breakout

Melinda Drexler

Vice President of Employee Experience, Manulife

Melinda Drexler is a seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience in enabling HR strategy and leading teams to drive organizational agility through innovative thinking and process redesign, powered by emerging technologies. At Manulife, she champions the implementation and integration of connected experiences, ensuring employee-centric solutions are at the forefront.Before joining Manulife, Melinda held key roles at BlackBerry, including Global Talent Acquisition Manager and Global Head of Talent Acquisition Delivery and Operations, before assuming the role of Global Director of HRIS.An ambitious learner and authentic leader, Melinda is passionate about inspiring and igniting enthusiasm for designing meaningful employee experiences. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of belonging and recognition, serving as the Executive Sponsor of Manulife’s Global Women’s Alliance (GWA) ERG. Melinda obtained a Bachelor of Arts from York University and an HR Management Diploma from Conestoga College.

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Sessions

Breakout session

Tue, May 13, 11:25 am - 12:15 pm MT

Recognition as a Cultural Catalyst-Manulife’s Journey

STEP UP FOR LEADERS

Recognition isn’t just about appreciation – it’s a strategic tool for shaping company culture. At Manulife, their Podium program does more than celebrate achievements; it reinforces values, engages employes, and strengthens brand pride. From integrating recognition into their Stars of Excellence program to showcasing recognition on social media, they’ve made recognition a company-wide movement.

Now celebrating five years of Podium, Manulife is taking recognition to the next level through employee-driven insights, a structured recognition calendar, and data-backed improvements. Learn how they’ve built a sustainable, high impact recognition culture – and how you can do the same.

This session is for HR and business leaders who want to move beyond basic recognition and create a program that drives engagement, retention, and business success. You’ll leave with proven, actionable strategies to elevate recognition into a culture-building powerhouse.

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Not your average HR conference

World-class speakers boldly tackling today’s most urgent topics. Personalized content thoughtfully-curated to your role and goals. Next-level networking experiences that connect leaders from all over the world.

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