#6 Be Part of A Proactive vs. Reactive HR Management

 “I believe that everyone chooses how to approach life. If you’re proactive, you focus on preparing. If you’re reactive, you end up focusing on repairing.” - John C. Maxwell 

Once you have the skills and competencies to be a SUCCESSFUL HR you can either choose to be part of a proactive or reactive management team.

Of course, I believe being part a Proactive human resource management is ideal as it revolves around decision makers anticipating hr problems and taking strategic action before it impacts the organization. Making me realize, who really wants to be stressing over situations after they occur when it could have been prevented ahead of time?

Reactive human resource management on the other hand, is when there is no change until HR problems arise, forcing decision makers to take action. It’s almost like majority of students, no matter how many weeks in advance you are given an assignment last minute work is always the outcome. 

However, the only time that reactive decisions are used, is during  times, when it is often quite late to remedy the situation. For instance, when customers come up with complaints, or employees complain about their working conditions.

Now Let’s Compare with a Scenario: You Decide Which Is Better?

A hotel employee gets news that more people from a particular country want to travel with their pets.

1. The hotel takes no action, until repeated requests from guests to provide accommodation to their pets. 
-Reactive 

2. The hotel reserves certain rooms for such guests, and advertises this service even before the guests arrive. Moreover, their feedback is taken to make further 
improvements. -Proactive 

Overall Advantages and Disadvantages of Both Managements

PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT

Advantages

• Increased competitive advantage

• Improved productivity, efficiency, and quality of the final product

• Employees feel that their opinion matters, leading to job satisfaction

• High level of customer satisfaction

Disadvantages

• Planning a project in advance requires more time

• Every single problem cannot be avoided in advance

REACTIVE MANAGEMENT

Advantages

• Cheaper and cost effective

• Management team executes good problem-solving skills

Disadvantages

• Danger signs are ignorde  and allow serious problems to develop

• Creates stressful working conditions

• Valuable time is lost in analyzing a problem rather than preventing it in advance

• Missed opportunities if management only improves itself as situations demand

Check out this other great video for a clear visual of being proactive:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2CXHT6G0UU

In the end, given the advantages of a proactive management versus the advantages of a reactive management, it is no wonder the proactive way is the best approach for most successful businesses. Especially, since it allows them to be flexible, adaptable and focused on continually improving their customer service, productivity, efficiency and workplace environments.

My advice to you, is in order to be the best HR you need to prepare to be the best and the only way to do that is by being part of a Proactive Management Team.

Test Question: Human resource planning techniques include the use of some or all of the following:

                                                   a. human resource inventories.

                                                   b. action plans.

                                                   c. control and evaluation.

                                                   d. all of the above.

Answer is D

Question of the Day: When will you stop waiting for things to happen and start making it happen?

Please leave your comments and answer to this question below!!

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References: Read More At
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/understanding-proactive-and-reactive-management-styles.html
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/reactive-vs-proactive-human-resource-management-18595.html
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/similarities-differences-proactive-reactive-hr-14395.html