Premium Essay

Employment Conflict Management

In: Business and Management

Submitted By JVWalters
Words 3098
Pages 13
Employment Conflict Management
Fast Serve Incorporated is a successful $25 million dollar company that sells brand sports apparel. The company employs 350 workers and sells merchandise online and through retail stores. Presently the online sales are not meeting the originally projected sales goals or even covering the cost of the overhead to keep the website operational. Fast Serve’s management has decided to abandon the online sales venture to cut their losses and concentrate on building the retail sales. The personnel presently responsible for the online products merchandising will be moved to other mission critical positions in the organization or terminated (University of Phoenix, 2010).
In the Legal Issues in the Reduction of Workforce Simulation (2010), the human resource manager is required to assess the performance and skill levels for each of the five individuals presently working in the online department and layoff three of the five employees in a reduction in force (RIF). Karen Schanfield (2008) wrote that a company needs to develop a plan before proceeding with a RIF by identifying the task or goal that needs to be accomplished, choose the jobs that are not mission critical that can be eliminated, and deciding what structure is needed to reach the organizations goals. Fast Serve needs to proceed carefully to avoid incurring employee retaliation lawsuits, legal defense costs, conflicts and other liabilities by inadvertently implying a form of discrimination in the employee terminations. The company’s management must carefully consider any possible impact of conflict upon the organization; develop appropriate alternative dispute resolutions (ADR) process to use, initiate a strategic plan that has metrics to measure the effectiveness of the organizations ADR and make sure the company has the correct tools available at their disposal to survive the RIF.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Employment Conflict Management

...Abstract Fast Serve is a company that is worth about twenty five million dollars that is responsible for direct marketing of branded sport materials. With the peaked interest online purchasing Fast Serve has decided to expand its online distributing division. After a few months of poor sales and difficulty with the technological support, Fast Serve has decided to cease its online division. With this new information some employees will have to be let go. This paper will identify any potential conflict that could arise because of the decision on whom will be laid off. I will also select an alternative resolution technique that is needed to reduce the different risks associated with the terminations. Lastly, there will be an explanation on why the techniques chosen and how would they protect Fast Serve from any type of retaliation. Introduction Fast Serve is a responsible for direct marketing of branded sports material. The company is worth about twenty-five million dollars and has about three hundred and fifty employees. Through many months of research, Fast Serve has noticed that there is a potential sales sector that the company is not reaching. To cater to this internet obsessed generation, Fast Serve has launched two websites catering to both boys and girls. They transferred about ten percent of their workforce to the online division in order to insure success. Soon after the websites launched, Fast Serve had several problems and decided that it was best to close...

Words: 1603 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Masters

...ABSTRACT This article examines the sensitive topic of conflict management and negotiation as it affects the behaviour of workers and employers within the workplace. In the course of our activities in our various organization, we are all evolved in numerous situations that need to be dealt with through negotiation. As managers in our different capacities, everyday we strive to manage conflicts. We have written this paper to examine conflict and negotiation, the many angles that scholars have looked at them contemporary issues in these topics and how to manage them. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Robbins and Judge (2007) defined conflict as the process beginning when Mr. A perceives that Mr. B has negatively affected or is about to negatively affect something that he (Mr. A) cares about. They discussed the conflict potential sources of conflict in the following categories: communication, structure and personal variables. Communication: This refers to conflict arising as a result a communication barrier is where the sender is passing across a message that the receiver cannot effectively decode. This can be a major source of conflict. Structure: This is conflict that arises as a result of the way the organization is structured. This usually happens when the role of Mr. A is naturally antagonistic of the role of Mr. B. Personal variables: This refers to the likelihood of individuals to dislike someone probably because of one characteristic or the other. Personality...

Words: 772 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Coastal County Clerk

...Running Head: NON EMPLOYMENT CONFLICT MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS WORKSHEET Non Employment Conflict Management Concepts Worksheet Andrea McKinney MMPBL/540 Conflict Management May 31, 2010 Louis Aliberti University of Phoenix Nonemployment Conflict Management Worksheet |Concept |Application of Concept in Scenario |Citation of Concept |Personal Experience in your | | | |in Reading |Organization | |Formal Conflicts conflicts that |Meanwhile, Bob White, Florida President of the |Dana, 2001, pg. 7 |I currently work in a field | |have officially involved |American Association of County and City Employees,| |where workers have union | |mediators, arbitrators, |(AACCE) AFL-CIO, is encouraging Coastal County | |representation if they feel as f| |attorneys, employee relations |employees to join the AACCE so that management | |they are not being treated | |staff, or other dispute |will not be able to unilaterally act against them | |fairly when it comes to wages | |resolution staff. |one at a time. “Stan Accord has provided you a | |and the union steps in to | | |glimpse of what happens when employees don’t have | ...

