The Make Work Better Conference comprises of a full day of keynote sessions and panel discussions, on the most important topics currently faced within the HR industry. You can expect to learn more about the Future of Work, Health and Wellbeing, Apprenticeships and more. Our conference will also be CPD certified.
Purchase your tickets now to avoid disappointment.
Entrepreneur and Host of The Diary of a CEO
Session: Do you always know best as a leader? Fireside Chat with Steven Bartlett
Starting his company, an innovative social media marketing agency, at just twenty-one years old after dropping out of university, he has become an inspiration for a new generation of entrepreneurs.
From a young age, Steven was aware that the traditional education system wasn’t built for him. Struggling in school and scraping through his exams, he dropped out of his Business Management course at university after just one lecture. Determined to make something of himself, he began two flagship companies, Social Chain and Media Chain, from his bedroom. Within two years he was a self-made millionaire running a globally influential social media company creating innovative campaigns for clients like Apple, Amazon and Coca-Cola.
In speeches, Steven shares his tips for creating and maintaining a successful business. He emphasises the importance of listening to your gut, knowing your own purposes but being flexible with your goals. He also reminds audiences that quitting is not a weakness – it is not giving up, but allowing yourself a new start.
Understanding the pitfalls of the traditional educational system personally, he is a big advocate for people creating their own paths and is particularly focused on helping innovators from minority communities join the new generation of entrepreneurs.
As well as creating another new marketing platform and leading a company that helps build Web3 applications, he also hosts the popular podcast The Diary of a CEO. With guests from celebrity comedians to innovative business leaders and entrepreneurs, he shares a behind the scenes look at their stories and the lessons they’ve learnt. He is also a Dragon on the long-running BBC pitch show and has written a part-memoir, part-reflection on success Happy Sexy Millionaire.
He has received numerous accolades including Great British Entrepreneur of the Year, Most Influential Agency Figure and was in the top ten names on the UK’s black power list.
Founder of HEX Organisation
Session: A strategic approach to the people experience; co-creating experiences that matter most to businesses (and people!)
Recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the World’s leading management thinkers in 2021 and one of the top 30 most influential HR thinkers in the UK by HR Magazine, Ben is consistently regarded as the world’s leading authority on employee experience and his compelling work has reached millions of business leaders worldwide. Ben’s EX client list includes some of the world’s biggest brands including L’Oreal, Sanofi, Unilever, Chevron, and GSK.
Working across cultures and contexts, Ben is a unique global voice in the world of work and is a prolific international keynote speaker, writer, coach, and advisor; his work has been featured by Forbes, BBC, The Economist, The Times, and HR publications worldwide and he has given keynotes on EX in 30+ countries. As CEO of HEX Organization, Ben and his team help the world’s leading organisations to build and elevate their EX strategies to deliver exceptional human and business outcomes. Ben also founded the digital and globally-delivered HEX Practitioner Programme - an exclusive space and certification for the leading EX professionals and teams globally.
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwhitter/
Founder, MusicFootballFatherhood
Session: Family Friendly Workplace of the Future
Elliott is the ex-Head of DEI Delivery at HM Treasury and he has been recognised by the United Nations for his work on gender equality and was awarded the #HeForShe award by UN Women UK.
HR Manager, Carrington West
Session: Family Friendly Workplace of the Future
Emily is responsible for developing and implementing Carrington West’s people management strategy across the business. Major projects include employee engagement, learning & development, recruitment, selection, employee relations, onboarding and employee wellbeing. She have extensive experience in managing end to end HR processes, and running HR projects, such as implementation of our award-winning Learning Management Systems and world-class training programmes. She is passionate about employee wellbeing, and has a strong drive to make work better .
Emily is a chartered member of the CIPD, and has a number of years experience in HR roles also in the fast paced recruitment sector and holds a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Portsmouth and CIPD, Level 7.
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilychristmas/
Author and Chief Innovation Officer, Benefex
Session: Is your organisations pursuit of better technology detrimental to employee wellbeing?
As a frequent writer and speaker on employee experience and employee wellbeing, Gethin has been featured in Forbes, The Guardian, The Huffington Post and The Financial Times as well as all major HR, Reward and Pensions publications. Gethin has been names as one of the world’s top Global Employee Experience Influencers in 2021, 2022 and 2023, an IW Inspiring Leader 2021 and winner of UK Mental Health Campaigner of the Year 2023. Gethin is also a regular keynote speaker, Ex-Chair of the UK Government-backed Engage for Success Wellbeing Thought Action Group, a Wellbeing Advisor to Investors In People, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on the Future of Employability and a Fellow at the RSA.
