The Impact of Remote and Hybrid Work on Innovation and Creativity

The increasing adoption of remote, flexible and hybrid working arrangements has reshaped the way many organisations operate. They are able to offer flexibility and improved work-life balance to their employees – which brings significant advantages to them.However it also raises concerns around innovation, creativity and co-operation. Many organisations are now concerned that working from home and hybrid models may negatively impact their ability to foster creative thinking, collaboration, and new ideas.

I’ve seen recent research from the University of Chicago that looked at how these different work arrangements are affecting innovation – and the results are both complex and insightful – so I’m sharing my thoughts on some of the key themes.

1. Innovation in the Age of Remote Work

One key concern amongst businesses is that innovation could suffer under remote and hybrid work arrangements. Innovation thrives on collaboration, spontaneity, and the exchange of diverse ideas – all elements that can be harder to achieve in a virtual environment.

Whilst tools like Zoom and Teams facilitate communication, and some potential collaboration, they are no substitute for the natural, spontaneous, human interactions that occur in a traditional office.

Random coffee machine conversations, or impromptu brainstorming sessions, are often a valuable source of breakthrough ideas, but are nearly impossible to replicate online or virtually.

Research indicates that virtual communication methods tend to inhibit the generation of creative ideas. This is particularly problematic for fostering the kind of weak ties – valuable connections with people that are outside of one’s immediate circle – that are critical for innovation. Strong ties within teams can often lead to homogeneous thinking, whilst weak ties are more likely to introduce fresh perspectives and novel information.

With remote work, these weak ties tend to diminish, weakening the spread of diverse ideas and limiting opportunities for creative exploration.

2. Focus Time and Idea Quality

One of the few benefits of working from home is the ability to carve out uninterrupted focus time. Without the constant barrage of in-office distractions – water cooler chats, random or surprise meetings and catch-ups, and casual interruptions – employees can dedicate more time to deep, focused work. Which, in theory, can lead to higher-quality ideas, as workers have time and space to think more critically and creatively without distraction.

However, the research shows a more nuanced picture. While employees working remotely do continue to suggest ideas at a similar rate, the quality of these ideas often declines. It seems that although individuals may find it easier to focus, the lack of collaboration and feedback during the idea development process limits the refinement of those ideas.

Hybrid work, where employees split time between the office and home, presents a similar challenge. Although the quantity of ideas might decrease slightly with this arrangement, the expected increase in quality doesn’t materialise, suggesting that physical presence in the office remains a key factor in driving idea quality.

3. The Importance of Network Ties for Innovation

Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it thrives on networks of diverse ideas and information. Research has historically highlighted the importance of weak ties in fostering creativity. These connections – often with people outside of one’s immediate team – can provide access to different perspectives, expertise, and knowledge, which can ultimately lead to innovative breakthroughs. In contrast, it has been shown that strong ties within teams or closed networks may limit creativity by encouraging conformity and group think, stifling new approaches.

Unfortunately, remote, flexible and hybrid working models tend to weaken these ties. When employees work remotely, they are less likely to engage with colleagues outside of their immediate circle, reducing opportunities for the cross-pollination of ideas. There is evidence that remote work can lead to a significant reduction in network ties, with hybrid work only partially regenerating them. Without these diverse interactions, innovation may become more challenging, as teams lose access to fresh perspectives and the ideas that can drive creative breakthroughs.

4. Challenges in Co-ordination and Productivity

One of the major drawbacks of remote work is the increase in co-ordination costs. While employees may have more focus time, they often also spend more time in meetings and co-ordinating tasks across virtual platforms. This can reduce productivity and slow down the innovation process. In a hybrid work setting, these co-ordination challenges can be even more pronounced, as employees may not always know when their colleagues are either in the office, commuting, or working from home.

This uncertainty around colleagues’ availability can make collaboration more difficult, shifting communication to less effective methods like email or asynchronous messaging, which not only might reduce the immediacy of feedback, but can also lead to missed opportunities for creative problem-solving and idea generation.

For employees working on time-sensitive projects, the lack of real-time collaboration can hinder progress and ultimately affect the quality of work produced.

5. Gender Differences in Innovation

Interestingly, the research also highlighted a gender disparity in how remote and hybrid work affects innovation. Male employees tended to experience less of a decline in idea generation compared to their female counterparts. The reasons for this difference were not entirely clear from the research.

One possible suggestion was that women may face additional demands when working from home (eg family responsibilities) which could reduce their ability to engage fully in creative tasks, whilst another was that women may have different work patterns under hybrid schemes. Although these points were raised, it’s fair to say that there was little, if any, overall evidence in the research that supported either theory.

Conclusion

We have a lot of evidence – factual, analytical and circumstantial – that remote, flexible and hybrid work models offer clear benefits in terms of flexibility and work-life balance. However they may also pose significant challenges to innovation and creativity. The reduction in spontaneous collaboration, the weakening of weak ties, and the coordination challenges inherent in virtual work environments all contribute to a more difficult landscape for fostering new ideas.

As businesses continue to adapt to new ways of working, they need to find strategies to mitigate these challenges. This should include creating opportunities for in-person collaboration, fostering diverse networks, and rethinking how innovation can thrive in flexible work environments.

