HR has taken on a lot of responsibilities over the years, but a major priority has always been ensuring that employees have a good work experience.
Beyond things like benefits and wellness programs, having a positive company culture can be a huge lever in the war for talent.
Fortune spoke with 10 HR executives and people leaders about how they predict the employee experience will change in 2025. A few core themes emerged, including strengthening employee resource groups, offering personalized perks, and bringing workers of different generations together.
These responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Tracey Arnish, head of HR at Google Cloud
The pandemic era saw a more fluid workforce, but today's tighter job market has employees choosing to spend more time at each company. As HR leaders, this means it’s critical we keep employees engaged and inspired about their career growth, and developing new skills. Leaders need to not only invest in strong trainings, but also find new ways to offer thoughtful development programs including rotations, shadowing, internal mobility and mentoring.
Yolanda Seals-Coffield, chief people officer at PwC
In the coming year, it will be vital for HR leaders to listen to their people in order to provide personalized offerings that meet their needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, so investments in employee feedback will help what’s working well, what needs improvement and what is altogether missing.
Jennie Rogerson, global head of people at Canva
In 2025, I think we’ll see benefits become more inclusive and adaptive, designed to meet the diverse needs of a multi-generational workforce. We’ll also see greater transparency and involvement in shaping benefits to ensure they’re truly impactful. Ultimately, it will be about creating environments where people can thrive—not just professionally, but as whole individuals.
Rebecca Perrault, global VP of culture, diversity and sustainability at Magnit
Employee belonging isn’t an extra— it's the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation. When employees feel seen and valued, everyone wins. True inclusivity goes beyond representation; it’s about fostering belonging, where every individual feels valued. Research has consistently shown that when employees feel a sense of belonging, their creativity, engagement, and well-being flourish. As the workplace landscape shifts, inclusivity will anchor corporate sustainability efforts, embedding DEI principles into every facet of People Strategy. Belonging isn’t a benefit—it’s the blueprint for innovation.
To operationalize belonging, companies will expand wellness programs to encompass mental health, financial security, and career development. Transparent communication and dynamic feedback loops will help build trust, making employees feel genuinely invested in. In this evolving workplace, inclusivity will underpin not just engagement but corporate sustainability itself.
Carina Cortez, chief people officer at Cornerstone
Five distinct generations co-exist in today’s workplace, and in 2025, to truly focus on employee engagement, HR teams must shift from merely acknowledging generational differences to harnessing the strengths each cohort brings. Organizations that cultivate a culture of mentorship and prioritize continuous learning (including from each other) will transform generational diversity into a strategic advantage.
Ginnie Carlier, chief talent officer at EY
Leaders can continue to focus on the holistic wellbeing of their people to help them thrive at both the individual and team levels. This commitment reflects a growing recognition that prioritizing emotional, social, financial and physical wellness drives productivity, fosters engagement and supports talent retention in an increasingly dynamic environment.
There will likely be an uptick in investment in employee learning and development and opportunities to do so in person. This will focus on technical skills—data analytics, AI, machine learning and project management—and durable skills like critical thinking, communication, leadership and problem solving. Not only are these opportunities a signal that an organization cares for their people’s growth, but they also help the organization address the growing skills gap. We will also see a continued move to put benefits in place that professionals can customize to meet their individual needs.
Laura Fuentes, chief human resources officer at Hilton
We will continue to see the importance of creating a more human experience at work. As the conversations and demand for self-care and mental wellness continues to grow, HR teams will focus on not just offering resources and benefits, but co-creating these programs with employees, leveraging data and feedback to provide the support that truly makes a difference in their lives inside and outside of work. I also have great hope for new generations as they enter the workforce; new generations bring energy, innovation, new insights, and new perspectives that ultimately create a more dynamic and inclusive culture.
At the same time, leadership development will also be a key priority, as HR works to cultivate the next generation of leaders to address changing business challenges driven by technology, economic shifts, and evolving societal expectations. Employees will continue to rely on their managers during times of change, and it’s important to deliver manager-specific trainings and resources to support them.
Malaika Myers, chief human resources officer at Hyatt Hotels
At its core, HR—particularly at a hospitality company like Hyatt—is all about people. We are constantly listening to our colleagues and experimenting with new ways of working to evolve our processes and culture accordingly. Caring for colleagues’ wellbeing is foundational to our purpose and we are especially focused on building a mentally healthy workplace so our colleagues can thrive. We look forward to bringing more light to this topic in 2025 and integrating mental health concepts and resources throughout the colleague experience, starting with our leaders, including myself, who are sharing their mental health stories to create safety around these topics, instead of bias.
Kathie Patterson, chief human resources officer at Ally Financial
In the coming year, HR's focus on employee experience will continue to focus on key moments that matter most to our employees—from improved onboarding experiences that bring our culture to life to performance management and feedback which provide employees with direction and skills to help them grow their careers with us. Flexibility will be key, too, with tailored programs to meet the diverse needs of a multigenerational workforce, fostering a supportive and engaged workplace.
Calvin Crosslin, chief diversity officer at Lenovo
For my team, employee experience will always be central to everything we do. Heading into next year, [we will be] uplifting our ERGs, allowing them the opportunity to grow and influence company initiatives, and will create an even stronger culture of inclusion in our workplace.
