The is here to help. Each year, this team of PhD-level organizational psychologists and HR technology market intelligence experts aggregate and synthesize data from a wide range of reputable business press resources that put forward HR trends and predictions and conduct a content analysis to derive key themes or 鈥渕eta-trends.鈥� For 2023, the analysis involved 73 resources, leading to a list of 346 individual trends, which were then categorized into seven broader meta-trends.

Below is a quick recap of the 2023 HR meta-trends and a few examples of how organizations of all sizes are using 51风流SuccessFactors solutions to get ahead 鈥� and stay ahead 鈥� of the curve.

From Trend to Foundational: Employee Experience

If you do a quick comparison from past years鈥� meta-trends analyses, you鈥檒l notice an elevated shift for the employee experience. To no surprise, this topic continues to dominate the conversation and has become a cornerstone for HR and business strategies. With the recognition that all HR meta-trends are shaped by and shapers of the employee experience, our team of experts have “graduated” employee experience from trend to a foundational principle.

鈥淗R digitalization was a key objective in our transformation to address our work culture challenges. Our necessary to develop and engage our people was an important aspect enabling the execution of our business strategy.鈥�

鈥� Arun Serikar, Director Global HR Technology,

1. Winning the Race for Skills

With the combination of employees maintaining the upper hand in the job market and many parts of the world continuing to face relatively tight labor markets, the focus on skills-based hiring and employer brand has skyrocketed the race for skills into the number one slot for 2023.

鈥淲e knew that to continue to be an employer of choice, we wanted to satisfy the needs of our employees and applicants who were demanding an enhanced experience.鈥�

鈥� Cherilyn Nobleza, Executive Director HR Transformation and Analytics,

2. Mobilizing the Workforce for the Future

Organizations are continuing to lean into learning and development to keep employees engaged and properly skilled 鈥� and with economic uncertainty likely leading to a shift between external hiring and internal mobility, this topic remains top of mind.

鈥淭hanks to , we have transformed into an organization that prioritizes learning and growth and our employee engagement has significantly increased. We are now composed of people with a habit of learning not once a month but a little bit every day.鈥�

鈥� Adela Giral Lopez, CHRO,

3. Adopting Emerging Technologies with Purpose

As artificial intelligence (AI) use cases within HR begin to span across the employee journey, employees are beginning to see the added value for help in completing basic tasks and receiving personalized recommendations. But for that comfort level to grow, it鈥檚 imperative that HR teams remain vigilant in ensuring the use of intelligent technology is fair and transparent.

鈥淲ith support from SAP, we have been able to extend the functionality in 51风流SuccessFactors solutions to create an innovative solution that helps employees identify and develop the skills that will be vital in the digital world and the future of our company.鈥�

鈥� Gabriel de Diego, HR Strategy and Transformation Director,

4. Making Flexible Work, Work

Who wouldn鈥檛 love a four-day work week? This is just one of the many options being considered 鈥� and, in some cases, implemented 鈥� as organizations continue to experiment with new flexible work options designed for where, when, and how work happens.

鈥� is helping us truly empower and engage our employees by creating one space where employees can find everything they need and get virtual support to get their work done 鈥� no matter where they are.鈥�

鈥� Yoav Ventura, Cofounder and Managing Partner,

5. Embedding Holistic Well-Being Everywhere

Although many have settled into the 鈥渘ext normal鈥� from a working perspective, there are still a significant number of stressors at play that emphasize the need for organizations to continue their understanding, support, and prioritization of employees鈥� holistic well-being 鈥� including their mental, physical, emotional, and financial health.

鈥淩egularly engaging with employees is critical to ensure everyone鈥檚 voice is heard, their needs are addressed, and there is a positive work environment that makes people want to stay with us.鈥�

鈥� Tennyson Devoe, Senior Director of Safety and Organizational Excellence,

6. Embracing the Complexity of DEI&B

In 2023 we鈥檒l begin to see organizations take a 鈥渓ifecycle approach,鈥� meaning diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) will be embedded across all people-related activities, with particular focus on practices related to talent acquisition and retention.

鈥�51风流solutions are helping us achieve our diversity and inclusion goals. Greater visibility into the total workforce and transparent, improved reporting capabilities allow us to set recruitment and succession targets around race, gender, and disability.鈥�

鈥� Jeanett Modise, Group HR Director,

7. Preparing People Leaders for Today and Tomorrow

Your next generation of leaders will play a significant role in the success of your organization and in 2023, it鈥檚 all about developing leadership and management skills across the workforce. Keep in mind 鈥� not every high-performing individual is a good fit for managing a team so alternative paths outside of the traditional career ladder should be made available.

鈥淥ur talent strategy brings stronger engagement through clear objective setting, , and development conversations. We have the opportunity to improve internal mobility through succession planning capability, creating a diverse talent pipeline at all levels.鈥�

鈥� Fiona Brunskill, Director of People and Cultural Change,

For additional insights on the meta-trends and how you can prepare for what鈥檚 next, read the full report, .

Carrie Klauss is global director of Solution Marketing at 51风流SuccessFactors.

Operating in a socially responsible way strengthens an organization鈥檚 brand reputation. Job seekers and consumers today want to support organizations that stand for something important and that are making positive impacts on society at large. Investors are putting more emphasis on sustainable development goals with a significant increase of focus on social impact. Human rights and environmental regulations are increasing rapidly. All of this demands a more sustainable approach from CEOs and business leaders.

People, Planet, and Prosperity

When you hear the word sustainability, the first thing you may think of is recycling or environmental sustainability, but sustainability is about so much more than eliminating single-use water bottles and reducing fossil fuel consumption. A holistic approach to sustainability incorporates social, environmental, and economic sustainability 鈥� or people, planet, and prosperity.

