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MANAGING WORKPLACE CONFLICTS THROUGH PREVENTIVE MEDIATION SYSTEMS/TOOLS
                                                                                                                        Article by: James Kofi Addo
By means of our associations, task interrelations and interdependence, workplace settings are fertile breeding ground for conflicts. The dynamics and interdependence of employee/employee and employee/employer relationship call to mind this critical question; why do conflicts arise and what we can do to prevent them from ruining inter and intra workmates relationships.     

                                                    
Recognizing and addressing the factors that give rise to the potential conflict through effective conflict resolutions systems institutionalization in organizations can have a positive impact on industrial harmony, team work and cohesion and productivity.

Understanding Conflict
I share DR. Dana’s definition of conflict which relates to the workplace. Conflict occurs when people who are task interdependent and one or both feels angry, find fault with the other and use behaviors that causes a business problem.

Note that workplace conflict exists only when employee/employee and employer/employee who are task independent causes the firm or the company derail from achieving set targets, work output or misplace productivity and corporate strategic objectives.
If Kwadjo procrastinates, his action will delay the report of Williams, this is because Williams output depends on Kwadjo’s input and forces him to do a rush work increasing his stress and fear looking obtuse before their director. This causes what labour experts called substantive conflict.

As imperfect humans, we fall short of all the factors that will promote harmonious industrial existence. So when disagreements arise, emotions may be difficult to control. And if work mates acts behaviors which starts arguments, some may find it a real challenge to resist such bad behaviors as screaming, abusive speeches, avoiding team members, antagonistic gestures, withdrawing, pre-empting etc. what conflict experts term as wrong reflexes.
Since no one person can do the job without the input of another, our ability to accomplish organizational goals and objectives depends on working together and assistance of others. When one procrastinates, has misplaced priority, misunderstands directions or engages in office politicking, conflicts are created.

Work teams may have different communication styles that are probable inferno for workplace conflict. The use of good communication skills is essential in keeping the peace at the workplace. The unfortunate though is most of us are not born with good communication skills. Consider the experience of James, a team leader in one of the leading companies in Ghana. He says, “ I discovered that the team members have different attitudes towards discussing issues” whilst some are concern not only with what happened but also why and how it occurred, the rest are only interested in the end result.
It is also a fact that managers as well as work mates down play conflict by avoiding or suppressing the issues that triggers conflict while others prefer discussing the disagreement. Have you notice such pattern emerging at your workplace? Which of the roles do you play, discussing the issues or avoiding the issues?

Another factor worthy of consideration is the family background of workmates. When one of the workmates comes from a family who are more expressive of issues, it may influence his perception of how workmates should communicate. Consider the example of James mentioned earlier on, “I come from a quiet family and finds it difficult to discuss openly issues with workmates and since most in my team members express themselves freely, it was really tough to adjust to discussing issues openly.” Letting workmates know how you feel about issues may help them understand you and prevent conflict triggers arenas.

Why do ‘We’ have to Work towards Resolving Workplace Conflicts
I have realized in my dealings with small and medium firms that the most reliable indicator to industrial peace and stability is how well management and labour manage any conflict that arises. William Obiri, a union leader at Aboso Goldfields - Damang mine, believes that putting the right organizational structures, back by appropriate conflict resolution systems and a listening management helps to prevent workplace conflicts.
Since the cost of conflict is very high, I concur with Obiri that the high cost of conflict, its repercussion on the viability of the organization should prompt both management and labour to work together to fulfill Section 97 (1) of the Labour Act. “All parties to the negotiation of a collective agreement shall negotiate in good faith and make every reasonable effort to reach an agreement.”
The shrewd they say see calamity and proceeds to hide but the inexperienced one passes through and must suffer the consequences. Call to memory the famous SABAT Motors, and many companies that collapsed because both management and labour took militant positions during negotiations. The fact is, they failed to manage conflict at its earliest stages and had to suffer the consequences. The important question though is how do we avoid damaging reflexes?

Avoid Damaging Reflexes: by asking the following:
• Do I resist the urge to retaliate?
“The squeezing of the nose is what brings forth blood, and the squeezing out of anger is what brings forth quarreling”. This popular adage buttresses the point above. What may start as a difference over the use of office equipments, say the photo copier machine may mutate into an attack on one’s personality. The truth is that if your workmate squeezes your nose by launching an attack into your behavior, you may feel the urge to squeeze right back. Retaliation however leads to the escalation of the dispute. Instead of trying to explain or retaliate, quickly acknowledge the viewpoint of your workmate and apologize for your part of the conflict.
Try this: Next time you feel the urge to retaliate ask yourself:
      What would it cost to acknowledge my workmates concerns?
      What on my part contributed to this problem?
      What prevents me from apologizing for my mistake and
      How would industrial peace, productivity and achievement of corporate goals and objectives be affected?

• Do I underrate or belittle the feelings of my colleagues?
Being like minded and showing of fellow feelings requires that we never under estimate or minimize colleagues feelings. Two reasons may account to this. The first reason is that we lack insight into the minds or feelings of workmates. What may seem as harmless comments, ‘You are over-reacting’ when workmates are troubled over a statement we made might rather fuel and deepen the dispute. Sometimes our intension may be to help them see the issues in perspective, only few people are thrilled by such comments. Our comments should exhibit love and empathy towards workmates.