In 2018, Gethin published his first book – the award-winning HR bestseller ‘A World of Good: Lessons From Around the World in Improving the Employee Experience’, which has gone on to inspire HR and Reward teams at some of the world’s best known brands. In 2022, Gethin co-authored his second book ‘Das Menschliche Büro – The Human(e) Office’ a collaboration between leading academics and workplace professionals from across Europe. In late 2022, Gethin published his third book, ‘A Work In Progress: Unlocking Wellbeing to Create More Sustainable and Resilient Organisations’ which reached the top of the UK bestseller list on its day of release. As part of the book’s global launch, Gethin went on a tour of the UK and Ireland with Ruby Wax OBE to highlight the importance of supporting mental health in the workplace.
For more than 20 years, Gethin has been supporting some of the world’s most well-known brands to improve their wellbeing and Employee Experiences. The last 12 years have been as part of the senior leadership at Benefex. Gethin inspires HR leaders to put employee needs at the centre of everything they do to drive organisational success.
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gethinnadin/
CEO, Working Families
Session: Family Friendly Workplace of the Future
She believes in the value of a fulfilling, balanced working life and its transformative power to create social connections, build self-esteem, and impact the wider community. She is a passionate advocate of equal opportunity for all.
She spent her childhood in the UK (Norfolk) and South Africa (Cape Town & Johannesburg). Jane holds a social science bachelor’s degree from the University of Cape Town in Industrial Sociology and Industrial Psychology.
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-van-zyl/
Chief Executive, CIPD
Session: Unleashing the Future of HR: A Dialogue between Paul Devoy and Peter Cheese
Peter writes and speaks widely on the development of HR, the future of work, and the key issues of leadership, culture and organisation, people and skills. In 2021, his second book ‘The New World of Work’ was published, exploring the many factors shaping work, workplaces, workforces and our working lives, and the principles around which we can build a future that is good for people, for business and for societies.
Prior to joining the CIPD in 2012 Peter was Chair of the Institute of Leadership and Management, an Executive Fellow at London Business School, and held a number of Board level roles. He had a long career in consulting at Accenture working with organisations around the world, and in his last seven years there was Global Managing Director for the firm’s human capital and organisation consulting practice.
He is a Fellow of the CIPD, a Fellow of AHRI (the Australian HR Institute), the Royal Society of Arts, and the Academy of Social Sciences. He’s also a Companion of the Institute of Leadership and Management, the Chartered Management Institute, and the British Academy of Management. He holds honorary doctorates from Bath University, Kingston University and Birmingham City University, and is a Visiting Professor at Aston University.
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercheese/
Senior Apprenticeship Manager, British Airways
Session: Creating the workforce of the future
In his current position at British Airways, Ricky and his team have been instrumental in planning and implementing the rebuild of Apprenticeships following the global pandemic.
In the past 18 months his team has inducted over 200 colleagues on to Apprenticeships, all tailored to building the business back stronger and with a key focus on how apprenticeships play a key part in developing and upskilling a workforce.
Ricky is a true advocate of apprenticeships and the benefits they bring to both companies and individuals. In particular, he champions apprenticeships as a vehicle to improve social mobility, diversity, and inclusion.
CEO, OnHand
Session: Unleash the Power of Good: 10 Tactics to Supercharge Your Team’s Social and Environmental Engagement.
In 2019, he founded OnHand with the aim of solving some of society’s biggest issues using technology. Since then he has been named Great British Entrepreneur for Good twice in 2020 and 2022 and was awarded an MBE in 2022 for OnHand’s services to older adults during Covid-19
More info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaylobo/
Head of Early Careers, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Session: Creating the workforce of the future
Having spent the majority of her career developing young talent at the start of their careers, her current remit fits perfectly with her passion to create opportunities to support the next generation of young leaders. As part of her commitment, Sharon strives to work with strategic partners who challenge organisation’s approach to under representation of young people across all communities and works to create a level playing field in the recruitment process that might unconsciously deselect from those groups.
