David Ulrich, Professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and partner at a consulting firm, RBL Group, has long been fascinated by how organizations can deliver value for their workers.
In a recent article appearing on the HR Exchange website, Ulrich suggests that HR professionals acknowledge and build on past practices rather than going over the latest gadget or tend. While it may be tempting to rely on the same ways that organizations have attempted to engage workers in the past, opting for solutions to that solve both old and new problems in today’s workplace, Ulrich recommends employing spiral thinking as opposed to circular thinking.
Circular thinking involves going over the same problems and handling in much the same way as in the past. Spiral thinking, on the other hand, builds on the past and looks for new ways to inspire further employee engagement.
The key to achieving this is to focus on words and concepts of EX. Employee experience looks at the big picture and integrates how work and personal life intersect. When workers feel valued, when they sense empathy from the company they work for and see a path toward further development as part of the organization, they are inspired to do their best.
While HR professionals see their roles change to where they have much more influence than in the past in terms of EX, Ulrich believes that employing the latest technologies alone won’t help organizations create more agile, involved and self-reliant workers. He believes direct that HR can do much to inspire workers to the more personal curiosity, which can turn into institutionalized creativity so that they can provide better service to their organizations’ clients, customers, and investors.