Research has found that an alarming number of employees are now using their own AI tools at work, without the permission of their organization.

According to a survey by Software AG, half of all knowledge workers – defined as “those who primarily work at a desk or computer” – use personal AI tools.

Most knowledge workers said they use their own AI tools because they prefer their independence (53%). An additional 33% said it’s because their organization does not currently offer the tools they need.

This suggests that if businesses want their employees to use officially issued tools, a different process is needed for determining the ones that are actually made available.

The research goes on to show that personal AI tools are so valuable that half of workers (46%) would refuse to give them up, even if their organization banned them completely.

This is a powerful signal to organizations that they need more robust and comprehensive AI strategies, to prevent inviting significant risk into their business.

In a recent article the BBC spoke to a product manager at a data storage company, which offers its people the Google Gemini AI chatbot.

External AI tools are banned by the company, but the product manager uses ChatGPT through search tool Kagi. He finds the biggest benefit of AI comes from challenging his thinking when he asks the chatbot to respond to his plans from different customer perspectives.

“The AI is not so much giving you answers, as giving you a sparring partner,” he says. “As a product manager, you have a lot of responsibility and don’t have a lot of good outlets to discuss strategy openly. These tools allow that in an unfettered and unlimited capacity.”

He’s not sure why the company has banned external AI. “I think it’s a control thing,” he says. “Companies want to have a say in what tools their employees use. It’s a new frontier of IT and they just want to be conservative.”

It’s an interesting perspective – but Shadow AI comes with significant risks.

Modern AI tools are built by digesting huge amounts of information, in a process called training, with around a third of applications being trained using information entered by the user.

Consequently, the uncontrolled use of Shadow AI can result in company data being stored in AI services that the employer has no control over, no awareness of, and which may be vulnerable to data breaches.

It’s another example which shows cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and encryption – it’s about people. And HR holds the key to making every employee a vigilant defender of the company’s digital assets.

If you would like to discuss how we can help we can help build cybersecurity into the culture of your organization, please get in touch with us today!

How was January for you?

As the new year begins, it is common to feel a bit of a slump after the festive period packed with traditions, colorful lights, and good food.

This feeling, known as the ‘January Blues’ or the ‘Winter Woes,’ refers to a general decline in mood, lethargy, or even a sense of depression during the first month of the year. If December brings a rush of adrenaline, January is when the reality sets in.

For most people, this feeling fades as they get back into the routine. However, for some, it can linger due to factors like financial stress exacerbated by the holiday season or the struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD)  during the winter months.

For this reason, employers aiming to re-engage employees often use the ‘Winter Woes’ as an opportunity to focus attention on their wellbeing strategy. This makes a great deal of sense – but it is important to maintain and build upon this momentum rather than let it wane as the year goes on.

And, let’s be honest, we can all be a bit guilty of this at this time of year! Some of us will have signed up for that new gym membership and started taking part in Veganuary only to discover that these resolutions quickly fizzle out. Suddenly the gym membership is just another card cluttering your wallet – and no amount of carrots and hummus can stop you daydreaming about cheeseburgers!

The corporate version of this is a phenomenon known as ‘Wellbeing Washing.’

‘Wellbeing Washing’ occurs when companies express their commitment to mental and physical health but fail to demonstrate this consistently through their actions and practices.

And it’s more common than you might think. Indeed, one study found that more than a third (35%) of businesses are perceived by their employees to be wellbeing washing.

To avoid this pitfall, consistency and clarity are key. Wellbeing has gained significant importance on the corporate agenda, especially in the post-pandemic era. Employers must ensure that their efforts to support the physical, mental, social and financial health of their workforce are consistent throughout the year.

While happy, healthy workers naturally contribute innovative thinking and productivity, a study by Mind found that 60% of employees believe that employer-led wellbeing initiatives would increase their motivation and the likelihood of them recommending their company as a great place to work.

