The Plight of HR - Nobody is Listening

In the fantastical land of HR, where creative and unique yet simple solutions are as rare as happy employees, the inhabitants are not exactly living their best professional lives. 

An astonishing 98% of these magical beings, commonly referred to as HR professionals, express feelings of burnout. Ironically, the very pizza parties and games they prescribe to uplift their teams appear to be ineffective remedies for their own exhaustion.

As if that weren't enough, 88% admit they dread going to work, a sentiment usually reserved for Monday mornings. HR professionals have found a way to make every day feel like a Monday (not only for themselves). Additionally, 97% claim their role has left them emotionally drained, which is ironic considering they're supposed to be the emotional backbone of the organisation. It's like hiring a firefighter who's afraid of water.

But wait, there's more! A staggering 73% feel they don't possess the tools to do their job effectively. That's right, folks, we've given them a sword without a hilt and expected them to slay the dragons of organisational chaos. And if you think that's bad, just 29% believe their work is valued by their company. It's as if they're sending messages in a bottle, hoping someone, somewhere in the corporate ocean, will acknowledge their efforts.

Notably, 78% of HR professionals are pondering leaving their current roles. If the ship is sinking, it seems they're more than willing to swim to a new island.

Why should you care about the plight of HR?

Quite simply, their delusion of being in charge of employees contrasts sharply with the reality that they are actually in charge of employees' experiences – a realisation that seems to have eluded them. The current state of poor employee experience in the employment landscape is far from the blueprint for prosperity, isn't it? So they need help and not just a copy of "The Future of Work" which they have no idea how to implement. Or another HR course certificate. 

But it's not just the HR folks feeling like mythical creatures in a bureaucratic labyrinth. Organisations, too, face challenges reminiscent of a soap opera – high turnover, talent scarcity, and employee disengagement, with the occasional plot twist of people development dilemmas. The usual solutions, unfortunately, resemble a script recycled from the '90s sitcom, failing to meet the audience's needs.

To unveil the true villain in this workplace drama, we need a Sherlockian shift in perspective. Rather than viewing organisational challenges through the lens of process-driven bureaucracy, it's time to adopt a service-oriented magnifying glass. The culprit, dear Watson, is none other than Incompatible People Management Practices.

This incongruity between employees' needs and traditional management practices is poised to intensify, especially with the influx of Gen Z and Gen Alpha into the workforce. Failure to adapt policies, procedures, and processes to align with employee experience will perpetuate these challenges for organisations.

It is a shame that HR is running in circles and completely misses the dragon it's fighting and the solution that is staring them in the face.

The idea advocates a nuanced shift, grounded in a fundamental principle: If it doesn't benefit the company, no matter how advantageous for the employee, it's irrelevant. Therefore, we embrace a well-tested approach centred on designing employee experiences, guiding HR professionals and business leaders away from a process-centric mindset towards a more employee experience-focused approach.

Give Your HR the Help They Ask for Because the Help They Get is the Help Your Employees Need and What They Need is What Your Business Needs.

The solution? Designing people management practices with employees' experiences in mind! Just like in the service industry. It's time to guide HR professionals and business leaders away from the monotonous beat of a process-centric drum towards a tune that is more attuned to the needs of the workforce.

The solution is imminent, set to launch in January. Currently, we've successfully onboarded three clients for this project and have the capacity for two more. If you're aware of anyone grappling with challenges related to hiring, retaining, developing, or motivating employees, kindly share this article with them and encourage them to reach out to us.

Progressive HR professionals are no longer designing employee engagement strategies. They know they don't work. They design employee experiences and we design them with them or for them.