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Todd’s session will focus on operational learning for safety and will explore a fresh approach to safety management based on new principles - beyond behavior as a cause, errors and strict compliance – and consider examples of companies and teams putting these principles into action.

The upcoming decade will see a fundamental shift in the employer-employee relationship as organizations seek to attract and retain good employees in a declining labour market. This labour force shortage will arise as the massive baby boomer generation retires and companies compete to hire the small pool of “baby–bust” employees.  Few organizations are ready for the seismic shift in the workforce that they will face over the next several decades.  In a knowledge economy where people are the largest and fastest growing expense within most companies, this can be a costly mistake.

Linda outlines the demographic trends that are taking us into largely unfamiliar workforce territory, and provides practical examples and suggestions on how leaders need to change in order to navigate the difficult terrain ahead. Winning the “war for talent” and “work-life balance” are about much more than HR polices. It is about recognizing the strategic importance and enormous value that comes from having an engaged and well workforce, and about nurturing an organizational culture that firmly supports work-life balance.

EU-OSHA’s second European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2) interviewed almost 50,000 establishments across all activity sectors in 36 countries in 2014. The survey helps fill an important information gap in the world of occupational safety and health (OSH) by exploring four areas in detail: general OSH risks and how they are managed; psychosocial risks; drivers of and barriers to action in OSH management; and worker participation in OSH. Following a brief methodological note, Xabier will give an overview of the risk factors present in European workplaces and the main findings for each of these four areas.

What changes, why and who's driving the change in firms that make large improvements in workplace health and safety? Lynda presents a model of the success factors involved in large improvements in occupational health and safety, and discusses the implications of "breakthrough change" for professional practice in the workplace.

Using a case study from onboard airline operations, Troy examines a broader perspective on participatory ergonomics that includes the concepts of the policy and workplace committees, union participation, and the benefits of involving all levels of the organization throughout the process – from planning to gathering data to implementing change.

Carla discusses the challenge that global warming poses to the chain of processes that comprise work, employment and training in key Canadian industries and professions, and how decision-makers can understand and respond to these challenges.

Research shows that sex (biological) and gender (social) have significant influences on occupational exposures and outcomes. Yet there is still far to go in ensuring these concepts become key considerations in the development of policies, programs and interventions in workplace health and safety.

Krystle will discuss sex and gender and how they relate to occupational health and safety, providing key examples and recommendations from the latest Canadian research.

The Calgary Police was the first police agency in Canada to adopt the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program, an initiative to help their members better understand mental health, how they can stay well, and what they can do to help their fellow members do the same. A collaboration between Alberta Health Services, the Department of National Defence and the Mental Health Commission of Canada, R2MR marks a significant step in reducing stigma and increasing resiliency among police employers. Theresa talks about how their journey to R2MR, and the lessons learned along the way.

From a definition by Dr. Reuven Bar-On, emotional intelligence is “an array of non-cognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that influence our ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures.” Through practical examples, learn what emotional intelligence means for personal and professional growth, developing successful teams and satisfying clients.