Deloitte​ suggests treating employees like customers to create a more engaged and productive workforce. As Google’s ​Laszlo Bock​ highlights, building great work environments and high-performing teams requires moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches toward personalized, holistic solutions.

Today, host Tim Reitsma sits down with ​Luke O’Mahoney​, Founder of ​Sapienˣ​ and host of the ​PX Espresso Hour Podcast​. Luke is reshaping HR by advocating for a shift to people experience (PX)—a measurable, end-to-end approach that treats employee experience as a subscription product.

As ​Luke​ explains:

“People experience is the product that your employees and stakeholders are buying from you. It’s not a singular moment, but an end-to-end, mappable, and improvable product experience.”

Let's dive in!

Tim and Luke discussed:

• Break HR Silos and Treat Employees as Customers: Traditional HR divides functions into silos—like L&D, talent acquisition, and DEI—causing disconnect and inefficiency. Instead, unify these areas, viewing employees as customers who deserve engaging experiences that create real value.
• Shift from Service Delivery to Value Creation: Stop focusing solely on administrative tasks. Instead, become a strategic partner that designs work experiences aligned with organizational goals, ensuring employees grow and contribute meaningfully.
• Design Work as a Product: Treat work like a product employees choose to “subscribe” to, improving it through continuous feedback, data-driven insights, and user-centered design principles—just like successful consumer products.
• Leverage Automation and AI: Use tech to automate repetitive tasks so HR can focus on what matters: designing strategic, people-centered experiences that drive engagement and innovation.
• Flexibility as a Core Principle: Flexibility isn’t optional; it’s fundamental. Work designs must reflect employees’ evolving needs for freedom and balance, transforming not just workplaces, but society as a whole.

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This week:

​HR 2025: From Distrusted to Transformational​

​HR is grappling with a trust deficit, as 85% of employees hesitate to report workplace issues​, fearing retaliation and confidentiality breaches.

Leaders like ​Melissa Anderson​, who positions HR as a “transformer,” by shifting from transactional processes to relational approaches, HR can not only rebuild confidence but also catalyze cultural and organizational transformation, driving long-term growth and employee satisfaction.

​Honesty Challenges in the Modern Workplace​

A survey by Express Employment Professionals and Harris Poll reveals that nearly 60% of U.S. job seekers believe that colleagues struggle with appropriate honesty in the workplace.

Over 90% of hiring managers think Millennials and Gen Z need better guidance on balancing authenticity with professionalism.

The rise in oversharing, including venting, personal disclosures, and unsolicited opinions, highlights generational shifts and challenges in workplace etiquette post-pandemic.

Quick Hits:

• ​Ashley Herd on Yes Madam’s Stress Stunt​: As our Future Work Alumni said, “You do not solve workplace stress by having people come in and touch your employees.”​ Yes Madam’s PR stunt about "firing stressed employees"​ backfired, trivializing mental health and damaging credibility. A lesson for employers: address workplace stress with thoughtful actions, not gimmicks.
• ​Complicated vs. Complex Problems in Business​: HBR highlights the difference between solvable, predictable problems and complex issues needing adaptive strategies. HR leaders handle complicated tasks like payroll implementation with structured processes, but complex challenges like improving workplace culture or hybrid work require continuous learning, feedback, and collaboration.
• ​Can Favoritism Motivate or Hurt Teams?​ Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky argues that favoritism, when done right, can motivate teams by spotlighting top performers. However, experts warn that loyalty-based favoritism risks toxicity, emphasizing that transparent recognition of achievement is key to maintaining morale and avoiding resentment.