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Culture Through the Generational Lens: Why New Hires Feel Unaligned

“New hires just don’t seem engaged anymore.”
 
We hear this from leaders across industries. Often spoken with frustration. Sometimes with concern.  Almost always with a sense of confusion. 
 
But in most cases, disengagement is not the real issue.
 
Misalignment is.
 
At KDH Consulting, we work closely with leadership teams navigating generational shifts in the workplace. 
 
And one pattern shows up again and again:
Organizations are trying to solve a motivation problem when they actually have a clarity problem.

The Generational Shift Leaders Can’t Ignore

Today’s workforce is more multigenerational than ever. Each generation brings different experiences, expectations, and definitions of success.

Gen Z in particular is often labeled as difficult, distracted, or disengaged. But when you look closer, a different picture emerges.
 
Gen Z employees consistently value:
  • Autonomy in how they work
  • Purpose behind what they do
  • Transparency from leadership
  • Alignment between values and actions
When those elements are present, engagement follows quickly. When they are missing, no amount of perks, programs, or pressure will close the gap.
 
Need a deeper dive into the Gen Z mindset? Check out this read from Giselle Sandy-Phillips: Thriving in the Modern Workplace: A Gen Z Guide to Success. 

I had the absolute privilege of meeting the lovely author Giselle at a networking event.

Why Engagement Drops During Onboarding and Early Tenure

Many organizations unintentionally create misalignment in the first 90 days.

Here’s how it usually happens:
  • Leaders assume expectations are clear.
  • Values are stated but not operationalized.
  • Culture is described, not demonstrated.
  • Feedback flows one way, if at all.
New hires are left trying to decode how things really work. Not because they lack motivation, but because the signals are inconsistent.
 
From their perspective, disengagement becomes a form of self-protection. If clarity is missing, pulling back feels safer than leaning in.

Alignment Is a Leadership Responsibility

Culture does not live in a slide deck. It lives in daily decisions, communication, and behavior.
 
When leaders do not create space for dialogue, assumptions fill the gap. And assumptions are where alignment quietly erodes.
 
Alignment requires leaders to:
  • Clearly define what success looks like beyond performance metrics
  • Connect day-to-day work to meaningful outcomes
  • Invite feedback early and often
  • Be transparent about priorities, trade-offs, and decisions
This is not about catering to a generation. It is about leading intentionally in a changing workplace.

How Leaders Can Rebuild Alignment Across Generations

Rebuilding alignment does not require a full culture overhaul. It starts with small, deliberate leadership shifts.
 
Try these culture-first moves:
  • Ask new hires how they define meaningful work and listen without defending
  • Clarify how autonomy shows up in roles, not just in theory
  • Explain the why behind decisions, especially when the answer is not ideal
  • Check alignment regularly instead of waiting for engagement surveys
When leaders take time to understand what matters most to their teams, trust builds. And trust is the foundation of engagement across every generation.

Culture by Design, Not by Default

When organizations struggle with engagement, the instinct is often to add programs. But engagement grows faster when leaders focus on alignment instead of activity.
 
High-performing cultures are not built by guessing what people need. They are built by asking, listening, and responding with intention.
 
Your new hires are not asking for less accountability.
They are asking for a clearer connection.

A Question for Leaders

When was the last time you asked your team what matters most to them right now?
 
Not as a survey checkbox.
Not as a one-time onboarding question.
But as an ongoing leadership habit.
 
That conversation might be the most effective culture work you do this quarter.
Kelly from KDH Consulting
About the Author: Kelly Donlon Hoy is the founder of KDH Consulting. KDH Consulting specializes in helping organizations create “communications that count.” Their team brings together more than 80 years of collective experience across industries, including pharmaceuticals, advertising, and finance. 
 
They focus on culture, leadership, employee engagement, and internal communications—helping businesses design intentional strategies that drive retention, alignment, and growth.
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Why Recognition Programs Fail, and How to Fix Them

Employee recognition is supposed to boost morale, strengthen culture, and keep top performers engaged. Yet, too often, recognition programs start with fanfare and end with frustration. Instead of lifting culture, they fizzle out, feel forced, or fail to connect with business goals.

For HR leaders, that failure is costly, not just in wasted budget but in rising turnover, disengagement, and credibility with the executive team.

This article breaks down why recognition programs fail and, more importantly, how to fix them with a framework that actually sticks.

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

Recognition programs fail when they lack leadership buy-in, alignment with values, or simple integration into daily work.

The hidden costs include turnover, lost productivity, and reputational damage.