Whilst the way in which we embrace and implement remote, flexible, hybrid and asynchronous working continues to evolve, organisations need to be mindful of how this might impact one of their most important assets – the ability to innovate.

Improving Hiring Through Better Interviewing

How reliable is a job interview for predicting fit and future potential in a candidate? Over the years HR and Talent leaders have embraced and adopted a wide variety of different approaches to try and ascertain if job candidates can do the role they are being considered for – from a skills and experience angle – or if they have the potential to acquire the necessary skills. Even in the current AI-driven digital age job interviews are still the benchmark.

Yet how reliable are they? There has been much research over the years both in support of traditional interviewing, and looking at alternative approaches, yet little consensus on what could replace the interview to ascertain future performance. I came across a recently published meta-analytic review on the validity of interview-based assessments in establishing how reliably future performance and potential can be predicted in a current edition of Psychology Today and wanted to share some of the insights.

They started with a thought experiment, imagining an experienced chef being asked to judge a cooking competition not by tasting the dishes they were judging, but instead interviewing the contestants on the recipes they used. Initially this would seem ridiculous, but their point was that this is how most interviews are approached – with the research showing that traditionally constructed job interviews do not reliably predict future performance in the role.

There are four main reasons why:

The Illusion of Accuracy

One of the fundamental issues with traditional interviews is the illusion of accuracy. Many hiring managers believe they can gauge a candidate’s potential based on a 60-minute conversation. However, interviews account for only about 9% of the variance in future job performance. This highlights that 91% of what determines job success is missed during interviews. An over-reliance on interviews might be leading to misjudgments and costly hiring mistakes.

Does the Perfect Interview Question Really Exist?

A common misconception is that asking the right questions can uncover the truth about a candidate’s potential. While behavioural questions, situational judgment scenarios, and technical assessments are used to reveal insights, in reality they are falling short. Both structured and unstructured interviews show low levels of accuracy in predicting future performance. Interviews are equally ineffective in assessing task-specific skills and broader, more nuanced contextual behaviours. making them too blunt an instrument for diverse job requirements.

The Bias Problem

Interviews are susceptible to unconscious biases, which can significantly skew hiring decisions. Even with structured formats, factors like a candidate’s appearance, speaking style, or perceived familiarity can influence judgments. The halo effect, where one positive attribute colours the entire impression of a candidate, can further complicate this.

A strong response early in an interview can overshadow subsequent weak answers, while an awkward moment or silence can unfairly impact perceptions. This bias often leads to hiring individuals who are good at being interviewed but not necessarily good for the fundamentals of the job they are being considered for.

The “Fit” Fallacy

Modern interviews are very focussed on establishing ‘cultural fit’ with the team and organisation. It’s quite logical to try and hire someone who aligns with company values and team dynamics but that can lead to uniformity of thinking rather than diversity, resulting in teams that think, act and even look alike, negatively impacting creativity and innovation. It also risks prioritising ‘fit’ over establishing potential and performance.

Taking a Different Approach to Interviewing

So, if traditional job interviews are limited in their ability to predict future performance and potential, how can we improve hiring. The research suggests a different approach to interviewing:

1. Focus on job-related tasks

Incorporating a wide array of job simulations, work sample tests, and skills assessments mean that candidates can be evaluated on job-related tasks, which should provide a more accurate measure of their capabilities. Examples that businesses already use include asking sales candidates to make a mock sales call, and getting software engineers to undertake a coding challenge.

2. Focus on Past Performance

Examine a candidate’s concrete accomplishments and especially how they achieved them. Past performance is usually a strong indicator of future success, so to get a clearer insight into their potential try and understand how they have handled challenges in previous roles, led projects, or achieved their goals.

3. Structured Interviews with Flexibility

While completely unstructured interviews are problematic, overly rigid ones – especially those tied to a ‘script’ – can also miss important nuances. Semi-structured interviews, that allow for flexibility in the questioning, can strike a balance, and maintain consistency across candidates, who tend not to feel comfortable with scripted interviews.

4. Leverage Technology

AI-driven assessments can help reduce human bias and provide data-driven insights into a candidate’s potential. Tools that analyse language patterns, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues can offer additional layers of evaluation, making the process more objective.

5. Look for Cultural Contribution Over Fit

Don’t look for candidates who fit the culture – look for those who can contribute to and enhance it. This can encourage diversity of thought and help foster an environment where new ideas and perspectives can thrive. Evaluate how a candidate’s unique experiences and skills can add value to the organisation as a whole.

The next game-changing employee might not be the one who interviews best, nor has the ‘perfect’ CV, but is likely to be the one whose true potential is waiting to be discovered. Diverse assessment approaches, flexible interviews, technology and a focus on culture can help HR and Talent leaders make more informed and effective hiring decisions.

Retaining Human Skills in an AI World

I think that the integration of AI into our daily working lives is probably something of a double-edged sword – offering both significant opportunities and many challenges. While AI can certainly enhance productivity, increase demand for skilled labour, and maintain stable employment structures, it also risks draining employee engagement, reducing job satisfaction, stifling creativity, and diminishing authentic communication.

