Using Workplace Conflict to Good Effect

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference list

Introduction

Organizations are currently faced with a lot of challenges and this is because of the changing trends in our society. It should be known that the work environment has been changing as time goes by and this means that many organizations will have to reevaluate their approach to work.

In this case, we can say that employees are more informed and knowledgeable on many things and aspects that revolve around their work (Stack 2011, p. 12). This means that there is bound to be conflicts in a normal organization. Such conflicts can take different dimensions depending on the individuals in question.

As a matter of fact, there is no organization that can boast that it does not have any conflicts. As much as there might be efforts to avoid conflicts, they are bound to arise by all means. This is based on the fact that we have different personalities that might not always be in unison with other people.

As far as conflicts in organizations are concerned, there should be efforts to ensure that such issues are solved peacefully and amicably. In this case, we are saying that what matters is the approach that is given to the conflict as far as solving it is concerned. This is a major challenge to today’s managers because they have to contemplate on the best action to workplace conflicts that might not aggravate the situation.

In this case, it should be known that workplace conflicts that have not been solved effectively meaning that they have ended up with a negative impact on the organization (Stack 2011, p. 23). This is because the work environment will not be conducive for various employees.

A work place environment is defined and made by employees meaning that any poisoning will ultimately have a bad impact. As far as this paper is concerned, it is true and very practical that work place conflicts can be used to good effect.

It should be known that this paper will look at how workplace conflicts can be used positively and in good effect. This means that we can always use any conflicts in the organization to make the environment better. As a matter of fact, such conflicts can be used to learn various things and thereby avoid any mistakes that might come by in future as a result of the past.

Wholesomely, every organization has the capacity to use work place conflicts to its advantage instead of seeing it as a bad picture that might have an impact on its operations and activities (Lye, 2011, p. 31). Managers should understand that the new society demands a new approach and outlook to things than they were traditionally done.

This is the new way to go and there is no need to work towards avoiding workplace conflicts in the organization. As much as there might be enough measures to avoid any conflict, it will be better if work place conflicts are used to good effect of the organization and its employees.

Discussion

Overview

Currently, there are many organizations that have conflicts amongst their employees. This picture can be well known by insiders because such conflicts never seem to be played to the public gallery. In this case, it does not mean that they are suffering in silence but they are just trying to protect their image.

All in all, there are good indications that organizations that have managed to use workplace conflicts to good effect have been more successful than those ones that have seen them as a problem (Kellett 2007, p. 23). As a matter of fact, this aspect has made various stakeholders in the human resource departments of different organization to come up with ways by which they can positively approach workplace conflicts.

We all agree that workplace conflict is a management issue that can not be handled by employees alone. An example of a company that has managed to use workplace conflicts to good effect is Coca Cola through its conflict resolution program.

This is done amongst teams in the workplace because the company has a lot of employees that are organized into teams. Coca cola has chosen to use this because it has a lot of employees as a multinational. It should be known that such a company has more than 71,000 employees around the world and it can not be easy to deal with all of them (Kellett 2007, p. 28).

As a matter of fact, it is better if any conflicts are used as a learning experience. Companies attract people from different demographics and localities and that is why any conflict should be used to the good effect of the organization.

As much as this is a wide area of management, there are all possibilities that everything can be done to avoid any future problems. As a matter of fact, a conflict is a good opportunity to learn something new that an individual did not know before.

Analysis

Many people in an organization and the society at large think that the word conflict should be all about shouting and stressful confrontations. As a matter of fact, they can always define it with anger and awkward stares to others. Conflict can also be positively understood instead of being seen as negativity. In this case, we can also say that a conflict can be a competitive action.

This means that divergent ideas will be allowed and this is mostly to suit the interests of different people and employees. To understand a conflict as a god thing, it can also be understood as a mental struggle of different needs that are always opposing (Amason, 1996, p. 13).

As a matter of fact, this can be wishes that are driven by various demands that can be either internal or external driven. It should be known that as much as this is the positivity of a conflict, it can also be a hostile encounter. In extreme cases, conflicts have also been manifested in wars.

Managers should understand a conflict as the pursuit of various goals by an organizations employee. It should be known that most of them are incompatible goals that need to be understood by all stakeholders. In such cases, gains might go to one side at the expense of the other but this is understandable as far as good conflict resolution is concerned.

The normal win and lose scenario of conflicts has been misunderstood and that is why many organizations have not been able to turn them into good effect (Batcheldor 2000, p. 14).

Conflicts should not be viewed negatively as something that will lead to disharmony but they should be seen as an opportunity to redefine its approach to employee issues and relations. In this case, any conflict can be productive as long as we don’t see a situation where a given employee is going to win at the expense of the other as much as this is bound to happen.

The management should be meant to understand that not all conflicts are bad and that there should be efforts to use them well. There is an implication that conflicts are bad but this is not the case. Conflicts can lead to growth and change in the organization as time goes by and this should be capitalized on for a good effect.

In a normal society there is no individual who will say that he/she likes pain but this is something that can wake you up. In this case we are saying that pain can make an individual to be attentive. As a matter of fact, any conflict makes an individual to react and this is something that will stick in his brains for a long period of time (Batcheldor 2000, p. 37).

