College Name: Indian Institute of Management Rohtak

Name: Arun Choudhary

Contact no. +91-9990544100
Topic: Emerging trends in HR
Design Thinking in HR

Today, the HR is required to don multiple hats as he's standing at crossroads. 50% of the HRs
are not prepared to use the technology, according to KPMG. Millennials are expected to
make up 50% of the global workforce by 2020, as per the PWC report. This requires the HRs
to reconsider their workforce policies and design them as per the needs, desires, ambitions,
and motivations of Gen Y.
In such times of continually changing workplaces, it's crucial for HR to follow the most
innovative practices. Design thinking can enable organizations to develop a human-centric
mindset by transforming HR practices and creating a happier workplace.

Five steps of Design Thinking:

 Empathize  

 The first thing to do is to step into your employees' shoes and gain a 360-degree view of your
organization as a workplace from their eyes. 
 
 Define
 In this stage, try to identify and define your employees' pain points in a transparent manner.
It is essential to ask the right questions like 'what is the biggest problem faced by the
employees?'

 Ideate
 
Ideate This stage includes brainstorming and listing down unique and creative ways to solve
the issues. Choose the best method that is feasible, viable, and desirable.
  
 Prototype 
 
Going for mock trials, designing storyboards, and carrying out experiments for the selected
approach would be helpful in learning how good it is. 

 Testing
First, test the prototype (selected approach) on a small number of people to find its viability
and effectiveness. It is essential to make improvements depending upon the feedback
received. Once the solution is proved applicable after testing, you can apply it. This is how
the settlement can be refined, improved, and finally implemented in the organization.
 
 
Today's VUCA world is compelling HRs to play a strategic role and place the 'employee' at
the center of the experience. HRs have to transform from "process developers' to 'experience
architects." The success of any organization mostly depends upon the productivity &
satisfaction of the employees. Design Thinking helps an organization focus on the issues and
challenges encountered by the employees at the workplace and innovative ideate solutions for
the same. 

 Design Thinking can transform the role of HR in its very core. It lets HR develop an
employee-centric approach whose focus expands beyond devising processes in order to create
the best experiences for employees. It can enable organizations to change their approach in
delivering value, organizing work, and finding solutions.
Innovation is an inseparable part of Design Thinking. It enables HR to adapt to the changes
taking place in a fast-moving environment that requires solutions be designed on the basis of
the needs of customers and internal clients. E.g., the HR teams at Cisco were given the
training to use Design Thinking. They decided to focus on areas where HR could change in
practical and tangible ways like recruiting, onboarding, L&D, etc
According to a 2016 Deloitte report, the function of HR is moving to the new role of a
steward and designer of new people processes. HR is required to simplify the processes, help
people manage tremendous amounts of information at work, and create a culture that fosters
empowerment, collaboration, and innovation.
 
The most crucial part of Design Thinking is an emphasis on "solution finding." Hence, it
becomes essential to carefully observe, build comfortable conversations on the basis of those
observations, and then try to gain insights to be able to find the right solutions.

Areas that can be transformed through Design Thinking

 Recruitment - A good candidate experience is crucial for attracting talent. The
candidates form their opinions based on recruitment experiences and are the
company's external brand ambassadors. Recruiters need to brainstorm innovative,
creative, and digitalized recruitment processes that enable continuous communication
with the candidates. Sending updates about the hiring status, for example, is an
excellent way of creating an exceptional candidate experience. Special attention
should also be given to employer branding for creating an 'aspirational value' for
candidates.
 Performance Management - Hr processes have transformed with the rise of
continuous performance management. It gives paramount importance to the
employees and focuses on regular check-ins, constant feedback, and conversations
about the performance.
 L&D - The focus of L&D is shifting from 'push' to 'pull' that puts the onus of learning
on the learner. The L&D team should create a culture that fosters learning and
establish an eco-system that encourages continuous learning and self-learning also
with the help of insight-based learning.
 Employee Engagement - Design Thinking enables managers to empathize with
employees and understand them. This is the most important thing for keeping the
employees engaged. Sentiment analytics can be of great help when it comes to an
understanding and analyzing the drivers that motivate the employees. Managers can
use this to design engagement and retention practices.
 
 Rewards - One-size-fits-all approach is no longer useful. HR needs to personalize
compensation packages and other benefits that best suit the different employees on the
 basis of age, interests, etc. This customized approach can be easily achieved through
Design Thinking.
One of the essential aspects of Design Thinking is putting 'employees' before 'processes.' This
should be applied in every step of the employee's relationship with the organization, right
from the moment the prospective candidate starts exploring job opportunities, they are
assigned specific roles, they are prepared for future positions to the day they leave the
organization and even beyond.
 
It also means focusing on how employees interact with co-workers and managers, aligning
them with the company goals and requirements, and building the desired culture.

The role of HR is on the cusp of something entirely different and new. It's about 'meaningful
experience' for a workforce comprising of multi-generation, digital, and gig workers.
Designing Thinking empowers today's HR leaders with tools to build a culture of innovation
& experimentation for accomplishing goals and achieving success.