In April, I had the opportunity to attend Great Place To Work's For All Summit in Las Vegas. People leaders from top-performing companies across the globe gathered to share insights and uncover the true power of building a great culture.
Over a week of inspiring keynotes, panels, and conversations, one message came through loud and clear: great cultures don’t happen by accident – they’re built intentionally, and they drive real business results.
Here are my four key takeaways from the Summit:
1. It all starts with leadership
One of the most powerful themes of the Summit was the evolving nature of leadership. It’s no longer about titles or hierarchy – it’s about behaviour, presence, and trust.
Great leaders lead with intentionality. They make time to connect, listen, and act with purpose. Getting closer to employees – literally and figuratively – can close trust gaps and build empathy. Proximity fosters transparency and vulnerability, which together form the foundation of trust.
| Useful Read: Understanding Proximity Leadership: Trends and Implications for Europe
Vulnerability, in particular, was reframed not as a weakness, but as a strength. Leaders who are open about their challenges and who create space for others to speak up foster environments where innovation, collaboration, and growth can thrive. As Carla Harris powerfully stated in her keynote: “You grow your power by giving it away. Powerful leaders create other leaders.”
2. ERGs have real business benefits
When ERGs flourish, the effects benefit the entire organisation – boosting employee engagement, fostering a sense of belonging, and driving innovation. Employees who are members of an ERG report more a more positive work experience across multiple areas:
Throughout the ERG Experience at Summit, it became clear that ERGs are steadily becoming powerful forces for change: fostering psychological safety, providing critical feedback on workplace culture and serving as leadership incubators.
3. Embrace AI, but stay human
AI was a major theme at the Summit, and for good reason. Many companies are leveraging the technology to increase efficiency, enhance agility, and foster innovation. But top-performing companies are doing so without losing sight of their people.
The key insight? AI should enhance – not replace – human potential. When your people trust that you are using AI to support them, not displace them, they will be willing and excited to embrace change.
The future of work is AI-enabled, but it must remain human-centered. As Allie K. Miller put it on the main stage: “Automate the ordinary to humanise the extraordinary.”
4. The Great Place To Work Effect is real
As a Consultant, I've seen first hand how a strong culture can transform an organisation. But a key insight from the Summit was that this goes beyond just anecdotal evidence: companies that cultivate great cultures outperform the market and competition on nearly every business metric, regardless of size, industry or geography. In fact, the 100 Best Workplaces experience 8.5x greater revenue per employee.
This is the essence of the Great Place To Work Effect: leadership drives experience, experience shapes culture, and culture fuels performance. It’s a compelling reminder that culture is not just a people issue – it’s a business strategy.
The For All Summit was more than a conference – it was a call to action. Whether it’s through culture, community, technology, or leadership, the message was clear: we all have a role to play in creating workplaces that work not just for some, but for all.
Discover more about the business benefits of a great workplace culture in our report The Culture Dividend, or watch the keynote from Alex Edmans.
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