HR TRENDS

REPORT
2024
What HR trends are
making waves in 2024?

McLean & Company is the trusted partner of HR and

leadership professionals around the world. Our memberships
are designed to help leaders drive their organization forward.
1997-2023 © McLean & Company. McLean & Company is a
division of Info-Tech Research Group Inc.
 01
CONTENTS

HR in 2024:
An Era of Change

02 Rethinking the
OF

Approach to Skills
TABLE

03 Delivering on the
Employee Experience

04 Flexibility Beyond
Remote Work

05 2024 Trends
Spotlights

Appendices
 How to read
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this report
R E P O R T

This report is based on data gathered from McLean &

T R E N D S

Company’s HR Trends Survey 2024, which surveyed

1,373 business professionals in September 2023.

Graph totals may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

H R

Key terms used throughout this report:

Organizational size Highly proficient

Small: 250 or fewer employees Respondents who selected 5 or 6 out of 6 when asked
Medium: 251 to 1,000 employees to rate their HR organization’s proficiency across
Large: 1,001 or more employees various skills or competencies.

Highly effective
Respondents who selected 5 or 6 out of 6 when asked
to rate effectiveness across various parameters.
High performing
Association & relationship
Any time an association or relationship is referenced in
this report, it refers to a statistically significant result.
These are used to indicate which practices are dispro-
portionately used by the most effective HR departments.

Respondents who selected 5 or 6 out of 6 when asked

to rate performance across various parameters.

See Appendix I for a breakdown of the characteristics

of the respondents to the HR Trends Survey 2024.

See Appendix II for the HR FTE ratio and anticipated

HR headcount change in 2024.
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 01
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R E P O R T
T R E N D S
H R

HR in 2024:
An Era of Change
Supporting change is in the top five HR priorities for 2024, up
two spots from the previous year. This may be in response to the
accelerating rate of change as well as the rise of generative AI,
which experts predict will bring even more change to the work-
place. With innovation on the cusp of becoming a top priority
and the need to control labor costs moving to a top-three prior-
ity, HR will be challenged by the tension between the need to
adapt and innovate and the need to control costs.

When it comes to HR organizations, the recognition of HR’s stra-

tegic leadership has never been stronger. Yet capacity continues
to be a major obstacle and HR professionals’ stress levels have
increased dramatically year over year.
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There is evidence that HR is looking to data and technology to

solve these and other challenges and that these efforts are lead-
ing to success, but 2024 will be a key year for HR to adapt to
known and unknown changes.
 HR continues to expand
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its strategic leadership

R E P O R T

HR’s involvement as a partner in planning and executing organizational strategy has

increased from 36% in 2021 to 50% in 2024.
T R E N D S

HR’s involvement in the organizational strategy

H R

60% A partner in planning

and executing strategy

Asked for input into

40% planning and involved
in strategy execution

Involved in executing
20% organizational strategy
after it is developed

0% Not involved with the

2021 2022 2023 2024 organizational strategy
n=758 n=746 n=1,025 n=1,144

Employees are experiencing disruption in all areas of their lives – from the acceleration
and uncertainty of technological changes to financial, political, and social pressures –
which impacts their day-to-day experiences at work. These pressures continue to high-
light the integral role HR plays as a strategic partner in navigating change and disrup-
tion for organizations and employees.

Compared to when HR is not involved, when

HR is a strategic partner, organizations are…

2.7 1.8
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X X
more likely to more likely to be
be highly effective highly effective at
at generating changing quickly at
and implementing scale to capitalize
n=1,138 new ideas. n=1,126 on new opportunities.
 Innovation and supporting
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change jump in priority

R E P O R T

Top HR priorities for organizations in 2024

T R E N D S

This year Last year

01 (01) Recruiting
H R

02 (02) Providing a great employee experience Moved up

03 (04) Controlling labor costs Moved down

04 (03) Developing leaders No change

05 (07) Supporting change

n=1,193. See Appendix III for top 10 HR priorities for organizations from 2020-2024.

Recruiting and providing a great employee experience continue to be

the top priorities for HR, as organizations focus on retaining top talent INSIGHT
in a competitive labor market.
As technological innovation
While DEI has continued to decline in priority, dropping to 7th in 2024 experiences exponential growth
from a high of 4th in 2021 it is so intertwined with the employee ex- in 2024, HR’s role in supporting
perience that organizations may no longer be considering it as a stan- change and enabling innovation
dalone initiative. will be increasingly important to
organizational success.
Continued economic pressures are reflected in the increased priority of
controlling labor costs.

Technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are ac-

celerating HR’s focus on change and innovation, as these were the prior-
ities which saw the biggest increase in 2024, with innovation jumping
from 9th place in 2023 to 6th in 2024.
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 Data-driven, tech-enabled
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HR approaches pay off

R E P O R T

HR organizations that
T R E N D S

“In which ways is your HR organization evolving

its practices to deliver on its expected goals are making better use
and priorities?”
of technology are…

65
n=789

%
are making better
H R

1.2
use of technology.

X
more likely to
be high performing
at supporting change.

63%
n=788
are leveraging data

1.3 X
for talent decisions.
more likely to be high
performing at changing
quickly at scale to
capitalize on new

62%
n=775 opportunities.
are increasing
employee
listening efforts.

These practices demonstrate that HR is seeking to de-
liver on its priorities through a data-driven approach,
enabled by technology.
However, HR remains slow to adopt new technologies
such as generative AI, with just
“There is a huge opportunity for HR to use more
data and to use generative AI to help with the
workload and allow HR professionals more time to
focus on things that add value to the organization
and employees.”

28 %
Manuelita Cherizard,
of HR organizations CHRO, Royal Ontario Museum
taking steps to implement
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generative AI in 2024.

n=730
 Technology could help
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solve HR capacity issues

R E P O R T

Capacity issues

68
T R E N D S

% Leverage technological
advancements
H R

n=787 In 2024, HR needs to explore innovative solutions

to deliver value despite capacity challenges.
of HR respondents reported that Advancements in automation and AI enable HR to
capacity issues were a roadblock improve efficiency and focus on strategic priorities
to delivering on priorities. that provide the most value.

Resolving capacity issues with technology

requires overcoming roadblocks such as: n=787
Lack of HR budget Skills gaps within HR Inadequate technology

45 42 39 %
Ensuring HR has the capability
to build a business case and
demonstrate ROI is key. Shift
focus to uncovering the value
on investment – both the overall
organizational impact and the
financial return.
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%
Upskilling HR in areas such as
digital and data literacy will
enable HR organizations to
make better use of existing
technology resources and
implement new technologies.
%
Many HR organizations are
impeded by legacy technology,
while others leave value on the
table by not optimizing existing
technology. Find opportunities to
make better use of what already
exists before committing to
a costly and time-consuming
implementation.
 HR stress levels are rising
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From 2023 to 2024, When HR and

R E P O R T

HR’s reported stress organizational priorities

levels increased are not closely aligned,
T R E N D S

dramatically. HR staff are…

1.3 X
H R

more likely to report an

“I experience higher levels of stress related increase in job-related
to my job today compared to one year ago.” stress levels compared
to a year ago.
n=783
47%
n=789
Create clarity by establishing alignment between
HR’s priorities and broader organizational priorities
41% as a step toward reducing HR stress levels.
n=135

42%
n=299

34%
n=810 Build resilience in HR
2023 2024 “Put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others.”
To better support leaders and employees, especially
HR Non-HR in times of crises and uncertainty, HR must make fo-
cusing on HR team resilience and wellbeing a priority.

Use McLean & Company’s Build a Resilient HR Team

The many external factors that may be affecting resources to equip HR with resilience techniques
stress levels among employees disproportionately needed to support themselves and the organization.
affect HR.

