At its fourth annual conference in Dubai, the British Safety Council will explore how local businesses can prepare for opportunities and challenges ahead
The British Safety Council, UK-based registered charity, will host ‘The Future of Health, Safety and Wellbeing in the Workplace’ conference on 5 February 2019 at the Sofitel Dubai Downtown.
The conference aims to examine the present opportunities and risks for employee safety, health and wellbeing and explore how excellent management in health, safety and wellbeing can transform organisations.
The conference will host a discussion about the best approaches to promote a positive workplace culture. The delegates will also have an opportunity to sample the Virtual Reality (VR) technology which the British Safety Council uses to teach the evaluation of health and safety risks.
Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, whose presentation will cover a number of important technological, societal and regulatory trends that will transform the workplace, said, “The world of work is rapidly changing, bringing both opportunities and considerable risks not only to businesses, the economy and the environment but also to wellbeing, health and safety of employees. It is imperative that employers gain an understanding of what’s in store and take a strategic view on how to deal with these challenges.
“Over the next seven years, some commentators are forecasting that the number of connected devices will grow from less than 50bn to more than 300bn. Penetration of smartphone use in the UAE is already 99 per cent. The lives of people throughout the world will be affected in ways we cannot imagine,” he added.
“For example, the World Bank predicts that over the next 20 years, 69 per cent of jobs in India will be threatened by automation or the use of artificial intelligence. This together with the predicted growth in the gig economy, mean that workers will be at much greater risk of accident and ill-health and the always-on culture will lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression. These are just some of the challenges that will pose considerable risks to companies and their workforces,” he concluded.
