Culture by Design: How Innovation is Reshaping Employee Engagement

At this year’s Employee Engagement Summit, Emily Hawkins-Longley, People Director at Hello! magazine, and Frankie Garforth, Strategic Programme Leader at RNID, explored how innovation and intentional design are setting a new standard for employee engagement. Moderated by Nick Brice, the discussion highlighted the growing importance of inclusion, empathy, and human connection in a digital-first world.

Redefining Flexibility and the "Whole Person" Workplace

Reflecting on post-pandemic shifts, Hawkins-Longley shared how Hello! has moved from a traditional, office-centered model to one anchored in flexibility and trust. The company now focuses on designing work around the individual—recognising employees as whole people with unique lives and responsibilities.

Flexibility, she explained, isn’t just about location. At Hello!, it means creating an environment where creativity thrives. Writers are encouraged to spend time outside the office gathering stories and inspiration—an approach that helps keep human storytelling ahead of AI-driven journalism. The philosophy is simple: when employees can design their best way of working, engagement and quality naturally rise.

Building Accessibility by Design

Garforth offered a compelling perspective from RNID, the UK’s largest charity supporting people who are deaf or have hearing loss. Her message was clear: accessibility must be intentionally designed into every part of work—both physical and digital.

She invited leaders to consider the perspective of a new starter, particularly one with a disability. Are tools accessible? Are communications captioned and easy to understand? Inclusion, she argued, should be default, not discretionary. Moreover, accessible design benefits everyone, easing communication and strengthening connection across teams.

Garforth also shared RNID’s partnership with HSBC—a striking example of alignment between business purpose and inclusion. With senior sponsors personally connected to hearing loss, the organisation has created authentic cultural momentum. Simple practices—turn-taking in virtual meetings or using captions—can significantly improve equity and belonging.

Enabling Connection in Hybrid Environments

Both panellists acknowledged the challenge of maintaining human connection in hybrid work. Hawkins-Longley emphasised the power of small gestures and personal touches—like decorating the office for a football fan’s team—to build emotional resonance and belonging. These moments of recognition, she said, send a message that people are seen and valued.

Yet she also cautioned against overloading employees with engagement initiatives. The most effective efforts are those that are simple, inclusive, and non-intrusive—woven naturally into everyday work rather than imposed from above.

Leading with Humanity in a Digital Age

Leadership development emerged as another key theme. Hawkins-Longley encouraged leaders to bring humanity into performance conversations by asking personal questions that reveal hidden skills and interests. In one case, this approach led Hello! to fund sign language training for an employee—aligning career growth with personal passions.

For Garforth, RNID’s quarterly in-person gatherings help sustain connection within its remote team. This rhythm of digital and in-person interaction keeps culture strong, proving that hybrid models can be deeply human when designed with care.

Keeping Values Simple—and Real

The conversation closed with reflections on values. For Hello!, the single guiding value is kindness: a simple word with powerful implications for how people interact and decisions are made. Garforth added that values only matter when they are consistently reflected in practice. True culture change, she reminded the audience, requires patience and persistence.

Both speakers agreed that in a rapidly changing world, intentional design, inclusive leadership, and human-centred values remain the foundation for sustainable engagement.

If you enjoyed this article, you can register your interest in attending the 2026 Employee Engagement Summit for free to explore the latest trends, innovative strategies and cutting-edge technologies driving exceptional engagement and results in today’s landscape.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR THE 2026 EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SUMMIT