Words: 959 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Modern Management

...“CONFLICT RESOLUTION AT GENERAL HOSPITAL” Page#1 Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Professor McGrath Leadership and Organizational Behavior Bus 520 6/06/2011 Page#2 Discuss the conflict that is occurring at General Hospital Conflict at General Hospital seems to have started before CEO Mike Hammer hired Marge Harding. When hiring Harding conflict just seemed to escalate to a new level. Harding lacked importance of commitment, she showed this when the new life altering technology was being installed, vacation time. It also seems like she displayed a little fight and flight minus the fight. Harding left her assistant in charge of handling the first week of a “New Way”. She also displays no regard to Team/Leader expertise, Harding solely based her decision to implement this new way of having tests read on advice from a former colleague with alternative political motives. Harding was sure with this cutthroat hardnosed decision she figured she would be able to skip a couple of rungs on the ladder to leadership. Bad decisions as this only escalated conflict, especially when the decision to fire co-worker Dr. Baker who was a trusty EKG reader, without consulting or informing co-worker. That one mistake caused a notion that there were never going be any likely hood of commitment from the staff Discuss the conflict management styles that are evident in the case. Most evident is an Intrapersonal Conflict, when Harding displays attributes...

Words: 1246 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Conflict Management

...ASB 3101 Human Resource Management Individual Assignment: Reflective Essay (60%) Introduction 1.1 This is a reflective essay where I will look at a previous experience of conflict at work and relate this to human resource management. My focus points will be: the management team’s attitude to the conflict and how I managed the conflict. I will begin with focusing on how the conflict developed. I will outline the positive and negative aspects in the way it was handled in order to learn from the experience and what should have been done differently. I will use relevant theories to analyse the situation but I will also discuss my identity, the management’s response and how I dealt with the conflict. I will use my findings during this essay to help me prepare for future employment and dealing with in work conflicts. Theoretically conflict within the workplace is ‘the process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party’ (Wall & Callister, 1995, p. 517). HR professionals are trained to deal with conflicts within the work place, using grievance and disciplinary procedures. It is the employer’s duty to either act on behalf of the human resource department or have a trained professional to represent the HR department. Studies show that most large and medium sized firms have set procedures to deal with conflicts, however ‘such procedures tend to be absent only in small firms’ (Kersley et al; 2006 Suff 2010a, b)...

Words: 3238 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Conflict Management at Bpcl

...Conflict Management | Case: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited | The case attempts to examine a conflict that took place between the Union and Management at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited in 1999. We have tried to understand the conflict and analyze the ‘conflict resolution’ methodology that was adopted in this scenario. | Background of the organization BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) was originally formed as Burma Shell Company, which was then nationalized by legislation passed by Indian Parliament in the year 1976. Since then it has grown to be one of the most successful public sector undertakings in the country and has been awarded “Navratna” status. As a result of its status, the management of the organization has certain freedom to implement decisions without involvement of the concerned ministry. Today BPCL operates across India in various locations and produces a variety of petrochemical products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, lubricants etc. About the union The history of unions in the company is as old as 1954. Currently there are about 15 unions in BPCL. The majority union in the western region is the Petroleum Employees Union. This union is affiliated to INTUC and it was established by Mr. Raja Kulkarni. The present general secretary of the union is Mr. Satishkumar P. M. Nair, who is one of the veterans in the union and has been serving as the union leader for about 24 years, first 2 years as Vice President and next...

Words: 2799 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

How to Manage Entitled Employees

...How to Manage an Entitled Employee Leslie Cain Keller Graduate School of Management Dr. Mary Welsh August 18, 2014 Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………3 Background…………………………………………………………………………………..3 Literature Application………………………………………………………………………..3 Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………5 Resolution Recommendation…………………………………………………………………6 Reflection……………………………………………………………………………………..7 References…………………………………………………………………………………….8 Abstract How do you handle an employee with personal issues who feel that those issues entitle them to different treatment then the other employees at the company? It is important to exercise compassion but not let it affect decisions for your employees that will cause problems for your company and the other employees. Also learning how and when to use disciplinary action for employees who abuse their sense of entitlement. See how I suggest handling the employee in this paper who uses her personal situation to get away with being late and calling in and it has created tension in the office with the other employees. Background Company ABC has rehired an employee, Sarah, that has worked for the company in previous years and been released of her position both times for being tardy, calling in repeatedly and poor work performance. Sarah is exhibiting the same behaviors now as she has in the past. She was in a drug rehab program and going through a divorce...

