AGENDA

All times in ET

• 8:15 AM

  Registration and breakfast

• 8:55 AM

  Opening remarks from chairperson

• 9:00 AM

  Panel: Wellbeing program success stories – Strategies that can make a difference

  Join leaders from a range of diverse industries as they share the details of their successful wellbeing programs. Hear real-world case studies and practical tips that you can implement in your workplace.

  • Wellbeing program case studies, including what worked and what didn’t work
  • Technology platforms that support workplace mental health
  • Calculating ROI (Return on Investment) for wellbeing strategies through wellbeing metrics
  • Adapting wellness programs while maintaining consistency.

  Panelists

  

  Carolyn Byer

   Head of HR
  Microsoft 

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  Carolyn Byer

   Head of HR
  Microsoft 

  A strategic leader with 20+ years of broad based and progressive experience in various human resources disciplines within Canada and globally. Creative and collaborative thinker who builds strategies that reimagine processes to inspire human resource excellence. Excel at helping business leaders build diverse and inclusive teams, and fostering the right culture so that employees can do their best work. Carolyn is also passionate about sharing insights about Microsoft’s culture transformation to help other organizations on their own journey. 

  

  Manisha Mistry

  Sr. Director
  HSSE & DEI

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  Manisha Mistry

  Sr. Director
  HSSE & DEI

  For two decades, Manisha Mistry has solidified her reputation as one of Canada’s leading health and safety professionals. In her role as Senior Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at CSA Group she works to create a safe and inclusive environment for employees across all locations worldwide.

  Manisha leads a high-performing team of health and safety professionals to manage a global, multi-site HSSE management system registered to the ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 standards, while supporting the continuous evolution of CSA Group’s ‘safety-first’ culture. She also spearheads CSA Group’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program. In this role, she focuses on bringing together the organization’s many diverse stakeholders with the aim of establishing a safe and inclusive environment for all global employees.

  Manisha holds a Bachelor of Applied Science specializing in Occupational Health & Safety from Ryerson University and a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) designation. She is best described as an authentic life-long learner who keenly supports employees on their own personal and professional development journeys.

  In 2022, Manisha was selected as an Excellence Awardee for the BGIS Award for Safety Leader of the Year and was selected by Canadian Occupational Safety as one of many Top Women in Safety for 3-years running. She sits on the Board of the Women in Occupational Health & Safety Society (WOHSS), which is dedicated to support, educate, and help facilitate the advancement of women in the Health and Safety field. In addition, she is an Advisory Board Member on the Council for Inclusive Work Environments (CIWE) of The Conference Board of Canada.

• 9:50 AM

  Empowering employees with chronic health conditions

  Chronic illness is unfortunately very common.  This session offers practical guidance for effectively managing and supporting employees during their toughest times, while sustaining productivity, compliance and employee morale at the organizational level.

  • Legal requirements and ethical responsibilities in accommodating employees with long-term health conditions, including disability discrimination laws
  • What workplace adjustments and accommodations should be made for chronically ill workers?
  • Real-world examples of organizations who have successfully supported employees through long-term illnesses
  • Innovative and flexible approaches to accommodating employees
  • How to ensure that employees with illnesses feel empowered at work

• 10:35 AM

  Networking coffee break

  Coffee break discussion tables

• 11:40 AM

  Panel: Neurodiversity: unleashing unique brilliance

  Jump into the world of neurodiversity and how it can be a catalyst for extraordinary achievements. Learn how to cultivate a workplace where neurodivergent individuals thrive, contributing their talents and fresh perspectives.

  • Strategies for recruitment, support, and career development that support neurodiversity
  • Programs that recognize the unique strengths and abilities neurodivergent individuals bring to the workplace
  • Tailoring working environments and practices to accommodate the specific needs and preferences of neurodivergent individuals
  • What type of support and flexibility should employers provide?

• 12:30 PM

  Networking lunch

• 1:30 PM

  Panel: Minimizing burnout across your organization

  Reports of burnout have reached an all-time high, and a staggering 57% of American & Canadian workers report feeling stressed on a daily basis.

  In this session, panellists will share proven strategies for reducing employee burnout.

