Did you know that conflict can not only have a negative affect on a situation but can also arise positive outcomes as well? Arguments and confrontations in the workplace can sometimes seem overwhelming and often try to be avoided, but by approaching these conflicts with positive attitudes can bring positive solutions to a once heated situation. I am going to take a little look into negatives factors of conflict and how it can arise in a workplace.
A question to ask yourself would be why do conflicts in the workplace arise? Well, Edelmann believes that it comes down to these five factors; group characteristics, relationship rules, ages differences, personality clashes and gender difference. So taking this into a work situation you may encounter levels of conflict when working with a newly introduced team, due to a variety of group characteristics and also clashing of different personality types. More over, Edelmann also suggests that there are dynamics to conflict, these being that conflict is static and it eventually changes over time. So if you are experiencing conflict through reasons like the example mentioned above, it can change over time and can develop from negative conflict towards more positive outcomes.
Bringing to light the notion of positive conflict, Taffinder states that conflict needs to be of the appropriate type, either functional,in that it supports the organisational goals or dysfunctional, in that it hinders the works performance. Functional conflict can be vital in the workplace as Taffinder describes, the benefits being that it will make underlying issues explicit, because these issues arise it will stimulate a sense of urgency within the workforce and in turn sharpen your understanding of goals to be reached. Functional conflict really can be included into any work environment, for example in a sales company employees need to experience functional conflict as people may need to close a certain amount deals and targets each month and if people are slacking, managers may make them aware of this by introducing some form of functional conflict.
Josh :)
hi josh I found your blog very interested especially Edellman's belief as I am an assistant manager at a local pub and all our staff are female and off a really similiar age. I think that conflict is necessary as problems arise which then can be overcome which then makes it a better place to work. x
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte, Thanks for your reply, I can see that your situation could arise conflict, but because you are all the same gender and of a simlar age it could arise a different type of conflict, as you are all too a like. Thanks for your contribution.
ReplyDeleteHiya Josh!
ReplyDeleteI don't personally like conflict, but I think its beneficial to the workplace if its handled appropriately.
It's enivitable that conflict will happen some way or another as not everyone is the same, everyone has different views and opinions. So, I think that conflict can be constructive and provide positive outcomes if it is handled well in the first place.
Daisy xx
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteI also found your comments around gender really interesting. I am a 'till supervisor' at work and find that the girls that are the same age as me I get on really well with. But the boys I work with, particularly the younger ones can really be cheeky with me and its defiantly those that I have the most conflict with.
A really well written post :)
Marie
Thanks for your comments guys,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the fact that the gender and age factors can play a big part towards any conflict that may occur.
Hi Josh, my view is that conflict can be used to benefit companies but needs to be managed carefully in a way that creates healthy competition, new ideas and drives progress. More often than not this is not the case so conflict does become negative. I think that personality differences (as per Edelmann)are often one of the main causes of conflict. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteGeorge
Personally I tend to stay away from conflict if I have to, but after learning about the positives of it I think I'll try to engage myself more often when I know a better result can come of it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Josh!
/Charlie
Great post Josh, I hate conflict personally! But really enjoyed this post and found the five factors very useful! I think that conflict sometimes needs to be addressed but I hate it when people start conflict for no reason!!
ReplyDelete