Conflict Resolution at the Workplace

Question: Discuss about the Conflict Resolution at the Workplace. Answer: Introduction Workplace Related Conflict The conflict at the workplace involved the disagreement between the staff of the accounts department and the marketing department. At work we have a bulk photocopy machine that technically is situated close to the accounts department since they are the ones who use it the most. It is meant for use by the whole company and is not under the control of any given department. The staff of the marketing department wanted to urgently use the photocopy machine for promotional fliers they wanted to distribute, while the accounts department was preparing documents to be presented to a group of potential investors. There was a near fist fight over who had the right of use, with the accounts department claiming right of first use due to its proximity to their department. Steps taken toManage the Conflict and Prevent the Reoccurrence First I calmed down both sides who were matching at each other, then switched off the photocopy machine. This managed to get their attention and then I called for a meeting inside my office as the manager. I called for all the staff concerned of the two department s together with their supervisors. I gave each side the opportunity to choose one person as their spokes person to present their side of the cause of conflict. Having impartially listened to both sides of the story, I suggested that the machine be moved by staff of both departments to a location that was neutral and acceptable to all of them This would require team work to remind them that even though they work in different departments, they were still a team. I supervised the translocation of the machine while delegating the spokes person to act as the team leader of this undertaking. The two team leaders would have to work together in concert in order to manage the task. I continuously encouraged them, while showering praises for each step they made as they moved the machine. They finally managed to move it and agreed to a formula of collective responsibility in the future while using the machine. Feedback Strategy to Monitor, Review and Resolve the Conflict To prevent the reoccurrence of the incidence, the following steps would be undertaken immediately. Review: I would use the strategy of shared neutral by taking a representative from both departments in order to review and discuss the conflict that has occurred. (Mayer, 2012).The use of peers from both departments, preferably the spokes person who argued their case initially would be useful in gauging the effectiveness of my technique in resolving the conflict. They would give me a feedback every week as to the level of cooperation and harmonious use of the photocopy machine. Monitor: I would request the Human Resources department to monitor independently if there are any more flare-ups or if the two departments are peacefully coexisting in the office environment. The HR being a neutral department would be discrete while monitoring the level of compliance by both departments and then would give me a confidential report. I would try as much as I can to personally try to monitor the compliance by avoiding the safe zone that was agreed upon by both the departments. Resolving the conflict: I would appoint an office Ombudsman, who will confidentially and independent, and can be approached by all employees, including myself in order to come up with solutions that affect the whole office. At the same time I would also consider factoring the cost of a new photocopy machine in the yearly budget so as to show the staff concerned that their concerns have been acted upon. The Ombudsman would have to be a person of impeccable character and above reproach as concerns the affairs of the office. Answer to question 3: Conflict resolution Model- Thomas-Kilmann Model The Thomas-Kilmann Model was designed by two psychologists by the names Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann, based on the options of assertiveness and co-cooperativeness. The model is based on the following options that are available to use in conflict resolution. (In Norvais In Carneiro, 2016). Competing: This would require taking an assertive posture and unco-operative approach. This would not work in this incident as the manager, since the problem was localized and did not threaten to disrupt the company operations. Trying to show that I am the boss would not have yielded anything and would only have dealt with the surface emotions of the moment. Accommodating: This would require taking a wholly unassertive and cooperative approach which may not also be expedient in this incidence because it would send a message of weakness to the junior staff. It would also have meant accepting the argument position of one side against the other. The taking of sides would be the recipe to forment internal dissention of us (the victims) against them (the favourites) and would create a toxic working environment. Avoiding: This requires taking an unassertive and unco-operative position to the conflict. Sidestepping, postponing or ignoring the issue and hoping it will resolve itself would not work in this incidence. The issue was drawing attention of the other departments and it needed to be resolved urgently. Compromising: This option requires an assertive and co-operative stance but only to some extent. Its the approach of bridging the gap in the middle. It is the option of seeking a quick solution to the problem to avoid it escalating by splitting the difference between the two positions. This approach would not have worked since the photocopy machine cannot be split so that each side gets a piece of the machine. Collaborating: This option is the right option to take in this particular incidence. It takes on the approach that in a conflict setting each party can come out with their heads held up high. It calls for a developed skill set of conflict resolution that is based on mutual respect, creativity in finding the solution and the willingness to listen to others. This is what I did and every person came out a winner. References In Novais, P., In Carneiro, D. (2016). Interdisciplinary perspectives on contemporary conflict resolution. Hershey: Information Science Reference. Mayer, B. S. (2012). The dynamics of conflict: A guide to engagement and intervention. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.