Thomas Hemmings is a change professional with two decades of experience involving people in change. He leads a team of business change managers to help people understand and adopt changes at the Peabody Group. He is also co-chair of the employee council aiming to improve how we work together.

He has run his own change, coaching and training business helping organisations and people develop approaches to living and working in an increasingly complex, volatile and uncertain world.

Thomas is a practicing son, parent, friend, colleague, student, civilian, Buddhist, yogi, philosopher, runner and human. His intention is peace and his approach is to practice. He believes there is no way to achieve peace, joy and happiness; there is only being peaceful, joyful and happy.

Connect with Thomas on Linkedin

Dr Duffy has a lifelong interest in women’s health. Dr Duffy chose to specialise in the menopause because she wants to help women feel better and thrive in all aspects of their personal and professional lives. She is passionate about teaching women the truth about menopause, debunking myths around HRT, and helping women answer the question “What does this mean for me?” She empathises greatly, because she has been there herself.

After studying medicine at Glasgow University and graduating in 1987 she decided to pursue further training to become a GP. A field which fosters long-term, trust-based relationships between patients and practitioners. Dr Duffy’s aim has always been to deeply understand her patients and their unique needs. She firmly believes this is vital to good care – no two of us are the same, so care should be shaped to our unique individual needs.

Find out more about Dr Duffy's work on the Health in Menopause website

Veronica has been working as a health and wellness practitioner since 1994. A qualified nurse and humanist with training in Yoga, Ayurveda, MBR therapy, Narrative Therapy, Hypnotherapy and Integrative Somatic Trauma therapy, she currently runs a clinic that supports people to recover from severe stress, burnout, CFS/ME, Fibromyalgia and Long Covid. She is also a PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham, exploring the relationship between Creative Writing and transgenerational trauma.

Veronica's journey was deeply influenced by her own experience of going through CFS/ME and an early menopause. She believes that our bodies have the inner resources and the power to heal and thrive and that learning to connect with those resources is a life skill that will lead us to live the fulfilling, vibrant and purposeful life we are meant to have.

When Veronica is not helping people regain their health or doing yoga, she enjoys singing and playing the piano, writing and reading novels, connecting with friends and being in nature.

Connect with Veronica on her website

Organisation

Division of Organisational and Applied Psychology, FASS, University of Nottingham Malaysia

Biography

Nur Zahira Zulkarnain is a postgraduate research student, currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Applied Psychology at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. She recently graduated with a First-Class degree from the same university with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Psychology and Management. She actively participates in leadership roles and is currently a research assistant attached to the Division of Organisational and Applied Psychology. She is a passionate researcher with interests including topics within higher education, work-life balance, mindfulness, spirituality and mental health.

Talk: Wellbeing and early career researchers in higher education: Improving mental health through spirituality and mindfulness

Interest in occupational health of academics in higher education institutions (HEI) has garnered increasing attention in Malaysia with occupational stress rates shooting up by 24.8% from past years. Academics play a pivotal role in HEI and a key role in quality research and education. Despite numerous calls made to scrutinise academic work environment, studies that comprehensively address early career researchers (ECR) are scarce. Literature suggests that factors such as job insecurity, poor management of work and life commitments, high workloads, and lack of support are some of the main contributors to poor or declining mental health among academics. This study aims to test an adapted Job Demand-Resources (JD-R) Model to further understand and examine ECRs’ mental wellbeing. It adds elements of spirituality and mindfulness as proposed tools for better mental wellbeing among ECR. Objectives of this research include (1) exploring the antecedents and outcomes associated with ECRs’ mental wellbeing, (2) examining usefulness of JD-R model for ECRs’ mental wellbeing framework, (3) testing the mediating role of job satisfaction and (4) investigating the moderating role of mindfulness and spirituality for the ECR population. A mixed-method approach will be employed using both self-administered surveys and semi-structured interviews. Data will be analysed using NVivo, SPSS and AMOS. This study is expected to contribute to a greater understanding related to mental wellbeing issues of ECR in HEI. Findings from this study hope to serve as a guideline to address and understand mental health issues among ECRs by providing suggestions to improve their mental health resilience via better work environments and other practices.

