3 Times to Ask Human Resources for Help at Work - The Muse

3 Times to Ask Human Resources for Help at Work - The Muse3 Times to Ask Human Resources for Help at WorkIts probably safe to say you steer clear of the Human Resources department unless you have paperwork to fill out. Or, unless someone on the team requests a meeting with you, leading you to fear youre in trouble. After all, even if they say theyre on your side, you know theyre really only interested in the success of the company overall.The fact is all of these things people think they know about HR simply arent true. Like anything else, HR departments will vary from company to company. But in the ideal world, the goal is that theyre trained to help you develop skills and navigate tricky situations. In fact, here are three specific situations in which they can provide valuable assistance. 1. When Youre Leading Your First Hiring ProcessYouve got a job, so clearly you understand how to participate in an interview as a candidate but how do you manage it from the other side? The HR tea m can talk you through what to ask, what not to ask, and ways to make both yourself and the candidate feel less awkward. Before you reach out, prepare a list of what specifically youll be screening applicants for. That way, your partner in HR can help you shape the best type of questions to ask (and even specific phrasing if needed). Additionally, ask about the entire candidate experience so youll be ready to answer any FAQs outside of your part. For example, who else will this person meet with? Are those team members aware of what youre looking for in the hire? If not, what might be the best approach to communicate this? Your contact can help guide you through the overall strategy from start to finish so youll feel mora confident and prepared (whichll help you land and impress the best hire possible).2. When Youre Not Getting Along With a Co-workerYoure having a really tough time with one of your colleagues- and by tough I mean, considering quitting so you dont have to deal with he r anymora tough. But you love your job and dont want to give up just yet. If youve tried speaking to the person directly, your very next step would be connecting with your manager. He might be able to provide you with solutions and thatll be that. But its also possible that after speaking with him, you still feel like you could use more help. You already know Im going to suggest you lean on HR. Set up a meeting and be armed with examples of exactly whats going on. For instance, This person is totally unreliable. She is late to meetings and often misses deadlines that impact my ability to get things done on time. Here are a few projects where this has occurred. Or He doesnt respect me and often belittles me and my work in front of the group. During this meeting, with the entire project team, he called me unreliable. Im noticing that people arent coming to me on issues that they used to and I feel it may be due to his actions Talk about whats getting in the way of you being able to de liver at work. Be specific If youre vague (think We just dont work well together), itll be harder for to get actionable advice. Though were not miracle workers- we cant promise youll become workplace BFFs- you can certainly expect an attentive ear, a person to brainstorm options with, and guidance on what the best next step might be. Youd be surprised at how talking things through with a knowledgeable third party can give you a different perspective (a.k.a., changes you too can make) and alleviates stress.Note Were not going to take conflict on for you (unless, of course, youre dealing with harassment or are worried about your safety)- rather were here to help you come up with a plan that you feel comfortable with. 3. When You Want a PromotionYou feel ready for the next step in your career. But, youre nervous about having the conversation with your boss. Why not have it with someone in HR first? In many companies, there are people on that team who work with managers to set up career paths for their teams. Meaning Someone from menschenwrdig resources can help you consider your options more broadly. It could be youre due for a promotion, or you may feel more challenged and engaged in a totally different department. HR knows about all roles within the organization, so they can be the perfect sounding board.Be open in your meeting about what youre hoping for in your evolution and why you think now is the time for change. He or she can walk you through the best approach for you to take with your supervisor. You can also depend on him or her to level with you about whats reasonable, what might be a stretch, and whats the most realistic timeframe based on organizational requirements or processes. Too often, people believe what they hear and only visit HR twice to turn in initial paperwork and for their exit interview. Steering clear of the office in between is a real missed opportunity. In many companies, the human resources teams can be useful career guides, but its up to you to actually ask for their help. Photo of conversation courtesy of Caiaimage/Robert Daly/Getty Images.