The new shape of work

In this episode, Kate Bravery, Global Leader of Talent Advisory at Mercer, is joined by Dr. Andrew Tay, Chief Wellbeing Officer at the National University of Singapore (NUS). They discuss the role of the Chief Wellbeing Officer and the evolving mental health challenges faced by NUS students, including insights into the value of in-person collaboration. Additionally, they explore the implications of these challenges for businesses concerning the next generation of talent emerging from universities.Interesting moments:Who owns well-beingAt the end of it all well-being is a whole organization approach. It is not a HR problem. It is not a manager problem. It's not a CEO problem. It's everybody's problem, everybody has a role to play.Value of in-person workWhen students learn remotely their risk of developing self-esteem issues increases. Think of your remote work policies. The in-office arrangement allows the community to connect socially, improve connectivity and reduce isolation.Psychological safetyWe started to track the concept of incivility. Those teams with a low incivility score were more likely to have higher psychological safety. What does that mean? It means you need to manage the behavior of your colleagues. You cannot tolerate remarks aimed at hurting people.Anticipating workforce needs We are training the next batch of our workforce who will be entering into your workplace. It is important for HR to anticipate the kind of issues that young people are facing before they enter the workforce and the kind of support that can help them thrive.https://www.mercer.com/insights/people-strategy/future-of-work/podcast-new-shape-of-work/

Kate Bravery, Global Leader of Talent Advisory at Mercer, is joined by Ravin Jesuthasan, Mercer's Global Transformation Leader, and Tanuj Kapilashrami, Chief Strategy and People Officer at Standard Chartered Bank, to discuss The Skills-Powered Organization: The Journey to the Next-Generation Enterprise, their recently released book.Together, they explore the concept of skills-powered organizations and their transformative potential in the workplace. They discuss the shift from traditional job structures to a focus on skills as the currency of work and highlight the need for organizations to adopt a systemic approach to talent management that aligns with business strategy. Tanuj shares insights from her experience at Standard Chartered Bank, detailing how they integrated skills development into their growth agenda and engaged employees in the transformation process. Ravin stresses the importance of understanding the economic implications of skills-powered practices and the need for organizations to be agile in responding to changing work demands.

In this episode, Gordon Frost, Mercer's Global Rewards Solution Leader, emphasizes the importance of using data to improve pay fairness and transparency within organizations. He is joined by Deena Harvanek, Change and Communication Leader at Mercer, and Will Self, Workforce Strategy and Analytics Leader at Mercer. Together, they discuss the rising awareness of pay disparities, recent legislative changes requiring pay transparency, and the growing employee expectations for fairness and clarity in compensation. They also explore how proactively utilizing data for informed decision-making and effective communication can help create a positive workplace culture.

In this episode, Kate Bravery, Talent Advisory Leader, interviews Tim Walker-Jones, Chief Learning Officer at Anglo American, about the evolving role of the Chief Learning Officer and the future of work. They discuss the increasing importance of talent agility and the need for continuous learning in response to rapid changes in the workforce and technology. Tim shares the significance of a long-term vision and proactive agency in shaping the future of work, highlighting the need for collaboration and innovative approaches to skill development.

Join Kate Bravery and Gord Frost and they share a preview of the results from both Mercer's 2024-2025 Global Talent Trends survey report and 2025 Executive Outlook survey. They cover the evolving landscape of human resources, focusing on the critical role of employee engagement and retention, the importance of harnessing data-driven insights to create a thriving workplace culture that attracts top talent. They also share the similarities and differences in the priorities of HR, CEOs and CFOs as they look at the path forward in 2025.

The demands on the total rewards function are quickly changing. Listen as Kate Bravery and Gordon Frost discuss the increasing challenges HR professionals face as they navigate pay transparency, economic uncertainty, and the integration of AI in total rewards strategies. They highlight the importance of addressing pay gaps, aligning compensation with organizational philosophy, and preparing for upcoming legislative changes. The conversation underscores the need for HR leaders to leverage data effectively, enhance their understanding of skills-based compensation, and foster transparent communication with employees regarding pay practices.

