The demand for exceptional employee experiences (EX) has never been higher, yet the gap between employee expectations and what organizations deliver has never been wider. We don’t have to look far for proof of this, as more companies are pushing employees back into physical workplaces that are far less appealing than they once were.
"We’ve decided that we’re going to return to being in the office the way we were before the onset of Covid," said Amazon’s chief executive, Andy Jassy, in a widely shared memo to staff. Amazon wants to be "better set up to invent, collaborate, and be connected enough to each other."
The ramifications here are more profound than we think. This change to policy has once again led to Amazon catching major negative headlines across global media for the quality of and configuration of its workplace. If you still believe EX is an inside job, I can’t help you. Every single thing that happens on the inside of a corporation will see the light of day immediately, or eventually. This is a culture war that companies make all for themselves and this could have been done differently, more successfully, if real human-centricty ran through the company structure.
The Debate Rages on, but is it the Right Debate?
That said, I don’t take sides in the hybrid vs. office debate - it’s not about the location for me. What matters is performance and impact. How are these changes to the employee experience co-created, led, and communicated? How do they align and strengthen the business? And most importantly, how do they enhance both business outcomes and human performance? I emphasize the human element because it often gets overlooked in these discussions. People should be at the forefront of shaping their own work lives, not pushed into arrangements that don’t suit them or drive results. My question in all this is more about whether or not we are even taking part in the right debate. Shouldn’t the focus of our discussion actually be performance and what enables people to be at their best in work and life?
The challenge, however, is that many leaders are struggling to manage changes like this that significantly affect peoples’ lives and the new set of expectations people have about work. They do say that launching a policy that is broadly popular (like hybrid or remote work) is the easy part, trying to take it away is where the main difficulties lie. The primary blockage isn’t lack of resources or expertise—it’s mindset.
Traditionally, leaders have been seen as the stewards of the status quo. But how can they thrive when that very status quo is being disrupted by new technologies and corporate policy changes that are often beyond their control? An entire employee experience can shift in a single day with just one decision. It’s a tough spot, and I empathize with their challenge—they’re expected to guide teams through the aftermath of significant changes, sometimes even ones they don’t personally agree with.
The response from a lot of leaders is usually to accept their fate, get in line behind the company in a very matter-of-fact organization-centric way, and do what they are paid to do: guard and manage the status quo as directed by the top team. But in the era of employee experience, this approach falls short. What’s needed now is a human-centered mindset that focuses on the whole employee experience, from onboarding to career growth, personal well-being, and overall engagement and performance. Without this shift, leaders risk becoming irrelevant or alienating their teams—or worse, become a roadblock to the very success they should be steering their teams towards.
The Mindset Shift: From Resources to Humans
At the core of this transformation is a mindset shift. Leaders need to move from simply managing people to truly understanding and supporting them as individuals. A human-centred approach means putting people at the centre, from policies and processes to culture-building initiatives. It’s about seeing employees not just as resources but as unique individuals with their own experiences, challenges, and aspirations.
This shift requires leaders to step out of their traditional roles and think more like experience architects who are deeply integrated into the organization. Instead of operating in their respective silos, leaders must work collaboratively with other departments, using data, insights, and empathy to design team experiences that truly resonate. It’s a shift from transactional to transformational. It's interesting just how much of what I write here applies to the HR function too, I'll be coming back around to that topic in future articles as I continue to help HR professionals and leaders into this new world of work through programmes like HEX Practitioner, for instance, so there is a lot to share on this.
The Need to Unlearn the Traditional Role of Manager
To make this shift, many leaders will need to unlearn much of what has defined their roles in the past. The traditional management function - focused on processes, policies, and procedures - can no longer be the main priority. Instead, leaders must let go of this legacy, which means stepping away from rigid, one-size-fits-all practices and adopting a flexible, people-first approach. Unlearning these deeply ingrained habits will be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to make room for the human-centred, innovative approaches that are required to meet the challenges of today’s workplace.
As Jassy points out, the traditional role of management is often a barrier for employees.