There’s a lot of focus on employee engagement and retention. I’m preparing for 3 conferences over the next couple of months where I’ll be speaking about creating meaningful experiences, building cultures of retention, maintaining engagement and much more, so whilst most of the digital narrative around AI is understandably positive and hopeful, I’ve been trying to look at some of the ways in which AI may detract from the overall employee experience.

I’ve written previously about whether AI may be an employee experience exterminator, and how we need to preserve the Humanity in Human Resources, and I think there are four potential key areas around experience that we need to focus on:

Draining Employee Engagement

Focusing too much on efficiency and performance through AI can drain employee engagement. When organisations begin to prioritise automation over meaningful work experiences, employees may start to feel disengaged and undervalued. It is crucial for businesses to strike a balance between leveraging AI for efficiency and maintaining a focus on creating fulfilling and engaging work environments.

Reducing Job Satisfaction

AI has the potential to automate tasks that provide employees with a sense of satisfaction and gratification, and therefore take some of the joy out of work. Tasks that are rewarding and fulfilling for employees should not be fully automated, as this can lead to decreased job satisfaction and morale. Organisations need to understand the tasks and projects that bring feelings of satisfaction and fulfilment when considering which tasks to automate and which to preserve for human workers to ensure a positive work experience.

Stifling Creativity

AI can kill creativity if it is being used to replace rather than enhance creative tasks. Creative processes benefit significantly from human intuition, innovation and inspiration which are all aspects that AI can’t replicate. Businesses should use AI to support and augment creative tasks and projects rather than replace them, and preserve human creativity to thrive alongside technological advancements.

Diminishing Authentic Human Communication

An over-reliance on using AI for tasks like writing notes, e-mails and cover letters, recognition messages and internal messages, might lead to a diminishing of authentic human communication. Using AI to generate internal messages, reports and emails is likely to lack both the personality, humour, friendship and emotional resonance that human communication and human connection thrives on. To maintain genuine interactions and relationships, it is important to balance AI use with human input, especially in areas requiring personal engagement, support and connection.

I see the most effective uses of AI will involve combining it with skilled human workers. This synergy can enhance productivity and performance, with AI handling routine tasks and humans tackling more complex and nuanced aspects, hence underscoring the continued importance of human skills in an AI-driven world.

I’d be interested in your perspectives – let me know what you think.

Helping HR Leaders to Spot and Support Employee Burnout in the Workplace

Burnout is a growing concern in today’s fast-paced, technology driven 24/7/365 work environment, which impacts employees’ mental health, productivity, and overall wellbeing, both in and outside work. As HR leaders, it’s vital to recognise the signs of burnout early and provide the necessary support to maintain a healthy, engaged, and productive workforce.

I recently had a podcast conversation with The Burnout Beater – Colin Minto about his personal experiences and current work consulting with organisations and individuals to identify the signs of burnout, and offering practical steps to help support individuals and teams. I’ve tried to summarise the key points and takeaways from our conversation.

Understanding Burnout

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It can manifest in various ways, often leading to decreased productivity, disengagement, and serious health issues. Recognising the early signs of burnout in yourself and your employees is the first step in addressing this issue.

Potential Signs of Burnout to Look Out For

Emotional and Physical Exhaustion

Employees may appear constantly tired, lack energy, and exhibit signs of stress or anxiety. Physical symptoms can include headaches, stomach issues, and muscular-skeletal problems.

Reduced Performance and Productivity

Burnout often leads to a noticeable decline in work quality, efficiency and effectiveness. Mistakes become more frequent, and employees may being to struggle to concentrate or complete tasks.

Increased Absenteeism

Frequent absences or late arrivals might be a potential red flag. Employees experiencing burnout might take more sick days or show a pattern of leaving work early.

Changes in Communication and Behaviour

Look for changes in how employees interact with colleagues. Signs can include irritability, mood swings, withdrawal from team activities, or reduced participation in discussions.

Decreased Job Satisfaction

Employees may express dissatisfaction with their roles or show a lack of enthusiasm for their work. This can lead to disengagement and generally a negative attitude towards the workplace.

Relationship Strain

Burnout can cause friction in workplace relationships, with employees potentially becoming more argumentative or isolated as a result, which can have a big impact team dynamics and collaboration.

How HR Leaders Can Support Employees

  1. Promote Open Communication Encouraging a culture of open communication is vital. Regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings provide opportunities for employees to share their concerns. Leaders and managers need to create safe spaces where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health without fear of judgment or repercussions.
  2. Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) EAPs offer confidential counselling services to employees dealing with personal or work-related issues. Promote these programmes regularly to ensure employees are visibly aware of the available resources and support. It’s important to also provide training for managers on how to refer employees to these programs discreetly and effectively.
  3. Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) Employee Resource Groups are playing increasingly importantly roles within organisations to both help support people and give them a voice. Groups focused on mental health and wellbeing can provide peer support and foster a sense of community. Encourage employees to participate in these groups – it’s important to have leader and senior manager participation to champion these initiatives to demonstrate organisational commitment.
  4. Offer Mental Health Training Training sessions on stress management, resilience, and mental health awareness can equip employees with the tools to manage their stress levels effectively. As well as sharing stories and experiences internally, it’s crucial to also bring in external speakers to share personal stories and provide expert advice on dealing with burnout.
  5. Encourage Work-Life Balance Promoting a healthy work-life balance by encouraging employees to take regular breaks, use their vacation days, and disconnect from work outside office hours, is also important. Flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, hubris schedules or flexible hours, can also help employees better manage their personal and professional lives.
  6. Monitor Workloads and Set Realistic Expectations Regularly review workloads to ensure employees are not overwhelmed. Make sure that goals are clear and achievable, and deadlines are agreed and realistic. Encourage a collaborative approach to workload management where team members can support each other during peak times.
  7. Foster a Positive Work Environment Create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture where employees feel valued and appreciated. Recognition, encouragement and meaningful rewards are vital to helping employees see that value of their efforts and contributions. A positive work environment can significantly reduce stress and prevent burnout. This is particularly true of the frontline workforce, many of whom are often not included in recognition initiatives, and can be left feeling isolated and unsupported.
  8. Utilise Mental Health First Aiders Train selected employees as mental health first aiders who can provide immediate support and guidance to their colleagues. These individuals can act as the (discreet) first point of contact for employees experiencing mental health issues and can help direct them to appropriate resources and support initiatives.

