Wellbeing at Work: Why Connection is the New KPI

As organizations rethink what “workplace performance” really means, traditional metrics like engagement scores are no longer enough.

Join Hyphn for a forward-looking panel discussion exploring why employee well-being and connection are emerging as the true drivers of performance, retention, and culture.

What You'll Learn

• Why engagement is no longer enough
• How to design for connection + well-being
• What leaders should actually measure
• How workplace + leadership intersect

This session is designed for HR leaders, workplace strategy leaders, and business decision-makers navigating hybrid work, culture challenges, and the future of the office.

Walk away with practical insights on how to create workplaces people actually want to be part of, and that deliver measurable impact.

All attendees will receive a copy of Mark Crowley’s latest book, The Power of Employee Wellbeing: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams, along with the opportunity to have it signed by Mark himself.

Perspectives from leadership, design, and workplace strategy:
Maria VanDeman – Director of Design Strategy, OFS, specializing in aligning workplace environments with human behavior, culture, and organizational goals.

Mark C. Crowley – Leadership and employee well-being expert, author, and speaker focused on how human-centered leadership drives performance and engagement.

Kellie Fontes - A strategic HR leader who helps organizations navigate growth and change by aligning people, culture, and leadership to build strong, high-performing teams.

Meet Maria VanDeman

Maria VanDeman, NCIDQ, Ind. IIDA, is an accomplished interior designer, design strategist, sales leader, writer, and passionate advocate for equity in the workplace. With near two decades of experience in the commercial design industry, she serves as the Director of Design Strategy at OFS, focusing on design and sales strategies that support people and inspire connection.

Maria is the host of the Imagine a Place Podcast and author of the children’s book Design Your World, exploring powerful stories across the design industry while raising awareness of the profession and inspiring future creatives. She approaches every conversation as an opportunity for impact, bringing empathy and clarity whether face to face, in print, or behind the mic.

We’re excited to introduce Maria to the San Diego market—bringing her unique perspective at the intersection of design, strategy, and storytelling. Her passion for creating workplaces that foster connection and equity, paired with her ability to translate ideas into meaningful action, makes her an inspiring voice in today’s evolving design landscape. We’re honored to have her join this conversation.

Meet Mark C Crowley

Mark C. Crowley is a speaker, consultant and the author of and “ His mission is to fundamentally change how we lead people in workplaces around the globe.

For over a decade, Mark has been a regular columnist for Fast Company Magazine and he now also writes from Psychology Today. His work has been published Inc. USA Today, Reuters, Forbes, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Huffington Post, Gallup, The Financial Times, and the Seattle Times.

Lead From The Heart has been taught in eleven American universities – and two universities have already added the Power of Employee Well-Being to their curricula. His podcast rank in the top 1.5% of all podcasts in the world and has an audience in 175 countries.

Before writing his book, Mark spent over 20+ years in the dog-eat-dog world of Financial Services. He held two national level positions at one of America’s largest financial institutions where he was named “Leader of the Year.” Quite untraditionally, Mark proved that deeply caring about and supporting people, and thereby positively affecting employee’s hearts and well-being had a profound effect on motivating their sustained engagement, loyalty and productivity.

A leadership pioneer, Mark shows us that, rather than weak or soft management, actively supporting employee well-being is the most informed and enlightened thing a manager or organization can do.

Mark is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and the University of Washington’s Pacific Coast Banking School. He lives in La Jolla, California.

Kellie Fontes is a strategic HR executive and trusted advisor to leadership teams, known for helping organizations navigate change, strengthen culture, and build high-performing teams. She has deep experience partnering with executives to align human capital strategy with business goals, particularly in life sciences, startups, and high-growth environments. Kellie is especially passionate about creating cultures where people can thrive, leaders can lead with clarity and confidence, and organizations can grow without losing the values and connection that make them strong. She brings a practical, hands-on approach to HR leadership, with expertise in organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, and creating strong people foundations for long-term success.

Hyphn is a workplace integrator—aligning people, place, and technology to create environments where organizations perform at their best.

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