ultimate currency — it’s the path to innovation and fuels growth by unlocking people’s potential.” The response of business leaders to the workforce data challenge varies widely. Nearly one-third (31 percent) of the surveyed executives said they are holding back from investing as much as they would like in workforce data-gathering technologies due to employee sensitivities, while approximately the same number (32 percent) are investing anyway and figuring out how to do it responsibly as issues arise. “Executives are entering a new era of workforce data without sufficient tools and strategies to help them drive revenue growth through developing stronger digital trust,” said Eva-Sage Gavin, who leads Accenture’s Talent & Organization practice globally. “But business leaders can take proactive steps that improve the potential of workers while achieving new business value. They can share accountability for the use of workforce data, co-create new systems with employees and give their people more control over their own data. This responsible approach will strengthen the resilience and agility of workforces and help CEOs navigate disruption at a time of intense competition and volatility.” A Framework for Responsible Use of Workforce Data To help ensure that employees’ concerns are met, Accenture recommends the following framework for the responsible use of workforce data: Give Control. Gain Trust. By giving employees far more control over their own data, organizations will not only gain their employees’ trust but also benefit from a greater flow of workforce insights with which they can improve performance. Nearly three-fourths (73 percent) of employees surveyed want to own their work-related data and take it with them when they leave their jobs — and more than half (56 percent) of C-level executives are open to allowing them to do so. Share Responsibility. Share Benefits. To create benefits for all, leaders must share responsibility across the C-suite and involve employees in the design of workforce data systems. Today, fewer than one-third (29 percent) of businesses co-create data system designs with employees, although one-third (33 percent) plan to do so. Elevate People. Use Tech Responsibly. Companies need to use artificial intelligence and other technologies to provide employees with more growth opportunities and improve fairness and diversity. More than four in five employees (82 percent) said that having reliable data gathered by new technologies will improve fairness in pay, promotions and appraisal decisions. “Trust has evolved from a “soft” corporate issue to a quantifiable metric with bottom line impact on revenue, EBITDA and, ultimately, growth through competitive agility,” said Mark Knickrehm, group chief executive, Accenture Strategy. “Today’s leaders must put employee and consumer trust at the heart of their business strategies with a clear actionable plan to get it and keep it.” To learn more about the report, visit: www.accenture.com/workforcedata or join the conversation at #futureworkforce. About the Methodology Accenture combined quantitative and qualitative research techniques to understand and measure the attitudes and readiness of workers and C-level executives regarding the use of workforce data and modeled the effects of collecting this data on employee-employer trust. The research included surveys of 10,000 workers and of 1,400 C-level executives across 13 industries (automotive; banking; communications & media; consumer goods & services; energy; healthcare services; high-tech; insurance; public services; retail; software & platforms; travel; and utilities) and 13 countries (Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S.). These surveys were conducted in October and November 2018. For more detailed information on the methodology, visit www.accenture.com/workforcedata. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across