So, in the same way employers should be committing to redouble their wellbeing efforts as they move through January; as we begin February they should be committing to maintain that effort through the year ahead.

If you would like to discuss how we can assist your business with its wellbeing strategies, please get in touch with us.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have suffered through a breakup in our lives. Whether this be a relationship ending, navigating a divorce, or dealing with a ‘situationship’ gone sour, it’s no secret that breakups are a challenging and distracting time.

In spite of this, what we tend to see in many workplaces is a taboo around the topic.

Despite the fact that these occurrences will have huge impact on an individual, it can feel somewhat awkward and inappropriate to discuss this at work due to its personal nature.

Yet, the reality is that 79% of employees said that a relationship breakdown had an impact on their ability to work. And what’s even more interesting to note is that more than half of these respondents (57%) claimed they did not receive the required support from their employers, ultimately resulting in almost one in ten leaving the company within a year.

From this, it’s clear that how employers support those staff members going through the breakdown of a relationship can be instrumental to minimizing the effect it has on productivity, engagement, and retention rates. This is why having tailored support strategies in place can help to make a real difference. So, here are some strategies that employers should consider:

• Fostering a Culture of Empowerment – the culture of an organization plays such a vital role in helping employees feel comfortable, safe, and like they belong. If employees feel that they can bring their authentic selves to work, they will be much more likely to share when they are going through such an emotionally difficult time. Their workplace should make them feel empowered when they express vulnerabilities like this, and ultimately this will ensure that employers can begin offering proper support to those staff members.
• Impact on Mental Health – 60% of employees said that their breakup caused stress, anxiety, or depression, and a further 23% had to take sick or unpaid leave as a direct result. Your mental health is undoubtedly affected when you go through such an emotional experience, so it’s important for managers to be trained to recognize the warning signs of an employee struggling and to signpost them correctly to their Employee Assistance Program, where they can seek counselling support to help them. However, it’s also important for employees to express that they are struggling as this helps speed up the process of getting the correct support!
• Offering Flexibility – flexibility can be so crucial for employees during this time. With the potential for having to rearrange childcare schedules, or having to find new accommodation, a relationship breakdown can leave an employee needing that flexibility as they find their feet. It’s worth reviewing the company’s policy around compassionate leave as well, and whether this should be applicable for those going through this.   
• Updating Employee Benefits – it’s important for employers to assist with the administrative changes that may have to be considered with a breakup. For example, health insurance may have to be updated to remove certain claimants depending on the context of the split, or updating beneficiary plans accordingly to accurately reflect the current situation. However, employers need to approach this with a level of care in mind and communicate with the employee to find the best time to sit down and do this.
• Reassuring Employees – reassurance can go such a long way when it comes to struggling with a breakup. I know from firsthand experience that being made to feel like an inconvenience or a burden when going through a breakup just makes you feel worse, and for me it ultimately led to my resignation. Ensuring that people managers are trained appropriately so to avoid the prospect of making an employee feel like an inconvenience whilst they navigate this new chapter in their life is so vital for managing the overall impact it will have on the individual and on the wider business.

Productivity levels always ebb and flow, and this is natural. Our personal lives can sometimes overlap with our working ones, and it shouldn’t be the norm of employees to compartmentalize their personal struggles whilst at work. Employers who can recognize the humanness behind their employees are the ones that are going to be most in tune with their workforces, ultimately fostering a sense of loyalty amongst their people that will be hugely profitable in the long run.

If you would like to discuss how we can help design and implement tailored wellbeing strategies for breakups, please get in touch with me at brittany@orgshakers.com

In today’s workplace, the “one-size-fits-all” approach no longer works. Employees want more than just a paycheck; they want an experience that feels tailored to their needs, goals, and aspirations. This is where AI steps in, reshaping how HR teams create personalized experiences that truly resonate with their people. By 2025, leveraging AI for this purpose won’t just be an innovation – it’ll be a necessity.

What Does Personalization Mean in the Workplace?

