World of work

trends 2025
The collective workforce

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved.

 Table of contents

Introduction 3
Trend 1: Building sustainable workplaces together 4
Trend 2: The new belonging 7
Trend 3: Transforming employee experience for all 9
Trend 4: Neuroinclusive by design 11
Trend 5: AI-powered leadership takes hold 13
Final thoughts 15
Methodology 16
Contributors 17

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 2

Introduction

World of work trends 2025

The collective workforce
Coming to the end of 2024, we look back on months shaped, in equal parts, by the influx of artificial
intelligence (AI) into our workplaces, and the skills, capabilities, and perspectives that are uniquely human.
Looking into 2025, we can expect a continued recentring of the human, but a focus expanding far
beyond the individual employee.

In 2025, the balance between individual and group well-being will evolve, blending personal
empowerment with collective goals. The focus will be on creating environments where individual
contributions enhance the overall strength of teams and organisations, and where traditional boundaries
are softened to allow for greater collaboration and inclusion.

Systems thinking will be a must-have skill for HR professionals, driving every decision, and ensuring
that both individual and group success are intertwined and mutually reinforcing. Systems thinking is a
way of understanding how different parts of a system—whether an organisation or society—are connected
and influence each other. In HR, it enables leaders to design holistic strategies that align employee needs
with organisational priorities and broader societal challenges.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 3

Trend 1

Building sustainable Saint-Gobain India

workplaces together The integrated approach to an ageing workforce

Saint-Gobain India has an impressive number of employees who are from campus to C-suite. The
organisation is committed to nurturing longevity of tenure in its population. As an acknowledgement
of this longevity and as a sign of its commitment to individuals preparing for the next stage of their
lives beyond Saint-Gobain, this Top Employer has implemented an ambitious and innovative approach.

In 2025, organisations will face growing pressure to address global challenges - ranging from ethical AI use As employees of Saint-Gobain India near retirement age, salary increases are customised to benefit
in the workplace to demographic changes like declining birth rates and an ageing population. These issues their retirement corpus. This directly impacts the corpus that they will have at the time of retirement.
This is done consciously and with the consent of employees by restructuring the “Basic Pay element”
are no longer isolated from business; they demand an integrated partnership between society and
upwardly at the ages of 50, 55 and 58 years of age. For the individual employee, this benefit
organisations. For example, as we discussed in our recent Top Employers Institute Ethical AI framework white
provides an opportunity to build financial savings necessary for retirement. For the organisation, it
paper, technology is no longer just about efficiency or productivity; it involves fundamental questions about is not merely a sign of their commitment to such employees but also enables older employees to
fairness, inclusivity, and the long-term consequences for job markets. remain in the workforce longer, allowing knowledge transfer that enables continuity.

Similarly, labour shortages driven by demographic changes challenge companies to rethink their
workforce strategies for future sustainability. In East Asia especially, we are seeing employers taking
steps aligned with governmental ambitions to tackle a declining population, at all stages of employees’ lives.
Much focus has been put on encouraging couples to have more children. The Lotte Group, for example,
MBH Bank Hungary
implemented various family-friendly policies and saw its employees’ average birth rate jump 1.2 above the
Supporting employees at all career stages
national rate. There is also a push to enable older workers to remain longer in their jobs. The adoption of the
four-day work week not only benefits working mothers, but also promotes wellbeing, maintaining the good
MBH Bank Hungary is another Top Employer that recognises the need to focus on the full spectrum
health of employees to potentially delay retirement. of an employee’s life cycle, on the challenges and diverse needs of all various life stages, especially
for employees above the age of 60 years old. As MBH Bank is one of the largest employers in
Family-friendly offerings have also increased substantially over the last year. We saw a 3 percentage
Hungary, they feel they have a responsibility to help positively impact the labour market with their
points jump in the number of Top Employers offering flexibility in adjusting work schedules to take care of
HR practices; they strive to support employees at all stages of their careers, according to their
children. Improvements were also seen in nursing rooms (+5 percentage points) and special leave for parents needs. It was out of this desire that the Active+ Employee Programme was created, supporting older
(+2 percentage points). Acknowledging the reality that many more people are now responsible for ageing employees to find appropriate roles within the organisations.
relatives as well as young children, special leave for elder care increased by 5 percentage points. Today 40%
Active+ supports employees over 60 years of age in three key ways. Firstly, it provides age-relevant
of Top Employers offer this benefit.
benefits such as grandparent leave and preventative health care. Secondly, it enables accelerated
development opportunities, including digitalisation upskilling, mentoring, and knowledge transfer.
Thirdly, it embeds a sense of community within this demographic through events and online resources.

