Sharon John
Vice President - Global Total Rewards and Mobility
Thoughtworks Inc.
Episode 38
Culture by Design: Total Rewards Signals Guide Organizations Through Change.
Current chapter: Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleSeptember 30, 2025 · 13:25
Thesis
“Total Rewards, when understood as signals of value rather than mere numbers, holds immense power to intentionally shape and anchor organizational culture at scale, particularly during periods of profound change and uncertainty.”
Show notes
"If rewards are just numbers, they fail," says Sharon John, VP of Global Total Rewards and Mobility at Thoughtworks. "But if they're signals of what we value, they have the power to transform." That reframe — from compensation as a financial transaction to compensation as a cultural signal — is the lens that runs through everything Sharon does.
Sharon came to Total Rewards from the intersection of finance and people, drawn by the power of storytelling with numbers. What she's built at Thoughtworks is a rewards philosophy that does more than attract and retain talent — it actively shapes organizational culture at scale. During COVID, when the traditional playbook for compensation, mobility, and benefits was rendered obsolete almost overnight, she helped rewrite it. That experience produced a conviction: the best HR leaders aren't the ones who follow best practices — they're the ones who know when to rewrite them.
Her challenge to HR professionals is direct and urgent: in a world reshaped by AI, the order-takers won't survive. The leaders who thrive will be thought leaders, in-house consultants, and strategic partners who understand the business well enough to design and influence it. Transparent communication — supported by a clear philosophy and leaders who are equipped to deliver it — is how you build the trust that makes that kind of influence possible.
What you'll learn:
- How Total Rewards functions as a signal of organizational values — not just a financial line item
- What COVID forced Sharon to rewrite in the global rewards and mobility playbook — and what she learned
- How to balance governance frameworks with preserving entrepreneurial culture as organizations scale
- Why transparent communication about compensation philosophy is a trust-building strategy, not a compliance exercise
- Sharon's vision for the future of HR: thought leaders and in-house consultants, not order-takers
- How to shift Total Rewards from reactive administration to proactive culture shaping
Built by People is presented by Previ — the free tool that helps HR teams boost internal communication engagement.
What you'll take away
- 1Redefine total rewards beyond just numbers, leveraging them as powerful signals of value to strategically shape and anchor organizational culture.
- 2Cultivate agility and a willingness to question and rewrite traditional HR playbooks to navigate unprecedented changes and design for resilience.
- 3Achieve a delicate balance between implementing robust HR governance and frameworks, and preserving an entrepreneurial culture for effective scaling.
- 4Prioritize transparent communication, supported by a clear philosophy and equipped leaders, to build trust, foster belonging, and drive employee engagement in diverse global contexts.
- 5Shift HR's role from order-takers to thought leaders, in-house consultants, and strategic partners who actively design and influence business strategy.
What most organizations get wrong
- •If rewards were just numbers, they would fail. And if they are signals of what we value, then they sure have the propensity to transform.
- •Leadership isn't purely about repeating best practices, but it's also about knowing those opportune times to rewrite those.
- •In a world that will be shaped by AI, it won't be the order takers who thrive. It will be thought leaders, in-house consultants, subject matter experts, and the influencers.
In Sharon's words
“At the time, I was equally drawn to finance and HR, and I've always seen myself at the intersection of numbers and people. How powerful storytelling with numbers could be and That's what tugged me into a career in total rewards.”
This quote highlights her foundational perspective on total rewards, bridging finance and people strategy.
“What I've learned along the way is that total rewards isn't just about numbers. If rewards were just numbers, they would fail. And if they are signals of what we value, then they sure have the propensity to transform. And that is what really excites me the most, the chance to shape culture at scale through something as powerful as rewards.”
This encapsulates her core philosophy that total rewards are a transformative tool for cultural impact, not just transactional figures.
“For the first time, traditional compensation playbooks had to be thrown out or at least flipped. Remote work blurred the boundaries, benchmarks stopped making sense and locational differences came under the spotlight. Suddenly, rewards wasn't just about pay. It was more about fairness, belonging, and keeping pace with an entirely new social contract to work.”
This quote vividly describes the unprecedented challenges faced by HR during COVID, forcing a re-evaluation of compensation and rewards in a new work paradigm.
“Introducing structure gave leaders credibility. It created clarity for employees, but we were careful not to lose the energy of the entrepreneurial culture that smaller organizations typically have. They cherish and they hold on to it for dear life.”
This highlights the delicate balance HR leaders must strike when scaling, ensuring governance without stifling innovation and engagement.
“I don't think we have the answers just yet. I think certainly something's quite certain is that transparent communication is really the name of the game. And if you do nail it, then there's immediate outcomes and just fruitful discussions at the back end of it.”
This emphasizes the non-negotiable importance of transparent communication as a foundation for building trust and positive employee relations.
“If we show up consistently as credible and resilient partners who shape strategy, not just execute it, HR and rewards won't be asking for a seat at the table. We'll be designing the top table itself.”
This powerful quote articulates her vision for the future of HR, positioning it as a strategic, proactive force in organizational design and direction.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Traditional compensation models failed in the aftermath of COVID and remote work, necessitating a complete rethink of fairness, belonging, and an 'new social contract to work'.
- •Organizations struggle to introduce necessary governance and frameworks without stifling the cherished entrepreneurial culture of smaller, fast-paced firms.
- •Translating organizational complexity into clarity for employees is a constant challenge, yet critical for ensuring employees feel anchored during uncertain times.
- •Effectively communicating significant changes and strategies across diverse, global workforces (e.g., 19 countries, multiple languages) to ensure engagement and understanding.
- •HR professionals often struggle to transition from 'order takers' to strategic thought leaders, particularly as AI reshapes the future of work.
In this episode
Built by People podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
BROKEN by People Podcast
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Can you tell us about a career-defining moment in your HR space
What Defining Moment in Your HR Career?
How did that career-defining moment affect the company and its employees
James Hardisty on the Great Recession
James: Transparency is really the name of the game when managing global communications
In the Elevator With James Comey
What's a legacy that you hope to leave as an HR leader
What's a legacy that you hope to leave as an HR leader
In a world that will be shaped by AI, HR must stay relevant
In the World of AI, HR and Rewards
James: Sharon, thanks so much for joining us on Built by People podcast
Built by People
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