The root causes are systemic: cultural, operational, equity, and change management gaps.

Fixing recognition requires a blueprint: strategy, executive champions, manager enablement, peer-to-peer recognition, inclusion, simplicity, and measurement.

Case study proof: embedding recognition into daily routines has reduced turnover by 26% in 30 days (manufacturing) and improved retention in large healthcare networks.

Long-term success comes from refreshing programs, tying recognition to growth, building rituals, and integrating recognition into performance systems.

The High Cost of Failed Recognition Programs

Recognition isn’t just about “feeling good.” When programs fail, the ripple effects show up on the balance sheet, in turnover reports, and even in brand reputation. For HR leaders, that failure becomes an expensive and highly visible problem.

Turnover is the Biggest Price Tag

Research from Gallup shows that disengaged employees cost companies up to 18% of their annual salary in lost productivity. Multiply that across hundreds – or thousands – of employees, and the financial drain is staggering. A recognition program that doesn’t stick doesn’t just waste its budget; it accelerates disengagement and fuels the exit of top performers.
 

Engagement Scores Don’t Lie

Surveys often reveal the problem before finance does: employees report feeling undervalued or unseen. In fact, Achievers Workforce Institute reported that two-thirds of employees are more likely to stay when they feel recognized – yet fewer than half say recognition is consistent at their company.
 
Reputation Risk in the Talent Market
 
Today’s employees talk. Glassdoor reviews and LinkedIn posts often spotlight whether a company “walks the talk” when it comes to culture. A failed recognition program can quietly erode employer brand, making it harder for HR to attract the very talent the business depends on.

The 7 Most Common Employee Recognition Challenges

Even the most well-intentioned programs often collapse under pressure. Based on research and consulting experience, here are the seven employee recognition challenges that organizations struggle with most and why they matter.

  1. Lack of Leadership Buy-In – Programs fade when executives don’t model recognition.
  2. Misalignment with Company Values – Awards that don’t reinforce strategy feel hollow.
  3. Infrequency and Delay – Late or rare recognition loses impact.
  4. Generic or Inauthentic Praise – “Good job” isn’t enough; specifics build trust.
  5. One-Size-Fits-All Approach – Employees value recognition differently; personalization matters.
  6. Overcomplicated Platforms – If recognition isn’t easy, it won’t stick.
  7. No Measurement or Feedback Loops – Without data, leaders can’t improve or prove ROI.

Why Recognition Programs Fail (The Root Causes)

Most articles stop at surface-level challenges. But the truth is, recognition programs fail because of underlying system gaps—not just because managers forget to say “thank you.”
 
  • Cultural Gaps: Executives don’t model recognition, so employees see it as optional.
  • Operational Gaps: Recognition is treated as an event instead of a daily practice.
  • Equity Gaps: Bias and favoritism creep in without regular audits.
  • Change Gaps: Programs stall during restructuring or growth, when recognition is most critical.
In short: Programs don’t fail because employees don’t like recognition. They fail because systems aren’t designed to sustain them.

Fixing Recognition Programs: A Blueprint That Works

f recognition challenges are symptoms, the real fix lies in building a program that’s strategic, authentic, and sustainable. 

Here’s the blueprint.
  1. Start With Strategy – Tie recognition directly to company values and business goals.
  2. Secure Executive Champions – Leaders must consistently model recognition.
  3. Equip Managers – Give them simple prompts and tools to deliver recognition authentically.
  4. Empower Peer-to-Peer Recognition – Let colleagues celebrate contributions leaders may miss.
  5. Design for Inclusion – Audit recognition distribution to ensure fairness and highlight “hidden work.”
  6. Keep It Simple – Integrate recognition into daily workflows.
  7. Measure What Matters – Track engagement, retention, and participation—and show ROI.

Case Snapshot: Recognition That Transformed Retention

Recognition works when it’s consistent, inclusive, and tied to daily routines. Real-world results show what happens when organizations get it right:
 

Manufacturing Example (Whistle Rewards):

By embedding timely recognition into onboarding, one client reduced turnover by 26% in just 30 days. This wasn’t about bigger bonuses—it was about making recognition immediate and visible for frontline workers.

Healthcare Example (CHRISTUS Health via Achievers):

A large healthcare network tied recognition directly to organizational values. Leaders saw measurable improvements in retention, engagement, and cultural alignment, even during high-turnover periods.

Industry Benchmark:

Companies with strong recognition programs experience up to 31% lower voluntary turnover compared to those without, according to industry research.

