Future of Work Canada 2025

• How can CHROs lead authentically and inspire their organization with a clear vision and purpose? 

• Building trust through transparent and empathetic communication. 

• How are CHRO’s driving change and fostering a thriving workplace culture? 

• What are their priorities when it comes to shaping the future of their workplaces? 

As the four-day workweek gains momentum, is it mutually beneficial for employers and employees? 

In this discussion, we will look at the pros and cons of transitioning to a shorter work week and talk through the operational challenges this poses. Is it suitable for all organizations or is the traditional five-day week here to stay?

Shane is trusted by Fortune 500 clients including Google, Meta, Microsoft & Disney. He is recognized by the White House the Prime Minister of Canada, and the United Nations for his accomplishments in community leadership. In this digital age of distraction and disconnection, leaders are facing a community crisis spanning all generations. Feldman helps counteract this crisis by equipping leaders with the strategies needed to cultivate community, build better relationships, and increase engagement across organizations. A serial entrepreneur, he is the founder of Count Me In, a community of 10 million next-gen leaders.

More details on Shane's Keynote coming soon...

Perdita Felicien spent 10 years as a professional athlete, competing for Canada in the 100m hurdles. During that time, she won numerous international distinctions, including becoming a two-time World Champion, two-time Olympian, and being named Canadian Female Athlete of the Year in 2003.

It’s almost ironic that Perdita turned out to be a world class hurdler, because that is exactly what her mother, an immigrant from St. Lucia, had to do to change the trajectory of her daughter’s life to something extraordinary – she had to overcome hurdles.

In this deeply personal talk, Perdita shares the memories from her tumultuous childhood, along with the startling revelations she makes about her own origins and how they fuelled her success on the track.

This talk is told with raw honesty and humour. It is for anyone who has ever had their life shaped by another, or faced an obstacle. It inspires others to take their own experiences and use them to go through life as a more resilient person.

• What recruitment challenges are organisations facing in today’s labour market? 
• Building and promoting an employer brand that attracts top talent. 
• Improving the candidate experience and leveraging technology to improve efficiency. 
• Developing resilient workforce pipelines and discovering fresh talent sources.

• Exploring the key traits, values, and expectations of different generations. What are their differences, their similarities, and how can you use this knowledge when crafting a learning program?
• Strategies for creating engaging and effective L&D initiatives tailored to your employee’s needs and preferences.
• What techniques can be used to promote understanding and collaboration between all generations in the workplace?
• How to best use the latest digital tools and platforms to enhance learning experiences.
• How you can use Gen-Z’s affinity for digital learning to support and upskill workers from other generations. 

• Strategies for building a positive, inclusive, workplace culture that’s built on respect, transparency and trust. 
• The role of leaders in inspiring and guiding teams, what qualities must good leaders have? 
• Ensuring psychological safety, how can you create an environment that encourages innovation and creativity and reduces the fear of failure? 
• Developing open communication channels and understanding engagement drivers.
• Building synergies among the different generations in the workplace.

• Understanding the strategic value of developing leaders at all levels within the organization.
• What techniques can be used for recognizing and assessing leadership potential among employees?
• How to effectively design Leadership programs. What are the key elements of successful leadership development programs? 
• How to integrate classic leadership theories with contemporary practices such as coaching, mentoring, and digital learning.

• Why prioritizing DE&I in your L&D program will help lead you to overall success.
• How to develop culturally competent training materials. What guidelines should be put in place to ensure diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivity are included in learning content? 
• What strategies can be used to identify and remove any barriers that prevent equitable access to training and development? 
• What tools and metrics are most effective to assess the success of DE&I efforts within L&D programs? 

• How can Talent leaders create a robust employee engagement strategy that not only retains employees but also fosters a high-performing, motivated, and satisfied workforce? 
• What resonates with employees? How to respond back on employee surveys and feedback.
• What key metrics should you be measuring and benchmarking against? 
• The role of AI and data analytics for a better understanding of employee behaviour and to predict engagement trends.

