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? 

This workshop is for purpose-driven (or purpose-curious) leaders who want to learn how purpose can do more for their organization. We’ll explore a model for activating purpose through all the layers of an organization, so it becomes a powerful driver of performance.

Key Topics
🔹 Activating Purpose at Every Level
Learn how to embed purpose into leadership, culture, and day-to-day operations for maximum impact.
🔹 Driving Performance Through Purpose
Understand how a strong sense of purpose enhances employee engagement, productivity, and business outcomes.
🔹 Aligning Purpose with Strategy
Discover how to integrate purpose into decision-making, talent strategies, and organizational growth.

Key Takeaways
By the end of this workshop, you will:
✅ Gain a practical framework for activating purpose across your organization.
✅ Understand how to link purpose with measurable performance outcomes.
✅ Assess your organization’s purpose-driven maturity.
✅ Walk away with actionable strategies to help your people thrive and drive business

 

Format
This interactive session will include:
✔ Hands-on exercises to help you apply the concepts in real-time.
✔ Small group discussions to exchange insights with peers.
✔ Real-world examples of organizations successfully bringing purpose to life.
Join us for this engaging and thought-provoking workshop—because when purpose is activated, both people and businesses thrive.

In today’s world, where attention is a premium, learning experiences must not just deliver content—they must resonate, inspire, and create lasting impact. Join us for an interactive and dynamic workshop where we’ll explore how to design learning experiences that truly matter. Through proven methods like discovery sessions, empathy mapping, and experience design, you’ll learn how to identify and amplify the moments that drive growth, engagement, and transformation.

Key Topics

• Discovery Sessions
  • Learn our step-by-step approach to uncovering the real needs of learners.
  • Explore tools and techniques for extracting insights that align learning to real-world challenges.
• Empathy Mapping
  • Participate in a hands-on empathy mapping exercise to understand learner perspectives and emotional needs.
  • See how empathy maps help design learning programs that are targeted, impactful, and human-centred.
• Experience Design
  • Discover how to intentionally design every moment of your learning programs to be engaging, memorable, and meaningful.
  • Explore strategies to align experiences with organizational outcomes and learner growth.

Key Takeaways

You will leave this workshop equipped with:

• Practical tools for conducting effective and insightful discovery sessions.
• Proven techniques to use empathy mapping for creating targeted, learner-focused programs.
• Actionable strategies for designing learning experiences where every moment contributes to organizational impact and individual growth.

Format

This is not your typical sit-and-listen workshop! Expect a highly interactive, hands-on experience that includes:

By the end, you’ll walk away inspired and prepared to transform how you design learning experiences—because every moment matters.

• Practical exercises you can replicate immediately.
• Small group discussions to explore real-world applications.
• Case studies and examples to bring concepts to life.

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?

•    Benefit Plan Sustainability: Your benefit and retirement plan costs continue to rise with no sign of abating. Learn strategies to help you sustain programs for changing workforce needs in a challenging economy.
•    Integrated Well-being: Your employees demand more from their benefit and retirement plans. Learn how to support employee well-being through an integrated approach to physical, mental and financial health.
•    Shifting labour market changes: labour market changes will continue to transform workplaces. Find out what the latest trends mean for your workforce and how to align your benefit and retirement plans.
•    Analytics & Innovation: As the workplace evolves, so do tools and resources. Learn how you can enhance your benefit plan with data insights to deliver quality employee experiences for your diverse workforce.

 

A quick ice-breaker session you can get to know your fellow attendees.

A quick ice-breaker session you can get to know your fellow attendees.

A quick ice-breaker session you can get to know your fellow attendees.

Our talent landscape is facing a tsunami of change. Emotions play a critical role during such times, acting as the fuel for or against the transformation journey. Yet, all too often, change-makers fail to recognize their importance.

• A highly dynamic and interactive session.
• Compelling stories and research data around emotions, and their impact on people's behaviour.
• How to identify and leverage emotions to adapt to change in your organization.
• Table discussions, practical advice, and Q&A.

Success in business starts with relationships, and in today’s unpredictable landscape collaboration is your competitive edge. In this empowering, forward-looking talk, Shane Feldman goes beyond the hype and speculation to reveal a fundamental truth — in this new world of work, community and relationships are what will set you apart.

Having researched community leadership and human behaviour across 100 cities spanning 6 continents, Feldman brings audiences on a journey around the world, sharing lessons and frameworks from different cultures. He decodes how to empower human connection, future-proof any organization, and optimize people, planet, and profit through real-world examples and clear strategies that can be applied right away. Audiences are left re-focused, re-connected, and ready to elevate their impact.

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.
• What talent is being left out of the pipeline and why?

• 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. 

• Research has demonstrated that the most common reasons for companies not thoroughly measuring short, medium and long-term impact of training include:

• do not know how to do it
• do not have the system to do it
• not recognized as important by the HR function
• too cumbersome

In this session we examine the business case for data-driven leadership development by showcasing how companies successfully use data to improve the learning experience and measure impact of leadership training for knowledge, attitude, and behaviour change. We uncover how to get started and how to overcome resistance to impact measurement.