Organisation

University of Nottingham

Biography

Tayo is a resourceful family physician with exciting clinical and non-clinical work experiences that include Lifestyle medicine, reproductive health and public health.  She is interested in continuing the exploration of Lifestyle medicine in our contemporary environment, thus, synchronising the knowledge and experiences garnered and the exceptional opportunities for wellness to aid optimum preventive and curative healthcare. She is currently a member of the British Society of Lifestyle medicine, Royal Society of Public health, Faculty of Public health and a postgraduate student at the University of Nottingham.

Talk: The effect of racial discrimination on turnover intentions in employees working in Australian companies

Lifestyle medicine is an approach to living more healthily. This approach is evidence-based and individualised to support the making of positive healthy lifestyle changes with the aim of preventing, managing and reversing certain chronic conditions. This session will focus on D.R.E.A.M.S as an evidence-based Lifestyle medicine approach in the context of the workplace. Overall, the socio-economic determinants of health which serve a central role in health and behavioural changes are influenced by Lifestyle medicine through a focus on plant-based dietary intake; good social connections and healthy relationships; appropriate incorporation of physical activity in daily lives; avoidance of toxic/harmful substances; mental wellness and stress management by finding purpose and meaning in life and restorative sleep. 

Organisation

University of Nottingham Malaysia

Biography

A PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, watching anime has always been a hobby since she was young, and being able to turn what she loves into a research study has been an incredible journey for her. The title of her research, "Exploring Fandom-related Occupations as Careers in Malaysia," particularly focuses on cosplaying as a professional career in Malaysia, which has been gradually gaining awareness due to the changing world of work. This study seeks to understand the history, essence, and risks of cosplay and what is currently happening in the cosplay world.

Talk: The changing world of work: Fandom occupation

Fandom-related occupations such as cosplay are a form of "Ikigai," where a profession revolves around your passion and interests, giving a sense of life purpose. Cosplay, the art of dressing up as one's favourite character, has been a fast-growing hobby and performing art in Malaysia after the pandemic. The growing interest in cosplaying has resulted in it being perceived as a potential career for the younger generation in Malaysia, yet studies that look into this phenomenon are scarce. This paper seeks to understand the history, essence, and challenges associated with cosplay as a potential career. It also explores the reasoning and motivation behind the younger generation diving into this career pathway. This study aims to explore cosplay as a career using a mixed-method approach. The first phase includes qualitative studies using ethnography and interviews to explore the context of cosplay in Malaysia as well as its potential and challenges as a future career for the younger generation. The second phase, which is a future study, involves understanding cosplay as meaningful work using a self-administered survey. Participants for both phases are professional cosplayers as well as creative professionals who work closely with cosplayers. Preliminary findings from the qualitative phases suggest that most individuals who engage in cosplay prioritize value-driven work experience over traditional jobs. The majority also perceive cosplay as an alternative to a traditional career path that offers more valuable experience and overall life satisfaction. Most respondents also highlight an opportunity to access freedom of expression, time flexibility, and better wellbeing as benefits of cosplay as a career. In conclusion, fandom-related occupations offer more than meets the eye for the younger generation. Depending on the results, cosplay can be a potential future career that can benefit both society and its relevant stakeholders.

Organisation

Loughborough University

Biography

Dr David Maidment is currently a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Loughborough University, having previously worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the NIHR Nottingham BRC and MRC Institute of Hearing Research. His research focuses on developing and evaluating (digital) interventions that aim to improve health and wellbeing in adults with long-term conditions and disabilities. He is currently leading an NIHR Work and Health Development Award assessing how people with long-term conditions and disabilities can be supported to self-manage their health in the workplace.

Talk: The Co-Manage project: supporting individuals with long-term conditions and disabilities to self-manage their health at work

In the UK, it is estimated that 12.8 million people of working age have at least one long-term condition or disability. Long-term conditions and disabilities can limit people’s ability to work, which is estimated to cost the UK economy around £100bn per year. Supporting this population to actively self-manage their health is integral to the NHS’s Long-term Plan, outlined in Government policy for employers to create healthy, inclusive workplaces, and advocated by professional bodies. Self-management describes the actions people take to recognise, treat, and manage their own health. Examples include monitoring and responding to symptoms, accessing support, and making practical changes to enhance quality of life. Poor self-management can lead to increased job stress, dissatisfaction, turnover, and long-term work disability. Existing research shows that workers with long-term conditions and disabilities can struggle to self-manage their symptoms at work. This can be due to stigma, work demands, and lack of knowledge from employers concerning self-management. In this presentation, we will outline the preliminary findings from the ongoing Co-Manage Project, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). We are currently working with employers, health professionals, and workers to understand the potential obstacles and solutions to self-managing a long-term condition or disability at work. To this end, we have undertaken several workshops involving over 60 stakeholders to identify potential workplace-based solutions that could be implemented to support people with long-term conditions and disabilities to effectively self-manage their health in the workplace. In addition, we are currently completing a rapid review of the effectiveness of existing research assessing the effectiveness of work-place self-management interventions, as well as a Delphi review to gather expert consensus on how best to support individuals with long- term conditions and disabilities to self-manage their heath at work.