HR professionals are moving along the AI adoption path to focus on the practical application for their teams and workforces. In this discussion, Kate Bravery is joined by Susan Youngblood, founder and CEO of Chief People Solutions for a discussion about the training needed to adjust to the fast-moving changes in GenAI, how the role of HR is shifting and becoming more appealing, and the opportunities for deeper returns on investment. 

AI is evolving quickly, and organizations are trying to keep up. It seems that everyone is on the Generative AI journey, but there's a broad distribution of maturity along the path. In this episode, Kate Bravery is joined by Jason Tamara Widjaja, Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence at MSD, to discuss the benefit of thinking about the quick evolution of generative AI and the benefit of viewing it through the lens of both value and risk.

The Middle East and India have tremendous growth ambition and are making great strides toward their goals. But fast growth also comes with talent management chalenges. In this episode, Lisa Lyons, Mercer's Regional Transformation Center for Excellence Lead for Middle East, India and Africa talks about workforce trends, challenges and opportunities in the market. Through the conversation they discuss the impact of GenAI on work, the focus on developing skills for the future, and the role of HR in helping employees prepare for work and workforce changes.

While organizations have been exploring how AI can support their productivity and growth across many functions, one area that has been taking a more cautious approach is the Total Rewards function. With a variety of confidential data about employees managed by this team, there is an understandable hesitance to jump in too quickly. But there is also a risk of not being at the table to help shape how AI will used in the HR function.

In this episode, Kate Bravery and Gordon Frost of Mercer explore how employee expectations and legislative imperatives are reshaping total reward strategies with the shift to pay fairness and transparency.

Janine Vos of Rabobank shares the challenges and opportunities on the path to becoming an agile HR team, and the mindset shift that is crucial to the transformation.

Are we positioned to access the full potential of AI-driven productivity gains when 82% of employees feel at risk of burnout?

Wanda Wallace shares the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, knowing when it is time to move on, and building supportive relationships in your organization.

In this episode, we speak with Martin Smit, Head of Global Compensation Solutions at Takada, about Generative AI in the rewards function, the opportunities for GenAI to improve efficiency and productivity, as well as ideas to help employees become more comfortable with AI tools. 

Hanna Fager shares how the focus on long-term employment and investing in people's development supports performance and culture at Volvo Cars.

In this episode, we are sharing practical guidance for making sustainable people mangement work in today's global economy. The advice shared comes from a new book from called Work Different: 10 Truths for Winning in the People Age.

The use of generative AI can enable HR teams to work more efficiently with data, find talent with future-fit skills, and enhance the employee experience. What steps are employers taking to embrace this transformation?

The conversation around well-being is expanding from health into new areas including financial well-being, job quality and even social isolation. Workplaces can be powerful communities to influence improved well-being outcomes. How are employers tapping into the opportunity?

The fast pace of change has employees exhausted, but adding AI into the HR digital transformation has the potential to enhance jobs in the future. Jason Averbook joins our podcast to share three pressing trends for the future of HR.

How did HR and IT at Novo Nordisk collaborated to elevate DEI as a critical piece of the business transformation agenda? Listen to the journey they took and what they see moving forward.

Transforming total rewards programs to create consistent and cost effective benefits offerings for employees can be an effective way to attract and retain top employees. In this episode we share the total rewards transformation journey Ericsson has taken to enhance employee experience while reducing benefit costs and risk. Read here for more information about New Shape of Work.

