From science to practice: workshops and talks that inspire action and lasting change.

Future-Focused Insights
Equipping & Inspiring Employees to Thrive at Work

Proactive well-being behavior at work is not a given. That’s why our Talks—ranging from keynotes to webinars—bring the science of well-being into everyday work. Delivered in English or Dutch, they leave participants informed, equipped, and inspired to act.

What to Expect

Ncourage Talks are designed around your context, audience, and goals. We start by listening to what you need—then shape the format together, whether a short keynote, webinar, or longer interactive workshop. You’ll receive a clear outline of the content and a tailored proposal.

Every Talk combines evidence-based insights with real-world experiences and, depending on the format, interactive tools or polls. Sessions can be delivered live or online, in English or Dutch, and always leave participants with concrete take-aways they can put into practice.

Here’s a taste of existing talks:

Flourishing through Performance & Wellbeing

Identifying the mechanisms to maximize flourishing and minimize languishing.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress is often experienced as a hindrance to productivity and well-being. We frequently find ourselves performing at the cost of our health, like working late only to suffer restless nights, or prioritizing well-being but feeling guilty and overwhelmed. This talk draws on the GUTS theory of stress and a model of flourishing at work, providing practical tools for individuals, and the broader work context, to perform at our best while sustaining wellbeing. When understood and managed effectively, stress isn’t just something to endure—it can be a powerful driver of personal and professional growth.

Surfing the waves of Change

How to build resilience in challenging times.

Change has become a constant factor in our work and private lives. Despite how “normal” it is, we can still find it hard to navigate, particularly when it’s outside of our immediate choice or control. In this session we consider our personal coping mechanisms and how we can use contextual resources to support our adaptation process and “surf the waves of change” in times of upheaval.

Job Crafting for Renewal

Redesigning daily work for motivation and meaning.

Work motivation can be fuelled by external rewards such as compliments or salary. Yet research consistently shows that intrinsic motivation—the drive that comes from aligning work with our personal values and higher goals—is far more sustainable and energizing.
This interactive session builds on Sue’s research into eudaimonic well-being: purpose, meaningful relationships, and personal growth. To unlock this, we need a work context that supports us, offers feedback, and enables us to bring our best selves forward. You will explore how to use job crafting to power your energy and enthusiasm for your work from within—by rethinking how you approach tasks, who you collaborate with, and how you find meaning in daily activities. Through job crafting, you can tap into deeper motivation and create fresh energy for both renewal and performance.

Vital Leadership

A high-impact workshop on achieving high performance with vitality, not at its cost—enabling leaders to help their teams thrive.

This session helps leaders recognize the early signals of stress and understand how to keep energy and performance on the healthy side of the curve. Using the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) model and a simple flourishing-performance framework, participants gain practical insight into how stress can shift from a motivating force to a risk for burnout, and what individuals and organizations can do to prevent it.
Through reflection, interactive tools, and group discussion, participants learn to recognize personal and team vitality signals, balance well-being with high performance, and apply practical models in everyday conversations. Leaders leave equipped with low-threshold tools to support both individual resilience and collective team flourishing.

Rock at Recovery

Developing personalized habits and strategies that help us recharge from work!

Work costs energy. Many of us love the intensity and challenge that come with being in flow, yet we also know the depletion, impatience, or frustration that can follow when demands become overwhelming. The balance between our work and private lives depends largely on the quality and quantity of our recovery. But how do we achieve that?
This interactive talk draws on fascinating research into recovery from work. While we often think of recharging as doing activities like exercising or socializing, research shows that it’s not just about what we do, but also about the experience we have while doing it.
Curious to discover what these experiences are—and how to integrate them into your own high-power recovery? In this session, you’ll explore and practice practical strategies, and share your own ultimate recovery experiences.
Flourishing through Performance & Wellbeing
Identifying the mechanisms to maximize flourishing and minimize languishing.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress is often experienced as a hindrance to productivity and well-being. We frequently find ourselves performing at the cost of our health, like working late only to suffer restless nights, or prioritizing well-being but feeling guilty and overwhelmed. This talk draws on the GUTS theory of stress and a model of flourishing at work, providing practical tools for individuals, and the broader work context, to perform at our best while sustaining wellbeing. When understood and managed effectively, stress isn’t just something to endure—it can be a powerful driver of personal and professional growth.
Surfing the waves of Change
How to build resilience in challenging times.

Change has become a constant factor in our work and private lives. Despite how “normal” it is, we can still find it hard to navigate, particularly when it’s outside of our immediate choice or control. In this session we consider our personal coping mechanisms and how we can use contextual resources to support our adaptation process and “surf the waves of change” in times of upheaval.
Job Crafting for Renewal
Redesigning daily work for motivation and meaning.

