What is the association between workplace wellbeing and company performance? Beyond ROI – what are the true measures of wellbeing on performance? Where does emotional insight fit when building positive workplace cultures for business impact? What is the value of designing wellbeing programs as integrated experiences that are embedded throughout the employee journey? How can employers truly help people thrive and grow?

Root causes, assessing the problem in your workplace and potential solutions. In a competitive business environment, optimising your organisation’s return on its investment in human resources – often a company’s single largest expense – is vital to long-term success. The health and wellbeing of your workforce is a key factor in their ability to perform and help your business accelerate forward, which is why mental health and exercise programmes have become such an important focus for business and people leaders. Through this session, you will learn about the root causes of financial stress – identified by Canada’s Financial Wellness Lab and the National Payroll Institute – how to assess the financial wellness of your workforce to determine whether action is needed, and discover practical steps you can take as an employer to help employees overcome financial stress (beyond simply increasing their salary). Presented by: Peter Tzanetakis, President & CEO, National Payroll Institute.

Societies around the world face a pandemic-like employee wellness problem. This is causing a collision of psychologists, consultants, EAP providers and point solution vendors jockeying to gain mindshare with CHROs and business leaders. The thing is, most of what is sold is simply recirculated content and techniques that have been around for years (maybe with a bit of AI added). The results bear this out…employee burnout and disengagement are at all-time highs, with a corresponding impact on productivity, absenteeism and physical safety. mfIQ‘s unique Human Experience @Work model reimagines how organizations “do” employee engagement and wellness - tightly integrating the concepts and driving the process using real time data and analytics. In this session mfIQ’s CEO John Moore will lead a conversation about why current engagement and wellness approaches are not producing results, a practical approach to pivot to a new model and the massive opportunity to rapidly drive ROI

What started as a pilot project in 2019 in collaboration between Engage Nova Scotia and the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, led to 80,000 Nova Scotians being invited to be surveyed on their individual and collective experiences in areas like community vitality, education and living standards. This created an opportunity to change the conversation on quality of life with levels of government, academic institutions, businesses, and community organizations. Through the Wellbeing Mapping Tool, developed in partnership with the Computer Science Faculty at Dalhousie University, Barb Smeltzer, Director, Operations & Employee Experience, will take attendees through an interactive session to understand how this model highlights where communities are succeeding and where they are struggling, including in the world of work. Engage Nova Scotia has garnered national and international attention with organizations like the UN and OECD for its holistic approach to advancing quality of life. This session will include a focus on the eight domains of wellbeing, the upcoming provincial-wide survey and the intersection between community and business as it relates to employee workplace wellbeing.

While 85% of enterprises call AI a strategic priority, fewer than 20% have redesigned work to support adoption. This session will explore how organizations can apply a human-centered framework to close this gap and turn anxiety into agency. You'll learn:The #1 barrier to AI transformation – Why lack of time and space sabotages adoption, and how to create capacity for learning, upskilling and experimentation.Building irresistible buy-in – The "AI Time Dividend" strategy that turns resistance into engagement through clear mutual gains. Efficiency to effectiveness – How to shift from outdated output-based productivity metrics to an emphasis on human capabilities (creativity, judgment, connection) that amplify AI's impact. Employee-led role redesign – A practical process for transforming displacement anxiety into opportunity by co-creating AI-augmented roles. Walk away with actionable strategies to embrace AI and accelerate adoption in a way that enhances the wellbeing of your people. Hosted by: Joe O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Work Time Revolution.

Explore how digital solutions are redefining the way organizations can approach physical wellbeing. As workforces face rising rates of pain-related absenteeism and escalating healthcare costs, digital health innovations are unlocking new opportunities to deliver faster, more accessible, and more effective care. This session dives into the growing role of digital solutions in employee wellbeing, the most salient use-cases for virtual physiotherapy, and the impact of smarter, more cost-effective MSK strategies that flow through existing insurance coverage on workforce wellbeing and business outcomes.

Wellbeing for all – what part does trust play in employee’s expectations of their organizations and wellbeing efforts? What part does data play as wellbeing intersects with culture? What are some examples that show why wellbeing needs to be addressed from an equity standpoint? What should be done about culture from the perspective of inter-generational workers?

Early detection of serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease can transform lives - and the future of your organization. In this session, Medcan will share the latest innovations in proactive health screening that enable employees to take control of their wellbeing. Learn how integrating early detection into your benefits strategy can help your people thrive, while positioning your organization as a leader in employee care. Whether you're focused on retention, engagement, or resilience, this session will show you how health foresight can become your competitive edge.

This presentation covers various aspects of financial stress, including its effects on physical and mental health, and its impact on workplace performance. It also discusses the benefits of workplace financial wellness programs, such as improved mental and physical health, increased productivity, and better corporate culture. Additionally, the presentation provides resources and strategies for employers to implement financial wellness programs and offers tools for employees to improve their financial well-being. We will also look at practical FCAC tools and resources that are available for employers to help improve the financial resilience of their employees.

Wellness is a Profit Driver: Companies investing in holistic well-being see higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, and increased profitability. AI & Personalization Elevate Engagement: Data-driven wellness solutions, like AI-powered coaching and health analytics, create customized well-being plans that improve employee retention and performance. Psychological Safety Fuels Performance: Cultures prioritizing emotional intelligence, trust, and mental health support experience stronger engagement, lower turnover, and higher innovation. Wellness is a Competitive Advantage for Talent: Organizations that embed well-being into the employee experience will attract and retain top talent, especially Gen Z and Millennials.