The takeaway: when recognition is strategic, inclusive, and easy to use, it doesn’t just feel good, it saves millions in hidden costs, protects employer brand, and keeps top talent engaged.

Pro Tips for Sustaining Recognition Programs Long-Term

Launching is easy. Sustaining is where most programs collapse. 
 
These practices keep recognition alive:
 
  • Refresh regularly to reflect evolving priorities.
  • Tie recognition to growth with mentorships, promotions, and career pathways.
  • Build rituals like weekly team shout-outs or quarterly peer awards.
  • Integrate into reviews and dashboards so recognition stays visible and actionable.
Recognition programs don’t fail because employees dislike being appreciated, they fail because organizations don’t design them to last. Without strategy, leadership commitment, and measurement, recognition becomes an afterthought instead of a cultural driver.

 

The good news: when recognition is authentic, inclusive, and embedded into daily work, it transforms from “HR initiative” to business advantage one that improves retention, strengthens culture, and protects your employer brand.

The next step is simple: audit your current recognition practices. Where are the gaps – leadership modeling, manager consistency, or equity checks? From there, rebuild with intention.

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From Busy to Balanced: Why Breaks Make Better Leaders

Sustainable leadership isn’t built on burnout. It’s built on balance.

In today’s always-on workplaces, leaders are expected to juggle competing priorities, manage emotional labor, and drive results—often without ever slowing down. 

But what if the very thing we’ve been conditioned to avoid is actually the key to stronger leadership, healthier workplace culture, and better performance?

At KDH Consulting, we work with organizations across industries to strengthen leadership communication, employee engagement, and culture by design—not by default. One insight continues to surface in every engagement:

The most effective leaders don’t just work harder. They recover better.

And not someday.
Not just on vacation.
But inside the workweek.

Productivity Isn’t About Grinding—It’s About Pausing

Many leaders still equate productivity with constant motion. More meetings. More emails. More urgency. But the data—and lived experience—tell a different story.

When teams operate at full tilt for too long, the consequences show up quickly:

  • Communication quality deteriorates

  • Recognition becomes inconsistent or disappears

  • Employee engagement declines

  • Decision-making turns reactive instead of strategic

Neuroscience helps explain why. The human brain requires cycles of focus and recovery to function at its best. Without recovery, cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and strategic thinking all suffer.

Organizational research reinforces this:
Employees don’t stay engaged because of pressure.

 They stay engaged because of clarity, recognition, and connection—all of which decline when leaders are depleted.

Simply put:
A leader who never comes up for air can’t create a culture where their people can breathe.

How Taking Breaks Makes You a Stronger, More Strategic Leader

Pausing isn’t a weakness in leadership. It’s a capability. Here’s how intentional breaks directly improve leadership effectiveness and workplace culture.

1. Breaks Sharpen Leadership Communication

When leaders are overloaded, communication becomes shorter, sharper, and often less thoughtful. Nuance gets lost. Tone suffers. Messages miss the mark.

After a pause—even a short one—leaders communicate with greater clarity, empathy, and intention. And effective communication is the foundation of trust, alignment, and performance.

2. Recovery Leads to Better Culture Decisions

Culture “by default” forms when leaders are too busy to reflect on what’s actually happening inside their organization.

Culture “by design” requires space—to notice patterns, evaluate behaviors, and make intentional choices. That level of awareness simply isn’t possible when every moment is filled.

3. Rest Reignites Recognition

One of the first things to disappear under pressure is recognition.

When leaders are stretched thin, they stop noticing wins, effort, and alignment with values. When they’re grounded, recognition becomes natural, timely, and meaningful—fueling engagement and retention.

4. Pausing Models Sustainable Performance

Teams take their cues from leadership.
If leaders are always running on fumes, the culture learns that depletion is normal—and expected.

When leaders model healthy pacing, they give permission for sustainable performance across the organization.

A Pattern We See Again and Again

Whether we’re supporting a leadership team through a culture strategy, designing a recognition program, or coaching leaders on communication, a familiar turning point emerges:

A leader steps back. Sometimes for 20 minutes. Sometimes for an afternoon.

And they return with more clarity than they’ve had in months.

That pause becomes a catalyst. Decisions sharpen. Alignment improves. Energy returns. Because when leaders recalibrate, organizations follow.

Practical Ways to Build Recovery Into Leadership (Without Losing Momentum)

These strategies are small—but strategic—and aligned with KDH’s culture-first approach to leadership:

  • Create intentional whitespace in your calendar for thinking, not doing

  • Adopt focus–recovery cycles (90 minutes of focused work followed by a 15–20 minute reset)

  • Use walking meetings to reduce cognitive load and spark creativity

  • Schedule one weekly “culture touchpoint” such as recognition, reflection, or communication review

  • End each day with clarity by identifying tomorrow’s top three priorities to reduce mental residue

These aren’t “nice-to-haves.”
They are leadership levers that directly improve communication, engagement, and culture.