The programme has been well received, with excellent feedback in employee surveys, 90%
participation in trainings, and external recognition.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 4

Trend 1
Organisations that behave in ways aligned to their values and purpose, and support employees in
doing the same, have higher levels of employee engagement.
As organisations grapple with demographic shifts and the need for sustainable workforce strategies, they
must also contend with the growing influence of younger generations. Employees across all life stages are
becoming increasingly vocal, and Gen Z especially is driving the call for greater corporate accountability, they Purpose-related practices drive engagement
expect to find meaning and purpose in their work. Their focus on issues such as environmental sustainability,
social justice, and workplace diversity aligns with the pressures organisations already face to address global
7%
challenges. According to research from Top Employers Institute, this is not just about visible activism; it’s
woven into the modern workforce’s expectations, with employees demanding transparency and real 6%

Year-on-year adoption increase

action that resonate both within the workplace and across society.
5%
Top Employers are already stepping up to the challenge. Some of the biggest adoption increases
we saw this year were in sustainability. Reporting social and environmental performance indicators was 4%
up 7 percentage points, and we saw substantial jumps in integrating sustainability into HR processes like
performance management (4 percentage points), total rewards (3 percentage points) and recognition practices 3%
(2 percentage points).
2%

1%

0%

40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Adoption rate

Purpose measurement

Opportunities for exploring connection with company purpose

Sustainability integrated into HR processes
Purpose integrated into HR practices

Purpose success stories

Purpose-led decision making

Social and environmental informed decision-making

HR Practices supporting purpose have increased since last year. All the practices shown in this plot are statistically significant drivers of
employee engagement. The strength of their impact on employee engagement is represented by the size of the bubble.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 5

Trend 1

What this means for HR

As organisations take on these demands, the role of HR will become increasingly complex. HR
professionals will be tasked with navigating the conflicting priorities of employees, leaders, and society’s
expectations. This challenge is compounded by a significant trust deficit, many employees view HR with
scepticism, seeing it as too closely aligned with corporate interests.

Trust in HR has decreased by 11 percentage points since 2022. As the Guardian reported earlier this year, in
some cases distrust is so high that employees are paying for third party representation in their dealings with
them. For HR to effectively mediate these tensions, rebuilding trust will be critical.

To tackle the complex challenges around sustainability, HR can apply systems thinking to design strategies
that anticipate the ripple effects of decisions across the entire organisation, balancing employee needs,
organisational goals, and societal expectations. Organisations that empower HR to act as a true advocate for
both employees and for an organisation’s social responsibility will be better equipped to integrate competing
priorities and drive long-term success.

By addressing immediate workforce needs while responding to broader global challenges, organisations
have an opportunity to redefine their role in an interconnected world. From supporting employees across
life stages to embracing the values of a purpose-driven workforce, success lies in aligning organisational
strategies with evolving societal expectations.

As younger generations push for accountability and demographic shifts reshape the workforce, the ability to
balance these pressures with transparency and trust will set apart those companies that lead from those that
lag. Ultimately, organisations that embrace these challenges will not only sustain their relevance but
also build a workplace that reflects the shared values of their people and the wider world.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 6

