supervisor orientation - montgomery college...-dana caspersen (international conflict specialist,...

Office of Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management

October 15, 2020

SUPERVISOR ORIENTATION

Start Smart. Manage Smart.

Agenda

2

• Welcome

• Recap of Morning 2

• Employee and Labor Relations

• Wellness Break

• Managing Conflict

NEW SUPERVISOR ORIENTATION

Start Smart. Manage Smart.

Employee & Labor Relations

Department

ELR

Employee & Labor Relations (ELR)Meet the ELR Team

Carol

Kliever

Manager

Elline S.

Damirdjian

HR Specialist II

Labor Analyst

Santo

Scrimenti,

JD

Director

Rowena

D’Souza

Risk

Management/

HIPPA

Privacy

Farah Vivas

HR Specialist I

Leaves

Suzanne

Howard

Admin.

Aide

AgendaWays We Can Help

Collective Bargaining Agreements at MC

• AAUP

• AFSCME

• SEIU

Complaint and Grievance Resolution

Policy & Procedure

Internal Investigations

Exit Process/Off Boarding

Three Unions at MC

Collective Bargaining AgreementsKey Areas

Union

Article

&

Section

CBA

vs

P&P

Eligibility

Union President

Shop Steward

AAUP American Association of University Professors (AAUP): full-time

faculty union established in the late 1970’s

MC AAUP Union President: Harry Zarin

Membership/Eligibility: (520+)

• Eligible Member: Immediately, all F/T Faculty

• Dues Paying Member/Voluntary Service Contribution: Optional

Contract: Effective 2015-2024 (eight years)

• Reopeners: Salary, Appendix I (overload pay), EAP, other

mutually agreed to terms.

• LMCC: Labor Management Collaboration Committee (8X)

Article 2: Management Functions- Prerogatives/Rights

Workload: 36 ESH max per A/Y or 20 ESH max per Semester

AFSCME American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees,

AFL-CIO, Council 67, Local 2380 (AFSCME): staff union

established in 1998

MC AFSME Union President: Christopher Standing

Membership/Eligibility: (521)

• Eligible Member: See Appendix I (Job Title), few exceptions

• Dues Paying Member: Optional

• Part-Time Employees: Work at least 20 hrs. but fewer than 40 hrs.

Contract: Effective 2019-2023 (three years)

• Reopeners: Negotiate changes and two additional sections.


Article 2: Management Functions- Rights

SEIU Service Employees International Union, Local 500, (SEIU): part-time

faculty union established in 2008

MC SEIU President: Victoria Baldassano

Contract: Effective 2020- 2023 (three years)


Membership/Eligibility: (1000)

• Eligible Member: successfully completed nine ESH of credit courses see

CBA, Section 1.3 (A)

Good Faith Consideration: (GFC)

• Assignment- Once per Academic Year, Spring & Fall (1/25-2/15)

• Eligibility: Employees who have been assigned courses with a CRN for three (3) semesters

within the immediately preceding three (3) academic years and who are in good standing.

Workload: 23 ESH max per A/Y or 11.5 ESH per Semester

What do employees want in a supervisor?

Communication

Recognition

Strong Leadership

Coaching and Training

Safe space for failure

Accountability

Put people first

Managing in a Union EnvironmentItems to remember

The CBA is a legal binding document that governs how the College interacts

with unionized employees.

CBA’s allow some employees to be designated as “shop stewards,” people

who are available on shift to advise and assist their fellow union members.

While supervisors may disagree with the shop stewards on specific issue, it is

important to always deal honesty and fairly with them. Treat others as you

want to be treated.

In a unionized setting, an employee has the right to request the presence of a

union (shop) steward whenever an employee is subject to an investigatory

interview, which might lead to discipline. The shop steward does not have the

right to be disruptive or argue on behalf of the employee.

The College controls the work environment and supervisors are held

responsible for the results.

Coaching Employees

13

A conversation or a disciplinary interaction?

When?

Public or private?

Performance problem or the person?

One- or two-sided solutions?

Monitor and feedback?

Document?

