In our conversations with prospects, we’ve often been asked “How do HR Systems support your decision making process?”
Decision making, as suggested in the title, is a process. When we make decisions every day we don’t realise the steps we take in selecting the best solutions to the problems and challenges we face. The decision making process is not as straightforward as one would think. This can be explained through an analytical model of decision making which has 8 steps:
Step 1: Identify, assess and state the probelm
Problems can only be addresses when they have been identified. This identification can be through research, observation and evaluation of your environment. Once a problem in your working environment has been identified, information about the problem needs to be sought out. This step is made easier if all the information required can be found and already exists in an allocated, central source.
Step 2: Define objectives that need to be met in solving the problem
These objectives will guide you through your decision making process to keep you on track.
Step 3 Make a pre-decision
This step may involve a decision about a decision; who will make the decision?- the person who has the problem? Delegated personnel? A group?
Step 4: Generate and list alternatives
Previously used information may be used as a shortcut to suggest solutions or new information could be used to formulate lists of solutions to the identified organisational problem. The information used to generate solutions could come from a number of sources including employee comments/criticism, inefficiencies in the workplace, slow growth etc..
Step 5: Evaluate alternative options or solutions
Questions need to be asked about the lists of solutions such as:
- Are they logical?
- How will employees and other stakeholders react to the decisions that have been made?
- Are the solutions consistent with the corporate culture values?
- How practical are the solutions?
Some of the solutions may prove to be more difficult, more practical or more logical. All these decisions need to be ranked in terms of relevance and how well they will solve the problem according to the objectives we specified.
Step 6: Make a decision
The best solution is selected from the alternatives in terms of how well it will meet the problem and align with organisational needs and demands. The second part of this step is communicating the decision to other employees – new decisions are often met with resistance if there is not a system in place to communicate new decisions correctly or involve other members of the organisation accordingly.
Step 7: Implement the chosen solution
Step 8: Follow-up
This step involves following up on how the decision has been accepted by the rest of the organisation, evaluating whether the solution was the best chosen course of action and whether or not the whole process needs to be started again. Follow-up can only be done if there are certain criteria to evaluate the implementation of the decision.
This process may seem lengthily but certain systems are in place to ensure that information is readily available, follow-up is easier, criteria are set and objectives are met.
The Smart HR system gives you the tools and information to make faster and more informed decisions in areas such as:
- Awarding Bonuses – compare performance with job profile to check planned goals vs actual results for quick decisions on promotions, bonuses
- Initiating corrective action – performance, goal and disciplinary record information lets you make informed decisions on corrective action and dismissals
- Recruiting & placing – easily compare internal & external applicant, cv and interview information against job requirements to make better candidate role matches
- Managing absenteeism – lets managers monitor absenteeism to identify sick leave abuse
- Aligning pay grades – check consistency of pay grades across job titles and roles for harmonization during acquisition, mergers and business combinations
- Minimising HR risk factors – identifying, managing and mitigating risks associated with: business continuity (succession), employee safety, leave auditing, legislative compliance
- Addressing performance gaps – matches performance gaps to development actions to pin-point actions steps needed to improve an individuals performance
- Allocating training & development resources – accurately identify skills gaps and ensure optimal use of limited training resources.
- Organisational Transformation – implementation and monitoring of equity plans against targets for the transformation of your workforce