Leading for the Long Game

Sustainable leadership isn’t about quitting ambition or lowering standards. It’s about creating the conditions where people—and performance—can thrive over time.

High-performing workplace cultures aren’t built on burnout.

They’re built on clarity, consistency, recognition, and leaders who have the energy to deliver all three.

If we want organizations where people feel connected, valued, and aligned, we need leaders operating from balance—not depletion.

A Question for You

What’s one intentional pause you could build into your week that would strengthen how you lead?

Whether it’s a short reset between meetings or protected thinking time, that pause might be the most strategic leadership move you make this week.

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Recognition Is Retention: Why Peer Award Programs Are Essential to Culture and Engagement

KDH Consulting Recognition Is Retention
We say it often at KDH Consulting, because it’s true: recognition is retention. When employees feel seen—not just for what they do, but for how they show up—everything changes.

 

Engagement deepens. Loyalty grows. And your culture becomes more than just words on a poster—it becomes something your team lives, breathes, and talks about.

 

If you’re still thinking of employee awards as a once-a-year checkbox or a nice-to-have bonus, it might be time to think again. Done right, a structured, values-based peer recognition program isn’t fluff—it’s a high-impact strategy that reinforces your culture and boosts performance across your organization.

 

Why Consider a Peer Recognition Program?

The benefits are clear—and they ripple far beyond traditional awards programs.
✅ Peers have a unique lens to see what managers or other leaders often cannot. A peer nominating a colleague is a great indicator that employees understand what matters most and can recognize what good looks like in the individuals and teams they work with.
✅ Increased engagement and productivity
Employees who are nominated feel valued show up with more energy, ownership, and focus. Recognition helps them feel connected to the mission and to each other. And nominators also feel satisfaction at catching people doing things right.
✅ Improved retention and loyalty
It’s not always about perks or pay. Often, what keeps top performers from walking out the door is the sense that what they do matters—and that someone –especially a peer –notices.
✅ A stronger leadership pipeline
When you publicly celebrate rising stars, you send a powerful message about what leadership looks like in your organization. That’s how you cultivate the next generation of change-makers.
✅ A deeper dive on great work getting done
With peer nominations, leaders get a closer look at work they may not have the chance to see regularly. The nominations serve as an easy reference to how individuals or teams are operating and the results they are getting.
✅ Culture clarity and communication
Peer Awards programs are one of the most effective ways to broadcast your culture in action. They clarify what you value—not just what you measure, but how you want people to work together, show up, and lead.

Annual or Bi-Annual? Different Models, Same Impact

One of the questions we often hear from clients is: Should we run an annual program—or something more frequent?
Here’s our take:
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your team size, structure, and bandwidth. But what matters most is consistency and clarity.
  • Annual Programs offer a splashy moment of celebration—often tied to year-end reviews or corporate milestones. When done well, they create buzz, visibility, and lasting morale boosts.
  • Bi-Annual Programs help keep culture top-of-mind throughout the year. They reinforce behaviors more regularly and make it easier to capture great work before it fades from memory.
Either way, a thoughtful cadence gives people something to look forward to—and something to aspire toward.

Side Benefits You Shouldn’t Overlook

While the headline is “awards,” the real transformation happens in the ripple effects:
💬 Your team starts talking about what good looks like.
Recognition programs drive ongoing dialogue around excellence – not just outcomes, but behaviors, collaboration, and values in action.
📣 Your values get airtime.
Every nomination, every award, is an opportunity to reinforce the culture you’re working to build.
🎯 You build in moments of pause and reflection.
Amid the deadlines and daily grind, structured recognition creates time to stop, acknowledge, and celebrate. That’s powerful.

Recognition Takes Planning—But It’s Worth It

The most effective programs don’t just “happen.” They take intention. They take alignment. And they typically take 8–12 weeks to plan.

 

That lead time allows you to:
  • Define what you want to recognize and why
  • Design a simple, accessible nomination and selection process
  • Communicate clearly and consistently with your team
  • Build excitement and transparency across the organization
At KDH Consulting, we often start planning programs a full two quarters ahead—especially for organizations looking to roll out a new initiative or refresh an old one.

How KDH Consulting Can Help

We partner with companies to create custom recognition programs that align with your culture, elevate your team, and support your strategic goals.