Sharon’s dedication and commitment to CCEP’s apprenticeship programme has been recognised by CCEP’s leadership team, as well as her peers and apprentices alike. She has received praise for her outstanding leadership of the programme, which has continued to grow and expand in line with the business’ Early Careers agenda. As well as recognition from the leadership team, 2021 saw Sharon win the Forward Ladies Corporate Leader and the London Regional National Apprenticeship Champion awards and recognition in the Queen’s 2022 New Years’ honours list with an OBE for services to Apprenticeships and Skills. Outside of CCEP she is an active board member for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and recently become that Vice-Chair of Youth Employment UK’s board.
Senior Manager Apprenticeships, Lloyds Banking Group
Session: Creating the workforce of the future
Kathryn is the co-vice chair of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, responsible for leading the network of multi-regional employers and helping to promote the benefits of apprenticeships to individuals and employers. Kathryn is also involved in different trailblazers and is leading the level 3 financial services trailblazer group.
People Director, Investors in People
Session: Family Friendly Workplace of the Future
She brings the purpose – make work better – to life for the Investors in People team and network of fantastically talented practitioners. Beth is super passionate about mental health and wellbeing more widely at work, and the role employers can take in improving this for their teams.
CEO, Investors in People
Session:
What does ‘Make Work Better’ mean, and how do we do it?;
Unleashing the Future of HR: A Dialogue between Paul Devoy and Peter Cheese;
Do you always know best as a leader? Fireside Chat with Steven Bartlett
Investors in People became a Community Interest Company in February 2017 and is run for the benefit of the community of employers and individuals that it serves. Prior to this Paul was Head of Organisational Development at the Scottish Prison Service, during his time there all 17 Prisons in Scotland were awarded Investors in People recognition.
Speaker
Paul Devoy – CEO, Investors in People
Synopsis
Employers have a critical role to play in creating a positive work environment that promotes employee well-being and performance. In our first session of the day, our CEO Paul Devoy will focus on areas that you must consider in your journey to Make Work Better.
Paul, an expert in the field of organisational development and leadership, will discuss the importance of creating a supportive work environment that meets the needs of employees. He’ll share practical strategies that employers can use to promote employee well-being, such as offering flexible work arrangements, promoting work-life balance, and providing mental health resources.
Paul will also explore the role of leadership in creating a positive work environment, discussing the importance of inclusive leadership, communication, and recognition in fostering employee engagement and performance.
This session will provide you with a better understanding of the importance of creating a positive work environment and the strategies you can use to Make Work Better for your employees. You will gain insights into the perspectives of an expert in the field and receive practical advice that you can apply in your own workplace.
Speakers
Ricky Leaves – Senior Apprenticeship Manager, British Airways
Sharon Blyfield OBE – Head of Early Careers, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Kathryn Marshall – Senior Manager Apprenticeships, Lloyds Banking Group
Synopsis
The world of work is changing at an unprecedented rate, driven by advancements in technology, the rise of automation, and the continuing importance of wellbeing. As we navigate this evolving landscape, it is essential to consider how we can prepare the workforce of the future to meet these challenges.
This panel session will focus on the role of apprenticeships in shaping the future of work. Apprenticeships offer a valuable entry point for individuals looking to start their careers, as well as a means of upskilling for those already in the workforce. By combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction, apprenticeships provide a unique opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a wide range of industries.
The panellists, all experts in their respective fields, will explore the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals as well as employers. They will discuss the key features of successful apprenticeship programs such as mentorship, hands-on experience, and working in an organisation that has the right culture to see them thrive.
11.00am – 11.30am: BREAK
Speakers
Beth Samson – People Director, Investors in People
Elliott Rae – Founder, MusicFootballFatherhood
Emily Christmas – HR Manager, Carrington West
Jane van Zyl – CEO, Working Families
Synopsis
Achieving work-life balance is a challenge for many employees, with the demands of work often conflicting with personal and family obligations. However, research shows that employees who have a better balance between their work and personal life are more productive, engaged, and less likely to experience burnout. Therefore, it is crucial for employers to take an active role in creating a workplace culture that supports work-life balance.
This panel session will explore how employers can use policy to create a workplace that supports and encourages work-life balance. The panellists, who are experts in HR policy and employee well-being, will discuss the different policy options available to employers, such as flexible work arrangements, parental leave, and wellness programs. They will also examine the benefits of these policies and practices for both employers and employees.
