Violence in the Workplace

Introduction

The Pillow Fight

Unfortunately, most employee conflicts aren't as good-natured as this pillow fight.

Human resource managers report spending 24% to 60% of their time dealing with employee disputes.

According to a study by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), the number of violent incidents in the workplace has been increasing. Nearly 60% of respondents said violence had occurred in their organization during the past three years, and they identified "personality conflicts" as the leading cause.

Why Conflicts Arise

Conflict arises when one or more person tries to ensure their preferred outcome is achieved to the exclusion of the preferred outcome of others. Causes of conflict within an organization include:

1. Poor organization structures where people may feel alienated or isolated, thus the spirit of competitiveness and non-cooperation may be strong.
2. Poor communication where people don't have the opportunity to express how they feel or to clear up causes of conflict which may arise.
3. Personality conflicts which cause people to clash with each other due to different styles of interaction or differing values or beliefs.
4. Poorly managed change within an organization, which can lead to people feeling insecure and threatened.
5. Lack of teamwork /poor performance, where some members of the team believe other colleagues are not competent in the jobs they do.

Overall, conflict arises when there is a non-acceptance of the differences which exist between people at work. It is also more likely to happen in organizations where there is a high level of uncertainty, or where there are poor industrial relations. The atmosphere this causes can result in a raising of tension levels and poor relationships at work.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

The following strategies can help effectively resolve worker conflict:

1. Be a good listener. The parties involved should all want to tell their story. Even though getting people to speak freely can increase the level of conflict, it's a good idea to get all the complaints and issues out so you can begin working on a solution.
2. Stay impartial without getting the the staff to hate you and the establishment. If your staff has been divided into camps, each espousing one idea over another, make sure you understand the motivations of each group.
3. Stay logical. Don't let your feelings for the people on staff influence your decision. If you don't get along with the people in one group, do not dismiss their ideas and claims.
4. Agree an action plan. Who will do what , when and how. Monitor progress and review within an agreed period. Move on from the conflict once it has been resolved.