"Most decisions we make are two-way doors, and we want more of our team feeling empowered to move quickly, without unnecessary processes, meetings, mechanisms, or layers that create overhead and waste valuable time."
This push, along with efforts to flatten hierarchies, is largely welcomed in employee experience (EX) circles - giving people autonomy, ownership, and control over their work is critical to driving high performance. Yet, when it comes to allowing employees to work where and when it suits them as human beings, it seems sacred ground is being treaded on, with corporate mandates still ruling the day. Go figure - that’s the paradox CEOs and managers face: promoting noble goals on one hand, while undermining them with rigid policies on the other.
The Skills Leaders Need Right Now
To thrive in this new world, leaders need to rapidly upskill. Here are some critical areas to focus on:
Employee Experience Design: Leaders can’t just leave the employee experience to HR or EX/people functions. They must learn to co-design and hold themselves accountable for experiences that align with business goals while meeting employees’ needs at team level. This involves a deep understanding of the employee journey, high-impact touchpoints, and key moments that matter in an employee’s life at the company.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: The ability to use data and analytics to shape team strategies is crucial. Leaders must become comfortable with gathering, analyzing, and acting on employee data to make informed decisions that enhance the employee experience.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): It’s no longer enough to have technical skills. Emotional intelligence is a must, enabling leaders to connect with employees on a human level and respond to their emotional and psychological needs. This is a highly collaborative relationship, not a transactional one.
Business Acumen: Leaders must become more integrated into the business and its core Truth (purpose, mission and values), with a deeper understanding of how employee experience drives business success. This means knowing the business inside and out and being able to speak the language of the C-suite AND employees.
Agility and Innovation: The world of work is constantly evolving, and leaders must be agile enough to adapt to new trends, major decisions or disruptions, technologies, and employee expectations. Leaders need to be at the forefront of innovation, continuously experimenting and iterating on their team experience strategies.
The Risk of Inaction
If leaders don’t make this shift, the risks are significant. Companies that fail to prioritize a well-designed employee experience with high-quality, aligned leadership capabilities will see higher turnover, lower engagement, and weaker business performance. Leaders will be viewed as out of touch and irrelevant, which could fuel the ongoing debate on whether leaders are actually required and add value to the future organization.
There’s a tremendous opportunity here. By embracing a human-centred mindset and upskilling in key areas, leaders can shape exceptional employee experiences that drive business growth and success. This kind of human-centricity and creativity could be the game-changer leaders need as AI continues to expand its influence on human performance.
Summary: The Future of Leadership is Humanity
The future of leadership isn’t about doing away with the role but transforming it into something much more powerful. Leaders need to stop thinking of themselves as mere administrators or status quo managers and start seeing themselves as architects of the employee experience.
By upskilling, embracing a human-centred mindset, and integrating more deeply into the business, leaders can remain relevant and also lead the way in shaping the future of work.
Ben Whitter is the author of the ground-breaking book, Employee Experience (2019).
Employee Experience Strategy (2023) and Human Experience at Work (2021) completed his experience trilogy, which was published globally by Kogan Page.
Following the success of his first book, Ben was named one of the top emerging management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 in 2021, recognized for his "compelling" research on employee experience (EX). He was also a top 8 global finalist for the prestigious Distinguished Achievement Award in Talent, which was won by Reed Hastings of Netflix.
Ben is widely credited for pioneering and popularizing the concept of employee experience worldwide. In 2021 he was named as one of the Most Influential HR Thinkers by HR Magazine and one of the top 30 global keynote speakers for workplace culture by Global Gurus. His work has reached 18 million people, inspired the first EX conferences, and has been featured in publications including The Times, The Telegraph, Forbes, The Financial Times, The Economist, and MIT Sloan.
A prolific global keynote speaker on human and employee experience topics, Ben has introduced his ideas to audiences in more than 40 countries.
KEYNOTE SERVICES: To book Ben for a keynote speech (virtual or in-person) at your company, please contact us for availability.
COACHING & LEARNING: You can join the next public and virtual HEX Practitioner Programme here. 3 months access, live coaching and content on employee experience with Ben Whitter.