Words: 1696 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Gossip and the Work Force

...By: Kara Mann GM 570Managing Conflict in the Workplace October 16 2011 Professor: Charles Desjardins Table of Contents Description Page Introduction 3 How Gossip usually starts within an Organization 4 Who is usually involved in the gossip 5 Why Mangers are usually in the dark about the gossip within the Organization 6 How managers resolve gossip and keep it Under control within an Organization 7 Conclusion 8 Literature Review 9-10 References 11 Introduction This is an introduction about gossip that happens within the workplace, how it starts, how the rumors that cause the interruption of the production in the workplace. Managers are not trained to handle these types of conflicts; managers have a hard time dealing with issues that are interpersonal. Organizations should have third party counseling and mediators to handle conflict issues. This keeps managers from getting involved, being accused of playing favorites...

Words: 2195 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Conflict Management

... Professor Management Studies Department Chittagong University, Chittagong. Submitted By: NUR-E-SHAFA Exam Roll: 2006/93 Class Roll: 4951 Management Studies Department Chittagong University, Chittagong. Conflict management- its nature, significance and impacts in BD firms Executive summary Whenever people talk of conflict or say that a conflict has developed, the usual impression is that there is something frightening. This notion prevails despite the fact that people know there is no organization which is altogether free from conflicts. Even non-profit and service organizations such as educational institutions and hospitals are not devoid of conflicts. Which is inevitably is recognized by an individual only when individual is faced with a conflict situation. In all other cases, one refers to it as bad and avoidable and regards it as a failure of parties in conflict. But productively engaging in conflict is always valuable. Most people are willing and interested in resolving their conflicts; they just need the appropriate skill set and opportunities in which to practice this skill set. Without a conflict skill set, people want to avoid conflict, hoping it will go away or not wanting to make a “big deal...

Words: 10178 - Pages: 41

Premium Essay

Communications

...Abstract When working in a team conflicts are bound to happen. Conflicts can range anywhere from the inability to agree on a topic to the lack of participation of team members. In order to be an effective team member and agree on the content of the project, team members need to be open minded and flexible. When students are a part of a team the end result should be the same for all of those involved. However, this is not always the case. Conflicts are thought of as being negative responses to someone else’s ideas or suggestions, but conflicts can help different team members open their minds to new approaches and tactics. Team members have the opportunity to grow and learn to appreciate how others work. However, since each team member has their own distinct way of learning, they also have their own way of dealing with conflict. There are different types of conflict and within each type of conflict there are different methods of conflict styles. The three types of conflict are; Substantive, Procedural and Affective Substantive conflict takes place when team members disagree over each other’s ideas. Substantive conflict happens when a team argues over the details that could stand in the way of the final goal of the group. For example, when a topic or idea is presented and no one can agree with each other. This disagreement can stand in the way of the completion of the project. Procedural conflict takes place when the team members disagree about the process taken to complete...

Words: 1595 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Conflict Management

...Assignment Employment Conflict Management Concepts Worksheet Concept | Application of Concept in Scenario | Citation of Concept in Reading | Personal Experience in your Organization | ConflictI know this may seem like an elementary concept, but it is the reason for the scenario and for the class. It is not just another concept; it is “the concept”. | There are many conflicts that we can see in the scenario of Coastal County Clerk of Court. We see the conflict between the management styles of the former Clerk, Art Brewer, Stan Accord, the new Clerk, and Dennis Munger, the aspiring Clerk. Through the scenario there is a difference in how elderly employees should be treated, and if employees should work full days or be allowed to be out in the community. The major conflict arose when Accord laid off 15 employees including Munger and Mr. Bodkin. | “The study of conflict is a basic human requirement and the practice of constructive conflict is an essential set of interpersonal skills.”(Wilmot & Hacker, 2007, ch. 1.) | I have experienced many conflicts while in working environments. I remember one time in particular when I had a conflict with a superior of mine who wanted to fire me because I said I couldn’t work on Sundays due to my participation in the local church. He would not work with my schedule and had it out for me. With help from management we worked out our differences. This is one of many examples of conflict in the workplace. | Types of Goals:...