Organisation

University of Nottingham

Biography

Louise Benski is an Organisational Development Manager in the University of Nottingham’s Human Resources department and leads on wellbeing and mental health matters. Louise is a former employment law solicitor and lecturer and enjoys using her people skills to work on culture change and inclusivity projects, especially those which help to improve wellbeing in the workplace for staff. She is currently developing the frameworks to support The University of Nottingham’s new wellbeing and mental health staff strategy with colleagues and is excited to be involved in the University Mental Health Charter work domain submission process. Louise welcomes all feedback and staff wellbeing suggestions!

Talk: Creating a wellbeing culture for living our university values

How do you create and influence a wellbeing culture in large organisations like universities? It is not a straightforward task and requires a combination of looking back and forwards: gathering and analysing staff views, on the one hand, and building an evidence-based vision for the future which puts people at the heart of the organisation, on the other.

This session will explain how the University of Nottingham’s Organisational Development team has taken the university’s five values and turned those words into a meaningful programme of work to support staff in its Open Conversation project and in building its brand-new Wellbeing and Mental Health Staff Strategy.

Organisation

University of Nottingham, School of Biosciences

Biography

As a teaching-focused academic in the School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham since 2017, Natalie has demonstrated a profound commitment to addressing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) issues while fostering an environment of wellbeing among students and faculty. Her involvement in initiatives such as Athena Swan highlights her dedication to advancing gender equality in academia. Beyond teaching Biotechnology, her passion extends to neurodiversity research and facilitating open discussions on mental health, enriching the academic landscape with diverse perspectives and support networks. This multifaceted approach reflects a holistic view of education, recognising the importance of inclusivity and wellness alongside academic rigour.

Talk: Utilising "The Grid of Life" to build resilience

This session aims to help participants identify areas of life where there is room for improvement and ultimately build resilience. Participants will be encouraged to self-reflect on their whole life using a concept called “The grid of life” from Susan Jeffers as described in her book: “Feel the fear and do it anyway”. Using a grid of boxes, each box will be dedicated to an area of life such as family, work, exercise, hobbies, friends, health etc. The grid will be individual to each person and should be based on what their “ideal” life would look like. Participants may choose to break down some areas into several boxes if they wish i.e. work may be covered by multiple boxes such as teaching, research, and working relationships. Participants can then shade in their boxes according to how fulfilled they feel that area of their life is currently, to help identify areas for growth and improvement. This reflective exercise can help individuals gain perspective and develop a proactive approach to making positive changes to their overall wellbeing which can only be of benefit to their performance and satisfaction in the workplace. A full life grid will provide fulfilment in many areas and build resilience in the long-term. If one area falls down suddenly, then the other areas can provide the balance and support required to minimise the impact on an individual’s wellbeing.

Organisation

Lancaster University

Biography

Olga Gomez-Cash is a senior language teacher at Lancaster University and has worked in various roles supporting students’ personal development and building effective language programmes. These roles include Study Abroad Advisor, Faculty Associate Dean for Education, and member of the QAA Advisory Group reviewing the 2023 Languages, Cultures and Societies Benchmark Statement.

Alongside her language and education work, she is the academic champion on a student mental health project at institutional level, a trained internal staff coach, and a qualified meditation teacher, hosting sessions for students, staff, and the general public.