• How can HR stay on top of technology advances so they can effectively lead their organizations through digital transformation? 

• How can technology unlock productivity and enhance the employee experience? 

• The role of tech enabling cross-team collaboration and connecting employees wherever they work.  

• Enabling data-driven decisions through technology and integrated systems that provide a holistic view of the workforce. 

• Developing leaders who can manage and lead across different cultures and geographical boundaries.  
• Equipping leaders with the skills to manage and drive change within the organization, especially in times of rapid technological and market shifts. 
• Short-term versus long-term: creating leadership development programs that serve both current and future-business needs.
• The importance of personalized Leadership Development Plans based on individual strengths and career aspirations. 

• How can talent leaders navigate talent shortages and find and retain skilled employees in a highly competitive market? 
• How can leaders ensure their workforce stays up to date with rapid technological changes? 
• What steps can leaders take to achieve a diverse and inclusive workforce? 
• How can leaders maintain high levels of employee engagement and provide continuous development opportunities? 

• How to utilize tech to complement traditional learning methods already in place.
• How to highlight and tackle challenges that may arise when integrating tech into L&D, like user adoption, support and data privacy.
• What tech is currently trending and how can it be adopted within the L&D space? Learn what tech is worth the investment.
• How can tech be used to create a more personalized and impactful learning experience?

• Reframing DEI as the foundation of company culture and not just a set of rules and headcounts.  
• Beyond DEI initiatives, how can organizations truly embed DEI into their practices and processes? 
• Why do workplaces need a holistic, collective, and long-term approach to DEI? 
• How can organizations be intentional in creating an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best? 
• Dealing with DEI backlash, from internal resistance to reverse discrimination lawsuits.

• How can talent leaders create a comprehensive and attractive benefits package that meets the needs of their workforce? 
• What are the trends emerging with employee benefits and reward packages? How do you ensure that yours are competitive? 
• How can you measure the ROI of total rewards to prove to the C-Suite that the investment is worth the buy-in? 
• Using technology to automate benefits administration and simplify the user experience. 
• One size does not fit all. Tailoring benefits and rewards for different generations and demographics and communicating that in the interview process. 

• What key learning trends are we seeing in L&D and how will this impact existing program structures?
• Identifying the critical skills and competencies needed for the future and understanding how as L&D professionals we can enhance them.
• How as an L&D leader can you ensure you meet your strategic responsibilities and align with the business’s overall objectives?
• What tests and scaling solutions can you use to drive impact, while being flexible and sensitive to how your business is changing?
• How can you bring vision and focus to your team to foster a culture of continuous learning and help them evolve from a tactical role to strategic advisors for business stakeholders?

• Going beyond perks and benefits and building a culture where employees feel valued, engaged, and motivated. 

• Empowering employees to make changes to improve their work experience directly. 

• What operational aspects can you improve to enhance employee experience? 

• Understanding the unique needs and experiences of various employee groups and crafting motivating and engaging employee experiences. 

• Creating a workplace that is fulfilling and enjoyable. 

• How can talent leaders positively impact the long-term performance of their organizations through a strategic workforce strategy?  
• How can you ensure that the talent investments you are making are the right ones?  
• Seeking buy-in from the decision-makers.
• Forecast talent requirements based on technology changes and market dynamics. 

• Understanding new career paths, moving from linear to non-linear trajectories.
• Creating flexible career paths that allow employees to explore different functions and departments within the organization. 
• How can you shift the focus from years of experience to skills and competencies? 
• Using technology and data analytics to provide a customized career development plan.

• Enabling collaboration, both in-person and digitally, so employees can contribute effectively no matter where they work. When should collaboration be in person vs online? 

• Connecting employees to the organization's purpose to drive engagement 

• How can you enhance communication and transparency? 

• Generating authentic remote connections and capturing those all-important ‘water-cooler’ moments. 

• What are the critical shifts that need to happen to move from an office-centred workplace design to a human-centric design? 

