In a year defined by restructurings, AI disruption, hybrid fatigue and rising employee expectations, trust has become one of the most critical, and fragile, assets within organisations.
When trust erodes, performance, engagement and collaboration often follow.
The Make Work Better Conference 2026 brings together senior HR and People leaders to explore how trust is built, lost and rebuilt in modern organisations.
Across one day, globally recognised experts will examine the behaviours, systems and leadership approaches that shape organisational trust, and provide practical frameworks for navigating change with credibility, transparency and fairness.
This is a paid event with a curated audience of senior leaders, designed for honest conversation and practical insight.
Date: 8 September 2026
Location: Kings Place, London
Kings Place is one of London’s leading conference venues, located just minutes from Kings Cross station.
Capacity is limited to maintain a high-quality experience and facilitate meaningful discussion.
Tickets will be available from Wednesday 1st April.
Last year’s Make Work Better Conference sold out, and demand is expected to be high again this year.
Ahead of the conference, Investors in People will publish new national research examining trust in UK organisations.
The research will explore how organisations are navigating leadership credibility, employee voice, digital transformation and the evolving expectations of the workforce.
Attendees will gain early insight into the findings and hear from experts discussing what they mean for organisations in practice.
If trust is the defining leadership challenge of the moment, the Make Work Better Conference is where the conversation continues.
Join a community of leaders committed to building organisations where people and performance grow together.
By attending the Make Work Better Conference, you will gain practical insight and actionable frameworks to help you:
The Make Work Better Conference is designed for senior professionals responsible for shaping workplace culture and leadership.
Typical attendees include:
This is a senior-level audience, enabling meaningful conversations and peer learning.
Jake Humphrey began covering major international sporting events including the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the
Football World Cup, and the Cricket World Cup. He then started working with BBC Sport, presenting Football Focus,
Final Score, the BBC’s Formula One coverage, and became the youngest ever host of Match of the Day. In his final
year with BBC Sport, he hosted the 2012 Euros, the London Olympics and released his first bestselling book, Inside
Track.
With Professor Damian Hughes Jake launched The High-Performance Podcast, which offers an intimate glimpse
into the lives of high-achieving, successful individuals. The podcast has led to several spin off books including High
Performance: Lessons from the Best on Becoming Your Best, How to Change Your Life: Lessons on Transformation
from the World of High Performance, and The Daily Journal: 365 Ways to Become Your Best.
Off screen, Jake is passionate about contributing to the community through charity work. He is Chairman of Norwich
Community Sports Foundation, Vice President of Young lives vs Cancer and was approved by Queen Elizabeth II to
be a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. He was also selected to become one of the first LinkedIn Influencers.
© Copyright: JLA All rights reserved
TEDx speaker, CEO of consultancy PVL, and author of Begin with You and Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life.
Petra Velzeboer is a dynamic, entertaining and practical speaker who is sure to bring life, laughter and insight to your audience. A global TEDx speaker, psychotherapist, author, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL, she brings expertise on topics that impact employees, managers and C-suite leadership with the aim of evolving our workplaces and cultures for the new world of work.
As well as keynotes and inspiring team talks, she also works with organisations to go deeper through workshops, masterclasses and hosting dynamic panel events as well as offering advice on effective and inclusive wellbeing strategies that enhance diversity of thought, gender issues and leadership styles.
Featured in Newsweek, the Huffington Post, BBC Radio, Stylist and many more she’s known for her no-bullsh*t approach to challenging behaviours and motivating leaders, employees, HR professionals and wellbeing champions to truly be the change they wish to see at work.
Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and Emeritus Professor at the School of Management.
Veronica Hope Hailey is a management and HR specialist. She has advised government on employee engagement and has been named as one of the UK’s most influential HR thinkers. Her main research focus is on the link between business strategy, HR and change management.
In over two decades of studying and working in strategy, Veronica has specialised in how large organisations react to renewal, change and 'people transformation’. By examining some of the largest and most innovative businesses, she considers how companies can best prepare for the future, how they can manage the changes necessary, and devise a practical strategy. She’s looked at employee engagement in general and trust and trustworthiness in particular. She’s compared employee engagement in China, India, The Netherlands and the UK, and written a number of reports on trustworthy leadership and re-establishing trust within an organisation.
Her widely acclaimed work on strategic change in organisations has also seen her co-author one of the bestselling books on the topic, Exploring Strategic Change.
The former Dean of the School of Management and Chair in Management Studies at the University of Bath, Veronica has also held appointments at the Cass and Cranfield Business Schools, and at the University of Cambridge.
© Copyright: JLA All rights reserved
TEDx speaker, CEO of consultancy PVL, and author of Begin with You and Digital Wellbeing: Recharge Your Focus and Reboot Your Life.
