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Learning at work featured image

Learning in the Workplace

The ability of the human being to learn new things have boundless limits and are a very outstanding ability that we all share. Most of the time when an individual graduates from college, the state of mind is that the journey of learning also stops there. Well, you’re mistaken, learning does not stop there and vanish into thin air like that.

Learning continues on for the rest of our lives, it just decays in time due to the lack of motivation to do so. When we were younger, our minds were more curious about the world that we live in. We try to explore; question and we keep an open mind on what the world has to offer. When the hands of time have taken its toll on us or we have reached a certain age learning becomes a hassle and it does not seem as easy as it was before. Because as adults, we tend to foster and preserve what we have learned so far in our lives. This sometimes creates a barrier that hinders the mind to accept new information and learn anew.

How is learning even relevant or of the essence in the workplace? you might wonder. Well, one thing to consider would be that learning creates an opportunity for the employee to grow and become a great asset to the company. The individual would be able to hone their skills and help them achieve new heights while taking their company with them. When the establishment is encompassed with people who have hungry minds they create a blank canvas that is open to new ideas.

Here are some suggestions for culminating learning in the workplace:

  • Pick the Right Organization

Sometimes learning through action or what you call Experiential Learning is a more effective way than observational learning or by simply reading books to acquire knowledge. If you want to culminate your learning make sure that you are in the specific field of your choice. An organization that specializes in that certain field will help you learn, understand and help empower your capabilities more than an organization who has a different specialization.

  • Set Aside Time for Leaning

I know that it can be a hassle and a little bit stressful to invest some of your time in learning, but as the old saying goes “learning never stops”. Investing some time to increase your knowledge and learn new things is a good idea. It is an opportunity to better yourself and widen your scope, it will take some of your time of course. You can’t suddenly learn something and be the best overnight.

  • Ignore Your Strengths

You already know what you’re good at, how about a change of pace and try improving or conquering abilities where you’re bad at. It may be convenient for you to always rely on what you’re good at, but to further flourish your skills and learn, try facing your weaknesses.

  • Learn from Others

Extend your reach, always know that there are people who are willing to help you learn new things. Collaborate and let your colleagues teach you what you want to learn, likewise teach them things where you excel at. A fair trade of knowledge creates a dynamic learning opportunity in the workplace.

Learning does not stop even in the workplace. As human beings, our minds starve for new information to comprehend and understand. It is something that we carry with us our whole lives in which we use to improve our well being and capabilities.

Performance Management featured image

Keeping the Right People: Performance Management

Performance Management is a process that provides feedback, accountability, and documentation for performance outcomes. It helps employees to channel their talents towards the organizational goals.

An effective performance and appraisals process focuses on aligning your workplace, building competencies, improving employee performance and development, and driving better business results. It ensures employees get the continual direction, feedback and development they need to improve and succeed.

“To be effective and yield results for your business, performance management must be a year-round process with no end.” –Teala Wilson

To establish an effective performance management system, it requires time and resources and the support of the board, the executive director and other senior managers. Effective performance management is about leadership, interpersonal relationships, constructive feedback, and teamwork.

Effective Performance management should lead to organization growth and success. Consider the following six strategies for effective performance management.

  1. Define and Communicate Company Goals and Performance Objectives

Sometimes employers are not as clear when outlining their or company objectives. Employees cannot meet your performance expectations or company goals if they are not clearly outlined.

  1. Utilize Performance Management Software

A good performance management software system can be effective for performance management strategies, making it imperative that you either begin using one or at least begin looking to upgrade. It helps both you and your employees stay on top of things so that the company will run smoothly and be efficient at all times.

  1. Offer Frequent Performance Feedback

Managers need to check in with the teams and employees periodically not only to gauge progress but also provide feedback. A good performance feedback shows opportunity areas with a clear path to improvement. Performance feedback is the best way to affirm your employee and their works effectively.

  1. Use Peer Reviews

To foster effective performance management is to utilize peer reviews. It allows co-workers to praise other co-workers and highlight positive aspects of their performance where improvements can be made.

  1. Pre-emptive Management and Recognition

Implement rewards and practice pre-emptive management to guarantee results in the workplace. It is effective to show employees that you care, that you see the efforts and pleased by their performance and you want them to keep up the good work.

  1. Set Regular Meetings to Discuss Outcomes and Results

Also known as Progress Reports or Progress Meeting. These meetings are usually held weekly, monthly or as often. This makes the progress feedback more accurate and allows you to make plans for moving forward.

