Introduction
Conflict refers to a process where two or more people disagree. Disagreements can be as simple as a minor annoyance to a big violence. In organizations, employees interact daily with one another and with their superiors. Occasionally, these interactions lead to disagreements which might escalate if not resolved in time. There is no specific way of avoiding organizational conflicts. However, it is possible to establish an organizational culture which promotes healthy relationship among employees so that they can work more as friends than workmates. Organizations pay more attention to conflict management strategies and how to handle disagreements in time before it affects the whole organization. In conflict management, it is important first to establish the causes of a conflict and then resolve it in a way that prevents it from occurring again.
Types of Conflicts
Organizational conflicts are categorized into three. They include intrapersonal conflicts, interpersonal conflicts and intergroup conflicts (Rahim, 2017).
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Intrapersonal Conflicts
These are types of conflicts which takes place within an employee. Intrapersonal conflicts are mainly caused by confusion in roles (Einarsen, Skogstad, Rørvik, Lande, & Nielsen, 2018). For example, a new employee who has been assigned a new role might not be sure of what is expected of him/her. The employee might have a feeling that he/she is inadequate for the task or efforts to put is not enough. Another instance of intrapersonal conflict arises in jobs where managers conduct close supervision. For the manager, it might be necessary to closely supervise the employee due to the nature of the job being done. The employee, on the other hand, might perceive this as unnecessary or lack of trust by the manager. The subordinate employee will be in constant pressure to perform and please the manager instead of performing to complete a task.
Interpersonal Conflict
Interpersonal conflicts take place between employees. It might be between two employees at the same rank or an employee and a superior.
Employee-Employee Conflict
This is a type of conflict which occurs between two workers at the same level or in the same staff. Conflicts between two employees begin as a simple disagreement between two people. However, it has the possibility of dividing the organization into two factions with each group supporting a conflicting individual (Rahim, 2017). Interpersonal conflicts have unwanted impacts on staff morale because people will not be free to work with individuals with whom they do not agree. It is up to the supervisor or the two individuals to discuss and resolve the disagreement. For a successful negotiation, the conflicting parties must first be willing to resolve their difference.
Employee-Supervisor Conflict
This is a disagreement between two employees at different levels. Just like between two employees’ conflicts, this type also has a possibility of dividing the staff into two and reducing staff morale (Umair, Aslam, & Yousaf, 2018). One faction of the employees will be on the supervisor’s side while the other will be supporting their colleague. It is advisable that the supervisor and the employee involved sit together and solve their issue. But if they are unable to agree, then the supervisor will call for assistance from more superior individuals (Tjosvold, Wong, & Chen, 2014).
Intergroup Conflicts
This is a type of conflict which takes place between different groups within the organization. Organizational groups include departments, employees, management, owners, and customers.
Departmental Conflicts
It refers to a disagreement between two departments. The departments are usually interrelated, and conflicts occur when on department delays or are unable to complete a task that the other depends on to achieve its objectives. For example, a manufacturing unit might need additional financial allocation to complete a task. The manager will have to contact the finance department to consider the budget when the two are not able to agree on the need for these additional funds; a conflict will ensue (Umair, Aslam, & Yousaf, 2018). To resolve this type of conflict, the two managers will explain their position and try to reach an agreement by analyzing each position and its impact on the organization’s goals.
Employees-Management Conflicts
This is a conflict between a team of workers and their managers. The most common outcome of these conflicts is that employees attempt to form unions and present their grievances as a group. Employee-management conflicts are caused by dissatisfaction in working conditions, working hours, delay in payments, and abolishment or lack of benefits. Organizations suffer much from these conflicts because once union campaigns begin; it becomes difficult to stop the move (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Some employees react by walking out or absconding duty, thus, stopping the production process.
Causes of Conflicts
Organizational disagreement is caused by some factors which include limited resources, task interdependence, personality differences, incompatible goals, organizational structure, and communication problems.
Organizational Structure
Structure refers to the outlook of the organization and how employees are ranked. The structure affects decision-making processes. There are organizations whose structures are hierarchical and decisions are made by top managers and communicated to the other employees. In these organizations, employees are forced to work with some rules that they do not approve. On the other hand, other organizations encourage cultures where decision making in a department involves all the staff members in that department (Einarsen et al., 2018).
Limited Resources
Organizational resources include time, finance, and equipment. These resources are always scarce, and departments to compete for them. There are circumstances when some employees or departments have more access to these limited resources than the others and this result in a conflict (Tjosvold, Wong, & Chen, 2014). Organizations must learn how to distribute scarce resources equitably without causing disagreements.
Task Interdependence
Organizations have general goals which are divided into departmental goals. In the departments, employees also rely on one another to complete their tasks. There are instances when a delay in one department or by one unit will inconvenience another unit which relies on their results.
Incompatible Goals
Incompatible goals result when managers of two departments have opposing management skills or are compensated differently. The two will be working to achieve objectives that are mutually exclusive and not in the organization’s best interest.
Personality Difference
In a setting with two or more workers interacting, a difference in personality does cause disagreements. This is a problem with employees who do not appreciate the value of a difference in opinion and characters.
Communication Problems
In most organizations, communication channels are defined and explained to employees. Business operations involve employees communicating with one another and with their superiors on a regular basis. Without proper communication channels, conflicts do arise among those with poor communication skills and understanding (Einarsen et al., 2018).
Conflict Resolution
The five common conflict handling styles include accommodating, collaboration, compromise, avoidance, and competition (Tjosvold, Wong, & Chen, 2014).
Avoidance
This style involves denying that the conflict exists. After establishing what causes a disagreement, the parties involved avoid the cause and stay out of trouble. This is not the best solution because it does not address the situation.
Accommodation
This type of resolution involves giving in to others’ demands. The accommodating parties put a higher value on their relationship than their opinions. Therefore, they will have to live with what they do not believe in for the good of the existing relationship. This style also does not address the causes of conflicts.
Compromise
By compromising, each opposing party agrees to collaborate and reach a common ground. It involves giving up on some demands to accommodate the other person’s pleasures.
Competition
In competition, one party wins while the other loses. Conflicting parties compete to have their opinion adopted without caring about the opinion of the other party (Bolman & Deal, 2017). This is a non-collaborative style, and it is considered unethical.
Collaboration
This style depends on cooperation and assertiveness. The two parties agree to solve their problem by arguing and applying the best strategy that they both agree upon. Collaboration always strengthens the relations between the conflicting individuals because it addresses the root cause of the conflict (Bolman & Deal, 2017).
Conclusion
Organizational conflict refers to a disagreement between two parties within an organization. It might be between two employees, two departments or groups, and between and an employee and a superior. Conflicts cannot be avoided due to differences in management styles, personality, and personal goals. The best thing is to set up a system through these conflicts are managed and resolved before they escalate to cause division in the organization.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership . John Wiley & Sons.
Einarsen, S., Skogstad, A., Rørvik, E., Lande, Å. B., & Nielsen, M. B. (2018). Climate for conflict management, exposure to workplace bullying and work engagement: a moderated mediation analysis. The International Journal of Human Resource Management , 29 (3), 549-570.
Rahim, M. A. (2017). Managing conflict in organizations . Routledge.
Tjosvold, D., Wong, A. S., & Feng Chen, N. Y. (2014). Constructively managing conflicts in organizations. Annu. Rev. Organ. Psychol. Organ. Behav. , 1 (1), 545-568.
Umair, M., Aslam, S., & Yousaf, H. (2018). The Effect of Conflicts in Organizational Sectors in Pakistan. Science, Technology & Public Policy , 2 (1), 1.
