Culture in the Age of AI: Why Radical EVP Honesty Beats Polished Promises

Your culture change, employee value proposition and employer brand probably cost the same as the GDP of a small country. Workshops, consultant fees, leadership alignment sessions, beautiful design work. You've got your five pillars, your carefully wordsmithed promises, maybe even a nice video with employees saying scripted things about "passion," “collaboration,” and "innovation."

And it sounds exactly like your competitors'.

I'm not having a go (well, maybe a little). This isn't anyone's fault really. For years, we followed the playbook. Conduct surveys, identify themes, polish everything until it's professionally vague enough to not upset anybody. The result? Statements so broad they could describe a tech startup or a dog biscuit manufacturer with equal accuracy.

Now AI is here and is changing everything. And if it’s not doing so for you, it probably should be.

The things employees and candidates want and/or are worrying about are different. 

Although they might still be thinking about these things, In 2026, I don’t think talent is prioritising whether you have "growth opportunities" or a "collaborative culture." They're wondering:

• Will I still have a job in two years, or will AI do what I do?
• If I join you, will I learn skills that keep me relevant?
• Are you using AI to augment people, or replace them?
• Do you actually know what you're doing with this technology?

Your EVP probably doesn't address any of this yet. It was written for a different era, before candidates started googling "AI-proof careers," Totally not your fault I hasten to add. We were all caught off guard and these things can’t be changed overnight. 

Now, more than ever, I think there’s a real advantage if you stop trying to sound impressive and start being radically honest.

How refreshing would it be to be up front in acknowledging that you don't have all the answers. Be open to the fact that you’re experimenting with AI. Show how some things are working brilliantly whereas some things are in a right old pickle. 

The companies I see nailing this in 2026 will be the ones who are transparent about which roles are evolving and how they're supporting people through that change.  If this isn’t currently a c-suite priority then I’d recommend it becomes one. Pronto. 

If we take our head out of the sand long enough we’ll notice the veneer of “AI won’t take our jobs” is becoming thinner by the day. When you play with these tools as long and deep enough as I have, without being that techie, then you have many “Oh f&*k! (gulp)” moments when you realise what you can do with them now. Never mind in 12 months time.  

Some EVPs have more “pillars” than a Greek temple. I’m not against calling them pillars. What I avoid at all costs is having too many of them. Keep things as simple as possible and, if you’re creating or refreshing one soon, I’d focus on one thing. Show how real people are doing work that matters, work that requires human judgement, creativity, and connection. No corporate speak. No promises they can't keep. Just honesty. 

I’m going to emphasise the “requires human judgement, creativity, and connection” part. 

In western society we’ve always measured ‘intelligence’ by numerical, scientific and linguistic capability. Intelligence comes in many forms - physical, kinesthetic, intuitive, artistic, emotional and others.

No one would say David Beckham was “intelligent” if measured by our typical yard sticks. But, what that man could do with his right foot? The fact he’s been able to stay current over decades? You may say with the latter that it’s not him, it's his advisors. True. But then he’s had the “intelligence” to go along with their recommendations.

We used to laud IQ as the holy grail of employee competence superiority. But what happens when AI does all the “IQ”?  This is where I see EQ being pushed increasingly to the fore. Both in terms of what companies will look for in people, and what people will look for an abundance of in the needs of their roles. Why? Because this is the human part I don't AI being able to replicate as well as us mere homosapiens anytime soon.

If you're revisiting your EVP (and you probably should be) my top tips would be:

• Acknowledge the uncertainty -  Don't pretend you've got the future figured out. Candidates know nobody does and have increasingly sensitive BS detectors. They'll respect honesty more than false confidence.
• Show, don't tell, and for the love of God, be SPECIFIC -  Instead of claiming you're "innovative," show how your people are actually working. Let them speak in their own voices, not scripted soundbites.
• Address the AI elephant - Explain your approach to technology. How are you using it? What stays human? How are you helping people adapt? Leadership don’t know this or haven’t communicated it yet? Then this needs to become a priority.
• Ditch the corporate filter - If your EVP reads like it was written by a committee (because it probably was), start again. One authentic voice beats ten polished platitudes. Hell - be divisive. Be distinctive. Find you space and own it. The few who will thrive in your environment will be drawn towards you. The ones who won’t will be pushed away. In the nicest way possible - Good. It’ll be better for everyone’s happiness and mental health in the long run.

Most are still churning out the same generic promises with exactly the same wording and phrases. That's your opportunity. In an age where everyone's confused and a bit worried, being the one who’s brave enough to be human, honest and a bit humble will make you stand out in the vanilla river.