Imagine starting a new job and immediately receiving tailored training modules, benefits suggestions, and a career plan that aligns with your strengths and ambitions. That’s what personalization is about – treating employees as individuals rather than a part of the collective. AI takes this concept to the next level by helping HR teams scale personalization in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

How AI Delivers Personalization

Here are a few ways AI is already changing the game for HR and employees:

1. Learning and Development (L&D): Let’s say an employee wants to move into a leadership role but isn’t sure what skills they need. AI can analyze their current capabilities and suggest specific courses or training programs to close the gap. Tools like LinkedIn Learning already do this, but the future will involve even more precision. Think customized learning paths unique to each employee’s role and career trajectory.
2. Tailored Benefits: Employees aren’t all looking for the same perks. A recent graduate might prioritize loan repayment assistance, while a working parent might value childcare subsidies. AI helps HR teams analyze employee demographics and feedback to offer benefits packages that matter most to each individual.
3. Career Pathing: One of the biggest reasons people leave organizations is because they don’t see a future for themselves. AI addresses this by creating dynamic career maps, showing employees what roles they’re suited for and what steps they need to get there. It’s like having a career coach, but powered by data.
4. Real-Time Feedback: Forget the annual review – AI tools are making feedback a continuous process. Imagine an employee completing a project and instantly receiving insights on what went well and where they can improve. This kind of immediate feedback builds skills faster and keeps employees engaged.

Why Does This Matter?

The benefits of AI-driven personalization go beyond just ticking boxes. It creates real impact, both for employees and organizations:

• Employees Feel Valued: When people feel like their employer understands and invests in their needs, it boosts morale and loyalty.
• Retention Improves: Personalized career plans give employees a reason to stay, reducing costly turnover.
• Data-Driven Insights: HR teams can make smarter decisions by understanding what employees want – and acting on it.

What About the Challenges?

Of course, there are hurdles. Let’s address the elephant in the room: data privacy. Employees might be skeptical about how their information is being used. Transparency is key here – employees need to know what data is being collected, how it’s used, and how it benefits them.

There’s also the risk of over-reliance on AI. Yes, AI can process data at lightning speed, but it can’t replace human intuition. The best HR teams will use AI to inform their decisions, not make them entirely.

The Future is Personal

By 2025, personalization will be a core part of the employee experience. Companies that embrace AI to create these experiences will have a clear advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. But here’s the thing: while AI is a powerful tool, it’s the human touch that ultimately makes the difference. Employees don’t just want a perfect algorithm; they want to feel understood, appreciated, and supported by the people they work with.

So, the real challenge for HR teams isn’t just adopting AI. It’s finding the balance – using technology to enhance the employee experience while keeping the heart of human connection alive.

Closing Thought

At the end of the day, personalization isn’t just about making employees feel special – it’s about helping them thrive. And when employees thrive, so do organizations. The question isn’t whether we’ll use AI to personalize employee experiences – it’s how well we’ll do it.

If you would like to discuss how we can help personalize employee experiences through AI in your organization, please get in touch with us today!

In the workplace, digital communication has become a staple. Emails are now sent in favor of phone calls, instant messages have replaced the slow back-and-forth of physical meetings, and having all of our work needs condensed onto apps on our phones means that we are always contactable at all times of the day.

However, too much of anything isn’t always good, as all these technological advancements do come with a price: ping fatigue.

‘Ping fatigue’ is a type of mental exhaustion which is brought on by constant notifications from work-related tools such as email, instant messaging apps, task management systems and calendar reminders. Employees are battling with a tsunami of pings all throughout their day that can lead to feelings of distraction and overwhelm that ultimately hinder their productivity and wellbeing – even though the goal of these time-saving services is to make life easier. And the lines become even more blurred when we consider remote and hybrid working arrangements, as the boundaries between work and home can sometimes start to blur in an unhealthy way that can make it hard to know when to truly switch off and silence those pings.