Trend 2

The new
belonging GEP India
Creating belonging through alumni

Aligning with the evolving concept of workplace belonging, Top Employer GEP India has embraced
this trend by creating the GEP Alumni Network on LinkedIn, a dynamic community for former
employees. Recognising that today’s professionals often navigate multiple career moves, the network
keeps ex-GEPpers engaged beyond their tenure, strengthening relationships that span different
In 2025, employees will continue to seek a sense of belonging through their work, but the nature of workplace
roles and industries. This interconnected approach allows GEP to leverage the collective value of
communities is evolving. Unlike previous generations, today’s employees change jobs and careers with greater
alumni who continue to share insights, advocate for the brand, and connect as part of a professional
fluidity, spanning multiple organisations over relatively short periods.
support system.
This shift is reshaping the traditional, company-centred sense of belonging into a more dynamic, interconnected The network, with over 1,400 members, fosters brand advocacy, offers a space for hiring referrals,
experience. Employees no longer expect to build lasting relationships solely within a single organisation. and organises in-person events to deepen ties. As ex-employees advance in their careers or launch
Instead, they form communities that stretch across various jobs, industries, and networks, sometimes even new ventures, they remain part of GEP’s culture, exchanging knowledge and driving innovation.
in public coworking spaces where the people they interact with daily may not even work for the same company. With plans to expand globally, the initiative exemplifies how strong, authentic connections across
career paths can contribute to sustained business success.
This fluidity offers companies a unique advantage. As employees move between organisations and
interact with diverse professionals in shared spaces, they bring with them fresh ideas, innovations, and
relationships that generate significant value. Research by academics shows the connection between
innovation and turnover is U-shaped very high levels and very low levels of churn are both problematic. However, this new sense of belonging also challenges traditional HR approaches. With employees
Organisations are increasingly looking for a more careful approach to turnover, aligned to their own unique frequently moving between jobs and engaging in cross-organisational networks, cultivating long-term, company-
culture and strategy. For example, consultancies have long embraced intentional attribution as an opportunity centric communities becomes difficult. HR departments must adapt by recognising and supporting broader,
to build employee brand and inter-company networks through highly sought-after alumni. interconnected networks that stretch beyond organisational boundaries.

Rather than focusing exclusively on internal cohesion, companies need to facilitate environments where
employees can engage with external networks, such as those formed in coworking spaces, while still feeling
aligned with an organisation’s mission and values.

+6
increase in
Top Employers with high rates of voluntary turnover are far more likely to involve existing employees in facilitating
recognising departing onboarding. Despite this high turnover, organisations using this practice also have higher engagement. Their
percentage employees for their business success metrics are also strong; this practice is associated with higher profitability and revenue
points
contributions. growth. Similarly, Top Employers with more voluntary exits are also more likely to use employee referrals
when looking for new talent. Again, this practice is linked to employee engagement. This demonstrates how
strong, community-focused, HR practices can facilitate fluid talent flow in a way that drives success for
individuals and organisations.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 7

Trend 2

STMicroelectronics France
Community building practices drive Embracing the broader community
employee engagement
Reflecting the trend toward more interconnected and fluid career paths, Top Employer
STMicroelectronics France has embraced regional collaboration to support employee belonging
Involvement of existing employees
in facilitating onboarding 87% and development. The company partnered with nearby organisations, like Capgemini and Hewlett
Packard, to establish a regional talent exchange programme. This initiative allows employees to
Social events for new employees 75% explore diverse opportunities while maintaining their regional connections, demonstrating how
flexible, cross-company networks can be mutually beneficial.
Employee referral programme 85%
The programme has yielded impressive results: it has increased career development opportunities
Mentoring networks 44% for employees, expanded visibility for participating companies on emerging talent such as young
engineers, and facilitated the sharing of HR best practices. By embracing this broader sense of
Buddy assigned to new employee 81% community, STMicroelectronics France has not only enhanced employee growth but also fostered
Business leaders promote the organisational agility, showcasing how shared networks can drive collective success in a changing
74%
use of (internal) social platforms work landscape.

Adoption rate

HR Practices supporting the development of internal employee networks have increased since last year. All the practices shown in this plot
are statistically significant drivers of employee engagement.
What this means for HR
In this era of career fluidity, HR must rethink
To make matters more complex, this evolution of employee movement is happening against the backdrop what it means to belong. By embracing a broader,
of a growing loneliness crisis, particularly among younger generations like Gen Z, who crave both social more flexible sense of community - one that includes
connections and diverse careers spanning many organisations and even countries. By fostering connections external networks and shared spaces - organisations
that extend beyond the walls of a single organisation, companies can help alleviate loneliness at work can support employee well-being and tap into
while benefiting from the diversity of thought and innovation that employees bring from their varied the innovation that comes from diverse, authentic
experiences. connections. The challenge will be maintaining
alignment with company values while allowing
employees the freedom to build meaningful
professional networks across multiple organisations.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 8

Trend 3

Transforming
employee experience When we asked Top Employers how they thought the

for all 30% world of work in 2025 would be different to the world of
work in 2024, 30% said the employee experience would
become more important.

