Example Reflection- Learning Launch

Challenge

I joined my first workplace straight after completing my post graduation. I really enjoyed my work and  the work culture there. It was a small organization where number of employees were under 3 figures  and thus we were well known to each other. We knew our colleagues really well even outside our  work life and we often used to hang out with each other over weekends. After 6 months , I switched  my job to a reputed big private company which was supposed to be a huge step up for my career. I  still remember my first day, I was so excited to meet new people, to learn new processes and to be  part of such a reputed organization.

But after my first week, I got such a big cultural shock as my new workplace was not at all how I  expected it to be.  My colleagues here were more focused on their respective tasks and had barely  any time apart to know the lives of other employees. It is quite common here that people don’t even  know the names of employees outside their departmen

Coming from a different culture, adaptation was a big problem for me and I knew that I have to address  this if I want to continue my career here.

Selection

I discussed the  problems I was facing with two colleagues of mine who were also finding it hard to  adapt to  this new culture. By going through different design thinking tools, we were able to notice  that management had taken many steps earlier for team bonding of employees. Also looking at  secondary data available, we noticed that having a lunch/dinner together event was most employee’s  favourite way to interact with other employees. After completing different tools we decide to test an  idea as a learning launch.

Application.

We began our learning launch by organizing an informal getting together . Looking at the earlier events  we realized that even though having food together was favourite way of team bonding for majority of  employees, it was not a huge success because of heterogeneity of vast number of employees.  Different people had different preference for food item, types, timings and availability. Also for  management to rate their event as a success, they need maximum participation. We tested our idea  with a small number which were already well known to us. We chose to have this event on Friday  evening as most of office are done with their weekly tasks and thus more acceptable towards  interacting with other employees. Instead of sticking to one type of food choice, we asked every  person joining the  event to bring a snack of their own choice. Thus. each Person joining was enjoying  his/her own food preference and also sharing it with other joiners as well. Our main motive there was  to make them feel that their choices matter and also experience the happiness of sharing their choices  with fellow colleagues. We decided to continue testing with another event the next week. In that time,   many employees heard good word of mouth about our approach and got interested. Our Second  attempt was much more successful as the number of employees who joined was almost double. . They  all brought their favourite food and spend enough time to interact with each other before leaving for  their homes. As more people approached us for the event, we decided to have this event on a regular  basis and with each week, number of poeple kept increasing.

Insight & Approach

Due to our testing, our colleagues became more open to each other.Employees reported that they  felt much more  productive and satisfied as they have something to look forward to after completing  their work. Because employees now know each other on a personal level, integrity of different  departments became more unified. Each department was now understanding personally and the  impact other departments have on customers. People  were also making sure that customer queries  and problems meets the right person, even if he/she is outside their department. I learned through  process that anyone can take steps to solve the problem in an organization even if you are not part of  management. We took secondary data of management'searlier events and tried to resolve it. Our  focus was not to have huge numbers to join for team bonding but to make sure those who did join,  have a great time.

After successfully trying learning launch, we are now focusing on people who still don’t attend our  events. Most of employees in that category are of older generations from us, and we would use future  launch designs keeping them as priority ,So that soon we can make everyone come up for such  employee engagement initiatives in our office,


Example Reflection- Learning Launch Challenge I joined my first workplace straight after completing my post graduation . I really enjoyed my work and the work culture there . It was a small organization where number of employees were under 3 figures and thus we were well known to each other . We knew our colleagues really well even outside our work life and we often used to hang out with each other over weekends . After 6 months , I switched my job to a reputed big private company which was supposed to be a huge step up for my career . I still remember my first day , I was so excited to meet new people , to learn new processes and to be part of such a reputed organization . But after my first week , I got such a big cultural shock as my new workplace was not at all how I expected it to be . My colleagues here were more focused on their respective tasks and had barely any time apart to know the lives of other employees . It is quite common here that people do n’t even know the names of employees outside their departmen Coming from a different culture , adaptation was a big problem for me and I knew that I have to address this if I want to continue my career here . Selection I discussed the problems I was facing with two colleagues of mine who were also finding it hard to adapt to this new culture . By going through different design thinking tools , we were able to notice that management had taken many steps earlier for team bonding of employees . Also looking at secondary data available , we noticed that having a lunch / dinner together event was most employee ’s favourite way to interact with other employees . After completing different tools we decide to test an idea as a learning launch . Application . We began our learning launch by organizing an informal getting together . Looking at the earlier events we realized that even though having food together was favourite way of team bonding for majority of employees , it was not a huge success because of heterogeneity of vast number of employees . Different people had different preference for food item , types , timings and availability . Also for management to rate their event as a success , they need maximum participation . We tested our idea with a small number which were already well known to us . We chose to have this event on Friday evening as most of office are done with their weekly tasks and thus more acceptable towards interacting with other employees . Instead of sticking to one type of food choice , we asked every person joining the event to bring a snack of their own choice . Thus . each Person joining was enjoying his / her own food preference and also sharing it with other joiners as well . Our main motive there was to make them feel that their choices matter and also experience the happiness of sharing their choices with fellow colleagues . We decided to continue testing with another event the next week . In that time , many employees heard good word of mouth about our approach and got interested . Our Second attempt was much more successful as the number of employees who joined was almost double . . They all brought their favourite food and spend enough time to interact with each other before leaving for their homes . As more people approached us for the event , we decided to have this event on a regular basis and with each week , number of poeple kept increasing . Insight & Approach Due to our testing , our colleagues became more open to each other . Employees reported that they felt much more productive and satisfied as they have something to look forward to after completing their work . Because employees now know each other on a personal level , integrity of different departments became more unified . Each department was now understanding personally and the impact other departments have on customers . People were also making sure that customer queries and problems meets the right person , even if he / she is outside their department . I learned through process that anyone can take steps to solve the problem in an organization even if you are not part of management . We took secondary data of management'searlier events and tried to resolve it . Our focus was not to have huge numbers to join for team bonding but to make sure those who did join , have a great time . After successfully trying learning launch , we are now focusing on people who still do n’t attend our events . Most of employees in that category are of older generations from us , and we would use future launch designs keeping them as priority , So that soon we can make everyone come up for such employee engagement initiatives in our office ,