  • How to identify the early warning signs of burnout at the individual, team and organizational level
  • Managerial practices and leadership styles to reduce employee burnout
  • Tips for rolling out effective workload management and one-on-one meeting programs
  • Sustainable strategies for preventing burnout recurrence, including organizational culture shifts, employee development programs, and continuous feedback mechanisms.
  • Tech platforms that help to predict, assess, address and measure stress, anxiety and burnout

  Panelists

  

  Dana Hurst

  Director, Wellness
  BGIS

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  Dana Hurst

  Director, Wellness
  BGIS

  Dana Hurst is a seasoned professional in the health and wellness industry, bringing over 17 years of expertise to her role as the Director of Wellness at BGIS. Her dedication to fostering healthy and thriving work environments has made her a respected figure in the field. Dana holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree from the University of Western Ontario, along with a postgraduate diploma with high honours in Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion from Centennial College. A champion for mental health advocacy, Dana has demonstrated her commitment to creating mentally resilient workplaces. She is a certified Mental Health First Aider through the Mental Health Commission of Canada and has completed the Mental Health Leadership in the Workplace Certification from Shepell and Queen’s University. Under Dana’s leadership, in 2022, BGIS was awarded two industry awards. Canada’s Safest Employer Award for Best Wellness and Psychological Safety Program. This award recognizes an organization that excels in promoting and protecting employee psychological safety (mental health) and overall wellness, including fitness, nutrition and health factors. And Benefits Canada’s The Workplace Benefits Award for Mental Health Program for employers with greater than 5,000 employees. This award recognizes an organization that has developed an innovative and effective mental-health program or initiative to support and encourage the psychological well-being of its employees. 

  As a frequent speaker, she shares her knowledge, offering insights into the latest trends and strategies in health and wellness. With a passion for cultivating positive workplace cultures, Dana continues to be a driving force in championing holistic wellness within BGIS, enhancing team member health and well-being. 

  

  John Stix

  Chief of Staff & Brand
  Fibernetics

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  John Stix

  Chief of Staff & Brand
  Fibernetics

• 2:15 PM

  Networking coffee break

• 2:45 PM

  Promoting physical wellbeing in the workplace and beyond

  This session will outline ways to successfully promote physical wellbeing, particularity in remote and hybrid environments. You will hear proven strategies for deploying and evaluating successful wellbeing programs.

  • Four ways to promote physical wellness in the workplace
  • Examples of successful physical wellbeing strategies
  • How to get employees and managers engaged in physical wellbeing programs
  • Ensuring that each team member gets what they need from the program

  

  Sandra Cunha

  Vice President of People & Culture
  MOVATI Athletic 

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  Sandra Cunha

  Vice President of People & Culture
  MOVATI Athletic 

  Sandra’s career has spanned recruitment, training, and communications roles in the fitness and quick-service restaurant industries, but a passion for learning and people development has always been what drives her. As part of Tim Hortons HR and Corporate Wellness team and later Operations Training, she developed facilitator certifications and employee engagement programs. Sandra helped Tim Hortons build learning plans for new initiatives and/or compliance for the company’s thousands of restaurant locations internationally. In 2017 she joined MOVATI Athletic’s Learning and Development Department and later moved to the People and Culture team where she built the Talent Acquisition group, as well as introduced the internal communications and employee engagement functions. Today, as MOVATI’s Vice President of People and Culture, Sandra sees herself as an advocate first for the company’s 2000 field-based and 150 corporate employees, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as investments in employee learning and development.  

• 3:20 PM

  Empowering employers: Psychological safety and wellbeing strategies

  Compassionate leadership and psychological safety are key to supporting employees without stigma. Join us to explore best practices in suicide prevention, combating workplace depression, and managing workplace wellbeing effectively.

  • How can organizations proactively identify and address factors that contribute to workplace mental health issues and suicidal ideation?
  • What does it mean to be a compassionate leader, and how can this approach positively impact the mental well-being of employees?
  • What are the best practices for identifying signs of depression and suicidal thoughts in employees?
  • What policies and procedures should be in place to address such situations, while respecting privacy and sensitivity?

• 3:55 PM

  Panel: Energizing, engaging and supporting remote workforces

  Join us for a dynamic session where we will dive deep into the strategies that reduce isolation, provide support for remote employees, and establish essential work routines that prevent overwork.

  • Effective onboarding strategies tailored to the unique psychosocial needs of remote employees
  • Helping remote employees form meaningful connections, including the implementation of buddy systems and peer support networks
  • Creative and social virtual activities that go beyond typical meetings to foster camaraderie and rapport among remote workers
  • Innovative approaches to team-building in the virtual realm.

• 4:45 PM

  Closing remarks from chairperson