Interestingly, cognitive research has found that it takes an average of 23 minutes to refocus after an interruption. In other words, each new notification can actually end up disrupting an entire workflow, even though it is intended to be a gentle ping reminder. With micro-tasks constantly beckoning workers for their attention, this results in employees spiralling into a perpetual state of multitasking that will increase the likelihood of errors and stress.

So, what can employers be doing to help mitigate this rising ping fatigue?

• Establish Clear Communication Protocols – set guidelines for when it’s acceptable to send messages or initiate meetings (for example, only during specific hours or with expectations for a delayed response outside of work hours), and encourage teams to establish specific times in the day for deep work without interruptions. During these designated hours, employees could disable their notifications so that they can focus without feeling pressured by incoming messages.
• Limit Notification Settings – employers should advise employees to customize their notification settings across different platforms so that they only get alerts for critical messages. This could look like prioritizing direct messages over group chats to help minimize interruptions, or setting your applications to ‘do not disturb’ during focused work hours.
• Promote Mental Wellbeing – encourage employees to take regular microbreaks throughout the working day, as this has been proven to help with the management of stress. If employees actively set aside little pockets of time to take a moment for themselves away from their avalanche of pings, this can really help towards the management of their mental wellbeing.
• Provide Awareness Training – make an effort to educate employees around the impacts of ping fatigue, and offer workshops or training sessions on managing notifications, time management, and setting boundaries when digitally communicating.

Ping fatigue is becoming increasingly common in workplaces around the world. Although digital tools have transformed the way we work, they have also introduced new challenges for employers and employees alike. However, when used strategically, and with an emphasis on high-quality work and well-being rather than constant availability, these tools can help organizations foster a healthier and more fulfilling environment for everyone. If you would like to discuss how we can help foster this environment through mitigating ping fatigue, please get in touch with us today!

Not all employee turnover is detrimental. In fact, when an unreliable, high-maintenance, under-performing individual leaves, managers and colleagues alike will often breathe a sigh of relief.

However, when a top performer makes an abrupt departure, it can leave managers and their teams in a difficult situation:

1. Direct Costs: When a valuable employee quits, you incur the direct costs of recruiting, onboarding, and training their replacement to get them up to speed.
2. Lost Investment: The great employee you worked hard to recruit, onboard, and train takes their talent (and your investment in them) to another employer. When you lose a relatively new employee, the impact of your lost onboarding and training investment is even higher because the sooner they leave, the less time you have to make a return on your investment.
3. Disruption to Workflows and Relationships: Any time an employee voluntarily quits, your company experiences a disruption in workflow and work relationships (both internally and externally). The vacuum they create also typically increases the work burden on your remaining employees. When a top performer makes an abrupt departure, it can magnify the disruption and stress on your team.
4. Copycat Departures: When good employees leave, it sometimes triggers other unplanned departures. Remaining employees may question their own loyalty to your organization or be directly recruited by the former employee’s new employer.
5. Loss of Proven, Reliable Talent: High voluntary turnover among good employees diminishes the strength of your internal talent bench. A “revolving door” makes it nearly impossible to develop home-grown talent for other positions throughout your organization and up the ranks.

However, organizations can take control of unplanned turnover by CHARM-ing their employees?

Most organizations have processes such as ‘Exit Interviews’ in place to try to understand why employees are leaving. But this is only part of the battle; employers must be able to swiftly enact CHARM-ing strategies to attract, retain, and develop their workforce.

1. Committing to your vision and ensuring your culture aligns with the company’s values as well as the type of person you seek to employ.
2. Helping your leaders navigate the changing scope of work and equipping them with the tools and resources needed to inspire, coach, and develop their teams. Helping your employees manage competing priorities, their growth, and outside factors that can cause stress.
3. Attracting the best talent by partnering with your HR teams to maximize results in recruiting. Focus on the type of person you want to employ and what they want in an employer. When you identify those qualities, use them as the foundation for your recruiting strategy.
4. Re-recruiting your good people! Retaining key talent needs to be done with the same energy that you invested in recruiting that talent in the first place. Consider implementing a twice-yearly “stay meeting” for employees – think the polar opposite of an “exit interview” i.e.: “what do we need to do to ensure you stay?” Vs “what did we fail to do that made you leave?”.
5. Motivating your people by taking the time to know what’s going on in their work and personal lives and offering support. Take care of work-life balance and recognize your people’s achievements. People become most motivated when their leader shows interest in their whole lives and not just work output.

