Putting The Human Back Into Human Resources: Mary Schaefer (Transcript)

Here is the full transcript of Mary Schaefer’s talk titled “Putting The Human Back Into Human Resources” at TEDxWilmington conference.

Listen to the audio version here:

TRANSCRIPT:

Who here has heard the term ‘human resources’? Who here has used the term ‘human resources’? Who here thinks they know what the term ‘human resources’ means? Yeah. Many times when we talk about human resources, we’re talking about that function in an organization that handles the “people stuff,” right?

And what I’m here to talk to you about today, in putting the human back into human resources, I’m here to talk to you about infusing more humanity back into the workplace for those human beings who happen to be employees. You’re going to hear me today use the word “humanly” a lot. And when I have conversations with people about this subject, that word often gets fed back to me as “humanely.”

Humanly vs. Humanely

And so, let me be really clear on what I mean by “humanly” versus “humanely.” To me, when employers are treating employees humanely, they’re providing them bathroom breaks and water fountains. To me, for employers to treat employees humanly, it’s to address the very human needs such as the need to be appreciated, the need to belong, and the need to feel like you’re making a meaningful contribution.

And what does that look like? Twenty years ago, I worked at a chemical plant in West Virginia, and I was a project team leader implementing a module of SAP software. Some of you may have heard of it. It was the raw materials module. And many of the people on my team were shop floor employees. That means they were the people on the shop floor handling the chemicals.

And one of them came to me and asked me if I would help him develop so he could advance. He wanted to get promoted. And I was thrilled to hear this. Now, this is interesting because at the same time, at this point in time, shop floor employees were not viewed as people who had hopes and dreams and who wanted to learn and grow.

And so I was more than glad to help him. I talked with his supervisor. He didn’t report directly to me, and I got his supervisor’s permission. And at the same time, I made the same offer to anyone else on my team who was interested in developing and growing in order to advance. And three more people took me up on that.

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The Impact of Belief

Now, let’s fast forward a few years. Three out of those four people got promoted into exempt positions. One started traveling the world as an SAP consultant. Another became a supervisor. And a third became a highly valued SAP resource within his division. That third one is particularly close to my heart because when I started at that chemical plant, he was sweeping the floors in my building.

Now you might be wondering, “Mary, what did you do?” You know, I didn’t really do anything fancy that you couldn’t find in any management book. I think what I might have done a little differently was I believed in these people. And when human beings are treated in a way that they are capable of more, they rise to the occasion.

So that was a nice story, right? And is there a really – there’s a problem here, Mary, that needs a remedy? Yes, there is. The Gallup organization. Among other things, the Gallup organization studies corporations, employment, and employee engagement. And in their 2013 report on the state of the American workforce, they tell us that 70 percent of the American workforce is disengaged, with 20 percent described as actively disengaged. That’s a whole lot of human beings who are not getting their needs met, such as the need to be appreciated, the need to belong, and the need to be making a meaningful contribution.

I’ve been in business for years now, and when it comes to putting meeting human needs as I’m describing them to you as a priority, it just – it tends to take a back seat. And I find that curious, because when any of us are stewards of an asset like a car, we wouldn’t think of not giving a car what it needs, denying a car what it needs in order to work at peak performance. Why would we treat our human resources any other way? Again, this isn’t just a nice story that I’m telling you and a nice idea of treating more people humanly.

The Bottom Line Impact

It has bottom line business impact. Researchers have shown that when human needs are met for employees at work, the more they are met, the higher the engagement. Engagement meaning that people want to be there, and they are willing to go the extra mile even when nobody is looking. Higher engagement has been positively correlated to increased profitability. What’s that worth to us?

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Well, here’s one thing I know. Again, that Gallup study I was describing, they also tell us that through unskilled and unqualified managers at work, they’re impacting their organizations by $450 billion to $550 billion worth of productivity annually by undermining employee engagement. Yes, that was billion with a “B.” But I’m not here to spout statistics to you today. I want to talk to you about what any of you here listening to me today can do about this.

The Power of Being Seen

And I understand if you may be having a reaction something like this: “Mary, if you think that I’m going to impact some big organization, that is way over my head. That’s got to come from the top down.” Or you might simply be thinking, “Mary, you can’t make people who don’t already value people suddenly value people.” And you know what? I get that. What I want to ask you today is to let your own experience guide you.

And I want you to take a moment to think about a time at work when you were made to feel good or you made someone else feel good.

I have a friend who told me he had a manager who used to check in with him every day. And he really meant it. This man remembers this from 20 years ago. You can have that kind of impact on people. I have a friend who has a colleague who brings her coffee to her desk occasionally. He tells her it’s because she looks like she needs it.

She says it makes her feel someone noticed me. I belong. I’m seen. And you can do this even if you’re not in the workforce. I stood in a grocery line one time and as a disgruntled customer in front of me moved away, I told the cashier she had handled him really well. And by the expression on her face, I saw that she felt seen and appreciated. And that’s all we really want as human beings is to be seen. We are feeling beings. We want to feel appreciated, like we belong, and like we can make a difference.

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You don’t have to be a project manager like I was in order to believe in someone. So what I want to ask you today is to make a commitment with me to take the responsibility to honor someone’s worth at work. And I know this is not just a commitment that I’m suggesting. This doesn’t happen suddenly, but it’s also a journey. And through your journey, I hope you come to see this vision in action and see it bring its power to reality.

Thank you.

SUMMARY OF THIS TALK:

In this TEDx talk, “Putting The Human Back Into Human Resources,” Mary Schaefer embarks on a mission to infuse more humanity into the workplace, emphasizing the importance of addressing employees’ human needs beyond just the basic provisions like bathroom breaks and water fountains.

She draws on her personal experience from a chemical plant in West Virginia, where she helped shop floor employees develop their skills, leading to significant advancements in their careers. Schaefer distinguishes between treating employees “humanly” and “humanely,” advocating for a deeper connection to the intrinsic needs of appreciation, belonging, and making a meaningful contribution. She references a Gallup report highlighting a disengagement crisis within the American workforce, with 70% of employees feeling disengaged, underscoring the dire need for a more human-centric approach in organizations.

Schaefer argues that meeting employees’ human needs can lead to higher engagement, increased profitability, and a more fulfilling work environment. By sharing anecdotes of simple acts of kindness and recognition, she demonstrates how anyone can contribute to a more humane workplace, regardless of their position. Schaefer’s talk is a call to action for individuals and organizations alike to reevaluate their approach to human resources, stressing the significant impact of human connections on business success and employee well-being.