reading time
Published at 03 / junio / 2020

Revisando la Employee Centricity | Between Technology

Employee centricity (EC) is a topic that has been talked about a lot in trends in human resources. Perhaps it is worth reviewing a little about what it is, as well as taking some considerations to reflect and ask ourselves how we are doing things in terms of people in the environments where we are.

As its name says

In order not to go into too much detail but to locate, I will tell you that, as its name suggests, the EC is going to put the employee at the center. And what does that mean? Well, in my eyes, and I think in the eyes of many, putting the employee at the center basically consists of people becoming the center of the entire strategy. For this, it is obviously essential that this mantra is internalized in the company and that, in one way or another, it is breathed in the company, making that many of the decisions are made based on it and that the departments of people are given empower to do, undo, propose, promote and lead projects that ensure this type of management.

CE is a strategy or approach that involves improving the employee experience. An approach that shows that the company is committed to the worker. Advantages, many, but I would rather talk about the 'for what' of all this, which is; to improve engagement with the company, while having happier, more empowered workers and showing their greatest potential; to improve the relationship with customers and to provide better business results.

employee-centricity-heart

There are many ways to apply a CD strategy, but the first step would always be to make a good diagnosis to know where to start and to do it with knowledge.

To do this, you have to launch questionnaires or use powerful measurement tools that allow us to take the pulse (ideally in real time), and in a segregated way. Having a diagnosis helps us identify which are the important moments that the employee lives, how he lives them in relation to the company, what we are doing well, where we are screwing up, where we must focus, what we can further enhance and how we could do it.

Who manages people, has a treasure

People are the treasure of companies. In them is the key for companies to continue growing (and I'm not just talking about growing in number). In my opinion, the EC is like something already inevitable, I think it is a management model that we can hardly run away from, and if we do, it will probably end up taking its toll in some way.

Throughout my experience in this sector, and thinking about all those times that I have had powerful conversations with employees, colleagues, former colleagues and colleagues in the sector, I reaffirm that it is people who make the company, how can we not base our strategy on them if they are the key to everything?

In my opinion, it is the employees themselves who create an environment, a culture, a way of behaving and being, and it is thanks to them that the rest of the people who continue to enter, want to stay . I often observe that, at first, and over a period of time, people are happy with the relationships they form and the work teams they meet, but in the long run, they stay because of the coherence they live between the ' good vibes' of their teams and the 'good work' of the company towards them.

employee-centricity-youare

The challenge is perhaps that this management philosophy goes beyond the people departments and that, as I said at the beginning, the board and the boards of directors also advocate for it. So the key is also to involve them and that they become ambassadors of the EC.

Some considerations

If you are not yet opting for an EC-based model in your company, I leave you with some clues that can help you review or consider whether you are moving under this people management strategy:

  • The first step, the most important and without which we cannot effectively move towards the rest: actively listening, and I would add, empathetically. It is not easy, but I think we should start here. Empathetic listening is trained and we should take responsibility for training it just like we train a muscle. Do you consider yourself a good listener? Do you listen empathetically? I encourage you to watch this video so you can see for yourself. Do you see yourself reflected in Patch Adams, the protagonist of this film? If not, you still have to continue training your listening. 
  • Involve employees in the design of the plans. For example, through focus groups and work sessions where you can share and listen (watch the video from the previous point and see how you listen the next time you have to).
  • Engage managers to generate good experiences for employees. To involve them, they can also be part of the plan design. I include a nuance, managers must also take responsibility and internalize that they are benchmarks for their teams. If you manage a team, put on the people ‘cap’ and if you feel you need help, go to the people departments, we will be happy to help you.
  • Take care of the relationship with employees and collaborators. Here we could stop a lot, but basically, stay with the word ‘take care’. What does caring for relationships with people mean to you? What do you do to take care of your relationships, be they work or personal?
  • Designing talent plans personalized and adapted to the needs of each professional. Another of the most important keys to a satisfactory employee experience: personalize, and for this, try to flee from 'coffee for all'.

Others no less important are the use of technology, as well as innovative formulas and tools for managing people. In these times of VUCA environment (or mega VUCA, as we call it internally among the peers of People in BETWEEN), more than ever we must focus on analyzing what and how we are doing things, since the seeds we plant in this moment of truth, it will be the fruits that we find ourselves in the future (and imminent) new normality.

 

Tags: Talento

Related Posts

Reskilling in the “new normality”

What we have been calling a new normal, the one that the crisis caused by Covid-19 has brought us, will create substantial changes in terms of management within the company. In ...

( reading time )

Topics: Talento

Keys for being a good leader | Between Technology

The traditional boss concept has long since slipped into a drawer that we hope will never come out again. That authoritative image, capable of frightening the staff at times and ...

( reading time )

Topics: Talento

7 tips and keys for teleworking | Between Technology

Teleworking is a reality to which more and more companies are adapting in recent years. Although it is something that many companies were already implementing in their routines, ...

( reading time )

Topics: Talento