Why human-centric leadership is the way forward

Becky Hill 24 October 2024 4 min read
Human Centric Leadership (3)

Even though some of the heat in the employment market is dissipating, there are still challenges in recruiting and retaining good staff in Jersey. Employers have adopted a range of tactics to overcome the issue and outwit their competitors in the war on talent and one light has shone brighter than others: human-centric leadership is being hailed as one solution to the problem. 

It’s about putting people first, creating environments where they can thrive, grow and contribute to their fullest potential.  I’m sure we’d all love those kinds of people working for us but how do we create strategies that ensure our work environment drives future growth?

 

What you need to know

Since the pandemic the workplace environment has changed beyond all recognition and leaders need to appreciate the impact this has had on staff both physically and in terms of the relationship you have with them.  Being more ‘human-centric’ allows you to develop authentic relations with your employees by showing empathy and transparency.

 

What does ‘human-centric’ mean exactly?

It means that as well as professionalism and efficiency, leaders now need to see their staff as people with individual needs and encourage safe self-expression.  Put simply, we need to embrace the diversity of our workforce and recognise personal needs to build the most effective team.

 

What you need to do

Before deciding on what strategies you should employ, it’s important to look at your people data and ask yourself a couple of questions.  What are your people telling you and critically, what are they telling you when they leave?

 

Ways to discover more about your staff include

  • Weekly, meaningful conversations with each employee - schedule this into both your calendars and really get under the skin of your people.  Knowing more about them personally and at work will help with retention and productivity.
  • Identity signs of burnout - this will be much easier if you’re already having regular meet ups with staff.  Burnout is a career and productivity killer so find out how they are managing their time and workload and remember, each employee has a different style and support needs.
  • Including employees in hybrid work expectation - rather than dictating top-down hybrid rules – which can have a negative impact on your recruitment and retention – involve your employees in setting expectations based on business needs.  While you might not always be able to accommodate them, understanding the business needs and your people’s personal situation will help make the decision.
  • Help employees apply their strengths to every aspect of their job - being good at our job is motivational so discover each employees’ strengths and use coaching to bring out how best to make small changes to the way they work to make a big difference.
  • Discuss wellbeing at work - job seekers rank often rank wellbeing as highly as their pay but not all needs are the same.  Ask them about their career, financial, social, community and physical situations, remembering different age groups will have different priorities.

Remember by focusing on the needs and aspirations of your employees, human-centric leaders can drive engagement, innovation and sustainable success. 

 

Top 5 ways for leaders to become more human-centric

  1. Understand how more human-centric leadership aligns with your business’s current leadership model and styles.
  2. Balance investing in leadership development programmes with other business needs.
  3. Identify current and potential leaders who would benefit from – and excel in – this type of leadership training.
  4. Ask your leadership team to commit to this strategy as a way to address not only the hiring and retention of staff but also productivity improvements.
  5. Don’t forget to assess your own strengths and development-needs as a human-centric leader!

 

HR Now are always happy to help and can provide bespoke training and expert advice to ensure your leaders have the right skills to do their jobs well. If you’re an existing client enjoy 10% discount on our training programmes. 

Get in touch with us today:  Email us: hello@hrnow.je or call: 01534 747559

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