4.1 Communication
The original meaning of communication is the process of sending and receiving information for the two parties of information exchange to achieve a common purpose. Similarly, conflicts with non-human resources departments also need to be resolved through communication. Although the business areas and priorities of different departments are different, we can still solve the conflicts between departments through communication. No problem cannot be solved through communication [1]. Before communication, it is recommended that the human resources department should take the leading position in communication because the human resources department is good at developing interpersonal relations activities and the key of conflicts is also concentrated in the human resources department. At the same time, Non-human departments can also raise questions about human resource management. When communicating, it looks forward to the key points of the issues raised by both parties.
Suggested communication methods include formal communication, such as written, meeting, and official documents. Of course, there is also informal communication. We found that conflicts of interest within an organization are often not resolved through formal communication (such as meetings and issuing official documents), but through informal communication, many conflicts of interest between departments can often be handled properly. No matter what method of communication is adopted, the two departments should publish the results of the communication through formal channels and be recognized by the entire organization.
Communication requires certain methods and processes. Before communication, the department needs to sort out the conflict points, analyze the cause of the conflict, and come up with corresponding resolution strategies, rather than there is no result of communication [2]. Regarding the results of the communication, the department also needs to audit the effectiveness of communication to avoid ineffective communication [3]. Also, there are differences in individual behaviors when communicating. The department must fully understand the existence of differences, the impact of such differences on communication, and how to avoid them [4].
4.2 Empathy
The so-called empathy means that someone thinks about others from the perspective of others and has emotional resonance with others [5]. When the human resources department promulgates and implements relevant policy decisions, it is necessary to solicit the superior department in charge, but it also needs to communicate with other departments and interact with other departments or individuals. Even when formulating policies, considering their inner feelings or understanding their confusion is a manifestation of empathy. Therefore, if human resources want to gain support from other departments and reduce conflicts, empathy is a must.
Not only when making policies, but when implementing human resources policies, HRM should have a superb spirit of empathy. The human resources department is responsible for company-wide salary and performance measurement. The human resources department is not only a strict executor of the policy. When implementing performance evaluation, it should take into account the actual situation of other departments. Empathy is not only the ability to correctly perceive the other person’s feelings, but also the appropriate empathetic response to the situation of others [6]. When designing and implementing related human resource management systems, it will definitely influence the interests of others. Whether this loss of interest is justified and whether it is considered for others are also a manifestation of empathy. When punishing or praising some people, we need to consider their inner feelings fluctuations from their perspective. Some scholars point out that empathy is emotional resonance and concern for some people in need, and it is an important factor affecting organizational behavior [7].
Although the non-human resources department does not work entirely around "people", business operations still need to have excellent compassion. This requirement needs to be followed by external customers, as well as for internal customers (such as the human resources department). When the non-human resources department cooperates with the human resources department in performance appraisal, indicator design, personnel selection and promotion, bonus distribution, etc, this not only touches the interests of the department, but also the interests of the entire organization and other departments. A leader who unilaterally considers self-interest and lacks empathy can hardly achieve career success [8]. Smart department leaders need to master certain empathy skills while learning business management skills. When such leaders communicate with their subordinates and other departments, the process will be much smoother. It is conceivable that the result of his work should be satisfactory. In general, a sound organization is full of empathy, its organizational atmosphere will be very harmonious, and the setting and completion of organizational goals will be more successful [9].
4.3 Common understanding of business processes
A business process is defined as a series of activities completed by different people to achieve specific value goals. There are not only strict sequence restrictions between activities, but also the content, methods, and responsibilities of activities must also be clear arranged and defined so that different activities can be transferred between different positions and roles [10, 11]. Within an organization, the human resources department and the non-human resources department play different roles and perform different divisions of responsibilities. The two departments need to have a common understanding of business processes and reach an agreement on certain key business nodes, which is conducive to the goal-oriented entire business chain [12].
