Beyond The Tools
Ella Pevzner - Senior HR Business Partner at Protiviti
Ella is a Senior HR Business Partner at Protiviti and has spent her entire career in Human Resources across a range of roles. She is passionate about creating environments where everyone feels valued.
Q: From your experience, what are you seeing when it comes to connection, belonging and loneliness in the workplace right now?
What I see right now is a wide spectrum. Some people feel isolated especially with more remote and hybrid work while others are actively seeking a stronger sense of community. I remember the weeks of coming into the office every day and literally “leaving work at work” because our desktops stayed in the office. That boundary has shifted. Today many people have only ever worked with laptops and smartphones and the line between work and home has blurred. There is a well documented loneliness epidemic and it does show up in workplaces. Belonging looks different for different people. Not everyone wants their workplace to feel like a family and I am not a big fan of saying “we’re a family” at work because that can be uncomfortable for some. But work can still offer community. For some people especially those without big social circles work connections fulfil a real need for camaraderie. For others work is more transactional and that is fine too. What matters is paying attention to those who are on the lonelier end of the spectrum. When people feel they belong, work feels less transactional and more meaningful. Representation also matters. Seeing leaders you relate to sends the message “you fit in here and can grow here”.
Q: Many organisations invest heavily in tools and technology. Where do you see the biggest gaps when it comes to supporting the human side of work?
Despite all the investment in tools the biggest gap is forgetting the human fundamentals. Technology cannot replace someone picking up the phone and asking “Hey how are you doing”. Many managers are technically strong but have not been trained in the people stuff. They struggle with difficult conversations or supporting someone through stress burnout or family challenges. These moments do not follow a script and no app is going to solve them. There is also an over reliance on digital communication. We default to emails messages and templates. I always say technology should enable more human connection not become a barrier to it. One of my biggest pet peeves is canned responses. I would much rather receive a slightly imperfect message written by a real person than a polished generic reply. Imagine reaching out about something personal and getting a ChatGPT style response. That feels uncaring.
Q: What are the consequences for teams when connection is missing or overlooked and how do you see team building and soft skills supporting team dynamics.
When connection is missing communication becomes transactional. People stay in silos trust does not have space to grow and ideas stay unspoken. Morale drops and people leave because they feel like a cog in a machine just turning up for a pay cheque. Team building when done well creates space for people to relax and connect beyond their roles. Shared experiences allow people to mess up laugh and be themselves. That levels the playing field. Soft skills like empathy listening and communication help sustain that connection day to day. Team building is the jump start and soft skills are the fuel.
Q: What role should HR play in creating environments where people feel genuinely seen heard and supported.
HR should be the standard bearer for a supportive inclusive culture. We need to be approachable visible and genuinely curious about people’s experiences. Listening matters but action matters more. If people share feedback and nothing happens they disengage. Even when change is not possible honest conversations help people understand why. Do not ask for feedback and then ignore it or respond a year later. It is not a good look. Recognition is also important. Feeling seen often comes down to being noticed as an individual. HR cannot do this alone but we can equip managers to be the first line of support through regular check ins asking how people are doing and really listening.
Q: What practical changes have you seen make the biggest difference to engagement trust and morale.
The most powerful change is following through on what you say. If leaders say “We value your feedback” and then act on it, trust grows. Leading by example matters. Small behaviours like saying thank you respecting boundaries and disconnecting at a reasonable hour signal what is really acceptable. Transparency - when handled thoughtfully - also builds trust.
Q: How can organisations evolve alongside technology while still prioritising meaningful human connection.
Technology adoption needs to be people centred. Organisations should ask “How does this help our people and how do our people work best with this”. Making tech rollouts collaborative helps. Gamified sessions, team challenges or learning together reduce fear and build connection. When people explore tools together they are more likely to support one another. Technology should support connection, not replace it.