Ways We Can HelpThe College's Employee and Labor Relations team is

here to support healthy and productive work

relationships that promote the mission of the

college. We provide guidance and strategies to prevent

and de-escalate workplace conflicts. Clear and open

channels of communication between employees and

managers are basic principles of sound employee

relations.

On occasion, employees and managers differ on

important questions or employment policies. When that

happens, guidelines and procedures have been

established to provide employees and managers the

tools needed to evaluate and resolve the problem.

Complaint Resolution

If you have a conflict or a disagreement with another

member of the College Community, what should you

do?

Calmly have a conversation with that person.

If that does not resolve the issue, then go to the next level

supervisor/manager.

Next step would be to work with your HRIC.

(Ashley, Carla, Leslie)

Last step is to contact ELR.

Grievance Resolution

• What is a grievance for a non-bargaining employee?

‒A grievance is a complaint in relating to working conditions,

disciplinary actions or alleged violations of policy and/or procedures

that do not have a specific complaint procedure.

• What is a grievance for a bargaining employee?

‒A “grievance” is an allegation by an employee and/or the Union that

Management has violated an express provision of the Contract and

that the employee was wronged.

Policies and Procedures

Policies at Montgomery College are adopted by the Board of

Trustees.

Procedures are issued by the College President.

Our official policies and procedures are segmented out into

seven chapters which can be found on our MC website.

Policy and procedure modifications

o Chapter I - Board of Trustees

o Chapter II - Organization

o Chapter III - Personnel

o Chapter IV - Student Affairs

o Chapter V - Educational Program

o Chapter VI - Fiscal and Administrative Affairs

o Chapter VII - Facilities

https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/policies-and-procedures/index.html#chapters

Ways We Can Help

Policies & Procedures (P&P)

• Enforcement and Interpretation

‒ Each of you now has the responsibility to administer the P&P fairly to

all students and employees.

If you have any questions regarding a policy or procedure feel free to contact:

• Elline Damirdjian, Labor Analyst, Employee and Labor Relations at 240-567-

5497 or email at [email protected]

• Carol Kliever, Interim Manager, Employee and Labor Relations at 240-567-4435

or email at [email protected]

• Santo Scrimenti, Interim Director, Employee and Labor Relations at 240-567-

5361 or email at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



Internal Investigations

• Violation of Policy or Procedure

‒ Some of the items that we typically investigate are Title VI, Title VII and

Title IX allegations. In addition to those, we also investigate

fraud/waste/abuse of resources, harassment, and retaliation.

• Ways to report issues/violations

• Supervisor,

• Ethics Point-(via phone or online),

• ELR

‒ ELR handled over 50 complaint cases last year that came through our

EthicsPoint System. The largest number of complaints reported were

Other matters, Title VII and employee misconduct

• Confidentiality

Exit Interview & Process

• ELR

• Class & Comp

• NES

• Employee

• Benefits

• ELR/Manager

• NES

• Exit Interview

• Survey

• Clearance

• ELR

• NES

• Clearance

• Resignation Letter/email

• Manager

• ELR

• NES

• Exit Interview

• Survey

• Clearance Separation Termination

End of Contract

or

Grant

Retirement

EXIT Interview & Process Exit Interviews: Termination, Resignation, Retirement, End of Contract/Grant

Process: ELR (Elline) will start the exit process and communication

• Resignation: Employee will email resignation letter/email to ELR/Mngr.

• Retirement: Benefits dept. will inform ELR

• Termination/End of Contract: ELR will handle the exit process

• Most of separated employees will complete On- Line Survey, termination

checkout form for clearance, and meet with ELR for exit interview.

• Exit Interview Report: 36 Pages data analysis

• During first half of 2019 (Jan-June), 72 employees exited the College,

79% of separated employees were interviewed by ELR department either

face to face (76%) or by phone (2%).

• In addition, almost 80% of separated employees were invited to complete

the on-line survey, close to 60% completed the survey.

