What?
Being ‘human at work’ is about being able to bring the full expression of who we are into the workplace. It means to be (and feel) seen, heard and accepted. It’s about responding with empathy and compassion to vulnerability and failure; embracing diversity and inclusivity in a practical way; encouraging connection and belonging; feeling safe emotionally, mentally and physically; nurturing trust and autonomy to deliver results; saying thank you for a job well done; and creating an environment for potential, meaning and purpose to be realised; and recognising the moments that matter. This isn’t the fluffy stuff; it’s a sustainable and people-centred approach to delivering business outcomes.
How?
There’s no silver bullet for introducing humanity into our workplaces. However, a useful starting point is being genuinely curious about the current human experience in our organisations, listening deeply to what is being said and co-creating solutions. Whilst there are lots of places to start, focusing on orgnisational leadership and management; and how people are supported through change are two key areas that impact every organisation. They’re both areas where we can lean towards being overly process driven and task focused. Creating a people-centred organisation is both an art and science: there are proven strategies, practices and underlying principles that will help, which sit alongside discovering what works best in our particular context.
Why?
Although we don’t necessarily reveal every facet, we bring our whole selves to work. Work and life are not really separate; work is part of life! Just ask the person who is experiencing grief, whether it stops when they’re at work. Or whether the person on the verge of burnout, feels the lingering effects, long after the end of the day. When we humanise our workplaces, everyone benefits. This applies to the way we support people through personal and professional transitions; and the way they’re led and managed day-day..and all of this good stuff results in higher levels of employee engagement; and engaged employees produce better outcomes, are innovative, keen and drive things forward. So, perhaps the question is why not?