• How can you create cohesion and empathy among employees and senior leaders and foster open communication channels? 

• How can you promote a healthy work/life balance and offer employees flexibility? 

• Successfully integrating mental health resources and support systems within the workplace. 

• Strategies to increase job satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty for frontline staff. 
• How can organizations create a more attractive and supportive work environment for their frontline workers? 
• Creating flexibility where possible and encouraging a good work-life balance. 
• The role of technology in retaining frontline staff. 
• Considering key factors such as fair pay, rewards, career development and health and safety. 

With so much political unrest and religious conflict in the world, the importance of knowing how to deal with workplace disputes has never been so important. 

• As leaders, how can HR equip themselves to deal with any workplace conflict in a fair and sensitive manner?  
• What practical steps can you put in place to deal with any conflicts? 
• How can you create safe spaces, an inclusive culture, and strengthen relationships for a positive workplace environment? 

• How are organisations redefining remote and hybrid work policies to meet employee needs and business objectives? 
• How can you ensure fairness and maintain productivity across different working environments? 
• Overcoming employee resistance – are RTO mandates the answer? 
• What business implications are there if you reverse hybrid working? 

•  Successfully aligning HR strategies with the company’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities. 

• How can you tailor change initiatives to fit diverse cultural differences across global teams as well as adhere to legal implications in different regions? 

• How can you build trust and engagement from employees, so they are more open to change, how do you deal with change resistance or fatigue? 

• Ensuring that changes contribute to the long-term success and stability of the organization. 

• How L&D can support change initiatives by developing relevant skills and fostering a culture of adaptability. 
• Why is it important to curate change-ready learning programs? Learn strategies for creating training programs that prepare employees for change, including resilience training, communication skills, and problem-solving.
• What techniques can be used for maintaining employee engagement and morale throughout the change process?
• How to measure the impact of change management training. What tools and metrics can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of L&D interventions in change management?

·       How to develop an efficient succession plan which is robust enough to withstand constant change in today’s world?
·       Criteria for identifying potential leaders.
·       Techniques to keep high-potential employees engaged and motivated.
·       Developing future leaders through structured development programs (e.g., leadership training, mentorship).
·       Identifying potential roadblocks
·       Create a sustainable leadership pipeline that supports long-term business success.
·       How can you monitor and measure progress of your success programs?

• What are the key elements in designing effective coaching and mentoring programs?
• How do you select coaches and mentors? What qualities do you look for when matching coaches and mentors with employees?
• How can you overcome resistance or lack of participation from employees in coaching or mentoring?
• How are current learning technologies influencing the way coaching and mentoring programs are delivered? How do you think this will evolve/change in the future?
• What are some best practices that can be used to ensure the effectiveness of coaching and mentoring programs in enhancing your L&D initiative?

• HR’s role in fuelling business growth and driving innovation in uncertain times. 
• How can organizations create powerful employee experiences that accelerate business growth? 
• Encouraging intrapreneurship and creativity so employees are not bogged down by red tape and permission seeking. 
• Leadership’s role in modelling and supporting innovative behaviours. 

• How to take your global company learning initiative scale it down and personalize it for your teams across the world, whilst ensuring quality and consistency are kept across diverse departments.
• Why a ‘one size fits all’ approach will never work. How to regulate budgets and resources fairly, dependent on locations, team sizes, and roles.
• Carrying out needs assessments and identifying key differences by working with your top teams in each location.
• How to ensure communication is consistent with your different offices and teams to show the company’s support and enthusiasm for learning and development of the employees.

• Understand the strategic value of L&D and its impact on overall organizational success.
• Why is it important to align L&D initiatives with the overarching business objectives of the organization?
• Looking at your primary sources of data, what tools can be used to analyze it and what key metrics should you identify to measure the effectiveness of your initiatives?
• How do emerging technologies like AI and machine learning impact data collection and analysis in L&D?
• How to develop strategies to secure and maintain executive sponsorship for L&D programs.
• Measuring and presenting the ROI of L&D initiatives in a manner that resonates with senior leaders. How can you reassure them when there is a lag in ROI or no immediate results?