Performance management is vital but easy to over-complicate. A strong performance management process helps senior leaders know who are top and low performers are. It helps to identify organizational core strengths and weakness.

10 Qualities that Defines a Good Leader

Everyone is a leader but only a selected few are a great leader. A leader is someone who establishes a clear vision and guides the team towards that vision by empowering and coaching them to greatness. Being a good leader is the most important part of having an engaged and productive team.

Great leaders find the balance between foresight, performance, and character. They have vision, courage, integrity, humility and focus along with the ability to plan strategically and catalyze cooperation among their team.

Here are some of the key qualities of a good leader should possess or learn from.

  1. Honesty:

    Wise leaders are not afraid of communicating the truth to their people. Honesty leads to a better productive relationship. Your company and its employees are a reflection of yourself.

“Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure.” – James Altucher

  1. Delegate:

    Always remember that you can’t do everything on your own. It is important for a leader to focus on key responsibilities while leaving the rest to others. By that, it empowers your followers and delegating task to them.

“The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try and do everything yourself because you can’t.” – Anthea Turner

  1. Communication:

    A good communicator can be a good leader. Communication should be consistent when it comes to establishing work expectations or giving constructive feedback. It involves more than just listening attentively to others and responding appropriately.

“In many ways, effective communication begins with mutual respect, communication that inspires, encourages others to do their best.” – Zig Ziglar

  1. Confidence:

    Another quality that defines a good leader is having confidence. As a leader, it is your responsibility to maintain the team morale and keep moving forward.

“Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale

  1. Motivate:

    The best leaders inspire their followers by setting a good example.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn

  1. Empathy:

    Good leaders guide employees through challenges and are always on the lookout for a solution. Leaders understand the problems of their followers and feel their pain even it is not enough until leaders provide a suitable solution to their problem.

“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid

  1. Accountability:

    Good leaders take responsibility for everyone’s performances as well as their own.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

  1. Positive Attitude:

    Keep the energy levels up to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the company. Keep the mood a fine balance between productivity and playfulness.

“A positive attitude is something everyone can work on, and everyone can learn how to employ it.” – Joan Lunden

  1. Vision:

    A leader with vision have a clear, exciting idea of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish.

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” – Jonathan Swift

  1. Responsible:

    The last quality that defines a good leader is being responsible. A good leader does not make excuses; they take the blame and work out how to fix the problem.

“Leadership – leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” – Mitt Romney

These qualities are the foundation of a good leadership. The best leaders drive their team forward with passion, enthusiasm, inspiration, and motivation. They nurture the strengths and talents of their people and build teams committed to achieving common goals.

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Human Resource Management in Organization

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the term to describe the management of people within an organization. HR Managers are responsible for three major areas: Staffing, Employee Compensation, and Benefits and Defining/Designing work. The purpose of HRM is to maximize the productivity of an organization by optimizing the effectiveness of its employees. HRM plays a strategic role in managing people and the workplace, culture, and environment. It deals with issues related to compensation, organization development, safety, benefits, and others.

Once the organization has been formed and have planned the goals and objectives, the next step is to manage the employees and to link it with the organization goals and strategies and for doing this Human Resource plays a crucial role. Nowadays, successful companies need to be adaptive and be customer-centered. HRM focuses on the strategic utilization of employee programs, the effectiveness of HRM is crucial to a business’s success. HRM concerns with the development of both individuals and the organization in which they operate. The primary responsibilities associated with human resource management include:

Job Analysis:

It is the nature and responsibility of various employment positions. It is the cornerstone of HRM practice because it provides valid information about jobs that are being used to hire.

Performance Appraisal:

The practice of assessing an employee’s job performance. Performance measurements are important for the organization and the individual.

Reward Systems:

Managed by HR areas, it is the mechanism by which organizations provide their workers with rewards. The mechanism by which the organization address problem, through the institution of disciplinary measures.

Employee Development and Training:

Another vital responsibility of HR personnel. HR handles researching an organization’s training programs designed to address those needs. Responsibilities associated with training, includes the determination, design, and analysis of educational programs.

Meaningful Contributions to Business Process:

The purview of active human resource management practices. HR managers have always contributed to a business process in certain respects.