The OrgShakers team has extensive experience in analyzing why employees are leaving, where they are going, and what will attract and retain your ideal employee.

If you would like insight into how Unplanned Turnover is impacting your organization – and guidance in developing your strategy to take control, please get in touch at: hello@orgshakers.com.

The theme of bettering ourselves is prominent as we head into a new year. Many of us endeavour to make changes to ourselves and our lifestyles, often spurred on by a new year’s resolution or two. But how do we increase the chance that our resolutions will stick around past January? How can we avoid the February fizzle?

Good news: we know something about managing change from our work lives and those best practices can help us with the changes we want to make outside of the office. When you think about it, rolling out a new performance management system or reworking an internal communications strategy can be straightforward, as they rely on the more technical aspects of change. We create new processes, document new procedures, and train teams on what to do differently.

But when it comes to mindset shifts – getting people to think differently – the challenge is greater. Changing a mindset goes beyond altering the way we do things – we have to alter the way we perceive the world around us, and this requires time, intention, and effort. Adapting a few best practices from change management can help:

• Set a clear objective and definition of success

Ask yourself: Why am I trying to adopt this new mindset? What do I hope to achieve? Perhaps you want to develop a more growth-oriented outlook or become more patient in your leadership style. Without a clear objective, it’s difficult to measure progress or stay motivated.

In change management, we establish clear success criteria and milestones. When managing your own mindset shift, it helps to do the same: define what successful change means to you. Is it when you instinctively approach challenges with curiosity instead of frustration? Or when your team starts to notice and appreciate your more open-minded approach? Defining success helps keep you focused and provides a sense of achievement along the way.

• Prepare your stakeholders and create accountability with supportive partners

Every mindset shift has a ripple effect on those around us—whether it’s our colleagues, friends, or family. Ask yourself: Who are my ‘stakeholders’ in this change? How might my new mindset affect them, and how might they react? Providing some ‘advance notice’ to those affected can help manage expectations and foster support.

Accountability partners can dramatically increase the likelihood of a successful mindset shift. Just as we engage sponsors and champions in organizational change efforts, we can enlist trusted colleagues or friends to act as our personal support network. These individuals can provide encouragement, offer feedback, and help hold us accountable.

• Build in some structure

In the workplace, we implement policies and tools to support technical change, so think about how this can be adapted for personal mindset shifts: structural changes might include setting up reminders, scheduling regular check-ins with your accountability partners, or keeping a journal to track progress and reflect on lessons learned. These reinforcements create an environment conducive to lasting change.

• Be kind and patient with yourself

Finally, be realistic and kind to yourself. Organizational change takes time, and so does personal transformation. Don’t expect an overnight shift. Set realistic expectations for how long it might take for your new mindset to become second nature and remember that setbacks are part of the process…the key is to keep moving forward, one step at a time.

You may be thinking: “Best practices from work?  Really?” This approach may feel like overkill, but it is great way to demonstrate respect for your efforts through good planning. Applying proven change management principles to personal change increases the likelihood that your new mindset will take hold, and come February, those changes will be here to stay.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you build or strengthen a change management mindset, please get in touch with me at gordon.robinson@orgshakers.com or via our website.

Statistically, most of us will have a furry friend waiting for us at home; over half of UK adults and a whopping 66% of US households own a pet of some kind!

It’s very common for our pets to hold a special place in our heart, as they are considered just as important of a family member as anyone else. However, if an employee’s child were to fall ill or be in need, most employers would insist that they go and attend to them…but this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to pets.