HR staff are employees too! There is often a high de-
gree of emotional labor expected of HR, as they are
called upon to help leaders and employees navigate
difficult, sometimes emotionally charged situations,
and to anticipate and prepare for future changes, all
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“As an HR professional, you have to be able to turn it
off. You have to be able to step away because if you
can’t, you can’t actually take care of anybody else.”
Jules Gianneschi,

while grappling with the uncertainty of what im- Senior Vice President of People,
pacts these changes will have on their own roles. America’s CAR-MART
 HR must align with
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organizational priorities
R E P O R T

Alignment is highest Priority alignment

in medium-sized reflects HR’s strategic
T R E N D S

organizations. partnership.

85 %
H R

of HR organizations
“The priorities of my organization’s HR de- that are strategic
partment are well aligned with the broader partners in planning and
organizational priorities.” n=1,025 executing strategy have
n=882 priorities aligned with the
broader organization.

71%
68% When HR’s priorities
59%
are well aligned,
organizations are…

2.8 X
Small Medium Large more likely to be
highly effective at
providing a great
employee experience.
Alignment between HR and organizational priorities n=1,078
is strongest in small and medium sized organiza-

3.3
tions. This suggests such alignment becomes more

X
challenging as organizations grow, and it may also more likely to be
be a function of HR in large organizations supporting highly effective at
more employees per HR FTE. shaping a strong
organizational culture.
n=1,075

3.3X
more likely to be
perceived as highly
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effective, which is a
Measure organizational alignment challenge for many
Seeking feedback and input from organizational n=1,072 HR organizations.
partners is crucial to HR’s strategic partnership
and ability to shape organizations where everyone
thrives. Use McLean & Company’s HR Organizational
Alignment Diagnostic to optimize alignment and
enable data-driven, strategic decisions.
 Few outside of HR feel
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HR is highly effective
R E P O R T

Perceptions of
HR’s effectiveness
T R E N D S

are negative.

39 %
H R

of non-HR Improve HR’s data capabilities

respondents believe In an environment dominated by rapidly changing
their HR organization technology, HR’s effectiveness depends in part on
is highly effective. its ability to leverage data to take action aligned with
n=307 organizational priorities more than ever. This starts
with improving HR’s data literacy capabilities.

Data shows that there is a link between HR’s effective-

ness at data and analytics and overall HR effectiveness:

HR organizations that
are highly effective at
facilitating data-driven
decisions are…

2.3 X
more likely to
be perceived as “There’s a lot more HR data available than there
highly effective. was 10 years ago, but unless HR is learning
about data and putting it into practice, there’s
n=1,330 going to be an evolution where the traditional HR
generalist is replaced by someone who is more
technically savvy.”
Yet McLean & Company’s diagnotstic database shows
that organizational partners are least satisfied with Philip Dana,
HR’ metrics and analytics (McLean & Company HRSM, CHRO and Navy Vet
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2023, n=3,003).
 Building trust in HR will
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be key to success in 2024

R E P O R T

Perceptions of HR’s Employees expect to be involved in initiatives that

impact them more than ever, so it’s crucial to en-
T R E N D S

effectiveness and gage with employees during the planning and rollout
phases of initiatives to capture the employee voice
trust are linked. and build trust.

77
H R

%
of non-HR
respondents who
perceive their HR team
as highly effective also
HR organizations
n=288 have high trust in HR. with high trust are…

2.4 X
more likely to be
high performing
However, trust in at recruiting.

HR is alarmingly low. n=1,074

41 %
3.8X
of non-HR
respondents more likely to be
report having high high performing at
trust in HR. shaping a strong
n=295 organizational culture.
n=1,079

Trust in HR is influenced by many factors, and during

3.4
periods of change trust is tested. HR needs to understand

X
the root cause for the lack of trust to move forward. more likely to be
high performing at
While navigating change and disruption in 2024, tak- developing leaders.
ing a data-driven approach to decision-making and
communicating the “why” to leadership and employ- n=1,073
ees will be key to building trust in HR. An important
part of this is qualitative data in the form of the em-
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ployee voice.
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R E P O R T
T R E N D S

What comes next?

H R

Use McLean & Company resources to act on HR’s priorities in 2024 and prepare
HR and the organization for the accelerating pace of change and innovation.

Actions and practical resources

Align efforts with HR’s top priorities in 2024
with McLean & Company’s resources on:
• Recruiting
• Employee experience
• HR budgeting and headcount planning

To learn more about how to use technology to help HR and the

organization achieve its priorities, Develop a Holistic Digital HR Strategy.

Use McLean & Company’s HR Organizational Alignment Diagnostic

to optimize alignment between HR and the organization.

Use the Build a Resilient HR Team resources to equip HR with resilience

techniques needed to support themselves and the organization
throughout change in 2024.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
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R E P O R T
T R E N D S
H R

Rethinking the
Approach to Skills
The rapid rate of change means many commonly used workplace
skills will change – in 2023, the World Economic Forum estimated
that 44% of core skills will change in the next five years (WEF, 2023).

The short shelf life of many key skills has shone a spotlight on
those skills and competencies that are more durable and resilient
to change. Complicating the approach to skills is the need to ac-
count for the experiences of employees whose jobs and nature of
work are fundamentally different from each other, such as office
and non-office workers.

This section examines five key types of skills and competencies to

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better understand employee proficiency in each and how their de-

velopment is being prioritized by organizations. It also explores
opportunities for organizations to equip the workforce with more
durable skills and competencies to navigate the constant waves of
change and disruption.
 Key terms used in
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this section include

R E P O R T

Functional skills Tasks and functions, such as talent acquisition, financial planning,
T R E N D S

and competencies programming, production operations, data analysis, and business and
relate to: industry analysis.
H R

Individuals, such as adaptability, resilience, change ability, decision making

and problem solving, and being planful.

Core and Teams, such as collaboration, communication, influencing, emotional

leadership skills intelligence, and networking.
and competencies
can exist at the Leadership, such as managing talent, strategic execution and direction,
level of: coaching, and leading through change.

Organizations, such as business acumen, organizational awareness,

and risk management.

Groups of skills and competencies are referred to as Highly effective

“skills” throughout this report.
Types of worker
Office workers: Employees who primarily work within
an office setting, often using computers, phones, or
other types of office equipment to carry out their tasks.
at building talent
Composite measure of respondents who scored 10 or
above (out of a maximum score of 12) when asked to
rate HR’s performance on two dimensions: enabling
learning & development and developing leaders,
each scored on a six-point scale.

Non-office workers: Employees who primarily work Assessment of skill proficiency

outside an office environment and whose tasks often
require the use of specialized tools and equipment Overall skill proficiency assessment scores within
related to their profession (e.g. carpenter, doctor, an organization were determined using a weight-
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factory worker). ed average across the skill proficiency responses to

each office and non-office skill question, in conjunc-
tion with the estimated percentage of employees at
the organization who were office or non-office based.

The overall skill level score within the organization

was then calculated as the average of the scores
across the five skills.
 Core and leadership skills
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lag for non-office workers

R E P O R T

Increase Investment Maintain Focus

INSIGHT
T R E N D S

Team
Skills The emphasis on task and
Task & functional skills over all other
Functional skills represents a risk for
Individual
H R

Skills organizations.
Skills

n=815-854
Priority

Leadership Core and leadership skills, such

Skills
as the ability to navigate change,
work collaboratively, understand
the financial implications of their
work, and lead others, are not
Organizational
Skills currently a high priority, but they
will be more crucial than ever
Refocus Efforts Proficiency Reallocate Resources during times of change.

