One size does not fit all: Employee personalization and the future workplace
We love feeling seen and unique. We love comfort and getting what we want. We love being treated as individuals and living our own way. That’s why personalization can be so powerful if done correctly. E-commerce and social media companies understand this very well, but employers often overlook its importance. Employee personalization has the power to solve many HR challenges, so why isn’t it more widely used?
The power of personalization
We love well-chosen gifts not only because of their material value, but because they are proof that someone sees and listens to us, making us feel important and appreciated. Research indicates that many people in Europe and the United States receive unwanted Christmas gifts. Most often, it results from a lack of understanding of the recipient's preferences. A well-chosen gift is great example of personalization. It adapts to individual needs and preferences; bringing joy and satisfaction, making the recipient feel special, appreciated and understood, which helps build stronger relationships. Even though our loved ones may not always recognize the value of personalization, brands are great at this — at least towards clients.
Personalization is everywhere
From targeted advertisements to customized shopping experiences, personalization has become a key element of modern marketing. What does it mean? Content that is created on any platform is strongly dependent on the engagement. What you do determines what you see. Algorithms analyze who you watched, what you watched, where you looked, then provide content that resonates with you. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram utilize algorithms to analyze user behavior, while Google leverages search history – all to deliver personalized advertisements.
Brands can send personalized emails based on past purchases – such as a reminder that you might be running out of a shampoo that you previously purchased. Many online retailers like Amazon or Zalando customize the shopping experience by showing product recommendations based on previous purchases and browsing history. Some brands offer virtual shopping assistants that ask users about their preferences and then provide tailored product suggestions.
Music and movie platforms like Spotify and Netflix do the same thing. Sometimes, we might not even realize why we choose a specific product, song or movie. There’s a recommendation engine working behind the scenes of all these platforms. A great example is Pinterest, where you can create mood boards with your favorite pictures. If you pin some Scandinavian houses and modern paintings, you will get more Scandinavian houses and modern paintings. At some point you don't even have to search for something you like — you are automatically sent content that matches your interests, you just have to "consume" them. That's why it's so addictive.
Don’t we want this in our workplace? Imagine content tailored to your needs and preferences instead of a flood of notifications that you don’t read.
Performing tasks without considering individual needs can make employees feel like cogs in a machine, impacting motivation, engagement and creating employee retention challenges.
Imagine a world without personalization
Personalization results from our desire for comfort. Essentially, we prefer convenience and want to access things with just a single click. Despite this, we tend to focus on the negatives. Many people are quick to point out the ills that personalization causes. It can create information bubbles, intensify polarization, influence elections, or draw us into wasting time on social media. While these socio-political problems are all true, imagine what it would be like without personalization.
A lack of personalization would lead to longer search times, making users frustrated. Sifting through many irrelevant options wastes both time and energy, which decreases satisfaction and might stop people from returning. When customers can’t quickly find what they need, it prevents them from exploring future options and negatively impacts how they perceive a brand. This might lead them to choose competitors that offer a more personalized experience.
The same is true for content management in organizations. What if you couldn't get the content you need, just the content that someone designed for you? This approach is justifiable — we want everyone to know the same thing, avoid favoritism and treat people equally. However, although this approach is fair, it leads to various problems.
The risk of a one-size-fits-all approach in the workplace
A lack of employee personalization in the workplace can create serious problems, even if it seems fair at first glance. When all employees are treated the same, some may feel undervalued and discouraged. For example, one employee may prefer receiving feedback through direct conversation, while another prefers written reports. If everyone only receives one form of feedback, some people may feel ignored, which negatively impacts their motivation.
When employees don’t feel that their unique needs are taken into account, they may become less engaged and more likely to seek a new job. An example could be a person with ambitions for development in a specific field who lacks opportunities to tailor their career path within the company. Such circumstances may prompt them to leave for another organization that better meets their expectations.
Additionally, a lack of understanding of different work styles can also affect employee satisfaction and effectiveness. Some employees prefer working independently, while others thrive in a team. A lack of personalization can also discourage innovation. When tasks are not tailored to the individual talents of employees, they cannot fully realize their potential, leading to a limited number of creative ideas. Employees who feel undervalued are less likely to share their suggestions, which stifles innovation.
Performing tasks without considering individual needs can make employees feel like cogs in a machine. They carry out their duties in a routine manner, lacking a sense of personal contribution or satisfaction. Does this sound familiar?
The rise of the attention economy
In the digital era, attention is a commodity and capital, and personalization is the way to maintain it. Research has shown that those who understand this earn more:
McKinsey found that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. And 76% get frustrated when this doesn’t happen. The same study found that personalization often drives a 10-15% revenue lift, with some companies seeing a boost of up to 25%.
Although the research cited above pertains to customer interactions, it is highly relevant to the workplace. Your employees also have limited time and limited attention spans, so why forget about them? Personalization is everywhere, why is it not at workplace?
What benefits can employee personalization deliver in the workplace? In the next installment of this series, we will explore the pros and cons of hyperpersonalization in the workplace, including its important ethical considerations. Watch this space for more.
Posted on: March 21, 2025
Janusz Marcinkowski
Digital Workplace Innovation ConsultantMember, Atos Research Community
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