Continuing our deep dive into the evolving workplace, we’ve unpacked why employees are unhappy, how expectations are being shattered, and why traditional engagement strategies are failing. Now, let’s take this further to dissect why this is happening and the one productivity hack no one talks about—a human-centric workplace.
Every company wants better productivity. Every leader wants higher engagement and lower attrition. Yet, most workplaces are failing at all three. Why? Because employee engagement isn’t a system or metric to optimize—it’s a human experience to cultivate.
According to Gallup, only 23% of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work—meaning they feel emotionally connected to their jobs. The rest? Checked out, exhausted, or looking for the exit. So, what’s going wrong?
Leaders are obsessed with managing employees when they should be understanding them. What most leaders aren’t getting right:
- Disengaged teams are not inefficient. They’re uninspired.
- Retention isn’t about loyalty. It’s about emotional connection.
- Productivity isn’t about time at the desk. It’s about meaning in the work.
There’s data to prove that companies investing in human-centric cultures outperform competitors. Yet, most workplaces still function like machines.
Dysfunctional teams, uninspiring leaders, and disengaged employees won’t magically transform because you’ve added a wellness webinar or another “fun Friday.” If your workforce isn’t alive, your business won’t flourish.
Why Most Engagement Strategies Fail
Employee engagement isn’t a metric to optimize—it’s a human experience to cultivate. I think most organizations misinterpret the experience part of it. They throw in perks, run surveys, and revamp policies. Yet, disengagement remains high. Turnover is costly. Productivity stalls. Why? Because they’re treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Employees don’t engage because of free snacks or hybrid work policies. They engage when:
- They feel seen and valued
- They believe their work matters
- They are part of a culture that energizes them
Most workplaces still run like machines—structured, predictable, transactional. But humans aren’t machines. They crave meaning, connection, and recognition. And that’s where a human-centric workplace culture makes all the difference.
You don’t fix culture by tweaking processes. You fix it by transforming how people feel, by humanizing the workplace. Because culture isn’t about what you do. It’s about who you are.
Culture Isn’t a Policy. It’s a Personality.
Companies spend so much time refining their brand that they forget to refine their character. Think about it: if a company were a person, what kind of personality would it have? Would it be inspiring, self-aware, and emotionally intelligent? Or would it be robotic, rigid, and impersonal?
To humanize an organization, you must first understand its character. Here’s how.
1) What is my personality and character?
- Does our organization value trust, openness, and adaptability, or are we stuck in rigid, hierarchical structures?
- Do employees feel a sense of belonging, or do they clock in and out like machines?
According to HBR, “Organizations that build cultures of trust see 50% higher productivity and 76% more engagement.”
Want better results? Start by defining who your company really is.
2) What are my patterns and tendencies?
- Are we rewarding collaboration or reinforcing competition?
- Do we genuinely listen to employees, or do we just send out surveys?
Patterns determine culture. If burnout, silos, or micromanagement are common, your culture is speaking louder than your values. For instance, Netflix thrives because it prioritizes freedom and responsibility—not rigid policies. Employees feel trusted, and in return, they perform at their best.
What workplace behaviours define your company?
3) What are my strengths?
- Are we leveraging our people’s unique talents or just assigning tasks?
- Do we create roles that inspire or just jobs that get done?
Companies that align work with employee strengths see a 23% increase in performance. (Gallup).
Take Google’s 20% Rule—where employees spend 20% of their time on passion projects. This led to the creation of Gmail and Google Maps. When employees can bring their best selves to work, engagement becomes effortless.
4) What are my blind spots?
- Are we unintentionally ignoring well-being in the name of productivity?
- Do employees feel psychologically safe to voice concerns?
Because psychological safety increases creativity and reduces attrition. (McKinsey). Leaders who acknowledge blind spots build cultures that evolve. Microsoft transformed engagement by shifting from a ‘know-it-all’ to a ‘learn-it-all’ culture—prioritizing continuous learning and humility.
What’s stopping your workplace from evolving?
5) What virtues matter to me?
- Do we lead with integrity, transparency, and empathy—or do we prioritize profits over people?
- Are we intentional about building a values-driven culture, or are our principles just words on a website?
Culture isn’t what you preach. It’s what your employees feel every day. Patagonia, for example, thrives because it stands for environmental activism, employee well-being, and purpose-driven work. Their retention rates are among the highest in the industry. If your workplace doesn’t stand for something real, why should employees stay?
The Future of Work is Human. Is Your Company Ready?
Let’s get real—logic doesn’t drive people, emotions do. Emotions drive performance. Always have, always will. If your culture isn’t emotionally intelligent, your business is already behind.
A humanized organization knows its blind spots. It recognizes the patterns that drive behavior, the virtues it stands for, and the values it refuses to compromise on. It doesn’t just measure engagement—it understands the emotional undercurrent that fuels it.
A human-centric workplace culture isn’t just good for people. It’s good for business.
- Higher engagement = 23% increase in performance (Gallup)
- Psychological safety = lower attrition (McKinsey)
- Trust-driven culture = 50% higher productivity (HBR)
Most companies are stuck because they want better results, but they won’t change how they lead. And it’s impossible to redesign work without rethinking how we build relationships at work. Culture isn’t just a leadership agenda. It’s a collective experience. And it starts with The Trinity of Influence.
In the next blog, I’ll dive into how three core relationships—company to employee, leader to employee, and employee to employee—form the foundation of a human-centric workplace. Because the future of work isn’t about optimization. It’s about humanization.
Are you ready to build a workplace that people don’t just tolerate but love? Let’s start the conversation.