Addressing burnout is not just about reacting to crises; it’s about creating a proactive and supportive environment where employees can thrive. By recognising the signs of burnout and implementing strategies to support mental well-being, HR leaders can ensure a healthier, happier and more productive workforce.

Listen to my podcast conversation with Colin here:

How Senior HR Roles Are Evolving

The roles of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief People Officer, or even plain old HR Director, have undergone significant transformation over recent years. What once may have been seen as a more ‘junior’ position in the C-suite, is now increasingly being seen as a role that is vital to organisational success.

About a month ago I speculated on some of the upcoming priorities and challenges for HR in my newsletter ‘Prioritising Wellbeing and Retention in a Tight Job Market’ and today I want to look at some of ways that senior HR roles are themselves evolving – and even transforming – to meet strategic business demands.

Our businesses face a number of challenges. From AI integration and adoption to upskilling in the digital era, global workforce management and technology transformation, the responsibilities of senior HR operatives have expanded. So how is the senior HR leader’s role itself evolving, and what are the implications and priorities for businesses today and in the future?

Addressing People Challenges and Talent Shortages

Organisations are grappling with a number of people-related challenges. The shift to more of a hybrid/remote/flexible/asynchronous way of working has left many organisations struggling to balance flexibility with productivity. The workforce is demanding more from their employers in terms of salary, benefits, flexibility and work-life balance. They are more aware of their own wellbeing and personal priorities, which puts the emphasis on remodelling traditional employer/employee relationships into something more fluid. The role of senior HR professional is becoming more crucial than ever in navigating these complexities and competing priorities.

Ongoing talent shortages further exacerbate these challenges. On a global level, lower fertility rates and a significant portion of the workforce retiring, means that companies are and will continue to find it increasingly difficult to attract and retain talent. The more traditional “hire to grow” model is under threat, particularly in new, fast-growing tech sectors that are prone to cycles of rapid hiring and then layoffs. CHROs must find innovative ways to shift the focus towards enhancing productivity and internal mobility, fostering a culture of growth from within.

Organisational Redesign and Global Operations

The past few years have seen a growing shift in organisational structures from rigid functional hierarchies towards more dynamic and cross-functional models. Some leading businesses are pioneering a more ‘dynamic’ organisational model – emphasising agility, a faster time-to-market, and enhanced collaboration. HR leaders are at the forefront of this transformation, tasked with redesigning job architectures, pay practices, managerial roles, and performance management systems to align with new organisational paradigms.

A more globalised approach further complicates the HR role. With remote and flexible working becoming more normalised, businesses have to navigate the complexities of global labour regulations and practices, as well as understanding different regional talent markets. This gives HR leaders a chance to input into more strategic planning around where to hire and locate operations. This further requires a deeper and more nuanced understanding of diverse cultural and regulatory landscapes, giving HR leaders an opportunity to influence global business strategy.

Leadership Development, Technology and Transformation

Leadership development is also evolving. As organisational structures flatten, companies must cultivate leadership skills at all levels. HR professionals can play a leading role in identifying and nurturing leaders, and designing robust leadership development programs that can help organisational growth and resilience.

When it comes to technology, the vast array of tools and systems can be overwhelming, whilst many organisations still struggle with outdated HR systems. Senior HR leaders can find themselves overwhelmed by a multitude of tools for recruiting, training, scheduling, and compliance, whilst AI can offer promising solutions, but the implementation and integration of all these technologies require careful management.

The transformation of the HR function itself is also on the agenda with HR teams now acting as consultants, problem-solvers, and analysts. The link between employee engagement, employee experience and retention is strong with HR teams needing to foster a culture of development, recognition and meaningful experiences, to ensure skills and knowledge are retained within the business.

The Future of the Senior HR Role

The evolution of senior HR roles represents a call for action, reflecting the ongoing shifts in business and workforce dynamics. In today’s complex, technology-driven global marketplace, the HR’s responsibilities are rapidly expanding. Effective HR leaders need to be more than HR experts; they should be visionary change leaders and strategic business executives. Architects of organisational culture, catalysts of productivity, and  guardians of employee wellbeing.

