Dr. Ashley Spetch is WorkSafeBC’s Chief Mental Health Officer — the first position of its kind for any workers’ compensation board in Canada. She is responsible for the organization’s overall strategy on mental health, and works with various stakeholders to support B.C. workers affected by psychological injury — with the goal of improving their recovery and safe return-to-work outcomes. Prior to joining WorkSafeBC, Dr. Spetch held progressive leadership positions in workplace mental health and psychological health and safety. She has extensive experience in helping employers develop programs to cultivate return to work, employee well-being, and psychologically safe and healthy workforces and workplaces. Dr. Spetch has a PhD in consulting psychology, and is a respected leader in her field. She brings to every situation a balance of academic, clinical, and practical expertise.

Dr. Ashley Spetch will discuss the connection between workplace health and safety and mental health, outline a call to action for employers to proactively address these risks, and address key questions including:

• What are the guidelines for managing psychological health in the workplace?
• What is Canada’s global standing in psychological health and safety in the workplace?
• How can we prevent psychological injuries and empower leaders to act now?
• How do we build a workplace culture that supports and safeguards employee/worker mental health?