Hey HR, We Forgot About the “human” in Human Resources
Anyone who has met me knows that I’m not exactly the most touchy-feely person. I have opinions. I am sarcastic and I swear too much. But despite not being a hugger, I do recognize that I have empathy. And I have started to realize new ways that empathy can be used in HR.
About a year and a half ago, I left Corporate America after 16 years and became the Director of Talent for GoKart Labs. At GoKart, we apply Human Centered Design (HCD) concepts to the invention of digital products. The basic principle is to design solutions using a deep empathy for the human need. It is intensely focused on improving human experiences. In the course of seeing this applied to digital products, I had a light-bulb moment. Why don’t we apply this same concept to talent?
How different would HR systems look if we built them using Human Centered Design concepts, where the employee is at the center of the experience and desired outcomes are clear? In HR, we have a tendency to design talent routines through the HR lens rather than the employee lens. Too often, we become overly indexed on process, compliance and consistency and forget about the human.
You want to drive better development discussions with your teams? Ask the Business Analyst, Administrative Assistant or the Accountant, “What would make your development discussions better?” or “What does development mean to you?” It sounds simple, but it’s easy to think we already know what others want and dangerous to think we know what is best for them. By applying HCD, you challenge your assumptions and use empathy to understand the needs and expectations. Then you are able to design simple and intuitive ways to accomplish the desired outcomes.
I have started using some of GoKart’s methods to help define our own talent solutions. I will admit, I’m still a bit clumsy like an awkward tween with braces. But I am learning and excited to see how this evolves.