Petra Velzeboer is a dynamic, entertaining and practical speaker who is sure to bring life, laughter and insight to your audience. A global TEDx speaker, psychotherapist, author, and CEO of mental health consultancy PVL, she brings expertise on topics that impact employees, managers and C-suite leadership with the aim of evolving our workplaces and cultures for the new world of work.
As well as keynotes and inspiring team talks, she also works with organisations to go deeper through workshops, masterclasses and hosting dynamic panel events as well as offering advice on effective and inclusive wellbeing strategies that enhance diversity of thought, gender issues and leadership styles.
Featured in Newsweek, the Huffington Post, BBC Radio, Stylist and many more she’s known for her no-bullsh*t approach to challenging behaviours and motivating leaders, employees, HR professionals and wellbeing champions to truly be the change they wish to see at work.
A psychologically trained coach, acclaimed people performance specialist and resilience expert.
Charlie Cannon is a performance coach specialising in developing resilient leaders, as well as building team resilience, psychological safety and growth mindset. With a background working with consultancies including Lane 4, Mindgym and Matthew Syed Consulting, as well as experience working as a health and fitness coach, Charlie provides an interconnected view on performance, stress and burnout.
In his speeches and training, Charlie draws upon his professional experiences, as well as personal stories - including his own struggles during his time as an athlete, and the horrific accident he and his sister were in that left them both serious injuries, connecting them to the value of resilience. He combines these insights with scientific and psychological research that gives audiences tools and techniques to help them improve their performance.
In speeches, Charlie addresses leaders and teams about the importance of developing a mindset rooted in resilience so that they can face whatever challenges come their way - whether these be organisational changes, team conflict or whatever unexpected obstacles arise. Through this, he helps audiences prepare for and adapt to change, helping them unleash further opportunities and successes.
© Copyright: JLA All rights reserved
Arrive and get settled! Grab your lanyard and a hot drink before the day kicks off.
Katherine Chapman, CEO, Investors in People
Jason Fox
Fairness, Equity & Employee Voice: The Foundations of Trust
Trust is built through fairness, consistency, and the confidence that every voice matters. Drawing on lessons from elite military teams - where trust and clarity of decision-making are mission-critical - Jason explores how organisations can create cultures where people feel heard, valued, and treated equitably. This session will examine how transparent leadership, shared standards, and inclusive practices strengthen trust, and the role HR plays in embedding fairness, accountability, and psychological safety across the organisation.
Veronica Hope Hailey
The Trust Reset: Rebuilding Confidence in Leadership and HR
Employee trust in organisations has been shaken by years of disruption, shifting priorities, and uncertainty. So, how can leaders and HR rebuild credibility in a world where people are more sceptical than ever?
In this session, Veronica Hope Hailey explores the evolving nature of organisational trust and why many of the signals that once built confidence no longer resonate with today’s workforce. Drawing on research and real-world insight, she will share a practical framework for diagnosing trust within your organisation, rebuilding credibility when it has been damaged, and communicating with authenticity and integrity during times of uncertainty and change.
Charlie Cannon
Psychological Safety, Wellbeing & the New Social Contract at Work
Psychological safety and wellbeing are no longer “nice to have” initiatives - they are essential foundations for trust, engagement, and performance at work. As employee expectations evolve, organisations must rethink the social contract between employer and employee.
In this session, Charlie Cannon explores what today’s workforce expects from leaders and organisations, and how HR can create cultures where people feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, take risks, and perform at their best. Combining research, practical frameworks, and real-world examples, the session will provide actionable insights to help organisations strengthen trust, support holistic wellbeing, and build emotionally resilient teams.
Petra Velzeboer
The Future of Trust: Adaptive Leadership, Culture Repair & HR’s Evolving Role
This session explores the future landscape of organisational trust. It connects macro‑level HR trends - culture repair, hybrid working, shifting employee expectations, generational change, and the acceleration of digital systems - to the evolving responsibilities of HR. Participants will leave with a roadmap for future‑proofing trust within their organisations.
Jake Humphery, Katherine Chapman, Anna Richardson
Katherine Chapman, CEO, Investors in People
Below you, can access footage and photography from previous years of the Make Work Better conference – now entering it’s fourth year – to get an idea of what’s to come on 8th September at Kings Place.
Hover over the image below to browse through all the shots from the Make Work Better conference 2025.
We’re excited to share that the Make Work Better Conference is now officially CPD certified, offering 6 hours of accredited learning tailored for HR leaders and people professionals.
This means you can gain practical insights, fresh strategies, and forward-thinking ideas—while also earning valuable professional development hours. It’s more than just an inspiring event; it’s an investment in your growth and impact.
Secure your ticket and be part of a conference designed to help you lead better, build stronger workplaces, and make work truly better.
Tickets for the Make Work Better conference 2026 go on sale on Wednesday 1st April – enter your details below to be the first in line to secure your place.
Ready to make work better? Complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch to discuss your accreditation enquiry.
Ready to make work better? Complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch to discuss your accreditation enquiry.
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