Future of Work Canada 2026 brings together the ideas, insights, and conversations shaping the future workplace.
The event will open Day One with a keynote on our Main Stage, bringing all attendees together for an inspiring start.

From there, you’ll have the opportunity to tailor your experience across three dedicated conference tracks:

Change & Transformation: Building adaptive, resilient enterprises
People & Experience: Designing human-centred workplaces
Learning & Leadership: Building future-ready skills and leaders in the age of AI
 

With access to every track, all attendees can design their own agenda and explore the sessions most relevant to their goals.

2026 Programme

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09:00
  1. Opening Welcome Address
    Keynote Stage
    10 mins
09:10
  1. Keynote
    Keynote Stage
    60 mins
    Exciting keynote reveal coming soon. An inspiring voice shaping the conversation on the future of work. Expect a thought-provoking session that challenges assumptions, sparks new thinking, and leaves …
10:10
  1. Industry Keynote
    Keynote Stage
    30 mins
    Hear from an industry leader bringing unique perspectives on how organisations can navigate disruption, seize new opportunities and develop forward-looking strategies to help shape the future of work.
10:40
  1. Coffee & Networking Break
    Keynote Stage
    30 mins
11:10
  1. Chair's Welcome
    Change & Transformation
    15 mins
  2. Chair's Welcome
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
  3. Chair's Welcome
    People & Experience
    15 mins
11:25
  1. Panel Discussion: The HR Operating Model of 2030
    Change & Transformation
    40 mins
    Moving HR from support function to strategic partner. Rethinking HR’s role in shaping enterprise-wide strategy and organisational design What capabilities and mindsets HR leaders need to influence the …
  2. Panel Discussion: Future of leadership & learning. Building skills and leaders for 2030
    Learning & Leadership
    40 mins
    How leadership models adapt to AI, disruption, and changing employee expectations. The skills and mindsets leaders need now to stay relevant for 2030. Keeping learning human, inclusive, and adaptable …
  3. Panel Discussion: The Future of Work Design. Building organisations where people thrive
    People & Experience
    40 mins
    How can organisations rethink work design around human needs, not just efficiency? What does efficiency mean today?  Is it about output, time saved, or something more human? What role do belonging, we …
12:05
  1. Presentation: The Future Enterprise. What's next for work, workers & workplaces?
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    What macro forces such as AI, climate, demographics, and geopolitics will shape organisations of the future? How will workforce ecosystems evolve across humans, machines, and new work models? What shi …
  2. Presentation: Building critical new culture capabilities, from executives to leaders to employee champions
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    Building the core culture capabilities of agility, inclusivity, learning, trust, and resilience. Turning values into visible, everyday behaviours that reinforce strategic goals. Empowering leaders and …
  3. Presentation: The employee experience of 2040
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    Looking back to look forward. What can we learn from past industrial shifts about the future of EX?  What past patterns repeat regardless of era?  What’s next for workplaces & workforces? How macro tr …
12:35
  1. Networking Bingo
    Change & Transformation
    15 mins
  2. Networking Bingo
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
  3. Networking Bingo
    People & Experience
    15 mins
12:50
  1. Lunch & Networking Break
    Change & Transformation
    60 mins
  2. Lunch & Networking Break
    Learning & Leadership
    60 mins
  3. Lunch & Networking Break
    People & Experience
    60 mins
13:50
  1. Presentation: The adaptive enterprise. Building agility for uncertain times
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    Building agility for an uncertain future How HR can lead in designing organisations that thrive through disruption Embedding resilience and flexibility into business models and culture Lessons from tr …
  2. Case Study: AI as a leadership coach. Personalised development at scale
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    Making high-quality leadership coaching accessible to leaders at every level How AI can act as a co-pilot, complementing human coaches rather than replacing them Using data and insights to personalise …
  3. Presentation: The rise of the employee-as-consumer
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    What EX can learn from customer experience design. How to deliver personalised, digital-first employee journeys. The role of data and tech in building consumer-grade experiences.
14:20
  1. Presentation: The workforce ecosystem of the future
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    Managing a blended workforce: full-time, freelance, partner, and AI-enabled Designing governance and culture for workforce ecosystems The impact on HR, legal, and business leaders
  2. Presentation: Future-ready frontline training
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
    How can frontline training evolve to keep pace with automation, AI, and shifting customer expectations? What learning formats (from microlearning to immersive simulations) best prepare employees for c …
  3. Presentation: Culture as a strategy
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    Why culture is now central to retention, engagement, and performance. How leaders can align culture with business strategy to deliver results. The role of community in building connection and belongin …
14:35
  1. Panel Discussion: Accelerating skills development to drive growth
    Learning & Leadership
    45 mins
    Why speed matters, the business case for accelerating reskilling and upskilling How to identify the most critical skills for growth in an AI-enabled world Leveraging technology, data, and AI to scale …
14:50
  1. Case Study: AI-Augmented decision-making in action
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    How organisations are using AI and data to drive workforce planning. Balancing automation with human judgment in talent decisions. Overcoming bias and building trust in AI-enabled insights
