In an uncertain future, characterised by rapid and disruptive change, many change projects seem to be permanently behind the curve, dragging people reluctantly behind them. But does it have to be like that? Change projects and programmes are often conceived using hindsight and then thrown into a changing world. Foresight would be useful, but in a complex world, the future is anything but straightforward and certain. We are going to need some help to gain insight.

Jennifer co-facilitated a 12 month action research project, where they invited 20 people from 4 different organisations in public and private sectors, to integrate future facing tools and people-centric change approaches into their change work. Come find out what the research team and the members did and what they learned.

There has been much recent speculation on post-pandemic office occupancy levels and the reasons why they vary between organisations.

Workplace Trends’ programme advisor Dr Nigel Oseland and fellow psychologist Prof. Gary Raw are conducting research in partnership with MillerKnoll to understand the appeal and relative attractiveness of working in the office and working from home. This newly developed on-line survey explores people’s views on the advantages and disadvantages of working in these spaces and will inform the workplace industry on how to improve working environments.

Tree Hall, CEO of Charity IT Leaders, was diagnosed as autistic at the age of 47. In this very personal presentation she shares her story, exploring what autism means to her, and how it has shaped the way and places she can best work. Tree has become a staunch advocate of how everyone needs to understand autism and other neurodivergence. She is on a mission to make the workplace more inclusive and supportive of neurodiverse individuals.

Since the advent of software engineers converging to fix bugs and enhance features by positively hacking programmes, Hackathons have become a go-to innovation and problem-solving technique.

For over 10 years now, Perry Timms – named HR’s Most Influential Thinker in 2022 and in the Top 50 Workplace Influencers for 2023 – has brought this method to people, culture, learning and workplace arenas.

Join us for an hour’s energiser to sample the Hackathon approach and work in small teams to experience this energising and creative approach to solutions. Bring your best brain power and collaborative spirit to our unique experience and avoid the post-lunch slump with post-it notes, sharpie pens and pacy, iterative ideas into action.

Suggest your ‘burning issue’ topics for discussion when booking your conference ticket!

How can we integrate circular economy thinking into the workplace?

Ann Beavis explores the urgency, challenges and barriers for these critical workstreams to ensure that workplace change supports organisations with their carbon reduction targets and the environmental standards they are aiming for.

As a member of their circular economy taskforce, she will introduce the new Circular Economy Roadmap recently launched by Business in the Community, that signposts organisation through practical steps they can take and case studies that support this transition.  She will also share her unique insights into the key blockers to driving sustainable/circular change in the workplace and how to overcome these.

The Government Property Agency is helping transform the way the Civil Service works and reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work. We are introducing a portfolio-led approach to managing central government general purpose property as a strategic asset. We drive benefits through more efficient and effective use of the estate.

This session will discuss how the GPA are putting communities at the heart of great places to work. Through pre and post occupancy evaluation we are gathering the detail on how our spaces and our customer experience strategy is directly impacting on the people who work there. We have insight on what’s working well and what needs more investment – all of this means the GPA can make data driven decisions that are truly based on empathy for our customers.

A tale of how operating with old behaviours in a new environment soon renders the environment not fit-for-purpose.

Did Anglo American waste their money on an expensive real-estate project that didn’t provide enough space? Diego Henrique (Head of Real Estate at AA) and Jamesina Sainsbury (Workplace Experience Director at MCM) are here to tell you that they didn’t. They will tell the story of the project, its ambitions, the successes, and the things they would do differently today.