The percentage of Priority is

non-office workers who are placed on the
highly proficient in core and “how” behind
the work rather
leadership skills is very low than the “why”

36 35 % %
Organizational skills were ranked
as the lowest priority among the
five skills measured for both
office and non-office workers
n=824 n=820 (n=815-1,001).

Individual skills Team skills More emphasis must be placed on

developing employees to understand

25 24
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the financial and business impact

% %
of their work. While the technical
aspects of completing their work
may become quickly outdated, the
foundational knowledge of why it
n=815 n=818 is being done and the impact it has
on the organization will be relevant
Organizational skills Leadership skills for much longer.
 Office workers are least
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proficient in leadership skills

R E P O R T

Increase Investment Maintain Focus

T R E N D S

Team
Skills

Leadership
Skills Individual
H R

Skills

n=966-1,001
Priority

Task &
Functional
Skills

Organizational
Skills

Refocus Efforts Proficiency Reallocate Resources

Leadership skills are lacking “The person who does a job the
best usually becomes a leader
despite their high priority. of others doing that job. And
what do people do under stress?
Despite 7 in 10 respondents reporting leadership skills as a high priority Things they know they’re good at.
for office workers (n=1,000), it was the lowest scoring area, with just: They become micro managers,

32
when really leadership is what

%
is needed. And we do not do a
of respondents reporting office good job of teaching leadership.”
workers as highly proficient at leadership
skills and competencies. Terri Lewis,
Chief People Officer, One Call
n=975
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Invest in leadership skills

To get started, review McLean & Company’s Management Fundamentals
training program for new leaders, and Essentials for Leaders of Leaders
training program for senior leaders.
 Skill development efforts
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across all workers should

R E P O R T

have a broader scope

T R E N D S

Across office and non-office workers, task and func-
tional skills are being prioritized d
­ isproportionately,
but core and leadership skills are both closely
H R
“In my experience, tenure in an organization alone
doesn’t always translate into understanding how
all the parts of the company connect and come

­associated with organizational success.
Across every skill type, organizations whose employ-
ees are highly proficient are…
together to create value. It’s an opportunity for HR
to help develop employees with a broader enterprise
perspective, who think across functional silos to solve
the most critical challenges. This requires significant
investment in talent initiatives. It’s a business issue

1.5 X
that is critical to success.”
more likely to report
high overall organizational Dipankar Bandyopadhyay,
performance. Global HR leader with experience in transformation

n=797

Proficiency in task and

functional skills remains
critical in ensuring employees
are productive, as when
employees are highly
proficient in this skill,
the organization is…

1.9 X
more likely to be
high performing at
workforce productivity.

n=835
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However, a workforce with diverse skill sets leads to

diverse positive outcomes for the organization.
1 9

When all employees The organization is… n=822-835

|

2.1
are highly proficient at…
2 0 2 4

X
more likely to be high performing at the
R E P O R T

ability to change at scale to capitalize

Individual skills on new opportunities.

2.1
T R E N D S

X
more likely to be high
performing at diversity,
Team skills equity, and inclusion.
H R

2.1 X
more likely to be high
performing at generating
Organizational skills and implementing new ideas.

1.8 X
more likely to be high
performing at shaping a strong
Leadership skills organizational culture.

Expand the scope of employee development

to include more diverse sets of skills
Organizations must recognize the value of developing
diverse skill sets to increase employees’ ability to adapt
to the organization’s changing needs and priorities.
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When employees are placed in positions of leadership
without the people leadership skills or the organizational
and business acumen to be effective, it presents a challenge
for leaders, employees, and the organization. In 2023, nearly

Team skills and individual skills are critical regardless half of organizations found their largest skill gap in first-time
of the physical setting of the role and are less likely to leaders (McLean & Company HR Trends Report 2023, n=826).
require further skill development over time than task Leadership and organizational skills are significant areas of
and functional skills. opportunity when it comes to building a leadership pipeline.
 Skill proficiency relies
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on HR building talent
R E P O R T

When HR is highly
effective at building
T R E N D S

talent, employees are:

n=807-966
H R

2.6X more likely to be highly proficient

in leadership skills.
However, just 25% of respondents
report their HR function is highly
effective at building talent.

2.1 X more likely to be highly proficient

in organizational skills.
n=1,351

1.9 X more likely to be highly proficient

in individual skills.

1.8 X more likely to be highly proficient

in team skills.
To elevate the proficiency
levels of employee skills, HR

1.5
must enhance their effectiveness
X more likely to be highly proficient
at talent development.
in task and functional skills.

Across every type of skill, employees’ proficiency levels

are much higher when HR is effective at building talent.
This is more pronounced when it comes to core and
leadership skills, where the gap between priority and
proficiency is greatest.

This means that investment in HR and L&D teams

should be the starting point for any organizational
reskilling or upskilling efforts.

See McLean & Company’s Create a Learning and

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Development Strategy resource to take a strategic

approach to developing employee skill proficiency,
and use the Elevate HR and Strategic HR Essentials
programs to enhance HR’s effectiveness.

Lack of effectiveness at building talent is a concern

because organizations rely heavily on building skills
internally rather than acquiring them through hiring.
 Employee skills proficiency
2 1
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starts with planning

R E P O R T

What approach are

T R E N D S

organizations taking to acquire More likely

to use internal
each of the following skills? n=789-813 development:
H R

3.3 X
77%
Team
23%

2.9 X
74%
Organization
26%

2.7 X
73%
Leadership
27%

2.1 X
68%
Individual
32%

1.1 X
53%
Task &
functional
47%

Internal development External hiring

Plan for skills with workforce and succession planning

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There will always be times when buying specific task and
functional skills will be required. Our data reflects this, as
organizations are more likely to use hiring to acquire task
and functional skills than any other category.
Selecting candidates based largely on expertise in
functional skills, though, runs the risk of those very skills
becoming outdated in a few years, requiring reskilling.
Use workforce planning and succession planning to
anticipate the skills organizations will need in the future
and build a leadership pipeline of employees with the
appropriate task and functional skills, but also the core
and leadership skills that will make them successful in all
aspects of work. Better planning will also reduce reliance
on reactive recruiting and reap the benefits of increased
internal mobility.
2 2
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R E P O R T

What comes next?

T R E N D S
H R

Use McLean & Company resources to rethink the approach to skills

development and improve the effectiveness of your HR and L&D organization.

Actions and practical resources

Invest in leadership skills with McLean & Company’s Management
Fundamentals training program for new leaders, and with the Essentials
for Leaders of Leaders training program for senior leaders.

Enhance HR’s effectiveness with the Elevate HR and Strategic HR

Essentials facilitated training programs.

Use McLean & Company’s Create a Learning and Development Strategy

resource to take a strategic approach to developing employee skill
proficiency.

Create a framework to discuss knowledge, skills, and abilities by

developing a comprehensive competency framework.

Plan for the future of skills with a Strategic Workforce Planning Toolkit.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
 03
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R E P O R T
T R E N D S
H R

Delivering on
the Employee
Experience
Employees’ expectations of a great employee experience have in-
creased in recent years, and providing a great employee experience
has been a top-two organizational priority since 2022. Whether or-
ganizations have delivered on this expectation is a different story.

There is a clear case for providing a positive employee experience

that goes beyond one-off or “nice-to-have” initiatives. A more sys-
tematic and intentional approach is needed for organizations to im-
prove employees’ perceptions of their cumulative lived experiences
within the organization.
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This section examines five dimensions that contribute to employees’

lived experience. It also explores the organizational outcomes asso-
ciated with a positive employee experience, along with key dimen-
sions for organizations to prioritize.
 What is the
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employee experience?
R E P O R T

Employee experience is the employees’

perception of their cumulative lived
T R E N D S

experiences with the organization.

