Uncovering how a rapidly changing workplace reshaped employee needs and expectations.
Challenge
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly changed how people worked and what they needed from their employers. Employees were working remotely, returning to unfamiliar office environments, navigating furloughs, and dealing with new financial and personal pressures.
Alight worked with many large employers and needed to understand how these changes were affecting employees—not just at a single moment, but as their experiences evolved over time. We wanted to identify emerging needs and understand how employers could better support their workforce through a period of significant uncertainty.
Approach
I proposed a diary study—the first conducted at Alight—to capture how employees' experiences, needs, and expectations changed over time. Unlike a one-time interview or survey, the longitudinal approach allowed us to follow participants as they navigated the ongoing effects of the pandemic.
Nineteen participants took part over five weeks, completing at least two entries per week. To capture a range of experiences, I recruited participants across three different work situations: employees working remotely, employees returning or preparing to return to the office, and employees who had been furloughed.
Weekly prompts explored topics including changes in participants' financial situations, productivity and workplace barriers, and what they would look for in future employers. Some prompts were tailored to participants' specific work situations.
Below is a timeline of the project from start to finish.
My Contribution
I identified the opportunity for longitudinal research, designed the study and weekly themes, managed the five-week diary period, analyzed and synthesized entries, and presented findings and recommendations to stakeholders and leadership.
Insights & Impact
The study revealed that employees' expectations of their employers were changing alongside the workplace itself. Participants wanted greater flexibility in where and how they worked, clearer communication from leadership, and more meaningful support for the financial and personal challenges affecting their lives.
These insights moved beyond research findings and informed tangible changes. Alight introduced a monthly home-internet stipend and created an emergency fund for employees experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship.
Findings were also shared with Alight's clients to help them respond to changing employee needs. As a result of the study, some clients began covering dental insurance premiums for their employees, while others expanded workplace flexibility and other forms of employee support.