29 Jul Recapping the 2024 OHS Leaders Summit
We were very pleased to sponsor the OHS Leaders Summit this year. This was our fourth time sponsoring, and it was great to reconnect with old contacts, meet new ones, and stay updated on the latest trends in the health and safety industry.
Here’s a summary of what we learned at the Summit:
Key Challenges for 2024
The top challenge for 2024, identified by 51% of attendees, is managing psychosocial issues in the workplace, the same as in 2023.
Other significant challenges include:
- Addressing skills gaps (35%)
- Technology and data issues (35%)
- Addressing ESG issues (25%)
Big Spending Priorities for 2024
When it came to OHS investment priorities, attendees ranked their top areas as follows:
- Psychosocial risk management (57%)
- Contractor management (50%)
- Mental health (44%)
- Health & Safety Management Systems, Cultural Change Programs, and Health & Wellbeing Programs (43%)
Interestingly, recruitment services were the lowest spending priority, with only 4% of attendees highlighting it (but we won’t take this personally!)
The Program
The two-day Summit featured around 35 presentations, plus panel discussions, workshops, and roundtable discussions. This year saw the highest attendance ever, with nearly 200 delegates from various industry sectors.
Highlights for us included Kurt Warren’s keynote on leadership and the change journey at Hansen Yuncken, and Dr. Peter Prasad’s presentation on managing safety at QANTAS.
Our Takeaways
In addition to the discussed business challenges, we gleaned that many executives are close to burnout due to resource shortages, budget constraints, and increased incidents. Many are considering it’s time for a job change and for some, this might even be outside of the OHS profession.
We were frequently asked about salary trends, particularly in QLD & NSW, where salaries for HSE advisors and mid-level manager roles have risen sharply. This has led to frustrations over losing candidates due to salary expectations.
Artificial intelligence and digital transformation is being embraced by many and we confirm that hybrid work remains highly valued by our senior network.
It was a pleasure to sponsor this event. You can find more details here if you’re interested in attending the OHS Summit (on the Gold Coast). And, we will see you there as we have jumped on board again for 2025!
If you would like to know more about the Summit or talk to us about your HSE next role, click this link!
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