Conversations about the world of work too often focus solely on a certain type of worker. When we think about
important HR topics like remote work, wellbeing and engagement, we often imagine a white-collar employee. Top Employers with large blue-collar employee populations (at least 20% of the workforce) are already leading
the way. We saw substantial increases in employee listening - an 8 percentage points increase in adopting a
White-collar workers, as the name implies, are often found in environments appropriate for button-down
holistic employee listening strategy, and a 13 percentages points increase in managers following up on survey
white shirts and ties. They hold clerical, administrative, managerial, and executive roles. People in these jobs
insights. Ensuring departing blue-collar employees felt valued during offboarding was another area of growth.
normally earn an annual salary and usually require a university degree.
We saw an 8 percentage points increase in recognising the contributions of employees who leave, and a 12
Blue-collar workers have taken their name from the practical work clothes suitable for jobs in sectors like percentage points increase in collecting metrics to make sure offboarding goes well. Although employee
agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, or maintenance sectors, but this term has expanded, and experience practices for blue-collar organisation still lag those of white-collar organisations, the gap is
now also includes sectors such as retail and hospitality. This group is usually paid either by the hour or on a shrinking fast.
piecework basis, and depend more on skills gained through on-the-job learning.
Looking at Market Basket, a family-run Supermarket chain in the United States, it is clear how optimising the
In 2025, we will see a substantial blurring of these categories. The nature of jobs, once considered employee experience for all workers, not only white-collar, can change the direction of an organisation. In
blue-collar, has changed dramatically, thanks in no small part to advancements in technology, especially AI. 2014, following the removal of popular CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, who championed transforming employee
Post pandemic, there seems to be a much higher demand in many places around the world for skilled trades experience for all, employees and customers alike boycotted the chain for weeks, forcing a change in ownership.
and manual labour, coupled with a growing emphasis for needed skills over formal qualifications. This shift, Ten years later, Market Basket maintains a culture built on acknowledging the equal importance of all job types,
sometimes described as the rise of “new-collar” jobs, combines the technical expertise often associated reminding their workforce in a recent communication that “no one person is better or more important than
with blue-collar work with the adaptability and digital skills needed in today’s job market. another. We are all equal and by working together and only together do we succeed.”

The contribution of new-collar professionals, especially in times of crisis, or innovation-driven disruption,

is increasingly crucial to organisations’ ability to remain competitive. The demand for talent is heating up,
as employers rush to prepare for this new reality. Over 35% of the fastest-growing occupations are outside
traditionally white-collar fields, with projections estimating 1,7 million new positions by 2032. Organisations
are quickly becoming aware of the long-overlooked value of optimising HR practices for the new-collar, as well
as the traditionally blue-collar, workforces.

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Trend 3
Gen Z is less concerned with traditional labels and more focused on finding work that aligns with their
priorities and values, regardless of whether it is traditionally blue-collar or white-collar. Many in this
generation seek stability and career paths that emphasise practical experience over formal education. Following
Blue-collar organisations are less likely to use HR best practices significant AI-driven layoffs in knowledge sectors between 2023 and early 2024, Gen Z is increasingly exploring
roles perceived as less vulnerable to automation. In the United States, roles that do not require a university
degree are particularly appealing, given that the average student debt is around $25,000. However, recent
90%
Work environment 85% workforce insights show that interest in blue-collar work may be levelling off, suggesting that Gen Z’s approach
93%
is less about committing to any one category and more about finding roles that offer security and growth in an
Onboarding 78% evolving job market.
89%
Digital HR In 2025, we predict that Top Employers will embrace a more holistic approach to employee experience,
85%
one that values skills, adaptability, and diverse contributions without the confines of traditional job labels.
63%
Offboarding
59%

Wellbeing 74%
78% What this means for HR
82% By moving beyond copy-pasting practices from one type of role to another, organisations are finding what
Career 78% truly matters to them, regardless of whether a job has historically been labelled white-collar or blue-collar. This
Employee listening
81% includes implementing flexible scheduling, skills-based growth paths, and recognition practices that support
78%
everyone.
85%
Talent acquisition 82% As the boundaries between job categories continue to blur, HR leaders should design with the entire
Rewards & 78% workforce in mind, building a future-ready environment where all employees feel valued and empowered.
recognition 75%

50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Adoption Rate

White-collar Blue-collar

When we compare adoption of Best Practices at white-collar Top Employers to adoption of Best Practices at blue-collar Top Employers (e.g.
those with at least 20% of their workforce made up of blue-collar employees), blue-collar organisations lag.