In the future, I see HR’s influence continuing to grow. The role will encompass critical areas like facilities strategy, mental health and wellbeing, and innovative productivity initiatives. Organisations need to invest in cultivating the next generation HR professionals and leaders, equipping them with the training and support needed to excel in what is becoming a more multi-faceted position. As the business landscape continues to evolve, HR leaders will be pivotal in driving organisational success and resilience.

HR is becoming more important and complex than ever before. This transformation encompasses tackling talent challenges, taking a more global view, spearheading organisational design – and redesign – and shaping the future of work to build more resilient and dynamic workplaces.

Prioritising Employee Experience By Building a Culture of Engagement

In today’s competitive business landscape, the importance of employee engagement cannot be overstated. I have been writing and speaking about how employee experience and engagement are the key trends in retaining and developing the workforce of the future for some time. I have also been researching how organisations are addressing employee engagement and where there might be opportunities for improvement.

I was interested in a recent research report from MHR – who specialise in HR, Payroll and Finance – which looked at some of the key challenges businesses face in trying to get accurate and actionable feedback on employee experience, and how to go about fixing them and I hosted a podcast chat – Overcoming the Roadblocks to a Better Employee Experience – with MHR’s Kate Featherstone about the research.

We identified 6 key actions for HR leaders looking to improve employee experience:

1. Embracing a Culture of Feedback

HR teams know it’s important to get as much feedback on their employees’ experiences as they can, but often struggle to dedicate  enough time to both collect and – most importantly – analyse employee sentiment. Organisations must prioritise creating a feedback culture within the business by leveraging technology to streamline the feedback collection process. They should also implement a process of regular surveys and one-to-one check-ins to gather more insights into how their employees feel about their wellbeing, development needs, and overall satisfaction.

2. Investing in Technology

Technology plays a crucial role in understanding employee sentiment and identifying key trends. As the tech develops at pace, HR teams should start to leverage the potential of AI and natural language processing tools to properly analyse feedback data effectively. This can help the wider business to gain actionable insights into employee needs and preferences, which should help them to make better informed decisions when it comes to enhancing the employee experience.

3. Prioritising Wellbeing and Development

Employee wellbeing, and their development opportunities, are probably the most significant drivers of employee satisfaction and retention. Organisations should invest in wellbeing management tools that can give them the insights they need, and also learning software that supports employee growth and engagement effectively.

By providing employees with access to resources and opportunities for professional development, businesses can help foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, which most research shows is essential to employee satisfaction.

4. Fostering Open Dialogue

Building trust and transparency within the organisation is a crucial cornerstone for creating positive employee experiences. Leaders must empower managers to have open and honest conversations with employees, to encourage feedback and help active participation. By fostering a culture of open dialogue, HR can address any concerns proactively, underlining their commitment to employee satisfaction and wellbeing, which in turn drivers greater engagement.

5. Implementing Regular Touchpoints

Underpinning most of these actions is the need to have regular check-ins and feedback sessions, which are critical if you want to maintain open communication channels with employees. Organisations should establish a rhythm for regular feedback collection – often something like quarterly surveys and/or monthly check-ins – to ensure continuous engagement, alignment and to foster two-way conversation. Set reminders and prompts for managers and leaders so that the businesses is having meaningful conversations on a regular basis and can address any employee needs or concerns promptly.

6. Embracing a More Holistic Approach

Employee experience encompasses the entire employee journey within an organisation, from hiring through onboarding and development through to promote and exit or further promotion. Businesses must take a holistic approach to the employee experience, which is why factors such as wellbeing, development opportunities, and overall satisfaction are so important.

By prioritising employee experience at every touchpoint, organisations can create a supportive and engaging work environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential, which will foster long-term employee loyalty and ultimately commercial success!

You can listen to my full podcast chat with Kate Featherstone here:

The 12 Principles of Creating Better Workplace Experiences

On a recent HR Means Business podcast episode I chatted with Nick Holmes – VP of Employee Experience at Avalere Health, and an Experience Architect at UNTHINK –  about today’s fast-paced work environment and why creating a supportive and engaging workplace experience is becoming more crucial than ever to attracting, engaging and retaining the people our businesses need. We had co-presented on this topic at HR Technology Europe in Amsterdam in May and our podcast conversation was a good way to wrap up our thoughts and insights.

Our conversation centred around the need for a more holistic approach to employee well-being which encompasses mental, physical, intellectual, and financial aspects, and ensures that employees are supported in all areas of their lives. Listening back, we outlined a number of actions that HR and people leaders could take, which I see as our 12 principles of creating better workplace experiences.

Understand Holistic Wellbeing

The foundation of a great workplace experience starts with addressing employee wellbeing comprehensively. It’s not enough to focus solely on physical health; mental, intellectual, and financial well-being are equally important. Organisations need to delve into the root causes of burnout and high stress levels, rather than just treating symptoms.

Embrace Courage and Creativity

HR teams must be brave in acknowledging areas that need improvement. This involves being candid about what’s not working and taking creative steps to address these issues. Maybe have some of your team dedicated as an ‘experience function’ that can lead by suggesting innovative solutions and then partner with relevant stakeholders to implement effective changes.

Achieve Work-Life Balance

Achieving a healthy balance between work and personal life is critical. Work and personal life are interconnected, and stress in one area can affect the other. Organisations should understand this balance and avoid merely adding activities like yoga sessions, which may not address underlying issues. Instead, they need to establish and then focus on what’s really causing stress and burnout for their people.

