HOW TO USE THE 2025 GLOBAL CULTURE REPORT No matter what term they use—“greatest asset,” “human capital,” or simply“people”—almost every organization understands the value of caring foremployees. But what are the best ways to support, nurture, and engagea workforce? For over a decade, we’ve helped many of the world’s bestcompanies find answers, and we hope this report is helpful to you. To get themost out of it, here are a few suggestions. First, there’s actionable advice in the research. A few of our favorite insightsthis year include: •The evolving framework of Total Rewards hinges onunderstanding the states of surviving and thriving•Care must be at the core of crafting Total Rewards strategies•Recognition plays a unique role in fosteringmental health and emotional intelligence•It’s important to meet employees with care in momentsof professional transition Next, identify areas where the data coincide with the needs and aspirations ofyour organization. But don’t be tempted to tackle everything at once. Instead,trust your instincts and focus on the principles you feel will make the greatestor most immediate impact on your people and business. Finally, remember every workplace culture is fluid and evolving. Even the bestorganizations are testing, learning, and adapting. Progress, not perfection, isthe goal, and every step that elevates the employee experience is progress. Thank you for joining us on the journey. As the architects and stewards of ourcultures, let’s use our influence to make them a place where employees feelan abundance of care that enables them to offer more to others in their lives.Let’s provide care that becomes generative—and allows everyone to thrive. Scott SperryPresident & CEO, O.C. Tanner TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword 1 Introduction3 Working to Survive18 Thriving at Work 46 The Mental Health Link72 Applied EmotionalIntelligence98 Job Transitions 124 Conclusion 148 Methodology 153 Global Appendix154 The recent pace of change in workplacecultures has been dramatic, to say theleast. Yet, in the eye of the storm, leadersmay finally have a chance to pause, take abreath, and refine their relationship withemployees. The question is how. And thisreport has an answer: Start by puttingcare at the center of strategies to createenvironments where everyone can thrive.In speaking with HR professionals, wefound this starts with reorienting TotalRewards. While many feel trapped in acycle of expanding benefits that fail tosatisfy, our research suggests the failure,in most cases, isn’t because programsoffer too little or too much. Instead, it’sbecause the offerings simply don’t fitpeople’s underlying needs. This year, we propose a powerful framework to better understandand address the evolving essentials of Total Rewards. It hinges on thedifferences between—and within—two categories of functioning atwork: surviving and thriving. Unfortunately, nearly a third of workers saythey struggle to hold their lives together. But when the basic needs foradequate compensation, physical and mental healthcare, and a senseof belonging in the workplace are met, employees feel empowered andmotivated to seek opportunities for growth and development. And whenorganizations provide avenues for skill building and career advancement,coupled with a culture that values flexibility and shows appreciation, thelikelihood of a thriving workforce surges. Our report also illuminates the profound impact of mental health andemotional intelligence (EQ) on employees’ ability to thrive. Employersthat prioritize mental wellbeing can buffer against burnout and increaseresilience, while those with high EQ reap the benefits of greater trustamong their people. To be sure, the advantages of thriving employeesextend far beyond individual satisfaction. They include improvedretention and a deeper sense of purpose and belonging that driveorganizational success. One final theme focuses on the inevitable job transitions people navigatethroughout their careers, and how positive onboarding experiences thatfoster connection, community, and development can be the differencebetween long-term success and a lot of empty seats. For 2025, the O.C. Tanner Institute examined the experiences of tensof thousands of employees, leaders, HR practitioners, and businessexecutives across the world. Our goal: to equip leaders in HR and acrossthe organization with the necessary insights and strategies to meettoday’s most immediate and consequential challenges head-on. The foremost challenge now is closing the distance betweenorganizational offerings and employee needs. There’s no better time tomake Total Rewards more effective to ensure both the individual and thebusiness can thrive. 3O.C . TA N N E R I N S T I T U T EThe word “generative” has had manypartners over time. Lately, it’s appearednext to new technologies like artificialintelligence, but its meaning remainsmuch closer to nature. “Generative”denotes having the power to create moreof s