Chapter 9

Conflict Management / Workplace Violence

Objectives

• Describe several types of conflict in the workplace

• Demonstrate how supervisors should handle conflict

• Explain how to deal with angry employees• Explain how to overcome negativity in

employees• Describe how to reduce the risk of

workplace violence

Causes of Workplace Conflict

• Workplace conflict is what happens when a person’s desires are frustrated or needs are threatened by another person.

• Causes:• 1. Limited resources: You have your needs and I have

mine.• 2. Incompatible goals: I want this and you want that• 3. Role ambiguity: Who is responsible for what?• 4. Different values: You and I have different beliefs.• 5. Different perspectives: You and I see things

differently.• 6. Communication problems: What do you mean?

How People React to Conflict

• Supervisors need to know what is and what is not an appropriate reaction to conflict:

• 1. Competing is appropriate when quick action is vital or when important but potentially unpopular actions must be taken.

• 2. Collaborating is appropriate when it is important to work through interpersonal relationships.

• 3. Avoiding is appropriate when you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns or when you want to let people to cool down.

• 4. Accommodating is appropriate when you are outmatched and losing anyway or when harmony and stability are more important.

How Conflict should be Handled

• Supervisors have 2 responsibilities regarding conflicts: conflict resolution and conflict stimulation.

• Where conflict is present, supervisors need to resolve it in ways that serve the organization’s long term best interest.

• Where conflict does not exist, supervisors may need to stimulate it to keep the organization from becoming stale and stagnant.

• Both of these concepts taken together are known as conflict management.

Resolving Conflicts• Guidelines for supervisors in resolving conflicts:• 1. Determine how important the issue is to all people involved.• 2. Determine whether all people are willing to discuss the issue in a

positive manner• 3. Select a place where the issue can be discussed confidentially by

everyone involved• 4. Make sure both sides understand they are responsible for both

the problem and the solution.• 5. Solicit opening comments from both sides. Let them express their

concerns, feelings, ideas, and thoughts in a positive manner.• 6. Guide participants towards a clear and specific definition of the

problem.• 7. Encourage participants to propose solutions. Discuss all solutions

proposed.

How and when conflicts should be stimulated

• A yes response for any of the following questions suggests a need for conflict stimulation:

• 1. Do team members always agree with you and tell you only what you want to hear?

• 2. Are team members afraid to admit they need help or that they have made a mistake?

• 3. Do team members focus more on reaching agreement than on arriving at the best decision?

• 4. Do team members focus more on getting along than on accomplishing objectives?

• 5. Do team members place more emphasis on not hurting feelings than arriving at quality decisions?

• 6. Are team members highly resistant to change?• 7. Is the turnover rate usually low?• 8. Do team members avoid proposing new ideas?

Communication in conflict situations

• 1. This situation is an opportunity to solve a problem cooperatively.

• 2. We should not engage in blaming and finger pointing.

• 3. We should not cling to old ideas that are no longer valid – “If the horse you are riding dies, get off and find another one.”

• 4. If you say you will do something, do it. Trust prevents conflict.

Dealing with Angry Employees• Behaviors to avoid:• 1. Becoming angry and responding in kind: is an option that people

lose the minute they become a supervisor.• 2. Walk away or hang up the telephone: It may be better to deal with

a negative situation immediately before it becomes even more negative.

• 3. Point out that the employee is being rude: Few things sting worse than the obvious truth.

• What supervisors should do:• 1. Remain calm and focus on the problem, not the anger.• 2. Control your breathing: Take a few deep breadths and relax.• 3. Look through the anger for the real message: Try to find out what

is really bothering the employee.• 4. Be aware of your voice tone and body language: Sit up straight,

look the employee in the eye, and show you are listening.

How to calm an angry employee• 1. Do not interrupt or disagree with the angry employee: Find a

private place, let the employee vent, and just listen. Often after letting the employee vent, supervisors will find that no action on their part is necessary. All the employee needed was someone willing to listen.

• 2. Paraphrase what the employee says and repeat it back: This lets the employee know that you are listening to what they are saying.

