Jackie Handy

Jackie Handy is a workforce culture specialist and speaker with over two decades of professional experience in executive recruitment, leadership development, and inclusion best practice.

Her mission is simple: to ensure people feel safe, valued, and understood at work.

Since delivering her 2018 TEDx talk, The Exclusive Nature of Inclusion, Jackie has been sharing her personal story of exclusion and working with organisations across a variety of sectors, helping them create more inclusive workplaces.

In 2023, to help her cope with her mother’s declining dementia condition, she walked the first of three Camino de Santiago routes, a 500-mile hike across northwest Spain. The transformative lessons learned on that journey, combined with Jackie’s professional expertise, led to the creation of the ‘A-Frame Concept’. A complete methodology to improve team connection, increase inclusion and belonging, and create happier, more resilient teams.

Within it, the ‘Pilgrim Principles’, practical steps to improve morale and increase performance, while the ‘DASH Method’ provides a powerful structure for effective and inclusive conversations and is a great workshop addition to her stage presentations.

As an award-winning keynote speaker and panellist, Jackie has addressed global audiences and partnered with organisations across a variety of sectors, both in-person and online.  Her presentations spark imagination and inspire action, providing audiences with the blueprint for sustainable culture transformation.

The need for workforce connection is more critical than ever, with research showing we are becoming more disconnected than ever. Shockingly, fewer than 1 in 5 people globally are actively engaged in their work.

It’s time for change

JACKIE HANDY SPEAKING TOPICS

Beyond The Mountain

Communication skills are consistently rated as the most important ‘soft skill’ required for leaders in the workplace. The ability to engage your team effectively results in sustainable return on investment. The challenge is in the ‘how to’.

Simply put, you need to connect at a human level. Those who do improve wellbeing, inclusion and performance.

With fewer than 20% or workers globally feeling actively engaged in their work and loneliness at work increasing prevalent, the workplace needs human connection more than ever to help combat burnout, increase resilience and strengthen team cohesion.

Jackie Handy is a dynamic presenter and a captivating storyteller specialising in workforce culture, leadership, and belonging. She also loves walking. A lot.

Drawing lessons from her 500-mile Camino hikes across northwest Spain, she will take you on the journey to show how connected conversations build confidence, deepen understanding and help navigate changing landscapes in an ever-changing world.

What Will the Audience Learn?

• Why human connection is a crucial component of future success.
• How to unlock team brilliance through storytelling.
• The Pilgrim Principles to navigate changing business terrains.
• Practical steps for better communication, resilience and leadership.

The Power of Inclusion

The need to feel valued in the workplace matters. Not only is there a moral case, but when employees know they belong, companies reap substantial bottom-line benefits. Research by the Harvard Business Review showed that belonging was linked to a huge 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days.

Yet, as many as 36% of people feel isolated and undervalued at work.  Diversity and inclusion work is crucial, yet organisations struggle to understand what can be done to create welcoming workplace environments where everyone can thrive. Jackie Handy is a dynamic presenter and a captivating storyteller who specialises in workforce engagement and belonging.

Through sharing her lived experience of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jackie has become a sought-after speaker. Known for her engaging and thought-provoking style, this interactive session helps demystify the topic and show how small changes can have a big impact on your workplace culture.

What Will the Audience Learn?

• Why we need to lean back from unconscious bias and lean into conscious inclusion.
• How to use your privilege to enhance belonging for others at work.
• Be empowered to get it right, rather than being fearful of mistakes.
• Recognise the impact inclusion and belonging has on organisational success and be given the tools to get started.