Just as employers are recognising the untapped potential in the full breath of their workforces, so too
are employees. Whilst in previous years, white-collar may have been perceived as a preferable choice for
job seekers, either due to social bias or income potential, this differentiation will disintegrate in 2025. In fact,
some new-collar roles can pay salaries in the top half of the United States wage scale.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 10

Trend 4

Neuroinclusive
by design
This trend reflects a shift towards embedding inclusivity into the very fabric of organisational practices,
creating environments where diverse neurological perspectives are not just accommodated but
embraced as default, benefiting both employees and the broader organisation.

The competitive advantage of including neurodivergent individuals in the workplace is well established. We know What this means for HR
that these individuals bring unique perspectives and capabilities that drive business success and innovation. HR professionals will look to systems thinking to identify how neuroinclusive values intersect with other
Organisations are increasingly recognising neuroinclusion not only as an important part of Diversity, organisational goals such as improving team cohesion, refining communication strategies, and designing
Equity and Inclusion (DEI), but also as a competitive advantage, and are taking steps to recruit and workflows that respect different cognitive styles.
retain these individuals. 18% of Top Employers already have initiatives in place to support neurodivergent
employees.

+8
increase in HR practices
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term used to describe people with natural neurocognitive differences.
The exact definition and diagnoses related to this term are still evolving and developing. that ensure equity
Neurodiversity can include autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, but this list is percentage for neurodivergent
not inclusive of all conditions; some people also connect certain mental health conditions to
points employees.
neurodiversity, as they have been found to impact cognitive perception as well. Top Employers
Institute uses the term “neurodiversity” more broadly, to include everyone who may need support
with challenges at or around the workplace and/or who have unique, natural talents to offer an
organisation. One example of this evolution is skills-based hiring, a practice that ensures all employees - neurotypical
and neurodivergent alike - can advance based on their strengths. By focusing on practical skills rather than
conventional criteria, this approach reduces bias and allows neurodivergent candidates to showcase their
Whilst providing accommodation, adjustments, and support is a critical first step, in 2025 we see a more unique capabilities. This year, 92% of organisations reported using a standardised framework for employee
radical shift. Neuroinclusivity is evolving from an afterthought to a foundational principle in workplace selection that emphasizes skills and capabilities tailored to various job profiles. Companies adopting this
design, culture, and HR policies. No longer is it about identifying neurodiverse individuals and adjusting; practice report gains in both market share and profitability, highlighting how inclusive hiring practices benefit
instead, workplaces will be inherently inclusive, ensuring that everyone can realise their potential without everyone, without requiring specific adjustments.
needing to request accommodations.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 11

Trend 4

At the heart of this trend is the idea that the flexibility and personalisation enabling neurodivergent
employees to perform at their best enables neurotypical employees to succeed as well. For instance,
managers often say that after leading a neurodiverse team, they are better leaders overall. This is because they
learn to manage employees as individuals, adjusting to unique needs and skillsets, a habit they continue with
neurotypical team members. Similarly, organisations that have taken steps to communicate more directly notice
that, even though it was implemented originally to accommodate for the needs of neurodivergent employees, this
communication style has far-reaching benefits to the organisation, including inspiring redesigns of processes
and company structure.

When we asked Top Employers how they thought the

21% world of work in 2025 would be different to the world of

work in 2024, 21% said there would be greater flexibility
in how work gets done.

