Business

Human Resources: Root Causes

Finding root causes is important for a number of reasons and can assist in resolving problems in a variety of areas. For a business, getting to the source of any issue is pertinent. Once the source of the problem is resolved, a number of its effects will also be resolved and similar problems are likely to be eradicated from the future of operations.

The reason that root cause analysis is widely adhered to is because many people realize that a lot of solutions just scrape at the surface of an issue. Although some problems are solved, the potential for these problems to arise again is still there. When left to fester, the main cause of a chain of small problems will have the power to create another chain of problems down the road.

Temporary Relief Is Not Enough
It often happens in a business that one result of an error will be stamped out, but the source of that error will be left unattended-to. This means that the root cause could still bring trouble in various forms. Any problem that is resolved with a quick-fix will be quick to return as well.

When the root cause is not pinpointed, a vicious cycle of troubles is left to perpetuate. One cause can have many varied effects that can each be solved separately, but these solutions will prove to be only temporary. A temporary solution is hardly a solution at all.

From a Gardening Perspective
Imagine the root cause as, like its namesake, the root of a plant. In this case, lets picture it as the root of a weed. This is the best example because a garden cannot flourish when weeds are in the mix and there is only one true way to get at the heart of the problem.

Anyone who knows the least detail about gardening can tell you that to cut off the top of the weed will make it disappear for a while. They can also tell you, in the same breath, that the weed is sure to show itself again in the near future. The only way to truly get rid of the weed and its various sprouts is to get into the dirt and dig out the root.

The Business Angle
In the aforementioned example, the real problem is the part you cannot see in one glance. As in a business, the surface problems are easy to see and usually easy to solve. To truly get to the source of the matters at hand, though, some concentrated digging is the only way to truly find the birthplace of the problem and stop its continued strength, growth and interference in the future.

Think of what will happen to the multitude of mishaps that are caused by one sole problem in a system if that one problem is solved. Each and every small trouble resulting from the mother problem will be resolved in one fell swoop. This means a lot less needless troubleshooting. It may take more time than simply solving the most visible problems, but locating and solving the root cause of problems can really shed light on a variety of mishaps.