We are delighted that Hilary will be speaking in Toronto as part of our Canada Summit. We caught up with her to find out how she’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Hilary, we are thrilled that you will be speaking at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Canada in October. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
Excited to be having a chance to discuss such an important topic. I’m great!
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
Society is on a path of removing stigma around mental health. I see many more people being candid and sharing experiences which encourages others to do the same. Wellbeing is increasingly discussed at all levels about how it impacts peak performance. It’s not a nice to have, it’s a business imperative to ensure you’re getting the best from your people.
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?
Providing guidance to leaders to encourage them to talk with their teams about wellbeing and mental health openly. Creating connections with employees who have returned from a leave to share their experiences with others. Encouraging people to find their boundaries vs pushing too hard and having to take time off. Making time for exercise and nutrition vs staying seated the whole day and eating hurriedly at one’s desk.
Additionally, we know women face unique phases in their lives that come with distinct health symptoms and potential challenges. We’re seeing a focus being placed on providing dedicated women’s health support. At Deloitte Canada, we created a women’s health resource page on our intranet, combining direct access to internal and external supports (ie. breast health, heart health, perimenopause/menopause, financial wellness, etc.). We also increased our fertility coverage from $1,000 to $10,000, and we’ll be rolling out a pilot focused on menopause in the next few months.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
When I chat with our high performing talent who have had to take time off it shows me that there is still work to do.
What impact is AI having in your organization and how are you managing that?
AI is allowing us to do work differently. We are on a journey to harness it to eliminate repetitive tasks and allow our team members to focus on value-added tasks.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
The swirling stresses of political events and climate change are weighing heavily on people. We are encouraging people to share with others and take advantage of mental health benefits to talk to professionals and develop coping strategies.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
Employees are concerned how AI will impact their jobs. They worry about job security. Employers should focus on training paths for all employees to allow people to build new skills and reduce the fear around AI changing everything. I also believe AI will see us seek out neurodivergence skills in a more explicit way.
Hilary will be speaking in Toronto at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Canada.
Our Toronto Summit takes place on October 21, 2025. Visit our Toronto webpage for further details and to book your tickets.
Our Calgary Summit takes place on October 23, 2025. To find out more about our Calgary Summit and book your tickets please visit our Calgary webpage.
