Building a Culture of Care: Achieving Results Through People

* This session will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French

"Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients."

Sir Richard Branson, British entrepreneur and adventurer, head of Virgin Group Ltd., and commercial astronaut.

International Ombuds Day is celebrated globally on the second Thursday in October to increase awareness about the roles and functions of organizational ombuds.

Ombuds are confidential, impartial and independent resources who use informal channels to help employees resolve workplace issues. We encourage you to get acquainted with the programs and services of your ombud’s office to address any of your potential workplace issues.   

To highlight this initiative, the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, in partnership with the Department of Shared Services Canada (SSC), invites you to participate in the panel discussion “Building a Culture of Care: Achieving Results Through People”.

This roundtable will be moderated by Ève Nadeau, Associate Ombud, Mental Health and Employee Well-Being and Director, Informal Conflict Management and Professional Coaching Services at ISED, with opening remarks delivered by Scott Jones, President of Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Francis Bilodeau, Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Building a Culture of Care: Achieving Results Through People

Overview

While many organizations primarily associate success with achieving great results and delivering quality service, it is employee care that maximizes human potential and leads to organizational success.

According to a study conducted by Forbes Magazine, happy employees are up to 20 percent more productive than unhappy employees. A positive work culture increases proficiency, boosts morale, and improves teamwork and employee engagement.

This session explores how leaders and employees can create an environment of success and innovation by developing and nurturing a culture of care.

Panelists:

Alexandre St-Jean (He, Him), Ombuds, Shared Services Canada (SSC)

Alexandre St-Jean was appointed Ombuds for Shared Services Canada (SSC) in March 2021.

Alexandre joined the Public Service in 2009 after working eight years in various industries in the private sector. Since then, he has worked in the fields of wellness, conflict management, harassment prevention, and values and ethics. Most notably, he was the Director of Informal Conflict Management System at the Department of Justice. He has played a leadership role in the Federal Informal Conflict Management System Network and continues to play a key role in the Interdepartmental Organizational Ombuds Community. He comes to Shared Services Canada from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat where he was the Ombudsman and Director of the Office of the Ombudsman, Ethics and Conflict Resolution. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in resolving complex issues through coaching, mediation and group intervention process.

He also developed an expertise in the field of emotional intelligence, resiliency and effective interpersonal communication.

Dr. Katy Kamkar, PhD, CPsych (She, Her), Associate Ombud, Office of the Ombud for Mental Health and Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

Dr. Katy Kamkar, Ph.D., C. Psych., is a renowned clinical psychologist with global acclaim. In May 2023, she was appointed to the role of Federal Associate Ombud for Mental Health and Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister on matters of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

With nearly 17 years of dedicated service at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Dr. Kamkar also holds the position of Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Her academic pursuits extend to her faculty involvement at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University since 2019, contributing to the Osgoode Professional Development program with a focus on essential skills for ombuds.

She has received national and international recognition for her work on trauma and resiliency, moral injury, and workplace mental health as evidenced through her extensive national and international public speaking and media engagements, work with the ministries, Public Health Agency of Canada, with the House of Commons of Canada, being consulted as a subject matter expert, and refereed publications, book chapters, and non-peer reviewed publications for the public.

Targeted Audience:

Federal public servants at all levels.

Location:

Online - MS Teams

This session will be recorded. Note that only registered participants will receive the recording.

When:

Thursday, October 12, 2023 - 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Registration Deadline: October 11, 2023 - 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time

* This session will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French

1. If you require any accessibility features or accommodations to fully participate in this session, upon registration, please send us an email at ICMH-CISM@ised-isde.gc.ca.

2. MS Teams connection information will be sent 24 hours prior to the session to the email address provided at registration. If you do not receive this information, please check your junk mail folder.

3. Participants are encouraged to review their departmental policies on the use of networks and video streaming.