions and key employees – by linking financial wellbeing, mental health and suicide awareness training (#Financial Wellbeing Month – Day Two)
What will be covered:
- The links between financial wellbeing and mental health
- Upskilling key people internally to spot the signs of poor financial/mental wellbeing and effective signposting
- The key to building an effective and supported network of wellbeing champions
Speaker
PC Natasha Hill
Wellbeing Practitioner, Devon, Cornwall & Dorset Police
Natasha Hill has been a police officer for 26 years, working predominantly in child safeguarding roles and on some large Sexual Exploitation investigations. She has also worked as a Diversity Officer, several strategic roles and was a Prevent Officer within the Counter Terrorism Unit. Natasha has been part of a small wellbeing team covering Devon, Cornwall and Dorset since 2020 and lead on financial wellbeing, menopause. She is also involved with organising events such as their annual virtual Wellbeing Festival, which is now in its sixth year and open to all UK police force.
Shaping the supplier landscape – driving change with our collective employer voice (Day Two)
The supplier landscape for workplace culture, employee health, and wellbeing solutions can be challenging for employers to navigate. It can also be frustrating when suppliers aren’t willing to adapt to the specific needs of organisations. That’s why, as part of our mission to champion and advance best practice, a key goal of the Make A Difference Leaders' Club is to use our collective voice to influence the supplier market and encourage meaningful evolution in line with employer expectations.
Make A Difference Leaders' Club members are invited to join this interactive workshop to:
- Explore the challenges employers face in navigating the crowded supplier landscape for workplace culture, health, and wellbeing solutions
- Share insights and experiences on how to encourage suppliers to be more responsive and adaptable to organisational needs
- Learn from Leaders’ Club members who have successfully influenced supplier behaviour to align with employer expectations
Speaker
Claire Farrow
Global Head of Content, Make A Difference Media
Claire Farrow is the Global Director of Content and Programming for the MAD World Summit, The Watercooler and Make A Difference Media.
Claire is on a mission to help every employer – large, medium and small – get the insight, inspiration and contacts they need to make real impact on workplace culture, mental health and wellbeing in their organisation.
She has been freelance (by choice) for more than 15 years. During that time, she has had the honour of working with many leading publishers, including the New York Times.
Why domestic abuse is a workplace issue – and what employers can do about it
Domestic violence affects 1 in 5 employees across the UK, meaning that virtually every workplace will have both victim-survivors and perpetrators. Domestic abuse is fundamentally a business issue, the cost of lost output due to domestic abuse to businesses in England alone is a staggering £17 billion per year. For someone experiencing domestic abuse, work may be their only safe place, and employers are uniquely positioned to take effective action on domestic abuse and protect their employees. Informed directly by survivors and nearly 2000 employer members, EIDA has created a host of resources every employer can use to take effective action on domestic abuse – for business and for society.
This powerful workshop will cover the following issues:
Essential employer tools for any organisation - practical steps to create a supportive and proactive workplace response
Domestic abuse and the role of the employer - why employers play a vital part in taking effective action on domestic abuse
Spotting the signs - how might you spot the signs someone is experiencing abuse in the workplace?
Tolerance – the 21st century super skill
When we practise tolerance, we are better able to handle difficult emotions and stressful situations, which in turn has a positive impact on our energy levels and overall wellbeing.
In today's workplace (and world), tolerance is a vital life skill that enables us all to foster mutual respect and understanding. It also helps us to feel safe to express ourselves without fear of persecution or judgement and this helps to build stronger relationships and thriving communities.
This thought provoking and highly practical workshop will introduce Liggy Webb's 'Tolerance Framework' and encourage the following key takeaways:
- Learn how to accept and respect other people’s points of view
- Be empathetic and open-minded rather than judgemental
- Be patient and learn to forgive rather than holding onto resentment
- Positively contribute to a more inclusive and supportive community
All attendees will also receive a complimentary copy of Liggy Webb’s bite-sized book Tolerance – How to accept and respect differences.
Speaker
Liggy Webb
Award winning author & presenter,
Liggy Webb is an award winning and bestselling author, presenter and international consultant. She is also the founding director of The Learning Architect, an international consortium of behavioural skills specialists. She is recognised as a thought leader on human resilience and works with a wide range of businesses focusing on optimising potential through continual learning and behavioural agility. Some of the organisations that Liggy has worked with includes the NHS, the BBC, Walt Disney, the International Telecommunication Union, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations and various public and private sector organisations, charities and universities. Liggy believes that the diversity of her clients has provided her with a tremendous insight into the many and varied challenges that people currently face in a rapidly changing and often volatile world. She has written over thirty-five books (including her bite-sized book series) on a variety of life skills that help people to be happier, healthier, and more productive.
Ensuring return-to-work processes support employee mental health
Returning to work after a period of absence is one of the most critical moments in the employee-employer relationship. How this transition is managed can make the difference between retaining a valued team member or losing them altogether. A well-structured return-to-work process not only supports our mental health but also strengthens organisational culture, demonstrating a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing.
In this session, we’ll explore how we can create a supportive environment that enables successful reintegration. We’ll also cover key statutory requirements, including reasonable adjustments, to ensure compliance and best practice.
By the end of this session, you’ll have a clearer understanding of the steps needed to foster a positive return-to-work experience. You’ll also gain confidence in supporting colleagues and your own wellbeing in this process and beyond.
Speaker
Jonathan Stuart
Workplace Partnerships Lead, Mind
Working closely with Mind’s Policy and Influencing team, Jonathan Stuart collaborates with employers and policymakers to drive positive change in workplace mental health. He also acts as Secretariat for the Mental Health at Work Leadership Council, advocating for the Mental Health at Work Commitment as 'the' framework of best practice. To date, the Commitment has been signed by over 3,700 organisations employing almost 6 million people. Previously, Jonathan worked in programme delivery, including the Blue Light Programme, supporting emergency responders during the Covid19 pandemic. In these roles, he led initiatives to reduce mental health stigma, design sustainable mental health resources, and influence senior leaders to embed workplace mental health as a strategic priority. His expertise lies in building cross-sector relationships and creating lasting impact, supporting Mind’s vision of mentally healthy work for all.