The Human-Centered Organization: OD’s Role in Bringing Radical Humanity to the Workplace

Presented by: Maya Townsend

In November 2022, an international group of business leaders and thinkers asked: “What are organizations centered around?” The answers were telling: Leaders. Operations. Profit. Customers. Managers. Money. Notably missing from the list were purpose, human well-being, learning, and growth.

Many of today’s organizations replicate the Taylorist model, which believes employees are tools to be used, not human beings with ideas, energy, needs, or rights. What would our organizations look like if we treated people as unique and valuable? If we conceived of people as our most valuable source of organizational energy and contribution rather than a cost to be managed?

The field of OD is grounded in humanistic values. Many of us strive to help our clients become more just, democratic, and collaborative. In this session, participants will:

• Explore what organizations would look like if we truly centered our businesses around human dignity, learning, and well-being.
• Consider/learn the impacts of human centering on practices such as appraising performance, hiring, onboarding, and managing.
• Leave with new ideas and inspiration for OD’s role in developing vibrant, energized, human-centered organizations.