MBA Speaker Series | Virtual Work with Well Being in Mind

In this installment of our MBA speaker series, the panel discuss well-being in the virtual work place.

The future of work is here. In the current virtual work environment we have had to adapt very quickly to new work routines (or a lack of them); to manage people without seeing them; to multitask at unprecedented levels (working and home-schooling). Our work-home life boundaries are blurred. Some of us do not find it easy to manage this complexity and find balance. We are all discovering that virtual work can put pressure on employees and managers well-being. From an academic and a practitioner perspective, the panel explore what the science tells us about keeping well-being in virtual work environments, and what employees and managers can practically do to cope with these new pressures.

Speakers:

Dr Emma Russell - Senior Lecturer at University of Sussex Business School

Dr Emma Russell is a Chartered and Registered Occupational Psychologist, Senior Lecturer and Course Director of the MSc Occupational & Organizational Psychology programme at the University of Sussex Business School. Emma is a member of the government funded Digital Futures at Work (Digit) Research Centre where she co-leads the Mid and Early Career Researcher stream. Emma’s research focuses on agile working in applied organisational settings, particularly in relation to digital communications, personality, and well-being. Her work has been funded by the ESRC, ACAS, NHS, Richard Benjamin Trust and private bodies, and has been published in high impact academic journals, conference proceedings, books, and working papers/reports. She is a member of the Associate Board, and Reviewer of the Year (2019), for the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

Victoria Kerton - Regional Director, Commercial Banking NatWest

Victoria Kerton is NatWest’s Regional Director for the key market of London, Surrey and Sussex leading a large team of experienced Commercial Banking Relationship Managers and Directors supporting 3,000 SME and Commercial Customers. Victoria is responsible for setting and delivering Regional business and engagement strategy across multiple locations, delivering purpose-led activity and creating sustainable long term value. Victoria has been with NatWest for over 15 years and has held various roles across customer facing and business leadership in Structured Finance, Debt Origination, Family Business and Corporate Banking serving the Corporate and Commercial markets. Prior to joining NatWest, Victoria worked for Investment Banks in London and Sydney. Originally from Sydney, Australia Victoria holds a Bachelor of Economics (Finance) from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a Masters Applied Finance and Investment.

Melissa Jamieson - CEO, Timewise

As CEO, Melissa is responsible for the strategic direction of Timewise’s consultancy business, jobs board and social foundation. Melissa joined us in January 2021, tasked with shaping our future vision and with growing our services to meet the increased business interest in flexible working that has developed in the last few years. She is excited by the challenge and looking forward to taking Timewise into a new era, as the conversation continues to evolve from ‘why flex makes good business sense’ to ‘how businesses can do flex well’. Melissa’s background is in strategic marketing consultancy services, operating at an executive level. She has worked with clients and partners from corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations. Melissa is hugely passionate about the Timewise mission, having chosen flexible working as the focus of her recent MBA. Timewise supports employers to design flexible solutions that attract, retain and develop the best talent through a range of methods, from conducting research and creating programmes for change, to delivering training and consultancy. It works with some of the largest employers in the UK, spanning both the private and public sector.