H R

But how do we measure the cumulative lived experiences of – and mo-

ments that matter to – individuals at our own organizations? INSIGHT

Employee listening is a great approach to this, whether through surveys Employee engagement and
like the Employee Experience Monitor or Employee Engagement Program, employee experience are related
or by equipping managers to have meaningful conversations with their but different concepts that are
employees to understand their experiences of working at the organization. sometimes confused.

Employee engagement is an
outcome of the employee
experience, which is all of the
experiences that the employee
has at the organization.

Understanding broader trends

within the employee experience
across organizations is complicated.
Five dimensions that capture a large part of a typical This section will demonstrate trends and outcomes around
employee’s lived experience were measured via re- organizations that are highly effective at designing
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sponses to the HR Trends Survey 2024:
• Technology • Culture • Physical Space
• Social & Relationships • Task
These dimensions are not an exhaustive list, but they
capture the major categories of moments that matter
throughout the employee lifecycle.
the employee experience (measured based on scores
across these five dimensions).
See Appendix IV for a more detailed account of our
approach to measuring the employee experience at
responding organizations, and see Appendix V for a
breakdown of each of the five dimensions and their scores.
 The business case for a great
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employee experience is clear

R E P O R T

A positive employee experience is linked to

multiple success measures, including overall
T R E N D S

organizational performance.
H R

Percentage of respondents reporting high overall organizational performance. n=867 Difference

1.6 X
77%

48%

Organization is highly effective at designing Organization is not highly effective at designing

a positive employee experience. a positive employee experience.

When organizations are highly effective at

designing a positive employee experience,
they are also… n=865-874

2.5 X
more likely to be high
performing at quickly
changing to capitalize on
new opportunities.
“Employee experience is one of those things where
you’re not going to necessarily take an action and
see an outcome right away. It’s more of a longer-term
investment, and longer-term investments from a people
perspective are harder to get everyone’s attention.”

2.4X
Manuelita Cherizard,
more likely to be high CHRO, Royal Ontario Museum
performing at workforce
productivity; diversity,
equity, and inclusion;
and shaping a strong
organizational culture.

2.3
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

X
more likely to be high
performing at generating
and implementing
new ideas.
 The risks of not providing a
2 6
|
2 0 2 4

good employee experience

R E P O R T

are just as clear

T R E N D S

When organizations are not effective

at designing a positive employee experience,
H R

they experience…

36 %
“Employees have choices. They don’t have to choose us.
higher rates of voluntary If we create an environment in which it makes it difficult
turnover compared to for an employee to come back and choose us every day,
organizations whose we’re creating churn that doesn’t need to happen.”
HR function is effective
n=671 at designing a positive Jules Gianneschi,
employee experience. Senior Vice President of People, America’s CAR-MART

Respondents also report higher levels of stress

when their organization fails to provide a great
employee experience:
“I experience higher levels of stress related More likely to report
to my job today compared to one year ago.” n=850 higher stress

1.4 X
35%

49%

Organization is high performing at designing Organization is not high performing at designing

the employee experience. the employee experience.

HR’s role in partnering with the organization’s lead-

ers and employees to identify ways to enhance the
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

employee experience is larger than ever, due to

changes and complexities in the external environ-
ment. While this highlights HR’s increasing import-
ance in contributing to organizational outcomes,
it also signals increasing demands on HR. There’s a
need for HR staff to care for their own wellbeing as
the risk of their stress and burnout will only rise with
their increased efforts in this area.
 There is work to be done
2 7
|
2 0 2 4

on many aspects of the

R E P O R T

employee experience
T R E N D S

Providing a great
employee experience is
H R

a “must-have” activity
for the organization.
Given the benefits to individuals and organizations
of a positive employee experience, and given the in-
creasing expectations of employees around the mo-
ments that matter to them throughout the employee
lifecycle, a great employee experience is no longer
a “nice-to-have.” The data strongly points to it be-
ing a highly important activity at which the organiz-
ation and HR must excel.

However, the current state leaves much to

be desired, particularly when it comes to the
technology, culture, and task dimensions.
Percentage of respondents that report high performance on these employee experience dimensions. n=886-938

Physical
58%
space

Social and
42%
relationships

Technology 31%
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

Culture 30%

Task 28%
 The two lowest-scoring dimensions
2 8

are most strongly correlated with

|
2 0 2 4

key organizational outcomes,

indicating a missed opportunity.
R E P O R T

…is strongly associated with the following organizational outcomes:

T R E N D S

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Culture Ability to shape a strong organizational culture

H R

dimension

Social and environmental sustainability performance

Ability to quickly change at scale to capitalize on new opportunities

Task Ability to generate and implement new ideas

dimension

Workforce productivity

Organizations that have providing

a great employee experience as a
top-three priority are:

30 %
more likely to be Organizations that prioritize the employee experi-
high performing on ence are putting it into action by providing employ-
the culture dimension. ees with interesting and purposeful work and
enabling them to perform their tasks without
n=938 friction, while also ensuring the organization’s val-
ues and culture are resonating with employees.

29%
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

more likely to be When the employee experience is not highly priori-

high performing on tized, the areas that have the most impact on organ-
the task dimension. izational outcomes are most likely to slip.

n=934
 Technology is another crucial area for
2 9

improvement, as accessible and reliable

|
2 0 2 4

technology is central in ensuring a smooth

day-to-day employee experience.
R E P O R T

When the organization is highly effective at:

T R E N D S

Ensuring reliable technology to enable Reducing friction

frictionless completion of tasks, they are... in tasks, they are…

2.1 X
2.5 X
H R

more likely to be high more likely to be high

performing at quickly performing at quickly
changing to capitalize changing to capitalize
on new opportunities. on new opportunities.
n=921 n=922

1.9X
2.1X
more likely to be high more likely to be
performing at generating high performing at
and implementing workforce productivity.
new ideas.
n=932 n=938

However, the percentage of organizations

that are highly effective is just…

38 %
for ensuring
reliable technology INSIGHT
to enable frictionless
completion of tasks. Improving the employee experience doesn’t always
n=937 mean introducing new programs and initiatives. It can
be removing seemingly minor pain points that cause

25
employees frustration and delays when carrying out

%
for reducing their day-to-day tasks.
friction in tasks.
Imagine office workers completing their tasks on a
poor internet connection that disconnects frequently,
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

n=938 or a shift worker without access to their upcoming

week’s work schedules online. Their experience will
likely be very negative, even if many of the other
employee experience dimensions are positive.

Dig into the day-to-day experiences of employees

and don’t overlook the little things that cause friction.
Small things can cause big pain.
 Organizations must listen to
3 0
|
2 0 2 4

understand the experiences

R E P O R T

of their employees
T R E N D S

The employee experience means different things for

everyone. It encompasses multiple dimensions that
make up how each employee experiences their or-
H R

ganization and the moments that matter throughout

their journey as an employee. As such, each person’s
perception and experience varies based on their own
circumstances and needs as well as the unique con-
texts in which the organization operates.
As a result, organizations must make an effort to un-
cover and truly understand what the employee ex-
perience of their workforce is.
Listen to employees to define,
operationalize, and articulate
the unique employee experience.
Trying to broadly “improve the employee experience”
is akin to attempting to boil the ocean – it is unfeasible
and will yield few returns.
HR functions must enable the organization to gauge the
lived experiences of employees and identify key areas
of improvement. Gathering sentiments from employees
about how they experience the moments that matter to
them will lend itself to effective prioritization.

See McLean & Company’s Employee Experience

Resource Center for a suite of resources designed to
help organizations identify, improve, and articulate the
employee experience.

