2025 Global Culture Report
A rigorous look at the evolving shape of work.
It’s time for organizations to put care at the center of strategies to meet employee expectations. This year’s report proposes a new Total Rewards framework to better help employees thrive at work. By meeting employees’ basic needs, providing support for mental health and job transitions, and practicing emotional intelligence, we can create generative care that lifts our people and society at large. Scroll down for the highlights or click into the details.
THE TALENT MAGNETS™
The current state of six essential elements that define thriving cultures.
Year-over-year change
There has been no improvement or decline in key areas important to creating healthy organizational cultures. Little has changed in how employees feel about their organizations and their jobs.
“Traditional methods of rewards and recognition are incompetent to drive a holistic strategy aimed at enhancing personal lives and invigorating employees’ sense of purpose.”
The modern workplace requires an updated Total Rewards strategy designed to help employees. Organizations should prioritize meeting employees’ basic needs and show they care about people’s wellbeing and want everyone to thrive at work.
Working to Survive
Nearly a third of employees manage their lives in survival mode. A challenge with consequences and solutions.
Reframing Total Rewards as a foundation for caring, where organizations offer resources to meet employees’ basic needs, can bring stability and hope to employees who are merely surviving.
Until employees meet their financial and physical health needs, they can’t think about finding meaning or fulfillment in their work. When compensation and health benefits are adequate, the odds of fulfillment at work improve.
“If I don’t have financial security, I can’t have physical security because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to have a roof over my head. And if I don’t have financial security, it usually leads to anxiety and uncertainty and poor performance and all those things because I’m trying to figure out how to just meet basic needs.”
For employees in survival mode, Total Rewards must meet basic needs for stability and security (adequate compensation, physical and mental health benefits) and recognition, which has the effect of helping all employees feel seen and cared for.
Thriving at Work
Living your best work life requires more than meeting basic needs. It takes flexibility and growth.
When organizations invest in people-centered, purpose-driven Total Rewards offerings, it demonstrates they genuinely care about the future success of employees.
increased odds employees will thrive at work when organizations prioritize flexibility, skill building, and career development
When organizations provide flexibility and growth opportunities at work, employees are more likely to thrive and stay.
“In designing a clear, consistent, and differentiated total rewards strategy, we must look at what motivates employees and then map it to their individual aspirations and personalize the experience.”
After meeting employees’ basic needs, organizations can help their people thrive at work and in life with growth, flexibility, and recognition opportunities, which builds belonging and long-term security.
The Mental Health Link
How much can workplace culture exacerbate or alleviate depression, anxiety, and burnout?
Mental health issues are common, costly, and often affected by workplace culture. It’s time to end the stigma and start prioritizing employees’ mental health.
approximate annual savings per employee with probable depression at U.S. organizations with a strong recognition program
“The most important thing is to be honest about where mental health sits on the hierarchy. If it’s up among the top key priorities for business, as I think it should be, then put structure and responsibility around it—as you would with other priorities for your business.”
Improving workplace culture, providing mental health support and resources, and encouraging gratitude through the regular giving and receiving of recognition can decrease the impact of mental health struggles.
Applied Emotional Intelligence
Mastering one set of interpersonal skills can improve multiple workplace metrics.
High emotional intelligence (EQ) leads to more trust and integrity in the workplace and can repair conflict. The best part? EQ can be developed and practiced by everyone.
Organizations that practice emotional intelligence are 107x more likely to thrive
The five elements of strong emotional intelligence.
“Unlike IQ, which changes little after our teen years, emotional intelligence seems to be largely learned, and it continues to develop as we go through life and learn from our experiences.”
All employees, leaders, and organizations can develop EQ through 5 key practices. When they do, it leads to a stronger, more caring workplace culture.
Job Transitions
The traditional career ladder for individuals is also a window of opportunity for organizations.
Any job transition, whether it’s a new hire, promotion, or role change, can be a transformative experience when organizations onboard and connect employees throughout the transition.
The four elements of a transformative job transition.
When employees have an above-average transition experience, outcomes soar.
“If someone is shifting to another part of the organization or taking on a significant shift in their role, it is a mistake not to onboard them again. Not doing so will set those internal transfers up to struggle, underperform, and potentially quit.”
Make every new job, including internal transitions, a transformative experience with connection, community, development, and flexibility.
