Employee engagement has long been hailed as a catalyst for organizational success—driving productivity, job satisfaction, and retention. Yet, for many HR leaders, consistently achieving meaningful engagement remains elusive. In a post-pandemic landscape marked by the Great Resignation and the emergence of the “Great Detachment,” employee disengagement now stems not only from burnout but also from a lack of career development and connection to purpose.
Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer at Cornerstone OnDemand, offers a fresh perspective on solving this engagement crisis. Drawing from her extensive HR leadership experience at Glassdoor, Walmart, PayPal, and Visa, Cortez outlines how a combined focus on skills development and technology integration is the foundation of modern employee engagement. Her insights reveal a roadmap that other organizations can follow to create empowered, future-ready workforces.
1. The Root Cause of Disengagement: Stalled Career Growth
According to Cortez, career stagnation is the most cited reason for low engagement and employee exits.
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Lack of internal mobility and unclear career paths make employees feel stuck.
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Limited external opportunities post-pandemic heighten frustration with current roles.
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HR teams must prioritize ongoing skills development as a core engagement driver.
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Offering clear, tangible paths for upskilling fosters a sense of progress and purpose.
“Offering employees the opportunity to develop and learn new skills is going to reengage them in their work,” says Cortez. “That ultimately contributes to overall business success.”
2. Mentorship as a Strategic Engagement Tool
Mentorship goes beyond knowledge transfer—it builds trust, bridges generational gaps, and reinforces DEI goals.
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Cortez highlights the value of reverse mentoring, particularly with Gen Z bringing fresh perspectives.
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Organizations must facilitate structured mentoring programs, especially for underrepresented groups.
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Informal mentoring is powerful but should be complemented by formal initiatives for inclusivity.
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Mapping organizational skills can reveal mentoring opportunities and inform development plans.
At Cornerstone, employee resource groups (CRGs) such as Unidos are becoming platforms for mentorship. Cortez, as executive sponsor, leads by example—mentoring community members to normalize asking for help.
3. Technology as a Bridge to Purpose and Belonging
Technology can reconnect employees to their work and each other—but only when used thoughtfully.
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Gen Z’s digital-first expectations demand tech-enabled workflows and career tools.
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Cortez stresses the need to balance automation with human interaction, preserving empathy.
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Tools like extended reality (XR) and the metaverse can create immersive, purpose-driven experiences.
When Cornerstone introduced its Employee Value Proposition, it leveraged a metaverse expo where employees interacted via avatars, watched leadership videos, and explored CRGs virtually. The initiative boosted engagement and purpose alignment—employees even requested to hold future team meetings in the environment.
4. Using Feedback Loops to Continuously Refine Strategy
Cortez emphasizes the importance of multimodal, transparent communication around engagement efforts.
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Surveys alone aren’t enough—organizations need focus groups, verbatim analysis, and consistent feedback loops.
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Leaders should communicate changes resulting from feedback across various channels—email, video, live Q&A, and toolkits.
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At Cornerstone, surveys are now conducted three times a year to stay current with sentiment shifts.
The HR team also developed an employee engagement playbook, a conversation guide, and FAQs to support leaders in taking visible action based on employee voices.
5. HR as “Customer Zero” in the HR Tech Landscape
Cornerstone’s HR team plays a unique role—they are the first users of their own AI-powered talent tools.
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This “customer zero” approach ensures that products align with employee needs before being sold externally.
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One example is the talent marketplace tool, which initially saw strong usage but quickly declined.
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A relaunch, backed by career paths, mentoring links, and development check-ins, restored relevance and usage.
Cortez believes this internal validation helps ensure HR tech tools are practical, engaging, and integrated into employee workflows.
As the workforce continues to evolve, so too must employee engagement strategies. Carina Cortez offers a blueprint rooted in skills investment, inclusive mentorship, and thoughtful technology adoption. These are not just HR trends—they are necessities for organizations aiming to build a resilient, empowered, and connected workforce.
In a world where engagement is no longer just about satisfaction scores but about creating purpose-filled employee journeys, HR must lead the way with innovation, empathy, and agility. And as Cortez puts it, when done right, HR can be both a change-maker and a testbed—ensuring every employee feels seen, supported, and inspired.
Source – HR Executive
