6.2Recurring issues (playbook)
The essentials in 30 seconds
- Reflex: one symptom = likely causes = a sequence of actions — diagnose before fixing.
- Root: a blocker that keeps coming back almost always comes from the same fundamentals (scoping, writing, procedure, transfer, listening, measurement).
- Order: start from the table's most frequent cause, check against facts, then apply the rest.
Amira thread — 1 year on: the playbook posted in the office
One year on, Amira keeps this playbook near her dashboard. Verdict: three lines served her most — hires that kept failing in loops, payroll with errors every month, and botched annual reviews. For each, she ended up fixing the root (systematic scorecards, locked payroll calendar, separated and followed-up reviews) instead of repeating the incident.
Observed symptom, checked causes, actions in order: the reflex holds in three steps.
One reflex per symptom
Most HR blockers are classics. Linking each symptom to its likely causes and to an action sequence saves valuable time.
| Symptom | Likely causes | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring that repeatedly fails | vague need, gut feeling, no onboarding | job description + scorecard + STAR + 1-30-60-90 |
| Payroll with errors every month | late variables, no checks | calendar + D-5 collection + second pair of eyes |
| Lost dispute “when we were right” | botched procedure | deadlines + written records + lawyer upfront, chronological file |
| Training with no impact | catalogue with no needs analysis, no transfer | gaps + OPCO + Kirkpatrick 3-4 at 3 months |
| Botched annual reviews | mixed purposes, 20 min, no follow-up | separate, prepare, co-sign, follow up quarterly |
| Festering conflict | no listening, late arbitration | separate then joint, written agreement, follow-ups |
| Rising absenteeism | treated as misconduct | reasons + return interviews + organizational actions |
| Persistent women-men gaps | unmeasured, unfunded | index + budget + pay scale + publication |
| HRIS bypassed (spreadsheets) | imposed with no training | pilot + manager training + support + measurement |
Ready-to-say script — name the symptom before fixing (1 min)
"My symptom: [failed hires / payroll errors / lasting conflict]. My hypothesis #1: [the playbook's most frequent cause]. I check against facts, then I apply the sequence. Review in two weeks."
Copy-paste template — express diagnostic sheet
Observed SYMPTOM (facts and figures): ...
Since when / frequency: ...
Likely CAUSES (playbook 6.2): ...
Verification (files, figures, listening to those involved): ...
ACTIONS (in order): 1) ... 2) ... 3) ...
Targeted FUNDAMENTAL (scoping, writing, procedure, transfer, listening, measurement): ...
REVIEW in 2 weeks: improved? stable? worse?...Very small business (2-3 people)
No formal table: one symptom, one cause checked against facts, one noted fix.
Remote / hybrid
Add the information circuit to likely causes: at a distance, an unpassed signal looks like a willingness problem.
Algeria SME
Weave real constraints (peaks, short headcounts, administrative lead times) into causes before concluding a people problem.
Cross-cultural
Check local labor law before acting: a correct action here may be non-compliant elsewhere.
Key takeaways
- Diagnose (symptom → checked causes) before acting.
- A recurring problem = a system to fix at the root.
- Each action points to the guide level for digging deeper.
48h challenge — apply tomorrow
Spot 1 current symptom in your HR management, fill the express diagnostic sheet and test the 1st action.
- I can link a symptom to its likely causes.
- I have filled (or scheduled) an express diagnostic sheet.
- I know the referral to the level worth deepening for my case.
Frequently asked questions
Several symptoms at once — where to start?
With the one blocking the team most or exposing you legally (often the open conflict or the botched procedure). One repaired fundamental often unlocks two others.
What if the causes are not in the table?
The table covers the classics, not everything. Listen to those involved, observe facts, and dig with the matching guide level.
How long before concluding?
Test the action sequence with a dated review. Without progress, change the cause hypothesis instead of insisting — and have a lawyer validate if the file touches the law.
Amira's payroll shows errors every month. Which reflex does the playbook apply?
Resources
A recurring struggle is not ten incidents: it is a system to fix (circuits, scorecards, reviews).