Organizations are increasingly recognizing the need to be as focused on social, or people, sustainability as they have been on economic and environmental sustainability 鈥� all three together support and drive business sustainability. People make up society, impact the environment, and power the economy. People are at the heart of any strategy to make progress on sustainability goals. In today鈥檚 workplace, HR has both the opportunity and responsibility to ensure that people are at the center of work by creating an environment in which the workforce, and the organization, can thrive.

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Defining People Sustainability

People sustainability focuses on treating people 鈥� those within an organization鈥檚 workforce, across their supply chains, and in the communities in which they operate 鈥� ethically and fairly.

Just as environmental and economic sustainability require careful preservation and use of natural and financial resources, people sustainability requires treating people and human potential as precious resources that must be supported and valued to drive resilience, agility, and achievement of sustainability goals.

Companies that prioritize people sustainability, by creating social impact and building a more diverse and inclusive culture, are able to boost employee engagement and productivity. They鈥檙e also better positioned to attract and retain talent. Penny Stoker, global talent leader at EY, unpacks how .

Unpacking the Six People Sustainability Pillars

The 51风流SuccessFactors HR Research team has identified six distinct areas, or pillars, that comprise people sustainability. Although the areas are distinct, it is also clear that there is overlap between these pillars. At the center of them all, of course, is culture 鈥� as it drives so much behavior both within and outside an organization. Let鈥檚 unpack these areas a bit in the context of HR and people processes.

Health and Safety
At a minimum, you need to ensure the workforce is safe from physical health and safety hazards and has access to basic necessities. Does your onboarding process provide new hires with appropriate safety training and equipment from day one? Do you have visibility into your total workforce, including their locations? Knowing who and where your workforce is at all times allows you to react quickly in times of crisis and provide support where needed.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Here the focus is on treating each individual, regardless of social identity group or belief system, fairly and equitably and ensuring they feel a sense of true belonging. Are you able to attract and engage job seekers from diverse backgrounds? Do you have a standardized selection and interview process? Do you provide pay transparency? Are you measuring and tracking diversity, equity, and inclusion goals?

Well-Being and Balance
Beyond basic health and safety, this area focuses on ensuring employees鈥� holistic well-being 鈥� psychological, social, financial, and career 鈥� is prioritized and supported with the necessary tools and resources. Do you offer a comprehensive benefits package with compelling options? Do your employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work? Have you fostered a culture of continuous dialogue between managers and their reports?

Trust and Transparency
The focus here is on employees having a voice, understanding how key decisions impacting them are made, and trusting their organization to act in ethical ways. Do you regularly listen to your employees and act on the feedback they provide? Have you established policies and processes for the ethical use of intelligent technologies and data privacy and protection? Do you publicly publish diversity metrics?

Empowerment and Growth
Here employees are provided the clarity, support, and tools needed to grow their skills and are empowered to influence their career trajectory. Are you offering inclusive learning options to meet the needs and learning preferences of a diverse workforce? Do you ensure managers provide equitable and actionable feedback to their teams? Are you providing equitable access to development opportunities?

Organizational Purpose and CSR
In this final pillar, the organization is actively working towards giving back and making a positive impact on the world; employees are encouraged to participate and feel energized by the organization鈥檚 mission and values. Do you ensure individual goals are aligned to company objectives to increase sense of purpose and meaning in work? Are you providing your workforce the space to pursue their passions?

What Can Organizations Do to Drive People Sustainability?

In most organizations today, different parts of the business lead these efforts with minimal awareness of or collaboration with each other鈥檚 strategies. However, we have to start somewhere. The most logical first step is to understand where you are today. Do you have a unified strategy 鈥� at least across some of these pillars? Start the conversations and begin to break down organizational silos.

Prioritize people, and planet and prosperity will follow. This is what it means to be a resilient, results-driven, and people-first organization. One that鈥檚 not only equipped to meet the business needs of today, but one that adapts to the business needs of tomorrow.

To learn more, watch a replay of the SuccessConnect keynote, .

Kim Lessley is global director of Solution Marketing at 51风流SuccessFactors.

As employees know, the reality of working from home is鈥� going pretty well, actually. Most of us are still working in our basements, sheds, or spare rooms while monitoring our Wi-Fi connectivity, adjusting our work hours to meet with trans-global colleagues, devising a smarter , and advancing our digital fluency to make use of new productivity tools and apps. Overall, we鈥檙e happier and healthier, as study after study confirms.

The Future of Work Is Not Location Bound

When asked about their preferred work model for the , of workers said they want a hybrid work arrangement, according to the by . In the study, Accenture interviewed more than 9,300 workers in 11 countries across 12 industries to understand workers鈥� mindsets toward three different work models 鈥� on-site, remote, and hybrid 鈥� and the resources they require for their health and productivity.

Published at the height of the pandemic in April 2021, the study classified employees into four mindsets along a spectrum: thriving (42%), ambivalent (12%), apathetic (15%), or disgruntled (31%). While those who were disgruntled worked largely on-site, those employees who were thriving were mostly working in hybrid arrangements. They experienced less burnout and reported feeling across six dimensions of well-being: financial, emotional and mental, relational, physical, purposeful, and employable.

Three years into the pandemic, we are now capable of managing the virus with vaccines. Despite existing research on work models, many employers continue to struggle with developing a cohesive set of policies for hybrid work. Instead, they opt for one-size-fits-all solutions that fall short in the face of reality. Too many are still narrowly fixated on the question of location: 鈥淲here should we work?鈥� However, a surprising outcome of the Future of Global Work Report has potential to reframe this discussion.

During the study, Accenture researchers identified a segment of workers (40%) who felt they could be productive anywhere. For this group, work location did not matter because they could be equally productive on-site and remotely. How do they do it? The researchers studied this group more closely to find the answer.