 

Whether you need:
  • A full program design from scratch
  • Help refreshing your existing awards structure
  • Support facilitating nomination, scoring, or communications
  • A behind-the-scenes partner to manage the logistics start to finish
We’re here to help you build a recognition strategy that works—and that lasts.

Let’s Elevate How You Celebrate

If you’re ready to make recognition more than a once-a-year perk…
If you want to see your culture come to life through your people stories…
If you’re curious about what a peer-nominated program could look like in your world…
📩 Let’s talk.
We’d love to show you how recognition can go from feel-good moment to a powerful culture-building tool.
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Why Every Business Owner Should Rethink Internships: Culture-Building in Action

KDH Consulting Rethink Interns Blog

The Internship Advantage: How Interns Strengthen Your Company Culture

At KDH Consulting, we often say that culture is not a poster on the wall; it’s how we work, communicate, and grow together every day. And few experiences embody this philosophy better than bringing interns into the business.

For many business owners, internships are seen primarily as a way to offer students some real-world experience. And while that’s certainly part of it, the value runs far deeper—for both the intern and the organization.

 

 

Interns Offer More Than Just an Extra Pair of Hands

When you invite interns into your business, you’re inviting in something every leader craves but rarely receives: fresh perspective.

Interns bring questions that challenge your assumptions. They offer feedback that exposes blind spots in your processes. They surface outdated steps in workflows and outdated ways of thinking. Simply explaining your work to someone new forces you, as a leader, to clarify and simplify your own thinking.

In fact, interns often act as a mirror, helping us reflect on whether the culture we say we have is actually being lived out in the day-to-day work.
Are we clear in how we communicate?
Are our processes designed for learning and collaboration?
Or have we made things so complicated that even explaining them feels exhausting?

 

 

Internships Build Stronger Leadership at Every Level

Internships are not just about the intern’s development, they’re a live test of your company’s communication and mentorship capabilities.

When your team engages with an intern, they’re practicing:

  • Mentorship and coaching skills that strengthen leadership capabilities

  • Clarity in communication by explaining roles, processes, and decisions

  • Adaptability by adjusting workflows based on new ideas or questions

  • Inclusivity by inviting younger voices into real conversations about work and culture

This isn’t theoretical culture work, it’s culture in motion.

 

 

A Real-Time Lab for Communication and Engagement

At KDH Consulting, one of the biggest benefits we see from our internship program is how it fuels our ongoing culture work.

Interns allow us to:

  • See where our internal communication systems work (or don’t)

  • Test how clear and accessible our processes really are

  • Learn what younger generations expect from work, feedback, and leadership

  • Model our values of transparency, feedback, and growth

In fact, one of our interns recently provided valuable insights that helped us simplify certain client onboarding steps. Their fresh eyes exposed friction points we had grown accustomed to.

That small insight ultimately made the client experience better for everyone.

 

Why This Matters for Every Business Owner

You don’t need to be a massive corporation to benefit from internships.
In fact, small businesses may stand to gain the most.

Here’s why:

  • Interns often bring early-career tech fluency and fresh thinking that can modernize outdated systems

  • They offer honest feedback that full-time employees may hesitate to give

  • They help reveal gaps in documentation, onboarding, and training

  • They provide leaders with low-risk opportunities to practice coaching and development skills

  • They allow businesses to “pressure test” their own culture, are we really as collaborative and communicative as we believe?

 

The Bottom Line: Interns Strengthen Your Culture

At its core, culture is about how we learn, adapt, and engage with one another. Internships, when done well, are one of the purest ways to see that culture in action. They remind us to stay curious, stay clear, and stay connected to the next generation of professionals.

And as a bonus? The interns benefit too.
They leave not just with experience, but with a deeper understanding of what healthy work environments look like, and how they can contribute to them wherever their career takes them.

Curious how your internal communication and culture practices stack up?

At KDH Consulting, we help business leaders build communication systems and leadership practices that engage teams at every level, from interns to executives.

Let’s talk about how to strengthen your culture from the inside out.
📩 Contact Us to Start the Conversation

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7 Ways Your Communications Are Failing You (And What to Do Instead)

7 Ways Your Communications Are Failing You KDH Consulting

You’re busy. Your team is busy. Everyone is juggling tasks, meetings, and deadlines. So why does it sometimes feel like no one is actually communicating?

Communication is the nervous system of your business. When it’s working well, ideas flow, collaboration thrives, and people feel informed and empowered. When it’s not? Confusion, frustration, and missed opportunities start piling up.

