The role of HR in nurturing dreams

He was born on 15 January 1929 as Michael King, however, after a trip to Germany, his father was so impressed by the Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, that he was renamed Martin Luther King after his father’s return to the U.S.

Both his father and grandfather had gone to Morehouse, the only college in the world that only admitted African American men at the time. It was there that he first learned about Gandhi and nonviolent civil disobedience.

His ideas, however, met with considerable opposition from all quarters. An assassination attempt was made on him in 1958, and he survived by a hair’s breadth, with the assassin’s knife just missing his aorta. The surgeons who saved his life apparently told him that if he had so much as sneezed, he wouldn’t have survived.?

His acts of civil disobedience got him imprisoned 29 times, sometimes on the flimsiest of charges—for instance, in Alabama, he was arrested for allegedly driving at 30 mph and breaking the speed limit.?

The FBI monitored him obsessively for more than ten years, considering him the most dangerous leader of the time.

Against all odds he went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and after his death, became one of only two Americans to have their birthdays declared as national holidays—the other one was George Washington! ?

In 1967, he launched the campaign that was to be his last, the Poor People’s Campaign, to unite underprivileged people of every race and creed. Fifty years after his assassination, his dream project was revived by reverends, William Barber and Liz Theoharis to finish the work he started. [1]

Even after his death, Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream lives on.

What is HR’s role in nurturing dreams?

Fortunately for all of us, we do not live in such troubled times.

We never have had to face such insurmountable odds.

We have never been in such grave danger for our beliefs.

So, shouldn’t every dream of every person we work with find fruition a lot more easily in today’s world? Perhaps not. Consider these modern-day statistics.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, people regard fulfillment at work just as important as higher pay when changing jobs.

So, what can HR do to nurture dreams?

A lot!

During their working years, people spend the better part of their lives at work. So, the workplace represents a significant opportunity to fulfill their life’s aspirations. Indeed, it is one of the primary mandates of HR leadership to ensure a work environment that facilitates and supports its teams.

What we do at Zuci

For us, dreams are a part of the Zuci way of life from the day it was founded. We learn about each of our people’s aspirations and find ways to nurture them all the way. From maternity programs to mental well-being, we offer an array of initiatives designed to enable our employees to grow and flourish.

·????? Ellowhale Education is the CSR division of Zuci Systems, where we play a small part in shaping a happier society through education.

·????? Red Carpet is an elaborate employee recognition program where we celebrate each achievement, big and small, throughout the year.

·????? Bevy is our way of supporting and nurturing female leaders through a network of coaches and mentors.

·????? Happy Minds is a program to promote physical, emotional, and mental wellness, which is one of our top priorities.

·????? ID is our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program that celebrates the differences that define our true identity at Zuci.

·????? Kidzee is our partner for lending a hand to our women workforce by providing the best creche facility in terms of hygiene, safety, and security.

·????? Additionally, we have a mosaic of clubs and communities to nurture every dream—sports, books, music, ideas, events, travel, social service, and even our own version of TEDx

It is intrinsic to human nature to dream, to aspire, and to hope to leave a worthy legacy. Some dreams are powerful enough to transform the world, so it is imperative to keep them alive and support them in every way possible. As HR leaders, it is up to us to encourage our people to dream big, and to support them along the way. Who knows what changes those dreams might achieve?

These are some of the initiatives we have pursued keenly over the years, with remarkable results. Ultimately a happy team is a successful team, and every effort spent on employee satisfaction is well spent. What initiatives do you have in your organizations to support your people’s dreams and aspirations? What remarkable results have you achieved?

Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash

References:

1.????????? Based on Ben & Jerry’s MLK Facts

2.????????? According to McKinsey & Company

3.????????? As per an article in Forbes

4.????????? According to CNBC