Are Modern Leaders Forgetting What It Means to Be Human?

There’s never been more way to stay connected at work. Still, finding a true connection feels more difficult. Slack and AI can keep you online, but they can’t replace culture. If leaders don’t leave, they risk losing the heart of their work.

So I get screen time for a “walk and talk” meeting. Apart from the obvious health benefits and the beautiful backdrops of the silicone slopes, these rides can’t deliver any dashboard. In an age where AI dominates the headlines, the smartest thing a leader can do is to show and listen to people doing things.

Bamboohr platform data shows that we will see the highest employee satisfaction scores in years. However, below that optimism, a quarter of workers admit to taking a quiet day off, 15% say they make an effort to appear productive, nearly three-quarters get attention, and 44% (especially Gen Z and millennials) stay online after hours. These are not signs of developing engagement; They are the signals of burning and fear.

You can’t prescribe an antidote to solve the erosion of human-ness in the workplace. But we can Talk to each other about what works.

Related: How to preserve a brand’s humanity in the age of AI

Land culture in values

When I started at Bamboo, I asked each team member to send me an email about why they were excited to be at the company. More people pointed to company values ​​than anything else to date. Since then, company values ​​have remained the top three considerations for happiness, as are our internal ENPs.

We have always been intentional about leading with our values, using them to guide how we work because of their powerful unifying effect. Even if job functions with AI become more active or fear the stability of their roles, it helps where their work contributes and how the company contributes to those contributions.

Our commitment to our values ​​has helped us reduce the steep costs that come with replacing key team members, which are 150-200% of research show salaries. This employee stability also supports Bambukla’s consistently high customer satisfaction scores. Although the true value of people is not revealed, the impact of shared values ​​is clear.

Build authentic relationships

Human connection has been at the top of any good leader’s playbook, no matter how difficult it is. It makes sense though; People are inexplicable.

When he accepted the role of CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella had to figure out how to start a company that once dominated the tech sector. Instead of announcing changes, he follows a routine process of “listening tours” with executives across the company, making connections across the organization and helping to surface ideas from the ground level.

What I love about human connection is that something so simple can be so profound. Listening without distraction or sending a handwritten note can go a long way in shaping a team member’s life.

At Bamboo, one of my favorites was “Breakfast with Brad,” where we sat down with small groups of team members over their favorite cereal. We debated which sugar-filled cereal was the best from our childhoods. It’s where trust building happens, even if it’s not a business conversation. These conversations help us connect on a personal level, so when we face tough business issues, we already have a foundation of understanding.

Conversely, imagine your manager only messing around with a messaging app or performance review platform. You don’t need data to tell you how much a generating asset is.

Related: Why you should treat team members like people, not employees

Embrace your power

There is no template for great culture. Patagonia is committed to environmental responsibility. A productivity benefit can center the company’s culture on family support.

For me, it’s about helping HR leaders strengthen the relationship between employees and employers and, in doing so, help organizations achieve their unique missions. At Bamboo, our strength lies in our HR concepts and leadership, so it only makes sense that we build a workplace that reflects the same principles we share with others.

The structure of an HR organization is a prominent seat at the table, a tie that binds your unique strengths to the company level driving positive engagement. One way we do this is by holding quarterly leadership summits with senior leaders. These sessions are designed for professional and leadership development, with a mix of business updates, learning a new leadership skill and learning how to solve a business problem.

The way forward

Leadership with humanity connects and prevents problems better than any technological solution. The key is to find your company’s identity in a context that team members value. So ask yourself: How are your values ​​reflected in how your people work? Are your leads communicating before the fix? Are you using technology to enable your people or change touchpoints?

What motivates me is that we will all be better served in our businesses by investing in human capital. It’s not about perks; It’s about unlocking the power of human potential.

There’s never been more way to stay connected at work. Still, finding a true connection feels more difficult. Slack and AI can keep you online, but they can’t replace culture. If leaders don’t leave, they risk losing the heart of their work.

So I get screen time for a “walk and talk” meeting. Apart from the obvious health benefits and the beautiful backdrops of the silicone slopes, these rides can’t deliver any dashboard. In an age where AI dominates the headlines, the smartest thing a leader can do is to show and listen to people doing things.