“…Unfortunately, HR is mired in legalese, labor law, and in a general belief that their role is to make people happy and feel good, no matter what the business reality might indicate;” From the article, “Chief Talent Officer 2020,” by Kevin Wheeler.
The highlighted portion really triggered a button in me. I think because it’s often true.
And that is so unfortunate. Whether the root of the idea of “making people happy and feel good” at work is the perspective of misguided HR professionals or the misinterpretation of valid initiatives, it undermines any effort to attend to human needs at work.
A shift in approach starts with a shift in language. HR and Managers must be vigilant with this; instead of saying “making people happy and feel good at work,” how about, “addressing legitimate Human needs at work?” Getting human needs met at work might result in people being happy and feeling good, but in order to ensure true positive impact on the work, productivity and business, we must be more specific and focused on what humans really need.
When I say “human need” I mean something, without which, we couldn’t function productively and sustainably. I define human needs “at work” as the need to belong, to contribute in a meaningful way, and to be appreciated. Sometimes we seem to resent that people “need” these things.
We don’t deny a plant, water or a machine, oil. Or if we do, we risk our resources no longer performing, no longer serving us. Not maintaining our resources is just bad business. When you look at it that way, human needs are always relevant to address, no matter what the current business reality.
[revised Sept. 1, 2009]
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Mary;
Along these lines I also sense that since the law says we have to treat everyone equally managers and others use that as an excuse to not treat people as individuals. That is not the laws intent. The law’s intent is to have us respect each other regardless our origins and upbringing. In order to respect each other we must treat each other as individual humans.
One of the problems with that is the trend to using spreadsheets as “law” and technology to communicate in sterile terms. Mass communications and spreadsheets lump us altogether. We have become ‘lumpy.’
Bart
Thanks Bart. Indeed we have become “lumpy.” I like that.