Taking a Scientific Approach to Health

Understanding the chemical reactions in the body, such as the roles of cortisol, serotonin, and dopamine, is vital. Organisations should help educate employees on health topics like sleep, nutrition, and fitness. This approach ensures that employees have the knowledge to make informed decisions about their own wellbeing.

Using Data-Driven Insights

The use of AI and health-related technology can help to revolutionise employee wellbeing by predicting and preventing burnout. Tracking health indicators like sleep patterns helps take proactive actions rather than reactive responses. This type of data-driven approach can significantly enhance and improve workplace wellbeing. However……

Recognise Cultural Sensitivity

While collecting personal health data can seem intrusive, it’s important to approach this sensitively. Organisations should articulate openly to their people the importance and benefits of improved wellbeing for overall health and also work performance. A more sensitive approach can help to create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing this information.

Maintain a Duty of Care

Employers have a duty of care to their employees. The Covid pandemic highlighted this, showing that genuine concern for employee health can lead to higher engagement. By maintaining this level of care post-pandemic, organisations can continue to drive engagement and loyalty.

Remarkable Work Experiences

Creating memorable and meaningful work experiences is essential. Rather than having forgettable daily routines, organisations should focus on designing remarkable moments and experiences that resonate with employees. Gathering and acting on employee feedback will help with identifying and improving these key moments in the employee lifecycle.

Take Actionable Steps

Using data from engagement surveys and listening exercises to inform actions is crucial. Organisations should implement a framework of simple improvements (effectively quick wins to boost employee engagement) mixed with longer term initiatives to drive continuous improvement in the employee experience.

Focus on Consistency and Prioritisation

Consistency and discipline are key to successfully implementing changes. Organisations should try to prioritise the most impactful actions and avoid spreading their resources too thin. Focusing on key initiatives and seeing them through to completion should help to ensure meaningful progress.

Future-Proofing Initiatives

Designing initiatives that align with long-term organisational goals and can adapt to changing conditions is also important. This future-proofing ensures that wellbeing strategies remain relevant and effective even as external circumstances evolve.

Adopting a Growth Mindset

Adopting a growth mindset by asking “What’s missing?” rather than focusing on problems will help to foster positive and proactive approaches. Being open, honest, and transparent about successes, and also about the areas and actions that need improvement, will encourage continuous development and engagement.

By embracing these twelve principles, organisations should be able to create better workplace experiences that support holistic employee wellbeing. The more comprehensive approach that we talked about not only helps to enhance individual health and happiness, it will also ultimately drive organisational success and innovation.

Moving forward, it’s crucial for employers to start prioritising the wellbeing of their workforce, creating environments where employees can thrive both personally and professionally.

You can listen to our full conversation on this episode of HR Means Business

Can The MagicOfFit Help Improve Quality of Hire and Candidate Experience?

Talent challenges remain high on the corporate agenda. From my research and conversations with stakeholders I can see that identifying, assessing, hiring and retaining the people and skills we need to help our businesses thrive and grow is no longer simply about reviewing CVs and applications, with a standard set of experience and knowledge based interview questions to follow.

Instead it is more about getting a better understanding of a candidate’s unique competencies – their fit and suitability – and discovering as much as we can about the core competencies and traits of the people we are assessing. Too many interview processes can be generic, asking a series of candidates the same questions whilst hoping for a range of illuminating answers.

But what if we could personalise our interviews? Ask our candidates questions that are tailored to their own competencies and unique traits? And leverage the power of AI to get real insights into those competencies and workplace traits? And to find out who would really fit with our business? Find out more about their positive personality traits and workplace competencies like creativity, innovation, and problem solving?

That would certainly improve the candidate experience – and there’s a lot of data that shows a great candidate experience is key to hiring the right people. How they are treated during the application and interview stages will usually determine whether or not they accept an offer. Were they able to showcase their knowledge and capabilities? Did they feel treated well?

The keys to giving a great candidate experience are to empower them, give value, allow candidates to showcase their skills, knowledge and capabilities, and to make the process informative and authentic. Historical data shows that up to 87% say a great candidate experience can change their mind about a company or role they weren’t sure of.

Which is why I’m really interested by Instant Fit! It’s a new candidate screening solution from Fama Technologies Inc. that uses online signals to identify candidate fit by highlighting positive personality traits and workplace competencies like creativity, innovation, and problem solving.

It also generates personalised, science-backed interview questions to help hiring teams understand which candidates will be an Instant Fit. It’s a compliant and frictionless process – there are no tests, and no candidate drop off, just screening with questions that are relevant to the candidate’s own skills, knowledge and competencies.

Looking forward to finding out more on their upcoming webinar hosted by CEO Ben Mones on 26th June – you can join me and the Fama Technologies Inc. team by signing up here – https://fama.io/resource/be-an-ai-superhero-with-instant-fit – and all attendees will get a free Instant Fit report!

