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First published in Great Britain by Practical Inspiration Publishing, 2020
© Kath Howard, 2020
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
ISBN 978-1-78860-133-7 (print)
978-1-78860-132-0 (epub)
978-1-78860-131-3 (mobi)
All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the author.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.
Contents
Introduction: Who took the human out of Human Resources?
Section one Shaping the future of Human Resources
Chapter 1 What really does motivate people?
Chapter 2 Creating impact through evidence-based practice and innovation
Chapter 3 Can we really ‘manage’ cultural change?
Section two Creating a people-focused culture
Chapter 4 Can Organisation Development put the human back into Human Resources?
Chapter 5 Systems thinking as an OD model, tool and mindset
Chapter 6 Leading our organisations with compassion
Section three Leading an HR service with heart
Chapter 7 Rebranding the HR team
Chapter 8 Putting ‘the human’ back into your individual HR practice
Chapter 9 Treating people like people through our processes and ways of working
Chapter 10 A call to action for HR professionals
Further reading/Helpful websites
Foreword
There is a reason why we don’t pay particular attention to paperclips – we view them as a commodity, and we treat them as such. With an endless supply of paperclips available on the market, we don’t care where they came from and what’s unique about them – as long as they do their job well. When one gets bent out of shape and is no longer useful, we swiftly replace it with another one – no drama, no tears, no second thoughts.
Now, try replacing the word ‘paperclips’ in the paragraph above with the word ‘people’. Shocking? Certainly. But, sadly, not that far from the stark reality many employees experience today. In our attempt to drive business results and shareholder value, we seem to have forgotten that our workforce consists of living, breathing human beings. No wonder that only one in ten Brits feels engaged at work and more than two million think of quitting their job every single day. The way we think about work is broken and it’s time we take action and stop treating people as if they were paperclips.
Kath Howard’s book, People Not Paperclips: Putting the Human Back into Human Resources, comes at a time when we desperately need some guidance on how to fix our broken HR systems and bring humanity to the workplace. It brings invaluable insights from the field of Organisational Design, Organisational Psychology, and over 20 years of Kath’s practical experience in the world of business and HR. The question at the centre of Kath’s book is: ‘How can we build healthy, people-centred cultures that drive results and allow people to flourish?’
This book is not for everyone. It’s not for those who are on the lookout for yet another exciting fad, a quick fix, or an idea for a short-term intervention that will cause some stir and fizzle out before it’s over. It’s not for the well-meaning enthusiast who lacks the patience to grapple with the reality of our businesses and our humanity.
It’s a book for people who seek sustainable change and who need a better understanding of how to integrate organisational design, behavioural science, evidence-based practice and systems thinking into their HR practice. It’s an invaluable resource for those willing to test their ideas in the workplace and eager to embrace innovation as a core skill in HR.
As a culture strategist, I’m lucky to work with companies committed to creating people-centric cultures. They invest in their people because they know that it’s the only way to bring their vision and business aspirations to life. Working with these organisations has taught me that change is hard. Every time you challenge the status quo, you are met by forces and dynamics that are both complex and profoundly messy.
If you want to join us on a mission to re-humanise the workplace, you’ll meet these forces, too. And you will need a healthy dose of courage, inspiration and the right tools to tackle the challenge. This book is a collection of topics, references and suggestions for how you can create an HR function and an organisation that drives the change people are seeking. If you want to cultivate a ‘people not paperclips’ culture, dive into it, learn from it and embark on a never-ending experiment: test, learn, refine, repeat.
September 2019, Aga Bajer
Preface
I have spent over 20 years working within organisations to understand people and how they interact, and to apply this understanding to support more productive, and ultimately more fulfilling, workplaces. I describe myself on business and professional networks as a Change Agent, HR Leader, Occupational Psychologist, Facilitator, Coach and Organisation Development Consultant. I’m all of these things, but above all else, I’m a human who is interested in other humans. I derive my personal meaning from seeking to create meaning at work for others. I’ve worked in a wide range of industries and organisations and I’ve worn multiple hats as a researcher, HR practitioner, Chartered Psychologist and Consultant. Through this experience, I’ve observed that work just isn’t working for