O.C. Tanner Report Highlights Culture as Key to Innovation and Productivity — O.C. Tanner Company

Event summary

O.C. Tanner released its 2027 Global Culture Report on September 23, 2026, based on data from 25,000 workers across 23 countries.
The report identifies four key areas for amplifying workplace culture: compassion, growth, trust, and innovation.
Frontline employees are a focal point, with the report highlighting their need for compassion, growth opportunities, and trust.
Organizations with strong cultures see 11x higher odds of growth and innovation, and 48x higher cultural elasticity.

The big picture

The report underscores the strategic importance of workplace culture in driving innovation and productivity, particularly in an era of rapid technological change and economic uncertainty. As organizations increasingly rely on their employees to navigate these challenges, the ability to amplify compassion, growth, trust, and innovation becomes a critical differentiator. O.C. Tanner's findings suggest that companies investing in these areas are better positioned to thrive in a competitive market.

What we're watching

Cultural Elasticity: Whether organizations can sustain cultural elasticity amid rapid technological change and economic uncertainty.
Frontline Focus: How companies address the unique challenges faced by frontline employees in building trust and growth.
Innovation Recognition: The impact of recognizing employees throughout the innovation process on overall creativity and performance.