2020 YTD Off Boarding at MC1/1/20 to 10/12/20

Total YTD

• 1/1/20-10/14/20

• 87 Employees

Reason

• 37 Retirement

• 36 Resignation

• 14 Others (Termination/Death)

Position

• 4 Administrators

• 1 Chair

• 23 Faculty

• 59 Staff

TEST YOUR ELRKNOWLEDGE

TEST YOUR UNION/CBA KNOWLEDGE

1. Union/Bargaining Agreement

a) How many CBA’s/unions at MC

b) Names/List them

c) Employee type for each union

TEST YOUR ELR KNOWLEDGE

2. Complaint & Grievance

a) Definition of Grievance for Union vs non-union

b) First step before filing a complaint/grievance

TEST YOUR OFF BOARDINGEXIT INTERVIEW KNOWLEDGE

3. You Received

Resignation/Retirement

Letter/Email?

a) What you should do?

Questions??

BREAK

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VIJhWeEnIcszuMYcfG7KO4nG8JWLQJch/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VIJhWeEnIcszuMYcfG7KO4nG8JWLQJch/view

Managing Conflict in the Workplace

“Leaders do not avoid, repress, or deny

conflict, but rather see it as an opportunity.”

- Warren Bennis (scholar in leadership studies)


Learning Objectives

• Define conflict

• Recognize the positive aspects of conflict and the

negative effects of poorly managed or unresolved conflict

• Understand why conflict management is part of new

supervisory training

• Identify common sources of conflict in the workplace


Learning Objectives

• Understand how different styles respond to conflict

• Begin to explore tools and techniques for resolving conflict

• Determine ways in which you can reduce or prevent

conflict in your role as supervisor

• Learn about MC resources to help with conflict

management


Defining Conflict

CONFLICT is...


Defining Conflict

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines conflict, in part,

as: “a fight, battle, or war,” as well as “competitive or

opposing action of incompatibles: antagonistic state or

action (as of divergent ideas, interest, or persons).”

Yet, conflict itself is neither negative nor positive

Instead, it is how well it is managed that accounts for

whether we perceive it to be good or bad


Defining Conflict

Conflict is often seen as a negative action or construct:


Negative Effects of Poorly Managed Conflict

Conflict is seen as negative when it is not managed well and

leads to…

Damaged relationships

Wasted resources (time,

energy, money)

Decreased employee

productivity

Decreased employee

engagement

Increased health problems

Damaged team and

untrusting culture

Increased stress and

withdrawal

Increased absenteeism and

turnover


Positive Aspects of Conflict

Conflict is seen as positive when it is managed well, where it

Brings problems to light

Allows opportunity for

growth and learning

Helps bring people/work

team together

Brings about necessary

change

Improves communication

Increases creativity and problem-solving

Energizes people

Increases commitment to work

Improves workplace culture

Helps identify potential future leaders

Improves self-knowledge/awareness

Any others?

“Conflict is a place of possibility.” - Dana Caspersen (international conflict specialist, author, and performer)


Why is Conflict Management Part of New Supervisor

Orientation?

There are many reasons, including:

Managing conflict is critical to your being successful in your new role as supervisor

- Your role is mainly to ensure the work environment runs smoothly and

employees work successfully in coordination with one another, regardless of

what else is going on

Learning to manage conflict in a timely, respectful, and effective way:

- Builds and strengthens relationships with individual employees and the team,

as a whole

- Helps resolve issues that are interfering with work productivity



Orientation?

and including:

Grows the trust your employees have in you as their leader

Unaddressed and unresolved conflict in the workplace leads to decreased

morale, engagement and, workplace productivity

Conflict management is not something usual part of career/job training,

yet, once you are a supervisor, you are expected to be able to know how

to do it (with or without help)

Other ideas?



Orientation?