Work motivation can be fuelled by external rewards such as compliments or salary. Yet research consistently shows that intrinsic motivation—the drive that comes from aligning work with our personal values and higher goals—is far more sustainable and energizing.
This interactive session builds on Sue’s research into eudaimonic well-being: purpose, meaningful relationships, and personal growth. To unlock this, we need a work context that supports us, offers feedback, and enables us to bring our best selves forward. You will explore how to use job crafting to power your energy and enthusiasm for your work from within—by rethinking how you approach tasks, who you collaborate with, and how you find meaning in daily activities. Through job crafting, you can tap into deeper motivation and create fresh energy for both renewal and performance.
Vital Leadership
A high-impact workshop on achieving high performance with vitality, not at its cost—enabling leaders to help their teams thrive.

This session helps leaders recognize the early signals of stress and understand how to keep energy and performance on the healthy side of the curve. Using the Job Demands–Resources (JDR) model and a simple flourishing-performance framework, participants gain practical insight into how stress can shift from a motivating force to a risk for burnout, and what individuals and organizations can do to prevent it.
Through reflection, interactive tools, and group discussion, participants learn to recognize personal and team vitality signals, balance well-being with high performance, and apply practical models in everyday conversations. Leaders leave equipped with low-threshold tools to support both individual resilience and collective team flourishing.
Rock at Recovery
Developing personalized habits and strategies that help us recharge from work!

Work costs energy. Many of us love the intensity and challenge that come with being in flow, yet we also know the depletion, impatience, or frustration that can follow when demands become overwhelming. The balance between our work and private lives depends largely on the quality and quantity of our recovery. But how do we achieve that?
This interactive talk draws on fascinating research into recovery from work. While we often think of recharging as doing activities like exercising or socializing, research shows that it’s not just about what we do, but also about the experience we have while doing it.
Curious to discover what these experiences are—and how to integrate them into your own high-power recovery? In this session, you’ll explore and practice practical strategies, and share your own ultimate recovery experiences.
Sue-online

How it Works

We co-design the format with you, depending on your goals, budget and audience. Sessions can be live or online, in English or Dutch, ranging from short 30-minute inspiration sessions and keynotes to longer, interactive workshops.

Organizations often use Talks as stand-alone inspiration, to launch a change initiative, or as part of a wider program on vitality and well-being. Whatever the setting, the format is designed to spark energy, open dialogue, and equip people with tools they can apply straight away.

Ncourage Talks can be used to identify and motivate participation in more personalised Circles

Sue has an incredible talent for building trust quickly. She brings together research-based insights with empathy and encouragement—and creates space for meaningful reflection, even in fast-paced environments. Our senior managers rated her session 4 out of 5!

Wendy Mackey Jones, Director HRBP, Airports and Parcel, Vanderlande

Sue equipped our teams with practical tools to sustain wellbeing while performing at their best. Her presentations are dynamic, purposeful and practical. She listens to our needs and works together with us to prepare in the best way for our sessions.

Director, Learning & Development, Sanoma Learning

Sue maakt haar titel als thought leader meer dan waar. Al jaren werken we met veel plezier samen en draagt Sue bij aan de ontwikkeling van programma’s die écht impact maken. Zo ontwierp ze leiderschapsprogramma’s, gaf trainingen over werkgeluk en vitaliteit en schreef ze (wetenschappelijke) artikelen over psychosociale arbeidsbelasting en preventie. Haar vermogen om theorie en praktijk te verbinden is uniek en waardevol. We waarderen Sue’s brede maatschappelijke blik, betrouwbaarheid en inhoudelijke expertise. Ze is een inspirerende samenwerkingspartner en bovendien een heel fijn persoon!

Angelique Lebens, Directeur Shared Ambition

Sue has an incredible talent for building trust quickly. She brings together research-based insights with empathy and encouragement—and creates space for meaningful reflection, even in fast-paced environments. Our senior managers rated her session 4 out of 5!

Wendy Mackey Jones, Director HRBP, Airports and Parcel, Vanderlande

Sue equipped our teams with practical tools to sustain wellbeing while performing at their best. Her presentations are dynamic, purposeful and practical. She listens to our needs and works together with us to prepare in the best way for our sessions.

Director, Learning & Development, Sanoma Learning

Sue maakt haar titel als thought leader meer dan waar. Al jaren werken we met veel plezier samen en draagt Sue bij aan de ontwikkeling van programma’s die écht impact maken. Zo ontwierp ze leiderschapsprogramma’s, gaf trainingen over werkgeluk en vitaliteit en schreef ze (wetenschappelijke) artikelen over psychosociale arbeidsbelasting en preventie. Haar vermogen om theorie en praktijk te verbinden is uniek en waardevol. We waarderen Sue’s brede maatschappelijke blik, betrouwbaarheid en inhoudelijke expertise. Ze is een inspirerende samenwerkingspartner en bovendien een heel fijn persoon!

Angelique Lebens, Directeur Shared Ambition
Book a talk or workshop

Contact us to get a quote, discuss themes, audience, and format.