The Human Resource’s role is to determine the best way to align the employees in the organization so they can assist the organization to achieve its goal. Changes in organizational structure have also influences in human resource management. Several business trends have had a significant impact on the broad field of HRM. These new technologies have altered the business landscape. Many companies have scrapped or adjusted their traditional, hierarchical organizational structures.

The importance of Human Resource lies in maintaining the process of an organization to make them work smoothly by taking care of all the problems and issues of the employees and providing the solutions. The role of human resource management in organizations is to organize people so they can perform work activities. The HR management team suggests to the management team to manage people as business resources. In this way, HR professionals are consultants, not workers in an isolated business function. Human resource management is all about increasing employee performance. Thus, the importance of Human Resource professionals in an organization can never be underestimated.

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The Importance of HR Policies and Procedures

The HR Department of any company is the people who have been hired as employees of a company to select, recruit assess new candidates, as well as create the procedures and HR policies of companies. It is said that the HR Department and its policies and procedures are the real backbone and foundation of a company.

To run any organization successfully, it is important for the organization to define clear HR policies and procedures which are in line with the country’s labor war.

But what’s the difference between policy and procedure? We talk about policies and procedure all the time, but what is policy and how does it differ from a procedure?

A policy is a guiding principle used to set direction in an organization. It should be used as a guide to decision making under a given set of circumstances within the framework of objectives, goals and management philosophies as determined by senior management.

There are two types of Policies. The first is Rules frequently used as employee policies. The second is Mini-Mission Statements frequently associated with procedures. A policy in a procedure acts as a mini-mission statement containing the customer of the policy, it’s purpose, and a key performance indicator (KPI) to communicate how users know the procedure is working.

A procedure is a particular way of accomplishing something. It should be designed as a set of series of step to be followed as a consistent and repetitive approach or cycle to accomplish an end result.

To put in very simple terms, here are some specific guidelines on differentiating between Policies and Procedures:

Policies:

  • Are general in nature
  • Identifying company rules
  • Explain why they exist
  • Tells when the rule applies
  • Describes who it covers
  • Shows how the rules are enforced
  • Describes the consequences
  • Are normally described using simple sentences and paragraphs

Procedures:

  • Identify specific actions
  • Explain when to take actions
  • Describes alternatives
  • Shows emergency procedures
  • Include warning and cautions
  • Gives example
  • Shows how to complete forms
  • Are normally written using an outline format

HR policies and procedures are an essential part of an organization and provide formal statements of ‘the rules’ that defined how an organization operates on a day-to-day basis with respect to its people.

These HR Policies and Procedures helps an organization to:

  • Manage all employees who are on the payroll in a fair and consistent manner
  • Set and manage employee expectations
  • Communicate an organization’s goals and values
  • Ensure all policies are aligned to legal requirements and best practices
  • Create a common and healthy working environment
  • Provide know how o how to apply policies across all levels of an organization
  • Give a clear picture of career growth in the organization

HR Policies and Procedures are important as they provide structure, control, consistency, fairness, and reasonableness. They also ensure compliance with employment legislation and inform employees of their responsibilities and the company’s expectations. Policies and procedures are written by the human resources department for various reasons.

Here are the following purpose of HR Policies and Procedures.

  1. Organizational Structure:

    HR policies and procedures can differ from organization to organization. The HR policies provide guidelines on employer-employee interaction, behavior, appropriate work behaviors, work schedules, employment laws, conflict resolution, disciplinary measures and health, and safety measures.

  2. Legal Issues:

    HRM policies and procedures of an organization are made to comply with the laws and regulations of a country. These policies and procedures are made to prevent lawsuits as far as possible, in case of problems faces as the workplace. Employees are required to be informed about these policies and procedure and legal implication to ensure smooth operations in an organization.

  3. Supervision Guide:

    Policies and procedures provide the right tools, guides, and resources on how to manage employee and employment matters in an organization. It allows supervisors and managers to train, guide and manage new or existing employees.

  4. Consistency:

    Consistent application of HR policies and procedures helps prevent dissatisfactions amongst employees, as sudden changes in schedules, benefits or roles and responsibilities can create a healthy working environment.

The following points show why policies and procedures are important for the human resource management process.

  • HR policies and procedures ensure every employee of the organization is looked after their needs respected and proper benefits are given to them for their work.
  • They help address complaints, problem, and grievances of employees and solve them appropriately.
  • They protect employees from wrong behavior from other employees or even from the organization itself.
  • Helps train and develop employees who are consistent with the needs of the organization.
  • Helps employees receive adequate compensation.
  • Helps maintain discipline in the workplace, and
  • Provide paid vacations and holidays to eligible employees.

