Skills
Aida Figuerola
Published content
expert panel
May 22, 2026
Members of the HR Think Tank share what they would eliminate if work could be rebuilt from scratch—from performative meetings and outdated performance reviews to rigid schedules and bureaucracy—and explain how organizations can design more productive, human-centered workplaces for the future. For decades, organizations have modernized technology faster than they have modernized work itself. Many companies now operate with advanced collaboration tools, AI-enabled systems and global talent networks, yet employees still navigate processes and expectations built for a far different era. Meetings dominate calendars. Email drives fragmented communication. Performance reviews often feel disconnected from development. Productivity is frequently measured by visibility rather than outcomes. That disconnect is becoming harder to ignore as leaders confront burnout, disengagement and shifting workforce expectations. Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends report highlights that organizations are increasingly being forced to rethink how work is designed as employees demand greater flexibility, purpose, sustainability and trust in the workplace. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank, a collective of experienced HR leaders, strategists and workplace experts, realize the future of work will not be shaped merely by adding new tools to old systems. Instead, they believe organizations must eliminate outdated structures that quietly drain performance, trust and creativity. Their insights reveal a common theme: Many of the practices companies defend most aggressively may be the very ones holding people back.
expert panel
Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank explain why organizations that embed neuroinclusion into workplace design, leadership practices and operational systems will gain a long-term advantage in retention, engagement and performance. Neuroinclusion is quickly moving from an emerging workplace conversation to a defining leadership priority. As organizations compete for talent in an increasingly complex labor market, many are discovering that traditional workplace systems were designed around narrow assumptions about communication styles, productivity and collaboration. That reality is creating both a challenge and an opportunity. Companies that continue treating neurodiversity as an accommodation issue may struggle to attract and retain talent. However, organizations that redesign work itself around broader cognitive needs are likely to outperform peers in innovation, engagement and adaptability. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank, a network of HR and workplace experts, say the organizations that succeed in neuroinclusion will not simply launch more initiatives or awareness campaigns. Instead, they will fundamentally rethink how work is designed, managed and measured.
expert panel
Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank share how organizations can strengthen trust, stay aligned with their values and lead consistently during moments of heightened public scrutiny and rapid social change. Organizations today operate in an environment where trust can erode overnight. Employees compare executive decisions against company values in real time. Customers scrutinize corporate responses to social issues. Investors increasingly evaluate organizations not only on performance but also on transparency, consistency and accountability. Against this backdrop, many leaders are discovering that trust is no longer built solely through branding. It is built through visible alignment between stated principles and everyday decisions. According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, institutional trust remains fragile globally, with employees and consumers placing increasing importance on transparency, competence and ethical leadership. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank, a collective of experienced HR and workplace leaders, say organizations that thrive during periods of uncertainty are those willing to examine whether their values are truly operational—or simply aspirational. Their insights point to a common theme: trust grows when organizations consistently act like the company they claim to be. The challenge for modern organizations is not simply declaring principles. It is proving them repeatedly under pressure.
expert panel
As AI accelerates the pace of work, leaders face a new challenge: preventing burnout without sacrificing productivity. Insights from members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank reveal how intentional boundaries, clarity and smarter performance metrics can help organizations sustain both speed and well-being. Artificial intelligence is transforming how work gets done—but it is also quietly reshaping how work feels. What was once a conversation about efficiency is now a conversation about endurance. As AI tools compress timelines and raise expectations, many organizations are discovering that speed alone is not a sustainable strategy. Research from Workday suggests that organizations are increasingly looking beyond productivity gains alone and evaluating how AI impacts employee experience, long-term performance and workforce sustainability. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank—a curated group of experienced human resources leaders—are at the forefront of this shift. Drawing from decades of experience across industries, they see a pattern emerging: burnout in AI-enabled environments is not caused by technology itself, but by how organizations respond to it.
expert panel
Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank share how organizations can address the deeper human drivers of resistance to agility—and how HR can guide employees through uncertainty, identity shifts and cultural change. Agility has become a defining priority for organizations navigating constant disruption, evolving workforce expectations and accelerating technological change. Yet despite widespread investment in agile frameworks and transformation initiatives, many organizations struggle to make agility stick. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Human Capital Trends research on organizational agility and creating stability at work, many organizations are struggling to balance the push for agility with employees’ need for stability, as traditional structures like defined roles and career paths continue to evolve. This gap often leads to stalled initiatives and quiet resistance that undermines progress. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank—a vetted group of human resources leaders and experts—see this pattern play out across industries. Their insights reveal a consistent truth: resistance to agility is rarely about the mechanics of change. It is about identity, belonging, fear and leadership behavior.
expert panel
The traditional corporate ladder is losing its grip on today’s workforce. As employees increasingly prioritize flexibility, well-being and purpose over titles, leaders are being forced to rethink how they define growth and success. Members of the Senior Executive HR Think Tank—a curated group of senior human resources leaders—are at the forefront of this shift, offering practical insight into how organizations can adapt. Recent data underscores the urgency. A Gallup poll finds that many U.S. workers are placing greater emphasis on work-life balance and personal well-being than on traditional advancement, reflecting a meaningful shift in career priorities. This isn’t a decline in ambition; it’s a redefinition of it as some employees continue to wait for the right opportunity to strike so they can make better career choices. The challenge for today's leaders is clear: How do you retain and motivate high-performing employees who don’t aspire to traditional upward mobility? According to HR Think Tank members, the answer lies in expanding the meaning of career growth, rethinking how to recognize staff members at every level and designing careers that align with how people actually want to live and work.
