Harnessing Design Thinking Workshops for Co-Creating Corporate Values in GCCs

In the fast-paced corporate world of today, particularly in Global Capability Centers (GCCs), creating a shared set of values among teams has never been more critical. Design thinking workshops provide an incredibly effective means of doing this by concentrating on genuine needs and experiences. The real magic happens when co-creation is added to the mix.

By bringing people together from various roles and viewpoints, design thinking workshops assist in developing ideas together. This sparks innovation and ensures that the values created are aligned with the users.

The Role of Design Thinking in Organisational Change 

Design thinking is becoming an important tool for organisations looking to manage change and solve problems in a practical, people-focused way. When applied to organisational change, it empowers teams to reimagine processes, challenge legacy systems, and co-create solutions that are both innovative and sustainable.

How Design Thinking Workshops Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration 

In many companies, different departments often operate with distinct goals, languages, and workflows, making true collaboration a persistent challenge. Design thinking workshops support cross-functional collaboration by: 

• Encouraging Communication: Workshops create a space for team members to openly share ideas, fostering better communication and alignment. 

• Building a Shared Understanding: Teams gain a common understanding of user needs and project goals, ensuring everyone works toward the same objectives. 

• Promoting Creative Problem-Solving: Cross-functional teams brainstorm and ideate together, bringing diverse perspectives to develop innovative solutions.

Collaborative Sessions for Defining New Corporate Values 

Collaborative sessions are a useful approach for involving employees in shaping and defining new corporate values that reflect the organisation’s goals and culture. Engaging employees through structured, inclusive sessions ensures that the values a company promotes are not only aspirational but also authentic and actionable.  

Engaging Employees Across Locations in Co-Creation Processes 

In today’s increasingly distributed workplace, the challenge isn’t just connecting employees across geographies but meaningfully engaging them. Co-creation offers a powerful way to bridge the distance, turning passive participants into active contributors no matter where they’re based.

These tips will help you engage your team effectively: 

• Clarify Roles and Expectations: Be clear about the role each team member will play and what’s expected from them throughout the programme. 

• Provide Support and Resources: Offer the necessary materials and resources but allow flexibility in how team members use them and engage with others. 

• Create a Collaborative Platform: Provide a space for team members to connect and collaborate, even if it’s only virtual. 

• Maintain Regular Communication: Keep in touch with team members regularly, even if it’s just an informal check-in over the phone.

Benefits of Cross-Functional Team Collaboration in Value Embedment

Cross-functional collaboration often strengthens value embedment, enhances cultural alignment, and turns stated values into a tangible part of how business gets done. Take a look at some key benefits of cross-functional team collaboration: 

• Enhanced Problem-Solving: Cross-functional collaboration brings together individuals with different skills and expertise, leading to more creative solutions. 

• Improved Communication and Transparency: Collaborating across functions encourages open communication. It ensures that all team members are aligned on goals and strategies. 

• Alignment with Organisational Values: Cross-functional collaboration helps ensure that all teams understand the company’s core values and embed them into daily activities.  

• Stronger Employee Engagement: When employees work together across departments, they develop a greater sense of ownership and connection to the company’s mission.

Training in Design Thinking for GCC Employees

As GCCs evolve from cost-efficient support hubs into strategic innovation partners, there’s a growing need to build capabilities that go beyond technical expertise. Training in design thinking helps GCC employees develop problem-solving skills and encourages a more innovative and user-focused approach to their work.

Empowering Employees with Design Thinking Skills for Innovation

Design thinking equips employees with the tools to drive innovation and approach complex problems with creativity. Here’s how: 

• Promotes creative problem-solving within teams 

• Cultivates a culture of innovation and ongoing improvement 

• Develops a user-focused approach to decision-making 

• Strengthens collaboration and idea exchange across teams 

• Leads to practical and effective solutions for business challenges

Integrating Design Thinking into GCC Operations for Sustainable Change 

This human-centred approach can help drive sustainable change by aligning internal processes with customer needs and long-term goals. Here is how it can be helpful: 

• Aligns operations with user needs for better outcomes 

• Promotes a culture of experimentation and learning 

• Improves collaboration between departments 

• Helps solve operational challenges more efficiently 

• Supports continuous adaptation to changing market demands

Future of Corporate Value Creation in GCCs

The future of corporate value creation in GCCs depends on innovation, employee engagement, and aligning business strategies with evolving global trends, and here’s where design thinking also plays a part.

Leveraging Design Thinking for Continuous Innovation and Adaptation

By embedding design thinking into everyday workflows and decision-making, companies can build a culture that not only embraces change but thrives on it. It can be useful in the following ways: 

• Encourages adaptability in response to changing market needs 

• Promotes a proactive approach to identifying and addressing challenges 

• Drives ongoing innovation through iterative problem-solving 

• Supports continuous learning and improvement within teams 

• Strengthens cross-functional collaboration to generate fresh ideas 

Best Practices for Sustaining Co-Created Values Over Time

Co-creating corporate values with employees is a powerful way to foster authenticity and alignment. However, sustaining those values over time requires intentional effort, consistent reinforcement, and integration into everyday actions.

Here are some simple tips for sustaining co-created values: 

• Regularly update values to match changing company goals 

• Encourage open communication to keep everyone on board 

• Embed values into everyday tasks and decisions 

• Offer continuous training to strengthen core values 

• Monitor progress and adjust strategies to stay aligned

The integration of design thinking and co-creation in the cultivation of corporate values promotes innovation and aligns with the aspirations of employees. For organisations seeking to create or reinforce their GCCs, ANSR provides excellent solutions.

With more than 20 years of expertise, ANSR has been successful in opening over 150 global centres offering end-to-end services including talent acquisition, workspace management, HR, and business operations. This enables organisations to develop, manage, and expand global teams with ease.