HR needs to take a leaf out of technology’s book. We shoot down innumerable technology interventions worrying that they aren’t perfect. We struggle to pull together the budget for the perfect tech solution. We worry about scale even before we know if our idea will gain traction with users.
A few weeks ago I wrote about my disagreement with referring to the business teams we support as our customers. This isn’t a widely accepted thought and today I will take my argument a step further by attributing the poor design of our HR interventions to this reference. Sounds contrary to popular belief, doesn’t it? We have been conditioned to believe that viewing our business as ‘customers’ will lead to better service. But it doesn’t.
I love data democracy, the power of being able to analyze data independently without being dependent on another individual. Products like these empower every individual in the organization to derive meaningful insights at team, business and organizational level. It doesn’t overwhelm nor fall short. Heartcount gracefully does all the hard work and allows you to jump straight to the meaningful insights.
One would imagine that in forward thinking organizations, innovation would flow in a straight line. Instead, the journey begins to resemble a circus show with one jumping over constant hoops and hurdles until the idea dies a slow painful death. The journey includes encountering people who hate the idea, those who love the idea but … Continue reading The Experimentation Budget
Once in a while I get asked a question that leaves me stumped; not because it doesn’t make sense but because over time my world view has taken its own twist on reality. One such question I was asked very recently as a part of product design exploration was – “Do you refer to the businesses you support as client or customers?”
I have always been fascinated by the care packages advertised on my Instagram feed. While I must admit I have never put one together, I did always consider it a good way to show a friend or family member that you cared. However, the last place I expected a care package to make an appearance … Continue reading Care Packages: Wellness in a box?
It took five minutes of rain and four hours of living without the internet to change my mind about dopamine fasting. Within two hours of no internet connectivity, I found myself strolling into the nearest store and walking out with a bag full of junk food. Over the next one hour, I ate my feelings … Continue reading Dopamine Fasting Reconsidered
At the start of the lockdown, a colleague and I established a weekly series where we would get the team together to debate on topics from around the world. These could be themes ranging from HR to history to diets and everything in between. The aim was to bring together diverse perspectives on a wide … Continue reading What will HR look like ten years from now?
Working from home works for me. I have been fortunate to find a rhythm that allows me to ignore the discomfort of working from my dining table with zero accessories. I am aware that there are many who do not have the luxuries I do. Living alone brings with it the benefits of not having … Continue reading Why WFH (right now) isn’t everything it was meant to be
Because this is the first in the series, I will start with an introduction and we’ll knock it off as we go. My favorite conversations are one where someone who does not work in HR looks with apprehension, albeit politely, at an HR professional who has just sprouted a phrase that HR pros use in … Continue reading #1 Famous HR Terms – 70:20:10
The HR Business Partner Story 