Workplace issues can be stressful for all parties involved, especially when these issues are brought to HR and require formal intervention. I’m here to urge you to talk to your HR Professional as early as possible when issues arise in the workplace.
A majority of workplace issues, be it employee performance, workplace conflicts, etc., do not appear out of nowhere; they build over time until they reach a magnitude that they are brought to HR’s attention. While HR Professionals are equipped to handle issues of this scale, we are also equipped to work proactively to ensure these issues are resolved before they hit their boiling point.
I find that, especially for workplace conflict issues, many people in the workforce view approaching HR about workplace conflicts as “tattling” or going to the principal. This negative perspective of approaching HR can result in issues going under our radar and continuing to grow until formal intervention and/or a workplace investigation needs to occur. When issues are allowed to reach this state, the consequences and solutions also grow in proportion to the severity of the issues. In reality, a lot of workplace conflicts can be solved early on through casual chats, scheduling changes, sharing of conflict resolution/de-escalation techniques, etc.
In terms of workplace issues, not regarding individuals but rather large-scale problems, such as shifts in your human capital needs, the earlier your HR Professional is informed, the more time they have to work towards a more seamless and smooth transition that will result in less organizational disruption.
While it is obvious to some your HR Professional is an expert in managing the people of your workforce, but the management of people is largely based on clear, early, and accurate communication, so please talk to your HR Professional whether you want advice on a workplace conflict, systematic changes your to organization, or simply someone to vent to about a tough day. They want to help you resolve whatever the problem is, just as much as you do.
Dylan Coffey, Human Resources Manager