Conferences & Events

We will keep this space updated with upcoming confirmed workshops and events, so keep an eye out!

Organisational Psychology Discussion Group, 9 April 2026.

As contemporary organisations become increasingly shaped by global migration, leaders are required to foster psychologically safe environments within culturally diverse workforces. Psychological safety plays a critical role in enabling learning, collaboration, and employee engagement; however, employees’ perceptions of leadership behaviours are not formed in a cultural vacuum. This talk explores how migrant employees’ levels of acculturation—the extent to which they adapt to and maintain heritage and host cultural orientations—shape their interpretation of inclusive leadership behaviours toward psychological safety. Drawing on findings from a two-wave quantitative study, this presentation examines whether acculturation influences the relationship between inclusive leadership behaviours and leader-related psychological safety. Particular attention is given to how different dimensions of inclusive leadership may be differentially effective across acculturation levels. The session will discuss implications for leadership practice in culturally diverse workplaces and highlight the importance of culturally attuned leadership in fostering psychologically safe environments for migrant employees.

A condensed version of this presentation was delivered at the 14th Aotearoa New Zealand Organisational Psychology and Organisational Behaviour Conference (ANZOPOB) in 2025, where it received the Professor Michael O’Driscoll Best Paper Award. Attendees of this extended session will have the opportunity to engage with one of the conference’s highlighted contributions within a more flexible format that allows for in-depth discussion and a dedicated question-and-answer segment.

Phoenix (Mohammad) Soleymani Ashtiani is an organisational psychology practitioner and International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with an interdisciplinary background spanning engineering, coaching, and psychosocial facilitation. With over 16 years’ lived experience as a migrant in New Zealand and professional exposure to culturally diverse technical environments, his work focuses on psychological safety as a foundational condition for collaboration, learning, and sustainable performance in multicultural workplaces. Drawing on organisational psychology research and applied behavioural science, he supports culturally diverse professionals and organisations in navigating workplace dynamics shaped by language, cultural norms, and leadership expectations. His research examines how migrant employees’ cultural adaptation (i.e., acculturation) influences the relationship between leadership behaviours and psychological safety in diverse workforces, particularly within technical industries (e.g., engineering) where communication and collaboration may be interpreted through a stronger cultural lens.

The talk will be at Joes Garage, 7 Leslie Street, Christchurch and on-line. 7.30am for networking and breakfast and 8-9 for the talk and discussion. RSVP to john.eatwell@spgroup.nz and indicate whether you will be in person or online.

In recent years there has been an increased awareness of the risk and impact of critical incidents on employee health and wellbeing, business recovery, leadership adaptation, and resilience in the face of immediate impact and response and ongoing community and staff challenges. Events that involve multiple casualties involving employees as victims who are ill, injured or are fatalities; who are witness to and impacted by events that have occurred in their communities; who are first responders; and/or those involved in recovery responsibilities and operational management have a variety of health and work consequences – from short- through long-term. An Organisational Psychologist can play an important role in support, advice, and assistance from response through recovery – at individual, team, and strategic level that reduces risk of harm and increases adaptation and resilience. This workshop builds on lessens learned from recent events, and the impact of those events on individuals, organisations, and communities – The Christchurch earthquakes 2010-2011, the Christchurch Mosque shootings 2019, Cyclones Hales and Gabrielle 2023, and the Mt Maunganui landslide 2026 to name a few. We will cover the following using a framework that clarifies opportunity, value, and the specialist knowledge Organisational Psychology training can bring to enterprises, groups and individuals impacted by these types of events:

• The role of an Organisational Psychologist in staff and business support
• Types of events, features and risks
• Principles of Critical Incident recovery
• Post-event response needs
• Post-event response challenges
• Establishment and role of Psychosocial Support systems
• Using a Trauma Informed approach and mitigation of trauma risk
• Leadership impact and support
• Role of community engagement, social media, and recovery pathways

Jonathan is a Chartered Organisational Psychologist currently based in Napier/Hastings. He started his career in the 1990’s as a Psychologist with the New Zealand Police, where his role included occupational health management and research, critical incident response, and provision of specialist professional advice and training on staff health and wellbeing. He has been working in private practice since 2002, and this work has included direct advice and guidance to organisational clients and employers regarding staff support and critical incident management and emergency response across a variety of industries and areas of the motu including the Christchurch Earthquakes 2010-2011, the Seddon (Wellington) earthquake 2013, the Kaikoura earthquake 2016, the Christchurch Mosque shootings 2019, the Covid pandemic 2020-2021,and Cyclones Gabrielle and Hale 2023 among other events. Jonathan is a Fellow of the New Zealand Psychological Society and is currently undertaking his PhD in disaster response volunteering at Massey University.

Expressions of interest to attend the four hour event in Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland can be lodged here. We will be back to you with the details and registration options.

Moemo: Remember the past and dream for the future

Details can be found here

Hosted by the Australian Psychological Society and the APS College of Organisational Psychologists in Melbourne, Australia, October 29–31, 2026.

The conference theme is Thriving in Complexity: Redefining the World of Work, with proposals aligned to one of three topic areas:

• Thriving People and Workplaces: Work Design, Wellbeing, & Performance
• Navigating Complexity: Culture & Change
• Redefining Tomorrow: The Future of Work & Workforce Capability

Click here for the details

The Institute of Organisational Psychology Symposium will be at Massey University’s Albany Campus in November 2026. Details to follow.

The conference will be hosted by Massey Unversity, Albany Campus in November this year. Details to follow.