In order to build a good company, it is essential for employees to be able to work together peacefully. This is attainable by having a proper set of policies and procedures in a company.

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What is Job Shadowing?

Have you heard what Job Shadowing is? Job shadowing is the given name to the opportunity to observe or “shadow” someone doing their job. Job-shadowing is also close to informational interviewing, in which career-explores or job-seekers conduct short interviews with people in their prospective professions. It is used to provide an individual within a department the opportunity to work alongside more experienced colleagues so they can learn and develop within their role.

Job Shadowing provides the individual with a unique opportunity to find out how other staff work and what their roles involve. It develops a deeper knowledge and understanding of other roles and functions. But who is involved in Job Shadowing?

The Line Manager will agree to who would be the best host for the job shadowing and arrange the experience for them. If the shadowing is for their individual will expect to do some of the arrangement themselves as they will be the main beneficiary of this kind of shadowing activity.

The Host is the person who agrees to be shadowed. It involves some preparation and thought and is not about having someone follow you around for an agreed time span. The host needs to consider if the time requested is the best time for the shadowing to take place.

The Visitor/Guest needs to consider why they are doing the shadowing and what they hope to achieve. They also need to do some preparation which will involve working with the line manager or the host before the shadowing to set objectives for the sessions.

Here are the following three different types of job shadowing.

Observation – “fly on the wall”

This type of shadowing works best when a visitor guest is looking to gain a greater understanding of what the hosts’ job role actually consists. It is a typical representation of what the “host” individual does on a daily basis.

Regular Briefings – “Burst Interactions”

This works best when individuals work near to the host and the host can then tell them about the date and times of specific activities which are valuable for understanding the role of the host. It provides a short period of focused activity, rather than passive ongoing observation.

Hands-On – “Job sharing”

It is where the visitor/guest starts to undertake some of the tasks they have observed. It provides hands-on experience of the role whilst having the safety net of being supervised by the host.

Job shadowing can be useful in some ways. It helps to decide if the skills match the career field of interest. Since job shadowing is a short-term experience, it is a great way to decide whether to pursue a particular career before applying. It is an opportunity to observe an employee performing their daily work routine in their environment. It allows to explore specific careers and get a realistic picture of the tasks performed for the job.

Here are the following benefits of job shadowing.

  • Hands-on Experience:

    it is not only to observe how the task is completed but also experience hands-on task. It is beneficial to inspire or deter from pursuing a career path further.

  • Scholarship possibilities:

    They offer scholarship and persons who want scholarship/positions must go through an interview process and if selected it will go through an interview process as well.

  • Networking:

    In job shadowing, it is a great way to meet people in the profession that you are seeking.

Job Shadowing can be beneficial as long as you know what you are looking to get from it. It can be used as a testing method to identify possible careers.

communication in the workplace

4 Ways to Promote Communication in the Workplace

Good communication is an essential factor that enables the flow of a conversation to start. It conveys thoughts into words and creates an opportunity to exchange different ideas. Opinions and different perspectives emerge and better understanding comes into play.

In the long run, genuine communication increases productivity in the workplace. It creates a good foundation of trust and diminishes misunderstandings between individuals. Meanwhile, when there is a lack of good communication, there can be some catastrophic differences or conflict. The plummeting flow of productivity and misunderstandings that can ignite storms can erupt.

There is no need to fret though, here are 4 ways to promote good communication in the workplace:

1.) Listen to your Team Members

Communication is a two-way process, you can’t always be the one talking. Most of the time real leaders listen to what their team members have to say. They try to ask for feedback and create solutions together. There is a gigantic difference when handling things on your own. Talking without giving an inch for response will manifest misunderstandings. Also, Interrupting the person can also become a way to disrupt the idea intended. So, have a rule where there is a time for listening and a time for talking.

Listening will help you clarify if all the things you mentioned is clear and comprehended in the manner you wanted it to be. It will assure you that they have understood it well and create an opportunity to collaborate in making the idea better.

2.) Create a Communication-friendly Place

– Create a work environment where speaking their thoughts and ideas are welcomed. A place that encourages open communication will further help the employee say what’s on their mind and speak up. Employees should never be afraid of speaking to you. Be a friendly person, say good morning and start up conversations.

