My Job Role
My main responsibilities as a home manager are:
Care:
Initially before a resident is admitted into my home I carry out a needs assessment to ensure the home can meet the needs of the resident, this involves me going to meet them at the address where they are residing or a place of their choice. The home which I manage is a home for residents with different types of dementia and there are different stages, residents that have the onset of dementia are able to answer most questions however there are also residents in which their dementia is quite advanced and they may not have the ability to answer as they may not understand the questions being asked, in this and most cases there are other family members and social workers involved in the assessment process. Working in partnership can have a positive influence on the assessment process, and the benefit of working in partnership is that others can make an effective contribution to the assessment. Working in partnership brings a range of professional perspectives, knowledge and skills to the assessment process. Once the resident comes to my home a care plan is completed using information gained from the assessment and from the resident themselves. On admission the wishes of residents with regards to the way they live their life are obtained. This should be from the resident themselves, if they are able to do so, or from family or other persons that know them well. A detailed history of the resident’s life should also be obtained so that the staff can know the person as they were as well as how they are now. Care plans are written in agreement with residents. residents that are unable to express their wishes are still asked their wishes but the input of those who know the resident well are used as well to formulate person centred care plans. Documentation reflects the input of the resident or others who know them well. When offering care to a resident on a daily basis staff must allow the resident to express their choice and not be expected to comply with a routine. Some routines may be necessary such as meal times but others are not required such as set bath days. The staffs ensure that the environment is such that it enhances the resident’s life and provide stimulation. Staff are given time to communicate with the residents and are aware of how the residents communicate. Reviews of care plans should include the resident unless they do not wish to be involved. Consideration is given to residents wishes and risk assessments are written which will enhance the resident’s life and liberty. There is supervisory support for the staff and this is regular. It allows the staff time to discuss situations that are of concern to them. Where there is a conflict of the resident’s wishes and their needs then this is resolved by talking to the resident, explaining the reason for the treatment or act of care and then allowing the resident the choice of accepting or rejecting the act of care or treatment. If staff or others feel the resident lacks capacity to make the decision then the Mental Capacity Policy is followed. I continually assess and supervise the work of my staff to ensure consistently high standards and efficient running of the care home whilst creating an atmosphere conductive to the best interests of my resident’s .I practise maximum integrity in all dealings with the resident’s personal and financial affairs and avoid abuse of the privileged relationship i have with existing residents. Supervisions are carried out every 2 months and my staff have a performance plan to enable them to improve their skills or knowledge on a particular area where improvement is required. The purpose of supervision is to be able to monitor the staff’s performance and any areas where improvements are required is highlighted during the supervision process. I have a certificate in supervisory development which has improved my ability to supervise my staff.

Communication:
As a manager, I need to be an effective communicator if I want health and care services to be individualized and effective. I need to listen to connect to professionals, groups and individuals involved in the organization and perhaps the best thing I can ever give is my attention. I also need to have a sense of awareness to the precise words I use which treat individual with respect. I am required to present information that is accurate, meaningful and actionable to the persons involved. With passing information’s, I make sure that it is timely and confidentiality is always promoted. To the health care professionals like General Practitioners, Nurses, Social Workers etc., the key information’s, issues and knowledge regarding residents is conveyed usually through sending letters and by the use of telephone. However, the most utilized and fast system is sending the information by electronic mails through the internet. Adding to the system given above, which is used as well to pass on information to the staff, are methods like team meetings. As a manager with a predominantly participative style, during meetings, I create an atmosphere where individuals feel they have equal opportunity to give their opinions and contribute to the discussion but where the agenda of the meeting is conducted efficiently within the limited time available. Another method is handover. It is a great value in ensuring that successive shifts have the opportunity to pass on information about the well-being of residents and about operational issues. A further is the one to one discussion through supervisions and appraisals which are recorded. Other ways to capture information and pass it to other members of staff are by the use of documentation example of these are the official diary for the residents or their care plans, Communication Book, Duty Rota and for upcoming home events and future trainings to be attended by employees are express by posting it on a Notice board. Moreover, for family and relatives of our residents, key information’s and knowledge are expressed through calling them on their contact details especially when there are recent changes to health status our residents or in an emergency situation. The home also use bulletin boards and letters if there are upcoming home activities which encourages families and relatives to join and when there is an upcoming relatives meeting. On the other hand, families and relatives can use the suggestions books for compliments or suggestions. For a complaint, they may use written communication or they can have a one to one discussion with the manager. And as a manager, every complaint is treated seriously and equally.
