Hello, I am working as an HR specialist in a US-based company. I deal with HR helpdesk queries. My challenge is I have been asked by my Management to think out of box ideas and create a measurable impact on processes. I am not understanding right now what should I think? I manage basic employee queries related to leaves, maternity, and all. Can someone suggest how to can present some idea?
Dear Sandhya,
The kind of job that you handle belongs to the service function of HR. In simple words, it is called as clerical activities. It is difficult to measure the output in clerical cadre.
Not necessarily all the activities in HR are measurable. How anyone can measure advance HR activities like talent management or employee engagement? Has anyone measured the revenue impact of these HR interventions? Employee training, in contrast, is measurable. However, how many companies accurately measure the ROI on training?
It is the job of the management to measure the outcome of every process. It appears that when they are unable to do it, they have delegated this job to you. To camouflage delegation, they have used the phrase like "out of box thinking".
Anyway, to survive in the company, fulfilment of the expectations of the boss is always important. Therefore, find out on your own what could be the measure part. Otherwise, provide the list and frequency of the activities that you do and we will see can any measures be introduced.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
The kind of job that you handle belongs to the service function of HR. In simple words, it is called as clerical activities. It is difficult to measure the output in clerical cadre.
Not necessarily all the activities in HR are measurable. How anyone can measure advance HR activities like talent management or employee engagement? Has anyone measured the revenue impact of these HR interventions? Employee training, in contrast, is measurable. However, how many companies accurately measure the ROI on training?
It is the job of the management to measure the outcome of every process. It appears that when they are unable to do it, they have delegated this job to you. To camouflage delegation, they have used the phrase like "out of box thinking".
Anyway, to survive in the company, fulfilment of the expectations of the boss is always important. Therefore, find out on your own what could be the measure part. Otherwise, provide the list and frequency of the activities that you do and we will see can any measures be introduced.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
From India, Bangalore
Hi Sandhya
The role in which you are is challenging as work done is not measurable but full of opportunities to make it to next level.
Since being associated with Blithes I kept on dealing with such queries often.
Below are few suggestions for you which will give your work visibility:
- Schedule a quick followup catch up with the employee who's issues you have resolved, this will boast up the bond of trust between you and employee
This way your actions will be counted.
-Create a process which involves steps rather just welcoming walkins queries.
-Share a monthly/weakly report with the management which reflects the satisfaction verses dissatisfaction ratio of the employees (try not to keep it confined to the queries raises by the employees).
Best
Arusha Sharma
Blithes
HOME - blithes
Follow us at
https://www.instagram.com/blithescounsellingservices/
https://www.facebook.com/Blithescounsellingservices
https://twitter.com/Blithes13
From India, Noida
The role in which you are is challenging as work done is not measurable but full of opportunities to make it to next level.
Since being associated with Blithes I kept on dealing with such queries often.
Below are few suggestions for you which will give your work visibility:
- Schedule a quick followup catch up with the employee who's issues you have resolved, this will boast up the bond of trust between you and employee
This way your actions will be counted.
-Create a process which involves steps rather just welcoming walkins queries.
-Share a monthly/weakly report with the management which reflects the satisfaction verses dissatisfaction ratio of the employees (try not to keep it confined to the queries raises by the employees).
Best
Arusha Sharma
Blithes
HOME - blithes
Follow us at
https://www.instagram.com/blithescounsellingservices/
https://www.facebook.com/Blithescounsellingservices
https://twitter.com/Blithes13
From India, Noida
Dear Sandhya-Ekambaram,
I need not to mention that out of box thinking means think differently. Basically you need to change your mind set. In every sector, at every place there is a scope always for improvement, may be a very small. You should have perceptive greater not because your boss told you but otherwise. The boss will always tell you whether you are in US based company or in Lala company.
While managing employees basic queries related to leave, salary etc. you should think in such a way that first of all, there should not be any query by the employee to you. You need to think of how the queries are minimised. You need to think of how to reduce the time for solving the queries. You should always think that employees are your customers. They are your internal customer. Treat them better. Adopt some methods for satisfying them. Think of changing your current practises or process. If you are using note book to take down the complaint, change it to PC. If you are using PC to note down the complaint, switch over to e-mailing to receive the complaints and go on changing such simple simple things.
In "Kaizen" reporting I remember telling long years back, I use to keep ball pen in the pen stand in the position the ballpoint was up. I changed the position wherein the ballpoint was at bottom. Thereby I had no hassle thereafter in writing by the ball pen. This was due to changing the position of ball pen by which the ink flow improved. This is one example.
You will be successful when you get use to thinking out side the box.
From India, Mumbai
I need not to mention that out of box thinking means think differently. Basically you need to change your mind set. In every sector, at every place there is a scope always for improvement, may be a very small. You should have perceptive greater not because your boss told you but otherwise. The boss will always tell you whether you are in US based company or in Lala company.
While managing employees basic queries related to leave, salary etc. you should think in such a way that first of all, there should not be any query by the employee to you. You need to think of how the queries are minimised. You need to think of how to reduce the time for solving the queries. You should always think that employees are your customers. They are your internal customer. Treat them better. Adopt some methods for satisfying them. Think of changing your current practises or process. If you are using note book to take down the complaint, change it to PC. If you are using PC to note down the complaint, switch over to e-mailing to receive the complaints and go on changing such simple simple things.
In "Kaizen" reporting I remember telling long years back, I use to keep ball pen in the pen stand in the position the ballpoint was up. I changed the position wherein the ballpoint was at bottom. Thereby I had no hassle thereafter in writing by the ball pen. This was due to changing the position of ball pen by which the ink flow improved. This is one example.
You will be successful when you get use to thinking out side the box.
From India, Mumbai
Community Support and Knowledge-base on business, career and organisational prospects and issues - Register and Log In to CiteHR and post your query, download formats and be part of a fostered community of professionals.