HR dilemmas: 5 steps to solve “unsolvable”

Today, I would like to share a framework I learned while studying at? AIHR | Academy to Innovate HR . A dilemma arises when you’re faced with two seemingly good or two equally bad options. Like remote work and office hours. Or employee engagement and employee wellbeing. Let’s use the engagement and wellbeing as an example.

1. First step — Identification.?First step is to acknowledge you are faced with dilemma.

Easier said then done. Try it. The challenge with recognising dilemma has roots in fear. It is acknowledging I don’t know what to choose, I do not have an answer and it keeps me up at night.

Our example Engagement and Wellbeing:

On one hand, we want our people highly engaged at work because it impacts #performance . On the other hand, we want a culture of wellbeing where everyone could have #worklifebalance and stay productive in a long-term.

2. Chart your dilemma. This is the moment when you have to draw your dilemma — take a pencil and make XY axis and name them properly. Also map the place where you think you are now and where you want to be. Here’s our example Engagement vs. Wellbeing and?it’s my drawing?:)

3. Step 3 — analyse positive and negative aspects of both graphs. Why? Because in the end we will try to compose the positives and avoid the negatives.

High Engagement positives:?higher productivity, higher job satisfaction, higher revenue, feels happier, ready to go above and beyond.

High Engagement negatives:?too focused on getting along, change requires restlessness and dissatisfaction, pushing employee burnout, work/family interference, hiring naturally positive people, loosing benefits of negative thinking

Wellbeing positives:?fewer days off, higher performance, lower burnout, lower turnover, positive work environment.

Wellbeing negatives:?cost+administration of program, unengaged people may not enrol, no standard definition of wellness and what it means for every individual, might feels mandatory, collecting biometric data (?).

4. Next step is to find epithets or stigmatising labels. This is fun.?Find sayings that shows the extreme of each side. OR you may use metaphors, like cars — high-speed Formula1 car vs. comfortable family sedan.

High Engagement sayings:?Burning the midnight oil, Raising the bar, 24/7, go the extra mile, ASAP, Stay hungry — stay foolish, Work hard — play hard or any slogan from startup culture.

Wellbeing:?Be in the moment, Self love OR Love yourself, Listen to your body, You are what you eat, etc.

5. And now we are ready to reconcile our dilemma.

1 — rephrasing — make it a process , yes, change engagement for engaging, wellbeing we already have with?-ing?ending. Why? Because is is changing from “hard” word to smth more liquid, from the definition of Engagement to a process of engag-ing. This linguistic shift emphasises ongoing processes rather than static states.

2 — sequencing, going from left to right inside of this process –from engaging into wellbeing, like a an ocean wave, 3 years could be more focused on engaging and then 3 years your strategy will be focused on wellbeing. It is reconciliation since it is already planned for the future. This planned transition back and forth prevents stagnation and adapts to changing organisational needs.

3 — synergising, ask yourself what can I do with my X to get more Y? Combine the positive aspects of both sides for a comprehensive approach. Use engagement strategies to enhance wellbeing, and vice versa.

Finally,?Action Steps and Implementation: this is the stage where you could translate strategies into actionable steps, keeping the pros and cons of both options in mind:

• Plan specific initiatives.
• Establish #metrics to measure the effectiveness.
• Plan monitoring and feedback process.

And go to bed today without thinking about your dilemma because you solved it in actionable way)

#engagement #wellbeing #hr