“One of the things that has really changed in HR is

we are really trying to customize to the individual
employee. Their experience is different because
everyone is different, we can’t just do the things the
way that we used to.”

Jennifer O’Brien,
Vice President, People(s) & Culture, Humber College
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
3 1
|
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T
T R E N D S

What comes next?

H R

Use McLean & Company resources to formulate an approach to begin delivering

on the employee experience.

Actions and practical resources

See McLean & Company’s Employee Experience Resource Center for a
suite of research and tools designed to provide support in enhancing the
employee experience throughout the employee lifecycle.

Take a data-driven approach to capturing employee sentiment

throughout the employee lifecycle, using McLean & Company’s New Hire
Survey, Employee Engagement Program, Employee Experience Monitor,
and Exit Survey.

Capture the employee voice and dig into the employee experience with
facilitated focus groups.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
 04
3 2
|
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T
T R E N D S
H R

Flexibility Beyond
Remote Work
The return-to-office (RTO) question is far from settled. Cutting
through the noise is a challenge for organizations that want to take
a data-driven approach to their working arrangements.

What is clear is that many CEOs want a return to office. However, in

recent years employee expectations about what organizations offer
in terms of flexibility have evolved. The demand for flexible work is
here to stay.

This section explores different flexible work offerings beyond re-

MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

mote work and how organizations are making changes, or not, to

their working arrangements. It also explores the need for organiza-
tions to balance the demands of senior leadership and the expecta-
tions of employees – and be open to the idea that flexibility will not
be the same for all employees.
 Organizations are taking a
3 3
|
2 0 2 4

“wait and see” approach

R E P O R T

Many business leaders However, most

are signaling a return organizations are not
T R E N D S

to office (RTO). changing location

flexibility in 2024.
H R

“We’re encouraging our people to get back to the

offices. We think that’s important to our culture.”

Carmine Di Sibio, 1 “Is your organization planning on making any

Global Chairman and CEO, EY significant changes to its flexibility in location
in the next year?” n=728

“In a creative business like ours, nothing can replace

the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers
that comes from being physically together, nor the 81%
opportunity to grow professionally by learning from
leaders and mentors.”

Bob Iger, 2
CEO, Disney

Teams tend to be better connected … when they
see each other in person more frequently. There is
something about being face-to-face with somebody,
looking them in the eye, and seeing they’re fully
immersed in whatever you’re discussing that bonds
people together. Teams tend to find ways to work
through hard and complex trade-offs faster when they
get together and map it out in a room.”
Andy Jassey, 3
CEO, Amazon
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
8% 11%
Increase No change Decrease
Despite the conversations around RTO, most organ-
izations are not planning on making any significant
changes to location flexibility in 2024.
This suggests a cautious approach to RTO, with
most organizations seemingly waiting to see if it will
gain traction – and how it will impact top HR prior-
ities like recruiting and the employee experience.

1
Yahoo Finance, 2022.
2
Washington Post, 2023.
3
Amazon, 2023.
 Other flexible work options will
3 4

also be largely unchanged in 2024.

|
2 0 2 4

Most organizations are not taking steps to increase

R E P O R T

flexibility in hours or time off in 2024.

88 %
of organizations are not
making any significant INSIGHT
T R E N D S

changes to flexibility in
hours in the next year. Time off and hours are big opportunities for
n=720 organizations to get creative with how they offer
employees flexibility beyond remote work.

89
H R

%
of organizations are not Flexible time off is especially underused, with just
making any significant 18% of office workers and 15% of non-office workers
changes to flexibility in receiving flexible time off (n=794-942).
time off in the next year.
n=725

“Flexibility is absolutely critical to retaining talent. You

Expand your
flexibility toolkit
Leverage flex options like time off and hours to
enable HR to provide flexibility across different areas
of the business that manage employee expectations
and meet the demands of senior leaders.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
may get candidates to accept jobs, but to retain them
you have to find a way to build more flexibility into
their lives. People aren’t going to put up with ‘at your
desk from 8-5, with two breaks and lunch.’ They’ll find
another job. Flexibility is becoming a critical part of
the engagement and satisfaction that employees have
with their role, regardless of what level they are.”
Terri Lewis,
Chief People Officer, One Call
 RTO is an opportunity
3 5
|
2 0 2 4

for HR to flex data-driven

R E P O R T

decision-making
T R E N D S

While most organizations are taking a “wait and see”

approach to significant flexible location changes in
the next year, for many organizations RTO is an im-
minent reality. For organizations and leaders looking
H R

to implement an RTO policy, it is especially import-

ant to be flexible with flexibility, leverage internal
data to inform decision-making, and use that data to
communicate the rationale to employees.

Take a data-driven approach to RTO

There is too much noise around the pros and cons

of remote work for organizations to make informed
decisions solely based on external benchmarks or
trends. And “because I said so” won’t cut it with
employees who have options.
“There are all these different narratives about remote
Organizations must look internally and listen to work out there and it feels very unknown, and
employees to understand the needs of different everyone’s got some statistic on it for either side.
groups and the impact of RTO to facilitate data-driven Our take is, we know employees want flexibility and
decision-making. they want to be remote, so we are actively exploring
different ways to find that flexibility.”
Use McLean & Company’s Return-to-Office Playbook to
develop and roll out a data-driven, flexible RTO policy Gracie Mercado,
that balances organizational and employee needs. EVP, People & Culture, Macmillan Publishers
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
 A standardized approach
3 6
|
2 0 2 4

to flexibility doesn’t work

R E P O R T

for all employee groups

T R E N D S

Percentage of organizations that offer flexible

work options to office vs. non-office workers: n=794-942
H R

64%
51%
41%
37%
15% 18%

Flexible hours Flexible location Flexible time off

Non-office workers Office workers

The differences in flexibility offered extend beyond
location, as office workers were provided flexible hours
and time off more frequently than non-office workers.
Creative thinking is needed, not only about what
types of flexible work are available, but also about
which employees to make each option available to.
The types of flexibility that work for office workers
may not work for non-office workers, but employees
from all groups are increasingly seeking flexibility.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
“Flexibility is not typically a nice-to-have for employees.
It’s a need. If I have parents at home that I’m caring for,
then I need flexibility. If I have kids that need to be taken
to school at a specific hour, then I need flexibility. If I
have a two-hour commute and I can easily get things
done at home, I need flexibility. That’s the starting
point that we should keep in mind, which means that
solutions are going to be different for different people.
There won’t be a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Andrew Saidy,
VP Global Talent, Ubisoft
 Different demographics
3 7

Non-office workers are less likely to receive any flexible

work options whatsoever compared to office workers.
|

have different flex

2 0 2 4

n=794-942

work needs.

36 %
R E P O R T

of organizations
reported not If there is a reduction in flexibility due to an increase
offering any flexible in return-to-office initiatives, this risks potential
work options to negative impacts when it comes to diversity.
non-office workers.
T R E N D S

vs.

25
Among workers in the USA:

%
41 %
of organizations
reported not of women
H R

offering any flexible work remotely

work options to (BLS, 2023).
office workers.

28%
“People want standards so they can say they’re of men
being consistent and fair. It’s difficult for leaders to work remotely
understand that being consistent and fair is more about (BLS, 2023).
making sure that people feel heard and respected and
that you’re working to meet and accommodate in a
consistent manner.”

Jules Gianneschi,
Senior Vice President of People, America’s CAR-MART Among workers in Canada:

3.3
percentage point increase
from 71.9% to 75.2%
of women with at least
one child who are in the
workforce compared to
Be flexible with flexibility 2019 (StatCan, 2023).