Secondly, having undue pride could result in a team member to belittle other members of the team’s feelings. How do you feel when workmates resort to name calling and derogatory remarks anytime your point of view differs from theirs?
The workplace settings are infested with such characters especially where there is strong political connection, influence or support of the chief executive officer of the company. A proud workmate attempts to elevate him/her self by constantly putting others down, name calling, making negative comparisons, and exhibits all wrong reflex traits. The best practice is, think about how you react when workmates express their grievances, show empathy devoid of pride and create an atmosphere of love. Ask yourself, do my words, tone of voice, and expression convey empathy or do I tend to quickly dismiss workmates feelings.
Do this: Apologize any time you realize you have said sometime demeaning to a workmate.

• Do I Pre-empt selfish motives for workmates
A boss praised one employee by saying to one of the supervisors “Bernard is very hard working, trust worthy and good product for the promotion” the supervisor responded “Is it for nothing that Bernard portrays such traits” he expatiates by inputting selfish motives into the boss’ statement about Bernard “Have not you yourself put up a hedge about him and about every thing that he does here.” Another good example is where a workmate said something nice about you. Do you wonder what he/she wants or is covering up? Conversely, if he/she makes a mistake, do you go into your archives to retrieve all past mistakes to confirm an act of selfishness and uncaring. Workmates, workgroups, and management should be careful not to fall into similar pattern.
Do this: make a list of all positive things a colleague has done for you and the good motives that could have prompted these actions.

The chief among all is, show love towards all workmates. This is the greatest antidote to preventing and resolving conflicts at the workplace. Love does not keep account of the injury; love is open to trust, not cynical, suspicious and gives workmates the benefit of doubt. When workmates, teams and management display this kind of love towards each other, they will enjoy harmonious and peaceful work environment.

Institutionalize preventive Mediation Systems.

Most organizations have traditionally followed authoritative guidelines and processes as a means of resolving workplace disputes of all kinds. Globalization and paradigm shift of factors that drive labor/management relations (Labour Act 2003, Act 651) have necessitated some multinational companies in Ghana to shift from the militant position and processes they have been following over the years to adopt and incorporate best conflicts resolution practices systems into their collective agreements.

The majority of companies, firms and other organizations however wait till the conflict escalate before running hither-skitter to the National Labour Commission (classic examples, Railways workers against management, Airways Catering against Management) and other conflict resolution bodies to engage the services of professional mediators and arbitrators to have them resolved. This is without prejudice to the important services provided by these professionals because I am myself one. It is important that management initiate and institutionalize best conflict resolution practices as part of the day to day operations of the organization.

Preventive mediation is the appropriate tool for resolving workplace conflicts. This proactive concept enables both management and labour to act as shrewd. Do not forget that the shrewd see calamity and proceeds to hide. Shrewd is that company or organization which proceeds to put in place measures to avert conflict from reaching a blip or crash. Preventive mediation is a carefully plan program, design systematically to ensure that management and labour work together to improve communication, cooperation and resolve workplace issues through joint consultation and problem solving with or without the intervention of a professional mediator. It encourages a shift from the authoritative handling of workplace grievances to a more positive labour management relations atmosphere and a way of stopping conflict before it starts.
The legal support to preventive mediation is that spirit behind Sections 96 and 97 of the Labour Act 2003. Sections 101 and 102 of Act 651 make provision for negotiating committee and joint negotiating committee. These provisions are direct tool of preventive mediation put in place to enable management and the union to negotiate for workers conditions of service.

A number of labour experts both locally and internationally have propounded tools of preventive mediation which are practical workplace communication tools management should employed. Austin A. Gamey’s concept of Partners in Change is one of the practical tools that management jointly with labour should implement. Partners in change concept, is an organizational change process developed by Gamey &Gamey Academy of Mediation to encourage labour-management cooperation, facilitate organizational changes and encourage proactive planning. Some other preventive tools management could implement:
• Self mediation is a core workplace competency communication tool without the use of a neutral third party and a means of getting workmates to work with you and not against you.
• Managerial mediation or leadership mediation is a self-help mediation tool you can use when an interpersonal dispute between people of your area of direct responsibility becomes noticeable that time needed to be taken off the regular job duties to help the parties resolve it. Self mediation and managerial mediation are concepts propounded by Dan Dana.
• Employee involvement normally supports Section 97 of the labour Act. Here labour-management cooperation is the brain behind this concept.
• Natural work teams involves regular meetings of employees reporting to a particular superior to discuss, resolve and improve teams performance and relations problems.
Staces Cr-Hr Solutions is willing and ever ready to advice, assist and facilitate smooth implementation of these preventive systems at your workplace.

For any comment, recommendation, observation or feedback you would like to share do that through niilarteyson@hotmail.com or schsolutions@yahoo.com look forward to my next article HIDING BEHIND SECTION 73(1) OF THE LABOUR ACT, (ACT 651)

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 8:39 pm and is filed under Arbitration, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Workplace Conflict. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.