Have you ever heard of the Social Learning theory by Albert Bandura? To cut things short it is basically learning through observation and their environment. It’s what individuals call mimicking behavior. Be a good example and influence your employees in a good way. When a friendly place is established then communication between each other is strengthened.

It is also a good idea to incorporate some team-building activities for the company. The activities will create bonds with employees that will make each individual closer to each other. The bonds formed in the process will improve their communication skills.

3.) Create a Platform for Anonymous Feedback

Some employees might have some trouble engaging with discussions and speaking out his mind in public. They have this mindset that their ideas might be wrong and have low self-esteem to even say a word, even though their ideas as the potential and the possibility to make the project better. They have this negativity inside them that hinders them from communicating effectively with their co-employees and their bosses.

Creating something like a box where employees can insert anonymously their comments would help these kinds of people. It will help them communicate with you in a different way. They are still communicating with you indirectly, but still get to tell their ideas. You might even get surprised by what suggestions and honest opinions they can offer.

4.) Have Monthly One on One Meetings

Create a habit of speaking with your employees individually. It will help you understand and get a better insight on how to talk and handle each person in your asset. It will build up a strong relationship and trust between the employer and the employee. They will slowly bring down their walls down and enable them to communicate with ease and share what their ideas are. A successful HR has the ability to shatter their walls and help them communicate.

Good communication is the bridge between confusion and reality. Promoting good communication in the workplace can help establish a closer relationship with your employees and mitigate some unnecessary confusions and misunderstandings in projects. It will empower your employees to grow and increase their productivity in the office.

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The New Wave of Technology in Human Resource

Entrepreneurs have acknowledged the power of Information Technology (IT) tools for reaching business targets. They aim to achieve competitiveness in the field of HR by providing constant education and training program. Technology has changed the way recruiters contact their employees, store files and analyze employee performance. With technology present, HR practices are more efficient. Good HR practices maximize the benefits and cut the problems.

Here are the following major impacts of Information and Communication Technology in Human Resource Management.

  1. Better Services to Line Manager:

    HR and line managers are the success of the business. The main function of HR is to support the workforce needs of the organization.

  2. Enhancing Management:

    HR IT tools can lead to the success of the organization and can enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

  3. Effective Recruiting:

    Without the use of IT, recruiting is impossible to function. Organizations now use job portals on the internet to search for the best candidates for the positions.

  4. Data Management and Critical Analysis:

    Data management becomes easier when IT and it becomes paper-free.

  5. Inventory Management Tools and Human Resource Management:

    Organizations uses HR IT tools to provide a universal set of products and diversify the business by providing improved products and services.

  6. Cost-Reduction and Efficiency:

    organizational performance can increase by implementing management by objectives and using a participated style of management through HR IT tools.

  7. Customer Service and Human Resource Management:

    As an organizational change, critical success factors and key performance are reconsidered. Relevant HR IT tools formulated for the better quality of work.

  8. Career Development and Human Capital Management:

    performance evaluation and career progression can be a key motivating factor for employees to work effectively and efficiently.

Human Resource IT tools have great organizational effects. An information system can support the HR strategy in the company to meet defined key performance indicators. HR Managers around the world have started adopting technology to make their work easier and to help make a better conclusion.

Technology development is an important activity for the innovation process within the business and may get knowledge. Information Technology may have a greater impact on organizations that exist in a dynamic environment. HR technology often refers to as HR Tech has developed rapidly with large employers around the world widely adopting core HR technology systems.

Let’s take a look at the different ways technology is changing the face of HR Management.

  1. Recruitment:

    Hiring and identifying talent is one of the most important and regular tasks in the field of HR.

  2. Day-to-day task and Employee Management:

    HR managers spend time on day-to-day workforce management. A lot of manual hours used to be spent in maintaining the information about the employee.

  3. Better Management:

    Technology helps make better HR decisions. As the demand for top talent increases, business will continue to look for better Employee management software solutions.

As technological penetration happens in the field of HR, one can expect companies to open a door for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics. No matter what era we live in, there will always be a need for easy-to-understand, accessible and well-built tech solutions which solve major pain areas of HR managers

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Good Personality VS Skills and Experience: Which Should the Manager Hire?

Hiring managers can receive various applications from different candidates for a single position. The hiring managers would tell you that the applicant’s experience is the most important criterion. Particularly in the decision-making process where the application forms are filtered out on which are the best possible candidates for the job.