9.7
Organizations must accept that flexibility will look percentage point increase
different in different areas. It is less about offering from 59.6% to 69.3%
the same flexibility to all employees and more of women who are
about finding flexible work options that can work for immigrants participating
specific groups of employees. in the workforce compared
to 2019 (StatCan, 2023).
Use McLean & Company’s Develop a Targeted
Flexible Work Program to equip the organization with
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

tools to implement and sustain a targeted flexible

work program.
3 8
|
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T

What comes next?

T R E N D S
H R

Use McLean & Company resources to implement flexible work options that
balance the needs of the organization and employees to drive engagement and
improve attraction and retention.

Actions and practical resources

Use McLean & Company’s Develop a Targeted Flexible Work Program
resource to understand the needs of unique employee groups and uncover
flexible work options that will attract and retain talent.

Invest in leadership skills with McLean & Company’s Prepare People

Leaders for the Hybrid Work Environment resource and Equip Managers
to Effectively Manage Hybrid Teams training for people leaders.

To learn more about how to create a planned, integrated and supported

work-from-home program, Sustain Work-From-Home in the New Normal.

Create and roll out a return-to-office policy that balances employee and
organizational needs by using McLean’s Return-to-Office Playbook.

Understand employee needs when it comes to flexible work with

facilitated focus groups.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
 05
3 9
|
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T
T R E N D S
H R

2024
Trends Spotlights
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

From generative AI to DEI and whether organizations take a public

stance on social issues, these spotlights cover topics which should
not be overlooked.
 Generative AI in HR will
4 0
|

gain momentum in 2024

2 0 2 4
R E P O R T

The benefits Assessing and

of AI are clear: adopting generative AI
T R E N D S

79
will be easier in 2024.
%
of respondents who are
implementing generative
H R

AI cited increased
productivity and efficiency When asked why HR is not taking steps to im-
as the primary reason. plement AI, the…

1
n=192

#
reason is a lack

However, HR has of time to assess

been slow to assess
and implement
generative AI.
Since ChatGPT launched in late 2022, the HR world
has been buzzing with the potential of the technol-
ogy to reimagine how work is done and further HR’s
position as a strategic leader.
the possibilities.
n=479
In 2024, as technology vendors embed new genera-
tive AI products into software we already use, like
our HCM platforms, it will make it easier and faster
to assess and embrace the possible use cases.

Despite this potential, HR has been slow to assess the new However, the risks of AI remain a concern for many HR
technology, with just 28% of HR organizations report- professionals, with 32% of respondents citing risk as a
ing they are taking steps to implement generative AI. reason for not implementing generative AI (n=479).

“My HR department is taking steps to implement

generative AI.” n=730

Maximize HR capabilities with AI

27.7% Yes
HR must focus its resources to maximize HR
capabilities, empower employees to leverage
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

the technology, and support the organization in

assessing the benefits and risks of AI.

Use McLean & Company’s Harness the Potential

72.3% No of Generative AI resource to equip HR with the tools
to partner with key groups and individuals across
the organization.
 Despite a decline in priority,
4 1
|
2 0 2 4

DEI efforts are crucial to

R E P O R T

organizational success
T R E N D S

Organizations that DEI has slipped from its peak as the #4 HR priority for
organizations in 2021, to the #7 HR priority in 2024.
are high performing However, it is so intertwined with the employee ex-
H R

perience that organizations may no longer be consid-

at DEI are… ering it as a standalone initiative.

1.9 X
more likely to have Significant DEI work is still needed to prepare organ-
a highly productive izations for the workforce of the future, which will
workforce. consist of many different demographics.

n=1,178

My organization is prepared to support the needs

and experiences of a multidemographic workforce:
n=758-786 Why being prepared is important:

Globally, female labor force participation is

66% Gender * 29.2 percentage points lower than male,1 an
untapped workforce in a tight labor market.

15%-20% of people are neurodiverse based

32% Neurodiversity on a meta-analysis of US and global studies.2

Over 40% of the US population identifies

57% Ethnicity as BIPOC or Hispanic or Latino.3

The percentage of workers in the US labor

55% Age force over the age of 60 doubled between
2000 and 2020.4
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

15% of the US labor force was born outside of

the US (CBO, 2023), while immigrants accounted
59% National origin for 80% of the workforce growth in Canada from
2016-2021.5

*Note: While gender is often used interchangeably with sex at birth in data sources, this is 1
ILO, 2023; 2 Doyle, 2020; 3 BLS, 2022;
not ideal. Gender identity is a more inclusive term to capture the diversity of gender identities. 4
Fiske & Becker, 2022; 5 StatCan, 2022.
 Most organizations
4 2
|
2 0 2 4

take a public stance

R E P O R T

on social issues
T R E N D S

Does your
organization take 46.5%
H R

a public stance on
political or sensitive
social issues? n=794-942 3.3%

26.4% 23.9%
Frequently Rarely

Sometimes Never

More than half of respondents reported that their or-

ganization takes a public stance on political or sensitive
social issues at least in some circumstances (n=736),
reflecting the focus organizations and the public are
placing on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
HR leadership is often at the fore of these discussions,
with 45% of respondents stating that the CHRO or other
HR leaders are very involved when their organization
takes a public stance on a social issues (n=360).
INSIGHT
Mandatory reporting on CSR and ESG areas already
exists in many regions such as the EU and US, and
organizations must stay up to date with changing
reporting requirements. Use McLean & Company’s ESG
Primer to understand ESG programs, HR’s role in them,
and their impact on organizations.

In 2022, McLean & Company found that nearly half

of HR organizations had CSR and ESG added to their
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

responsibilities (McLean & Company HR Trends Report

for 2022, n=380). In 2024, expect HR’s role as risk miti-
gator and public face of ESG and CSR to grow as the
role of organizations in the public discourse on in-
creasingly polarizing and political social issues con-
tinues to evolve.
4 3
|
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T

What comes next?

T R E N D S
H R

Use McLean & Company resources to prepare for the various trends that will
continue to impact organizations through 2024 and beyond.

Actions and practical resources

Get HR started with AI with the AI in HR Primer.

Harness the Potential of Generative AI in HR using McLean & Company’s

resources, including the Generative AI Ideas Catalog.

Create a People-First Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy to prepare

the organization for a multidemographic workforce.

Equip employees with the knowledge and skills they need to be allies to
their colleagues with our How to Be an Ally training.

Create a framework for determining your organization’s strategy to

respond to controversial political and social matters, or watch our
webinar on taking a stance.
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
MCLEAN & COMPANY © H R T R E N D S R E P O R T 2 0 2 4 | 4 4

Appendices
4 5

APPENDIX I

Characteristics of 2024
|
2 0 2 4

survey respondents
R E P O R T

Role Organization size n=1,300

T R E N D S

n=1,371

23%
Small 37%
H R

250 or fewer employees

Medium 27%

251 to 1,000 employees

Non-HR Large 36%

77%
HR 1,001 or more employees

Respondents by industry n=1,365

Professional, scientific, and technical services 18%

Manufacturing 18%

Finance and insurance 11%

Healthcare and social assistance 9%

Other services (except public administration) 8%

Educational services 6%

Public administration 5%

Information & cultural industries 4%

MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

Retail trade 3%

Transportation and warehousing 3%

*Industries selected based on the North American Classification system. Categories falling
below 3% were omitted from the visual above; reflecting 15% of the overall sample (n=211).
4 6

APPENDIX I CONTINUED

Characteristics of 2024
|
2 0 2 4

survey respondents
R E P O R T

Seniority Unionization n=1,345

T R E N D S

n=1,373

61% 21%
H R

10%

14%

25% 69%

Senior Management Individual Yes Partially No

leaders contributors

Location n=1,373

8% Europe
North
79% America
Middle Asia
2% 2%
East

5% Africa
Latin
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

2% America
2% Oceania
4 7

APPENDIX II

HR FTE ratio and anticipated

|
2 0 2 4

HR headcount change
R E P O R T

Median HR to FTE ratio by organization size n=1,300

T R E N D S

Large 1:80
H R

1,001 or more employees

Medium 1:59

251 to 1,000 employees

Small 1:40

250 or fewer employees

Anticipated change in HR headcount in 2024

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

n=465 n=420 n=385 n=797 n=932

Growing No change Shrinking

4 8

APPENDIX III

Top 10 HR priorities for

|
2 0 2 4

organizations 2020-2024
R E P O R T

Top priorities for Top priorities for

T R E N D S

organizations in 2024 organizations in 2023

n=1,193 n=1,075
H R

01 Recruiting 01 Recruiting

02 Providing a great employee experience 02 Providing a great employee experience

03 Controlling labor costs 03 Developing leaders

04 Developing the organization’s leaders 04 Controlling labor costs

05 Supporting change 05 Enabling learning & development

06 Enabling innovation 06 Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Fostering an environment of diversity,

07 07 Supporting change
equity, and inclusion
08 Facilitating data-driven people decisions
08 Facilitating data driven people decisions
09 Enabling innovation
09 Enabling learning & development
10 Providing a great candidate experience

10 Rapidly moving internal employees
to staff strategic priorities
MCLEAN & COMPANY ©
4 9

APPENDIX III CONTINUED

Top 10 HR priorities for

|
2 0 2 4

organizations 2020-2024
R E P O R T

Top priorities for Top priorities for

T R E N D S

organizations in 2022 organizations in 2021

n=826 n=850
H R

01 Recruiting 01 Recruiting

02 Providing a great employee experience 02 Developing leaders

03 Developing leaders 03 Controlling labor costs

04 Controlling labor costs 04 Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

05 Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) 05 Providing a great employee experience

06 Enabling innovation 06 Fostering a positive labor relations climate

07 Enabling learning & development 07 Supporting change

08 Supporting change 08 Enabling innovation

09 Facilitating data-driven people decisions 09 Enabling learning & development

10 Fostering a positive labor relations climate 10 Facilitating data-driven people decisions

Top priorities for organizations in 2020

n=365

01 Recruiting 06 Facilitating data-driven people decisions

MCLEAN & COMPANY ©

02 Developing leaders 07 Enabling learning & development

03 Controlling labor costs 08 Internal mobility

04 Supporting change 09 Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

Tie
04 Providing a great employee experience 10 Enabling innovation
5 0

APPENDIX IV

Employee experience
|
2 0 2 4

methodology
R E P O R T

Highly effective
T R E N D S

at designing the
employee experience
H R

Composite measure of respondents who scored 80 or

higher (out of a maximum score of 96, averaging out to
a score of five on each item each scored on a six-point
scale) when asked to rate their organization’s perform-
ance across each employee experience dimension.

Employee experience
dimensions and
included items
Technology Social and relationships
• Providing access to relevant technology and digital • Supporting building connections with colleagues
solutions across the organization
• Ensuring reliable technology to enable frictionless • Facilitating positive relationships with their managers
completion of tasks • Fostering trust in the organization’s leaders
• Improving collaboration through the use of technology

Task
Culture
• Providing purposeful work
• Being transparent in the decision-making process • Providing interesting work
• Embedding organizational values in day-to-day work • Reducing friction in tasks
• Ensuring an environment of inclusion
• Enabling employees to prioritize their wellbeing The items in each dimension are aggregated to form
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five separate composite measures. For example,

Physical space
• Ensuring a safe work environment
• Providing a comfortable working area
• Empowering employees to adapt their workspace
to their needs
high performing on the technology dimension of the
employee experience is a composite measure of re-
spondents who scored above 15 (out of a maximum
score of 18; or 20 out of a maximum score of 24 for
the culture dimension, which has four items) on each
item under the technology dimension.
5 1

APPENDIX V

Organizations high
|
2 0 2 4

performing in employee
R E P O R T

experience dimensions n=895-939

T R E N D S

Technology dimension
H R

Providing access to relevant technology

and digital solutions
47%

Improving collaboration through

the use of technology
43%

Ensuring reliable technology to enable frictionless

completion of tasks
38%

Culture dimension
Embedding organizational values
in day-to-day work
51%

Ensuring an environment of inclusion 51%

Enabling employees to
prioritize their wellbeing
45%

Being transparent in
decision-making processes
39%

Physical space dimension

Ensuring a safe work environment 81%
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Providing a comfortable working area 66%

Empowering employees to adapt

their workspace to their needs
57%
5 2

APPENDIX V CONTINUED

Organizations high
|
2 0 2 4

performing in employee
R E P O R T

experience dimensions n=895-939

T R E N D S

Social and relationships dimension

H R

Facilitating positive relationships

with their managers
56%

Supporting building connections with

colleagues across the organization
56%

Fostering trust in the organization’s leaders 48%

Technology dimension
Providing purposeful work 59%

Providing interesting work 51%

Reducing friction in tasks 27%

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 Research
5 3
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Contributors
R E P O R T

& Experts
T R E N D S

Andrew Saidy
VP Global Talent, Ubisoft
H R

Dipankar Bandyopadhyay
CHRO with experience in transformation

Gracie Mercado
EVP, People & Culture, Macmillan Publishers

Jennifer O’Brien
Vice President, People(s) & Culture, Humber College

Jules Gianneschi
Senior Vice President of People, America’s CAR-MART

Manuelita Cherizard
CHRO, Royal Ontario Museum

Philip Dana
CHRO and Navy Vet

Terri Lewis
Chief People Officer, One Call

Tina Busch
SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, ATI
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 Works Cited
5 4
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2 0 2 4

“American Time Use Survey – 2022 Results.” Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 22 June
R E P O R T

2023. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

“Understanding the Aging Workforce: Defining a Research Agenda.” Fiske, Susan

T., and Tara Becker, editors. National Academies Press, 5 May 2022. Accessed 10 Nov.
T R E N D S

2023.

“Immigrants Make up the Largest Share of the Population in Over 150 Years and
Continue to Shape Who We Are as Canadians.” Statistics Canada (StatCan), 26 Oct.
H R

2022. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

Jassy, Andy. “Update From Andy Jassy on Return to Office Plans.” Amazon, 17 Feb.
2023. Accessed 3 Nov. 2023.

“Labour Force Survey, December 2022.” Statistics Canada (StatCan), 6 Jan. 2023. Ac-
cessed 10 Nov. 2023.

O’Donnell, Grace. “Younger Workers ‘Want to Be in the Office,’ EY Global Chair-

man & CEO Says.” Yahoo Finance, 27 May 2022. Accessed 3 Nov. 2023.

“QuickFacts: United States.” United States Census Bureau, 1 July 2022. Accessed 10
Nov. 2023.

“Spotlight on Work Statistics n°12.” International Labour Organization, March 2023.

Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.

Telford, Taylor. “Disney to Employees: Work in the Office Four Days a Week.” The
Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2023. Accessed 3 Nov. 2023.

“The Foreign-Born Population, the U.S. Economy, and the Federal Budget.” Congres-
sional Budget Office, 5 April 2023. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
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5 5
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McLean & Company offers various

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diagnostic programs
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Improve employee Employee Exit Survey

experience and HR processes Understand why people leave the organization in or-
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New Hire Survey

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Move beyond measuring job satisfaction with a com-
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Engagement Pulse

Take a thoughtful approach to mobilize inclusion ef-
forts across your organization. Optimize the HR
department for success
Employee Retention Pulse
Identify the early signs of employee turnover and de- HR Organizational Alignment Diagnostic
velop a talent retention strategy. Align HR initiatives with business strategy and or-
ganizational needs.
McLean Employee Experience Monitor
Evolve to leader-driven engagement with a real-time HR Management & Governance Diagnostic
dashboard and results. Improve HR’s core functions and drive project success.

HR Strategy
Diagnostics
Empl
oy Engagem
Exit ee DEI Pulse ent
r ECYCLE DIA
to LIF GN
ni EE O
Experienc oyee
o

Y
eM

ST
O
PL
l

ICS
Emp

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ne ce

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a

HR ORGANIZATIONAL HR MANAGEMENT
ss

ee
W rkpl
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ALIGNMENT & GOVERNANCE

E n m p l oy
ell
o
W

gag
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Re Em 36 K
0 FE
t e p l oye e
n ti E D B AC N ew
o n P uls e H ire
 Develop managers
5 7
|
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and your HR team with

R E P O R T

our learning solutions

T R E N D S
H R

MCLEAN ELEVATE MANAGEMENT

ACADEMY
A self-paced eLearning program
for HR professionals. The
curriculum is built around
McLean’s HR framework and
provides practical, outcome-driven
advice on tackling HRinitiatives.
HR ONLINE
A blended learning program
designed to develop a strategic
HR mindset and help HR
practitioners better respond to
the growing complexity of the
workplace of the future.
FUNDAMENTALS ONLINE
A practical, interactive,
and impactful blended
learning program designed
to develop foundational
management capabilities.

Develop your managers with our

interactive remote training sessions.
Sample topics include: • Inclusive leadership

• Master the 3i’s of employee engagement • Lead through change

• Build high-performing teams • Manage remote teams

• Master difficult conversations • Give effective feedback and coaching

• Emotional intelligence in leadership • Systems thinking

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 DEI Foundations
5 8
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for Leaders
R E P O R T

As a part of your organization’s DEI journey, equip Partner with us to launch our flexible blended learn-
your leaders with the skills and knowledge required ing program that focuses on key DEI concepts. This
T R E N D S

to build an inclusive culture that leverages diversity program is coordinated by us for your ease of use and
and focuses on equity. run by our skilled facilitators.
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Live Session eLearning eLearning eLearning Peer

Introduction Foundations Examine Culture Build Psychological Discussion
of DEI & Values Safety Triad

eLearning eLearning Peer

Allyship Allyship Discussion
Reflect & apply in our Foundations in Action Triad
live online sessions

eLearning eLearning Peer

EI in Inclusive Leadership Discussion
Explore key concepts Leadership Behaviors Triad
in eLearnings

Learning Live Session

in Action Facilitated
Learn from & Activity Discussion
support peers

Reinforced with McLean resources

& tools for ongoing application
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 Leadership
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Development Coaching
R E P O R T

Maximize your leaders’ performance, potential, and engagement with our Leader-
ship Development and Engagement Coaching offerings.
T R E N D S

Our trained coaches work one on one with your leaders in a confidential environ-
ment to accelerate their self-awareness and development.
H R

Help leaders
TARGET GROUP
01 Build self-awareness by understanding how they are perceived by their This will benefit
direct reports, peers, and manager. leaders at any level
who are open to
02 Identify strengths and opportunities for personal growth. uncovering ways
they can become a
03 Take control of and accelerate their own development. better leader.

How it works
This virtual coaching is available for groups of 10+ leaders in your organiza-
tion. After completing a 360 Feedback Assessment, each leader will receive three
50-minute 1:1 sessions with a trained coach.

This four-month program can be supplemented with additional sessions in year

two for an additional fee. This coaching is offered to clients that: Note: A similar coaching
program is also available
• Use our 360 Feedback assessment, or for Engagement, focusing on
team engagement results and
• Have purchased Elevate HR, or helping leaders hold a team
• Have purchased Management Fundamentals. discussion and act on results.

Complete 360
Session 1 Session 3 Session 3
Assessment
Year 1
When client Within 2 weeks of 4 weeks after 2 months after
is ready receiving results session 1 session 2
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Complete 2nd 360

Session 4 Session 5 Session 6
Assessment
Year 2*
12 months after Within 2 weeks of 4 weeks after 2 months after
the first survey receiving results session 4 session 2

*Coaching program fees are billed annually

 Executive Counselor
6 0
|

Membership
2 0 2 4
R E P O R T

The Counselor Membership

Difference Features:
T R E N D S

You’ll get a dedicated Executive Counselor who is a former

senior HR executive and has been in your shoes.
H R

You will benefit from two full-day an-
nual onsite or online advisory sessions
throughout the year (along with unlimited
scheduled and ad hoc phone calls) that in-
tegrate your Executive Counselor as a
trusted part of your professional support
network. Use these meetings to cover any-
thing you’d like, from prioritizing your own
development to working through a project.
Your Executive Counselor can help you
navigate board- or executive-level challen-
ges and prepare for meetings.
You will gain exclusive access to an annual
HR Executive Peer Forum, where partici-
pants will explore the latest people and
culture research and make meaningful con-
nections with CHRO peers while sharing ex-
periences and learning from others.
Your membership includes the ability to re-
quest facilitated networking and/or special
interest groups related to your top priorities.

Leverage your personal Executive Counselor to make

your personal and professional development a priority.

Your customized Personal Leadership Development Plan created with your

trusted Executive Counselor will link to your personal and organizational
goals and values.
Your dedicated
Executive Counselor will You’ll develop a custom, authentic Leadership Brand that allows you to thrive
provide a high-touchpoint, and better market your unique value proposition.
customized experience
to help you develop The 90-day “Follow Me” service provides continued access to your McLean
yourself and your team membership even upon leaving your organization.
while increasing your
personal and functional
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strategic impact. The

McLean Membership
serves your firm; the
Counselor membership
serves you personally.
Network and collaborate with fellow senior HR leaders in Quarterly Leader-
ship Peer-to-Peer Roundtables.
Receive two tickets that can be used to attend either McLean & Company’s
Signature Conference or our virtual Elevate HR strategic leadership de-
velopment course. Choose whichever option works best for you.
 Leadership
6 1
|
2 0 2 4

Membership
R E P O R T

The Leadership Membership

Difference Features:
T R E N D S

This membership will give you the tools you need to push your
HR department further, faster. Complete major projects with the
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help of a dedicated Executive Advisor who is a former HR leader.

You’ll get a dedicated Executive Advisor
who is a former HR leader with deep ex-
perience across many research areas. They
will help you identify strategic initiatives,
prioritize projects, and mitigate challen-
ges. They will direct you to the relevant re-
search or subject matter experts (SMEs) and
help keep you on track. We recommend you
meet at a minimum quarterly for a touch-
point, in addition to the unlimited advisory
calls while working with our SME advisory
team, with flexibility to leverage additional
touchpoints and select advisory calls with
your Executive Advisor as you work toward
delivering key initiatives.
Boost your own development with one 360
Feedback personal evaluation, including one
debrief session and a separate development
planning session.
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Receive your choice of one ticket to McLean
& Company’s Signature conference or one
ticket to our virtual Elevate HR strategic
leadership development course. Ideally,
we’d like you to benefit from these events,
although the ticket can be transferred to a
colleague.
Leverage the expertise of fellow senior HR
leaders in Quarterly Leadership Peer-to-
Peer Roundtables. These 60-minute facili-
tated discussions are an opportunity to net-
work and collaborate in an open, honest,
and inclusive virtual space.
Save money and obtain peace of mind with
our HR technology vendor management
and contract review services. These services
help you assess, manage, and reduce costs
while strengthening vendor relationships.