Here’s the truth: most communication failures aren’t because people don’t care. It’s usually the little things—habits that seem harmless in the moment but quietly sabotage effectiveness and morale.

Let’s look at seven common communication pitfalls—and how to fix them before they create unnecessary friction.

1. Channel Spamming
Jumping across multiple platforms like a digital ping-pong ball doesn’t speed up responses—it erodes trust. Unless it’s a true emergency, pick one channel and stick with it.

Instead: Choose the best-fit platform based on urgency and complexity, then wait for a response before following up elsewhere.

 

2. Forgetting Attachments or Access Permissions
We’ve all hit send too fast, only to realize the file isn’t attached—or worse, it’s restricted. These tiny slip-ups cause big delays.

Instead: Pause before you send. Do a 5-second check for attachments, links, and permissions. Bonus: your credibility goes up.

 

3. Talking on Mute
It’s 2025. “You’re on mute” shouldn’t still be the most used phrase in meetings. Yet here we are.

Instead: Learn your mute hotkeys and stay present. Being visibly engaged—camera on, nodding, reacting—keeps you in the game and ready to contribute.

 

4. Ghosting Your Colleagues
Nothing stalls momentum like sending “Do you have 10 minutes?” and never following up. It’s not just frustrating—it damages trust.

Instead: If your situation changes, loop back. Even a “Hey, I got pulled into something—let’s reconnect tomorrow” goes a long way. Closure is kind.

 

5. Writing Email Novellas
If your email looks more like a novel than a note, chances are it’s not getting read—or understood.

Instead: Lead with key points. If there’s nuance to unpack, offer to discuss live. Respect people’s time by keeping communication concise and clear.

 

6. Hitting Reply All Unnecessarily
Not everyone needs to know you said “Thanks!” Worse, you could accidentally reply-all with sensitive information.

Instead: Use “Reply All” sparingly and intentionally. When in doubt, direct replies save inboxes—and relationships.

 

7. Using Jargon, Acronyms, or Emojis Thoughtlessly
Business slang, shorthand, or 😅 emojis might make sense to you—but they may confuse or alienate others.

Instead: Know your audience. When clarity matters, skip the jargon and opt for plain language. And save the winks and giggles for your group chat.

 

The best communications are clear, intentional, and human. They’re not about over-talking or over-policing—they’re about creating the kind of environment where people feel respected, seen, and informed.

At KDH Consulting, we help leaders and teams untangle communication breakdowns and build systems that support connection, clarity, and culture. From communication audits to hands-on workshops, we’ve helped teams of all sizes communicate with more impact—and less noise.

Whether your team is remote, hybrid, or all in one place, the way you communicate internally is your culture in motion.

 

Ready to build something better? Let’s talk.

 

 

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RTO Roadmap – Which Road Will Your Company Take?

Return to work people working in an office space and from home

Each morning as I skim headlines, I read about companies declaring their return to office (RTO) policies.  The approaches taken are as varied as the companies themselves. Below is just a sample of what I’ve come across:

  • Rip the bandage: Last quarter, Dell gave employees just a couple of days to return to the office full time, 5 days a week, leaving virtually no time to adjust schedules and responsibilities.
  • See you soon: Amazon declared in early September that colleagues would need to return to the office for 5 days beginning in January 2025, giving colleagues months to prepare for the transition. They recently delayed that RTO start date due to office space limitations.
  • Choose your own adventure: one large firm in the health care industry allowed employees to choose which three days they come in—and put it in writing as part of their annual objectives.
  • Steady as she goes: Several companies previously declared a policy that required a set number of days per week—or even specific days—to be in the office. Those policies remain in force with no firm plans to expand in office mandates.
  • Southwest Airlines Style: A number of companies have embraced the pandemic-induced policy similar to the 1990s tagline “you are now free to roam about the country”. Live anywhere, they proclaim, touting talent over zip code (we hire the best wherever they live). This is particularly evident in smaller start-ups and emerging companies.

A lot of colleagues ask us which approach is best. While I love being asked, people don’t always like the answer I give.  Because there is no one right answer.  Five days, three days, no days—all are workable policies. The right approach is what works for your organization.  And the key is not only WHAT you decide but also WHY you decide that approach.

 

Executing Your Why 

If you’re inviting people back to the office to boost collaboration, by all means, create opportunities for employees to collaborate. It’s not a good look to see colleagues holed up in a cubicle, sitting on Zoom or Teams calls all day.

