USA 
United KingdomAli Bebo
Chief People Officer, Pearson
Engagement levels at Pearson have soared after tackling issues that left many employees asking, ‘Why bother?’...
Ali Bebo
Chief People Officer, Pearson
Engagement levels at Pearson have soared after tackling issues that left many employees asking, ‘Why bother?’...
Improving employee engagement at scale is the Kryptonite of many an HR team – but Pearson’s CPO Ali Bebo has done exactly that, by redefining what ‘good’ people management looks like.
Thanks to research by Gallup, we know that the vast majority of an employee’s engagement at work hinges on the relationship they have with their manager. However, in many businesses – just as with Pearson at the beginning of its journey to tackle disengagement – this issue goes unaddressed. Managers are unsupported. Careers go unfulfilled. Employees give up, rage apply, and quit quietly.
Speaking to HR Grapevine, Bebo reveals how the education and publishing behemoth moved from an approach to people management that left many employees apathetic, to meaningful conversations, better recognition, and soaring engagement levels.
What wasn't working about Pearson's past approach to employee engagement?
Like many organizations, we struggled with low participation in our employee engagement surveys, with only about 33% to 35% of employees responding. This made it difficult to gather useful insights and make informed decisions.
While leadership understood that high engagement drives productivity and success, we hadn't effectively communicated its value to employees. Many felt their feedback didn’t lead to visible change, leaving them asking, ‘Why bother?’
We realized we needed a new approach—one that showed employees their input matters and leads to real, tangible improvements.
How did you identify issues with management performance, and how did you decide what good looks like?
Our leaders set the tone and managers play a key role in connecting employees’ work to company strategy, driving energy and excitement. Using tools like the Gallup Q12 survey, we gained insights into how managers impact engagement, revealing both strengths and growth areas.
Recognizing that traditional career paths can be limiting, we focus on performance, lifelong learning, and building transferable skills like leadership and communication. This opens up flexible career opportunities and helps employees stay adaptable.
Defining good management means setting clear expectations and guiding employees toward self-reflection and growth.
What transformation did you put in place to improve the performance of managers?
We know managers are key to driving engagement. When they’re energized, their teams follow suit. However, managers often lack the support to fully understand their teams. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to help them interpret employee engagement survey data and take action.
By empowering managers to turn insights into action plans, they become more effective leaders, and their teams contribute more to the business. We also launched an 'employee engagement champion network' to ensure these improvements are applied company-wide, aligning employee wellbeing with business success.
With tools like these and our champion network, we’re boosting manager and team performance across Pearson.
How has this shifted the ability of managers to meet employee and business needs?
Our updated engagement strategy has sparked more open conversations about what good leadership looks like. It’s made expectations for managers much clearer and given them better insight into areas for improvement. With this transparency, managers now have the tools to better support their teams and meet employee needs, which helps them hit business goals more effectively.
Measuring engagement is a key part of shaping company culture, especially during times of change. Engaged employees are more adaptable, motivated, and resilient, which makes a big difference when things are shifting.
And if we know anything to be true, it’s this: Things are always shifting. The more we know about our employees – how they feel about their work and the company, how their skills align with their passions, and where in the business they might be deployed for mutual gain – the better prepared we can be for the future.
What results has this delivered?
I'm incredibly proud of the real-world impact our engagement efforts have had on our employees, customers, and communities. Through our skills-based volunteering program, we’ve contributed over 20,000 hours to local causes, and our Spectrum ERG earned a “High Commendation” in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index for supporting LGBTQ+ stakeholders.
Employees have shifted from skepticism to engaging in meaningful conversations with management, finding real value in the surveys they once ignored. Our engagement levels have soared, placing us in the 72nd percentile among large companies and bringing us closer to Gallup's Excellent Workplace Award.
Why do managers play such a critical role in driving employee engagement?
Managers are the bridge between employees and the organization, connecting their work to the company’s bigger goals. When done well, this gives employees a sense of purpose, which drives engagement.
Great managers communicate openly, focus on their people, and create a trusting, collaborative environment. They also ensure their teams have opportunities to grow and develop in ways that are meaningful to them, specifically.
Since managers directly shape day-to-day experiences, their impact on job satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty is huge. That’s why investing in their training and support is essential to help them lead and inspire effectively.
What further plans do you have to drive better employee engagement and improve manager capabilities?
Our upcoming initiatives focus on two key areas: employee recognition and skills development.
We’re increasing efforts to celebrate outstanding work, ensuring everyone knows about the great things happening across the organization. This will create a positive atmosphere where employees feel valued and motivated.
We’re also prioritizing skills development to keep our team ready for the future. By assessing current and future needs, we’ll offer resources for reskilling, targeted training for employees and managers, and lifelong learning opportunities.
These efforts ensure our people have the skills to succeed while feeling supported and appreciated.
