In every workplace, employees can face challenges. Organizations are complicated structures and can be influenced by several external pressures and workplace problems.
So, every employee must learn how to manage their challenges at work. Doing this makes the difference between low productivity and effective high performance.
Let’s find out ways you can manage challenges at work.
- Speak with your employer
Employee health is linked to work productivity. So, your employer must create a healthy work environment for the staff. When faced with challenges, start by conversing with your employer. The aim isn’t to complain, but to come up with an effective plan that would help mitigate the problems you have mentioned.
This will help you to perform at your best. It might be embarrassing or maybe even frightening for instance to report sexual harassment. But, this will allow your employer the chance of correcting the challenge i.e making the harassment stop.
If it doesn’t, then you know that the employer knows about the issue. When the employer is notified of the problem, they would investigate, find proof, and take the proper actions to address the issue which is usually a lawsuit.
Not informing your employer about your situation might make the challenge worse. You might wonder what are the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace.
One such obvious effect is less productivity due to insomnia, anxiety, and emotional distress. So, informing your employer makes the working environment conducive to your health.
- Tackle the challenge piece by piece
Most people are unable to tackle a challenge they face at work because it looks so big. Every challenge is mainly made up of smaller steps with easy solutions. So, start by finding the best and worst-case scenarios.
Then try to find the most realistic scenario. Now, divide the issue into more minor problems, and find a solution for each split part. When you go through this motion, you would start focusing on the solutions instead of being blinded by the issue.
- Admit mistakes
Sometimes, a challenge might be due to a mistake you made. So, admitting to your mistake is the best move you can make. There isn’t a problem with admitting to your mistake, especially if it impedes you from solving a challenge.
This shows that you want to grow, and are a person of character. Many people view admitting mistakes as a sign of weakness, but ultimately, honesty will always be appreciated by others in the office.
- Seek counsel from experienced colleagues
While working, you might face problems that you haven’t encountered before. When such a situation occurs, seeking advice from experienced colleagues who might have faced such challenges in the past is best.
If you have a good relationship with your colleagues, speak with them. Ask them to help you understand your difficulty. Genuinely ask them for help to know what action or decisions to make.
People love to help, especially when approached positively. Also, you can seek counsel from your community to help you through the difficulty. They can include mentors or trusted peers. Seek out their perspective.
Seek help from them about the problem and also how you intend to solve it. Ensure they know your thought process and also why you may or may not agree with them. When you have an inquiring mind, it helps you to be perceived as questioning and not negative.
- Take time to understand the challenge
It can be unnerving when faced with a challenge in your workplace. You would be unable to think straight, start panicking and your face might even turn red. But, you shouldn’t seek to solve the challenge right away as you might even put more stress on yourself.
Instead, take a break then go for a walk. Take time to think. You can even close your eyes briefly or go to the gym. Irrespective of what you choose, take time to understand the challenge. This helps you get a better view of the problem.
- Use challenges to your advantage
Sometimes, challenges at work can be a good thing. They can let you grow in your role and better yourself. They are also a good opportunity to build problem-solving skills which you can use as an example of how you overcame a challenge. Challenges also let you learn new things. It could be the right way to interact with others or a new skill.
Final Words
One part of the preparation for daily office life is to be prepared for the unexpected. Challenges come unannounced and they can affect the balance of your workflow in the process. But, having the right plans and procedures in place helps in managing the challenges you might face in unpredictable situations
