Effective problem-solving can save money, time

All too often working hours and productivity are lost because staff is not equipped to adequately identify the root cause of the workplace problems they experience on a day-to-day basis. Further, they are not empowered enough to be able to take the decisions that will result in positive change that will save time, increase productivity and empower the staff concerned.

12 Mar 2012

Doris Banda is a ticket sales customer services supervisor with a major international airline in Lusaka Zambia. Due to the fact that the agents that sell her airlines services were up to 90% inaccurate in their pricing and processes, the vast majority of Doris' every day was spent problem solving, putting out fires and appeasing customers. In addition, these agents were going out of business at a fantastic speed because of the penalties that they were incurring through incorrect pricing. Doris knew there was a problem, she just wasn't sure exactly what it was, nor how to solve it.

An interactive process

The Human Resource Practice's proactive Problem Solving and Decision-making workshop teaches delegates how to define the problem they are facing, thoroughly investigate it and then facilitates how to generate and implement a solution and then evaluate how successful the solution was. "The system encourages leaders to identify problems and then invite their team to contribute to solving that situation in an interactive process of brainstorming and creative thinking in a non-threatening environment. The process is designed to help bolster the leader's influence by encouraging co-ownership and buy-in from staff through a shared problem solving experience," explains the facilitator on this course, Aasifah Omar.

Lack of education can lead to indecisiveness

The workshop is designed for supervisors and teaches a distinct methodology for them to identify their role in managing time, solving problems and making decisions. This is aligned with the concepts of planning, organising, leading and controlling. The supervisors will learn many different techniques and utilise a number of them through this workshop. In a developing economy where many staff members are coming up through the ranks, the problems of the lack of formal business education can result in log jams and indecisiveness which adversely affect performance.

This is just one example of how basic training in business skills can, not only save companies time and money, but also enhance their greatest assets, namely their staff. Through proactive training identification and implementation the human capital of any company can only be enhanced by improving its skills base. This sort of in-house training also creates a pipeline of experienced and competent staff for succession planning and promotion.