What’s the Toughest Work Challenge You’ve Overcome and How Did You Do It?

Dear All,

I want to start a thread where you can share the most challenging problem you faced in your job and how you solved that problem. This will help all of us to learn how to tackle such situations, and if somebody has the same problem, then they can share the solutions.

Let's start sharing the problems and the solutions. Hope you all will give your inputs to this thread.

Regards,
Gunjan

Hi Gunjun,

You have raised a very good discussion. I think in professional life, almost everyone faces some problems. Especially when dealing with toxic people who seem to be everywhere, or situations where favoritism is shown towards your counterpart. The best way to handle such circumstances is to face them calmly, without taking things too personally. Given some time, things will naturally settle down. This is a situation I have faced and managed to deal with. I hope it might help someone.

Regards,
Srishti

Hi Gunjan,

This is a very good topic you have started. I'm sure this will help many people. I would like to start by posting my 'problem'.

I used to work in a large Kolkata-based, very traditional, very conservative Marwari group. The culture is 'babu' culture, where the 'babus' are the members of the promoter family. There are 4 'babus', and each 'babu' has his own set of followers down the entire hierarchy. This, I believe, is common in other Marwari businesses also - Birlas, Goenkas, etc. Almost the entire company is split up into these groups, with an unspoken, hidden but quite vile sense of rivalry between the different factions. Needless to say, employee development, appraisals, and almost everything else depended majorly on the proximity to the concerned babu. Also, Marwari employees were preferred over others, especially in Finance & Accounts (I am in Finance, not HR).

Not being a part of any faction, also not being a Marwari, I had begun to feel the strain on my growth. I worked there for 5 years after MBA, learned as much as I could, and now I have opted out to join a BPO subsidiary promoted by this company but totally professionally managed. Also, I took a 30% cut in salary to do so, but I do not regret it even for a minute because it's only a matter of time before I get back on track.

I think problems with individual colleagues or bosses can be sorted out or absorbed to a large extent. But if the culture itself is unsuitable, then there is nothing that can be done other than moving out.

Warm regards,

Devjit

Hello to all,

Good morning!

Keep it up; keep on sharing the problems you are facing and the solutions that you think are the best for the problem.

Devjit, even the culture can be changed. The thing that you need to change is the minds of the people. I hope in the very near future, the HR department of your organization will definitely do something to change the culture. As far as I think, to be competent and lead the market, your organization has to change itself. As we all know, change can never be constant.

Srishti, hope now the environment in your organization is cool and favoritism for your counterpart has lessened. This will happen in every company; the thing is that we need to show our talent, energy, and ideas through our work and learn more from such situations. Then nobody can stop us from growing and becoming a successful HR.

We all learn from experience, so keep learning from every small incident in your life.

Good luck to both of you.

Guys, keep sharing with all of us.

Regards,

Gunjan

What happened? 🤔 😒 You guys have stopped sharing your experience with us??

Come on, guys, this thread will help us all solve our problems in the workplace. Hope to see more posts in this thread.

Seniors, please do share your experiences.

Regards,
Gunjan

Dear Gunjan,

You are absolutely right. My office environment has changed, but only I, as an HR professional, took the initiative to change my attitude, and things around me automatically changed. I have become a good listener, and that sometimes helps a lot.

Regards,
Srishti

Hi all,

In our professional life, every now and then we have to deal with people who are difficult to deal with, both within and outside the department. Being an HR professional, you can't say anything on the face of it. In that case, what is the best way to deal with such kind of people?

Dear all,

"Please share your valuable opinions and share real professional experiences if any."

Regards,
Srishti

Hi,

It's a very good discussion. Let me add my experience in this bundle. I am working with a small company which is still striving to make its mark and reach national and global heights.

In my organization, our president is very rigid and believes in old values that were followed 25 years ago. His basic issue is that he thinks he is the only intelligent person in the company, and the rest are all incompetent. We, as colleagues, are really disturbed by such an attitude, and most of us are ready to leave the organization, including me. This person has established his own network in the organization with all his "Chamchas" around him. Coming from a Sales background, he believes that sales are the only important aspect in an organization, dismissing the significance of all other departments.

My approach to this issue is to generally keep quiet because he hardly believes in listening to others. He is of the opinion that if he is not there in the company, it will fail. We all remain silent and focus on our work, which has led him to believe that everyone is scared of him.

My strategy of keeping quiet most of the time and occasionally countering his views is questionable. I seek suggestions on what needs to be done and how we can collectively make him realize that we are valuable too, beyond just sales and numbers on a piece of paper.

Dealing with such individuals and standing strong is part of life. What's your take on this matter?

Prachi

Dear Prachi,

I don't know what to say regarding your problem. The only thing you can do is show them your concern for the company and keep initiating new things in the company.

I request all of you to help Prachi out of her problem and also share your experiences so that others can learn from them as well.

Regards,
Gunjan

Hello friends,

I am really sorry for not checking the posts for a long time. Actually, I had been on a week's leave, so I am back to work. It's really strange that nobody has responded to this post.

Guys, share your experiences and help others. It might be helpful to you as we can always learn from others. Hope to see some replies.

Regards,
Gunjan