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Key Takeaways Despite high technical connectivity, real human connection is essential and increasingly elusive in modern workplaces.
Leaders who prioritize face-to-face meetings and live by company values create a more engaged workforce.
Fostering genuine relationships and listening to employees can combat burnout and prevent the loss of humanity in the workplace.
We’ve never had more ways to stay connected at work. Yet, genuine connection feels more difficult to find. Slack and AI can keep you online, but they can’t replace culture. If leaders don’t unplug, they risk losing the heart of their business.
That’s why I trade screen time for a “walk and talk” meeting. Beyond the obvious health benefits and beautiful backdrops of Silicon Slopes, those walks provide insights no dashboard can deliver. In a time where AI dominates the headlines, the smartest thing a leader can do is to show up and listen to the humans doing the work.
BambooHR platform data shows we are seeing the highest employee satisfaction scores in years. However, beneath that optimism, a quarter of employees admit to quiet quitting, 15% say they make an effort to look productive, nearly three-quarters are working harder just to be noticed and 44% (especially Gen Z and millennials) are staying online after hours. Those aren’t signs of thriving engagement; they’re signals of burnout and fear.
You can’t prescribe an antidote to solve for the erosion of human-ness in the workplace. But we can talk to each other about what’s working.
Related: How to Preserve Your Brand’s Humanity in the Era of AI
Ground culture in values
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