Most HR leaders are chasing engagement scores.
Very few are diagnosing loneliness.
If performance feels flatter… if initiative is fading… if teams feel more transactional than connected, this episode explains why.
In this conversation, Dr. Tracy Brower joins Naomi Titleman to unpack a truth many leaders feel but struggle to articulate: connection is not a “nice-to-have.” It is a structural driver of performance, initiative, retention, and fulfillment.
They explore:
This isn’t about forcing friendships or dragging people back to the office.
It’s about being deliberate about the human system inside your organization.
Because when people don’t feel seen or needed, they disengage.
And disengagement is expensive.
About our guest
Dr. Tracy Brower is a PhD sociologist and VP of Workplace Insights at Steelcase. She studies connection, community, fulfillment, and the future of work, and is the author of Critical Connections. Her work bridges research and real-world application, helping organizations understand how human dynamics directly influence performance.
Stay connected with foHRsight
To sign up for our monthly newsletter, foHRsight, visit http://www.futurefohrward.com/subscribe
Follow us on LinkedIn:
Mark Edgar – www.linkedin.com/in/markedgarhr/
Naomi Titleman Colla – www.linkedin.com/in/naomititlemancolla/
future foHRward – www.linkedin.com/company/future-fohrward/
Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/futurefohrward/
For more information on our private community for forward-thinking HR leaders, including how to join our next Manager-Director HR Leader cohort launching this spring, visit our website at futurefohrward.com/community. We are also currently welcoming new members in our CHRO and VP+ HRBP & Talent cohorts. Don't miss your chance to join the community you've been missing!