The panellists will share best practices and insights from their experience on how to implement and communicate these policies effectively. They will discuss how to develop a culture of trust and transparency that empowers employees to take advantage of these policies without fear of negative consequences. Additionally, they will address potential challenges and limitations, such as budgetary constraints and resistance from managers.
By the end of the session, attendees will have a better understanding of the policy options available to them to support work-life balance and how to implement these policies effectively. The panellists will also encourage attendees to think creatively about how to develop a workplace culture that prioritises work-life balance and employee well-being, leading to increased engagement, productivity, and retention.
Speaker
Gethin Nadin – Author and CIO,Benefex
Synopsis
Or can we alleviate the negative impacts of technology if we put wellbeing first? Technology has become an integral part of the employee experience. But while parts of the world battle at Government level to the “right of employees to disconnect”, others move forwards with significant investments in AI that seek to diminish the value of people in the workplace. What does this mean for the wellbeing of our people? Is technology a friend or a foe? Is technology making us better, or worse?
Speaker
Sanjay Lobo MBE – CEO, OnHand
Synopsis
Discover 10 powerful techniques to engage your team in social and environmental impact initiatives, that are aligned with your organisation’s values and purpose.
This speaker session will provide proven strategies for leaders who want to foster a sense of purpose and fulfilment among employees while driving growth and revenue.
13.00 – 14.00: LUNCH
Speakers
Paul Devoy, CEO – Investors in People
Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD
Synopsis
Paul Devoy and Peter Cheese, influential HR leaders, engage in an enlightening dialogue on the future of HR. They explore the impact of technology, shifting workforce dynamics, and the role of HR in driving organizational success. Discover how emerging technologies shape HR practices, the importance of employee engagement and talent development, and the need for HR to adapt and align with business objectives. Gain practical insights to transform your organization and foster a human-centered approach to work. This conversation will inspire HR leaders to embrace change, leverage technology, and redefine their role as strategic enablers, driving organizational success in a complex business environment. The session highlights the crucial role of HR in creating a supportive work culture, promoting well-being, productivity, and purpose. Attendees can expect a stimulating exchange of perspectives, with a comprehensive exploration of the evolving HR landscape. By embracing the future of HR, organizations can position themselves as agile, innovative, and people-centric, ensuring they thrive in the ever-evolving business landscape.
Speaker
Ben Whitter, Founder of HEX Organisation
Employee Experience (EX) has become the ultimate management idea and has proven to be consistently actionable with verifiable results never far away, but how can you lead the people experience to deliver sustainable performance outcomes over the long-term? How can we powerfully connect EX strategy with people and business objectives? This session positions the employee experience as the defining challenge and opportunity of our age and how a strong EX strategy is the foundation stone in building genuine and long-lasting business success. Focusing on experiences, human centricity and co-creation as the recognized behaviours of the world’s most trusted and admired brands, this session will provoke new thinking on the future work and business.
Speaker
Sanjay Lobo MBE, CEO – OnHand
Synopsis
Discover 10 powerful techniques to engage your team in social and environmental impact initiatives, that are aligned with your organisation’s values and purpose.
This speaker session will provide proven strategies for leaders who want to foster a sense of purpose and fulfilment among employees while driving growth and revenue.
14.50 – 15.00: COMFORT BREAK
Speakers
Steven Bartlett – Entrepreneur; Host, The Diary of a CEO podcast
Paul Devoy – CEO, Investors in People
Hosted by Anna Richardson
Synopsis
In an anticipated fireside chat, entrepreneur Steven Bartlett will delve into the future of HR. He will highlight the evolution towards human-centered strategies, the integration of technology for data-driven decision-making, and the promotion of inclusiveness. Joined by our CEO Paul Devoy, they will emphasize the role of remote work in shaping a sense of belonging and stress the proactive pursuit of diversity and equity. This session will inspire HR leaders to become catalysts for change, urging them to challenge conventions and prioritize holistic organizational and employee growth.
2 Puddle Dock, London EC4V 3DB
The Make Work Better conference will be hosted at the The Mermaid in London, providing a 600 seat auditorium for attendees to fully soak up the array of content and ideas on the day.
The Mermaid ideally located for attendees travelling from across the UK with multiple underground stops within 5 minutes and London’s City, Heathrow and Gatwick airports all within a 40 minute journey, the Auditorium is well served by major, London transport links for ease.
167-169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
W1W 5PF
Business Registration: 10420361
Tel: 0300 303 3033
These numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number, please note that our calls may be recorded for training purposes.
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