The top 7 challenges HR professionals are hearing from management:

It's a tough world for human resource professionals these days. Staying competitive in a tight job market. Coordinating a multicultural workforce. Balancing legal compliance issues with productivity and profit concerns. In the decade we've been working with human resource professionals, here are the top seven challenges we hear most often.

1. "We have multicultural workers who aren't familiar with U.S. employment law and may unwittingly put us at legal risk." What if, when a decision to bring an employee from another country, he or she could immediately be trained with the tools to avoid potential U.S. legal pitfalls?
2. "Our managers are promoted because of their technical expertise, but lack the interpersonal skills to be effective leaders." What if, when a technical employee was promoted to manager, he or she could get immediate training on effective leadership, including how to deal with inappropriate employee behavior?
3. "I often hear of inappropriate jokes or have gotten e-mails that could create legal trouble for me or my company." What if, when a new employee was hired, he or she could have immediate training on what behaviors your company wants to promote -- and what behaviors will create legal risk?
4. "I spend too much of my time dealing with 'people problems.'"

   What if, when a new employee was hired, he or she could have immediate training on what behaviors your company wants to promote -- and what behaviors will create legal risk?

   And what if, when a technical employee was promoted to manager, he or she could get immediate training on effective leadership, including how to deal with inappropriate employee behavior?

5. "As our company grows, I have to deal more often with inappropriate behavior complaints."

   What if, when a new employee was hired, he or she could have immediate training on what behaviors your company wants to promote -- and what behaviors will create legal risk?

   What if, when a technical employee was promoted to manager, he or she could get immediate training on effective leadership, including how to deal with inappropriate employee behavior?

6. "Our managers know what's inappropriate at work, but are reluctant to deal with employees who are doing things they shouldn't." What if, when a technical employee was promoted to manager, he or she could get immediate training on effective leadership, including how to deal with inappropriate employee behavior?
7. "I know office romance is going to happen, but too often it results in hurt feelings, excessive gossip, or the perception of favoritism."

   What if, when a new employee was hired, he or she could have immediate training on what behaviors your company wants to promote -- and what behaviors will create legal risk?

   And what if, when faced with potential employment-related litigation, you had a system that documented your good faith effort to prevent harassment and discrimination?