What’s In/Out in 2025: Goodbye EVP, Hello Commitments
Welcome to the Culture Edit.
Our next few newsletters will focus on what’s in and out for the upcoming year.
Last week, we explored how the era of perks-driven workplace culture will officially fade away in 2025. But here's question: what's taking its place? The answer is something far more powerful and meaningful. It’s a concept that we have pioneered with our clients like PulteGroup and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: organizational “Commitments.”
Think about the traditional approach to attracting talent through the tired concept of Employer Value Propositions – “here’s what we provide.” Those tend to be articulated in perks and benefits packages. That playbook is getting a major rewrite. Today's talent isn't buying the old "free snacks and ping pong" pitch—they're looking for something way more substantial: real commitments from their employers and its leaders.
It's a complete reimagining of how organizations connect with talent. Instead of leading with "here's what we offer," forward-thinking companies are stepping up with "here's what we commit to if you come to work for us." Think less "unlimited PTO" and more "we guarantee you'll have the flexibility to design your work schedule around your life." Less "competitive benefits" and more "we commit to transparency in our decisions."
What makes these commitments different? They're specific and they’re what is valued by today’s workforce. They also can be terrifying unless you mean it. We helped one client design a program that promises every employee will have quarterly face time with senior leaders. Another guarantee’s that 20% of work time can be spent on innovation projects. These aren't vague cultural values—they're concrete promises that companies have to stand behind.
Smart organizations will back up these Commitments with real accountability. They're publishing commitment scorecards, tracking their follow-through, and being transparent about their progress. Where we really see them being transformative is when they become leadership competencies and tied to goal setting. That’s when organizations prove that they mean what they say.
Here's what's interesting: this approach is working because it answers the one question every potential employee is asking: "Is this worth my time?" When organizations make clear, authentic Commitments to their people—around trust, development, flexibility, and purpose—they're not just filling positions, they're building lasting relationships.
Prediction: The winners in 2025's talent market won't be the ones with the longest list of perks. They'll be the organizations brave enough to make real Commitments to their people and honest enough to show how they're keeping them. Because at the end of the day, people don't want more stuff—they want to know what they can count on.
_____________________________________________________
Job growth skyrocketed in December, boosting one of the strongest labor markets in US history
It’s never been more important to differentiate in order to compete for talent.
Looking for a Job Is Set to Get Less Miserable This Year (Yes, You Read That Right)
“Business leaders anticipate hiring more after last year’s uncertainties around politics, AI and the economy”
Trump Says World Is Free-Riding on U.S. Health Spending. He Has a Point.
Why you can buy the exact same drug abroad at a fraction of the cost.
Why “Living Intelligence” Is the Next Big Thing
“Leaders who focus solely on AI without understanding its intersections with these two other technologies risk missing a wave of disruption already forming.”
‘People feel they don’t owe anyone anything’: the rise in ‘flaking’ out of social plans
“Some call to drop out of events at late notice – even weddings and funerals. Self-care? Others call it selfishness”
We analyzed dozens of ultra-processed foods. Here are the healthiest options.
Don’t Call It a Gym. It’s a Sporting Club.
How much snow did Atlanta get? National Weather Service gives official numbers
Culture Edit Podcast
Ep. 073 – New Year Reflections, Service Perspectives and 2025
This week’s one-on-one New Year/Circle-Back Week special finds Nikki and Chad back in the ATL where they walk us through Nikki’s Glazer’s triumph at the Golden Globes, a deep dive of the service spectrum with Verizon wireless, what the retail experience will be when the robots take over, how the Avicii documentary draws tears and inspiration, the death of Burley’s bar where “vodka is vodka,” Dry January, why Tik Tok ban is a good for young girls and the planet, the hydration brand explosion, and the latest on the +SpeedStudio brand tweak. They get serious thinking about 2025 goals, what it is like to be an entrepreneur, and seeking out more authentic mentors.