If you’re implementing an RTO policy as a means to downsize your workforce (reports suggest an increase in rage applying to other jobs, immediate resignations, and more planned career moves following stringent RTO expectations), keep a watchful eye on key employees.  Better to retain the talent you need than to thin the herd broadly.

If you’re convinced that allowing employees to live anywhere will attract and retain the best talent, be sure to consider the long game and the impact of potentially switching the policy down the road.  It may make sense to hire remote workers when a company is just being stood up, but when products launch and the company grows, you may have some angry colleagues on your hands if you then ask them to fly in 3 weeks a month for essential in person meetings.

 

Communicate and Listen

Perhaps most important in your company’s RTO journey is HOW you communicate the changes.

  • Be thorough. A change in workplace policy can represent a substantial shift for employees, impacting their daily routines, expenses, and lifestyle. Plan to communicate in several different ways – formal channels like town halls, written communications, and small group discussions. Consider creating an FAQ to answer employee concerns. Engage partners in Human resources to implement the changes and support colleagues.
  • Be transparent. Let’s say part of your why is to cover the costs of maintaining large offices and infrastructure costs.  Explain that to employees.  Employees pay rent, utilities, and other dwelling expenses—they’ll get it if you tell them how expensive it is to keep the lights on in an empty building. While there still may be a strong reaction, it will land better than if they sense they’re not being told the truth.
  • Be mindful. Manage your expectations that teams will probably not wholeheartedly embrace these changes overnight. Changes take time. Listen to their comments, reinforce the benefits of your policy, and give folks time to adjust. A savvy leader at one company explained that there always was and always will be the flexibility to go to a doctor’s appointment during the day or to leave early to catch a child’s sporting event or concert.  If your company allows those types of options as well, be sure to reinforce the flexibility that remains.

 

Need some support navigating communication around this and other areas in your business with your team, we are here to help!

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Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!!

We say those words often (and unconsciously) for the first several weeks of each new calendar year. 2025 is no different.

Let’s break down that often-used phrase a bit to unpack how meaningful this simple greeting really is.

Happy. What a lovely wish for someone! Hope you’re happy!! It’s also prompts an important question: what will make you happy this year?

Is 2025 the year you strive for a promotion? Aim to land a people manager role? Leave a job for a more fulfilling professional path? Tackle a new project that maximizes all your skills and teaches you new capabilities?

At KDH, our happiness stems from helping our clients engage employees, plain and simple. We believe each employee deserves to be engaged and find her work fulfilling and her contributions valued. When we can assist leaders and organizations to do that, we are happy.

New. There’s something pretty spectacular about a fresh slate, and the beginning of a calendar year gives us that opportunity to start anew.
Ever optimists, we believe that constant improvement is attainable. Even on the heels of what might have been your most successful year, 2025 affords you the chance to strive even further, to reach new heights, to accomplish things you’ve never tackled before. What new thing is on your list this year? What a dizzying and exciting thought!

Year. A year is a sufficient block of time to accomplish a big, audacious goal. Things that are worth pursuing don’t typically happen overnight. Giving yourself time to work consistently on something meaningful to you will set you up for greater success. A span of 12 months can also bring ups and downs. This is a great reminder that achieving our goals rarely happens in a linear fashion. Enjoy the ups, be patient during the downs, and know that small incremental gains add up over a period of a time—like a year!

The next time you give or receive a “Happy New Year!” greeting, pause and reflect on the promise it holds!

And if engaged employees mean happiness for you, give us a call.

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Agreeing to Disagree Doesn’t Go Far Enough

I really love it when I’m right—don’t you? When the Presidential campaign kicked off about a year ago, I noted that we were about to be treated to a free Master Class in Communication. OK, so it wasn’t exactly a genius prediction, but wow–we have had a front row seat to how critically important it is to be a strong communicator, and what happens when you’re not. A crucial part of that skill set is being able to express an opinion in a compelling and clear way and to engage in conversation, even debate, with someone whose views are not aligned with your own.

 

We get to live in a country where we are all 100% entitled to our opinions and there are people we work with who have radically different views than we do. When I think about agreeing to disagree in the workplace, it seems like the stakes are higher than ever. We might be completely clueless until a co-worker “lets us in” and then we have a choice: we can keep our mouths shut or we can agree to disagree. Is there a third option?

 

I once had a manager who shared that he would not hesitate to shoot an intruder. I always viewed him as a pretty low key guy and this declaration shocked me. Plus, although he had young kids, he proudly kept firearms in the home. This made me anxious.