Words: 1257 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Peaceful Change

...Avila University Managing Peaceful Change Daily non-confrontational conflict management, a new approach to management By Rayma Vinyard Jacoby Management 629, Summer 2013 Professor Stan Salva August 19, 2013 Rayma Vinyard Jacoby Professor Stan Salva Management 629 August 19, 2013 Managing Peaceful Change Conflict management and leadership transformation are often presented as areas of specialization. Change can be caused by conflict or in itself can create conflict. In leading team development, managers must understand their employees and their team in order to lead them forward through daily conflict resolution. By using non-defensive mediation techniques, a manager can help each team member create a voice, invest them in the process of change, and lead their team to success. Conflict transformation has been used to resolve international issues since the 1970’s. Strategic and powerful, these tactics can poise a manager for corporate success. Systemic conflict analysis and conflict monitoring, with key shareholders, creativity in the imagination of sustainable solutions, strategic planning of systemic interventions, and mobilization of agents of peaceful change are the core elements of conflict transformation. 1 Engaging key shareholders requires understanding the people and team dynamics within the conflict. This gives managers a place to begin. Analyzing and monitoring conflict transformation using non-defensive communication allows the manager to...

Words: 2829 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Conflict Management

...Effective Methods of Resolving Conflict in a Diverse Workplace Running head: RESOLVING CONFLICT IN DIVERSE WORKPLACE Your name here Your University name here Table of Contents Abstract 3 Problem Statement 4 Literature Review 10 Draft Research Design 22 References 29 Abstract Workplace conflict must be analyzed as a social phenomenon and this social context means that conflicts are caused by a wide variety of factors, including an increasingly diverse workplace. The focus of this study is on how these forms of social conflict are managed and resolved in the workplace – which has become increasingly more diverse in recent years – with particular attention to innovative perspectives that facilitate better understanding of conflict resolution and improve approaches to conflict management. Managing conflict is undoubtedly one of the most critically important dimensions of the management of the employer-employee relationship. While conflicts or disputes are a natural result of the structure and operations of the workplace, employers need efficient ways to resolve such conflict quickly and fairly to avoid the many negative costs generated by unresolved problems. As the generally weaker party in the relationship, employees need the protection provided by both formal and informal dispute management systems aimed at achieving organizational justice. This issue, as well as many others, is addressed through...

Words: 3368 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Lsi Conflict

...LSI Conflict Analysis Everyone has their own tendency when it comes to acting and reacting towards conflict. One person may be more aggressive and push conflict onto others, while another may be hesitant and unsure of how to handle conflict, so they simply to try to avoid it at all cost. The LSI Conflict Profile and Circumplex will give a detailed analysis of a person’s own personal conflict style, and will make them aware of their strengths and weaknesses. It can be used to allow oneself to evaluate their own attitude toward conflict, and if changes can be made to improve their outlook and approach to handling that conflict. My top 3 highest personal conflict styles are: pragmatist (99th percentile), avoider (94th percentile), and insulator (87th percentile). My 3 lowest personal styles are: dominator (10th percentile), conciliator (38th percentile), and self-empowered (42nd percentile). (See Circumplex and Conflict Profile at end of paper.) A pragmatist is someone who is practical, and sees things for how they really are. They are sensible, and don’t rush to make judgments or decisions. I am definitely a pragmatist. I am surprised that I was in the 99th percentile for this style, as I didn’t realize my way of thinking was so extreme to one style. When I have to make a decision I think of every possible variation of the decision, and what each variation could lead to. When it comes to conflict this means that I don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment and I’m able...

Words: 2173 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

How Does Understanding Diverstiy Helps the Organisation

...introduction In this essay, I will be exploring the needs of managing for diversity. As there are many different aspects of diversity, it would be challenging for organization to cope and foresee problematic issues that can arise from, based on their assumption of predictability and understandability of the problems, and finding the right solution to respond to the situations. The content will be based on 3 key discussion points supported with references – why understanding surface and deep level diversity is a good practice for manager, why is it important to manage for diversity in Singapore, and lastly the distinct characteristics of Singaporean employees that need to factor, compared to other expatriates. Workforce Diversity Workforce diversity refers to practices or policies that seek to include people who are identified as heterogeneous or different. Workforce diversity has already been here and continues to be an essential concern for business success. The 2 levels of diversities; surface-level and deep-level diversity would be explored further in the essay. Surface level diversity To understand why diversity is a good practice for manager, we need to distinguish the 2 different types of diversity. Surface level diversity refers to characteristics that are observable or readily detectable attributes such as race, gender, or physical disability (Mor Barak, 2011). It’s a human nature to judge someone on his or her first impression, and harbour prejudices, stereotypes...

Words: 2281 - Pages: 10