Staffs make it easier to cut off certain candidates based on their lack of experience. The candidate with the most relevant working experience will be called for an interview to further learn more about their capabilities and the potential. While on the other hand, those with the least amount of experience won’t be able to move on to the next round.

Personality: It Matters More than You Think

While there are a lot of things to be said for the technical competence of the candidate, Personality does play a vital role of success in the industry. Some successful establishments look beyond the skill set of the candidate, they are looking for a multi-dimensional experience with their workers.  A person with the right personality excels more than the person who just has the skills for the job. Better relationships and teamwork in the office co-excels only if the personality of that certain candidate fits right in.

Skills Can Be Learned

Skills and knowledge for the certain field the candidate is applying for are always considered more relevant than the personality that person possesses. Yet, the fact of the matter is “skills can be learned, but people can’t change their personalities”. Skills are just skills, if the person is eager to learn, he will be able to master and hone what he aims to do. On the other hand, personality is something that is integrated with who the candidate really is, you can’t suddenly just change who they are.

Why Hiring Managers May Consider Personality Over Skills?

  • Willingness to Learn.

    A thirst for knowledge is something that will show the manager that the candidate has the ability to adapt to certain conditions. It shows that the person can go outside their safe zones and has the potential to expand his horizons.

  • Enthusiasm.

    A person who is enthusiastic and optimistic with what he does can be a valuable player for the company. They are able to create solutions with some twists. The happy go lucky personality they possess will influence the atmosphere and increase the positivity in the workplace.

  • Self-Direction.

    Candidates that know what they want to do and has a clear figure in mind on what they want to happen are early signs of leadership.

  • Ambition.

    A desire to succeed in the industry you are applying for can be very appealing to hiring managers. It will show that you love what you do, and you have every reason to be hired.

Every individual has different personality traits that make up the type of person that they are. They can help employers determine if the candidate will be a good addition to their team and if they are well suited for the job. Employers need to keep an open mind when hiring candidates that sometimes personality does play an important factor, we should not always judge our candidates based on their skills. Employees have the ability to grow and become key assets of the company, why not give them a chance if they have the right personality?

 

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6 Ways to Help Your Employees Grow

There are several candidates in the workplace who has the potential to become future leaders.

You have hired the right people for your company and now as the manager, you have the power and the ability to foster their skills. If you learn to hone these said skills, I can assure you there will be prosperity and growth for the individual, as well as your company.

Different types of managers have diverse ways of augmenting growth in their employees. Here are 6 ways or ideas to help your employees grow:

  1. Give them more responsibility

    – You will have to give more valuable tasks to your employees. Learn to challenge their capabilities and gradually increase their workload. Don’t get the wrong idea of overworking them, there is a big difference. Overworking is actually one of the reasons that make good employees quit. When probable challenges arise, room for growth expands. Take note though that the individual would not grow if you will always let them stay in their comfort zones.

  1. Get them the right mentor

    – Encompass your candidate employees with the right people. Surrounding your employees with the right mentor can play an important factor in their development. As a manager, they will learn a lot of things from you in certain areas. But if you want growth and advancement, it is a good idea to surround the candidate with a mentor that has more expertise in the field needed.

  1. Be a Sounding Board for Them

    – A sounding board means a person who would react and suggest ideas, they test the validity and the potential of a plan. Candidate employees tend to have a lot of ideas in mind. To expand room for growth try listening to what the person has to say and suggest ways that will turn their idea into reality. Collaborations, suggestions and constructive criticisms will help the person expand his mindset.

  1. Bring them into High-Level Discussions

    – Invite your candidate employees to your meetings. The exposure will help the person grow as a whole and show that you have trust in their skills. They would work harder in developing themselves and would not want to let your trust down. Letting your employees engage in high-level discussions would also help you see more perspectives on the problem at hand. Different viewpoints and solutions emerge with the right people on board.

  1. Invest in their Education

    -Investing some money in the education or training of an employee will help the person reach new heights with their skills. Giving them the right budget to buy some books or attend conferences will help them sharpen their capabilities. The investment is quite low compared to the gigantic contribution that will follow.

  1. Expect them to Move On

    Retaining good employees is a good thing, but there might a come a time when the candidate employee seeks for different challenges beyond the organization. Be supportive of their calling and be happy with their choices. When they become successful business leaders soon, they will always remember all the things you have done for them. they might even collaborate and open up a new opportunity for the success of your business.