 

At a team meeting, I proudly shared photos from my daughter’s wedding. One of the guys on my team looked at the two beaming brides and asked, “Where’s the husband?” I said, “She doesn’t have one.” He said, “I though you said she got married.” On and on it went until I practically had to shout, “She’s gay! There is no man in this picture!” He said “Wow. That’s different.” And walked away. This made me angry.

 

A colleague and I were discussing an upcoming local election. I was concerned that Candidate A held views that were unfriendly to women and therefore I couldn’t vote for him. My friend agreed but said that Candidate B was even worse because if she was elected, our taxes would no doubt increase; thus, so she was voting for A.  As a woman, this made me frustrated.

 

Looking back, in all three cases, instead of keeping my mouth shut or mumbling, “Let’s agree to disagree on this one,” I wish I would have picked Door Number 3: asking questions and making an effort to understand where the other person was coming from.

 

The truth is, we get to vote on lots of things in this country, but we don’t get to vote on what other people believe or do. If a colleague talks about his support of the right to bear arms , if someone shares that Gay Marriage is “different” from regular marriage, if a friend values lower taxes over women’s rights…what will our response be? Since we all have 2 ears and one mouth, perhaps we have to try our best to listen and to learn.

 

Joe, talk to me about your support of the right to bear arms. How does this figure into current gun laws?

Sam, can I let you in on what it’s like to have a child who is gay and what freedom to marry means to me?

 Eleanor, let’s dive a little deeper into these two candidates and talk about trying to make sure we have better choices next time around so we don’t have to choose the lesser of two evils.

 

If I had started these kinds of conversations with my colleagues and friends—uncomfortable though it may have been, I think It would have expanded my perspective and understanding and not just on the topics at hand. It also would have allowed me to go beneath the surface and get to know these folks better than I had before. It comes down to trying to see both sides of the story, opening our minds to new points of view and listening, really listening to why someone believes the things they do. Isn’t that what being a mature adult is all about?

 

What do you think? Leave your comments here!

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The Zoomerview: Fido Be Gone

The other day I watched a brilliant CEO deliver an investor meeting interview on Zoom. You know the kind I mean: 20 minutes or so, questions about a product launch, impact to the market, etc. The CEO was well prepared, offering well-crafted sound bites and compelling data and ideas. In contrast, the interviewer asked great questions but his digital body language completely detracted from the segment.


FOCUS.

Throughout the conversation, the host was looking everywhere but the camera–and that means everywhere but at this guest. He glanced down to look at his phone, a monitor over his left shoulder (not quite directly behind him, but a huge pivot away from the speaker), and what I presume was himself on the screen.

The impact:  I can only imagine how the CEO felt. She was providing stellar information, and the host was all over the place. As a viewer, I felt empathy for the CEO and annoyed with the host.

The solution: The key to an effective Zoom interview is to demonstrate eye contact as much as possible, just as if you are in person. You must train yourself to look directly at the camera. This takes practice! The natural thing to do is to look at the video of your guest or even of yourself on the screen. Instead, you have to keep others in your peripheral view and focus your eyes on the little red light at the top of your screen.  You don’t have to maintain a blank stare: nod, tilt your head, even glance away momentarily to look at your notes or phone.

FORM.

Throughout the interview, the host was leaning back in his office chair, rocking and chewing on a pen.

The impact: Viewers were distracted by the host’s movement which took the focus away from the guest. As the CEO was sharing important information about her company’s objectives and how they were tracking to achieve those goals, I found myself wondering if the interview realized he was on camera.

The solution:  Find a comfortable posture that focuses on the conversation. You don’t have to sit stiffly at attention in your chair, but you do need to demonstrate you’re conducting an interview. Monitor your body language to show you take the interview seriously. Pro-tip: One way to create a focused, lean in posture is to stand for a video session.  There are lots of adjustable desks, from self standing models to small desktop stands that can elevate your laptop or camera. Standing makes it feel more like you’re on stage. Aren’t you?

FRAME.

At a key point in the interview, the host’s adorable puppy wandered on screen. Guess what I kept waiting to see for the duration of the interview?

The impact: Viewers can be distracted by what they see in the background. If you want your audience to focus, then don’t give them reasons not to.

The solution: Yes, we all love dogs and cats and babies and clueless delivery persons. But while it might have been funny in the early days of remote working to watch everyone’s home life unfold in front of the camera, an interview does not afford the same informality. Close doors, put up DO NOT DISTURB signs—whatever it takes to keep your space quiet and undisturbed.

Need help preparing for a Zoom interview? Give us a call. We can help you practice to deliver interviews that get you lots of Likes and have your guests asking to come back.