Whether in public or private organisation, disagreements often occur.
Unfortunately, it is one of the workplace characteristics the experts
say cannot be avoided. PHOTO | FILE
Jennifer worked as a marketing manager for an in insurance firm with a satellite branch in the Rift Valley region.
Her work revolved around creating networks with business partners and bringing on board as many clients as possible.
On
this Thursday morning, she was in a rush to meet a major potential
client who had postponed his appointments four times just because she
was late by less than 10 minutes. A fifth count was not a nicety she
looked forward to.
As she dashed
out, the secretary beckoned her. So, she breathlessly told her ‘I am in a
rush, I’ll be back,” and quickly walked away without waiting for an
approval or a reply.
About three
hours later, Jennifer returned. And as soon as the secretary saw her
face past the door, she was blurting out all her ‘dissatisfaction’ on
her in the presence of her co-workers.
“Do
you have any idea why I was calling you? What did you gain by ignoring
me?” she shouted at Jennifer who is about six years her junior. The
response from Jennifer was “I thought I told you I was in a hurry and
would be back!”
That marked the turning point of Jennifer’s relationship with the secretary.
For
days, she never responded to Jennifer’s greetings, failed to deliver
messages from clients and refused to print her weekly reports. She
thought, with time, she will recover from her ‘bad day ‘and come around.
DISPARITY OF VIEW
But
not until, she received an email from the managing director warning her
to desist from demeaning junior co-workers. This followed an accusation
of receiving bribes from job seekers with a promise of securing them
sales executive jobs at the firm.
Three
months later, Jennifer was sacked for being a scandalous employee. In
the contemporary workplace environment, Jennifer’s experience is not
unique.
For her it was presumably a petty issue soon to fade away. Surprisingly, it did in such an unexpected manner.
The
confrontation that the former marketing manager and secretary had is
what the human resource expert simply define as a workplace conflict.
A disparity in view of things. Opinions, values and interests just don’t merge.
Although
elusive data exist on the number of employees who have been victims of
workplace conflicts exist in the country, complaints fly over in many of
the evening over the coffee table discussions.
Whether
in public or private organisation, disagreements often occur.
Unfortunately, it is one of the workplace characteristics the experts
say cannot be avoided.
This is in
consideration of the ethnic diversity, varying styles of doing things
and personality differences. But conflicts do not just happen. Overly,
studies have shown that a conflict matures through three steps.
It
begins with a contradiction which is basically holding a different
view, interest or opinion about something. This basically sets a rift
between two individuals or groups.
A
contradiction can be attached to ethnic grounds, level of education,
age difference, and estate of residence, dressing style or even how
someone walks and so on.
At this
level, a contradiction can be an emotional issue without any connection
to work or be oriented to improving an organisation’s performance.
Once,
one finds a conflict, he or she develops some attitude towards the
unlikeable employee. Groupings emerge and the clashing members classify
each other as outcasts.
FUNCTIONAL OR DYSFUNCTIONAL
According
to them as long as they are not part of the group, they are outcasts
and do not deserve to be treated as human beings. At the boiling point
is behaviour.
The members in the
opposite sides manifest their hatred or dislike for the other. At this
point, the corporate culture is buried and the organisation’s mission
and objectives are laid to rest.
This
is the stage at which witch-hunting, finding mistake where there is
none and blaming someone for the mistakes that he or she has knowledge
about becomes the norm.
A study on
workplace conflict done by CPP Inc.-a USA based company dealing with
organizational development –in 10 countries in Europe and America found
out that 85 percent of employees at all levels experience conflict to
some degree.
And the primary causes
of the conflicts were found to be personality clashes and warring egos
at 49 per cent. Work related stress contributed 34 per cent
Although the Workplace Conflict and How Businesses Can Harness It To Thrive
survey was done in 2008 and in the developed countries, workplace
environments represent far more similar obstacles all over the world
than the differences even with the changing times.
Professor
George Gongera, the Dean, Faculty of Co-operative and Community
Development at Co-operative University College of Kenya says universally
workplace conflicts can be in the form of functional or dysfunctional.
But
in either case if not handled very well can greatly affect work flow.
Functional, as he explains is constructive and work-oriented.
ACTIVITY OF AVOIDANCE
It
comes in parallel opinions but can be resolved through collaborative
discussions in which parties are focused on a win-win situation.
“A functional conflict helps people to move forward with success,” he says.
“This
is because, parties are willing to listen and consider the presented
opinions. Everybody is important and no matter the input, it is
considered invaluable. This is how companies make progress,” he adds.
But there exists a dysfunctional conflict.
It
is deconstructive and flourishes on an emotional steak. Parties here do
not care about what the other person thinks or feels and in most cases
involves engaging deceptive, threatening, emotional and physical abuses.
In whatever form the workplace conflict manifests itself, to solve it should never be an activity of avoidance.
In
any case, to burn the brown pages is the company as performing
employees would be suffering from low morale or induced sickness with
the deep cut being their exit.
In
the CPP Inc. study 41 per cent of the employees reported project failure
due to the workplace conflicts, 27 per cent witnessed personal attacks
and 25 per cent falling ill or avoiding work.
“Workplace
conflicts are so prevalent in organisations. From our research, about
five to seven percent of the employees leave jobs because of the poor
relationship between the staff and the direct supervisors,” says
Perminus Wainaina, the managing director for Corporate Staffing
Services, whose firm trains employees on conflict management.
The worry is how to resolve disagreements soberly putting affront the uncommon cultures exhibited within the office space.
Each
department must have an appointed individual who is directly
responsible for solving conflicts between the employees according to
Prof Gongera.
“It is not good
practice for an employee to present her or his grievance to the CEO
before talking to the immediate supervisor,” asserts the human resource
lecturer.
CORPORATE CULTURE
But
what happens when you are dealing with a co-worker who has already
classified you as ‘useless’ and perceives a discussion with you as waste
of her or his time?
Prof Gongera
audaciously advises; “Remind him or her of the organisations' corporate
culture. Take her or him through the organisation’s objectives. Let him
or her understand that synergy is the key word while at work.”
To
deal with personality clashes, employees should be trained on the
courtesy of pulling down the mask of pre-judgment and illogical
categorisation to be able to operate in harmonious co-existence with one
another.
“Take the employees out for
team building; let them understand each other well. Break the ceilings.
Even if a co-worker is a performer as long as you feel uncomfortable
working with him or her it will still affect your performance in one way
or another,” notes Wainaina.
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