Dr. Praveen Purohit: Is the Traditional Engagement Model Still Enough?

Is the traditional employee engagement model still relevant? What do you believe will matter most to employees in the next two to three years, and how should CHROs rethink engagement?

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Responding to this, Dr. Praveen Purohit, CHRO, VAML, said:

The question today is not whether employee engagement matters. It unquestionably does. The real question is whether the traditional engagement model, built around annual surveys, periodic interventions, and standardized programs, is still fit for purpose in a workplace that is more dynamic, digital, and employee-driven than ever before.

For many years, engagement was designed for a relatively predictable world where careers were linear, organizational structures were stable, and employees largely sought security and long-term employment.

Today’s reality is very different. Businesses are operating in an environment of constant change, shaped by technology, evolving talent expectations, and increasingly fluid ways of working.

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At the same time, employees experience the world in real time. They expect the same immediacy, accessibility, and personalization at work that they experience in every other aspect of their lives.

This shift is reflected in leading workforce research as well. Deloitte’s concept of Human Sustainability suggests that organizations must move beyond viewing employees solely as contributors to business outcomes and instead focus on creating lasting value through stronger skills, greater employability, wellbeing, belonging, and purpose.

In a world where roles, technologies, and business models are evolving rapidly, employees are increasingly looking for employers who can help them remain relevant and future-ready, not just employed.

What is changing most significantly, however, is employee mindset.

Employees are increasingly evaluating opportunities not only through compensation or job security, but through learning velocity, career mobility, flexibility, meaningful work, and recognition. The focus is gradually shifting from employment to employability.

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People want to know that wherever the future of work goes, they will be equipped to succeed in it. Over the next two to three years, I believe four factors will matter most to employees.

• First, continuous learning and employability. Employees will value organizations that invest in building future-ready capabilities rather than simply filling current roles.
• Second, personalized experiences. A multi-generational workforce cannot be engaged through a one-size-fits-all proposition. Employees increasingly expect flexibility and experiences tailored to their individual aspirations and circumstances.
• Third, real-time recognition and feedback. In a fast-moving world, waiting for annual reviews to recognize contribution is no longer enough. Employees want timely acknowledgment and greater visibility of their impact.
• Finally, trust and transparency. As AI, automation, and new employment models reshape work, employees will look to leaders who communicate openly, act fairly, and provide clarity amidst uncertainty.

This requires CHROs to fundamentally reframe engagement. Engagement should no longer be viewed as an HR programme that is measured periodically. It must become an everyday experience embedded in leadership behaviours, manager capability, work design, rewards, learning, and technology-enabled interactions.

Deloitte’s concept of Human Sustainability captures this shift well: organizations must focus not only on extracting value from people, but also on creating value for them through growth, wellbeing, belonging, and long-term employability.

The future of engagement will therefore be less about measuring sentiment and more about creating an environment where people can learn continuously, contribute meaningfully, and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Organizations that succeed in doing that will not just have engaged employees; they will have resilient, adaptable, and future-ready workforces.