As a talent-led business, our people — 384,000 individuals serving clients in 120 countries — are everything. They are smart, ambitious, and ready to imagine and invent a future that improves the way the world works and lives. Their number one “buyer” value, behind pay, is work and life balance. This really isn’t a big surprise since 74% of our people at Accenture are of the millennial generation.
Yet, we are working in a time when the velocity of change is unprecedented. And, the work practices that have become synonymous with the digital age — being connected 24/7, a hero mentality of working more while sleeping less, sacrificing personal priorities for work priorities — are out of sync with what humans need to be at their best. These are certainly at odds with what our people tell us is most important to them.
We needed to innovate ourselves, like we do for our clients every day. Holding up the mirror, we asked, “How do we help improve the way our people work and live?” We are on a journey to evolve our own high-performance DNA — to become the most truly human organization in the digital age — by helping our people succeed both professionally and personally. As the chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture, this is my top priority. Four important building blocks define our path forward:
All four building blocks are essential to our high-performance DNA. And as we create an environment that cares for the whole person, Thrive Global is an important partner because we share a commitment to ending the collective delusion that burnout is a cost of success. Working closely with them, we are offering our people tools and insights, along with the freedom to select what fits their needs best, to help them work smarter, not harder. Thrive Global is helping to undo the habits we have developed to adapt in a digital world. In the process, we are empowering our people to reclaim not just the “shoulds” but also the “wants” — in work and in life.
What does it mean to feel loved at work? A colleague in India recently shared that she was testing the job market and had interviewed with a large technology company. After several interviews, not once did they ask what inspires her personally, about her family or about her life outside of work. She decided to stay at Accenture because she knows her leaders support her as a whole person, and she feels genuine love and caring at work.
We are committed to listening to our people, co-creating this environment together. Teams gather in design thinking sessions and Thrive workshops to identify pain points, motivators, and what the environment looks and feels like. Because the norms and values surrounding work, family, and community in Japan are very different from those in India or the United States, we know there is no “one size fits all.” Our approach is set within the unique cultural context of each location.
As we experiment with the Thrive experience in five very different countries, one global truth has emerged: Leading with a strong foundation of the science behind smarter work and life practices clearly resonates with our people.
“This experience was absolutely enlightening, uplifting, and inspirational … to know this is coming from leadership and that they are supporting this means the most to me.”
Our people appreciate Accenture enabling them to make small changes that can have a truly big impact on both their professional and personal success.
Originally published at medium.com