The management of any company, big or small, depends on the human resources department and expects HR professionals to blast through any administrative roadblock they may hit. Most of the smarter HR professionals come up with overnight solutions to such bottlenecks only through some out-of-the-box thinking. The HR professionals chart their routes out of such problems through creative solutions, which they then apply with studious care to achieve their goals.
As problem solvers, HR professionals must act like investigators. They dig deep to the root of the matter, ask probing questions, gather information, analyze, draw conclusions, and take remedial actions.
HR professionals who are trained in problem solving enjoy the challenges posed by problems. This does not imply that HR jobs or HR careers are always easy or fun. On the contrary, the HR professional’s problem-solving responsibilities can be very demanding and stressful. But, the HR professional who opts to obtain the necessary problem-solving skills by drawing on his or her own interests and talents can find an HR career’s challenges both satisfying and rewarding.
Effective HR Problem Solvers
HR professionals are hired to supervise a particular aspect of an organization, and problem solving is an important part of this responsibility. Often the most creative HR professionals make the most effective problem solvers. These HR professionals have mastered the art of recognizing problems and tackling them, logically and creatively, before they get blown out of proportion. Of course, problem solving itself can create further problems, depending on the methods used, and so the HR professional must tread carefully. While seeking a solution to an impasse, the HR professional must also ensure that the company’s business resources are not affected, and that the company’s human resources pool remains intact.
Creating Workable Solutions
The duty of all HR professionals is to determine how to accomplish the job at hand within the given timeframe and budget. To do so, they employ the services of a team, and as with any team, friction can sometimes develop between individual team members. While supervising the work, HR professionals must also try to avoid further problems, ideally by preventing them from occurring in the first place. Unfortunately, no matter how carefully HR professionals strategize, problems will sometimes crop up.
When something does go wrong, however, the other employees do not usually turn to the HR people to set it right. Thus, to be effective problem solvers, HR professionals should not only think outside the box, but should also jump out of it themselves. HR professionals should advertise themselves better within their own organizations to promote better understanding amongst non-HR coworkers of the HR department’s demands and capacities. This will thaw the ice between the HR department and the rest of the workers, who will then more readily approach HR for their problems. This will also mean a win-win solution for the company as a whole.
HR’s Role in Problem Solving
Here the HR professional’s responsibility is immense. Human resources professionals must aid their team members in developing their own problem-solving abilities. Hence, HR professionals have to introduce a structure to problem-solving procedures within the organization. For this, the HR professionals have to conduct brainstorming sessions within the team, create and foster good relationships with all members, and ensure that solutions are properly implemented.
Finding solutions to situational bottlenecks and other work-related impediments can require HR professionals to put in long hours. This can sometimes cost HR professionals their evenings and weekends. However, if the HR professional knows how to balance the strenuous demands of the job with the needs of his or her personal life, being the company’s go-to problem solver can be very satisfying indeed.
