John is an international speaker, author, entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of Healthy Place To Work. He has spent most of his career consulting with multinational organisations on trust, health, wellbeing, and organisational transformation.
Formerly a broadcast journalist and expert trainer, John is a regular media contributor and a sought-after international speaker on organisational health, resilience, high performance, and sustainability.
Make Work Healthy, his most recent book co-authored with Dr. Michael Burchell, was published by Wiley in the United States and Europe. The book has been translated into Korean and Portuguese, with a Spanish edition scheduled for release in 2026.
We are delighted that John will be speaking in Dubai as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit Middle East. We caught up with him to see how he’s feeling in the runup to the event.
Hi John, we are thrilled that you will be joining us at the Wellbeing at Work Summit Middle East in January. Our first and most important question is, how are you doing today?
I live in Ireland and even though I try not to be affected by the weather I am. It is raining and due to rain for the week, so today I’m really looking forward to going to speak in Dubai!!
As a leader based in the region, what are the main challenges you are facing when it comes to employee wellbeing and mental health?
The level of uncertainty in the world today is unprecedented and most people are finding that both disconcerting and challenging. Many feel completely out of control and either addicted to the news stream or running away from it. Few people are equipped to deal with the level of change that is required to operate in the current chaotic and fast changing world. Add to that AI and people either feeling their job is under threat or C Suite feeling they should be implementing it faster – there is a lot of stress and anxiety in the workplace today.
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?
The days of running an annual engagement assessment are dated. Organisations need to roll out a people philosophy that is executed brilliantly. One that is measure monitored and managed, data driven, evidenced-based and one that responds to the biggest presenting needs. Leaders need to have their finger on the pulse and heartbeat of their people every day.
Why is employee wellbeing so important to you personally?
I’ve seen the effects of toxic workplaces. I’ve seen people crushed and ruined. It doesn’t have to be that way. People still used old management techniques of power and control and suck the life out of people. We need a revolution in this space. Social pollution is alive and well. Somebody is paying the price.
What impact is AI having in your organization and how are you managing that?
While it has some brilliant uses, we are still trying to assess the long-term effects. I find it frustrating that economists are proposing that the answer to the decimation of entry level jobs is the implementation of a basic income model. The presumption is that the only reason people work is for money but that is not true. Yes, work provides financial resources so you can live your life, but it provides an outlet for your skills and talents, it delivers purpose and meaning, it is a social activity, it allows you grow and develop among a host of other things.
Other than AI, are there any challenges that you are seeing for the first time and how are you addressing them?
Anxiety levels, financial concerns (cost of living crisis), always on cultures are just three prevalent ones right now
What areas do you think employers should be focused on over the next 12 months?
Getting systems in place that give real time information about the people and culture of their organisation. Getting lead data rather than lag data, getting ahead of the curve and being able to deal with the biggest presenting issues before they become difficult problems, become proactive rather than reactive.
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?
I think employee wellbeing is falling down the agenda, and it needs to be redefined as human performance and linked to productivity and organisational metrics so that its relevance and impact are appreciated
How has your organization been leading the way?
We are teaching the world how to create healthy places to work built on a culture of care that delivers sustainable high performance.
John is speaking in Dubai as part of our Wellbeing at Work Summit Middle East 2026 which takes place in Cairo, Riyadh, Muscat and Dubai in January. Click the links below to find out more and book your tickets:
20 January 2026 – Cairo – Click here to find out more and book
22 January 2026 – Riyadh – Click here to find out more and book
27 January 2026 – Muscat – Click here to find out more and book
29 January 2026 – Dubai – Click here to find out more and book
