Transform Your Workplace: Why HR Must Go Beyond Engagement

Rethinking the Future of Work

I recently read the 2024 State of the Workplace report by TriNet, which analyzes how U.S. small businesses are navigating employee engagement, AI integration, generational shifts, and workplace culture.

👉 Read the full report here (PDF)

Reading it felt like holding a mirror up to 25 years of my own experience in HR. It affirmed what many of us already know—engagement alone isn’t enough.

The Limits of Employee Engagement: What Drives Real Workplace Satisfaction

Yes, 85% of employees report feeling engaged, but 76% are looking for growth opportunities elsewhere. Only one in three receives regular feedback. And Gen Z—the future of our workforce—reports the lowest levels of satisfaction, despite being the most eager to contribute to the workforce.

One data point stood out: employees say they feel most engaged when they’re empowered, trained, and heard. Not micromanaged. Not monitored. Not waiting for annual surveys to voice what they need. It made me think.

Why Do We Still Define Leadership as Managing Others?

What about the quiet innovators, the builders, the creatives—those whose growth lies not in directing others but in mastering their craft?

Succession, retention, and engagement are not separate issues; they are interconnected. They’re different expressions of one truth: people want meaningful, personalized, growth-driven work.

And HR? We’re at a crossroads.

From Transactional to Transformational

AI is relieving teams of repetitive, transactional tasks. This presents HR with a powerful opportunity to become the relational engine of the organization—if we choose it.

How Can HR Foster Human Connection and Growth?

Tools like Positive Impact Mapping® offer real-time insight with just one question—protecting psychological safety while surfacing what truly drives culture. Paired with human-centered approaches like Activate the Awesome™, we can help teams understand what energizes them, what holds them back, and what growth could really look like—for them.

We don’t need more checkboxes. We need more connection. If the future of work is personal, then perhaps the most radical thing we can do is start listening differently—and act with the courage to reimagine what success looks like for every single person.

Let’s start the conversation.