Navigating Office Realities and HR Ambitions

Human resources (HR) personnel aren't immune to office realities. From disgruntled coworkers to poor management, not all offices offer a positive and supportive work environment. Often, these toxic environments are not conducive to career advancement or satisfaction. Your 2014 HR strategy should address all the ways in which your office holds you back. You might not change the situation outright, but you can avoid or restructure individual negative influences that may hurt your career.

Navigating office politics—especially when you're directly involved—requires careful maneuvering. Most importantly, your 2014 HR strategy should remind you to stay as positive as possible to incur the least amount of damage to your reputation. If a coworker's behavior toward you has taken a negative turn, enlist people you trust to give honest assessments of the situation. Sometimes, you need a second opinion on perception vs. reality to fill in the blanks. You may learn the coworker's behavior is universal, not selective, and compounded by personal problems you're not privy to. Then, you know the reality doesn't pose a direct threat to your career advancement—unless it escalates. If, however, you possess direct knowledge of a saboteur, navigating behind the scenes could jeopardize a promotion or your good standing. Your 2014 HR strategy should incorporate some direct approaches, such as speaking to the source of conflict, talking to your manager, and asking people you work closely with to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Play nice, work hard, and try to ignore the drama around you. When your 2014 HR strategy reflects these goals, office realities don't have to get in the way of your ambitions. The key is to navigate away from conflict if possible. This means minimizing time with people who attract gossip and creating goals that improve your chances of receiving a promotion. Bulk up your qualifications by testing for new certifications or pursuing an advanced degree in a relevant subject, such as an MBA. Valuable certifications include the Senior Professional in Human Resources and the Global Professional in Human Resources. They position you as a leader and expert in the field, demonstrating to employers that contrary to someone's badmouthing, you're a capable and worthy asset.

The easiest way to prevent office conflict from interfering with your career ambitions is to take preemptive action. But when you've put your 2014 HR strategy into motion and the problem persists, the next best option may be to change your environment. If circumstances allow for it, leaving your current job—and its accompanying turmoil—can put you on a faster track for advancement. Sometimes, the reality may be relatively uncomplicated, such as a lack of available positions or a low salary, giving you no choice but to find a new job. If your office can't meet your demands, don't hesitate to navigate outside of it.

One of the core responsibilities of human resources professionals is conflict management, which means you'll be better equipped than most to navigate interpersonal disputes, the company culture, an unreasonable workload, and other office realities. Consider your perception vs. reality, and devise a 2014 HR strategy using your professional knowledge to help you navigate opposition and land bigger and better career opportunities. 

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