Managing and navigating different kinds of workplace conflict are learnable skills

With will (desire) and skill (practice/learning), you will be able to acquire and master these important leadership abilities

Managing Conflict in the WorkplaceFive Common Sources of Conflict in the Workplace

Sources Examples

1. Relationship Personality, style, conflict style,

thrown together and forced to get

along

2. Values Politics, religion, ethics, norms

3. Task How to get things done,

incompatible goals, divided

resources, perceived roles

4. Communication Tone, hierarchy/power structure,

amount/type/frequency, non-verbal

cues, level of engagement

5. Leadership Absent, uninformed, inconsistent,

unappreciative, ineffective conflict

style

Source: https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/conflict-resolution/types-conflict/.

https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/conflict-resolution/types-conflict/

Managing Conflict in the WorkplaceUnderstand How Different Styles Respond to Conflict

What is your conflict style? (Which column had the highest

number?)

I. Competing

II. Collaborating

III. Compromising

IV. Accommodating

V. Avoiding


TKI Conflict Handling Behavior Model

Source: http://www.genesofleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/tki-interactive-graphic.gif.

Source: https://www.kilmanndiagnostics.com/overview-thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument-tki.

http://www.genesofleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/tki-interactive-graphic.gif

https://www.kilmanndiagnostics.com/overview-thomas-kilmann-conflict-mode-instrument-tki


Competing style: “My way or the highway” or “I am right, you are

wrong”

Creates classic win/lose situation

The party asserting strength and power wins the conflict

Creates a “loser”


Competing style:

Source: Negotiation Styles: When to Use Which Style, document provided by Melissa Broderick, Ombudsperson, HMS/HSDM/HSPH.

Often Inappropriate When:

collaboration has not yet been attempted;

cooperation from others is important;

used routinely for most issues;

self-respect of others is needlessly diminished.

Often Appropriate When:

an emergency looms;

you are sure you are right, and being right matters more than preserving relationships;

a quick decision and action are needed;

when one’s position, authority, or rights are being challenged.


Understand How Different Styles Respond to Conflict

Collaborating style: “Two heads are better than one” or “Let’s find

a win/win solution”

Achieves win/win outcomes

Expands the range of possible options

Requires time and effort of those involved to work through difficulties


Collaborating style:


the issues and relationship are both significant;

cooperation is important;

creative solutions are important;

reasonable hope exists to address concerns.


time is short;

the issues are unimportant;

you’re over-loaded;

the goals of the other person are certainly wrong.


Compromising style: “Let’s make a deal” or “Let’s meet half way”

Everyone is expected to give up something to get to resolution

Minimally acceptable to all

Relationships are undamaged (in one way)

Less commitment to outcome



Compromising style:


Cooperation is important but time or resources are limited;

When finding some solution, even less than the best, is better than a complete stalemate;

When efforts to collaborate will be misunderstood as forced.


finding the most creative solutions possible is essential;

when you can’t live with the consequences.


Avoiding style: “Leave well enough alone” or “What conflict?”

Parties seek to push conflict “under the rug”

Results in parties withdrawing from situation

Could create lose/lose situation, especially where there is no clearing of the air

Appearance of neutrality is maintained



Avoiding style:


the issue is trivial;

the relationship is insignificant;

time is short and a decision is not necessary;

you have little power but still wish to block the other person.


you care about both the relationship and the issues involved;

used habitually for most issues;

negative feelings may linger;

others would benefit from caring.



Accommodating style: “Kill them with kindness” or “You are right, and I am wrong”

Smooths over the conflict

Maintains harmony by acceding to the other party

One party might be fine, but often the other party is not



Accommodating style:


you really don’t care about the issue;

you are powerless but have no wish to block the other person;

when you realize you are wrong.


you are likely to harbor resentment;

used habitually in order to gain acceptance;

when others wish to collaborate and will feel like enforcers if you accommodate.



“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see each problem as a nail.”

- Abraham Maslow (20th century American psychologist)

--------------

Think about the options you have and what you can do to

influence a conflict outcome. Consider…

Your perspective on conflict and be aware of your natural/preferred conflict management style

How each conflict style might be suited to a particular situation

Trying out different styles (even though you will, at first, likely default to your preferred/natural style) in different conflict scenarios (or even the same scenario)



Questions to ask yourself:

How important is my relationship to this person?

How important is the issue to me or to the team?

How much time do I/we have to deal with this issue?