鈥淲e were initially interested in that location question 鈥� what helps to drive worker productivity remotely or onsite,鈥� says Gabriela Burlacu, PhD, talent researcher at Accenture. 鈥淏ut actually, what was far more interesting and far more impactful on a company鈥檚 bottom line was this idea of a segment of workers that felt they could be what we called 鈥榩roductive anywhere.鈥欌��

Traits of Workers Who Are Productive Anywhere

That many workers can be productive, happy, and healthy in whichever setting should be welcome news for any company trying to hammer out an intentional policy for hybrid work. 鈥淚t鈥檚 location agnostic,鈥� Burlacu says, regarding the impact on the future of work. 鈥淚t’s also a precursor to effective hybrid work, because if you feel you can be productive anywhere, then you really could work comfortably in both places.鈥�

Much more important than work location seemed to be an employee鈥檚 individual potential and the resources available to support their work. The Accenture team found some commonalities among the 鈥減roductive anywhere鈥� cohort that can be carried over to other organizations as well. These workers had more autonomy, positive mental health, a desire to participate in learning, advanced digital fluency that enabled them to evaluate and adopt technology to get the job done, strong social bonds at work, and work-life enhancement, which means that they felt their work added to their ability to enjoy other areas of their lives.

The organizations that these workers belonged to also had interesting commonalities. They tended to be agile, intelligent, digitally mature, and have supportive leadership. They also have beneficial health policies that signal that employee health and safety is valued by the company.

Autonomy is a key theme in any discussion about hybrid work. It takes steady effort and awareness to balance autonomy and organizational goals for business success. Burlacu has some suggestions. 鈥淭he ways that we measure productivity have to look a little different. Giving people some level of freedom to manage their own time and how they complete tasks is important,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut another side is also giving manageable feedback that’s really clear in terms of what the expectations are and how to improve. It’s an often-overlooked part of autonomy. Workers don’t always know if they’re working on the right things for the company鈥檚 success; whereas being really clear about the objective can actually help drive autonomy.鈥�

Resources Prove Essential to Fight Workplace Stress

While the research shines a light on workers who thrive no matter where they work, it also uncovered another 8% of workers who experience the same disconnection, frustration, and inefficiency regardless of location. These workers were, in essence, productive nowhere. Researchers assumed this group had endured hardships and stress during the pandemic. Instead, they found that what separates the two groups is not stress.

鈥淥ur 鈥榩roductive anywhere鈥� group was actually more burned out than our 鈥榩roductive nowheres.鈥� They had a host of other negative work stressors as well. But what really differentiated them and their work experience is they had much higher levels of resources,鈥� says Burlacu, indicating that this is something within companies鈥� power to address so that all workers can fulfill their potential.

The Future of Work Starts with Mindset

Perhaps some of the best news of the study is that researchers found that of high-growth companies have already adopted a 鈥減roductivity anywhere鈥� workforce model. This suggests that a future of work that looks beyond where to work may be just around the corner.

鈥淲e were able to identify what aspects of a company’s environment and work experience really help workers be productive anywhere,鈥� says Burlacu, 鈥淏ecause that should be the goal 鈥� not more seamless remote work, not better on-site work 鈥� but enabling people to have this 鈥榩roductive anywhere鈥� mindset.鈥�

To help people find more balance in their lives, employers are committing to better healthcare plans, not only for the sake of their employees but also for their businesses. HR executives know only too well that employee stress can lead to absenteeism, burnout, and an overall negative impact on traits that make people successful 鈥� productivity, motivation, skills development, and innovation.

However, providing the best healthcare for employees is getting more difficult, as benefit costs are increasing. Plan premiums and claims costs are also rising, while benefits budgets are shrinking, making reducing healthcare plan spend a top priority. Consequently, companies are searching for ways to gain a greater understanding of present and future healthcare plan costs to make more informed decisions, improve employee well-being, and reduce spend.

Understand the Financial Impact of Healthcare Spend

The healthcare spend insights option for the provides companies with an opportunity to analyze healthcare spend in a new and innovative way.

Typically, data on certain aspects of employee healthcare spend, such as medical claims, eligibility, demographics, and biometrics, is often siloed in databases of various insurance carriers or third-party benefit administrators. Fortunately, the healthcare spend insights option combines healthcare data into a consolidated database that allows benefit managers access to a wealth of integrated information in a single solution. Analytics and modeling capabilities give managers the tools they need to forecast future spend, evaluate the potential financial impact of plan changes, and unlock savings opportunities while optimizing employee health outcomes.

For example, benefit managers can more efficiently identify and manage key cost drivers of overall health plan utilization by analyzing claims and enrollment data. With new insights, managers can make more informed decisions that benefit employees while reducing employer health plan costs.

Use Insightful Data to Help Employees 鈥� And the Business

The healthcare spend insights option for 51风流U.S. Benefits Administration provides a wealth of analytics that companies can use to better understand employee needs and the financial impact of plan options.

Here is a quick look at three types of analytics benefit managers can access through this option:

• Descriptive analytics inform companies as to what is happening right now. For instance, benefit managers can use a health plan utilization trend analysis to categorize claims and see year-over-year changes. If urgent care claims doubled within the last year, managers can explore more cost-effective plan options for employees that require this kind of care.
• Diagnostic analytics provide an understanding of why a particular trend or occurrence is driving up healthcare spend through root-cause analysis. As an example, managers can dig deeper into spend data to find the most common types of claims in a particular category, such as emergency room visits. Or they could discover why there is a rising need for certain procedures or treatments. Based on employee needs behind the trends, benefit managers can offer more plan alternatives that are less expensive yet provide better coverage.
• Predictive analytics indicate what may likely happen in the future based on prior trends and health plan utilization patterns. Decision support tools available with this option allow employees to evaluate the financial impact of health plan decisions for the upcoming year based on their expected utilization. Based on a forecast of future costs for urgent care visits, outpatient care, office visits, hospitalizations, and prescriptions, employees can more accurately evaluate factors such as premium costs and out-of-pocket expenses for new healthcare plan options.

