by Annette Franz | Jan 7, 2026 | culture, culture change, customer experience, customer understanding, employee experience, employee understanding, leadership, truly human leadership, Uncategorized
… and the truths that actually drive culture, employee experience, and customer experience As we kick off 2026, leaders are still tripping over the same problem: They keep saying things that sound right about culture, employee experience (EX), and customer...
by Annette Franz | Oct 15, 2025 | culture, employee engagement, employee experience, employee feedback, employee retention, employee satisfaction, employee understanding, leadership, Uncategorized
“Canary in a coal mine” is an idiom that refers to an early warning signal, a subtle but critical indicator that something is wrong or about to go wrong. The phrase comes from a practice used by coal miners in the early 20th century: they would bring...
by Annette Franz | Oct 8, 2025 | candidate experience, employee experience, employee understanding, Uncategorized
Let’s be honest: the candidate experience today is a mess. Applying for a job is a frustrating, dehumanizing exercise that leaves talented people walking away with a worse opinion of the brand than when they started. This isn’t just an HR issue. It’s a business risk....
by Annette Franz | Sep 2, 2025 | brand, culture, customer experience, customer understanding, data, employee experience, employee understanding, Uncategorized
(Enjoy reading my 1,000th blog post!) A brand refresh is not about swapping out logos, updating colors, or chasing design trends. At its core, a refresh must honor the strategic heartbeat of your business: culture, experience, and authenticity. Those truths haven’t...
by Annette Franz | Jul 2, 2025 | culture, employee engagement, employee experience, employee retention, employee understanding, human resources, leadership, people-centric, Uncategorized
Despite increasing investment in employee engagement tools, surveys, and HR tech – and more executive pledges to make it a priority – employee experience (EX) remains inconsistent, fragmented, and often misaligned with business outcomes. The root issue?...
by Annette Franz | Jun 25, 2025 | culture, employee engagement, employee expectations, employee experience, employee feedback, employee loyalty, employee retention, employee satisfaction, employee understanding, leadership, Uncategorized
Almost 10 years ago, I wrote an article about why employee retention is such a challenge. Things haven’t changed much. At the time, I basically said: How can employers ensure that employees will stay? There are a few ways, but they all fall under one large...
