In a challenging environment for white-collar professionals, I turned to David Rizzo, the head of talent strategy and operations at management consulting firm Deloitte, to gain his insights on how employers and workers alike can succeed and thrive.
In a video interview, Rizzo shared that he has been passionate about how talent and culture drive business performance and how people find meaning in their work for over 25 years. In this role, he leads a team that provides talent capabilities to help propel Deloitte’s success, creates a standout experience for over 160,000 professionals and aligns them with the company’s values.
His team oversees talent strategy, providing businesses with the advice, guidance and tools to thrive in a rapidly changing world. His mission is to create a future of work that is more productive and humanistic. Rizzo is energized by the pace of change, entering new markets and adapting to an evolving workforce and societal expectations.
Prioritizing Trust And Employee Wellbeing
Trust is defined as transparency balanced with privacy through inclusive decision-making. Well-being encompasses holistic efforts to truly prioritize and invest in the sustainability of the workforce as human beings, not just employees. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report, both are vital for organizational and employee success in the future of work.
Trust
“Trust and transparency are essential for any organization that wants to thrive in a complex and uncertain world, and employers must build trust at the top levels of their organization and at the individual level,” Rizzo stated.
Employers can cultivate trust through measures like involving employees in decision-making processes, implementing responsible and transparent data-driven strategies and clearly explaining any potential risks the organization might face.
“For example, Deloitte regularly shares data and insights about our progress and challenges in creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. This transparency shows our employees and clients what we value, and holds us accountable. It is also important for employers to share their vision, purpose and core values with their employees, and to foster a culture of collaboration and coaching,” he added.
Employee Wellbeing
The concept of “human sustainability” is central to an organization’s commitment to enhancing people’s lives and fostering overall wellbeing. This includes promoting mental and physical health through work-life balance, empowering skills development and rewarding careers and offering a sense of purpose and meaningful connections.
Prioritizing human sustainability and employee wellbeing is not just a “nice-to-have,” but is crucial for better outcomes for both individuals and organizations in terms of financial performance, productivity, retention and more. Employers must address systemic well-being issues beyond surface-level perks.
“Our people are our most important asset, and we truly believe that investing in [them] is the single greatest investment a company can make. This investment must be purposeful and cannot be an afterthought. Employers need to intentionally develop and prioritize well-being, learning and development and rewards and recognition programs that align with their employees’ values. Prioritizing the employee experience fosters a positive work environment and enhances job satisfaction, which in turn drives the overall success of the organization,” he said.
According to Rizzo, wellbeing isn’t a Band-Aid or an add-on, but rather it’s a cornerstone of Deloitte’s employee experience. The firm offers its workforce “Collective Disconnects,” which are days when Deloitte closes its offices and encourages its people to use their time off in a way that best supports their personal needs and overall wellbeing. Staff can collectively disconnect from their work—with confidence—to avoid employee burnout. This time off is in addition to their vacation days and PTO.
By maintaining some distance from the everyday grind, workers can decompress, relax, unwind, spend more time with family and friends and enjoy hobbies, sports and other activities that provide them joy and happiness.
“When people care for their well-being, it benefits themselves and those around them, whether that is family, clients or team members. This belief is at the core of our culture of care,” said the head of talent strategy.
A culture of care is a two-way street. Rizzo advises leaders to gather insights to better understand how employees are feeling and what they value. “This sensing data has given leadership visibility into what is top of mind for our people, and it has enabled us to develop new programs and offerings to address our people’s feedback,” he stated.
Moreover, well-being is not a one-size-fits-all, and requires going the extra mile to serve your people. Rizzo said, “On my team, once I build trust with my team members, I ask what is important to them in caring for their well-being and how I can help. I think each and every one of us has a role to play regarding wellbeing and psychological health.”
Career Advice
Deloitte’s talent acquisition team receives more than 2 million job applications a year. Rizzo shared the inside scoop on what makes a great new hire.
“We look for candidates who come with relevant experience, training or certifications, but we also recognize that the shelf-life of technical skills is getting shorter. So we also look for individuals who are curious and have a desire to learn and grow, and want to learn from and teach others.”
He advises job seekers to demonstrate the high impact contributions they have made through real-life experiences. Candidates must be able to show that they have worked effectively with leaders, peers and team members to achieve high-quality outcomes.
Once you accept a job offer, Rizzo’s advice for succeeding in your new position is as follows:
- Embrace curiosity by actively learning about the culture, business and industry of your new organization. It’s also equally important to spend time learning about the values, strengths and backgrounds that your new colleagues bring to their work.
- In today’s hybrid world, it is more important than ever to be proactive and intentional about developing relationships and seeking out opportunities to connect with and learn from others. Setting up weekly check-ins with supervisors and team members is a must. New hires should also schedule virtual, informal coffee chats to build relationships with people outside of their teams.
- New hires and employees at all levels of experience should use a purpose-driven mindset to guide your work and careers, aligning your efforts with your own personal values and your employer’s mission.
Source: Forbes