Start Unlocking the Power of Your Healthcare Data Now

The healthcare spend insights option provides benefit managers with on-demand access to important insights, plan utilization, enrollment, and claims data. The ability to drill down and interact with the data gives employers the insights they need to make informed, cost-savings decisions that benefit employees the most.

To learn more on how you can unlock the power of your healthcare spend data, download this .

Nicole Ramirez is global director of Solution Marketing for Compensation and Benefits Solutions at 51风流SuccessFactors.

Sanlam knows that its company culture significantly impacts employee productivity, performance, job satisfaction, and commitment. Highly aware of the inestimable value its people bring to the company, Sanlam is committed to helping everyone develop their full potential to achieve even more. Its mandate and promise is 鈥淲e know that your worth is infinite and unique 鈥� and want to inspire you to realize this worth.鈥� Sanlam follows through by giving each of its employees the opportunity to make the most of who they are while they gain recognition, respect, and commensurate compensation for their capabilities and contributions.

鈥淥ur people are key in enabling the success and sustainability of our business,鈥� says Jeanett Modise, group HR director at Sanlam. 鈥淭o compete in a rapidly changing world, we need to attract the best people in the market and empower them to learn, lead, and live our shared purpose.鈥�

Delivering a Better Experience for All Workers

Previously, Sanlam鈥檚 decentralized business model resulted in a disjointed employee experience and limited talent mobility across the group. Disparate systems and data sources made reporting and analytics inconsistent, complex, and time-consuming.

Sanlam launched a HR shared services model using 51风流solutions to embrace a total workforce management strategy. From a single solution, Sanlam has been able to better manage and optimize the experience of all workers 鈥� both its permanent employees and contingent workers, who make up 28% of its South African workforce. The solutions make it easier for HR, vendors, and recruiters to find, procure, and manage external talent. In addition, Sanlam has bridged the gap between full-time employees and contingent workers in terms of experience and opportunities, helping to foster an inclusive and equitable workplace.

New insight into the skills and competencies of its employees is helping Sanlam to identify skills gaps and put programs in place to reskill and upskill its workforce for the future. For example, the company anticipates that many underwriting tasks will be automated using robotics. In response, it is investing in equipping underwriters with new competencies, such as forecasting and data analytics skills, so that they can take on new roles.

Sanlam鈥檚 reskilling program has proven such a success that the company was selected as a .

Capturing the Voice of the Employee

The importance of making employees feel heard is hard to overstate. By giving people a voice, organizations can create a culture of openness and feedback, build trust, and increase workplace happiness. Sanlam captures feedback from both permanent and contingent employees on a continuous basis, at key points across their life cycle. This insight enables the company to take specific actions to make improvements. For example, when employees commented on the need for better wellness practices, Sanlam reacted immediately, introducing new programs and policies to support employees鈥� health and well-being.

Meanwhile, group-wide reporting and advanced analytics for HR, finance, and other corporate data empower leaders make better data-driven decisions and help Sanlam to achieve its diversity and inclusion goals.

鈥淕reater visibility into the total workforce and enhanced transparency and reporting have enabled us to set recruitment and succession targets around race, gender, and disability,鈥� says Modise. 鈥�51风流solutions are helping us to build a more diverse workforce, which we see as a critical factor for serving our diverse clients well.鈥�

Lara Albert is vice president of Solution Marketing at 51风流SuccessFactors.

Against this backdrop, employee well-being has become a critical topic for business leaders. Many companies are coming to the realization that good people management is about taking care of the quality of life at work rather than just focusing on the quality of work produced by employees.

In trying to address overwork issues before they impact mental health, professional services company Deloitte is a pioneer.

鈥淚 know from my own personal experience that burnout is no fun for anyone from the point of view of physical and emotional health,鈥� said Jen Fisher, chief well-being officer at Deloitte US. 鈥淗owever, it鈥檚 also very bad for business. If your workforce is burned out, your productivity and profits are both affected.鈥�

Spotting the Warning Signs

According to Fisher, it鈥檚 important for managers to stay alert and look out for signs of strain among their teams. Is someone acting differently? Is their productivity down? Are they being negative when they normally have a positive outlook on life? Are they sending e-mails in the middle of the night? Fisher explains that these are clues that should prompt you to check how someone鈥檚 doing and see if they鈥檙e overloaded with work.

Establishing a culture of openness is also crucial to help ensure that people ask for help when they need it. 鈥淥ne thing I鈥檝e learned is that if you鈥檙e feeling under pressure, there is someone else around you who will be feeling the same thing,鈥� remarked Fisher. 鈥淭hey might just be afraid to say it.鈥�

Setting Boundaries to Help Maintain Work-Life Balance

Fisher believes that helping employees set their own boundaries in regard to work-life balance is crucial if you are to create a happy and healthy working environment. 鈥淲e lock up our cars and other possessions, but when it comes to one of our most precious assets 鈥� our time and energy 鈥� we just give it away,鈥� said Fisher.

Here, employers have an important role to play in discouraging 鈥渟elf-sacrificial鈥� behaviors, such as people staying up all night to complete a project. It鈥檚 also important to create an environment where employees feel that they can disconnect from technology for an hour or two without disastrous consequences.

