Named A Top 101 Employee Engagement & Experience Influencer for the 3rd Year Running

I’m honoured to share that I’ve been named one of the Top 101 Global Employee Engagement & ExperienceInfluencers 2026 by Inspiring Workplaces – and this marks my third consecutive year on the list.

When I first appeared on the#Engagement101 back in 2023, I was genuinely surprised. Being recognised alongside some of the most brilliant minds in HR, Internal Communications,
Technology, and Entrepreneurship felt surreal. Three years later, that feeling hasn’t faded.

If anything, the sense of responsibility has deepened.

What is the #Engagement101?

The #Engagement101 celebratesthe contributions of thought leaders from across the global business community who have made significant strides in creating people-first organisations. From
those who inspire action and educate, to those who wield influence via social media or innovate fresh ways to engage people – all 101 influencers share a deep passion for enhancing the employee experience

The list is curated with input from contributors across the globe, ensuring it reflects diverse perspectives and the latest developments in the field. It’s not a popularity contest. It’s a
recognition of people who are genuinely moving the needle on how organisations think about, and invest in, their people.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

We’re living through one of the most significant transformations in the history of work. Artificial
intelligence is reshaping roles, rewriting job descriptions, and challenging everything we thought we knew about productivity. But here’s what I keep coming back to in every keynote I deliver and every training programme I run: technology doesn’t replace the need for engaged, empowered people. It amplifies it.

This is the core argument of my book The Fifth Industrial Revolution and The NEW Intelligence.

The organisations that will thrive in this new era aren’t the ones that simply adopt AI the fastest. They’re the ones that use it to make work more human – more meaningful, more inclusive, and more connected to what people actually care about.

My Four Intelligences framework

Artificial, Emotional, Independent, and Organisational Intelligence

This framework of understanding was built on this exact premise. You can’t have effective AI adoption without emotional intelligence. You can’t build organisational intelligence without
giving people the independence to think, create, and contribute.

Employee engagement isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation everything else is built
on. Looking back across three yearson this list, what strikes me most is how much the conversation has evolved. In 2023, we were still debating whether AI would replace jobs. In 2025, the
conversation shifted to how organisations could use AI responsibly.

Now, in 2026, the smartest leaders are asking a better question entirely: how do we use
this moment of technological change to create workplaces where people actually
thrive?

That’s the question that gets me out of bed every morning.

Whether I’m delivering a keynote to 600 executives in Brazil, running an AI training workshops for an Internal Communications team, or writing my weekly Future of Work Friday newsletter – it always comesback to the same thing.

People first. Technology in service of people. Always.

What’s Next

Select members of the#Engagement101 will be invited to speak at both online and offline events
throughout 2026, and the community will collaborate on guides, ebooks, webinars, and other resources for the wider world of work. I’m looking forward to being part of those conversations and contributing whatever I can.

If you’re interested in how AI and employee engagement intersect – or if your organisation is navigating this transformation and could use some guidance – I’d love to hear from you. You can
explore my speaking and training work at dansodergren.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Congratulations to all 101influencers on this year’s list.

Let’s make 2026 the year we turn ideas into real impact for the people who power our organisations.

And special shout out to all those I am connected with including...

Bruce Daisley
Bryan Adams
David Beeney
Helen Bissett
Amy Edmondson
Chester Elton
Gifty Enright
Jenni Field
Tara Furiani
Julia Hobsbawm OBE
Minola Jac
David Kasperson
Jessica Kriegel
Jason Lauritsen
Scott McInnes
Rachel Miller
Jennifer Moss
Jody Ordioni
Advita Patel
Stephanie (Steph) Ryter
Tracie Sponenberg
Mildred Talabi, MCIPR
Perry Timms
Gamiel Yafai MBE DUni

View the full #Engagement101 list here.