Techniques To Manage Conflicts At Workplace
Different people apply different methods of managing conflicts. However we suggest these four ways:
Styles. Conflict handling behaviour styles (such as competition, collaboration, compromise, avoidance or accommodation) may be suitably encouraged, depending upon the situation.
Improving organizational practices. After identifying the reason for the conflict situation, suitable organizational practices can be used to resolve conflicts, including:
- establishing super ordinate goals,
- reducing vagueness,
- minimizing authority- and domain-related disputes,
- improving policies, procedures and rules,
- re-apportioning existing resources or adding new,
- altering communications,
- movement of personnel, and
- changing reward systems.
Special roles and structure. A manager will have to
- initiate structural changes needed, including re-location or merging of specialized units,
- shoulder liaison functions, and
- act as an integrator to resolve conflicts
A person with problem-solving skills and respected by the conflicting parties can be designated to de-fuse conflicts.
Confrontation techniques. They aim at finding a mutually acceptable and enduring solution through collaboration and compromise. It is done in the hope that conflicting parties are ready to face each other amicably, and entails intercession, bargaining, negotiation, mediation, attribution and application of the integrative decision method, which is a collaborative style based on the premise that there is a solution which can be accepted by both parties. It involves a process of defining the problem, searching for alternatives and their evaluation, and deciding by consensus.
Training For Managers
HR or Managers must ensure that effective management training is provided regularly in the organization. Managers should also know how to spot issues and seek counsel from specialists before responding to a problem. This can ensure fair treatment of subordinates and can also protect the employer from being inadvertently exposed to legal issues.
Fair Termination Processes
Most workplace litigation arises because individuals feel they were not taken seriously or did not receive a fair hearing. HR should review disciplinary policies and procedures to ensure there is a fair process that protects employees from impulsive or ill-considered reactions by management. Employees are more likely to view a dispute-resolution system as fair and equitable if it allows them to correct problematic behavior before termination is considered. This perception of fairness can also help minimize emotions and disruptions by other employees when a co-worker must be terminated.
Communication
Supervisors and managers should be well-informed about all the organization’s dispute resolution systems. They should know the rationale for each system and be able to explain how each works in practice. An HR professional’s decision about how to communicate a dispute-resolution system’s details to employees will depend on the culture of the organization and the various types of media that are available. Such media may include training, staff meetings, policy and procedure manuals, e-mail, newsletters, flyers, new-employee orientation training materials, and individual letters to employees. HR should regularly remind managers and supervisors about the importance of dealing with conflict early and about the options available to them to resolve such matters.