part of a broader set of “political, economic, and social disruptions” that the World Economic Forum has coined the “Great Reset.” This breaking of agreements sets the stage for new ways employers can meet employee needs, drive urgent business outcomes, and differentiate in a market where the companies that demonstrate thoughtful evolution capture and retain top talent.
Saying you stand for something was enough.
Company actions are magnified in the public eye. They must align to the brand promise, or risk facing viral criticism on a global scale.
90 percent of employees working for organizations evaluated as “purpose-driven” feel engaged at work.
9 out of 10
people would take a lower-paying position
if it meant more meaningful work.
Over 50 percent
of employees wish their employers took greater action to improve diversity.
USED TO BE
NOW
USED TO BE
NOW
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Saying “We have a diversity program” was enough.
Leaders must visibly demonstrate changed behavior, personal growth, and improvements in interactions to meaningfully impact employees’ day-to-day experience.
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Career paths (and some learning) were enough.
Candidates are seeking cross skilling, job-sharing, and exposure to new skills as key criteria for employer choice.
55%
87%
87 percent of millennials believe opportunities for professional development or career growth are very important in a job.
Over half of organizations (55 percent) say that learning and development opportunities are a top obstacle to talent retention today.
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Executives consulted HR for paperwork and program execution.
HR has the right to a seat at the strategic table, and must communicate the value of Employee Experience (EX) in a consumable way, applying data-driven insights to illustrate the linkage across experience, business value, and employee needs.
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
EX was a side project of HR leaders or marketing teams trying to improve brand affinity (with limited employee participation).
Employees play an active role in shaping EX. Employers must address their needs and challenges to keep up with shifting expectations.
feel satisfied with the decision-making process at their organization (versus 70 percent of men).
40%
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Hierarchical organizations with little employee autonomy, and an expectation that work and personal lives will be kept distinct.
Disruption and volatility has created greater acceptance of vulnerability.
67 percent of companies say their HR function drives the development of strategies impacting the workforce.
From Brand Promise
to Authentic Purpose
broken agreement:
01
Inclusion Programs to Inclusive Ways of Working
broken agreement:
02
Worldwide disruption and dynamic shifts in business have triggered a breaking of agreements in the modern workplace—
in the Great Reset
Employee
Empowerment
The Broken Agreements
Employees of companies with an uninspiring or non-existent purpose are 39 percent more likely to experience burnout.
In non-purpose-driven organizations, only 32 percent of the workforce reports being engaged.
87 percent of people surveyed believe stakeholder interests are more integral to company success than shareholder interests.
51 percent of people surveyed trust CEOs.
67 percent of candidates take workplace diversity into account when evaluating employment options.
From Promotion-Driven
to Optimized Learning
broken agreement:
03
From Command and Control to People-Centric Leadership
broken agreement:
04
40 percent of women
From HR as a Soft Skill Function to a Data and Tech-Driven Powerhouse
broken agreement:
05
The majority
(55 percent)
of HR leaders struggle to perform people analytics.
67 percent of companies say their HR function drives the development of employee experience initiatives.
From Employer as Power Center to Employee as Power Center
broken agreement:
06
From Hire it In,
to DIY Workforce
broken agreement:
07
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Hire contractors to fill talent gaps (yet benefits aren’t equal to full-time employees).
Crowdsourcing and insourcing of expertise are integral to an adaptive workforce strategy.
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Traditional benefits such as salary, paid time off, and reactive health coverage.
Employees are seeking alternative medicine, bonuses for healthy behaviors, and caregiver support and benefits, along with programs that provide employees the means to address their physical, mental, and emotional health needs.
From Total Compensation to Total Wellness
broken agreement:
08
Only 17 percent of employees at companies that do not support well-being would recommend their employer.
Nearly 9 in 10 employees (89 percent) at companies that support well-being would recommend their employer as a good place to work.
79 percent of employees are experiencing burnout ranging from mild to severe levels.
Cross-functional ways of working, reduced hand-offs, greater autonomy, diversity, and inclusion all can
enable authentic empowerment.
93%
93 percent of organizations agree that involving employees in the design of change solutions yields higher levels of adoption.
67%
CURRENT STATE
of organizations use contractors.
51%
of organizations use contractors.
57%
FUTURE STATE
Up 6 percentage points in
2 years
From Employment Focused
EX to Ecosystem EX
broken agreement:
09
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
The employee’s relationship ended
when their employment terminated.
Today’s exiting employees are tomorrow’s brand ambassadors and new talent referrers.