There are a variety of ways a manager can influence an employee to grow. Candidates who manage to develop and hone their skills with the right support becomes a key asset for the company. If you can augment the growth of employees, the prosperity of the company will also unfold.

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How to Solve Conflicts at Work

Before we can handle clash and fights between employees, we need to know what conflict is.

Most books and articles almost say the same exact thing, “Conflict is not that bad”. Shifting our sights into the viewpoint of an optimistic person, we will see that conflict is a good thing. Not because of the tension that it builds but how it makes an opportunity for growth and development.

Of course, there is a certain degree of conflict that is healthy in the workplace and when to say it’s already toxic. Let’s not put it to the point that the managers will wonder “Why did our good employees quit?”.

Psychologists would say that conflict is a normal thing. Blaming the so-called Human Nature. With different backgrounds and personalities, conflict is inevitable. The workplace is where you get to meet different kinds and types of people. The workplace becomes the breeding ground for conflict and disagreements.

There are things that can cause conflict in the office and it does have its consequences. Loss of productivity, poor employee health, and the high risk of litigation are the primary effects of an unresolved conflict. Any company would do their best to resolve it as soon as possible to get their company back on track.

There are diverse ways of solving conflicts in the office as an HR:

  1. Set the ground rules by asking both parties to respect and be reasonable to each other.

    Let them try to understand each individual’s viewpoints.

  2. Ask both sides to describe the problem at hand and ask them how can the conflict be disengaged.

    The HR should notice that when this step is happening that employees may use the “you” and “I” statements. They should focus on the behavior problem, not the person itself.

  3. Let each other repeat or restate what the other had said.

    This step will ensure the person will get each other’s point. In a similar way make them feel what it’s like to be in each other’s shoes.

  4. Summarize what is the problem and try to get an agreement from them.

    Now that you have both sides of the story create a summary accommodating the needs of both parties.

  5. Create solutions that will address the problem.

    Analyze each option and make sure there is an understanding between both parties.

  6. Let the parties shake hands, say sorry and let them say thank you before ending the meeting.

    It might be a little cliché for adults to do this kind of thing, but it is important for them to end the meeting by reconnecting themselves.

It is normal to have arguments and misunderstandings in the workplace. We should act as professionals and learn to adapt to different people. We should not make mountains out of molehills. Conflict can change the productivity in the office, so we should learn to avoid or at least mitigate them. Always try to build a good relationship with your executive researchers, fellow employees, managers, and your bosses.

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Do You Have What It Takes to Be an HR?

The main reason why most people want to be in the HR department is that they would want to help people out.  Helping people out is great but you need to have a clear grasp of what is the real role of HR.

An HR has basically 6 main roles in the office; they are mostly in charge of professional development, maintaining work cultures, hiring resources, training candidates, resolving conflicts and the management of employees.

Being nice does help, but sometimes you will need to be straightforward and decisive. You will need to provide feedback for rejected candidates, you will need to tell people they are fired or maybe you will need to give someone a bad behavior warning. Working in HR is not a ‘walk in the park’.

In the same time, it has its advantages. An HR can change a person’s life and influence so many people around him. As an HR you’ll get to guide people and see the solutions you’ve created unfold and solve problems.

You will also have to do countless things like making sure that the manager has hired the right person as well as make sure that the company’s good employees do not quit.

So Here Are Things to Consider If You Plan to Be in the HR Department.

  • You Always Have to Be Fair

– Let’s be realistic for a minute, An HR’s job is not to make everyone happy but to keep things fair. They ensure that employees have a suitable workplace environment. They try to handle problems and solve conflicts with their sense of justice. You are always supposed to look at things from two perspectives and keep peace in the company.

  • You Need to Build Barriers

– One bad thing to consider is that an HR should build barriers or in short restrict work friendships. The idea is to build a credible reputation in the workplace. Employees should not get the idea that you are being biased in your judgments. Having a good friend in the office may affect proper judgment in a case. So, to be fair you need to reconsider building walls around you.

  • You Can’t Be Naïve

– There’s a reason why when looking for an HR, the most potential candidate for the job is a Psychology Graduate. The point is that an HR should understand people rather than judging through looks. HR’s need to look far and beyond those things. They need to learn when a person is lying and perceive how this person thinks.

If you are planning on becoming a successful HR someday you need to understand that it’s not as easy as it seems. Being an HR is like being the judge, you need to uphold peace and judgment in your respective companies. Having the right skills might mean the augmentation and further growth of the company you are working for.