Ultimately, neuroinclusivity by design is not just about making space for neurodiverse employees; it’s
about reshaping the workplace to work better for everyone. These efforts lead to more adaptable, resilient,
and innovative organisations that are prepared to tackle the challenges of the future of work.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 12

Trend 5

AI-powered How Top Employers are expecting AI to benefit HR

leadership takes hold HR operational efficiency 62%
Data-driven decisions & insights 49%

Employee experience & engagement 39%

Learning innovation 37%
Strategic workforce planning 13%
When we asked our Top Employers what their most important HR priority would be in 2025, for the third
consecutive year, they identified leadership development. But leadership in 2025 will not be business as 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
usual. As we enter the era of AI-powered leadership, we are fundamentally redefining what it means to lead
in the future of work. Today, HR leaders are primarily using AI to speed up operational activities and manage data analysis. However, a small subset is already
experimenting with its role in more strategic decision making.
If 2024 marked AI’s disruption of highly skilled roles like software development and healthcare, 2025
will be the year AI reshapes the highest levels of leadership, bringing a new balance between human There is growing evidence that AI can improve speed and efficiency in complex business decisions. In
intuition and AI’s analytical power. an experimental simulation, AI was tested against humans on making the kinds of decisions CEOs are faced
with. The task competitors were faced with was to act as the leaders of an automotive organisation, maximising
In this evolving landscape, leadership is no longer an individual pursuit, but a collective effort changed by
sales whilst responding correctly to market signals, customer demands, and supply chain issues. In general,
intelligent systems. AI is not just influencing mid-level roles; it is becoming a partner in the C-suite, helping
the AI far outperformed the humans; it was able to better synthesise available data and funnel those insights
leaders navigate complexity, understand team dynamics, and make strategic decisions that benefit the entire
into strategy development. However, the AI did less well under pressure from “black swan events”- events like
organisation.
the market collapse that many industries experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems that whilst AI
Top Employers have moved with pace throughout 2024 to integrate AI into their workplaces in a way that is is a great partner in optimising strategy, human intuition, foresight, and ethics are indispensable.
ethical; 39% have now piloted, implemented, or established this new technology. Organisations are now ready
to move forwards and capture the full competitive advantage of AI. One of the areas where this synergy - of a human’s ability to empathise and technology’s ability to manage
complexity - is most critical is in employee experience and engagement. AI’s growing role in leadership
is also helping to balance individual needs with group success. For example, AI can identify complementary
strengths within a team—spotlighting one member’s creativity and another’s operational focus. Based on these
insights, leaders might empower the creative employee to experiment with innovative approaches while giving
When we asked Top Employers the operational expert autonomy to optimise processes.

27% about their key priority in HR

for 2025, 27% said utilising AI.
At the same time, the leader retains a strategic overview, using AI to monitor how these individual decisions align
with broader organisational goals. This balance between autonomy and strategic oversight allows employees
to make meaningful contributions while ensuring their efforts support the success of the entire team.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 13

Trend 5

AI will help leaders navigate increasingly dynamic and fluid job roles, providing clarity in decision-
making while encouraging collaboration and inclusion across all levels of the organisation. Our data
shows that Top Employers who are already using AI to support the employee experience are reaping the
HCL Tech
rewards. Organisations that are using AI as an opportunity to increase employee engagement have internal
Strengthening the leader-employee connection
promotion rates 13 percentage points higher, engagement levels 13 percentage points higher, and profitability
seven percentage points higher.
HCL Tech, a global IT Top Employer, focused specifically on the relationship between employees
What this means for HR and line managers. It has been established that this connection is one of the most important in
terms of employee engagement, as the saying goes, “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad
As AI transforms the C-suite, it challenges HR to rethink traditional leadership. The next era will be defined by bosses”. 75% of employees say the most stressful part of their jobs related to their manager and
leaders who not only leverage AI to enhance their strategic capabilities but also embrace their role in fostering 50% have actually quit in order to further avoid them.
connected, adaptive teams where human creativity and technological insights come together to drive success.
HCL Tech wanted to make sure good line managers were recognised. The iValue platform was
In the middle of these exciting technological advances, the HR leadership practice that saw the biggest year on launched to give employees a platform to share experiences and nudge managers to discover
year adoption increase was a distinctly human one. In 2025 encouraging self-reflection in leaders jumped by and practice behaviours that make a difference. The tool offers employees a chance to reflect and
6 percentage points. Top Employers recognise that AI-powered leadership is not about replacing human acknowledge the valuable contributions their managers have made to their careers.
intuition but about evolving leadership to perform in a more complex, interdependent world.
This process begins with an email triggered on special occasions, such as work anniversaries
or when celebrating prestigious awards. It invites employees to document the “wow” moments
facilitated by their managers. Employees can choose from a selection of badges that best represent
their experience. These badges include: Mentor Enables Growth, Provides Purpose, Talented Role
Model, Trusted Friend of All, Caring & Supportive, and Empowers & Recognises.

