Social Work Approaches to Conflict Resolution, Essay Example

Causes of Conflict at Work

Conflicts are frequently perceived to be negative incidences. Notwithstanding, the conflicts can lead to improved relations between employees and increased team cohesion. The initial logical stages in conflict resolution are to classify the challenges and the causal attributes of the conflict. There are eight reasons for conflict in the work environment. The first cause of conflict is conflicting requirements (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Conflicting Requisistes

When workers have to vie for resources which are limited, acknowledgement and authority in the organizational feeding order, conflicts can take place. Everyone wants to obtain a portion of the available resources. This converts into the classical struggle of those who possess the resources trying to delegate resources evenly to those who are lacking resources (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Conflicting approaches

Individuals are different in the manner that they address problems and other individuals. The personnel in an organization have the requirement of learning to comprehend their proprietary appraqochjh and the manner by which to accept the approaches of other4. . There are personality assessments which include the Myer Briggs personality type Inventory examination which can facilitate the personnel in an organization reviewing their proprietary personality approaches. A perfect example of conflicting approaches is the salaried employee in comparison to the employee who works on commission. The two distinct styles may conflict if they do not acquire tolerance for each other’s approaches and schedules (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Conflicting Points Of view

The worker can have conflicting approaches as the can have conflicting points of view. An example would be the contracting of a new secretary in an organization. One of the more established staff members may perceive the new secretary as an opportunity to optimize the work and the other staff member may perceive the new secretary as an admonishment. In an organization, there are many reasons for conflicting points of view. These reasons may range from feedback, small talk, production assessments and office memorandums. An additional source of conflict is when one unit of an organization is perceived with greater prestige than the other (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Conflicting Objectives

The employees may have distinct approaches and points of view. In the same consideration, they may have conflicting objectives. Challenges in the workplace may take place when the associates have the responsibility of completing distinct assignments which lead to the similar objective. An analogy of a patient’s treatment in a health care unit would be a fitting analogy. As the patient is admitted, one of the staff members is responsible for the health care. The other staff member may be responsible for acquiring the insurance information. Another staff member may be responsible for the patient’s right. All of the assignments in this analogy are required, however, there is room for conflict within these assignments which have the same outcome; the recuperation of the patient’s wellbeing (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Conflicting Tensions

The blending of different approaches, points of views and objectives is a recipe for tension. Each individual has a different tolerance for tension. Tension can be derived from these combinations. For example, let us look at the same patient who is being treated in a health care unit. The patient may have the requisite of having an operation the following day. However, the surgeon who is the specialist in the type of treatment that is required by the patient is not available until the following day. On the day when the surgeon is available, all of the anesthesiologists are occupied. These factors when coordinated produce tension between individuial. The context of interdependency in the working environment is a factor which affects tension (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Participatory Conflicts

Conflicts can take place when two or more staff members have distinct actions which have the similar deadlines. This would be equated by the patient in the health care facili5ty. One person has the responsibility for the patient’s direct health care. Another person has the responsibility for the patient’s authority of being informed with regards to the type of procedure and medication that they are recie8ivng. Another staff member has the responsibility of performing the surgery and another staff member has the responsibility of providing the anesthesiology services. Each staff member must coordinate with the other staff members in order to find a harmonious solution (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Distinct Individual and Cultural Values

Different individual values and cultural values can lead to useless conversation and suspicions. The tolerance for the diverse cultural and individual perspectives of other in the work place is essential to administrating conflict between employees of distinct genders, races and cultural perceptions (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Inconsistent Policies in the Workplace

As the policies of an organization are amended, this characteristic becomes a cause for stress. The policies of an organization should be clearly delineated and presented, the staff members of an organization should not have the need to guess. Consistent workplace policies are essential in order to avoid workplace conflicts (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

The Stages of Conflict Development

The initial stage of conflict  is the possible opposition or lack of compatibility stage. The conflict begins to brew at this stage. The differences which are the causal attribute of the conflict begin to surface.  The second step is becoming aware of the potential for opposition and internalizing these elements. This requires a greater use of perception. There is emotive inclusion which causes the individuals who are involved to experience hostility, tension and anxiety. The third phase of the conflict development is the demonstrations of individual intentions. These individual intentions may be manifest in gestures or behaviors (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

The fourth stage of conflict is the demonstration of the behaviors. This is the stage where the conflict becomes apparent. The fourth phase is a changing time of interaction. At the more modest part of the behaviors there is the subtle demonstration of tension. At the higher end of the behavioral scale, there are civil disturbances and armed conflicts. (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

The final stage of the conflict development is the outcome. The outcome may service to make the members of the group better. The decision making qualities may be enhanced. The innovative and stimulating components of the group may be enhanced. . There may be increased interest among the members of the group. . The conflict development can also facilitate introspection and change (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Effects of Conflict on the Individual and the Group in the Workplace

The adverse effects of conflicts at the groups in the workplace could be the diverting of energy and time from issues that require attention. The conflicts may cause the decisions which are made by the group members to be delayed or deterred. The members of the group who are passive may decide not to participate. The conflict may interfere with perceptions and deter the exploration of other alternatives which are not conflict based. The conflicts may create anger and cause those who perceive that they are at a disadvantage to perfume sabotage on the group’s interests. The individual and group outcomes of conflict may be that they cause the members to become defensive (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

The beneficial effects of conflicts are increased group cohesion, increase comprehension among the members of the group. Intergroup conflict is perceived as required in order to enable the organization to grow. The conflicts which take place between the members of the group have two distinct components. These components are the horizontal strain components and the vertical strain component (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

There are four methods of administrating conflicts. These four different approaches arte fold, fight, fake or flight. Folding is where the person is coerced in to concurring with the solution by the application of social pressure. This is only effective for short term resolutions. Fighting is another manner where some of the members of the groups try to apply social pressures in order to cease the conflict. . Faking infers agreeing to the conflict’s solution although many of the themes of the conflicts have not been resolved.  Flight is when the individuals choose to avoid each other instead of addressing the issues which create the conflict (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Phases Applied in Conflict Management

1. The classification of the challenge or issue.
2. Categorization of the resource which is the limiting parameter which is normally at the foundation of the conflict.
3. Become involved in eh dialogue process in order to explore a variety of solutions which may be presented.
4. Review which of the solutions do not combine with the goals of the organization or organizational culture.
5. Dismiss the conflict solutions which do not increase mutual comprehension and acceptance of all parties involved.
6. Select the solution which is chosen by the consensus of the members of the group and adhere to this solution (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

Endeavors Managers Apply in Order to Minimize Conflict in the Workplace

The manager may create well delineated job details which are presented in an advisory and impartial manner. This type of managerial behavior would assure that any of the overlaps are decreased. The accomplishment of conducting of regular reviews provides the employees with self-efficacy. This is a participative managerial approach which can assist in the decreasing of conflicts in the workplace and increases the potential of enhanced workplace ethics (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

The creation of interdepartmental units which are geared toward the resolution of particular problems and perform the training which is directed outbound is an effective manner of decreasing the potential for workplace conflicts. This type of implementation will increase the spirit of teamwork in the workplace. Regular meetings where the production is discussed in a consultative manner and the challenges are approached in an objective manner can also assist in decreasing the number of conflicts in the workplace (Chethow- Yanoov, 2013; Gaitlin et al., 2013).

References

Chethow- Yanoov,  B. H. (2013). Social work approaches to conflict resolution. Binghampton, NY:  Routledge.

Gaitlin, J. Wysocki, A., & Kepner, K. (2013). Understanding conflict in the workplace. EDIS University of Florida.