Choosing a finalist from a handful of candidates is the most human part of hiring and in this webinar, I’m hoping to find out Instant Fit can help evolve the Talent Acquisition team’s toolkit:

  • How the evaluation of workplace traits and competencies is evolving
  • With the power of AI, understanding how we can get insight into a candidates workplace traits and competencies frictionlessly and compliantly. No tests, so no drop-off.
  • Increase candidate quality by unlocking online language to get valuable insights on how a candidate may interact in the workplace

Prioritising Wellbeing and Retention in a Tight Job Market

I’ve been focused on research around the Future of HR recently as I prepared for two International keynote sessions and whilst most of my writing and research has been around employee experience and the link with retention and engagement, it has become clear that HR has a major role to play in how our people are hired, developed, supported, enabled, rewarded and cared for in the ever evolving world of work.

I have written a few times that ‘Retention Is The New Recruitment’. Whilst AI may be the new kid on the block for HR to get their heads round and integrate into the way we work and the output we produce, there will doubtless be more.

For example, with layoffs in the Talent Acquisition sector will TA “Move into higher-value HR work” (as suggested by an RL100 member in this interesting post from Jamie Leonard)?

Will HR stop fretting over digital narrative trends like ‘Great Resignation’ and ‘Work from Home’ and get back to improving work for their people with initiatives like Living Wage, Safe Environments,Improving Social Mobility and Diversity, as Neil Morrison suggests?

Or what about Perry Timms’ Mosaic of the New as a new way to ‘do’ HR? Or Jeanne C M.‘s 13 HR jobs for the future?

I recently delivered a keynote and a masterclass at the Global HR Summit & Exhibition in Istanbul – and in August will be doing the same at the HRInnovation & TechFest in Johannesburg – so I have been trying to collect my thoughts on how exactly work is changing and what HR’s ongoing role will be.

Here’s my take:

Prioritising Wellbeing and Retention in a Tight Job Market

HR has clearly undergone significant transformations over recent years. From being staunch advocates for employees and their development, to overseeing potential cost-cutting and adopting more agile approaches, and now an increasing focus on prioritising employee wellbeing, ensuring retention and preventing burnout, whilst helping to support leadership through increasing digitisation.

Here’s a few ideas how HR can navigate current challenges and reshape its future role.

Strengthen Employee Advocacy

In the late 20th century, HR’s primary role was to advocate for employees, ensuring fair pay, benefits, and development opportunities. However, economic downturns shifted focus towards cost-cutting and streamlining. The job market is tightening, and the need to fill positions and retain skills, knowledge and talent within the business is paramount. HR must re-shift focus to advocating for better compensation, more comprehensive up-skilling, and enhanced career development. This shift supports employee well-being and also enhances job satisfaction and loyalty.

Transparency of True Costs

One of HR’s critical tasks is to reveal the hidden costs of current practices. Creating detailed dashboards that showcase turnover rates, absenteeism, reasons for quitting, and engagement levels can provide compelling evidence to management. These metrics highlight the financial impact of poor employee management and underscore the value of investing in people. Showing the true cost of employee turnover – which often exceeds simplistic figures once training costs, decreased performance, and recruitment efforts are factored in —can drive management to reconsider existing policies.

Addressing Employee Stress

Workplace stress is growing for both frontline and clerical/professional workforce, fuelled by overwork, fear of layoffs, potential lack of advancement opportunities and, more recently, anxiety about the extent to which AI may start replacing tasks and jobs. HR can mitigate this stress by fostering open communication and addressing uncertainties head-on. Reassuring employees about the gradual integration of AI and involving them in the process can help alleviate concerns. Transparent communication about restructuring and development plans can also prevent the spread of speculation and rumour, reducing overall stress and maintaining productivity.

Decentralised Restructuring

Traditional restructuring often disrupts employees’ lives and raises stress levels, negatively impacting mental health and performance. A decentralised approach, where companies create smaller, more flexible units, can help mitigate the negative effects. This model also allows organisations to adapt to changing market demands and expectations without organisational shifts or layoffs – avoiding disruption by compartmentalising change.

Building Talent Labour Markets

Establishing proper internal mobility within organisations enhances flexibility and can provide clear pathways for career advancement. Internal job mobility had been underutilised for several years, although with the advent of improved talent intelligence and AI driven internal platforms is again boosting the number of roles filled from within, significantly reduce turnover and training costs. Retraining initiatives that allow employees whose roles are under threat to train for new roles, repay investment and can help build resilience in the workforce.

Strengthening DEI Efforts

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are more critical than ever in fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty – even if recent anecdotal trends indicate that they are not as prevalent. By ramping up DEI efforts, HR creates a more inclusive workplace that values diverse perspectives and experiences, which boosts morale, innovation and problem-solving capabilities, and ensures employees feel valued and supported. Which in turn boosts engagement and retention rates.

The future of HR may lie in a balanced approach that prioritises employee wellbeing while meeting organisational goals. By returning to employee advocacy, providing transparent cost analyses, addressing workplace stress, adopting decentralised restructuring, building internal talent markets, and strengthening DEI efforts, HR can navigate the challenges of a tight job market. This holistic approach will not only enhance employee satisfaction and retention but also drive organisational success in the evolving landscape of work.