There is a bit of a grey area around the sudden need to have to care for any animal, as they don’t quite fall into the same category as needing to care for a family member…from a technical perspective. But from an emotional perspective, most employees would want to be able to care for their animals’ wellbeing, but it’s more than likely they wouldn’t be afforded the same leniency with paid time off (PTO) to do this.

Until now?

A new bill has recently been proposed in New York which updates the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act to allow workers to use sick leave to care for certain animals. If the bill were to go through, employees would be able to take time off for a “companion or service animal that needs medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a physical illness, injury or health condition”.  

The proposition of this update stems from the fact that pets are able to significantly reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as lower blood pressure. They can also provide emotional support and a sense of purpose, and so naturally if our pet were to become unwell, an owner would become distressed. This emotional strain can then easily begin to spill over into one’s working life, which will ultimately lead to an impact on focus, productivity, and general wellbeing.

However, there is some division when it comes to the popularity of introducing such a policy; People Management conducted a LinkedIn poll which found that 55% of respondents were in favor of this policy but 45% were opposed, highlighting a significant divide.

In some ways, it might be strange to consider offering PTO to care for pets in the UK when only recently was the Carer’s Leave Act introduced, allowing employees to take up to a week of unpaid leave off to care for a member of their family. If at the moment only unpaid leave is being offered to care for an elderly or unwell family member, than it may seem like a jump to be offering paid leave to attend to a pet.

Or is it simply time for employers to be offering paid leave for both? With some states like New York offering ‘Paid Family Leave’ to care for an elderly parent with a serious health condition, and considering offering PTO for the care of sickly pets, is New York leading the way in understanding what employees need and what would attract them to a workplace?

We will have to wait and see.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?
And how close have you come to achieving that dream?

If your answer is “nowhere near” you’re not alone! In fact, only one in ten Americans say they are working their ‘dream job’.

This reality gives rise to frequent “if only…” moments for employees. “If only I’d stuck with that course.” “If only I’d studied for a different degree.” “If only I’d chosen that career path instead of this one.” The list goes on.

Research has found that a whopping 94% of employees regularly think about these alternate paths, with only 6% claiming they never or almost never entertain these thoughts. Indeed 21% of workers reported that they have these “if only” thoughts “often” or “almost always”!

And this is having a direct impact on business performance, as these employees tend to be more distracted, daydream more frequently, take breaks and days off more often, are less engaged, and are more likely to be searching for other jobs.

In today’s world, it’s easy to fall victim to this spiral of thoughts due to the multitude of choices we constantly face. LinkedIn’s Easy Apply option, for example, makes speculative applications for a new role simple and undemanding.

This may be a great way for an individual to scratch their “if only” itch, but it has driven a surge in the ‘apply anyway’ trend, with a 2023 report finding 73% of recruiters reporting a lack of qualified applicants for roles as the biggest challenge in the hiring process.

Given all of the above, it crucial for employers to address and redirect these “if only” thoughts into creative and innovative outputs. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Recognition: Acknowledging employee contributions is essential for boosting engagement. Quantum Workplace conducted research which discovered that when employees believe management will recognize their efforts, they are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged.  By regularly reminding employees of their value to the company and demonstrating how their work directly contributes to the business’s success, employers can reaffirm that their job matters and the choices leading them there were meaningful.

• Role Flexibility: Creating opportunities for ‘job crafting’ is an effective way to diminish “if only” feelings. Allowing employees to innovate within their roles and incorporate personal passions fosters fulfillment. Managers should strive to understand their employees’ talents and interests, finding creative ways to integrate these elements into their work. This approach helps align an employee’s identity with their job, reigniting their engagement and commitment.

• Internal Locus of Control: In psychology, individuals with a high internal locus of control  believe they have significant control over their behavior and view outcomes as a result of their actions rather than external factors. Coaching employees to develop this mindset can help them respond productively to “if only” thinking. When employees feel empowered and responsible for their successes, they are less likely to be distracted by past choices and more focused on their current roles.