• How can HR help ensure that GenAI is implemented in a way that is ethical, fair, and beneficial to both the organization and its employees? 

• Developing robust guidelines for the ethical use of GenAI, as well as ensuring it aligns with the organization’s values and regulatory requirements. 

• Mitigating bias and ensuring diversity in teams developing and deploying GenAI.

• Employee training to overcome employee fears of being replaced by AI and ensure ethical use.

• What strategies can be used for embedding learning into daily activities and making it a normal part of work life?
• How to effectively conduct a needs assessment, identify performance gaps, and gather and analyze data.
• What does it take to design a performance enablement program that aligns and integrates with the organization’s business objectives?

• What are the business benefits of becoming a skills-based organization? 
• How to shift your talent strategies across the employee lifecycle for skills-based planning. 
• Approaches to implementation, where should you start? 
• Leveraging technology to increase skills visibility across the organization.
• Measuring the ROI and communicating the business value to the wider organization. 

• Understanding the ‘value’ of cultural values in organizational development.
• Defining and envisioning an aspirational state for your organization.
• How to embed organizational values to diagnose, track, and measure culture and leadership for talent strategy.
• How leaders play a critical part in exemplifying and influencing culture from current to future state.

• What techniques can you use to effectively coach managers and establish trust and rapport with them? 
• How to implement an effective manager development program by conducting assessments to identify skills needs, blending learning methods, and leveraging technology for the most impactful training.
• The importance of reevaluating these programs to keep up with changes in team dynamics and understanding that frequent reviewing and personalization is key.
• What skills do managers need to effectively deal with conflict and have those difficult conversations with their employees?

• Does your EVP address the changing priorities and values of the modern workforce? 
• What do employees now expect from employers? 
• Can your leaders deliver what they promise employees and candidates? 
• How can you ensure your EVP drive employee engagement and retention setting you apart from the competition? 

• Employer branding: How does this help in conveying the company's culture and values to prospective candidates? 
• How can social media and online platforms be used to further your employer branding strategies? 
• What effect does employer branding have on how a company is seen by potential employees and those already employed by the organisation?  

• Learn to recognize and identify the most valuable skills needed within your organization.
• How to conduct an assessment on individuals to gauge which of these transferable skills they are lacking.
• What strategies can be used to embed the development of these power skills into existing L&D programs?
• What tools and frameworks can you use in your organization to measure the improvement and impact that training is having on your employee's development?

• How can organizations strategically invest in technology and leverage data-driven approaches to enhance DEI efforts, mitigate biases, and create a more inclusive workplace?
• Measuring hiring rates, promotion rates and employee satisfactions scores for an understanding of DEI progress
• Eliminating algorithmic bias and ensuring you still maintain a human touch.
• Training and best practices for data driven DEI

• When should you use AI for learning? How can organizations ensure they are not being distracted by the latest technology and ensure effective use?
• How to use AI to create tailored learning paths and content that cater to individual learner needs and preferences.
• How to use AI automation to your advantage to streamline administrative tasks program management, and analytics. 
• Leveraging technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and gamification to create immersive and engaging learning experiences.

• How can HR create digital roadmaps that have real impact and long-lasting value to the wider organization? 

• Identifying digital tools and platforms to enhance the employee experience and create a more personalized experience across the whole employee life cycle. 

• What processes can be streamlined and automated, so HR functions are free to focus on strategic initiatives? 

• Leveraging advanced analytics and data insights to inform HR strategies. 

• Building a digital-ready HR function. 

• Developing human leaders and equipping them with skills to lead with empathy, authenticity and inclusiveness. 

• Getting leadership buy-in and making sure they model healthy behaviours and recognize wellness initiatives. 

• What steps can organizations put in place to embed health and wellbeing into everyday work practices? 

• Meeting employees’ individual needs and creating a sense of purpose and belonging.