Addressing office conflicts for effective productivity Pt. 1.0

Conflict exists in every organization and to a certain extent indicates a healthy exchange of ideas and creativity. However, counter-productive conflict can result in employee dissatisfaction, reduced productivity, poor service to clients, absenteeism and increased employee turnover, increased work-related stress or, worse case scenario, litigation based on claims of harassment or a hostile work environment.

In today’s article, we look at managing the day to day conflict that occurs in all workplaces, ways to identify and understand it and ways to manage it effectively. As an executive director or manager, it is often your role to discern when a conflict is a normal part of the work day and work relationships or whether you need to engage an external alternative and/or refer to a more formal conflict resolution policy and procedure.

Conflict at work takes many forms. It may be that two workers simply don’t get on; or that an individual has a grievance against their manager. Conflict may take the form of rivalry between teams; or it may be apparent by the lack of trust and cooperation between large groups of employees and management.

Signs of conflict

Some signs of conflict may be visible such as a heated exchange between colleagues or a meeting between management and employee representatives that turns into a “stand-off”.
However, not all forms of conflict are so obvious. Some individuals might hide their feelings as a way of coping with a problem; while a team might react to pressure by cutting itself off from the rest of the organization.

Symptoms of conflict

Motivation drops: fewer people volunteer to take on new tasks and there is little employee input at team meetings or briefings.

Behavior changes: people start to make derogatory remarks towards each other and there are fewer social events organized.

Productivity falls: there are likely to be more queries and complaints if people are not cooperating with each other.

Sickness absence increases: unhappiness may lead to depression or stress.
Responses to staff attitude surveys or questionnaires: indicate underlying dissatisfaction.

Causes of conflict

Some of the issues that can cause conflict between individuals and groups at work include:
•    Poor management
•    Unfair treatment
•    Unclear job roles
•    Inadequate training
•    Poor communications
•    Poor work environment
•    Lack of equal opportunities
•    Bullying and harassment

Managing conflict between individuals often involves:
•    Having a quiet word
•    Investigating the problem informally
•    Using internal procedures – for example, company procedures for dealing with grievances
•    Upgrading line management skills – particularly around handling difficult conversations
•    Using a skilled mediator

Managing conflict between groups often involves:
•    Improving the way you communicate and consult with employees
•    Forming representative structures within your organization to tackle problems – for example, working groups or staff councils
•    Using problem-solving cycles to find joint solutions to workplace problems

Disputes between employees are inevitable. But if left unresolved, they can disrupt your department’s productivity, sap morale and even cause some good employees to quit. I have discussed above issues in two detailed sections i.e. section one which talks about Managing Employee conflict and section two which also talks about Dealing with Difficult Co-Workers and Bosses.

Section one:  Managing Employee Conflict

Negotiating workplace conflict: 3 tips for managers

Conflict happens in all corners of the workplace. Here are three tricks of the trade for resolving workplace conflict.

1. Let people tell their story. When people are deeply upset about something, they need to get their story out. This is a basic principle of mediation and one that’s important to remember.
Yes, allowing people to speak their minds can increase the level of conflict with which you must deal. That’s OK. You have to get through the conflict phase to find the solution.

2. Bring a reality check to the table. Often in a conflict, the parties are so focused on facts that they lose sight of the big picture and its implications. As the mediator, you need to bring people back to reality by wrenching their attention away from the grain of sand and having them focus on the whole beach. Doing so may help resolution arrive at a startling speed.

3. Identify the true impediment. In every conflict, ask yourself: What is the true motivating factor here? What is really keeping this person from agreeing to a solution?

Team conflict resolution: Knowing when to referee

Disputes between employees are common and inevitable. The difficult decision is when to step in and address the issue successfully. Give the warring parties a chance to resolve it on their own. The time to take action is when things get out of hand, and the problems are affecting their work or disrupting other people’s work.
Find out if the conflict is work-related and has a structural root, or whether it’s interpersonal and has no relationship to the job. An interpersonal conflict can happen on or off the job, whereas structural ones are inevitable in many organizations.

