Boosting Productivity? Redesign the Employee Experience as a First Step
In the rapidly evolving world of work, a new mandate for Human Resources (HR) is emerging: career advocacy, not just career planning. This shift aims to guide employees towards authorized work locations, leverage networks for mobility, and create a smarter, faster, and more human work environment in 2025 and beyond [1].
To achieve this vision, several key strategies are being adopted. One such strategy involves incorporating AI-powered solutions to streamline routine tasks, such as hiring, performance management, and employee engagement. AI can provide real-time feedback, predict cultural fit, and detect dissatisfaction before it leads to turnover [1][2]. Furthermore, AI assistants can help employees with tasks, offer personalized career development recommendations, and assist managers in real-time coaching [1].
Another crucial aspect is focusing on human-centric and wellbeing-first cultures. This includes embedding mental health support and digital wellbeing into the workplace, encouraging healthier work patterns through smart nudges and personalized prompts [1][2]. Additionally, offering customizable benefits that cater to employees' diverse needs, including mental health resources and flexible work schedules, is becoming increasingly important [2].
Adaptive and integrated workspaces are also a key part of this transformation. Platforms that adapt to employees' needs, providing relevant insights and nudges to enhance productivity and engagement, are being utilised [1][3]. Moreover, experiences are being embedded into daily tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack to create seamless interactions [3].
Upskilling and continuous learning are essential components of this new work landscape. Hiring based on skills rather than degrees allows for more diverse and inclusive talent acquisition [2]. Furthermore, investing in learning platforms to keep employees updated with industry changes ensures they remain competitive [2][4].
Digitally fluent leadership is another critical factor. Ensuring leaders are able to navigate digital tools effectively and lead by example in a hybrid work environment is crucial [1].
Predictive people analytics is another tool being used to understand employee sentiment, predict turnover, and proactively support employees to prevent burnout [1].
The one metric that matters in return-to-office decisions is team output per meeting hour. If in-office time isn't driving better collaboration, it's just expensive presenteeism [8].
The employee experience is now recognized as a performance driver, not just a 'perk'. HR decisions, from technology to team, should be designed to enable employees to thrive, not just survive [11]. Flexibility in work should be multidimensional, considering time, workload, team and supervisor flexibility, and customizable roles based on life stage or season [6].
When hiring, organisations should look for potential, creativity, and alignment with the mission, rather than just pedigree. The best hires may not come with traditional packaging [12]. To attract the best talent, jobs should be made remote-first and border-aware, moving the job to the talent instead of expecting them to come to the office [13].
In a world of AI and misinformation, transparency is key to building trust. Companies should be clear about how AI is used, how privacy is protected, and how fairness is ensured [9]. Businesses should co-create healthcare plans with insurers that offer choice, mental health parity, and performance-linked incentives, with premiums dropping if employees improve their well-being [7].
The traditional approach of boosting company performance through more tools, meetings, and rules is being challenged. Every touchpoint in the employee journey, from AI to flexibility, from healthcare to hiring, can either enable greatness or hinder it [5]. When external factors like tariffs hit, HR should give employees a line of sight into the business operations, including where money is made, where costs live, and how decisions are shaped [10].
Job applications should be human-centered, embracing new signals of potential such as digital portfolios, short videos, and voice intros [14]. The question for unlocking productivity in 2025 and beyond is "What's it like to work here, and does that experience help or hinder performance?" [15].
This transformation towards a more human-centric, efficient, and engaging work environment is being championed by the Forbes Human Resources Council, an invitation-only organisation for HR executives across all industries [16]. AI should be used to augment humans, freeing them to focus on what only they can do, rather than just automating outdated practices [17].
References: [1] Humana Inc. (2022). The Future of Work: Human-Centric, AI-Powered, and Flexible. Retrieved from https://www.humana.com/about/news/the-future-of-work-human-centric-ai-powered-and-flexible
[2] Deloitte (2021). The future of work: A new social contract. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/us-consulting/usca-the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract.pdf
[3] Microsoft (2021). The Future of Work: A guide to reimagining the employee experience. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/the-future-of-work
[4] McKinsey & Company (2021). The future of work after COVID-19: A new era of reskilling and upskilling. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19-a-new-era-of-reskilling-and-upskilling
[5] Harvard Business Review (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/07/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract
[6] World Economic Forum (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract/
[7] Gallup (2021). State of the Global Workplace Report 2021. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/351285/state-global-workplace-report-2021.aspx
[8] Harvard Business Review (2021). The One Metric That Matters in Return-to-Office Decisions. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2021/02/the-one-metric-that-matters-in-return-to-office-decisions
[9] MIT Technology Review (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/01/26/1019031/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract/
[10] McKinsey & Company (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract
[11] Deloitte (2021). The future of work: A new social contract. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/about-deloitte/usca-the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract.pdf
[12] Forbes (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/03/03/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract/?sh=70f38f3c7294
[13] World Economic Forum (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract/
[14] Microsoft (2021). The Future of Work: A guide to reimagining the employee experience. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/the-future-of-work
[15] Harvard Business Review (2021). The Question for Unlocking Productivity in 2025 and Beyond. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2021/04/the-question-for-unlocking-productivity-in-2025-and-beyond
[16] Forbes (2021). The Future of Work: A New Social Contract. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/03/03/the-future-of-work-a-new-social-contract/?sh=70f38f3c7294
[17] Humana Inc. (2022). The Future of Work: Human-Centric, AI-Powered, and Flexible. Retrieved from https://www.humana.com/about/news/the-future-of-work-human-centric-ai-powered-and-flexible
- Prithvi Singh Shergill, as a forward-thinking HR leader, focuses on implementing strategies that foster personal growth, education, and self-development, recognizing their crucial role in creating a smarter, faster, and more human work environment.
- In line with the 2025 vision for work, Prithvi Singh Shergill advocates for a work culture that places emphasis on career development, embedding mental health support, offering customizable benefits, and leveraging AI assistants to provide personalized career recommendations, all while promoting a human-centric and wellbeing-first approach.