  2. Case Study: AI to enhance employee experience
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    How GenAI is already shaping employee experience. Using AI to personalise support, learning, and wellbeing. Balancing automation with trust and human connection.
15:20
  1. Coffee & Networking Break
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
  2. Coffee & Networking Break
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
  3. Coffee & Networking Break
    People & Experience
    30 mins
15:50
  1. Presentation: Embedding digital-first thinking in HR transformation
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    How can digital change be linked to culture and workforce agility? What does it take to roll out new HR tech and get leaders and employees on board? How do you balance efficiency gains with wellbeing …
  2. Presentation: Building inclusive leadership teams that drive performance
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    How to design leadership teams that reflect diverse perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking Recruiting, promoting, and developing leaders with inclusion at the forefront Creating psychological …
  3. Presentation: Designing for belonging & psychological safety
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    How can leaders create inclusive, emotionally intelligent teams? How do you measure belonging and link it to performance? What role does leadership behaviour play in building trust and safety? How can …
16:20
  1. Panel Discussion: Optimising the HR Tech stack
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
    How can HR leaders design a connected, user-friendly tech ecosystem instead of a patchwork of tools? Where should organisations prioritise investment? Core HRIS, AI-driven analytics, or employee exper …
  2. Interactive Session: The Adaptive Learning Lab
    Learning & Leadership
    45 mins
    As workplace transformation accelerates and resources remain under pressure, L&D leaders face a dual challenge - responding to shifting skills demands while proving measurable impact. It’s no longer j …
  3. Panel Discussion: The Future of engagement. Blending human connection with digital experience
    People & Experience
    45 mins
    How digital EX platforms are reshaping communication, trust, and connection in hybrid workplaces. The real drivers of employee engagement today, recognition, growth, wellbeing, and purpose. What featu …
17:05
  1. Chairs Closing Remarks
    Change & Transformation
    10 mins
  2. Chairs Closing Remarks
    Learning & Leadership
    10 mins
  3. Chairs Closing Remarks
    People & Experience
    10 mins
08:45
  1. Chair's Welcome
    Change & Transformation
    15 mins
  2. Chair's Welcome
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
  3. Chair's Welcome
    People & Experience
    15 mins
09:00
  1. Presentation: GenAI transforming how we work and boosting creativityansformation
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    Where is GenAI is already making a measurable impact in HR and the wider enterprise? Automating low-value tasks to free people for higher-value work Using GenAI as a co-pilot for creativity, communica …
  2. Presentation: Evolving expectations of leadership across generations
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    What do different generations look for in their leaders, in values, behaviour, and communication style? How are views on leadership changing, and is the role still seen as aspirational across age grou …
  3. Presentation: Redefining EVP for a new era
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    How organisations are refreshing EVP to meet shifting employee expectations. Connecting EVP with DEI, sustainability, and purpose. Balancing flexibility, wellbeing, and career growth in the EVP. Pract …
09:30
  1. Panel Discussion: Culture at the core of transformation
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
    Why culture change is often the greatest barrier to transformation success. Can culture really be transformed, or only evolved over time? How leaders can role-model new behaviours and values to inspir …
  2. Panel Discussion: Learning in the flow of work. Making growth seamless
    Learning & Leadership
    45 mins
    What metrics best demonstrate the value of leadership and learning initiatives? How can organisations move beyond participation data to measure true impact?What tools and frameworks help connect learn …
  3. Panel Discussion: Rethinking rewards for a modern workforce
    People & Experience
    45 mins
    How are organisations rethinking rewards to align with shifting employee values? What does true personalisation in rewards and recognition look like? How can rewards strategies balance fairness, flexi …
10:15
  1. Case Study: Transitioning the workforce from jobs to skills
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    Why organisations are shifting from jobs to skills as the foundation of workforce transformation. How to build career pathways and internal mobility aligned with business needs. Using skills intellige …
  2. Presentation: Learning that counts. Measuring ROI in learning and leadership initiatives
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    What metrics best demonstrate the value of leadership and learning initiatives? How can organisations move beyond participation data to measure true impact? What tools and frameworks help connect lear …
  3. Presentation: The changing shape of careers
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    As titles lose meaning and skills take centre stage, how people define growth and success is shifting What happens to career identity when titles no longer define status or progress? How to structure …
10:45
  1. Coffee & Networking Break
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
  2. Coffee & Networking Break
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
  3. Coffee & Networking Break
    People & Experience
    30 mins
11:15
  1. Interactive Session: Beyond the Algorithm
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
    This dynamic and practical session is designed to celebrate the insights that only humans can bring. These are the lived experiences, cultural nuances and lessons learned through challenges that no al …
  2. Presentation: Future-fit leadership pipelines
