We are delighted that Derek will be speaking in Austin, Texas as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit US this March. We caught up with him to see how he’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi Derek, we are thrilled that you will be joining us at the Wellbeing at Work Summit US in March. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I’m doing great, thank you for asking!
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
Lack of interest and resources allocated into raising awareness and prioritizing mental health and wellbeing.
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?
Peer groups and heavy non-profit roundups are helping individuals lean into the community and start to build a stronger sense of connection, which leads to less isolation.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
I work in a very high-stress environment and have personally suffered the fallout of not having resources available that could have helped me tremendously. I know the value of making wellbeing an absolute priority, and it’s a passion I’m on fire for to get more awareness and involvement centred around these needs.
What impact is AI having in your organization and how are you managing that?
AI is developing quickly, but slow to be adopted in many areas of oil and gas. I think it’s cautiously being explored but heavily vetted right now.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
On top of the risk that AI can feel less human, I feel like that only compounds issues for companies that struggle to build culture that are already less involved with their employees. I see many companies that are scaling that are having a hard time achieving buy-in because they don’t usually prioritize a balanced approach with managing lifestyle and workload for their people.
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
Fostering connection with their teams, less focus on mundane logic and process with more attention into team building and diving deeper into what an ideal workplace looks like to their members.
Do you feel that investment in employee wellbeing in the region is increasing or decreasing and is that a direct reflection on HR leaders’ increasing ability to demonstrate effective returns of their strategies to leadership?
In oil and gas, we’re navigating a tricky season of acquisitions and mergers on both Operator and Service company sides. I don’t see much effort being invested from a lot of these companies. It’s a very volatile sector with a lot of impersonal “just business” feel right now.
How has your organization been leading the way?
We work hard to maintain our field guys on balanced rotations to prevent burnout, compensation is above industry standards for their time. We make time whenever possible to connect with them and put time into understanding how their personal and work lives are impacted inside a tough niche.
Derek is speaking in Austin, TX as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit US 2026 which takes place in New York and Austin this March, followed by Chicago and Los Angeles in May. Click the links below to find out more and book your tickets:
March 3 – New York – Click here to find out more and book
March 5 – Austin, TX – Click here to find out more and book
May 5 – Chicago – Click here to find out more and book
May 7 – Los Angeles – Click here to find out more and book
