We are delighted that Joe will be speaking in Toronto this October as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit Canada.
We caught up with him to find out how he’s feeling in the run up to the summit.
Hi Joe, we are thrilled you will be speaking at our Wellbeing at Work Summit Canada in October. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I’m doing great! Had a very relaxing weekend and so I’m feeling recharged.
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing?
Modern work in a digitalized world is mentally demanding and can often be all-consuming for people. Many of us feel tethered to the always-on nature of workplace tools and technologies. We work with organizations to help them to set clear expectations and define better boundaries.
What strategies have you seen developing over the past 6 months, both internally and externally, that are moving the dial on wellbeing in the workplace?
I think that a key driver of success is hiring and training leaders who are focused on managing the creativity, energy and experience of their teams, rather than simply being focused on managing their tasks.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
The organizational science is clear – employee productivity and wellbeing are not competing forces; they are complimentary forces. The most productive, efficient organizations are those with happy, healthy employees. Productivity in 2024 is not about showing up for longer and doing more stuff – it is a much more complex, holistic function of human capacity, which requires thoughtful, intentional management of our limited resources of time and energy.
What are you most looking forward to about the Summit in October?
I’m looking forward to the opportunity to connect and share ideas with leaders who are at the forefront of workplace wellbeing in Canada, as well as discussing our vision for shorter hours and smarter working.
Tell us, what is your vision for the future workplace, in terms of engagement, health and wellbeing?
I believe that the future of work should leverage the productive capacity and technology at our disposal to enable better work and balanced lives.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
I think there’s a real opportunity for progressive, forward-thinking leaders to incentivize the adoption of new AI tools and technologies by sharing the benefits of AI-powered efficiency gains with their people in the form of work time reduction. This can provide them with a dual advantage of being at the cutting edge of both talent and technology.
How has your organization been leading the way?
We’ve been working with organizations and teams all over the world to adopt shorter work week models, supporting their teams and people to work less and get more done.
Joe will be speaking in Toronto at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Canada which takes place live and in-person in Toronto and Calgary with an additional day of virtual sessions too. Further details on the Summit can be found here.
