Editorial
EX leaders are feeling a lot of pushback from their executives, with a clear shift in the narrative from employee-centric programs to more product, revenue and sales oriented initiatives. The shift to employee centricity yielded huge changes in experience programs, introduced diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to the C-suite and launched wellness initiatives. However, four years post pandemic, we are now seeing a slide back to focus on internal operations and revenue led structures. But how do we remind leaders that EX and DEI programs answer bigger questions than just managing attrition among employees? How do we change the narrative?
I have talked in the past about the potential changes and risks that are on the horizon, especially within the next five years. There are actions that CEOs and executives must take to ensure stability and resilience of their employees that will ultimately grow their businesses. EX is still essential to prevent future migration while getting the best out of employees. We, as EX leaders, need to reinforce the work and support for employees because EX, DEI and wellness is not borne out of a moment in time that needed to be addressed, but an outcome of years of inequality, lack of transparency and overwork. This is the story we need to change for our executives.
What Happened to EX?
Why has this shift come about? Now that there is more insecurity in the economy, employees are less inclined to jump ship in the face of layoffs. Executives feel that they are back “in charge” after years of feeling like their backs were against the wall in the face of mass resignations.
Teams that have been formed since 2020 around DE&I, EX and even wellness are being reevaluated, reduced or disassembled altogether. Budgets are being migrated to revenue producing functions with demands for higher productivity and more in-office time.
Some trends seen in 2023 alone:
- Around 25 states are considering legislation to defund DEI initiatives at state agencies and public universities (30 legislative bills).
- Companies are being sued over their DEI initiatives.
- 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress.
- About two out of every five desk workers (37%) are logging on outside of their company’s standard hours at least weekly, and more than half (54%) of these workers say it’s because they feel pressured to, not because they choose to.
Many of the current programs and initiatives that companies have implemented with a sudden focus on DEI were a reaction to ethical and moral challenges in the workplace. Instead of being a business case, it became a social one — and that made it much harder to justify and show returns on investment. Likewise for wellness, the burnout and challenges felt after the pandemic led companies to invest in employee wellness just to help smooth the path for the ultimate return to office.
Paul Rubenstein, executive at people analytics company Visier, stated what most executives are not saying: that the need for brass-tacks accountability is the reason why many programs are being re-evaluated. “Pledges and statements are nice. But data lights the path to accountability and change,” the chief people officer said. There are two opportunities at play here.
Related Article: 4 Steps to Get Past No And Launch an Experience Program
Change #1: We Need to Reframe How We Think of Productivity
One common story that I hear from many leaders is that we need to return to pre-pandemic work structures because it is “the best way to get work done.” We need to get employees in the office and focused back on revenue generating activities, so employees will be rewarded in higher salary and equity sharing. Our opportunity here is to remind leaders that in the history of progress, at no point did it include reverting or sliding backwards. By design, progress implies rethinking, testing and then forward movement. What we have now is an opportunity to look at the benefits gained and lessons learned over the past few years that we can now adapt into our future workforce strategies.
So how do we build the conversation around aligning productivity and wellbeing instead of seeing them at odds? Though plenty of research backs the view that a healthier workforce is a more productive workforce, there’s this notion that it’s a zero-sum game — productivity, by definition, requires long hours and some degree of suffering and sacrifice. Instead of trying to measure productivity directly, one of the ways business leaders rate people is by their perceived commitment. This is not what productivity is, but without a clear measure, this is all that is left.
Story Change #2: Employee Needs Are Persistent, Not Reactions
Our second narrative change is to remember that what happened in 2020-2022 was not a one- time series of events. It was the emotional culmination and reaction to 20 years of feeling unempowered and burned out. The Great Resignation hit so hard because employers (and many employees as well) were unprepared.
One of the primary objectives of wellness programs is to promote physical, mental and emotional well-being among employees. By dismantling these programs, companies risk a decline in employee health, leading to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity and higher healthcare costs. In the post-pandemic era, where mental health awareness has gained prominence, neglecting wellness initiatives could contribute to a workforce that is less resilient and more susceptible to burnout. Additionally, new entrants to the workforce see wellness and DEI as key benefits, along the lines of medical and PTO. To do away with these programs can risk not just your current workforce, but your brand for future employees.
Conference
Sep
16
HR Tech Conference Las Vegas 2025
Register
Conference
Oct
27
Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo Orlando 2025
Register
Changing our perspective and the myths that we choose to perpetuate is how we as leaders can continue to reinforce that our work is not just impactful only during downturns to retain employees. It is in fact, business continuity. It is workforce planning and management. It is the health and productivity of the people who build, sell, create, optimize and support your product. It is an opportunity for talent to find their voice and career path, to reward their accomplishments and evolve rather than impose culture.
Related Article: You Have to Understand the Past to Build a Wellness Future
Ask Your Leaders to Remember Their Original Goals and Expected Outcomes
We have to return to what the purpose of what each of these movements were meant to support. Ultimately each of them were intended to drive business value and enhance employee productivity by ensuring smoother passages and promotion opportunities. We must be precise about the gaps DEI work is seeking to close, like uneven access to opportunities, differences in promotion rates that indicate some people get more opportunities for growth than others, and demoralizing experiences of bias and discrimination that make it impossible for someone to do their best work.
Wellness ensures our employees understand that sometimes we are overworked, and overwhelmed both at work and home, and there is a safe space to get help when needed. Employee experience helps to measure and track the success of the work, the health and outputs of our teams. Without this, we will have no product to sell let alone revenue to generate, which is what we are trying to avoid in the first place.
Learn how you can join our contributor community.