• 3. Acknowledge the anger: Acknowledgement shows understanding.

• 4. Encourage the angry employee to work with you in solving the problem: You want the employee make the transition from complaining to solving the problem.

• 5. Arrive at a specific solution: Ask the employee” What solution do you propose?” Before concluding a meeting with an angry employee, arrive at a specific solution, make sure the employee understands the solution, and make sure the employee has ownership in the solution.

Manifestations of Territoriality• 1. Occupation: Playing the gatekeeper with information, monopolizing

resources, information, access, and relationships.• 2. Information manipulation: Withhold information, bias information to suit

individual agendas(spin), cover up information, or give out false information.• 3. Intimidation: Subtle threats to blatant aggression (physical or verbal).• 4. Alliances: Forming alliances with powerful individuals.• 5. Invisible wall: Stalling, losing paperwork, forgetting to place an order, etc.• 6. Strategic noncompliance: Agreeing to a decision with no intention of

carrying it out.• 7. Discredit: Discrediting the individual to cast doubt on his

recommendation.• 8. Shunning: Excluding the individual who threatens your turf.• 9. Camouflage: Confusing the issue by raising other distracting

controversies.• 10. Filibuster: Talking about concern until time runs out.

Overcoming Territorial Behavior• Create an environment in which survival is equated with cooperation:• 1. Avoid jumping to conclusions: Talk to employees about territoriality

versus cooperation.• 2. Attribute territorial behavior to instinct rather than people: Show them that

survival instinct is tied to cooperation, not turf.• 3. Ensure that no employee feels attacked: To change territorial behavior it

is necessary to put employees at ease.• 4. Avoid generalizations: Deal with the employee who exhibits the behavior

and deal in specifics.• 5. Understand irrational fears: Be firm but patient with employees who find it

difficult to let go of survival behavior.• 6. Respect each individual’s perspective: Let employees explain their

perspective and show respect for them even if you do not agree.• 7. Consider the employee’s point of view: Sensitivity to the employees’ point

of view and patience are critical when trying to overcome territorial behavior.

Recognizing negativity• 1. I Can’t attitudes: Employees must have “ can do “ attitudes.

If “I can’t” is being heard regularly, negativity has crept into the organization.

• 2. “They” mentality: In high performance organizations, employees say “we” when talking about their employer. If employers refer to the organization as “they” negativity has gained a foothold.

• 3. Critical Conversation: Coffee break conversation should be about work related topics or topics of personal interest. If they sit around criticizing and whining negativity has set in.

• 4. Blame fixing: In a high performance organization employees fix problems, not blame. If finger pointing is common, negativity is at work.

Overcoming Negativity• 1. Communicate: Frequent, ongoing effective communication is the

best strategy. Acknowledge innovation, suggestions, concerns, share information, Encourage open frank discussion during meetings, celebrate milestones, give employees ownership of their jobs, and promote teamwork.

• 2. Establish clear expectations: People need to know what is expected of them as individuals and members of the team.

• 3. Provide for anxiety venting: Supervisors need to allow their employees to vent in a nonthreatening affirmative environment.

• 4. Build trust: Supervisors can build trust by always delivering what is promised, remaining open minded to suggestions, taking an interest in the development and welfare of employees, accepting blame but sharing credit, and making sure that criticism is constructive.

• 5. Involve employees: Involve employees by asking their opinions, soliciting their feedback, and making them part of the solution. IT is hard to criticize, if you were part of the solution.

Rights of Violent Employees

• It is important for supervisors to be prepared to deal promptly and properly with violent employees.

• Remember that the first thing that law enforcement officers must do after taking criminals into custody is to read them their rights.

• Supervisors should follow applicable laws, contracts, policies, and procedures. Failure to do so can exacerbate an already difficult situation.

• It is also important to deal consistently with violent employees.

Employee Liability for Workplace Violence

• Worker’s compensation is the employee’s exclusive remedy for injuries that are work related.

• Even in the case of workplace violence, as long as the violence occurs within the scope of the victim’s employment, the employer is protected from civil lawsuits and the excessive jury verdicts that have become so common.

