Problem StatementStakeholderOverwhelmed, intimidated new grad

Needlearn basic office skills and understand organisational culture before employment

Insightprofessional development courses at Uni teach you how to get a job, not how to transition into it.

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Idea being prototypedLet the grads dictate the culture, themselves, as they think best.

Each new intake of graduates will have responsibility for setting the culture of the whole organisation. The is to address the problem of new grads not understanding the organisation’s culture, by allowing them to set it themselves.

Prototype design (i)The prototype will consist of interviews with three people at different stages of the graduate employment cycle, following a hypothetical announcement from the CEO, giving grads control of the company culture.1. New grad – What works, what doesn’t, questions and suggestions. Also how do they feel

about the announcement and what are they going to implement. 2. Recent grad – What works, what doesn’t, questions and suggestions, based on the idea and

the responses of the New grad. Also how would they have felt if they were a new grad?3. Senior employee – What works, what doesn’t, questions and suggestions, based on the

idea and the responses of the New grad.

Prototype design (ii)Hypothetical message from the CEO, ABC Pty Ltd“Effective immediately, all previous organisational culture initiatives will be cancelled. Our company’s culture will be determined by our next intake under our graduate recruitment program. These young men and women are the future of our company, and they bring a perspective beyond the vision of those of us with more experience.I fully support any initiatives they decide to implement.”

Prototype testing (i)

New graduate questions1.Having read the CEO’s announcement, how do you feel

about the prospect working at ABC Pty Ltd?2.What changes would you like to effect between now and

when the next intake of graduates arrives?3.How do you feel about the idea? What works, what doesn’t,

what questions do you have, what ideas do you have?

New graduate feedbackWhat works• Makes me feel supported and respected• A lot of pride that the co. has a strong belief and trust

in its grads• Makes the company look very dynamic• Appears to be beneficial to co.• Makes the grads feel empowered – they don’t feel

like they have to “fit in”

What could be improved• The grads’ suggestions might not work

Questions• Do we need some vetting of the ideas

from experienced staff?• How do you vett ideas without killing the

program?

Suggestions• Needs a vetting or signoff point

New graduate feedback

What changes would you like to make?• Don’t know enough about the company to make changes, but could suggest what

I’d like to see happen.• Friendly atmosphere towards grads – they can approach anyone, anytime to ask

for assistance and be treated with respect• More social engagement between employees – especially new ones• New people need to get proper work, for their development, not menial work.• Relaxed environment• Open communication• No micro-management. Trust people to meet their objectives however they want

to.• Keep employees happy so they’ll stay.

Prototype testing (ii)

Recent graduate questions1.Having read the CEO’s announcement, how would you have

felt about the prospect working at ABC Pty Ltd?2.What changes would you have made?3.How do you feel about the idea? What works, what doesn’t,

what questions do you have, what ideas do you have?

Recent graduate feedbackWhat works• Attracts attention in the graduate marketplace• “Everyone would want to work there”• New grads would have control over they want

to achieve• Treats new grads how they want to be treated

What could be improved• The grads wouldn’t know what to do without

talking to those who went before them• New grads would be reluctant to push their

views• Hard to know where to start

Questions• What controls are there over it?

Suggestions• Make it a group responsibility – working

with all the graduate intake together.

Recent graduate feedback

How would you have felt and what changes would you have liked to make?• Would have attracted attention to ABC Pty Ltd• More in control over what I wanted to achieve• Wouldn’t know where to start• Would have wanted to work with my cohort of grads to

achieve something

Prototype testing (iii)

Senior employee questions1.Having read the CEO’s announcement and the ideas from

some recent graduates, how do you feel about the idea? What works, what doesn’t, what questions do you have, what ideas do you have?

Senior employee feedbackWhat works• The suggestions given seem to show that

the grads are asking questions and are willing to find out problems to solve, rather than just impose their view on things.

What could be improved• I think this would make grads feel more

intimidated, not less.

Questions• Does this just apply to the culture

impacting grads, or the whole company’s culture.

Suggestions• Limit the range of the initiatives to just

those impacting the grads