Making a Human-Centered Work Experience Actionable

What Does a Human-Centered Workplace Actually Look Like?

So, what does it really look and feel like to work in and help cultivate a human-centered workplace? Today we will unpack what it really means to make being “human-centered” actionable and tangible. I bet it’s more straightforward and simpler than you might imagine it to be. Sometimes creating human-centered change can seem too difficult or ethereal or complicated. If you’ve ever felt this way, read on and discover how straightforward it can be to make a human-centered work experience come to life.

Actionable and Tangible

Be genuine. Being human-centered starts with being authentic, whether you're a leader or a team member. Stop the impression management. Don’t try to act “the part”. Instead, just be real. Admit mistakes. Own your feelings. Confess when you don’t know. Bring it when you do. Be a full person. And encourage others to do the same.

Take time. We need time with each other. We need to schedule time with team members for communication, celebration, and connection. And we also need to be ready to spend random unscheduled time with our colleagues.

When working in-person in workplaces built for efficiency or productivity rather than connection, it’s easy to power through and not take time for celebration or sharing random funny moments. And in virtual or hybrid work teams, it is even more challenging. But we need to grasp the value of time together and create new opportunities to take time. It’s these small, informal moments, sometimes leading to deeper engagement, that all together are the mortar of a human-centered culture. No matter what your work structure is, make time to rejoice, to laugh, to have an in-depth conversation, and to strengthen your team with personal connections.

Pay attention. When an unplanned request for your attention happens, whenever possible, stop what you are doing and tune in to the moment. Your full presence is powerful. Communicate that you are paying attention. If you are in-person, convey this with your body language. Put down your device. Take your hands off the keyboard. Turn your chair away from the screen. Look the person fully in the face. If you are virtual, express verbally that you are giving them your full attention: “I can tell this is really important. Let me minimize a few things on my desktop so I’m not distracted. Please tell me what’s up.”

If you can’t give your attention at that moment, explain your desire to focus and set a time to do that ASAP. And when the time comes…

Listen well.  Listen with curiosity. Listen to understand. Listen without defending or explaining or solutioning. Listen without preparing your response. Listen to learn. Listening well embodies a deep respect for the humanity of the person in front of you. When we listen to respect someone’s personhood, rather than to make our next point, it may be surprising how the relationship blooms.

Listening and fully hearing our colleagues is one of the most impactful things we can do for each other and can help to create satisfied and peaceful employees, teams, and organizations. Plus, the ripple effect when people feel heard, seen, and valued moves outside of our organizations and into our homes, families, and communities. This is sorely needed today.

Create safety for learning. Make it safe for your team to try, to make mistakes, to learn, and to grow. We will all make mistakes along the way - it’s one of the realities of being human. What will your (and your team’s) reaction be to mistakes or missteps? Will you allow frustration or stress to bubble over? Or will you instead create a safe and innovative environment where team members can talk about their mistakes, reflect on them with coaching, and be encouraged to draw insights from their experience?

To create this kind of safety, meet people where they are at. Help out if you are experienced, by guiding others to understand the bigger picture and to learn how to approach a new challenge. When you invest in creating safe learning spaces, you are really investing in innovation, longevity, satisfaction, and leadership skills as well as the human experience of your team members. It’s a win-win!

Be aware. Of yourself. Of others. To be aware of yourself seek feedback. You may have to really pursue it to actually get it. And when you do, then intentionally receive it, reflect, and learn from it. To be aware of others, be curious. Observe, ask questions, and listen. Then be humbled by the fact that your experiences and perspectives are not the same as others. That will help you to…

Relish differences. Embrace the fact that humans are varied, complex, and infinitely fascinating! Appreciate each person's innate value. Acknowledge those with different backgrounds, experiences, cultures, styles, skills, and views. Accept and make welcome those differences. In fact, view those differences as essential and desirable. Help people, especially those with a different experience or view from the larger group, to be comfortable bringing themselves and their thinking fully to the team. Make it the norm to welcome differences!

Express honor. Giving honor comes from a deep belief that each and every person is worthy of respect. Find out what others mean by honor and respect, then “do to others as they would want you to do” (not as you would want to do.) That’s true honor.

The Impact of Love in Action

When we put humans at the center of our work, people experience this as love in action. In fact, in my research interviews, when I ask people about times they feel loved at work, they describe these very experiences. They often talk about being on a team of people who are genuine, who took time for them, and paid attention to each other. They describe feeling loved when they are listened to and really heard, when they feel safe to make mistakes, when they are accepted for their uniqueness, and when they feel respected as human beings.

This is what people tell me. Being human-centered means feeling cared for and this care creates safety that calms our nervous systems and fosters the conditions for engagement, innovation, and performance as well as happiness and healthiness for people, families, and communities.  

These are the impacts of love in action. Well worth it, eh?

What experiences have you had fostering a human-centered culture in your workplace? What actionable and tangible tips would you add to this list? I’d love to hear from you!