How to cultivate HR Strategy using Hero’s Journey Model

We all enjoy good stories. Stories make us human. There have been stories told with the Hero's Journey structure since ancient times. It is based on the idea that a regular person goes on an adventure, faces challenges, and eventually comes back home with new knowledge, skills, and insights. With the social media culture we have now, we know that everyone wants to be a hero. Because of this, the Hero's Journey can be used as a tool to help build an effective HR strategy, because everyone needs to feel like they're on their Hero's Journey.

Joseph Campbell was born in 1904. After seeing Buffalo Bill's Wild West show as a child, he became very interested in Native American culture. That sparked his own interest in mythology. His book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, examines myth and the hero's purpose, including the departure, change, and return. Campbell was a comparative mythology professor who discovered a 12-step pattern in heroic stories from all cultures in which all films and tv series are using now.

HR professionals can help to build a strong and unified culture of unique talent by telling a good story about how the organization overcame challenges and achieved success. The Hero's Journey also teaches valuable lessons in resilience, courage, and perseverance, which can be used to motivate employees to take on difficult tasks in the face of all the changes we must face now and in the future and persevere until success is achieved. It can also be used to develop a shared success narrative, which can be used to instill a strong sense of purpose, loyalty, and commitment in everyone.

How to cultivate HR Strategy using Hero’s Journey

Human resource strategy is an essential component of any business. It helps define the company's culture, values, and mission, all of which are necessary for a successful organization. However, gaining everyone's commitment is not always easy unless it makes sense to everyone. That is why, when developing a HR strategy, it is critical to be creative and think outside the box.

Following the structure of the Hero's Journey allows businesses to develop HR strategy that is both inspiring and effective, makes more sense, and puts them on the winning track.

1. The Ordinary World: of your people.

Do you know your people?

Every brand has a brand persona, but few have an employee persona. The ordinary world for a typical employee is their daily job routine, which includes their usual tasks, responsibilities, and interactions with colleagues. It is the mundane, everyday environment in which they live and work, and it is often taken for granted. This ordinary world can be a comfortable and secure place, but it can also become boring and stagnant. HR can focus on learning more about their employees' hopes, dreams, challenges, and reasons for leaving to fill in the gaps.

2. The Call to Adventure: in Talent Acquisition

What kind of adventure can our company offer to the employees?

HR can focus on the recruitment process, that can bring excitement. This can include creating an attractive job posting, interviewing candidates.

3. Refusal of the Call: in Employer Brand

What would you say if your company got bad reviews as an employer?

Develop an employer brand that is appealing to potential employees and candidates. At the same time, pay attention to any resistance or hesitation from employees or candidates and address any worries they may have. What solutions could your company provide to your employees and future candidates?

4. Meeting the Mentor: in Onboarding

Did you leave anyone behind?

In a business setting, everyone's success is the company's success. It is important to put new employees in touch with mentors who can guide and help them along the way. People are feeling left behind as online and remote work flourish, and this could be solved by establishing a robust mentor and buddy program in the workplace from day 1. Make sure there is a thorough program for getting new employees up to speed on the company's culture and what is expected of them.

5. Crossing the Threshold: HR Policy

Are you playing by the same rules?

The hero needs to know he has a shot at victory before he embarks on the journey and crosses the threshold into the unknown. HR can focus on making the workplace a place where employees want to work and want to stay. This can include putting in place fair and equal policies and procedures and giving employees the tools and help they need to do their jobs well.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies: in Performance Management

Do you know how to win?

The hero encounters tests, allies, and enemies that challenge and help them progress. HR can focus on making sure that employees know their goals and challenges and support them with the tools and feedback they need to win at their own game. Setting the right goals, reviewing performance, and providing constructive feedback can help people adjust to new situations and ensure everyone is on the winning track.

7. Approach to the Innermost Cave: in Employee Engagement

What’s your pain?

To win, the hero must prepare for the most dangerous part of the journey. It's when HR ask employee basic question " How happy are you working here" and " Would you recommend this place as the best place to work for your friend and family". If the answer is no, HR must address the issue by understanding the pain that everyone is experiencing and coming up with solutions together with employees.

8. The Supreme Ordeal: in Change Management

What change is needed?

The hero now faces a difficult test or battle, he must decide what steps to take. It's a test of courage and strength as they face the unknown and take a risk to move forward in their career. Personalized plans or structural change might be required here to change what is critical for organization success.

9. The Reward: in Total Rewards

What is intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for your people?

Money is something, but not everything. HR can adjust the Total Rewards strategy to offer incentives and rewards to celebrate achievements.

10. The Road Back: in Learning and Development

How do you continue to win at any game?

To ensure continued success, continue to provide ongoing support and resources, such as training and development programs, to employees.

11. The Resurrection: in Talent Management

What other potential do you have?

The journey's experiences have transformed the hero, and he is now ready for a new challenge. Celebrate employees' successes and contributions to the organization while looking for new and exciting opportunities for them to pursue.

12. The Return: in Succession Planning

What lessons can you share with others?

They have learned their lesson, and the hero is back to tell the people that they are now ready to move in the organization in accordance with the succession plan. Leadership teams could work with each potential hero and give them specific feedback on how they're doing and what they can do to improve for future assignments.

Ultimately, people are the most critical component of any organization's success and growth. By treating everyone as a hero and focusing on their unique strengths, giving them the tools and resources they need to grow and improve, and creating a supportive and guiding environment, we can help them succeed and embark on their own hero's journey. When people feel valued and empowered to reach their potential, it can be a catalyst for a positive and winning culture.