Rebooting Life and Career: A New Era for Employees and Businesses

The world of work continues its dramatic shift. Employees are reassessing their priorities, businesses are struggling with turnover, and the culture that once defined workplace success is being re-established. In the face of job loss fears, disengagement, and compensation inadequacies, one thing is clear: it's time to reboot how we approach life and career—from the perspectives of employees and employers alike.

State of the Union: What Do Employees Care About?

In today’s landscape, workers care deeply about far more than just their paychecks. Employees seek purpose, recognition, and alignment with their values. As influential and outspoken thought leader Madison Butler pointed out, creating a trust, collaboration, and authenticity culture is essential for employee well-being. It’s not just about being present; it’s about being valued. However, the traditional workplace often falls short, leading to disengagement, lack of appreciation, and turnover.

The struggle is real for employees:?

• Fear of job loss: Whether due to economic shifts or evolving company needs, employees feel the constant pressure of job insecurity.
• Lack of engagement and support: Disconnected leadership and performative company values make employees feel unappreciated and expendable.
• Inadequate compensation: Many workers feel they aren’t fairly compensated, not just monetarily, but in growth opportunities and recognition.
• Mental health challenges: The stress of balancing work and personal lives, especially during the continued pandemic, along with political global strife, has made employee well-being a top concern.

The Employee Perspective: A Disrupted Career Path

The workforce is no longer willing to put up with subpar work environments. Employees today demand more in terms of the following:

• Compensation: Beyond just salary, they’re looking for benefits that support their holistic well-being—everything from the obvious healthcare and retirement to more customized benefits that support individual lives.
• Recognition: Employees need timely acknowledgment of their contributions and growth opportunities that support their professional development.?
• Values alignment: It’s not enough for an organization to have values slapped on a wall or a website; those values must be actively demonstrated, lived, and embedded in the company’s culture.

Andrew Meadows , a leader in employee advocacy, discusses that many employees leave because of misaligned values and a lack of career paths. A significant driver of dissatisfaction is the disconnect between an employee’s mission and the organization’s performative efforts to align with it. When workers feel they’re just a cog in the machine rather than an integral part of a collaborative mission, they disengage.

The Business Perspective: Disruptions from Employee Turnover

High employee turnover disrupts more than just daily operations; it impacts long-term growth and cultural cohesion. From the business side, turnover often stems from:

• Non-competitive compensation structures: Businesses fail to benchmark against industry standards, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.
• Outdated or unclear values: When leadership doesn’t live the company’s values, employees struggle to find alignment or purpose in their roles.
• Lack of career development: Employees don’t see a future with the organization without training opportunities or a clear growth path.
• Poor leadership: Managers who lack the necessary skills to support and uplift their teams drive people away, often unintentionally.

As organizations face these challenges, it’s clear that leadership must step up. Leadership expert and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek reaffirms that “leadership is not about being in charge, but about taking care of those in your charge.” Managers who focus solely on results without investing in their people miss the bigger picture and risk the future of their business.

Leadership is not about being in charge, but about taking care of those in your charge.

The Hidden Dangers of Hiring Software: Are We Excluding the Right People?

As businesses look for efficiency in their hiring processes, many are turning to automated software solutions to sift through resumes. While this technology can help streamline recruiting, it also introduces new challenges—particularly in how it can inadvertently exclude highly qualified candidates.

I’ve been vocal about the risks of relying too heavily on algorithms to decide who makes it past the initial screening. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which filter resumes based on keywords, can unfairly disqualify people whose experiences don’t perfectly align with pre-defined terms—even if they have the skills and potential to excel in the role.

The issue lies in the facts:

• Keywords aren’t the whole story: Candidates who use the "right" buzzwords may pass through the filter, while those who are equally qualified but frame their experiences differently might be excluded.
• Over-reliance on software: Automated systems often lack the nuance to assess a candidate’s potential, creativity, and adaptability—qualities that are often more valuable than a specific keyword match.
• Bias in algorithms: Hiring software can unintentionally reinforce biases by favoring certain backgrounds, education levels, or experiences over others, leading to less diverse talent pools.

Many talented individuals are left behind because hiring systems don't account for unconventional career paths or skills acquired through non-traditional means. This presents a significant issue in an era when companies need to innovate and hire adaptable, diverse talent.

Read Navigating DEI in a Politically Charged Environment

Leaders must also be aware of the risks of delegating too much of the hiring process to machines. While software can save time, businesses must humanize their recruiting efforts by ensuring hiring managers can review candidates beyond the algorithms. People aren’t robots, and the human element of recruiting must not be overlooked.

By placing too much trust in automated hiring systems, companies risk missing out on incredible talent—individuals who could contribute fresh perspectives and skills that software simply cannot recognize.

Flexible Work: Still A Must for the Future

The pandemic brought about an undeniable shift in how we view workspaces. Many companies, like Amazon, continue their campaigns to return to pre-pandemic norms, but employees remain resistant. The demand for flexible working options—hybrid, remote, or in-office flexibility—has skyrocketed. Yet, many companies remain hesitant, citing a lack of trust in employees when they’re out of sight or that the culture cannot thrive in remote or even hybrid environments.?

Trust must be the foundation of any modern workplace. People are no longer willing to go back to rigid office structures, especially when they’ve proven they can be just as (if not more) effective working remotely. The world has changed, and people are not going back without a fight.

The Next Wave: Preparing for the Future

With the possibility of future disruptions, from economic shifts to ongoing pandemic impacts, businesses must stay ahead of the curve. Forward-thinking organizations are focusing on:

• Supporting mental health and total well-being: A holistic approach that recognizes employees' professional and personal needs.
• Fostering genuine collaboration: Breaking down silos and gatekeeping to create environments where relationships are built and trust is fostered.
• Leadership development: Leaders need to be trained to manage, inspire, uplift, and guide their teams through career progression.

The Dance Between Employee and Employer

Ultimately, rebooting career paths and organizational cultures is not a one-sided affair, nor is it a set-it and forget it action. Employees and employers must engage in a collaborative dance—one that requires flexibility, trust, and shared purpose.

In this new era, companies that wish to thrive need to focus not only on their bottom line but on the people who make that success possible. As employees push for flexibility, recognition, and alignment with their values, organizations that listen, adapt, and evolve will lead to solid cultures and better bottom lines.

Trailblazers to follow right now:?

• Madison Butler - Spicy blue-haired unicorn and people champion
• Jackye Clayton - HR Tech and DEI talent acquisition superhero
• Claude Silver - Renowned and celebrated chief heart officer
• David W. Kim - Leading Chief Diversity Officer and vocal people advocate
• Dr. Robert Rodriguez - The authority on Hispanic voices, celebrated author
• Andrew Meadows - Voice for the people and expert in intersectionality, DEI, and culture
• Laurie Ruettiman - Authority on all things HR - author, speaker, and podcaster