We showcase award-winning results, when a data-driven approach is used to revolutionize leadership development; an approach that has delivered results worldwide in a multitude of industries.

• Balancing Resource Constraints: Addressing the unique challenges NGOs face with limited budgets and reliance on external funding.
• Sustainability in Learning Programs: Strategies for creating scalable and sustainable programs that remain impactful despite financial uncertainties.
• Technology Adoption in Resource-Limited Settings: Exploring low-tech or no-tech learning solutions to reach diverse and often remote audiences.
• Collaborative Solutions: Leveraging partnerships, shared resources, and peer learning to maximize reach and effectiveness.

• 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.

The 2024 Work Trend Index reveals that AI adoption in the workplace has surged, with 75% of global knowledge workers now using AI tools. This shift is reshaping job roles and creating a talent shortage, making AI skills a critical asset for future hires and career advancement.

Join us to walk through the findings and get insights on how to take actionable next steps to lead your employees through this transformation.  
 

 

• The Neuroscience of Belonging: Why It Matters for Learning & Development & The Future of Work
  • Understanding how belonging impacts brain function and learning outcomes, and why it is the foundation for talent optimization.
• Beyond DEI: Using Data to Build a Culture of Belonging
  • How data-driven insights can be leveraged to measure belonging, identify gaps, and develop high-impact leadership and L&D strategies.
• Creating Belonging-First Leadership: Practical Strategies for Action
  • Actionable methods that decision-makers and HR leaders can implement immediately to embed belonging into learning, leadership, and workplace culture.
• Real-World Application Discussion
  • A brief overview of real-world challenges and success stories from organizations that have transformed their workplaces through belonging-focused strategies.

• 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?

Humans have an inherent need to belong and be part of a group. This need dates back to our earliest days when survival depended on being part of a community. Building connections and maintaining relationships weren't just nice-to-haves; they were essential for our very existence. Although social exclusion no longer has life-or-death consequences, the need for a sense of belonging is still hardwired into our DNA.

Understanding and leveraging this fundamental human nature creates an incredible opportunity to elevate employee experience and build a thriving culture that inevitably leads to better business results.

Join us for an engaging session where we'll dive into captivating stories and explore the latest trends and tools shaping the future of work in these rapidly changing times. This session will ignite new ideas and inspire you to apply fresh insights to your business.

• Discover the integral roles, learning and socialization play in employee development.
• Understand the social values of today's employees.
• Explore how you can leverage social behaviors to create more impactful learning experiences, increase engagement and create return for your organization.
• Gain actionable, budget-friendly takeaways you can immediately implement in your organization.

•    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 adhering 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.

This enlightening talk will be an exploration into the fundamentals of AI design and deployment. Gain strategic insights on how to get started on your Ai journey, integrating AI into HR practices and delve into the critical measures for ethical adoption, ensuring transparency, and maintaining a human-centric approach—all pivotal for advancing HR’s role in the organization’s AI evolution.
 
Key Learnings and Outcomes:
•    Introduction to GenAI in HR:
o    Basics of Generative AI and its relevance to HR.
o    How Manulife started its GenAI journey.
•    Driving Change and Innovation:
o    HR's role in leading GenAI-driven transformation at Manulife.
o    Build, buy, boost considerations 
•    Developing a GenAI Learning Strategy:
o    Framework for upskilling and reskilling employees to work alongside AI.
o    Creating a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.
o    Practical steps for implementing a GenAI learning strategy.
•    Ethical and Responsible AI Use:
o    Ethical considerations in AI implementation 
•    Strategies to Ignite Transformation:
o    Practical steps Manulife took to drive GenAI adoption.
o    Engaging stakeholders and securing buy-in for GenAI initiatives.

They may not be wearing dark glasses and suits, but the AI agents have arrived, and they've brought with them a host of opportunities, questions, and challenges that will shape the way people engage professionally, and the ways they will experience learning. 

• We'll consider the current state of AI adoption with a special lens into the opportunities for L&D leaders and practitioners
• We'll explore how the improving sophistication of Gen AI - and its still very present limitations - is forcing L&D to ask tough questions about human-centered learning, and how we can imagine, evaluate, and prioritize the way we work and how people engage with learning.
• Finally, through a three-part Generative AI framework, we’ll consider the strengths and challenges of this ever-emerging technology, with examples of Generative AI applications, including enabling L&D activities, expanding learner experiences, and effective decision-making.

In a world of rapid technological innovation, it’s easy for L&D professionals to be swept up by the latest trends and lose sight of the value of human-centred approaches. This session explores why human connection remains essential and how to keep learners at the heart of development.

• 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.

• 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.

The session will explore:

• Differences in characteristics and communication styles of the four primary generations in the workplace
• Their different approach to adoption and use of technology and IA
• The impact of increasing workloads, rapid changes and economic pressures on stress and burnout 
• The challenges modern leaders face in such a complex workplace all at once

• Gracefully accepting the pitfalls we all experience.
• Adapting to what the business can manage.
• Building foundational capabilities among managers and 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? 