Unfamiliarity with the business process will cause corresponding side effects. One of the important impacts is the misjudgment of the human resources department process from the non-human resources department. When the human resources department implements the corresponding human management policies, such as recruitment process, training demand forecast, performance appraisal, etc., it is easy to conflict with the human resources department because of the lack of understanding of the process. One of the causes of the conflict is the lack of consensus on the process [13]. Similarly, when the human resources department formulates and implements corresponding policies, due to the lack of understanding of the business processes of other departments, the policy formulation lacks a practical basis. In future policy implementation, there is a possibility of failure due to the lack of practical support.
To achieve the smooth operation of the business process, the two parties should reach a consensus on the business process. First of all, when two parties are formulating the business process, they should participate in the discussion of the standardization and practicality of the process. During the discussion process, each expressed their opinions and found the defects of the process, and corrected them. Secondly, each provides corresponding process training. After each department formulates business process specifications, different departments and personnel should be trained. After the training, the awareness and use of the process will be strengthened [14]. Finally, each department should consider the operation of the entire organization when formulating the process. People cannot unilaterally consider departmental interests and operations, and lose the core of the entire organization's goals. Only by considering the formulation of processes around the goals of the entire organization can we ensure that the policy formulation of human resources and non-human resources departments does not deviate from the core direction.
4.4 Achievement of organizational goals
Organizational goals are expressed as the future conditions that the organization hopes to strive for, including missions, objectives, indicators, quotas, and time limits. Generally, all kinds of organization members are trying to achieve organizational goals. In order to complete the organizational goals, the members of the organization must pay a certain price [15]. Although the human resources department and the non-human resources department play different roles, they all work around the organizational goals. Only the achievement of the overall goal of the organization can guarantee the achievement of departmental and individual goals [16, 17].
Departmental goals of human resource and non-human resource are different. Former's departmental goals mainly involve the development of human resource management. Specifically, there are human resources recruitment, training and selection, and human development issues. Therefore, its departmental goal is to develop around people's work, and the core is to stimulate the inherent potential of human resources to better work for the organization[18]. The latter's departmental goals are more centred on departmental business development. On the one hand, it considers the achievement of departmental performance and realizes the tasks assigned by the organization. On the other hand, it better meets the needs of internal members of the department, such as development needs, psychological needs, and inner care.
Conflict and resolution of goals between departments. The non-human resources department has different goals from the human resources department, and conflicts between the two sides are inevitable. The concrete manifestation of the conflict is that the human resources goals set by the human resources department are inconsistent with the goals of the business departments; the incentive goals, human development goals, rewards and punishment measures set by the business departments deviate from the policies and measures of the human resources department. The conflict of goals between the two parties will only have a negative impact on the overall development goals of the organization. If an atmosphere of negative conflict prevails in an organization, the members of the entire organization will fall into a state of non-cooperation, which will result in the collapse of the organization's functions. The resolution of target conflicts can be resolved through communication and negotiation. Specific methods include: sharing of departmental goals; setting departmental goals around the organization's overall goals; appropriate conflicts exist, but the result of the conflicts is to achieve the overall goals; both parties have an in-depth understanding of each other's business conditions and provide each other's goal suggestions.
4.5 Co-participation in work standard setting
Work standards refer to the standards for work items that need to be coordinated and unified in the field of standardization. It is the regulation of the work scope, responsibilities, rights, procedures, requirements, effects, inspection methods, etc. At the same time, it is also a work quality standard formulated according to the job position [19, 20]. Work standards include management business work standards and operating standards.
The work standards involved in the human resources department include human resources recruitment standards, staff recruitment standards, staff promotion standards, salary adjustment standards, and staff reward standards, etc. [21]. The formulation of these standards is based on the actual business development needs of human resources and must be consistent with the direction of the company's organizational development. It should be said that with the relevant standards of human resources, the work of human resources is more in line with the requirements of process norms [22]. The work standards involved in the non-human resources department include the department’s business processes, business management specifications, personnel management regulations, internal incentive regulations, etc. It should be said that the human resources department involves more standards and norms related to the salary, position, and career development of all staff, while the non-human resources department has more standards related to business development and is more inclined to transactional work content instead of human resources work.
