Ready to re-invent HR?

We often hear what doesn't work in our HR strategy and processes... The annual engagement survey? Interesting exercise, but too often without solid follow-up. The performance management system? In many cases a 'check the box' exercise that nobody really likes. The annual succession planning? Great intentions, but in the end we often appoint someone else for our key positions.

Should we stop using 'classic' HR practices?

Skip the Engagement Survey? Mmm... A motivated workforce is so important for attracting and retaining good employees in today's labour market...

Abolish performance management? Euhm... How do we, as a company, still work towards our common goal? How do employees know what is expected of them, how do they get the feedback they need to develop further?

Put the succession plan away? Not sure... We want to get the right people in the right place and give employees the opportunity to grow internally, don't we?

The alternative for these 'HR best practices' is, at the very least, unclear

There are a lot of innovative software tools that support 'The New Way of Work'. But how do you know which tool is suitable for your company and population?

And a good tool is one thing, but ... a fool with a tool is still a fool... Which processes do you build, which skills do you train and which mindsets do you anchor in your organisation? There doesn't seem to be unanimity about what good HR practices are in this rapidly changing world.

However, there is something important that we know about 'job satisfaction'!

Scientific research on happiness in general and job satisfaction in particular, all point towards this one thing... 

It's 'experiences' that make people happy

Experiences inside and outside their job.
Happiness always has a link to experiences.

And we can do something with that! We can focus on the creation of positive experiences at work.

The question is therefore not: 'How do we, as an HR community, build new best practices that are successful in this new labour market?' But... 'How do we build an HR strategy and practices together with the employees to create great work experiences?'

The focus will therefore be much more on a 'human-centered' approach and on co-creation with the employees.

The magic formula

EMPLOYEE + EXPERIENCE + DESIGN = JOB MOTIVATION + PRODUCTIVITY

Employee : The employee is the 'end user' of our HR strategy and processes.
So, positive work experiences can only be created together with the employee.

Experience: Everything revolves around 'experiences' and thus goes beyond processes and administrative steps.
So let's make the concept 'human' in 'human resources' a little stronger again. People have thoughts, feelings, doubts, frustrations, desires and they all come together in ... experiences.

Design: In this rapidly changing world, we can design new experiences. Yes, design from scratch.
All registers open and focus on the human need behind the HR challenge.

The good news is that this methodology already exists.
​The methodology is called 'Design Thinking'

​Product designers, marketers and customer service experts have been using this methodology for many years to create positive experiences for the end users of their products and services. And with success!

When we apply Design Thinking to HR, we speak of Employee Experience Design

​
​Curious to hear more? Eager to become a designer of great employee experiences? 

​Learn all about it in our MASTERCLASS EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE DESIGN and join a community of HR innovators!

LEARN ALL ABOUT EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE