Workplace Conflict
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Workplace Conflict: Constructive conflict resolution or destructive conflict resolution
Introduction
The following literature regards constructive conflict resolution that aims at improving conflicts, especially in workplaces. The first objective of this peer-reviewed research paper is to assess whether workplace conflict is constructive or counter-productive to ascertain whether organizations should encourage, prompt, and welcome conflicts with effective conflict resolutions mechanisms or they should discourage, minimize and possibly eradicate or forms of conflicts. The second objective is to suggest future recommendations on conflict resolutions at the workplace especially in the field of nursing. This peer review research adopts critical literature and systematic review method. The researcher has collected researches and critically analyzed them as part of the debate.
How to manage conflicts, which is a natural element in society
Conflicts form a natural element of one’s life. It is therefore paramount to avoid conflicts or respond to them in win-win ways that incorporate peer mediation, justice and mutual problem solving especially for a nurse. It is worth acknowledging that constructive management of conflicts helps in transforming violence in society by promoting a culture of respect, constructive dialogue, reflective ideas, and deep listening skills. These virtues aim at holistic healing of conflicts, which in the end facilitate constructive healing of humanity. As a nursing student, I embrace caring healing modalities as well as the therapeutic use of self through interventions such as relaxation, mindfulness, restorative justice, peer mediation, and discipline strategies. Such interventions create a sense of respect and mutual satisfaction for all parties.
Workplace conflicts are inevitable and form a major theme of organizational behavior. Research has unearthed that despite many researchers labeling workplace conflicts as bad for decades, there is now empirical evidence that they can as well be beneficial Dutsch (1969 & 1973). That has called for constructive management of conflicts as opposed to just avoidance of conflicts in the society. Not all types of conflicts may, therefore, be bad as every conflict has its pros and cons. There is, therefore, a need for more comprehensive studies on conflicts in future researches. On one hand, studies on organizational behavior have depicted conflicts as bad and disruptive for organizations employees (Watson & Haffman, 1996; Wall & Callister, 1995; Thomas & Schmidt, 1976; & Rizzo et al., 1970).
Pros and cons of conflicts at the workplace
Conflicts disrupt organizations by damaging the quality of how groups make decisions, slow down creativity and make them less innovative. The studies have labeled conflicts as a potential force that destroys team building and lowers the level of trust among workers (Jehn, 1994, 1995; & Amason, 1996). Basing on these arguments, organizations should do all they can to eliminate conflicts.
On the other hand, another group of researchers was of the opinion that organizations experience beneficial conflicts but embrace constructive conflict resolutions (Deutch, 1969, 1973). According to De Deru & Van de Vliert, (2001), constructive conflict resolutions can significantly enhance productivity in an organization. They argued that when an organizational group experiences no conflict but rather enjoy harmony, peace, and everyone is cooperative, its members are likely to be static, lack interest and fail to respond to the dynamics of the organization. Such a group is likely to become less creative and less innovative. De Deru & Van de Vliert, (2001) therefore conclude that workplace conflicts are healthy but caution organizations that the level of conflicts should nevertheless be optimal.
Causes of workplace conflicts
Workplace conflicts arise when an individual or a party feels that an interdependent party is undermining their opinions (Pondy, 1967; Thomas, 1992; & Wall & Callister, 1995). Researchers attribute scarcity of resources such as budget, promotion, and rewards as a possible cause of workplace conflicts because people have different insights, opinions, diverse moral values, and perceptions (De Dreu & Gelfand, 2007; Deutch, 1973; Kelly & Thibaut 1969; & Rapport, 1960). Poor communication skills such as lack of or delayed flow of information may also lead to workplace conflicts. He further argues that semantic differences emanating from an individual perceiving selectively, diverse backgrounds, employees that are incompatible, poor leadership styles, variant personal beliefs, and differences in personality dimensions also play a great role in catalyzing workplace conflicts.
Types of workplace conflicts and on how to avoid them
Workplace conflict can be either relationship conflict or task conflict. Relationship conflict arises when parties, in the process of resolving an issue realize their incompatibility in their feelings about the issue. Anger and frustrations coupled with anxiety and tension characterize relationship conflicts. One can avoid relationship conflict by being calm and slow to anger, building trust in others, and learning to appreciate differences in opinions. Affective reactions normally characterize relationship conflicts but positively influence once desire to quit from the current job. An employee who is going through relationship conflict suffers from job dissatisfaction and reduced psychological wellbeing (Medina et al., 2005).
Task conflicts arise from disagreements about tasks among employees. The employees may also disagree on organizational goals, decisions on key matters, procedures and the right choice for actions (Guetzkow & Gyr, 1954). This type of conflict is unavoidable in top management positions when different teams perceive different environments. For instance, members may differ in their ideas regarding how to perform a particular task or on the organization's strategic position.
The above facts lead to the conclusion that workplace conflicts are inevitable due to differences in personality beliefs, and cultural beliefs. It is therefore paramount critically to analyze constructive conflict resolutions and destructive conflict resolution for proper management of conflicts for optimum production in an organization and wellbeing of employees.
Recommendation
From the discussion, it is evident that workplace conflicts are inevitable and affective conflict should be at a minimal level since it is damaging. Although I have stated the pros and cons of workplace conflicts, I suggest that future research study on experimental pre-post conflict situations and comparison of no conflict-to-conflict phenomenon. That would help the nursing fraternity clarify the existing ambiguities on the pros and cons of workplace conflicts and on how best to manage the same phenomena.
Interactionist’s school of thought treats workplace conflicts as potentially benefiting an organization. A conflict can be productive or destructive depending on one’s approach. For instance, Kochan (1974) argued that a conflict could be either cooperative or competitive. Cooperative conflict is constructive while competitive conflict is destructive. It is, therefore, a recommendation that one should avoid turning cooperation into competition. Proper management of conflicts demands that the conflicting parties should believe that when one disputant benefits, the other disputant also benefits. Employees should avoid the belief that one disputant party becomes less powerful when the other interdependent disputant party benefits. Additionally, one should avoid hostile feelings that are likely to form a barrier in communication and lead to negative attributes about the attitudes of the other party.
According to Hafeez (2005), there are techniques that are efficient tools in transforming competitive conflicts into cooperative conflicts. They include careful verbal communication, embracing joint tasks, expansion of medium of communication, implementing rules of courtesy while communicating, avoiding blaming of the other party but rather the process, establishing areas of agreement, building trust through building exercises and setting an open system for all information. According to Deutsch (1973), values, and rewards such as shared vision, common rewards, common tasks for groups and adopting supportive culture positively affect organizational interactions and help in constructive conflict resolutions.
Conclusion
The cooperation approach, as opposed to the competition approach, is a catalyst in exchange for resources, the assistance of one another, and the constructive resolution of conflicts to ensure a win-win situation for all parties. It creates a sense of commitment for employees, especially in nursing and builds up their morale. For organizations to realize the great potentials rooted in conflicts, employees must embrace considerable capabilities in intellect, logic, emotion and interpersonal relationships. The workers must agree to discuss their differences constructively and openly.