AUGUST 27 2020 11:00 AM EDT
It is almost certain that work from home is here to stay. The general assumption is that, post-pandemic, 30% to 40% of office workers globally will be working from home (WFH) at any given time—on a permanent basis, temporarily, or part time.
As the permanence of WFH sets in, employees are beginning to evaluate the quality and comfort of their home office setups for the long term. Meanwhile, employers are navigating uncharted waters in determining their organizational responsibilities in supporting employees at home, as well as the unanticipated costs and liabilities of doing so. The physical and psychological implications of WFH could have a major impact on health and wellbeing, productivity levels, attraction and retention, and more.
Find out how to navigate this new reality as our all-star panelists explore the most recent thinking around managing a reconfigured workforce— supporting everything from IT and human resources to health & safety, mental health and ergonomics. Remember, people are the number one cost to an organization AND the number one driver of profit and success.
Our Moderator
Jennifer Busch
Commercial Interiors Industry Consultant
Jennifer Busch is a design industry consultant focused on the value of intelligent design strategies for commercial and institutional enterprises with real business goals. Throughout her career she has written numerous articles on workplace trends, has participated as a moderator or featured speaker at industry conferences worldwide and has juried numerous design competitions. Her professional history includes roles as Vice President of A&D for office furniture manufacturer Teknion and commercial flooring manufacturer Interface Carpet, and 21 years in editorial roles at Contract Magazine.
Our PANELISTS
Dr. James Aw
Chief Medical Officer, OMERS
Dr. James Aw is the Chief Medical Officer of OMERS where he provides medical expertise on health and wellness for employees, plan members, portfolio companies and investments in healthcare. In addition, Dr. Aw is part-time faculty in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins University (2011-present) in Baltimore, USA. He has over 20 years of experience in corporate health and occupational medicine including disability management, critical incident planning, infectious diseases in the workplace, industrial hygiene, wellness and disease. His clinical research interests are in preventive medicine and global health.
Jane Sleeth Hon. B.P. & H.E., B.Sc.PT., C.P.T.
Managing Director (Canada), Optimal Performance Consultants
Jane Sleeth is Founder and Sr Consultant at Optimal Performance Consultants, a national Ergonomic & Human Factors Design firm. She has published three books on the topics of design for mental health; design for prevention of back and neck injuries, and design as applied to the prevention of injury and disability in the workplace with Thomson-Carswell. With more than 30 years of experience in ergonomics and human factors consulting, Jane leads the OPC team in auditing built environments and helping clients create strategic plans and practices around ergonomics, human factors and inclusive design in the workplace.
Madeleine Dow
Development Director, Leesman
London-based Madeleine Dow is a Development Director at Leesman, the world’s largest database for measuring workplace and employee experience. With a background in Human Resources and Psychology, she is passionate about employee experience, workplace transformation and strategy, cultural change, employee engagement, workplace behaviour, performance and productivity. Madeleine has more than 10 years experience in public and private sectors, across a number of industries, in both internal and client-facing roles.
Tim Baxter
Regional Vice President, Corporate Accounts, Teknion
As Regional Vice President of Corporate Accounts at Teknion, Tim Baxter is focused on business development in the dynamic and growth-oriented Canadian financial sector. He is an expert in the provision of workplace strategies and furniture solutions that support the corporate tools of larger national and global organizations. A LEED AP since 2006, Tim has a particular interest in sustainable practices applied to interior building solutions. With over 25 years’ experience in the contract furniture industry, Tim specializes in LEED CI, sustainable building strategies, space efficiency, and corporate social responsibility.
