Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: HR and The Decision Making Process
Alyzae Feroze, MPS
04/06/2016
How to cut costs, what training methods are most effective, and who
should we hire? These are all examples of decisions that HR teams have to make
on a regular basis. But how to do we arrive at these decisions and what is the
best way about it? An effective decision making process is extremely important
in the human resources field because it helps push the company towards it’s
goals in compliance with it’s core values and as result creates a seat at the
table for HR to be viewed as a strategic business partner. Effective
communication can enhance this process and offer ways is in which larger
amounts of information can be used in order to make the most satisfying decision.
This can be achieved by identifying and adhering to the decision making
process, incorporating different decision making styles, and finally taking
time out to provide feedback.
Before
embarking on the journey to solve any problem or task that requires a firm and
comprehensive decision, it is essential that the team be well aware of the decision making process. Organization is
usually half the battle and having formal procedures that organize the decision-making
process can maximize the amount of information available. Instead of “shooting
in the dark” all team members can be on the same page at the same time. For
example, a typical Mintzberg decision-making process consists of three phases;
the first phase is called identification
and it requires recognition and diagnosis. At this stage team members can
formally and systematically discuss the situation at hand and brainstorm ideas.
The next stage is development, where
team members search and design a plan of action. This stage can also include
many forms of communication such as verbal, non-verbal, and interpersonal. The
last stage is called selection, this
were the group judges, analyzes, bargains, and authorizes the decision. This
method usually increases the amount of information available because it allows
for a systematic and uniformed process rather than a dodgy and unorganized
approach that can commonly occur.
Another
method that can generate lager amounts of information is the incorporation of
different decision-making styles,
having people on the same team that can incorporate a variety of different approaches
to the decision making process will only enhance the amount of information
available to the team. For example, having someone with a directive style on the team will eliminate a lot of ambiguity and
make sure that all tasks are completed in an efficient, logical, and pragmatic
way. An analytic team member is
likely to analyze each and every detail, they may take their time but they do a
thorough job. The conceptual team
members are great for increasing the amount of information available because
they tend consider many different possibilities and discuss options with as
many people as possible before coming to a conclusion. Finally, the behavior style employees on the team are
great with interpersonal skills; they are receptive to ideas, supportive, warm,
and avoid conflict. This method will generally
increase information available to the tam because the group is not relying on
style alone, instead they must consider all different approaches and styles and
this will in turn broaden their horizons.
The
final method that can generate larger amounts of information is the feedback process after the decision is
made. It is essential to always reflect
and analyze as group what went wrong, what went right, and what they would do
differently next time. This practice will increase the knowledge base of the
group so the next time around they will each be more informed than the last
time and better equipped to make satisfying decisions. A few tips in the feed back process are intension; it should always be toward
improvement rather than putting someone down. Specificity helps avoid ambiguity and frustration when the problem
isn’t fully understood. Descriptive
feedback is better than evaluative because it describes what the employees have
done in an objective way rather than in a judgmental way. Finally, feedback
should be clear in order to be
effective and fully understood by recipients. This method ordinarily increases
the amount of information available to the team because it gives them a chance
to process and reflect upon shortcomings.
1.
Luthans,
F. (2011). Introduction to organizational behavior. In Organizational Behavior (12th ed., pp. 13-15). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
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