New Zealand event looks at resilience and relieving stress
This year’s WORKTECH Auckland conference will map put the central challenges of the modern workplace and explore solutions for people, place and technology
WORKTECH return to New Zealand on 30 March 2023 with B:Hive in Auckland hosting the WORKTECH Auckland conference on the future of work and workplaces. Here are some sessions to keep an eye out for:
Four-day future
In the wake of the most robust study into the four-day week of all time, Andrew Barnes, co-founder of 4-day Week Global will discuss the benefits and increasing success of the four-day week campaign. Found to help reduce burnout, stress, anxiety and decrease staff turnover whilst not impacting company profit, the four-day week could be the solution to many of the problems that the current workplace is facing.
Tackling workplace stress
Organisational psychologist and lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Lixin Jiang, will discuss poor mental health within the workplace. The annual cost of the burden of serious mental illness in New Zealand is estimated at NZ $12 billion, making it a significant problem for companies all over the country. But with hundreds of workplace wellbeing schemes promising effective results, how do you know if a workplace solution will truly benefit your employees?
In-building resilience
The pandemic has exposed how external factors can affect the workplace so rapidly, with further challenges ahead with economic crises, unpredictable weather and other disrupting events on the horizon. Building resilience to events like these seems complicated, but Lena Mueller and Darcy Utting for Unispace want to uncomplicate it, addressing in their talk how companies can build resilient workplaces that support the wellbeing of their people, enhance culture, and are a genuine return on investment for business productivity and continuity.
Tech shaping the workplace
In this expert panel, Thomas Thurston, Chief Technology Officer for WR Hambrecht + Co, will steer his fellow participants through a discussion around how technology has come to play such a vital role in our current workplaces as well as the ways in which emerging technologies such as AI chat bots will continue to change how we organise ourselves and keep connected. As Thurston comments: “There’s no doubt that AI will continue to become more of a partner for all of us in the workplace. By continuing to explore how new AI can help you be more efficient and effective you’re way ahead of those who shy away or hope it never affects them.”
Find out more about WORKTECH Auckland 2023 here.
