Source | qz.com | Karen Ho
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have had a unique workplace situation with the British royal family, but their interview with Oprah Winfrey still provides important lessons for human resources professionals who don’t work at Buckingham Palace.
During the two-hour televised discussion—which aired in the US on March 7 and in the UK on March 8—the couple spoke about several issues that are especially important at companies and organizations focused on increasing diversity and inclusion.
There is no HR department at “The Firm,” as Markle referred to the British royal family. And yet HR issues seem to abound. Here’s a breakdown of the HR topics that Markle and her husband highlighted in their conversation with Winfrey, as well as some lessons:
1. Markle’s lack of onboarding
Royal life would introduce new customs to anyone from the outside, but Markle said she did not research Harry and his family before meeting them, resulting in an especially steep learning curve. Her lack of prior knowledge about royal traditions meant, for example, learning last-minute from Harry she needed to curtsy deeply before the Queen, even in private interactions. “And that was really the first moment that the penny dropped that this wasn’t easy for me,” she said. Markle told Winfrey she practiced the move several times before meeting the Queen.