Don’t be swayed by office politics

As the manager, your approach should be to resolve the situation without offending or alienating either group. When politics get in the way, it’s time to step in cautiously. You don’t want your boss to think that your division is riddled with divisive disputes. Your credibility is on the line if you can’t right the situation.
Easing tensions between warring factions isn’t easy.
A bad move on the manager’s part could create irreparable barriers, decrease productivity, as well as dampen morale. The situation must be carefully managed so that you’re not taking sides.
Your goal is to keep everyone focused on solving a problem and not be sidetracked by personal or political issues.

Steps for managing ‘difficult’ employees.

Working alongside difficult people can be hard enough. But managing someone with whom you have a personality clash can cause major tension.
Experienced managers know how to separate emotions from the work at hand when dealing with employees. Rather than dwelling on an employee’s negative personality traits, smart managers focus on tasks, projects and results. They don’t allow their personal feelings to interfere, and they treat everyone the same way.
But in too many cases, managers simply turn away from their least favorite employees. Rather than interacting with them, they avoid them. What’s worse, managers may just write off the problem employees and do the employees’ jobs themselves.

Turning your back on difficult employees isn’t just a management mistake, it can also create legal trouble. That’s because employees who frequently bump heads with management are also the ones most likely to file lawsuits when they feel they’re being treated unfairly.
That’s why, when confronted with employees who don’t do what’s asked, it’s best to devise a strategy for making the best of a potentially explosive situation.
Although it may be hard to transform a difficult employee into a warm, friendly ally, there are several steps you can take to make it easier for the employee to comply.

Section Two: Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers and Bosses
Are you frustrated by your boss, aggravated by colleagues or stuck on a management?
In this section you’ll find answers to all kinds of “in the trenches” questions, compiled by Gabriel. Here’s a sampling of readers’ questions answered by Gabriel on everything from office politics to employee conflict to dealing with a boss who’s out of control.

My boss is driving me nuts! How do I make it stop?

Question: “When my boss assigns a project, he never shares all the information that resides in his head. As a result, I usually fail to achieve his vision and have to redo my work. If I ask for details, it’s like pulling teeth. I’ve started emailing him my questions with bullet points, so he can type in the answers. ‘Mr. Visionary’ says he wants me to think deeply, but I think he really expects me to read his mind. Help! How do I work with this person?” — Karen, Kumasi.

Gabriel’s Answer: You and your scattered boss illustrate a typical difference in thinking styles. “Creative Visionaries” focus on the big picture, get excited about new ideas and love making changes. Sound familiar?

Visionaries and Implementers can make a terrific pairing, but they also drive each other nuts! To manage this style gap, consider these suggestions:
• Realize that all brains are not the same.
• Recognize each other’s strengths.
• Accommodate the differences.
• Ask for what you need.
• Team up for success.

When the boss hires an incompetent ‘good friend’

Question: “My boss hired his ‘good friend’ as a top-level manager. This woman has no qualifications for the job, and she’s making costly mistakes. She also pawns her work off on others and treats everyone rudely. We’ve tried talking to the boss about this woman’s inexperience and offensive behavior, but he refuses to listen. Some long-term employees are considering leaving. How can we explain this without putting our jobs on the line? Her behavior has had a major impact on our work and may do long-term damage to the company.” — Joseph Agyekum-Dansoman.

Gabriel’s Answer: Help your boss see the problem by getting his attention without insulting his management ability. Start by viewing things from his perspective. Friend or not, this woman was his choice for a high-level job. So when you say, “She has no qualifications,” you’re really saying, “You were an idiot to hire someone like that.” Not exactly the smartest approach.
My co-workers resent my promotion: How do I resolve this workplace conflict?

Question: “My boss is promoting me to supervisor, but several co-workers are unhappy about it. Ever since he told them, a few people have been very nasty to me. None of these co-workers showed any interest in the position, yet they now find fault with everything I do. I feel like I’m under a microscope. I don’t go to work every day to make friends. My goal is to do a good job and earn a living. After I’m promoted, should I talk to these people about their behavior or should I act like it never happened? How do I squash this jealousy and nip this behavior in the bud?” — Moses Afram-Accra

Gabriel’s Answer: Being elevated above your peers is seldom easy, but these back-stabbing co-workers sound particularly tough. So you need both a transition plan and some self-examination.   

Author: Gabriel Ofori Yeboah
Fund Manager, Investor, Broker, FX Trader, Consultant–(Investment, Financial Analyst, Banking)
Email: gabbynanaoforiyeboah@gmail.com
Tel: 0246751535