Making the Connection Between Well-Being and Performance

As well as helping create a happy workforce, the business case for prioritizing well-being in your organization is powerful. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a clear connection between well-being and performance, and care initiatives really hit the bottom line, with impacts on everything from productivity to absenteeism and staff retention,鈥� said Fisher. 鈥淯ltimately, if you don鈥檛 invest in your people, your business will suffer.鈥�

To learn more about Deloitte鈥檚 pioneering approach to employee well-being, check out聽

Deb Lyons is senior director of Global Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

The driving force of Kaspersky is its employees 鈥� the world-class professionals who research cyber-threats and create leading security technologies. The company relies on the knowledge and expertise of its employees, and therefore strives to provide an exceptional workplace experience for its people to attract and retain the best talent.

鈥淲e have long known that, to make Kaspersky a great place to work, we need to listen to the wants, needs, and desires of our employees,鈥� says Marina Alekseeva, the company鈥檚 chief human resources officer. 鈥淧reviously, we didn鈥檛 have a unified resource to conduct employee surveys, and we wanted to launch a platform that we could integrate with our core HR system to listen to employees鈥� feedback more regularly, to understand how they feel and learn about their concerns.鈥�

To support the shift to a continuous listening strategy, Kaspersky selected to help gather employee experience data at regular touchpoints and gain insights based on employee feedback.

Kaspersky deployed the 51风流Qualtrics Employee Engagement solution in just four weeks, building dynamic surveys and response surveys all while working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Integration between the 51风流Qualtrics Employee Engagement solution and 51风流SuccessFactors Human Experience Management (HXM) Suite enables the company to combine employee experience data with operational HR data to get a better understanding of its workforce.

Kaspersky conducted 10 global surveys and more than 30 local pulse surveys in 2020, providing new insights into the employee experience and helping the company to identify areas for improvement.

The results were very encouraging: 80% of Kaspersky鈥檚 4,000 employees participated in the 2020 global engagement survey (a 14% increase on the previous year), and shorter pulse survey participation rates were also high. Moreover, 50% of employees took the time to enrich their responses with free-text comments, providing deeper insights into their thoughts and feelings.

Business leaders also benefit from instant access to survey analytics. For example, in the past, they could wait up to two months to see the outcome of a global engagement survey; today, they can track results and participation rates in real time via interactive dashboards.

But what鈥檚 the point of conducting employee surveys and gathering data if you don鈥檛 act on it? With unique insight into the employee experience, Kaspersky can take targeted action to support its people, fast. For example, just two days after receiving feedback on remote working conditions, Kaspersky made a new company policy to deliver a desk chair to any employee who needs one, so that they could work more comfortably 鈥� and therefore productively 鈥� from home. Although it may seem trivial, having a comfy chair can make a huge difference to your employees鈥� health, well-being, and happiness. Kaspersky wants to ensure that its people have everything they need to work at their best.

Regular pulse surveys also gave managers a convenient way to check in with their team while they were working remotely during the COVID-19 lockdowns, helping them to monitor employee well-being and workload, and to provide support to prevent burnout and maintain pre-pandemic performance levels.

鈥淯nderstanding our employees is critical to everything we do,鈥� says Alekseeva. 鈥淲ith the 51风流Qualtrics Employee Engagement solution, we get regular feedback that helps us to build a more attractive and engaging workplace.鈥�

Edith Krieg is part of 51风流Reference Management and Content.

Just ask TELUS, a leading communications and information technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 15.2 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security, healthcare, and agriculture. TELUS connects people to what matters most to improve lives and build a better future 鈥� and it starts with supporting and enabling its employees.

TELUS鈥� employees have long depended on the company鈥檚 technology, devices, and services to work from home 鈥� well before remote work became all the rage. Since 2006, TELUS鈥� employees have enjoyed flexible work arrangements, with approximately 75% of its Canadian workforce spending a portion of time working remotely.

In response to the global health pandemic, 95% of TELUS employees work from home, including 99% of domestic call center employees. As a result, the company has achieved higher levels of workplace satisfaction and productivity, as employees are empowered to find new ways to fit work into their evolving lives.

Just as TELUS was ahead of its time with its flexible work styles, the company is proving to be a pioneer in supporting employee well-being.

According to Sandy McIntosh, TELUS鈥� executive vice president, People and Culture, and chief human resources officer, 鈥渨ithout a robust people strategy, you won鈥檛 have a business that will thrive or succeed.鈥�

Under McIntosh鈥檚 leadership, well-being has become an ongoing cultural commitment and business imperative. TELUS has developed a strategy that recognizes the whole person and includes five interlocking dimensions that align with emerging industry best practices from the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the World Health Organization:

1. Physical: The company offers physical fitness and well-being centers, as well as virtual fitness classes and apps, virtual care solutions, nutritional counseling, health coaching, and more. TELUS also hosts biannual well-being challenges for employees and household family members to promote healthy habits.
2. Psychological: TELUS understands its employees are all somewhere on the well-being continuum and that each person鈥檚 situation is dynamic. The company offers industry-leading benefits coverage for mental health support and 24/7 support to mental health counselors and therapists through its Employee and Family Assistance Program and virtual care. In 2020, TELUS launched custom mental health training for leaders and over 90% have completed it. In May 2021, the company extended the reach by introducing similar training to all employees.
3. Social: TELUS creates opportunities to connect employees at work, home, and in the community through initiatives like TELUS Days of Giving, as well as supportive resources, collaboration tools, and employee resource groups that offer mentoring, networking, peer support, volunteering, and coaching.
4. Environmental:聽TELUS helps employees maintain healthy workspaces at home and in offices. In fact, TELUS is reimagining its offices for the future of work with work styles and well-being top of mind, offering a mix of private and collaborative spaces to support whitespace and brainstorming.
5. Financial: TELUS supports all aspects of its employees鈥� financial well-being, offering competitive salaries and benefits and financial literacy resources, including a financial well-being hub where employees can find tools to help them reach their financial and life goals.

