Employee engagement and employee experience are at the heart of the future of work. Employees are demanding a clear voice in their organisations and an opportunity to influence and have their say.
We’ve imagined what the near-future of the workplace looks like. We’ve pulled together emerging trends and best-practice. We've looked at what “great” employee engagement could look like in 5 years time. This is what the diary of a new starter might look like in 2026.
Diary of a Newbie: 1st October 2026
“It's my first day at Future Corp today - I had a great recruitment experience. The talent manager contacted me via TikTok - they loved my creativity and vibe. I had 5 other offers on the table at the same time, but Future Corp was a clear winner - I love their values and ethics. I'm super excited to get started.
All the admin for my onboarding was handled by a bot, it was a super-slick experience. It meant that the human interactions I had were all about getting to know me more. I feel part of the business already and it’s only day one.
I've created a benefits package built around my personal circumstances. There were loads of options to choose from supported by a personal finance expert. Future Corp are helping with my student loan and part of my salary will be paid in cryptocurrency. It's nice to know that Future Corp are helping me with my financial security and contributing to my future. My finances play a huge part in my mental wellbeing and Future Corp understand that.
I'm meeting my performance coach this morning. I don't have a line manager as such, as I work across lots of different projects. My performance coach is there to make sure I have everything I need to deliver at my best. We're meeting at a work hub close to where I live. I'll work remotely, coming together with teams as and when we need to collaborate or celebrate.
I've been given a tech budget to buy my own devices, I LOVE my new laptop and Airpods. It's nice that I won't have to get used to a different style of machine or operating system, I can get on and be creative.
My performance coach takes the time to get to know me as a person and what makes me tick. We talk about what challenges I need in my role and what my triggers are around pressure and stress. I sign up to take part in the regular employee feedback surveys. It was an important part of my decision to join the business. I knew I could have a voice and influence over what it's like to work here.
We talk about my caring responsibilities. My coach gives me the reassurance that I can work however and whenever I need to balance work and home life. I already knew that they were a flexible and supportive company from what the team had shared on socials. So it’s great that it’s reality and I'm so glad this conversation happened on day one.
We have a flexible workspace, so that we can change how we're working together that day. Sometimes we stand, sometimes sit, we spend some of the time walking and talking. It keeps energy high.
We talk about social media. Future Corp likes their employees to post their experiences on social media. It's great for their employer brand. It's one of the reasons I joined the organisation as it felt transparent and I got a good sense of the culture. No parameters are set around what I can or can't post, it's all trust based. My coach and I do a quick story for instagram before lunch. :-)
I'm added to a couple of WhatsApp groups and I'm given a huge welcome by those I'm working with. Love that after all this time Shitts Creek gifs are still relevant - that show never gets old!
By the end of the day I'm super clear on the projects I'm going to be working on and the contribution needed from me. I'm allocated the first of my mentors, who will help me work on specific skill sets. I've got 6 weeks with a Blockchain specialist to start me off. I'm also going to be a mentor and we've looked at the specific skill sets & experience I can share with others. We discussed how the experience will support me with building my profile and thought leadership.
Just time for a few more tweets before I head home!”
Social media allows employees to celebrate their wins and share their concerns. We’ll see the future workplace becoming more transparent. Organisations who are getting their culture right, will enjoy the benefits of employee advocacy . Their employees will build their brand on their behalf.
High employee engagement is critical to competing and thriving as an organisation. The war for talent won’t be won on high salaries alone.
At Ten Space, we’ve put employee feedback at the heart of engagement. We've created a survey platform that allows employees to share their views via WhatsApp. If you’d like help shaping the future of your workplace and tapping into employee feedback - get in touch!
