In the busy, pressured world of working in Health & Wellbeing, it can seem like tackling your ever-increasing ‘to do’ list is more important than spending time out of the office. However, as many Leaders attest, like The British Council’s Georgina Rees-Saad, Employee Engagement and Experience Specialist, “taking time out to learn and network with peers facing similar challenges, and sharing knowledge gained from experience of addressing the same challenges, is invaluable”.
Leaders like Kirstin Furber, Channel 4’s People Director, view MAD World as an investment, which brings together such a “mix of people and companies” which are “grappling with, broadly, the same issues at the highest levels”.
“We are all then translating solutions into what’s going to work in our organisations and it’s really helpful to hear how others did it,” she says. “The value is definitely in these really open conversations.”
New perspectives, new ideas
Others agree that there’s a danger of getting caught up in your own company bubble and MAD World introduces you to a plethora of new perspectives and ideas.
Hasan Reza, Head of EDI, Community NHS Trust, says of the DE&I Summit, at which he speaking on ‘Driving meaningful change by maximising data use and measuring impact’:
“It’s a rare opportunity to hear from DE&I experts coming from a massively diverse range of organisations and sectors. Leaders can tap into that knowledge. As a leader I wouldn’t want to miss the event, my team is coming to learn from others and I’d highly encourage you and your teams to do the same!”
Dr Tracey Leghorn, Chief Business Services Officer, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, is another Leader who puts the MAD World event ahead of others, saying: “I get invited to many conferences and networking events, this is one that I prioritise.”
Richness of debate
These wide-ranging views lead to a “richness of debate”, according to Karen Brookes, Chief People Officer, Sir Robert McAlpine. And here at MAD World we are not shy to lead a good debate, embracing different opinions and difficult topics.
For instance, the topic of the EAP crisis, and the fact they’re overwhelmed by inappropriate calls, is a hot topic currently which we didn’t shy away from in interviewing Health Assured CEO Bertrand Stern-Gillet about recent negative press. This topic will undoubtedly come up both in formal sessions and informal conversations, giving Leaders the inside track on this tricky issue.
Need for more personalised support
In her session on ‘Meeting the increasing need for personalised mental health support’, for example, Shamira Graham, Chief Commercial Officer and Principal CBT Therapist at corporate mental health provider Onebright, hopes delegates will leave thinking more critically about the service provision they have got in their organisation:
“Where do they fit on the wellbeing and mental health continuum? How do employees know when they should access these services? When and how should they? They need to think about their core services, and then specialist pathways for employees that need something more personalised.”
Words into action
Similarly, we have embraced head-on the current issues in the legal profession – one of which was the high profile probable suicide of Pinsent Mason Partner Vanessa Ford recently. This year we see a Legal Summit Stream added to MAD World and Elizabeth Rimmer, Chief Executive of the mental health charity LawCare, says she is hoping we can “harness the outpouring [of sadness]” around her death “into action and not allow the words to become hollow”.
Indeed, as Rimmer alludes to here, the insight into practical, evidence-based solutions is one of the major advantages Leaders cite about attending MAD World.
Leaders also talk about the power in coming together with other purpose-led likeminds around “an agenda that really gets to the deep roots of what it takes to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation”, says Viasat’s VP of Culture and Inclusion, Jo Whatley.
Shared mission is energising
This feeling of a shared mission is “energising” because of being in a room with people who “have the same goals and are working towards achieving them”, says DLA Piper’s Safia Kukaswadia, International Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Specialist. The RSPCA’s Patrick Ismond, Head of EDI, also makes this point about atmosphere, saying he’s most looking forward to “sharing ideas, good practice and the positive energy that will helps us realise more inclusive environments”.
Being surrounded by energised people, also helps Leaders in this space deal with the inevitable stress of looking after others’ wellbeing. Leaders recognise the toll working in the business of looking after others can take on their own personal wellbeing and the need to be around others who really understand.
The NHS’s Reza, says:
“DE&I work is taxing and involves offering a lot of one’s personal emotional availability to others. As such spending time with others who traverse a similar path can be very uplifting and inspiring.”
No organisation has it all figured out
Similarly, McAlpine’s Brookes hopes people leave the Summit knowing “we are never alone, there is always someone in your network (now or future) to seek input and gain support from”. Kukaswadia hopes people leave MAD World with a similar thought in their heads: “with an understanding that we all have challenges and it’s OK not to know what to do, or how to reach your goals. Everyone is learning, and no one person or organisation has it all figured out.”
Government-wise, the Wellbeing industry is at a pivotal time with the Labour Party making many pledges around mental health since taking office, such as the creation of a new Mental Health Act. Consequently, it’s a major coup for MAD World that the closing keynote speaker is Luciana Berger, the Former Labour MP who has been appointed by Labour to lead its mental health strategy review.
New government: reason for optimism?
She tells us she is “absolutely optimistic” about the new government and its focus on prevention, underlining the importance of the hot topic already mentioned; how we can shift to “fostering good mental health, rather than helping people when they are very, very sick and in a crisis”.
However, Fred Mills, Founder, The B1M, who is speaking at the Construction Summit – another new stream at MAD World this year – cautions against an overreliance on regulation. He believes that “we shouldn’t wait for things to happen, like legislation or culture change, because they are going to take time”.
Mark Hudson, Head of Creative Diversity, News UK, agrees saying what he is looking forward to most about MAD World is the congregation of leaders in the field who can “share learnings with each other to move things along as quickly as we can”.
The Leaders’ Summit at MAD World is an event driving excellence in workplace culture, employee health and wellbeing.
For the keynote closing session, Former MP Luciana Berger will be in conversation with Mark Malcolmson CBE, Principal and Chief Executive City Lit.
The Summmit on 17th October 2024, will bring together speakers and attendees from across sectors and with a range of job titles for two tracks of leading-edge content that showcase best practice and provide insights and inspiration for all those looking to achieve maximum engagement with initiatives, optimise investment, stay one step ahead and really make a difference.
The stellar lineup of speakers, as well as Luciana Berger, includes: Professor Dame Carol Black GBE FRCP FMed Sci; Peter Cheese, CEO, CIPD, Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, Chief Executive, The Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH), Dhavani Bishop, Head of Group Colleague Health & Wellbeing, Tesco, Dr Clare Fernandes, Chief Medical Officer, BBC, Christian van Stolk, Executive Vice President, RAND Europe, Andrew Gibbons, Group Head of Wellbeing, Recognition and Hybrid Working, HSBC, Karen Brookes, Chief People Officer, Sir Robert McAlpine, Jaimy Fairclough, Wellbeing Specialist – People Division, Sainsbury’s, Dr Femi Oduneye, Vice President Health, Shell International B.V. and many more. You can find out more and register to attend here.