As the workplace evolves with the introduction of even more AI tools, it’s human creativity that can best harness them. Companies that nurture and cultivate their people’s creativity will outpace those who don’t.

Creativity is not some rare talent only some people have; we all possess it. But it is like a muscle, requiring exercise, practice and intention. 

Delivered through the lens of the future of training, this session will discuss creativity, and will introduce participants to a flexible art-led toolset to practice unlocking and deploying the latent creativity within us all. Speaker Zack Sandor-Kerr draws on his own art practice, as well as his experience as a marketing agency executive turned full-time pediatric cancer dad.

• Addressing the talent gap: How remote work strategies can help Canadian companies overcome local skills shortages and access global talent pools.
• Building distributed teams across borders: Best practices for hiring, onboarding, and managing international employees effectively.
• Creating an inclusive global workplace culture that attracts and retains diverse talent regardless of location.
• Navigating compliance challenges: Understanding the legal, tax, and regulatory considerations when expanding your workforce internationally.

•    Understanding Gen Z Expectations, what do Gen Z looks for in employers and work environments?
•    How can companies effectively attract and retain the next generation of talent so they have a dynamic and future-ready workforce?
•    Is your candidate experience up to scratch?  How can you avoid being ghosted by potential talent?
•    Aligning organizational values and practices to attract and retain young talent
 

This session will explore the significant impact that exercise can have on workplace performance. By delving into research-based findings, we will uncover how physical activity not only enhances individual productivity but also fosters essential skills that are transferable to professional settings. Attendees will gain insights into the multifaceted benefits of exercise, from boosting confidence to improving networking abilities. They will leave with practical examples and actionable ideas that can be implemented in their own workplaces to enhance employee performance, engagement and well-being.

This session explores how businesses can leverage video and video technology, including AI and interactive video, to:

• Improve onboarding and training.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing.
• Personalize content to address individual requirements.
• Boost employee engagement.

We will also showcase how innovative organizations of all sizes are using video to tap into the full potential of their workforce.

We’re living through one of the fastest shifts in the history of work. AI isn’t just automating tasks; it’s fundamentally reshaping how decisions are made, how teams collaborate, and how companies operate. Yet most organizations are still structured as if work hasn’t changed at all.
There’s a paradox here: AI adoption is a top priority, yet many leaders are unintentionally slowing it down. Why? Because we keep trying to integrate AI without rethinking the systems, leadership behaviors, and incentives that determine how work happens.
To succeed in the AI era, companies must redesign their organizations to fully embrace AI—rethinking leadership, culture, and workflows. 

This session explores how to move beyond fragmented AI efforts and build an ecosystem where AI enhances human potential, accelerates innovation, and drives real business impact.
 

As our workplaces continue to adjust to population trends and demographics, pandemic recovery, retirements and organizational drivers – how can we use this opportunity to rethink the power of diversity?  Mercedes Watson, Chief Talent Officer and Associate Deputy Minister with the Treasury Board Secretariat with the Ontario Public Service will share insights on how strong leadership, succession planning, change management and workplace culture can reinvigorate organizations.

How job seekers perceive your organization is critical to your hiring success. The key to capitalizing on  the power of perception lies in how you connect with talent on a human level. Prioritizing people-focused initiatives, such as workplace wellbeing, and a strong employee value proposition have proven financial impact on companies as a whole, and are essential to stand out in the labour marketplace. Join Alexandra Tillo, Head of Talent Intelligence at Indeed Canada, as she shares insights from Indeed and Glassdoor to help you humanize your recruitment strategy and build a genuine, compelling EVP that resonates with top candidates. In this 30-minute session, you’ll discover how to refine your recruitment efforts and build stronger, more meaningful connections with talent.

Why you won’t want to miss it:

•    Strengthen your recruitment strategies by leveraging your EVP to boost your hiring ROI and improve long-term talent retention.
•    Understand the needs and expectations of today’s job seekers to communicate more effectively.
•    Learn how to define your employer identity and craft authentic storytelling that attracts the right candidates.
•    Ensure leadership investment in shaping and championing your employer brand.
•    Explore how to integrate inclusion, wellbeing, and other people-first priorities into your EVP.
 

• What is your annual net production of talent?
• What percentage of your leaders are leading at the right level? - how to unlock the value of the leadership you are already paying for. 
• Fortune survey shows that only 10% of CEOs believe their company’s leadership development initiatives have a clear business impact. How to deliver measurable change in leadership behavior.
• 90% of middle managers agree; it is critical to have good front line managers, yet less than 5% of front-line managers report being developed as leaders – how to build a leader-led development culture.

Microcredentials provide a powerful way to verify employee skills and offer real-time insights into helping identify strengths, address skill gaps, and build more efficient and effective teams. Discover how microcredentials can seamlessly integrate into learning and development plans, providing a flexible and targeted way to recognize and validate expertise while empowering employees. As well, learn how they can serve as a key tool for attracting, engaging, and advancing talent—helping organizations stay competitive and innovative in an ever-evolving market.

•    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.