28 May Conflict in the Workplace
Having to deal with conflict in the workplace is painful especially when we spend most of our time at the office. It causes tension and anguish which affects all areas of our lives and is often released on innocent victims. This week let us take an in depth look at people in the workplace, the personalities and the power; how to manage conflict and still keep your grip on the corporate ladder.
In a corporate environment there are many different triggers to conflict, such as gossip, envy, favouritism, nepotism, power and the list goes on. In response to conflict, most employees opt to return to the job market without requesting assistance or communicating their struggles. In my experience in the recruitment industry, employees would rather not communicate the problem because they feel nothing would change and that they would be making life harder for themselves by exposing others and the truth. This silence is an invisible cover up of destruction to an organizations reputation to what could have been easily resolved in a short meeting. The result: unhappy employees sharing their pain with others thereby sewing negative morale amongst somewhat content employees.
Conflict is not an easy topic to discuss, however it’s these tough subjects that need the most attention if we are going to grow as a society. For management, open door policy is the only route to follow. Get to know your staff well, take interest in their lives every now and then. Be opened to understand the tensions in your office environment. Try to resolve matters as soon as they arise, do not allow them to fester. Give clear answers to concerns and questions and let your employees know that their happiness is important to you. This reaffirmation will go a very long way. For more assistance on managing conflict, contact a reputable training provider who can facilitate your lower and higher management employees on managing conflict in the workplace.
As an employee the best way to steer clear of conflict, is not to get involved in office gossip. If you have a valid concern with management or another colleague, make an appointment to see you’re superior. Resist the urge to complain to another employee, you might be feeling different after you speak to management while your colleague will still be pondering on your complaint long after the episode. Concentrate on your career goals and vision, keep busy by meeting your targets and dismiss any opportunity to be swayed in the wrong direction. As one of my previous managers used to say; “Be famous for your work output and not your personality”.
Regardless of the position we hold, we need to be in charge of our own contentment. It is unfair to place your happiness in the hands of a company or individual; they will most likely let you down because they do not fully understand your expectations. Dream bigger, work towards your goals and in the process achieve more in a shorter space of time.
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