It’s natural for employees to occasionally wonder about alternate career paths. While harmless reflection can be beneficial, those who find themselves stuck in the past may need support to move forward. HR practitioners play a vital role in guiding employees through these thoughts and helping them find purpose and engagement in their current roles.

If you would like to discuss how we can help improve your employee engagement levels by optimizing the wonderment of “if only”, please get in touch with us.

Together, we can transform these reflections into productive and fulfilling experiences for your workforce.

OK, so what do you think the office is really for?

What was once seen as a logical and efficient way of working has now been brought into question by the “work-from-home” / “return-to-office” tug-of-war which has broken out between employees and business leaders in many organizations.

So, to work out where we’re going – we first need to rewind.

From the 15th-century scriptoriums of medieval monks to the modern skyscrapers dotting urban landscapes, the ‘office’ has always been in a shifting state with innovations like artificial light, telephones, typewriters, elevators, and computers progressively reshaping the working environment.

Then came the lockdown. An abrupt shift that turned traditional office dynamics upside down. Those able to work from home found their productivity and job satisfaction often increased. Today, nine in ten jobseekers say hybrid work is now as important as financial benefits.

This shift challenges employers to rethink how office spaces can boost productivity while supporting employee well-being in remote settings. The strategy for this transformation focuses on policy, place, and purposeful leadership:

• Policy: Clear and well-communicated hybrid and remote work policies are essential. Define when employees need to be in the office and when they have the flexibility to choose. Transparency in policy-making fosters trust and loyalty.
• Place: Office space must cater to diverse needs. Some employees may need a quiet workspace every day, while others might prefer the office for collaborative tasks only once a week. Whether it’s a Superdesk for collaboration or cubicles for concentration, the office should accommodate various working styles.
  But beware! There is no ‘best way’ to do it – a recent study found that actively trying to make creative office spaces could be stifling creativity, whilst another discovered that changing from cubicles to open-plan saw a 70% drop in face-to-face interactions!
• Purposeful Leaders: Leaders play a crucial role in implementing these policies and ensuring the office space delivers value. Effective leaders highlight the benefits of coming to the office, promoting collaboration, and enhancing company culture. This can transform the office from a chore to a place employees are excited to be.

Employers must recognize the benefits of hybrid and remote work, leveraging these models to optimize productivity rather than viewing them as obstacles. The purpose of the office is evolving, and it’s time to lead this change.

We are here to help you navigate this transformation, optimizing organizational effectiveness in hybrid work, crafting policies, and coaching leaders to meet your company’s unique needs and those of your workforce. So, to continue this conversation, you can either head over to our contact page, or reach out to me directly at andy@orgshakers.com

The HR world has been known to love a buzzword – ‘quiet quitting’ immediately springs to mind as one from the previous years that has loomed particularly large.

And whilst buzzwords are inherently designed to be catchy, memorable phrases, they also signify potential issues that employees are having and help guide employers in the direction of identifying the root cause of these issues and correcting them.

So, in that spirit, let’s take a look back at some of the new, popular buzzwords and phrases that emerged in the last year, and see which of these may still be something for employers to look out for as we head into the bulk of 2025:

• Hushed Hybrid – many companies were issuing return to office mandates over the course of 2024, and this consequently saw the emergence of ‘hushed hybrid’. This is when, despite company policy, managers would continue to quietly allow some employees to continue working from home or working flexibly. The debate between working from home and working in office has been ongoing ever since lockdown was lifted, so it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume that this topic may continue to be prevalent this year.
• Quiet Vacationing – 37% of millennial workers admitted to ‘quiet vacationing’ in 2024 – that is, taking time off work without telling their managers under the guise of working remotely. However, whilst this sounds like millennial workers slacking off from work and using the autonomy of remote working to do so, there may actually be a deeper reason behind the emergence of this trend. Most notable, millennial employees tend to be the ones who have school-aged children/elderly parents to care for, so is ‘quiet vacationing’ happening in response to a lack of flexible working arrangements being offered?
• Workation – in contrast to quiet vacationing, a workation acts as a combination of ‘work’ and ‘vacation’ and is defined as taking a break from the work environment but not the work itself. This has emerged as an innovative way to seize the benefits of remote working and the fluidity of working across time zones, as now employees can work remotely during the day and then enjoy the fruits of a vacation in the evening. However, does this work for all employers? And should employees have to disclose whether they are on a workation?
• Coffee Badging – it may sound a bit strange, but ‘coffee badging’ is when an employee comes into the office very briefly, taps in with their identity card, then grabs a coffee and mingles with colleagues for a short stint before leaving to work the rest of the day from home. It’s a presenteeism cheat sheet in the face of the increased return to office mandates, and further highlights (much like hushed hybrid!) that the conversation around in-office working and remote working is still very much an ongoing one.
• Resenteeism – a new term that has emerged which was coined by RotaCloud, ‘resenteeism’ describes an employee who remains in their current job despite being overtly unhappy there and resenting the environment they work in. This trend has emerged because of the cost-of-living crisis, as with the economic uncertainty that this has brought, employees have become less willing to sacrifice the security of their current job despite their rising resentment. 

As we can see, there is some clear overlap in the above buzzwords and what may have ignited their creation, and it is also clear that many of the catalysts for these catchy phrases are still issues that employers are grappling with today…so, if you would like to discuss the causes surrounding these trends and how we can help manage them, please get in touch with us today!

Or, if you would prefer to have a chat with one of our experienced HR professionals immediately, you can now book in an hour slot with an OrgShaker of your choosing to discuss anything and everything to do with HR, where we can offer you immediate advice and strategies right there and then. To find out more, head over to the OrgShakers CL!CK page on our website.

The New Year is always a time for reflection, and more often than not, this can lead to us reevaluating what things have been bringing us purpose in our life and where in our lives this purpose can be found. This is where The Purpose Effect: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization by Dan Pontefract comes into play.

Dan is a leadership and culture change strategist, a keynote speaker with over two decades of experience at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects, and an author to a number of bestselling books.

In his book The Purpose Effect, Dan combines his years of experience with swathes of research on employee engagement to create a work about the three crucial areas of purpose that result in the Purpose Effect: individual, workplace role, and organizational. 

Purpose-driven organizations focus on more than just profits. They align personal, organizational, and role-based purposes, benefiting both employees and society. When these elements align, employees feel fulfilled and engaged, contributing towards better work. If there is a mismatch between an employee’s personal purpose and the organization’s goals, it can ultimately lead to dissatisfaction.

This is where the Purpose Effect comes in, and it arises from three main factors:

1. Personal Sense of Purpose: Employees need to have a motivating purpose. This involves growth, defining life goals, and maintaining ethical behavior. Employees should be continually asking themselves how they are evolving and how they want to be perceived at work.
2. Organizational Purpose: This defines why the company exists. It reflects the company’s principles, ethics, culture, and commitment to fair practices. Fair compensation, performance management, and recognition are essential for aligning employees with a company’s purpose.
3. Role-Based Purpose: Each employee’s role must align with their personal and organizational purpose. When employees see their work as a ‘calling’, they are more likely to engage with said work.

Dan’s book teaches employers how they can find what he dubs the ‘sweet spot’ – this is the intersection of personal, organizational, and role purposes. By achieving this alignment, leaders will be able to foster a community spirit within the organization that will lead to a more productive, motivated workforce, as a company without a clear purpose may struggle to attract and retain top talent.

If you would like to discuss how we can help implement the best strategies to achieve the Purpose Effect, please get in touch with us today!

In the meantime, be sure to grab a copy of The Purpose Effect – you can head over here for the US and here for the UK.