Employing people is one of the most significant financial burdens on businesses going into 2025, meaning there is extra scrutiny on people investment.
With this increased focus and as the world of work continues to evolve, businesses face a critical challenge; unlocking the full potential of their most valuable asset. A challenge that can only be overcome by understanding that one size does not fit all.
HiBob’s latest research based on how people interact with their pay slips, unveils five distinct workplace personalities that make up the UK’s employed population. Leveraging these insights on persona characteristics, motivations, preferences and needs, HR teams can reshape HR strategies for 2025 – ensuring each personality type is accounted for, creating a people proud culture where each employee can thrive.
Meet the five workplace personalities
The Triple Checker (22% of UK employee base): Reviews all sections of their payslip multiple times.
The One and Done (46%): Reviews all sections of their payslip once.
The Glancer (20%): Reviews some of the sections of their payslip.
The Headliner (11%): Only checks the final amount on the payslip matches expectations.
The Avoider (1%): Never opens their payslip.
How to motivate and retain employees
Every employee is different, and HR leaders recognise those differences daily. However, despite any best intentions, HR leaders cannot create motivational support bespoke to each individual in a business. This is where personality grouping, like our personas, can be useful.
- The Triple Checker is 79% more likely than the average UK employee to be motivated by career advancements. For this persona companies should offer external training programs, provide mentorship programs and establish clear career advancement pathways. Companies could also implement regular performance reviews that allow this person to talk about potential promotion opportunities.
- The One and Done and The Glancer are motivated by financial security, work-life balance and job satisfaction. For these personas companies should share comprehensive financial planning resources and run informative, interactive retirement planning workshops where they can share any worries they have about their financial future and receive advice on how to achieve financial security.
- The Headliner is most likely to be motivated by job satisfaction and is 25% more likely to be motivated by fear of job loss than the average UK employee. For this persona we suggest that HR leaders introduce regular catch ups so they can speak with their manager about their performance. This will allay any concerns they have about their job security and provide an opportunity to talk about what is going well or what could be better on a regular basis.
- The Avoider is 75% more likely to be motivated by social connections in the workplace than average. For this persona companies need to prioritise team-building activities that facilitate workplace connections and implement communication tools that enable more personal discussions between colleagues. For example, creating dedicated internal channels based on shared hobbies. HR leaders could also offer training programs to help build professional networks. This will help employees in this group foster relationships both in the workplace and in the wider industry.
How employees want to work
The traditional five-day office nine-five is dying. HR teams know all too well that more than ever, employees feel they have a voice in deciding when and where they work, whether that be in the office seven to three or remotely in the Bahamas ten to six. While mandates are coming back – almost half (48%) of workers commute five days per week – forward-thinking firms continue to give employees flexibility.
- The Triple Checker prefers working in the office or onsite full time, which is 20% more likely than the average employee. For this persona we recommend that businesses design spaces which support both focused individual work and collaboration, and that appeals to workers. HR leaders should also encourage face to face interactions between colleagues that enjoy being in the office on a regular basis, for example by suggesting that employees go for a walking meeting or catch up on a project over a coffee.
- The One and Done is 21% more likely than the average employee to prefer a hybrid working model. For this persona it’s crucial that their employee experience is the same whether they are in the office or working from home. Employees in this category will be the ones to notice if there is a disconnect when it comes to company culture, so making sure that working from home one day seamlessly blends with working in the office the day after is important.
- The Glancer prefers a hybrid working model, however when it comes to the choice between in-office vs fully remote this employee is 40% more likely than the Triple Checker and One and Done to prefer a fully remote working model. For this persona organisations must implement robust communication and collaboration tools so that employees can continue any conversation they had with colleagues in the office, whether professional or social, when they are working from home.
- The Headliner prefers a hybrid working model, followed by a full in-office or onsite working week. For this persona we would recommend that businesses provide guidance on in-office days and expectations. Employees in this category do enjoy working from home, so may prefer to be in the office when others are. HR leaders could suggest anchor days when employees are encouraged to come in for a team meeting.
- The Avoider is 70% more likely than the average UK worker to prefer a fully remote working model. For this persona offering virtual team-building activities are pivotal. Remote workers should still feel a sense of belonging and benefit from company culture and should feel they have the same employee experience as those in the office. Running social activities such as a virtual pub quiz or an online murder mystery game engages these employees and ensures they are interacting with their colleagues socially as well as professionally.
How to support employees with pay
With every single employed Brit receiving a payslip at the end of the month, getting paid underpins the employee experience. Layer on top 6.7 million people experiencing financial difficulty, and payslips will continue to be at the top of employees’ minds going into next year. HR leaders need to personalise their payslip communication based on individual employees’ needs to engage employees and ensure financial wellbeing.
- The Triple Checker is 25% more likely than the average working Brit to value training on how to understand their payslip from HR. For this persona companies should provide comprehensive financial education. This education should explain all the details of their payslip, so that employees in this category don’t feel the need to check multiple times to ensure their payslip is correct.
- The One and Done is 31% more likely to value flexible compensation structures. For this persona annual financial reviews should be offered. Reviews give these employees the opportunity to ask any finance questions they may have, whether that is about the layout of their payslip or how flexible compensation would work.
- The Glancer is 24% most likely to value retirement planning compared to the average employee. They also value training in understanding their payslip and financial education but is the least likely of all personas to value employee assistance programmes. For this persona organisations should invite their pension company or advisor in and offer these employees a one-on-one meeting with them. This ensures they can ask any questions they have about their pension and financial future.
- The Headliner most values retirement planning, training on understanding their payslip and employee assistance programs. They are the least likely to value financial education of all personas. For this persona we advise arranging a meeting to talk through all of the Employee Assistance Programs on offer to them as part of their benefits. As they dislike financial education but want to understand their payslip, they may prefer to have their specific payslip questions answered in a one-to-one meeting with the payroll provider.
- The Avoider most values training on understanding their pay slip and retirement planning, however, are 1.88 times more likely than the average worker to say getting paid is not their biggest motivator to go to work each day. For this persona we recommend that organisations share only essential payslip information and communication. Employees want to have the key information when it comes to payslips, but don’t want to be overwhelmed by it. Concise, minimal and non-intrusive guidance on how to understand their pay slip would work best for them.
By understanding the five distinct workplace personalities, organisations can get the most out of their biggest financial investment, all the while reducing costs by increasing employee retention. Understanding the needs of employees isn’t just about improving productivity; it’s about creating a workplace environment where every employee feels valued, understood, and empowered to contribute their best.
Companies that show genuine care for their staff, who demonstrate they understand their needs, and value their individuality end up with a people proud culture, resulting in employees who are equally happy and proud to be part of the organisation. By embracing levels of personalisation, businesses can create workplaces where individual differences are not just accommodated but celebrated as the key to success.