How can we do things differently today to improve the future of work? Melissa Swift shares practical fixes to basic things that are wrong with work. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Organizations are looking for ways to win the war for talent. In this episode, Nandini Nathan, Group Head of Compensation and Benefits at Infosys, talks about how putting skills at the heart of the talent and reward processes has been critical for their success. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

In this episode Jeff Black, Mercer's Global M&A Advisory Leader, shares how organizations need to understand the talent they have and ensure they have people, with the right skills and in the right roles, to make an M&A deal move forward effectively. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Today we'll be diving deep into Generative AI to discuss how generative AI is impacting the workplace, and more critically how we can at an individual and organizational level prepare ourselves for its impact. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Employee engagement is critical, but as people rethink their relationship to work, organizations have an opportunity to improve their approach engagement. Hear two of our specialists sharing their ideas on how organizations can refocus on employee experience. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

In the discussions about the evolving future of work, the idea of transitioning from traditional roles into skills-based work has many people excited. But it brings with it a challenge that we cannot overlook. According to our Global Talent Trends study, women tend not to believe that the skills that they have today could be suitable for a role they might move in tomorrow. This brings concern for gender equity in the future of work. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Organizations worldwide are facing big challenges. Whether it is talent shortages, inflationary challenges and how they affect compensation, or recession concerns in different countries, 2023 is starting as a challenge. Our conversation today features three global experts from Mercer talking about these talent challenges and opportunities. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Forward-thinking organizations are reinventing themselves under the new shape of work as responsible, innovative employers making proactive commitments to good work. In this episode, hear how Yara International is working to ensure a living wage across their full time employees. Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

In this episode, we speak about the current economic situation and the potential impacts on the business and people agendas in 2023. Amelia Hadfield the Head of the Department of Politics, Dean International at the University of Surrey Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

We are seeing a human energy crisis in workplaces today. People are feeling especially depleted and HR is concerned that if we can't bring back people's energy, the whole conversation around returning to the office is a non-starter. In this episode, we hear about the four types of energy as well as how we need to work collectively as individuals and organizations to recognize and resolve the human energy crisis. Eren Rosenfeld Managing Director, Leadership at The Energy Project Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Employees have been bruised by the events of the last two years and many are feeling a form of despair, anxiety and a lost sense of belonging. While the road ahead still appears rocky, employers can provide mental health options to help cultivate a feeling of belonging, encourage psychological safety, and provide tools and training to help struggling employees find the support they need. Wolfgang Seidl, Leader of workplace Health consulting in the UK and Europe for Mercer Marsh Benefits Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

The employee reward landscape is adapting to better support new ways of working and it is becoming a critical lever in culture change. In this episode, Chetna Singh, Head of Total Rewards at SAP, shares how total rewards goes beyond compensation and benefits to support transformation and innovation for employee culture and careers. Chetna Singh, Head of Total Rewards at SAP Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

In this episode, we are talking with Moritz Kippenberger, head of HR services at BMW group, about how HR needs to radically transform the way it operates to survive post-COVID. And, the role of employee experience can play to ensure that the jobs that we have are attractive today and offer growth path for skills of the future.

Workplace flexibility is high on the business agenda and, as a result, organizations are looking at adjustments to their work operating model. This has big implications for people responsible for talent management. In this episode, Placid Jover, Unilever's VP HR for Latin America, talks about a new approach to talent management that balances the need for critical skills and workforce flexibility to help both the company and employees succeed. Guest: Placid Jover, VP HR for Latin America, Unilever Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Executives ranked total well-being as one of the top employee initiatives that will deliver ROI in 2022. Learn what employees are looking for from their employers based on the Health on Demand research, and how employers are responding by offering new and innovative benefits programs. Guest: Nicole Passmore Cohen, Principal, Advice & Solutions, Global Health & Benefits at Mercer Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Employers are managing through a tremendous amount of change. In this episode, Ravin Jesuthasan and Brian Fisher with Mercer discuss employers' need for agility, and how technology, new operating models and cultures need to come together to help employers be successful in the future of work. Guest speakers Brian Fisher, Global Skills Solutions Lead Mercer Ravin Jesuthasan, Global Transformation leader Mercer Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

