Five ways HR directors can empower their teams

Based on first-hand experience and 20+ years in the field of HR and employee engagement, Tracy Mellor, Unispace’s Global Director, People & Culture, shares her views on how HR directors can empower their teams.

Modern workplace design gives emphasis on the power that resides within the team – in bringing individuals together and what they can achieve collectively. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And, let’s face it – most people come to work to be with other people, not to spend eight-plus hours a day all alone. Agile working can be a big factor in making this work.

Here are five examples of how HR Directors can empower their teams, and in agile work environments they make even more sense.

Get out of that private office.

Walk around the office to hear what the team are talking about, how they’re interacting and how people managers are liaising with their team. An open office fosters this environment and open, discursive culture.

Get rid of as many rules as possible.

Empower people to make great decisions. Reduce the number of rules, regulations and “policies”. Allow people flexibility and they will repay you with improved productivity and performance.

Listen (a lot!)

It’s so simple, but not enough people do it. Ask questions and listen with a view to having your opinion changed; don’t make the mistake of thinking that you know it all. Don’t do formal questionnaires and employee surveys if you’re not going to do anything about what people tell you and don’t wait months to give them feedback or results if you do. Agile working is a real enabler for listening to different people – ad hoc conversations often reap the best results and you can’t do that if you’re stuck in the same spot with the same people all the time.

Treat everyone with fairness.

Notice I said “fairness” not “equality”. Treating everyone as equal is probably one of the most unfair things that you can do. People are different, they need to be treated with respect, ethically and equitably and the differences between people should be recognised and valued as should their needs and circumstances when you’re working out the best course of action to take. An open, and inclusive workplace where people have choice about where they sit goes some way to making this happen.

Help create an organisation that’s based on trust.

Support a culture where people don’t think that they have to agree all the time but where they can give constructive criticism. Good office design should facilitate clear, transparent discussion and allow the company to talk across departments and business silos. An agile working environment can really help with this.

Careers in HR have changed massively during my time in the industry, but one of the most exciting developments is the new focus on the power of workplace. This includes a far greater understanding of how design can positively impact employee engagement, collaboration and performance.

About Tracy Mellor

With a strong passion for people and wellbeing, Tracy has a breadth of experience across HR including 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry in Northern Europe. Moving to Australia in 2008, she became Executive GM, People and Culture of Rebel Group. She was then Global People Director and Managing Director for Australia and NZ for Reward Gateway for five years.

Tracy is a Chartered Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, a Fellow of Australian Human Resources Institute and Australian Institute of Management and a Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors – she’s also been named AIM Leader of the Year (NSW).