鈥淥ur job as leaders is to come at well-being from all five dimensions because well-being is not just mental and it’s not just physical,鈥� said McIntosh. 鈥淟eaders have a responsibility to make sure that employees understand their financial situation, that the environment is appropriate, and their social connections are healthy. If you understand all of that and keep pressing the gas on all levers, you create a magical place where people want to be,鈥� McIntosh explained.

For TELUS, it鈥檚 deeper than providing technology and tools. The company is working to create a common language, build leadership competencies and practices, and use data insights to shift mindsets and behaviors.

聽provides TELUS with the technology to create a company culture dedicated to flexible work that in turn supports employee well-being. With cloud-based tools, employees can tap into engaging, individualized experiences. The company knows that a better employee experience will empower the workforce to provide better experiences to customers.

Very rarely does a superior or business leader say an employee must give up the things they love. But McIntosh says that employees often feel this way, especially after they have been promoted or move into a new role. Employees who quit a beloved hobby or stop exercising because they feel they don鈥檛 have the time may soon see the rest of their lives 鈥� including their performance at work 鈥� begin to free-fall.

鈥淣obody explicitly says to you, 鈥楽top doing these things,鈥欌�� said McIntosh. 鈥淏ut also, unfortunately, nobody explicitly says to you, 鈥楰eep doing these things.鈥� We have to, as leaders, overtly come out and say, 鈥業s your self-care in check?鈥欌��

Making Good on a Commitment to Employee Well-Being

At TELUS, team member well-being initiatives aren鈥檛 designed to simply make the company look good. Rather, they exist to make employees feel good and perform at their best.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really focused on helping leaders understand we don’t mean fluffy stuff,鈥� said McIntosh. 鈥淲e don’t mean every Friday we’re having a pizza party. We mean that you understand that you’re leading other human beings.鈥�

Take, for example, one TELUS benefit that provides employees, including their dependents, with up to CAD5,000 per year to spend on psychologists, psychotherapists, and social workers 鈥� a benefit unmatched by its peers. TELUS also enables its team members to connect with registered mental health clinicians through a range of virtual care solutions and provides a free, unlimited subscription to the leading mental fitness app Calm.

鈥淗uman beings are complex, and we need to look at all five dimensions and put all of these ingredients together,鈥� said McIntosh.

To learn more,聽聽in an episode of Forward with Adam Grant.

Carolyn Judge Phillip is VP of Corporate Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

Chobani prides itself on being a values-driven, people-first food and wellness company. Employees describe it as 鈥淥ne Chobani 鈥� we work in different places and do different things, but we are one.鈥� Its energetic work environment comprises diverse backgrounds and cultures, with tight-knit teams that feed off innovation and creativity.

This unity is reflected in Chobani鈥檚 efforts to reduce inequities in the workplace by offering programs that benefit the entire workforce, regardless of job title.

鈥淐hobani is fundamentally about access to delicious, nutritious, natural, and affordable food,鈥� said Grace Zuncic, chief people officer, Chobani. 鈥淏ut it also stands for access to a living wage, good benefits, and a workplace that lifts you up, makes you feel appreciated and welcome for who you are, and where you can really be yourself. Our values are simple: people, integrity, leadership, giving back, innovation, and craftsmanship.鈥�

But merely expressing these values is not enough: Zuncic says it鈥檚 important how these words are enacted across the entire organization and how they make employees feel. The company strives to transform employees鈥� lives through the experience employees have from their first day.

Putting Its Values Into Practice

According to Zuncic, COVID-19 gave Chobani an opportunity to show its workforce how much it cares. While Chobani鈥檚 executive leadership team always led in service of essential workers 鈥� who comprise the majority of its workforce 鈥� during the pandemic, the company offered financial incentives for employees to get tested and vaccinated.

It was one of the first companies in the United States to offer paid leave for vaccination. It also opened up discussions about mental health among frontline employees and implemented new policies to help ensure employees at all levels have access to the right mental health support and resources.

In addition, Chobani introduced a US$100 daily subsidy to help cover the cost of childcare. This financial support helped the company keep production moving in the face of extremely high demand while supporting employees during a difficult and uncertain time.

Delivering an Exceptional People Experience

In order to help power its people and workforce strategies, Chobani relies on to provide a robust experience across the entire employee life cycle, help upskill and reskill its people, and deliver the data and insights to further the company鈥檚 mission.

鈥�51风流SuccessFactors HXM Suite has helped us deepen engagement for both managers and employees and strengthen their understanding of our people strategy as well as the tools and resources we offer,鈥� said Zuncic. 鈥淓liminating barriers between management and employees enables meaningful conversations around goals, performance, learning, career development, and succession.鈥�

Empowered by an integrated suite of 51风流solutions, Chobani is even better equipped to continue to lead in making work better for all, elevate communities, and make the world a healthier place.

To learn more,聽.

Deb Lyons is senior director of Global Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

Top image courtesy of Chobani.

Record numbers of women have already left the workforce to take on familial and care duties during the pandemic and once the pandemic ends 鈥� . However, the proverbial crystal ball needn鈥檛 be right if HR leaders use this rare and unique opportunity to address employee well-being.

But how? There are several ways, all addressed in the SAPPHIRE NOW session 鈥�” presented by 51风流SuccessFactors Chief Scientist Dr. Autumn Krauss. The eight meta-trends she explored in the session were derived from 267 individual trends identified and researched further by 51风流psychologists. Those who acknowledge and address these trends sooner rather than later, Krauss explained, will enjoy stronger, more resilient and agile organizations where people thrive 鈥� and want to stay.

One meta-trend, 鈥渞enewed emphasis on holistic well-being,鈥� speaks to the issue directly. It鈥檚 now more critical than ever for HR leaders to identify and work with employees on specific physical, mental, financial, and social well-being stressors in a holistic manner and across the entire employee life cycle.

