Stagility: Staying Anchored While Moving At Speed
Over the past few years, agility has dominated corporate thinking.
Born from the demands of digital transformation and crisis-era unpredictability, agility became the mantra of modern leadership. Companies restructured teams, adopted agile workflows, and rolled out training programs designed to help employees pivot, iterate, and "fail fast."
Agility wasn't just a method—it became the mindset of survival.
But a shift is underway.
Image credit: Bim at Getty Images Signature via Canva.com
“A blend of stability and agility, stagility describes the ability to move and adapt without eroding the foundations that keep teams grounded.”
As the pace of change accelerates further—driven by AI adoption, economic uncertainty, and evolving work models—organizations are now grappling with a new challenge: how to stay stable while moving at speed.
The 2025 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report reflects this tension in stark numbers:
66% of workers say they feel overwhelmed by how quickly work is changing
75% say they hope for more stability in their roles
85% of leaders still believe organizations must become more agile in how they organize work
And 71% of employees report doing work outside the scope of their job descriptions
This data paints a clear picture: both workers and leaders are under pressure to adapt. But in chasing agility, many teams are now feeling unmoored—expected to change rapidly, without the structure or support needed to do so sustainably.
“Transformation without clarity breeds confusion, while too much rigidity stifles innovation.”
Enter: Stagility
This is where the emerging concept of stagility becomes critical. A blend of stability and agility, stagility describes the ability to move and adapt without eroding the foundations that keep teams grounded.
It’s a mindset that acknowledges that transformation without clarity breeds confusion, while too much rigidity stifles innovation.
Stagility doesn’t mean compromising on ambition. Rather, it calls for leaders to architect environments where employees can innovate confidently because they’re supported by clear values, strong communication, and well-defined roles—even when those roles evolve.
Dropping Anchors to Move at Speed
Create value for both the business and the individual
As organizations navigate technological transformation, many are rethinking how to create value for both the business and the individual. From Shell’s use of AI to modernize inspection processes to Mercedes-Benz empowering plant workers with real-time data platforms, leading companies are reframing work not simply as a list of tasks—but as a dynamic intersection of human capability and digital enablement.
Rethink workforce ecosystems
Equally important is how companies are redefining organizational structure and workforce composition. Some, like Haier, have replaced traditional hierarchies with outcome-based microenterprises. Others, such as IHG, are leveraging crowdsourced talent while providing stability through inclusive leadership, task-based work design, and a culture of care. These shifts signal a broader move away from rigid job models toward ecosystem thinking—where work is distributed across agile networks of people, skills, and technologies.
Anchor workers around growth and purpose
At the individual level, organizations are beginning to anchor workers around growth and purpose, not just roles. Whether it’s NAB aligning employees around customer outcomes, or Zoho encouraging organic career movement, the emphasis is increasingly on capability, adaptability, and motivation. Tools like skills passports and AI-based matching systems are enabling more fluid careers—without sacrificing structure or clarity.
To explore the aforementioned examples further, see Deloitte’s full 2025 Human Capital Trends report.
To Flex Without Fraying
Together, these trends underscore a pivotal shift: the future of work isn’t about choosing between stability or agility—it’s about designing systems that are capable of holding both in tension. For leaders, this means reimagining not only how work gets done, but how people are empowered to grow within it. The challenge now is to build cultures that can flex without fraying—where predictability and responsiveness coexist, and where structure becomes a launchpad for innovation, not a constraint.
“The challenge now is to build cultures that can flex without fraying—where predictability and responsiveness coexist, and where structure becomes a launchpad for innovation, not a constraint.”
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Image credit: Bim at Getty Images Signature via Canva.com