Internal conflict
Yvonne Harvey, Contributor

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Identify potential sources of conflict within an organisation.

2. Identify strategies for the resolution of conflict within an organisation

Hi everyone. Conflict within organisations is a real problem. Managers and employees have personal contact with each other and with other managers and employees hundreds of times each week. At times, people disagree with each other. Most job disagreements are likely to be temporary and are easily settled. Disagreements become a concern to a business when they lead to conflict.

What is conflict?

Conflict is a situation that develops when one person interferes with the achievement of another's goals.

Conflicts usually occur between two people, but they may also occur between an individual and a group or between groups. Because conflict can be an obstacle to job performance, managers need to be concerned about it.

A modest amount of conflict is sometimes beneficial, because it may challenge employees and may stimulate new ideas. However, while some conflict in organisations may be healthy, too much conflict can be harmful. Undesirable conflict results when the actions of any one person or group undermines the goals of the organisation. What, though, are the potential sources of conflict within an organisation?

Potential sources of internal conflict

• Lack of communication and/or poor communication
• Poor judgement and problems not dealt with effectively by management
• Inconsistencies and violation of work rules
• Lack of motivation or encouragement by management
• Harsh leadership styles and/or inappropriate leadership styles
• Lack of corporation or lack of willingness among workers and management
• Dishonesty among workers and managers
• Work not done properly
• Lazy workers and managers
• Inflexibility
• Poor decision making
• Hostility and suspicion
• Misunderstandings
• Job dissatisfaction in terms of :

(a) Pay

(b) Promotion prospects

(c) Working hours and times

of attendance

(d) Holiday arrangements

(e) Job security

(f) Friendships and relation- ships between employees

So now we know some of the many sources of internal conflict. Since these conflicts may arise from time to time, how do we go about resolving such?

Strategies

Each situation differs and it is necessary to decide which type of strategy will BEST resolve the conflict.

Here are some suggestions:

Avoidance

This is where a neutral position is taken or one agrees with another's position even though it differs from one's personal belief. However, if a disagreement involves extremely important issues, an avoidance strategy may not be advisable.

Compromise

This is where everyone involved in the conflict agrees to a mutually acceptable solution. Everyone involved personally contributes to the decision and it is the preferred method of conflict resolution.

Win/lose

This is the most dangerous approach to conflict resolution. This strategy is one in which no one compromises, thereby resulting in one person winning and one losing. The win/loose situation is destructive and management attempts to prevent them.

Other

There are some specific strategies that the principles of business requires us to consider:

• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Trade union representation.

You can do some research on these for next week. I will begin the lesson by briefly considering these and then move on to the guidelines for establishing good relations between managers and employees.

See you all next week. Keep safe until then.

We won! Players from St Hugh's High School cheer, believing they have won a match, during a Jamaica Softball Association High Schools' Senior League game against Wolmer's Girls at the latter's playing field on April 4. Wolmer's were awarded a 13-11 win after a recount. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer

Yvonne Harvey teaches at Glenmuir High School.