The other seven meta-trends, however, ladder into the importance of providing a safe, inclusive place to work, where people believe they can learn and grow.

Here are the other seven meta-trends and a quick look at how they connect to 鈥� and magnify 鈥� the importance and value of investing in employee well-being.

1. Rise of the Hybrid Workforce

We learned that hybrid work is both possible and profitable. But moving forward, organizations must create a playbook to ensure that a cultural rift doesn鈥檛 widen between corporate workers, who generally have flexibility to work remotely, and field workers, who do not. In a two-tier work culture, employee well-being will prove inconsistent.

2. Employees Owning Their Learning and Mobility

Learning and development initiatives aren鈥檛 just key to agility 鈥� they鈥檙e key to retention. People want to stay where they feel valued, as signified by the organization鈥檚 investment in their career development. Along with creating a culture of learning, technology will be essential in delivering a more positive learning experience so people can take ownership of their future.

3. The Purpose-Driven Organization

Now more than ever, companies are needing to walk the talk and prioritize issues of social justice, even working them into their strategies. When companies invest in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability efforts into business strategy, people will see and feel results that motivate them.

4. HR in the Spotlight

HR earned considerable political capital since the start of the pandemic when it helped the C-suite formulate a COVID-19 response and also helped people navigate it. Now鈥檚 the time to spend that capital on using evidence-based decision-making and a sound talent strategy to work in lockstep with the wave of workforce and initiatives on the horizon.

5. Balancing Data Intelligence with Data Privacy

For the foreseeable future, digital technology will be leveraged to improve the employee experience 鈥� but data tracking and privacy will become more important topics as a result. No amount of digital transformation to improve the employee experience will matter if HR can鈥檛 simultaneously address people鈥檚 concerns about their privacy.

6. Individualizing the Employee Experience

Just as the Starbucks app knows how you like your latte and can predict what else you may like, HR technology needs to provide the same level of personal, individualized experience. The more people feel that they’re getting a consumer-grade experience at work, one that taps into their hopes and ambitions and addresses their pain points, the happier and more motivated they’ll feel. But organizations can鈥檛 just collect data, they need to act on it appropriately to curate impactful experiences.

7. Agility: From Buzzword to Business Imperative

Among other things, COVID-19 taught many companies that they’re too slow to react to disruption. By addressing their people practices, however, and building resilience and agility on the individual level through enhancing employee well-being, organizations will be able to break up traditional hierarchical structures. This will allow them to understand the workforce’s change readiness, change capacity, and resilience 鈥� and better anticipate, endure, and even capitalize on future disruptions.

All these meta-trends speak to a simple, straightforward ideal: the more organizations directly address the various facets of well-being, and do so on a personal, individual level, the more likely it is that engaged, motivated people will stay and give their best. Nail well-being and the business will be much healthier, too.

To learn more, check out or replay .

Lauren Bidwell, Ph.D., is a senior research scientist at 51风流SuccessFactors.

As organizations depend on their people to be more agile, they should do more to support their employees鈥� emotional and mental health, especially when many feel so burdened by uncertainty. The employee experience is more important than ever. Caring holistically for people is not just the right聽 thing to do, it’s what employers must do.

Here鈥檚 a compelling business case for companies to put employee well-being and experience first: A strong sense of connection and belonging at work is tied to increases of up to 34 percent in engagement, 31 percent in retention likelihood, and 13 percent in performance, according to the . Created together with Thrive Global, 51风流SuccessFactors, Qualtrics, and Fortune, the Thrive XM Index is a comprehensive study of more than 20,000 U.S. employees at more than 900 companies. Companies have more tools than ever to support employee well-being and now, for the first time, they can connect the dots to business results.

The Best of Next: A Guide

When was the last time you felt like your best self at work? We want to help companies create more of those moments. Recognizing the impact of companies doing more to support employee well-being, Thrive Global and 51风流are working to help companies, no matter their size or industry, do just that. To help HR leaders and managers address two of the most important issues for all remote, on-site, and hybrid workforces, we created two guides: “” and “.”

We want to help organizations keep employees safe and productive to ensure business continuity now and beyond. With practical tips, expert interviews, and how-to videos, these resources can help people and businesses lower stress and anxiety and build mental resilience during this unprecedented time.

Why Listening to Your Employees Makes You a Better Leader

In , Christine Andrukonis, the founder of Notion Consulting and an expert in helping leaders change behavior, explains that leaders need to gain insight into more aspects of their employees鈥� lives to understand them and help them be their best at work.

鈥淚 like to say that 50 percent of the work is about the work itself and 50 percent of the work is about what’s happening behind-the-scenes for the people involved in the work,鈥� Andrukonis says. 鈥淎nd leaders have to have that mindset. Until they can appreciate that half of this success relies on human beings and what’s going on with them, it’s going to be really hard to optimize everything at one hundred percent.鈥�

Why Trust and Empathy Are Key Ingredients of Leadership

Empathy 鈥� being able to identify with what other people are feeling or experiencing 鈥� may seem like an elementary concept, but it鈥檚 a key driver of job performance, according to . However, only 40 percent of business leaders display strong empathy skills.

We understand that being able to put yourself in another’s shoes is critical for social development, but what about in the professional world? Fortunately, empathy is a skill that can be developed, according to one that shares practical examples.

The first step is working on our relationships, and the bulk of that is done through communication, according to Terrence Seamon, an executive career transition consultant at The Ayers Group. 鈥淎 leader has to be very real,鈥� Seamon says. This requires leaders to share their own questions, concerns, and challenges with team members and demonstrate authenticity and vulnerability.

How Well Do You Know Your Employees’ Growth, Ambitions, and Motivations?