• The key to enjoying the protection of worker’s protection lies in determining that the violence was within the scope of the victim’s employment.

• If the violent act occurred at work but from a non-work related dispute, or if the dispute was work related but the violent act occurred away from the work place, then the decision whether it falls under the worker’s compensation becomes difficult to determine.

Reducing the Risk• 1. Identify high risk areas and make them visible. Secluded areas invite

violence.• 2. Install good lighting in parking lots and inside all buildings.• 3. Minimize handling of cash and amount of cash available on the premises.• 4. Install silent alarms and surveillance cameras where appropriate.• 5. Control access to all buildings (employee badges, visitor check in/out ).• 6. Discourage working alone, especially late at night.• 7. Train in conflict resolution as part of mandatory employee orientation.• 8. Conduct background checks before hiring new employees.• 9. Train employees to respond to violence.• 10. Establish policies for behavior/response in threatening situations.• 11. Nurture positive harmonious work environment.• 12. Encourage employees to report potentially threatening situations.• 13. Deal with allegations of harassment before it escalates.• 14. Adopt zero tolerance towards violent behavior.• 15. Establish emergency response team to deal with violence.

Individual factors associated with violence

• 1. Record of violence: Past behavior predicts future behavior. Conduct background checks of new employees.

• 2. Membership in a hate group: Raises red flag for supervisors.• 3. Psychotic behavior: Individuals who express fears of conspiracies may be

violence prone.• 4. Romantic obsessions: Unwelcome advances may result in violence in the

workplace.• 5. Depression: Depressed people are prone to hurt themselves or others.• 6. Finger pointers: Refusal to accept responsibility is exhibited by

perpetrators of workplace violence.• 7. Unusual frustration levels: When frustration reaches a boiling point, it can

manifest itself as violence.• 8. Obsession with weapons: Employees who are intensely interested in

weapons is cause for concern.• 9. Drug dependence: Drug dependence is associated with violence on the

job.

Environmental factors associated with violence

• 1. Dictatorial supervision: Some people respond to powerlessness by striking out violently.

• 2. Role ambiguity: When authority and responsibility are not clearly defined, employees can become stressed, a factor associated with workplace violence.

• 3. Partial, inconsistent supervision: Employees who feel they are being treated unfairly or unequally may show their resentment in violent ways.

• 4. Unattended hostility: An environment that accepts hostile behavior will have hostile behavior.

• 5. No respect for privacy: Violent behavior is possible response if supervisors do not respect the privacy of employees.

• 6. Insufficient training: Insufficient training may make employees not perform well, which may make theme frustrated and become violent.

Rules of thumb for supervisors• 1. Do not try to diagnose personal problems of employees. Refer them to

professionals.• 2. Do not discuss employee drinking unless on the job. Restrict comments

to performance.• 3. Do not preach to employees. Counsel employees about attendance,

tardiness, etc. but not how to lead their lives.• 4. Do not cover up for employees. Misguided kindness may allow problems

to get out of hand.• 5. Do not create jobs to get problem employees out of the way. This may

allow resentment to build.• 6. Do not ignore warning signs. Handling problems sooner is better.• 7. Do remember that emotional problems and chemical dependence get

worse if left untreated.• 8. Do refer problem employees to employee assistance programs or to

Human Resources.• 9. Do make it clear to employees that job performance is the key issue.• 10. Do make it clear that inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.

Terms Summary• Assigning blame• Collaboration• Competition• Compromise• Conflict resolution• Depression• Dictatorial supervision• Insufficient Training• Intimidation• Natural surveillance• Role ambiguity• Workplace conflict• Workplace violence

Home Work

• Answer questions 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 14 on page 136.• 3. Explain the difference between conflict resolution and

conflict management.• 6. When dealing with angry employees there are certain

things that supervisors should not do. What are they? What things should supervisors do?

• 7. Explain how to calm an angry employee.• 9. Describe 5 strategies supervisors can use to

overcome territorial behavior.• 11. What can supervisors do to overcome negativity in

their teams?• 14. Describe 5 measures for reducing the risk of

workplace violence.