Spread over three jam packed days, the Expo saw Health and Safety leaders come together to listen to keynote speakers, attend seminars and workshops and network with current and potential new clients.
Networking forum.
Members from Shirley Parsons Careers, Projects, and Talent Consultancy team were on hand in the networking café and forum to give those exhibiting and attending the perfect space to meet, join workshops or take a short break.
Hosting alongside a variety of groups, including Women in Health & Safety and the Occupational Safety and Health Association, the clinics offered the chance for attendees to discuss their HSE challenges or book a confidential one-to-one with one of the team.
Shirley Parsons Head of Careers Phillip Muston said:
“The clinics we offer are always a great way to interact with those attending the expo and offer our expert advice, support and guidance.”
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Transform your communication and break through the concrete ceiling.
Beyond HSEQ members and partners The Speakers Gym took centre stage on the Keynote Theatre at midday on Tuesday to explore ‘how to break through the concrete ceiling and exert the right kind of influence at board level.’
Chris Wickenden, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of The Speakers Gym opened the presentation, followed by Chief Vision Officer and Co-Founder Jonny de Mallet Morgan who hosted the Q&A and was joined by special guest panellists Sunit Atwal, James Hymers, Louisa Mead and David Richmond, who offered their expert advice and tips on ‘what advice would you give to an HSE professional struggling to influence change in your organisation.’
The seminar was followed by the workshop Transform your communication: putting it into practice in the networking café which offered the opportunity to get to grips with some key tools for change and help to transform the way you communicate and influence others.
Joanna Knight, Health & Safety Adviser at University of Roehampton said:
"It was great to chat to Jonny at the workshop. The speaker’s Arc is a genuinely useful tool and Jonny talked me through how I could utilise it in my role. It will definitely help me improve how I communicate key issues and has given me the confidence to look at them from a different angle.”
Chris Wickenden, added:
“Thanks for having us Safety & Health Expo and thanks to everyone that took the time out for our keynote and workshop. It was a pleasure speaking to you all. Thanks to our brilliant panellists as well. I wish we had more time for our discussion.”
How can I be a better health and safety professional?
During the three days both the SHP Keynote Theatre and Operational Excellence Theatre were filled with insightful seminars. From safe and healthy working conditions, mental health support and sustainability to big tech and global trends, they covered every aspect.
On Wednesday, Head of Safety at East West Rail, Rhaynukka Soni and Senior Associate at Eversheds Sutherland International LLP Julia Thomas, came together to discuss ‘How can I be a better health and safety professional? Answer – stop being a health and safety professional.’
They believed that by changing the focus of professional development from health and safety to a broader understanding of how a business operates, we can start to present our ideas in a way that demonstrates ‘why’ is the best way forward.
Rhaynukka said:
“Safety is not a priority. It’s all about being an enabler and a facilitator. Every business has external competitors but we also create our own internal competitors and boundaries. We have to speak the board’s language and appeal to everyone, tap into what makes them work.”
Julia concluded the seminar:
“Safety is a priority, and we need to make it the board’s priority. We need to keep it simple.”
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The Safety and Health Expo also welcomed a number of guest speakers including Sir Lenny Henry and Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam.
Jonathan was seconded to the Department of Health and Social Care in 2017-22 as Deputy Chief Medical Officer and is well-known for his leadership role during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his section of the Inspirational Speaker Series, he discussed crisis response during the pandemic and drew on parallels between his role and that of health & safety professionals.
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Introducing MAPP.
The expo and networking café also saw the reveal of MAPP, Shirley Parsons HSEQ specific personality profiling tool.
Formally known as RoTi, MAPP considers an individual’s Motivations, Aspirations, Personality and Progression to help them MAPP out their career journey and help employers find the best fit for their team in HSEQ.
For candidates, it’s the perfect way to improve self-awareness and give you the opportunity to self-reflect and grow. It helps you identify your key strengths and areas for development as well as understanding your key motivators, aspirations, and ways you can thrive in your career.
For organisations, based on the big five / five factor approach of assessing personality traits, MAPP delivers a deeper understanding of a candidate, their personality traits, and related behaviours. It offers true value when used as part of your recruitment process and also gives you the insight required to help you retain, engage, and motivate the candidate once they join your organisation.
To find out more about MAPP, click here.
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The Shirley Parsons team would like to thank the Safety and Health Expo, our key speakers and panellists and, everyone who attended our workshops and drop in clinic during the last three days.
It has been another great event and we look forward to connecting with you all again soon.