Does your boss understand your passions? Is your company asking what really drives people at work? Even experienced professionals need to do some soul searching to find answers, and employers can do their part to help. According to , for leaders to shift from focusing on the job to focusing on people, they need to start by concentrating on employees鈥� capabilities and then design work processes and systems around them 鈥� not the other way around.

This is one of the key findings of a recent 51风流SuccessFactors white paper, 鈥�.鈥� Leaders need to understand that people are dynamic, with capabilities and motivations that change over time.

How to Shape a Workplace Culture That Works for Everyone

There is so much potential for organizations that want to invest in a culture that champions people of different ethnicities, cultures, abilities, backgrounds, and genders. But companies that embrace diversity and inclusion can find that it鈥檚 hard to get real results, despite genuine intentions. Minal Bopaiah, founder of , a strategy and design firm focused on designing a more inclusive and equitable world, to move the needle on creating an inclusive culture.

Bopaiah shares how several white business leaders wanted to do something meaningful by offering to mentor Black people in their professional fields. Bopaiah told them they had it backward. 鈥淵ou want to diversify your field?鈥� she asked them. 鈥淭hen I want you to go find the people in your field who are Black, or indigenous, or people of color who are already thought leaders in this space, so they can be your 尘别苍迟辞谤.鈥�

Fully recognizing that the best diversity and inclusion interventions are voluntary, Bopaiah suggests creating an environment that allows tough, meaningful conversations. We have so much to learn from one another, and leaders can offer support so we can do so inclusively.

A New Way of Working

The COVID-19 global health crisis has created unprecedented disruption and long-term implications for companies and people. By listening to people and leading with agility and resilience, companies can look to the future with optimism. Putting people at the center through human experience management (HXM) is the beginning of this healing process. This has been a difficult past year for everyone, so instead of getting back to business as usual I invite leaders to approach this year as changed individuals and choose empathy and humility to create a more positive and healthy work experience for all. Will you join me?

April Crichlow is global vice president and head of Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

After reading several articles about how organizations are struggling to prove the impact of corporate well-being programs 鈥� or justify why they even have them 鈥� I was glad to have had the opportunity to sit down with someone who conducted research on the very topic.

is an industrial and organizational psychologist dedicated to bridging the gap between academia and industry. Her research, consulting, and teaching roles focus on workplace health and well-being, diversity and inclusion, and employee assessments and development, and she is currently consulting at the and teaching at . Here, she shares her insights on the research she has done to help prove why well-being programs are a critical part of an organization鈥檚 strategy.

Q: What got you interested in researching how well-being programs impact recruitment?

A: The talent wars are on. Skills gaps and low unemployment rates require organizations to develop and market an attractive employer brand in order to stay competitive. It is increasingly critical that organizations develop and market themselves as a place where people really want to work. This was made truly salient to me when I worked as part of the 51风流SuccessFactors research team from 2015 to 2018. I had the opportunity to speak with dozens of [51风流SuccessFactors] Recruiting customers, and I listened to them describe the challenges of building a quality candidate slate to meet their goals.

I also had the opportunity to interview benefits and wellness directors and heard them explain time and again that their workplace well-being programs aided recruitment. I appreciated the expertise and experiences of those making these claims, but as a scientist in the field I had to ask, 鈥淚s anyone measuring this?鈥� They were not. I wanted to know, 鈥淎re these claims evidence-based?鈥� 鈥淚s there research to support these claims?鈥� So, I looked.

Where and how did you start?

Workplace well-being is an area of increasing importance in recent years, with a growing number of companies offering benefits to support employee work-life balance and wellness. For example, in 2019 68 percent of companies offered telecommuting options and . An abundant stream of research points to numerous individual and organizational outcomes related to these benefits, including links to burnout, organizational commitment, turnover, and health. It is clear that work-life and wellness programs are beneficial, but the research has largely neglected to consider how these benefits can influence what happens before an individual is hired.

Concurrent with my work at 51风流SuccessFactors, I was preparing to complete the last requirement for my PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, a dissertation research project. Motivated by my conversations and experiences with customers, I designed my research to test the assumptions that well-being benefits positively influenced recruitment efforts, and to investigate why. I valued the expertise of the directors I had interviewed, and I wanted to provide them and others the empirical evidence for making their case.

Using a rigorous experimental design, * my research supported practitioner assumptions that companies offering work-life or wellness benefits are seen as more attractive. Potential applicants were also more likely to take action to pursue employment. But why? Results revealed that well-being benefits had a significant impact on perceptions of employer brand.

What did you find?

Similar to product marketing, marketing of an employer brand should consider three things: function, symbolism, and experience. First, what are the functional considerations of employment, such as location, pay, benefits? Second, what is the symbolic value, or, in other words, how does this employment connect to a person鈥檚 self-identity?聽 Imagine an employee of Apple versus Goldman Sachs. You likely conjure up images of two different types of people. Last, what does a potential job seeker imagine it will be like to work for your company?

Results from my study indicated companies offering work-life or wellness benefits were perceived as having higher functional value in terms of benefits. But they were seen as being more exciting and sophisticated, and it was expected that employees would be treated better.

The takeaway: Don鈥檛 underestimate the power of your benefits programs for developing a competitive advantage in your candidate slate! Well-being programs signal to prospective employees what it will be like to work for your organization. Build these programs and get the message out there.

To learn more, read the brochure: .

Follow Dr. Pytlovany on Twitter at .

Tammie Eldridge is director of Solution Marketing for 51风流SuccessFactors.

*More than 400 participants were presented with one of three recruiting advertisements: 1) a job ad listing traditional job benefits, e.g., health insurance, 401k; 2) a job add listing work-life benefits, e.g., flexible work hours, remote work options; or 3) a job ad listing wellness benefits, e.g., stress management resources, gym membership.