How emotional am I feeling right now?


55

Skills you can use every day:

Once you are ready to have the conversation, follow these

tips:

Be an active listener

Paraphrase what you heard the person say

Ask if your understanding is correct

Allow for silence, give the other person time to talk.


56

Skills you can use every day

Keep listening!

Identify mutual purpose/common ground - something you

all want

Be observant: watch for signs of emotion, anger

Be prepared to take a step back and make plans to revisit

the issue.


57


Use a contrast statement: State what you don’t want first,

then what you do want.

• Example: I don’t want to put this off too much longer,

and I do want resolution. However we may not come to

that today. Let’s take some time to think about another

angle and meet again tomorrow.

• Don’t wait too long. Avoidance will only take you back

to where you started.


58


Ensure that all parties agree on the resolution and there is

a clear path forward.

• Who is going to do what, when and how.

• Be sure to follow through!


Determine Ways to Reduce or Prevent Conflict as

Supervisor

As supervisor, you can also reduce conflict in your area by:

Setting a good example as a responsible and effective leader and worker

Communicating clear standards and directions

Setting ground rules for respectful communication

Providing clear and transparent rationales for your decisions

Making sure employees have both the training and resources to do their

jobs

Training your staff on conflict resolution

Source: Conflict Management Toolkit, University of Mary Washington, at:

https://www.slideserve.com/nevina/conflict-management-toolkit.

https://www.slideserve.com/nevina/conflict-management-toolkit


Determine Ways to Reduce Conflict as Supervisor

As supervisor, you can also reduce conflict in your area by:

Getting to know your employees

Looking out for signs of conflicts/problems/changes in behavior

Addressing misconduct quickly to ensure issues are current and

anger/frustration does not fester

Treating employees fairly and equitably, applying rules consistently

Giving performance feedback regularly

Get advice from HRSTM if needed regarding disciplinary actions or crucial

conversations

Managing Conflict in the WorkplaceResources at MC to Help

You are never alone in handling conflict at MC


There are numerous resources at the College that can help

COLLEGE OMBUDS

Allison Whaley

[email protected]

240-234-0567You can also seek out

- Your supervisor

- HRSTM (Internal consultant or employee and labor

relations)

- ELITE (for Crucial Conversations and other training)

- Office of the Ombuds



IOA Code of Ethics:

The Office of the Ombuds operates in accordance with the Office of the Ombuds Charter, Code of Ethics, and Standards of Conduct of the International Ombuds Association:

Voluntary

Confidential*

Impartial/Neutral

Informal

Independent


A general guideline about contacting the ombuds:

If you have an issue/problem/situation/question that is impeding your ability to work or lead effectively or productively

No matter how big or how small the problem is, it is always an appropriate time to reach out

Can get help with conflict coaching, facilitated conversations, and more

Managing Conflict in the WorkplaceRecommended Reading

Brown, Brene, Dare to Lead, Random House, 2018.

Eddy, Bill, BIFF: Quick Responses to High-Conflict People, Their Personal Attacks, Hostile Email

and Social Media Meltdowns, HCI Press, 2011.

Fisher, Roger, William Ury, and Bruce Patton, Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement without

Giving In, Penguin Books, 2011.

Gentile, Mary C., Giving Voice To Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What’s

Right, Yale University Press, 2010.

Goleman, Daniel, Emotional Intelligence, Bantam Books, 1995.

Lencioni, Patrick, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Jossey-Bass, 2002

Patterson, Kerry, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking

When Stakes Are High, McGraw-Hill, 2011.

Stone, Douglas and Sheila Heen, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving

Feedback Well, Penguin Books, 2015.

Stone, Douglas, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What

Matters Most, Penguin Books, 2000.


Thank You and Best Wishes

with Your Team!

67

Thank You!HRSTM would like to thank you for your time and

participation in attending the Supervisor Orientation.

We value your feedback and look forward to your comments/feedback. They will help us to enhance

future supervisor orientations.

See you next Tuesday!

supervisor orientation - montgomery college...-dana caspersen (international conflict specialist,...

Documents