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Bonnie Dowling

PartnerDenver

Serves agencies and companies on transformations to improve employee retention and organizational health for hybrid work during post-COVID-19 recovery

Bonnie serves clients across sectors and industries, including financial-services firms, health systems, insurers, federal and state agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. Her work focuses primarily on organizational transformations as she has deep expertise in virtual and in-person hybrid-work operating models, employee engagement and retention, capability building, and leadership development.

During the pandemic, Bonnie spent much of her time working with clients around the world to design and launch hybrid-virtual operating models. She is passionate about partnering with clients to create a future where work works for employers, employees, their customers, and society.

Recent experience includes the following:

  • leading the firm’s thought engagement on how employers and employees can reimagine working and engage with each other to decrease resignation, improve retention rates, and increase job attraction
  • developing proprietary virtualization potential and assessment tools to provide data-driven insights and inform a hybrid-work roadmap for clients seeking to transform operating models during the pandemic and post-COVID-19 recovery 
  • supporting clients in the design and development of workforce-training programs to prepare for the “next normal” and increase operational efficiencies and organizational health overall
  • leveraging expertise in adult learning and hybrid-work operating models by working closely with clients to design operating models to identify and build the capabilities critical to long-term success

Bonnie was a labor-and-delivery nurse prior to joining McKinsey and remains passionate about public health—maternal and pediatric care in particular. She’s the mom to an energetic kid and partner to a mountain-loving man. Together, they are trying to teach her how to ski.

PUBLISHED WORK

Talent tightrope: Tailor employee experience to support two key groups,” blog entry, McKinsey & Company, May 2023

Talent in a changing market: What now?,” McKinsey & Company, December 2022

What workers want is changing. That could be good for government,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

To slow down attrition, pay closer attention to what workers really need,” McKinsey & Company, September 2022

The Great Attrition is making hiring harder. Are you searching the right talent pools?,” McKinsey & Company, July 2022

Three types of modern flexibility today’s workers demand,” blog entry, McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Hybrid work: Making it fit with your diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy,” McKinsey Quarterly, April 2022

Money can’t buy your employees’ loyalty,” blog entry, McKinsey & Company, March 2022

Gone for now, or gone for good? How to play the new talent game and win back workers,” McKinsey Quarterly, March 2022

Socio-emotional ties: A secret ingredient to success,” McKinsey & Company, February 2022

The brave new (business) world,” McKinsey & Company, February 2022

It’s not about the office, it’s about belonging,” McKinsey & Company, January 2022

The Great Attrition: Facing the labor shortage conundrum,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

The Great Attrition: What to do about the labor shortage,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

Married to the job no more: Craving flexibility, parents are quitting to get it,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

The Great Attrition: Facing the labor shortage conundrum,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

The Great Attrition or the Great Attraction: What will it be for you?,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

The Great Attrition: Wanting the best, keeping the worst,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

Your return-to-office announcements are missing the mark: Here’s how to get them right,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

‘Great Attrition’ or ‘Great Attraction?’ The choice is yours,” McKinsey Quarterly, September 2021

It’s time for leaders to get real about hybrid,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2021

Four ways communications can engage employees on the return to workplace journey,” McKinsey & Company, July 2021

Reimagining the virtual workplace around inclusion and engagement,” McKinsey & Company, April 2021

Is your organization harnessing the proven power of learning?” McKinsey & Company, August 2020

PAST EXPERIENCE

Cleveland Clinic
Registered nurse

The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Clinical instructor

EDUCATION

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
MPH

The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
BSN, MSN

Colby College
BA