This means that organizations can use conflicts as a learning experience to employees so that they can always see the signs of an emerging conflict in advance. This will enable them to avoid any conflicts that might come by as time goes by.

Conflicts are actually desirable in all organizations as a way of building relations. The world is moving towards technological advancements and such issues have brought in a new approach to management. In this case, the organization should be in a batter position to use the best management practices to ensure that all employees are relating well as far as carrying out their duties is concerned.

This means that conflicts should not just be dysfunctional as this is not feasible in any way. As conflicts have emerged, they have given organizations an opportunity to focus own their own goals in relation to its employees (Rahim 2002, p. 31).

This means that every organization should use a conflict in the workplace to reenergize its goals and review them for long tem sustainability. In this case, the management is bound to learn something new and positive as far as conflicts are concerned.

This therefore gives them a good opportunity to focus on what is really needed to move the organization forward. Such aspects are always reevaluated through proper identification of the route causes of the problem as time goes by. Conflicts in the workplace can be used to promote challenges in the organization and this is far as effective human resource management is concerned.

We all agree that whenever we have problem, we always look out for solutions that are feasible and effective to all of us (Amason, 1996, p. 26). This means that any conflict that might arise in the organization will increase efforts and this is as far as all stakeholders are concerned.

In this case, there is nobody who feels better when his friend is in a big problem. This means that any conflict in the organization will be everybody’s problem and there will be efforts to ensure that the problem is solved.

Conflicts can be constructive in a broad way and this depends on how it is taken. Coworkers are bound to have problems and conflicts in the workplace and this is a fact. This will only be turned into good effect when they work together to solve the problem as they will respect each other thereby working as a unified and cohesive group. It should be known that conflicts can be used to enhance commitment among employees.

This is based on the decision that they will arrive at after engaging in a constructive argument (Hocker 2007, p. 13). All organizations should use conflicts well because they provide a good insight that always results in feasible and effective solutions to the organization. Without conflicts in the workplace, an organization can not be creative and this is a fact as far as coming up with long term and sustainable solution is concerned.

Overall productivity at the workplace can be enhanced through effective conflict resolution which will be a good effect in a broad way. It should be known that the organization and employees might not be able to obtain some information if a given conflict had not occurred in the first place.

This is because there are a lot of deliberations in cases of conflicts and this helps the organization to move forward as everybody will be concerned to come up with a tangible solution (Legge 2004, p. 27). The general feelings that are always generated from a given conflict can be negative but this shows that every individual and employee was involved in the ultimate solution through various discussions.

As far as the workplace is concerned, the management should focus on a scenario where all stakeholders in the conflict are allowed to win. This will provide the general good effect that a conflict is supposed to bring in an organization.

Conclusion

Many organizations have experienced this problem in the current developing world and this means that they can always learn by sharing with others. It is quite obvious that there are certain organizations that have been through such scenarios and they will always be at hand to help others through good exchange programs.

All conflicts will always become unhealthy when they are approached with a winner and looser scenario and this has been a major problem. The current workplace managers in every organization should approach conflicts with a sober mind to ensure that they provide a good effect by avoiding a winner and loser scenario (Armstrong 2006, p. 32). Conflicts can always stimulate employee growth in a broad way and this is a fact.

This is because by being in a conflict, there is a big likelihood that they will learn something that they had not been privy of.

The quality of decisions in an organization can always be enhanced through conflicts. In this case, a conflict is supposed to be solved every time it arises and the only way through this is by making good decision. In the long run, every manager is obligated to always make sound and good decisions to avoid any future conflicts and it is obvious that this will be done after wide consultations.

An energetic climate in the workplace can be created thorough conflicts and this brings a good effect in a broad way. Such an environment can be attained through discussions that are aimed at coming up with a good solution to conflicts (Homer 2001, p. 35).

Cohesion among teams and synergy can be attained if employees and workmates engage in conflicts once in a while. There is an agreement that we always disagree to agree and this is something that can be attained through good engagements.

Conflicts in an organizations workplace test our general positions and belief in a broad way. When our positions and beliefs are tested, we always strive to have the best and this gives a good effect to the organization.

Reference list

Amason, A. C., 1996. Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: Resolving a paradox for top management teams. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Armstrong, M., 2006. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. London: Kogan Page.

Batcheldor, M., 2000. The Elusive Intangible Intelligence: Conflict Management and Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. New York: Harper & Row.

Hocker, J., 2007. Interpersonal conflict. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies.

Homer, M., 2001. Skills and competency management. New York: Davies-Black Publishing.

Kellett, P., 2007. Conflict Dialogue. London: Sage Publications.

Legge, K., 2004. Human Resource Management: Rhetoric’s and Realities. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lye, P., 2011. Workplace conflict: How Do I Manage Workplace Conflict? Available at: http://www.leehopkins.com/workplace_conflict.html .

Rahim, M., 2002. Toward a theory of managing organizational conflict. Chicago: Rand McNally.

Stack, L., 2011. Conflict in the Workplace: Conflict can be positive and productive. Web.

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