The standards established between departments will inevitably contain unintelligible and conflicting content [23]. For the formulation of some standards, the two departments should jointly discuss whether the content is in the interests of each department and whether they can understand the work standards. Many conflicts between departments are due to a lack of understanding of their respective standards, leading to conflicts in the specific implementation process [24]. Once a similar conflict occurs, the various departments should discuss whether the work standard is in the interests of the organization and the department, whether it is the result of the misunderstanding of other departments, and whether a higher level of leadership is required to regulate the entire standard.
4.6 Political skills
The political skills we define here are more inclined to make full use of the organization’s empowerment by the company, and carry out inter-departmental work within the scope of authorization to improve work efficiency [25, 26]. The study also found that the department or individual who is good at using the organization’s authorization can get better work results. However, if the department is not fully sensitive to the authorization, the implementation of the work within the organization is subject to greater resistance, and the work results are not very satisfactory.
The organizational authorization, usually owned by the human resources department, includes powers such as recruitment and selection, job performance evaluation, training and evaluation, and personnel promotion suggestions [27]. These powers often revolve around the personal career development of employees. Once the power is used improperly or poorly, it will harm the entire organization more negatively. Although the non-human resources department involves organizational authorization which also includes departmental employee management, promotion, assessment, etc., it is still different from the authorization of the human resources department. The human resources department often considers the organization and employee development more and participates in the human resource management of the entire organization or other departments as a consultant [28]. Its important human resource management function is far greater than that of non-human resources.
There are often different conflicts between the two departments, and the final consistent result cannot be obtained. At this time, the departments must make full use of the organization's authorization to carry out their work with each other. The rights granted by the organization are to make the department or individual better achieve the work results, obtain mutual supervision, guarantee the implementation of tasks, and play the role of rewards and punishments [29]. When the human resources department is carrying out management work and involves resistance from other departments, HRM can make full use of the personnel power granted by the organization to supervise and manage human resources work [30]. For matters that still cannot be resolved, the HRM department can appeal to the superior and ensure the smooth execution of the work items through high-level arbitration. The non-human resources department can also adopt this method when it encounters unreasonable resistance from the HRM department. Power is also a tool to resolve conflicts, handle disputes, and ensure job performance.
4.7 Process management supported by the software
Digital software management can avoid work delays caused by work processes to a certain extent. Universal digital management software includes HRM, finance, marketing, operation, and so on [31]. In our daily work, we often find that paper documents cannot be delivered to each member smoothly, and even in the process of delivery, there will be serious delays, misinterpretation of the information delivered, and distorted content. These are all related to the management process. It should be said that digital process management can solve some problems.
When the human resources department issues relevant human resources policies, management regulations, rewards and punishment measures, etc., the usual mean of disseminating documents is digital online transmission. And for some daily work matters, such as employment plans, personnel evaluation results, training programs, salary adjustments, personnel promotion, etc., professional human resource management software can be used to solve them. This professional human resource management software is connected with the management process of each business department, which can effectively prevent the incomplete execution of work and the failure of tasks to reach each node. Even if a certain business department does not cooperate or deliberately forgets the process, there is software monitoring first, which can distinguish responsibilities and effectively improve the management process node [32]. Similarly, when the business department feeds back human management information, it can transmit information through a digital interface. At present, many multinational companies adopt digital management models. The traditional paper-based model of working will be eliminated in the future.
It should be said that it is inefficient to resolve conflicts between departments purely through system management. Online management software systems have to some extent solved the problem that task nodes cannot be reached and responsibility cannot be attributable. Digital management improves work efficiency and resolves unnecessary conflicts.