At People Lab, we’re always keen to spotlight real-world examples of organisations putting employee experience into action. Recently, our sister platform The EX Space hosted a webinar with Lauren Hoare from Lockton, who generously shared how her team are embedding EX into business strategy.
Lauren is no stranger to the EX conversation. With a foundation in learning and development, communications and neuroscience, she’s built a career focused on people-first approaches. As one of The EX Space’s earliest members, she’s applied many of the community’s ideas to Lockton — and now leads their EX and engagement strategy.
Five principles for building EX into strategy
Lauren framed her story around five design principles that underpin Lockton’s approach: conversation, simplicity, whole-person design, personalisation, and alignment.
Early careers: changing perceptions of insurance
Insurance doesn’t always have the strongest pull for graduates. To challenge that, Lockton listened to recent interns and apprentices. They discovered what really appealed: the sociable culture, work-life balance, global opportunities and inclusive entry routes.
By refreshing their recruitment messaging around these insights, Lockton saw applications jump by nearly 200% and picked up the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Apprenticeship Employer of the Year award.
Onboarding: moments that matter
Lauren also took us through their onboarding redesign. Rather than a checklist of forms, Lockton focused on human connections. New joiners are asked about personal preferences, managers are prompted to build relationships from day one, and milestones are celebrated along the way.
Enboarder technology supports this workflow, but the heart of the programme is about empathy and consistency. As Lauren put it: “It’s about supporting people not just as employees, but as individuals.”
Insights for EX and HR leaders
What can others take away from Lockton’s journey?
- Listen first. Never assume you know what people want — test your ideas.
- Invest upfront. Co-design takes time, but pays back in stronger engagement.
- Align with business strategy. The more EX is tied to organisational goals, the easier it is to get leadership buy-in.
Why this matters now
With expectations of work continuing to shift, Lauren’s story is a timely reminder that EX isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s central to talent attraction and retention. Organisations that fail to adapt risk losing people to those that provide clarity, connection and care.
👉 Want to explore how to make EX part of your strategy?
At People Lab, we partner with organisations to design employee experiences that are human-centred and impact-driven.
Get in touch to discuss how we can support your journey — from diagnostics and design sprints to embedding EX in your culture.
Want to join The EX Community? Then visit our sister site to become an essentials member for free today!