USED TO BE
NOW
NOW
USED TO BE
Face time in the office, and hours logged, had a direct influence on how the employee’s work was perceived.
Leaders and employees must agree upon clear outcomes with flexibility in how those outcomes are achieved.
Redefining Productivity and Success
broken agreement:
10
taking action
Understand EX opportunities through the lenses of the business, customers, and employees.
Evaluate these opportunities from the perspective of data, destination, and design.
Value and prioritize opportunities using Change Economics.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
84%
84 percent of job seekers take the reputation of an employer into account. Employees who feel cared for on exit are more likely to become sources of quality referrals.
A poor reputation can cost employers more than 10 percent per new hire.
70%
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CONTACT
“2020 Edelman Trust Barometer,” Edelman, Jan. 2020.
“Why Purpose Should be a Pivotal Part of Your Business Strategy,” Forbes, Jan. 29, 2017.
“Four Ways to Prevent Employee Burnout,” O.C. Tanner, 2020.
“Why Purpose Should be a Pivotal Part of Your Business Strategy,” Forbes, Jan. 29, 2017.
“10 Diversity & Inclusion Statistics That Will Change How You Do Business,” Bonusly, Aug. 7, 2019.
Ibid.
“2020 Edelman Trust Barometer,” Edelman, Jan. 2020
Ibid.
March 2020 North Highland-sponsored survey of > 200 business leaders from organizations with annual revenues > $1B and that are headquartered in the U.S. and U.K.
“What Millennials Want from Work and Life,” Gallup, May 10, 2016.
“10 Diversity & Inclusion Statistics That Will Change How You Do Business,” Bonusly, Aug. 7, 2019.
“A New LinkedIn Study Says 55 Percent of HR Leaders Struggle With ‘People Analytics’—and That Matters,” Inc., Jan. 23, 2020.
57 percent of organizations
say that “work arrangements” are the most challenging aspect of employee experience to address.
Work-from-anywhere arrangements have been shown to increase productivity by 4.4 percent, equating to
an additional $1.3 billion in the economy each year.
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“Alternative employment models”
are the top challenge in developing workforce strategies.
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March 2020 North Highland-sponsored survey of > 200 business leaders from organizations with annual revenues > $1B and that are headquartered in the U.S. and U.K.
Ibid.
July 2019 North Highland-sponsored survey of > 300 business leaders from organizations with annual revenues > $1B and that are headquartered in the U.S., U.K., and Europe.
March 2020 North Highland-sponsored survey of > 200 business leaders from organizations with annual revenues > $1B and that are headquartered in the U.S. and U.K.
Ibid.
Ibid.
“Workplace Well-being Linked to Senior Leadership Support, New Survey Finds,” American Psychological Association, Jun. 1, 2016.
“Global Culture Report,” O.C. Tanner, 2020.
“Workplace Well-being Linked to Senior Leadership Support, New Survey Finds,” American Psychological Association, Jun. 1, 2016.
“A Bad Reputation Costs a Company at Least 10% More Per Hire,” Harvard Business Review, Mar. 29, 2016.
“Recruitment Statistics 2018: Trends & Insights in Hiring Talented Candidates,” Talent Now, 2018.
March 2020 North Highland-sponsored survey of > 200 business leaders from organizations with annual revenues > $1B and that are headquartered in the U.S. and U.K.
“New Harvard Research Says It’s Time to Let Employees Work from Anywhere,” Inc., Aug. 22, 2019.
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From Brand Promise
to Authentic Purpose
broken agreement:
02
Inclusion Programs to Inclusive Ways of Working
broken agreement:
03
87 percent of millennials believe opportunities for professional development or career growth are very important in a job.
Inclusion Programs to Inclusive Ways of Working
broken agreement:
04
From Command and Control
to People-Centric Leadership
broken agreement:
05
67 percent of companies say their HR function drives the development of strategies impacting the workforce.
14
From Command and Control
to People-Centric Leadership
broken agreement:
06
From Promotion-Driven
to Optimized Learning
broken agreement:
07
From Employer as Power Center to Employee as Power Center
broken agreement:
08
From Employer as Power Center to Employee as Power Center
broken agreement:
09
From Employment Focused
EX to Ecosystem EX
broken agreement:
10
click for footnotes
ANDY TREBILCOCK
Experience Design and Employee Engagement SME
Andy.Trebilcock@northhighland.com
ANNE SHOULDERS
People-Centric Change Leader
Anne.Shoulders@northhighland.com
