Final Paper

WORKPLACE
CONFLICT
Sarah Bucholz COM 215-101(90232-Spring 2016)

If you take the time to look up the word conflict in the dictionary you will see that conflict is
viewed in a negative light. Your basic Webster dictionary will describe conflict as the following:

A struggle for power, property, etc.

strong disagreement between people, groups, etc., that results in often angry argument

A difference that prevents agreement: disagreement between ideas, feelings, etc.

fight, battle, war <an armed conflict>
competitive or opposing action of incompatibles : antagonistic state or action (as of

divergent ideas, interests, or persons)

mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or

external or internal demands

the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or
fiction

Conflict has this unfortunate reputation of it being a negative aspect. Its no shock individuals
shy away from conflict. There is actually an innovative side to conflict. It can allow creativity,
and bring people together with different opinions or ideas. These creative aspects could include
brain storming thoughts and inventive ideas for the best resolution of the problem. Conflict is
mostly viewed in the negative form such as, animosity, hostility, un-resolvable differences, and
egos to deal with. Conflict management in the workplace is an issue that every business
professional, manager/supervisor, or employee has to deal eventually. The fundamentals of
conflict resolution and management include improving communication, teamwork, and an
organized approach to solving the disagreement. This paper will explore managerial techniques
to recognize conflict and strategies they can used to manage and or resolve workplace conflict.

Recognizing Conflict
Identifying the early signs of conflict is a key component to the quickest resolution. There are
many early warning signs of a conflict issue including but not limited to the following:

Dysfunctional and tense meetings

Nasty e-mails or what I call nasty grams
Opposing groups forming within company
Repetitive patterns of disagreements
Lack of productivity
Work or team avoidance
Feelings of being unwelcome
High turn-over

Last but not least lack of communication.

Work place conflicts must be dealt with in the delicate and strategic manner. Interdependence
conflicts are where an employee or supervisor relies on another employee to complete the job or
task so that they can do their own task but someone failure to deliver. There are also conflicts in
work ethic and organizational style. A particular employee may be task oriented, while another
may be strong in personnel relations. Differences in backgrounds can also lead to conflict such
as gender, age, educational backgrounds and even political views. Personalities and management
style can also cause major conflict in the workplace. For example I am a very task orientated and
self-sufficient employee. I like to be given a task and have the opportunity to show you my
completed master piece than have to check in every 10 seconds for approval.
Managing Conflict

All these conflicts can be managed or prevented efficiently by making an allowance for a few
changes. Communication is the key factor to any successful organization and a lack of
communication can pose huge issues. Encouraging an open communication and a transparent
environment can help prevent miscommunication and conflict from happening. A lack of
information, insufficient information or no information at all can be a huge problem as well. It is
managements responsibility to set clear expectations of all staff. Precise and correct information
is necessary to set the employees up for success and avoid conflict. This allows headway for
efficient productivity. Productivity is the main aspect in any organization and necessary for
success.

Keeping an open mind and staying calm when entering a conflict situation is an essential way of
managing workplace conflict positively. Of course everyone has their own perceptions of the
best process of handling conflict but I would recommend finding a common ground. Its best to
understand the other individuals perspective and how they arrived at that perspective. Its
incredibly important for management to gain as much of an understanding of the problem as
possible before trying to manage or resolve the issue at hand. If a complete understanding is not
established before attempting to resolve then that can make the situation much worse.

I strongly encourage to never allow emotion to enter a conflict management situation. Tempers
can rise and cause a conflict situation to turn aggressive and inappropriate. It important to look
past the immediate emotions and handle the conflict. Some employees use verbal attacks to keep
the other person silent. I think we all can agree a one-sided conversation will not help you or
management resolve the conflict. Its essential for everyone to have a time to share their peace.
Getting everything out in the open can help relieve the employees stress and calm them, while in
turn, help management see the entire picture. Again all views should be un-biasedly considered
with an open mind, and a resolution should be a consensus with all parties.
Conclusion
As I stated above, conflict within a organization can have grave negative effects on a business. It
can affect the mental well-being of employees and even cause stress that can be taken home. Its
definitely reasonable to say that conflict can be valuable and give insight but at other times
destructive. Management must be sensitive to the magnitudes of conflict. This can range from
negative conclusions such as loss of skilled employees, workplace disruption, a lack of quality of
work, stress and even aggressive behavior such as violence. There are also positive outcomes
such as innovative substitutions, increased loyalty and motivation, high quality of work, and
employee satisfaction. The conflict management and resolving process can eventually be a
stimulus for positive change within a business. Finally, conflicts whether they are negative or
positive are going to happen in an organizations regardless of efforts. This is perfectly natural

whenever interests collide. Its our job that when these differences affect the professional
relationships to manage the conflict constructively.
Then End.

Work Cited
(n.d.). Retrieved May 25, 2016, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflict
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workplace and at home. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society.
Organizational communication as an important factor (n.d.). Retrieved May 25, 2016, from
http://www.saycocorporativo.com/saycoUK/BIJ/journal/Vol4No2/Case_2.pdf
McConnon, S., McConnon, M., & McConnon, S. (2008). Conflict management in the
workplace: How to manage disagreements and develop trust and understanding. Oxford: How
To Books.
Currie, D., Gormley, T., Roche, B., & Teague, P. (2016). The Management of Workplace
Conflict: Contrasting Pathways in the HRM Literature. International Journal of Management
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