The primary goal is to foster a culture of gratitude and belonging, where employees can genuinely
appreciate and recognise the role their managers have played in their professional development.

To date, the programme has reached 15% of the organisation. Importantly, it has provided leadership
with clear visibility on the best line managers, enabling them to be utilised as facilitators of the
Certified People Manager Intervention to help and mentor 10 to 12 fellow people managers. The
programme and the AI behind it has helped reinforce a culture of recognition and empathetic
leadership.  

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 14

 Final thoughts
In the collective workforce of 2025, nuance, not compromise, leads the way. As the world of work
continues to evolve, the year ahead will demand a careful integration of individual and collective ambitions.
The trends shaping this future - from the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI to the needs of diverse
employee groups - reflect a landscape where complexity and interconnectedness are the norm.

Each of the five trends explored in this report offers a clear call
to action for HR leaders.
Building sustainable workplaces together highlights the need for organisations to integrate social
responsibility into their strategies and address global challenges collaboratively.

The new belonging calls on organisations to support employees navigating fluid careers, fostering
connections both within and beyond organisational boundaries.

Transforming employee experience for all focuses on inclusive practices that ensure all employees,
regardless of role, feel supported and empowered.

Neuroinclusive by design leverages insights from neuroinclusion to improve communication,

teamwork, and workflows across the entire workforce.

Finally, AI-powered leadership combines human creativity with technological insights, helping
leaders guide their organisations through complexity and change.

Organisations that embrace this dynamic reality, fostering environments where diverse perspectives
drive meaningful collaboration and innovation, will not only adapt, but thrive. By embedding systems
thinking and creating spaces where personal empowerment enhances collective strength, we can
build a resilient and inclusive future of work.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 15

Methodology
The data shown in this report has been extracted from the anonymised responses of 2,175 global
participants of the Top Employers Institute’s HR Best Practices Survey for 2025, and 2,200 organisations
for our 2024 edition. Relying on internally and externally audited data covering six key domains of HR
ensures that our analysis is objective and fact-based. Our data stands the test of time.
Over 2,300 organisations participated in the Top Employers Institute’s HR Best Practices Survey for The six survey domains
2025, but at the time of analysis, data for only 2,175 was available.
We complimented this data set with an additional survey of 218 Top Employers as a way to gather
input on their expectations and priorities for the coming year.
Steer Shape
1. Business strategy 1. Organisation & change
2. People strategy 2. Digital HR
3. Leadership 3. Work environment

Objective
Before an organisation can be certified as a Top Employer, HR auditors validate the answers provided
by the organisation in the HR Best Practices Survey. This validation is a necessary step to ensure that Attract Develop Engage
the data is accurate, reflects the standards required by Top Employers Institute, and provides additional 1. Employer 1. Performance 1. Wellbeing
clarity to the participating organisation. branding 2. Career 2. Employee listening
2. Talent acquisition 3. Learning 3. Rewards &
3. Onboarding recognition
Fact-based 4. Offboarding

We measure many of the same variables every year so our data analysts can identify and benchmark
emerging trends and see which practices are losing popularity. The best practices that we collect
create a natural continuous improvement process to update and maintain the relevance of the Top Unite
Employers Institute HR Best Practices Survey. 1. Purpose & values
2. Ethics & integrity
3. Diversity, equity & inclusion
Global 4. Sustainability

Our research has a global scope: the data covers leading employers across Europe, Middle East,
Latin America, APAC and Africa. Our digital survey, allow us to identify not only growth per practice
but also to define trends based on imperatives such as transparency, agility, ownership and others, as
shared in this report.

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 16

Contributors

Authors

Emily Cook Tory DeBassio

Senior HR researcher Research & content writer
Top Employers Institute Top Employers Institute

Project Team

Quinten van Es Trevor Merriden Anthony Chute

Director of research & insights Content marketing editor Graphic designer
Top Employers Institute Merriborn Odyssey Design Studio

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case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial users permitted by copyright law. Copyright: Top Employers Institute

© Top Employers Institute. All Rights Reserved. 17

© Top Employers Institute 2024. All Rights Reserved.