We're navigating an era of unprecedented change. Rising living costs, increasing pressures on businesses, and an ever-evolving HR landscape all put immense pressure on HR teams–the demand on our workforce is intense, and the old ways of managing human resources aren’t cutting it anymore.
So what are the gaps between traditional HR practices and the needs of today's dynamic work environment – and how do we fill them?
In this post, Lucy Adams – CEO at Disruptive HR and former HR director at the BBC – will walk you through HR teams’ need to adapt to a changing workforce, and how they can lead the way for their organisations through her acclaimed ‘EACH’ model.
Challenges organisations face today
The pandemic vastly changed the world of work, meaning HR teams had to navigate the work from home changes and eventual return to offices. As if that wasn’t enough, we’re also facing a recession, a cost of living crisis, and mass layoffs, among other challenges.
While each company faces its unique hurdles, four common challenges emerge across the board:
- Agility: The ability to make swift decisions and adapt to customer needs is crucial. The pace of change is relentless, and traditional forecasting methods are no longer sufficient.
- Productivity: Public organisations, in particular, are expected to do more with less. Amid financial volatility, increasing output while managing fewer resources has become a critical focus.
- Collaboration: Traditional geographical and departmental boundaries are becoming obsolete, meaning a greater need for cross-functional teamwork.
- Innovation: Whether it’s creating new markets, fending off competitors, or enhancing customer experiences, innovation is key to staying relevant and reducing costs.
The ‘EACH’ model: a new approach to traditional HR strategies
The current conventional HR toolkit—with its outdated manuals and annual engagement surveys—is ill-equipped for today’s challenges. The old models of reviewing and categorising employees into performance boxes feel disconnected from the realities of a disrupted world.
It’s time we view employees in a different light; one that offers them more trust, flexibility, and responsibility.
That’s where 'EACH' comes in.
‘EACH’ stands for Employees as Adults, Consumers, and Human Beings. This model reshapes our approach by viewing employees through three distinct yet interconnected lenses:
Adult
Traditional HR often mirrors parental dynamics, oscillating between caring and critical employer parental roles. While well-intentioned, these approaches can inadvertently make employees passive or overly dependent on guidance.
In today’s agile business environment, we must trust and empower employees to act as adults, using their judgement and speaking up to challenge the status quo. This involves creating a culture of trust and accountability, where employees are encouraged to take initiative and make decisions.
This also manifests in how employees take charge of their own careers. Empowering them to be their own career drivers prevents them from waiting for their next performance review to ask for support. At Ben, for example, employees are given an annual L&D budget to seek out learning opportunities that can further their role. And that’s on top of the monthly flexible allowance allotted to each employee to grab lunch or a coffee with another team member to learn the ropes of company culture.
By cutting down on restrictive policies and emphasising open communication, we foster a workspace that values autonomy and proactive problem-solving.
Consumer
In a diverse workplace, a universal HR policy does not suit everyone's needs and/or circumstances. Adopting a consumer-oriented approach, we recognise that, like consumers, employees have different wants and needs.
This perspective means borrowing from the marketing playbook and segmenting employees into different ‘personas’, so that policies can be tailored to diverse groups. For example, you might have a segment of young, career growth-driven employees, and another segment of more family-focused employees who are more interested in a work-life balance.
Diversifying your total compensation structure allows employees to choose what best suits their personal wants and needs. For instance, Telstra, an Australian communications company, segmented their employees so they could see how their employees really wanted to be rewarded, through total compensation perspective. They found that where some might want a higher bonus and are okay with the risk, other employees with families at home might want more consistent benefits they can rely on.
By providing personalised choices, we respect and respond to individual employee needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.
Human
HR strategies often fail to consider fundamental human behaviours and needs. Traditional performance management systems, for example, are usually too rigid and infrequent to foster true and lasting improvement.
After all, humans improve incrementally.So why do we think giving pent-up feedback in annual reviews will help them?
A more human-centric approach can involve regular, informal check-ins that offer immediate feedback and continuous support. This method aligns with natural learning processes, encouraging gradual and consistent development through real-time guidance and recognition.
Implementing the EACH Model
But what does this look like in practice?
Implementing the EACH model starts with fundamentally rethinking how we view and interact with our employees. This can be broken down into three main pillars:
1. Trust
Begin with a presumption of trust towards employees, avoiding micromanagement and parental thinking. Encourage autonomy and provide the tools and support needed for employees to manage their own responsibilities effectively.
2. Respect
Acknowledge the individuality of each employee. Customisable benefit options and responsive feedback respect personal and professional needs, allowing employees to feel valued and understood.
3. Support
Instead of imposing top-down mandates, offer support that empowers employees to excel and take charge of their careers. This can include access to continuous learning opportunities, flexible work arrangements, and wellness programs that help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Final thoughts
As HR leaders, our goal should not be to act as the conscience of an organisation but to create conditions that allow every employee to be seen and take responsibility. By adopting the EACH model, we can ensure our HR practices are as dynamic and multifaceted as the world of work around us, so we can best support our employees in a disrupted world.
