This document discusses conflict management in organizations. It notes that 60-80% of difficulties in organizations stem from strained employee relationships, and that replacing an employee can cost 150% of their annual salary. Fortune 500 executives also spend 20% of their time dealing with litigation. The document defines conflict as a process where one party feels their interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another. Common causes of workplace conflict include differing goals, styles, perceptions, pressures, roles, values and policies between employees. Symptoms of unresolved conflict include decreased productivity, absenteeism, costs, morale and poor communication. The document outlines strategies for managing conflict, including forcing, accommodating, avoiding, compromising and collaborating.
2. Some facts:
Research shows that 60-80% of all
difficulties in organizations stem from
strained relationships between employees
Ernst & Young reports that the cost of
losing and replacing an employee may be
as high as 150% of the departing
employee’s annual salary.
Fortune 500 Senior Executives spend
20% of their time in litigation activities.
3. It is estimated that more than 65% of
performance problems result from strained
relationships between employees -- not from
deficits in individual employees' skill or
motivation.
It costs 1.5 times the position salary to replace
the employee in it (Drake Beam Morin, 2000).
two-thirds of managers spend more than 10% of
their time handling workplace conflict and 44%
of managers spend more than 20% of their time
in conflict-related issues.
5. Conflict is..
Process in which one party perceives that
its’ interests are being opposed or
negatively affected by another party
-Wall & Callistor, 1995
The interactive process manifested in
incompatibility, disagreement, or,
dissonance within or between social
entities.
-Rahim, 1992
6. Therefore, conflict occurs..
within Frustration, depression
Break-up, fights,
family
unhealthy environment
Industrial unrest,
organization loss of production
loss of employee morale and
therefore attrition
7. Causes of conflict
communication
Cultural difference Personality
Embedded organizational difference
culture
leadership
8. According to psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart,
there are 8 common causes of conflict in the
workplace.
Conflicting resources.
Conflicting styles.
Conflicting perceptions.
Conflicting goals.
Conflicting pressures.
Conflicting roles.
Different personal values.
Unpredictable policies.
9. Symptoms of Conflict
Failing productivity
Absenteeism
Escalating cost
Slipping employee morale
Poor communication within the team
Disastrous meetings
Anger occurs quickly and easily
Disagreements
12. There is a menu of strategies we can
choose from when in conflict situations:
Forcing –
using formal authority or other power that
you possess to satisfy your concerns
without regard to the concerns of the party
that you are in conflict with.
15. Compromising
attempting to resolve a conflict by identifying
a solution that is partially satisfactory to
both parties, but completely satisfactory to
neither.
16. Collaborating
cooperating with the other party to
understand their concerns and expressing
your own concerns in an effort to find a
mutually and completely satisfactory
solution (win-win).