Bill Howatt, Chief of Research, Workforce Productivity for The Conference Board of Canada, is the former chief research and development officer for workforce productivity, Morneau Shepell, and founder of Howatt HR Consulting. He has over 25 years’ experience in strategic HR, mental health and addictions, and leadership. He is the creator of the online Certificate in Management Essentials (CME) program, a senate-approved leaders’ program that offers 18 courses through the University of New Brunswick. He is also the creator of Pathway to Coping, an online course at the same university that is grounded in the cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approach.

He created the Quality of Work Life (QWL) tool that has been converted into the Morneau Shepell Total Health Index, and was the co-creator of The Globe and Mail and Morneau Shepell’s Employee Recommended Workplace Award. He is also co-creator of The Globe and Mail Your Life at Work Initiative that touched more 14,000 Canadians.

He has published numerous books and articles, such as The Coping Crisis, Pathway to Coping, the Wiley Series on addictions, The Human Services Counseling Toolbox, and The Addiction Counselor’s Desk Reference. He is a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail 9 to 5 and Leadership Lab columns and The Chronicle Herald.