(A version of this post originally appeared in my HR Means Business newsletter – subscribe here to receive regular updates)

Preserving the Humanity in Human Resources

The growing presence of AI in our day to day working lives may be creating an increased range of opportunities for the world of work, but is also triggering a number of shifts in how we think and act. In 2023 there was a lot of consternation over the potential impact of ‘Recruiterless Recruiting’ and how it might change the way we attract and hire the talent we need. For Human Resources I think it’s less a case of ‘Humanless’ Human Resources and more about increased humanity within ‘Human Resources’, acknowledging and supporting personal choices, preferences and goals.

Looking at the emerging HR trends currently shaping the employee lifecycle in 2024 I see a number of areas where a compassionate, supportive approach to the employer/worker relationship is evolving. The debate around remote, flexible, hybrid and asynchronous working which has overwhelmed us for a couple of years now, will continue to play out – although as far back as 2017 I was involved in a research study that found these flexible approaches to working was what our people wanted, and would inform their decisions over which organisations to join.

We live increasingly busy lives in which the digital, commercial and personal elements need to be juggled and prioritised. Personalisation – a trend myself and co-author Matt Alder have been writing and talking about for a couple of years now – is key to how our people manage to juggle and prioritise, at work as well as in their leisure time.

Managers are feeling the strain. Research from Gartner last year found 77% of employees placing increased importance on manager support, with  51% of the managers themselves saying they now have more responsibilities than they can manage.

For me, there are 5 key areas for organisations – particularly their HR and Talent Acquisition teams, and leaders and managers – to focus on in 2024 and beyond as we move towards adopting a more human, compassionate and supportive approach to work that should be very much on the corporate agenda.

From Management and Direction to Support and Enablement

Our historic approach to our workforce has been what I often refer to as management and direction. We manage processes, people, their careers, their performance and day to day involvement. We direct people. In fact, we have ‘directors’ for most parts of their career lifecycle. It’s all a bit autocratic. Yet our digital talent are keen to learn and figure things out for themselves. A phrase I often use is ‘Digital talent has intellectual curiosity’.

They know their roles are evolving and changing and want the opportunity to discover and explore the opportunities. They don’t want training courses, but access to self-directed learning. Our role is to support them, to create an environment where our people feel empowered to perform, learn, develop and achieve their best results.

Multifaceted Nature of Engagement

Engagement is a much used term for a myriad of things. Engagement isn’t something we can create. It isn’t a management directive. It’s the outcome of treating people well and with respect, recognising them, giving them opportunities to learn, grow and reach their full potential. Helping to create positive work experiences.

Key to this is recognising the importance of our workforce’s wellbeing. All of it. Mental, physical, intellectual, emotional, physical, digital and,  particularly in 2024, financial. Is ours a culture where people can ask for help? Without being judged? Do we have managers and leaders trained to help and understand when they might be needed? Can people raise a concern in private and know that it will remain private?

Flexibility and Recognition

Our people want agency in how, when and where they work. As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t really new – but it’s something that is now top of mind. For many, whose job is location specific or are part of our frontline workforce, this will manifest itself in flexibility of hours and communication, balancing personal needs and career priorities. These workers can often feel left out of engagement initiatives.

For others, it will centre on the flexible, remote, hybrid and asynchronous working debate. Flexibility itself is a crucial aspect of supporting employees in the modern workplace.

Managers need to perfect a number of different approaches that can give their people access to what they need, and input to the way they work. Not least when it comes to support and recognition – the latter playing a key role in creating a positive, diverse, engaged, happy and productive workforce. Personalised recognition, at an individual level, fosters a positive work environment for everyone.

Evolution of the Employee Lifecycle

I write and talk about the evolving nature of the employee lifecycle, which is now accelerated by technological advancement. Anyone familiar with my co-authored books – Digital Talent and Exceptional Talent – will know I believe in the growing concept of a seamless talent journey. This journey emphasises the need for positive experiences all the way through the key touchpoints – from recruitment, through onboarding, development and right throughout the employee journey. The emergence of career experience managers and talent experience managers within organisations highlights a growing focus on overseeing the holistic career experience for all employees.

Delivering a Personalised Candidate Experience

Central to a successful attraction and recruitment strategy is delivering a personalised candidate experience that resonates with individuals on a personal level. This relies on consistency in interactions and information flow throughout the recruitment journey. By understanding candidates’ preferences and needs, organisations can create engaging experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Social media continues to a powerful tool for employer branding and candidate engagement. By using this to share authentic stories from existing (and former) employees, and also showcasing positive experiences that illustrate culture, organisations can attract top talent more effectively.

A common challenge in attraction and hiring is being able to align the efforts of talent acquisition and recruitment teams with the experience candidates get from hiring managers. This can be addressed by educating hiring managers about market trends, best practices and candidate expectations to ensure a seamless recruitment process. By fostering collaboration and communication between recruitment and hiring teams, organisations can enhance the overall candidate experience and drive successful hires.

As all HR and Talent professionals embrace these opportunities in 2024 and beyond, I hope these insights can provide a compass for navigating the evolving landscape. I believe that by prioritising a human-centric approach, embracing technological advancements, and ensuring continuous support and enablement throughout the employee lifecycle, we can foster a thriving, profitable workplace for years to come.

(You can hear me talk more about these ideas on podcast interviews with Adam Weber – Keeping the Humanity in a Humanless HR World – and Bill Banham – The Impact of AI on HR – and I try to explore them on my own HR Means Business podcast too)