The document discusses challenges with new hires transitioning from school to the working world. It notes many new hires are unprepared for workplace expectations regarding skills like communication, decision making, and understanding workplace policies/culture. It suggests schools and businesses operate independently without understanding each other's environments and expectations. The problem statement indicates a recruiter needs a way to fill positions with job-ready employees as hiring those who are unprepared negatively impacts productivity and profitability.

1. Creating an Empathy Map
and
Problem Statement
Week 2 Course Work for Design Thinking offered by Venture Labs

2. SayNew hires
often can’t
write or speak
proper English
Many young
people are
wholly
unprepared
for the work
world
May have been
“big fish” at
school but here
have to earn
credibility and it’s
hard
They want to come
in and do “big
things” but end up
is jobs that are
detailed and
repetitive – not
what they expected
They want to
work 8 hour
days and have
super flexibility
in when and
where they work
Many have
unreasonable
expectations –
such as high
pay and fast
promotions
There’s a
change in the
level of
freedom and
control

3. Do
We spend the
first week or
two sharing
employer
expectations
We have them
read policies,
procedures,
safety best
practices, ethics
guidelines
We set up
extensive “on-
boarding” programs
that teach
communications
and decision-
making skills
We have
created a
“buddy” system
for them for 1st
few weeks
We set them
up with a
business
mentor
We have raised
the hiring
standards –
Bachelor’s is a
must no matter
what the job
We do
behavioural
interviewing as a
way to ascertain
level of “job-
ready” skills

4. Think
Students
aren’t
picking the
right courses
New
employees
are just
entering the
“real” world
New employees
expect the work
world to be like
the school
environment
They think
they’ve
“earned”
their dues
Employees
have to adapt
to the
employer’s
ways
Many younger
employees are
self-centred –
it’s all about
“me”
They don’t
have a clue
how to
behave in the
work
environment
Work
environment
and school
environment
are and should
be different

5. Feel

6. Insight
s
The school-to-work transition is a major life change for which many
people seem to be less than ready.
1. The change happens very suddenly for many… one day you are a
student immersed in that culture and its expectations – the next you
are an employee and immersed in that culture and its expectations.
Graphically, it would look something like this:
2. In addition, schools and businesses seem to function in two
independent and very different environments. It seems that this
isolation impacts understanding of expectations on both sides of the
divide.
3. We expect schools to be “factories” for producing workers. Is that a
reasonable expectation?
Years
%ofTime
6 24 65
School Work

7. Problem Statement
Nina, a long term employee, but a new recruiter for a large
manufacturing business,
NEEDS A WAY TO
fill open positions with job-ready employees
BECAUSE
failure to do so negatively impacts productivity and
profitability.