Talk: Between being and doing: the impact of my university having a coaching network

Coaching is primarily a process that brings out qualities such as confidence and authenticity. I will discuss the values needed to foster the coaching relationship, values rooted in an optimistic and humanistic understanding of people, as fundamental to empowering staff and students in HE today. I have benefited from this approach in four ways:

1. Receiving coaching to support my growth into leadership as a Head of Department. It was my honour to support staff through personal struggles. As a woman going through menopause and managing my own transition to leadership, I reached out for support and benefited from my institution’s coaching offer.
2. Training as a coach to support others. Inspired by the coaching support I received, I trained as a coach and started to support members of staff in my university in a voluntary capacity. I will explore how coaching is a powerful tool to understand and transform the experience of HE today.
3. Developing pedagogical strategies that support the wellbeing of students. I have explicitly engaged in the development of interactive pedagogies to engage students creatively and holistically. I will explore using reflective exercises on students’ personal stories and experience of self-regulation to reinforce different personal traits that contribute to positive psychology, empowering students to use their language learning to express themselves and their wellbeing. These are important ways to usher in a ‘pedagogy of care’ and ‘presence’.
4. The impact of a coaching approach to leadership. As Associate Dean of my Education for my faculty, I created weekly online meetings of teaching directors and heads of departments that created effective teams. Beyond this, I used a coaching approach to leadership, encouraging collaboration and belief in the development of potential.

Organisation

School of Psychology, University of Nottingham

Biography

Chhanda Karmaker is a dedicated PhD student at the University of Nottingham's School of Psychology, specialising in developmental and cognitive psychology. Her research delves into individual differences in visuospatial working memory, cognitive flexibility, and interference control, collectively known as executive function. Currently, she is investigating "Individual Differences in Executive Function: A Cohort Study of Executive Function in Two Transitional Periods of Human Life Cycle," focusing on puberty and menopause as two crucial transitional life stages. Chhanda’s curiosity extends to examining the correlation between perceived role overload and cognitive functions. Passionate about exploring the intricacies of human cognition, she aims to generate impactful contributions to her research domain.

Talk: Cognitive changes in menopause transition

Are you noticing changes in your memory or ability to stay focused as you go through menopause? You're not alone! Research shows that during menopause, hormonal changes can affect your brain's ability to remember things, stay focused, plan, and make decisions. Additionally, women navigating through menopause find themselves juggling multiple responsibilities, including being a partner or spouse, parent, grandparent, caregiver, friend, and co-worker, all while participating in community and religious roles. These simultaneous challenges may lead to overwhelming stress and a sense of being overloaded. Our study is investigating how menopause affects these crucial brain functions that influence daily life. We're also exploring how managing multiple life roles during this transitional phase can influence these challenges. In this talk, we will tell you about the current scientific research into how cognition changes with menopause. We will discuss the different results found when women are asked about their experiences compared to when performance is tested objectively in the lab. We will discuss some early findings from our ongoing study and how you can get involved and help us find out more. We will also briefly review some of the scientific research on what helps women who are experiencing cognitive effects of menopause.

Organisation

Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, University of Nottingham

Biography

Kate Bowker is a clinical trial manager based at Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit and is currently overseeing a trial to determine the best hormone-free treatment for women experiencing hot flushes. With over 12 years of experience in women's health research, she has expertise in various research methodologies such as randomised control trials, longitudinal cohort studies and qualitative research methods. Before pursuing her career in research, she worked as a midwife in the NHS.

Talk: Oxybutynin or venlafaxine for hot flushes in women who cannot or choose not to use hormone replacement

Background: Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit is running a trial to find out what is the best hormone-free treatment for helping women with hot flushes. We are looking for suitable participants. Most menopausal women experience hot flushes and night sweats, lasting several years. These symptoms may be difficult to manage while working and may have an economic impact. Hot flushes can be especially severe for women taking medicines for treatment of breast cancer. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment for hot flushes. However, some women are unable to take treatments containing hormones, such as HRT, due to other health conditions, such as breast cancer. Others choose not to take HRT because of concerns about the possible harms. One of the most commonly prescribed non hormonal treatments is venlafaxine. Venlafaxine can help hot flushes by blocking the nerve signal which results in a hot flush. Oxybutynin is a medicine used to treat an overactive bladder. Oxybutynin may also be effective in reducing the number and strength of hot flushes, by stopping the blood vessels on the surface of the skin relaxing too easily, resulting in a hot flush. Aim: The BLUSH trial is going to compare oxybutynin with venlafaxine to find out what treatment is more effective and better value for money for helping menopausal hot flushes. Methods: BLUSH requires 480 women who prefer not to use HRT and 480 women who cannot take HRT for medical reasons. Participants will be recruited from social media, adverts, hospitals, GP’s and via social networks. BLUSH will run for 12 months and women will be expected to complete questionnaires and hot flush diaries at 4,8 and 12 weeks after starting the trial and at 6 and 12 months. Results: BLUSH will enable women to make informed decisions about treatments for menopausal hot flushes.