At its core, transformation is more than just business model transformation, it is also about people. We can start the transformation journey by thinking about the needs of our people and our cultures to help us define the path forward. Guest speaker Sarena Lin, Chief Transformation and Talent officer with Bayer Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

With men still holding the majority of the positions of power in the global workforce, gender equality will simply not happen without their involvement. Join us as Mercer's Angela Berg discusses how to equip men to participate in the DEI journey and how embedding DEI across the organization can lead to competitive advantage. Guest: Angela Berg Global Diversity, Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

COVID-19, racial and social unrest, and a growing ESG agenda have accelerated the need for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world. Join as Till Leopold and Gitanjali Chaturvedi from the World Economic Forum discuss how companies can make a positive societal change as part of their own sustainability agendas. Guests: Till Leopold and Gitanjali Chaturvedi with the World Economic Forum Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

At this stage in the pandemic, many organizations are finding themselves on growth trajectories again. But, those growth trajectories need to be sustainable and factor in environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals to meet the expectations of employees, customers and investors. Guest: Kai Anderson, Transformation leader for Mercer Europe Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

At this stage in the pandemic, many organizations are finding themselves on growth trajectories again. But, those growth trajectories need to be sustainable and factor in environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals to meet the expectations of employees, customers and investors. Guest: Kai Anderson, Transformation leader for Mercer Europe Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

In part two of our conversation with Tripti Jha, we discuss the importance of skills, building a skill-fueled culture, and how you might approach the talent marketplace as a way to bring in new skills to the organization, and to build skills more effectively in the organization. Guest: Tripti Jha, Chief Talent and People Solutions officer at Novartis Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Tripti Jha, Novartis discusses the shift away from seeing well-being as a benefit, as well as how the unbossed culture journey that Novartis started prior to the pandemic has allowed them to focus both on understanding and meeting employee needs, and working toward their vision and purpose for the future of working. Guest: Tripti Jha, Chief Talent and People Solutions officer at Novartis Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

David Henderson Group CHRO at Zurich Insurance shares how the future of work has shifted during the pandemic; the critical role that upskilling and reskilling play in having an organization that can perform today and stay relevant tomorrow; and the role of psychological safety as they build toward work sustainability. Guest: David Henderson, Group CHRO at Zurich Insurance

The healthcare industry faces a variety of significant risks from rising demand for service, rapid technology adoption and a workforce on the front line of the pandemic response. We discuss these issues and ideas on how providers can address these issues now and in the near future. Guests: Gisele Norris, Managing Director, US National Healthcare Practice at Marsh, and John Derse, Partner, Healthcare Industry at Mercer Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

The healthcare industry faces a variety of significant risks from rising demand for service, rapid technology adoption and a workforce on the front line of the pandemic response. We discuss these issues and ideas on how providers can address these issues now and in the near future. Guests: Gisele Norris, Managing Director, US National Healthcare Practice at Marsh, and John Derse, Partner, Healthcare Industry at Mercer Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

The workplace and the workforce has changed at an accelerated pace. It's clear that we're still figuring out how best to respond to this new landscape. We're diving into how the future work agenda has been reset, and what individuals, companies and societies do to thrive in this new world order. Guest: Till Leopold, World Economic Forum Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

77% of companies said that flexibility is going to drive their transformation agenda this year according to our Global Talent Trends research. Companies are looking to understand how to develop a more flexible workforce and work model. Our guest shares the flexibility journey Pandora is taking. Michele Wilkinson, Chief Talent Officer at Pandora Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp

Organizations' are increasingly focused on ensuring that different populations of their employees are truly thriving. Join us as we speak with Travis Barton, Talent manager and analytics leader at GE to hear the proactive steps that GE has taken on the path to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. Guest: Travis Barton, Talent Manager and Analytics Leader at GE Website: https://bit.ly/2XAZ7pp