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    How organisations can build leadership pipelines that are resilient, agile, and future-fit. Why traditional succession models no longer meet the needs of fast-changing workplaces. The critical skills …
  3. Panel: Purpose-driven workplaces that align people, culture & performance
    People & Experience
    45 mins
    How do organisations define and communicate a purpose that feels authentic? What role does purpose play in attracting, retaining, and inspiring talent? How can leaders align culture and strategy so pu …
11:45
  1. Presentation: Leading without borders. Thriving in a global, hybrid, and cross-cultural workplace
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
    How can leaders adapt their styles to thrive in hybrid and cross-cultural teams? What skills build cultural intelligence and global leadership capability? How do organisations create inclusive culture …
12:00
  1. Panel Discussion: Transforming talent acquisition for speed, scale and inclusivity
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
    How AI and automation are transforming sourcing, screening, and candidate experience Inclusive hiring practices that go beyond compliance to strengthen workforce diversity High-volume hiring strategie …
  2. Panel Discussion: Modernising the learning tech stack
    Learning & Leadership
    45 mins
    A look into the evolving learning tech landscape including, LMS, LXP, LRS and other emerging tools. How AI and tech can complement existing methods for a balanced and complete approach. Solving challe …
  3. Interactive Session: The Challenge Clinic
    People & Experience
    45 mins
    This highly interactive format gives participants the chance to tackle the real issues that matter most in their organisations. On Day 1, attendees are invited to submit a current challenge they are f …
12:45
  1. Lunch & Networking Break
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
  2. Lunch & Networking Break
    Learning & Leadership
    60 mins
  3. Lunch & Networking Break
    People & Experience
    60 mins
13:45
  1. Presentation: Transforming the EVP to attract and retain talent
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    How companies are evolving their EVP to reflect new expectations Linking EVP to purpose, wellbeing, and inclusion Positioning EVP as a lever for competitive advantage
  2. Presentation: Future skills forecast. Preparing for emerging roles and technologies
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    Preparing people with the skills they need to work alongside AI and new tech. Which emerging skills will be most critical in an AI-driven and tech-enabled future? How can organisations anticipate and …
  3. Presentation: Thriving across generations
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    Meeting the needs of Gen Z through to late-career employees. Designing inclusive experiences without falling into generational stereotypes. Using tech and flexibility to bridge divides across age grou …
14:15
  1. Presentation: The people side of Mergers & Acquisitions. From surviving to thriving
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    The human reality of M&A, managing uncertainty, fatigue, and culture clashes that leave employees in limbo. Why culture is the hidden risk and how it can derail even the most strategic deals. How HR s …
  2. Presentation: Belonging through learning. Driving engagement and retention
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    How access to learning and leadership development shapes engagement and loyalty. What types of learning opportunities build the strongest sense of belonging. How development pathways can reinforce and …
  3. Presentation: Joining all the dots of the employee experience lifecycle
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    How to connect hiring, onboarding, career growth, and offboarding into one joined-up journey. Designing experiences that reflect culture and values at every touchpoint. What tools and data help make t …
14:45
  1. Coffee & Networking Break
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
  2. Coffee & Networking Break
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
  3. Coffee & Networking Break
    People & Experience
    30 mins
15:15
  1. Presentation: Transforming performance from metrics to meaningful impact
    Change & Transformation
    30 mins
    Moving away from traditional performance measures Using AI and analytics to enable fairer performance models Linking performance management with skills, purpose, and culture
  2. Presentation: Human-centred leadership. Leading with empathy, purpose & trust
    Learning & Leadership
    30 mins
    What defines human-centred leadership, and why is it a competitive advantage? How can leaders balance results-driven expectations with empathy, trust, and inclusion? What role does emotional intellige …
  3. Presentation: Employee listening that drives action
    People & Experience
    30 mins
    How do you build a culture where employees feel heard and valued? What tools and methods go beyond annual surveys to capture the real employee experience? How can organisations turn listening into mea …
15:45
  1. Closing Debate: AI and the Four-Day Week: Dream or Reality?
    Change & Transformation
    45 mins
    With AI taking on more tasks and changing how we work, is a shorter workweek the next big shift or just a nice idea that won’t scale? This debate will explore both sides of the argument and what it me …
  2. Closing Debate: Degrees vs Skills. What really matters for the leaders of the future?
    Learning & Leadership
    45 mins
    As skills-based hiring grows and AI reshapes entry-level work, the value of traditional degrees is under fresh scrutiny. Many graduates now find themselves qualified but overlooked, raising the questi …
  3. Closing Debate: The great workplace divide. Is full-time office work the future of culture and engagement?
    People & Experience
    45 mins
    Many organisations are pushing employees back to the office 4–5 days per week, while others continue hybrid or remote-first models. What does this mean for employee experience, culture, and organisati …
16:30
  1. Closing Remarks
    Change & Transformation
    15 mins
  2. Closing Remarks
    Learning & Leadership
    15 mins
  3. Closing Remarks
    People & Experience
    15 mins