Organisation

University of Surrey

Biography

Jo McCarthy-Holland is EDI Lead at the University of Surrey. She is a highly motivated Equality, Diversity and Inclusion specialist with over 16 years’ experience in Higher Education. Jo has a wealth of experience as a trainer, coach and inclusion consultant. With a background in psychology and sociology, she has focused on personal development, emotional intelligence and relationship literacy and leads the Springboard Women’s Development Programme. She has led award winning programmes, particularly the Employment Works project, providing supported internships for neurodivergent young people, and Surrey Menopause: a sector- leading menopause project. Jo is committed to promoting everybody’s right to be different and fostering an environment free from discrimination to build excellence through diversity in organisations. She has an enquiring mind along with the ability to inspire, challenge and support people across different boundaries.

Talk: Menopause hype or hope? Bringing lasting change to the workplace

This session will provide comprehensive insights and practical strategies for both employers and employees to navigate this often overlooked but significant phase of life. The session will cover various aspects of menopause, including its physiological and psychological effects, its impact on workplace dynamics, and strategies for creating supportive work environments. Through an informative presentation, interactive discussions, and real-life case studies, participants will gain a deeper understanding of menopause, its implications for the workplace and what can be done to provide appropriate support.There will be interactive elements throughout the session including reflective exercises, group discussion and a Q&A to address specific concerns or questions. This seminar aims to empower attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to create more supportive and understanding workplaces for people impacted by menopause.

Panel discussion leads

Archie Sloan

Archie is currently in his second year of pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History. As a second-year Work Placement student, he is eager to learn and embrace new experiences. As part of his work placement at the Language Centre, Archie had to find women prepared to be filmed for testimonials for this conference. He had to recruit them, watch the videos, and edit them. Initially he found the topic of menopause unfamiliar and uncomfortable. However, listening to the menopause journey that women undergo has broadened his understanding and has significantly empowered him. Archie believes that his newfound insights into menopause will profoundly enhance his ability to support and understand women in both his professional and personal life.

Dr Tara Webster-Deakin

Tara is an Assistant Professor of Education with a background in school teaching and the voluntary sector prior to HE and former co-director for EDI for the School of Cultures, Languages and Areas Studies. At present she is Faculty Safeguarding Lead. She undertakes action research – research with collaboration and co-construction of knowledge at its core - into areas including equality and diversity in education, inclusive pedagogies, lived experience, and how our values and beliefs affect our research narratives. Tara is engaged in widening participation as part of her university work and brings her values of voice, empowerment, equity and belonging to all the strands of her teaching, research and partnership work. She describes herself as a social justice “champion” and, as a proud feminist, is delighted to be part of making menopause in the workplace a more visible and less taboo topic.

Panel discussion: From Awareness to Action: Managing Menopause in the Workplace

The panel session will aim to address critical aspects of managing menopause in the workplace. One of the aims is the importance of educating male employees about the physiological and psychological impacts of menopause, fostering empathy, and encouraging open dialogue to create a supportive environment. The panel will address myths such as the menopause being solely an issue of aging or having minimal impact on work performance, highlighting its significant influence on women's health and productivity. To break the taboo and ensure there is support, the discussion will focus on normalising conversations about menopause. By promoting awareness, the panel aims to create a workplace culture where employees will feel respected and supported during this significant life stage.

Pannel participants

• Professor Andrew Fisher (Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership)
• Professor Paul Hegarty (Head of School of Cultures, Languages and Areas Studies)
• Veronica Layunta (Health Practitioner)
• Jo McCarthy-Holland (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, University of Surrey)
• Dr Olufunto Elebiyo (GP)
• Nicola Way Marketing Manager from Adora Health

Session leader

Dr Lan Lo is an accomplished instructor, specialising in Tai Chi and Qigong. As a qualified instructor, she brings her expertise to the University, where she is a valued member of the staff. Dr Lo’s workshops on Tai Chi and Qigong have consistently received enthusiastic feedback from participants. Her students have praised her as a “fantastic teacher” who gives clear instructions with an engaging teaching style. Some participants have also highlighted the accessibility of her workshops - including the online format - which allow people from around the country to benefit from her expertise.