Question

what is organizational conflict? Why does it occur? what are some methods of conflict reseolution? Give an example of a workplace conflict and describe what can be done to resolve it.

Answer 1

Ans) Organizational conflict, or workplace conflict, is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. ... There is also conflict within individuals – between competing needs and demands – to which individuals respond in different ways.

Causes of conflict in the workplace
• poor management.
• unfair treatment.
• unclear job roles.
• inadequate training.
• poor communication.
• poor work environment.
• lack of equal opportunities.
• bullying and harassment.

- Here are some tools for avoiding and resolving disputes in the early stages, before they become full-blown conflicts:
Stay Calm.
Listen to Understand.
Accentuate the Positive.
State Your Case Tactfully.
Attack the Problem, Not the person.
Avoid the Blame Game.
Focus on the Future, Not the past.

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Small Business» Human Resources» Workplace Conflict»
Examples of Conflicts & Resolutions in the Workplace
by David Ingram; Reviewed by Michelle Seidel, B.Sc., LL.B., MBA; Updated February 05, 2019
Examples of Conflicts & Resolutions in the Workplace
Conflict is inevitable in workplace settings, and conflicts can arise between co-workers, supervisors and subordinates or between employees and external stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers and regulatory agencies. Managing conflict is a key management competency and all small business owners should study and practice effective conflict management skills to maintain a positive workplace environment.

Discrimination Issues Leading to Conflict
Discrimination can be a source of heated conflict, potentially ending in legal trouble for a company or its owners. Discriminatory conflicts can arise from personal prejudices on the part of employees or perceptions of mistreatment of employees.

As an example of a discrimination-related conflict, imagine a minority employee in a team setting who feels that he is consistently assigned the most menial work tasks in the group. This employee may begin to harbor resentment against team members and managers, eventually lashing out through decreased productivity or outright verbal conflict. To resolve this issue, a manager could sit down with the whole team and discuss the way in which job tasks are assigned, making changes as necessary to ensure that tasks are divided equitably.

Performance Review Conflicts
No employee likes to receive a negative performance review, but giving negative feedback in a review can be unavoidable based on the employee's own actions during the review period.

Employees may become angry over not receiving expected pay raises, promotions or other performance-related incentives, and may lash out by spreading discontent through gossip and a negative attitude at work. Employees may argue directly with supervisors during performance reviews, creating sensitive situations that require tactful communication. To resolve a conflict arising from a negative performance review, work directly with the employee to create a solid, time-bound plan of action to improve her performance, and tie the completion of these goals to guaranteed incentives. Allow employees a voice when setting goals to increase their dedication to achieving the goals.

Conflicts with Customers
Sales and customer service employees can experience conflict with customers on a fairly regular basis, depending on the industry. A common conflict experienced by salespeople is a dissatisfied customer who feels personally defrauded by an individual salesperson.

For example, if a car salesman sells a used car without a performance guarantee or warranty and the car breaks down on the buyer, the buyer may return to angrily confront the salesperson and demand a refund. The best first step to solve these conflicts is to involve a manager who has the right to offer refunds, discounts or other conciliatory gestures to the customer unless you are in a situation where employees are empowered to make these kinds of decisions.

Example of workplace conflict & resolution:

Conflict Between Managers and Subordinates
Personality clashes between managers and subordinates can cause a range of interpersonal conflicts to arise. Employees may feel bullied or pushed by more authoritarian managers, or may perceive a lack of guidance from more hands-off managers. Managers with type-A personalities may set goals that are too ambitious for their subordinates, setting them up for failure and inevitable conflict.

To handle these personality mismatches, first try to garner an understanding between the manager and the subordinate so that each understands the others' perspective in the situation. Never treat conflict management situations as disciplinary hearings, as if managers are inherently right and employees are inherently wrong; this is a reliable way to lose good employees. If the two cannot come to an understanding, place the employee under the supervision of another manager if possible.