However, there are different communication methods that we use to support effective communication to our residents. It can be the use of verbal communication which includes sounds, words, language and speaking. If a resident has no words or somewhat few, they may use other sounds to indicate what they want. The meaning of some sounds may well be obvious, such as laughter or shouts of joy or pleasure. While non-verbal communication involves physical ways of communication, like, visual display of information, touch, and tone of the voice, written, smell, behavior, body movements and posture. Visual display of information like the use of pictures, signs, symbols and designs. I use an object or picture to indicate what the resident wants. The individual could pick up cup to indicate that he would like a hot drink. But, a particular object or picture may have a specific meaning for the individual which may not be immediately apparent, which is where observations together with feedback with my colleagues is very helpful. Another one is by a tap or touch on the arm of the resident to obtain attention or guiding them to indicate what the resident requires. One more way is the tone of voice. It’s not just what I say, it’s how I say it. When I speak, other residents read my voices in addition to listening to the words they hear. Things they pay attention to include is the timing and pace, how loud I speak, my tone and inflection, and sounds that convey understanding. Because tone of voice can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence. Other residents may prefer to write rather than speak. This may be due to speech temporarily impaired due to stroke or progression of dementia. When other senses are impaired, the sense of smell may take on added significant and some residents may sniff different types of food to make their choices. An added is behavior. Behavior can also be a form of communication in people with dementia. I always ask myself ‘what is this behavior telling me?’ and try to understand what the resident is expressing. Then body movements and posture. As what they said ‘actions speaks louder than words’. Person with dementia at times might not tell you that they are in pain but it shows by the way they move or act. Like when they hold their head with pain on their face or they walk limping so I know there is something wrong. It sends me a message that things needs to be done. Managing communication is a participative effort of each member of staff in the organization and it is an organizational responsibility. Through communication it allows the organization to provide the best possible service to clients. Not only me as a manager should promote an effective interpersonal communication but also every staff member because they are the first line or hands on to the services rendered to clients. As a manager, it is vital for me to instil confidentiality into the culture of my service through role modelling, ensuring effective policy is at place, taking action, give guidance and support and ensure the security of information; making sure that information technology systems, is always be explicitly linked with policies and procedures of the home. Lastly, the best way to connect to other people is to listen and the most important thing that I can ever give to an individual is my attention. My main responsibilities are to ensure and maintain regular communications with my regional manager and preserve effective communications through regular contact / meetings with relatives, clients, staff, regional manager and any other concerned bodies; maintaining appropriate minutes and reports. I have staff and senior meetings every 2 months unless there is the need to have one sooner, relatives meetings are held every three months, however I have an open door policy and set aside an afternoon each week and the relatives know that they can come and see me. Resident meetings are also every three months. I hold these meetings as my role as a home manager requires me to support individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds I uphold and promote equitable practise and offer equality of opportunity whilst taking into account peoples political, economic, social and civil rights. As a manager I support people from a diverse range and backgrounds and cultures. Equality is treating everybody equally and fairly regardless of their ability, religion, beliefs, gender, age, social status or sexual orientation. Diversity is recognising people’s differences and valuing the contribution these make to an inclusive society for all therefore inclusion is the idea that every individual has the right to be included without restriction or limitation and that everybody has the right to a sense of belonging in life and feeling valued. I have quality monitoring reports in place for monitoring equality, diversity and inclusion in my home. Equality, diversity and inclusion are discussed during staff supervisions, training sessions and meetings and my staff are clear on their roles and accountabilities for promoting it. If discrimination or exclusion occurs then I have a duty of care to challenge it and to review and monitor situations. I also have heads of department meetings each week which involves a meeting with the deputy manager, a senior carer, housekeeper, head cook, and maintenance person the purpose of these meetings are that if there are any issues that need to be discussed then we talk about those and also if we are expecting any inspections or work to be carried out in that week then all heads of department are made aware so that arrangements can be made where necessary.
Safeguarding
It is my responsibility to ensure that clients, relatives and staff are aware of the safeguarding policy and that it is implemented correctly. I ensure that all staff receive the appropriate training and I am also responsible for investigating any reported incidents, preparing accurate records and reporting the incident to the necessary individuals and authorities.
An example of a situation which I have dealt with regarding a safeguarding issue were 2 residents that started to physically fight with each other in the main hall way during the staff hand over period. The staff was having handover in the senior’s office when the staff heard raised voices. The senior in charge went through to the main hallway and saw that Mr A and Mr B were having an altercation. The senior in charge encouraged both residents to come away from the situation which they did and the situation was diffused. The senior in charge contacted me and i came in the residents were checked over for injuries and a body map was completed Mr B had a scratch on his forearm and both residents had red areas on their skin which soon faded. No other injuries were sustained by either resident. Mr B was placed on one to one care following the incident so that his behaviour could be monitored and to prevent any further incidents occurring. Both NOK informed of the incident and were made aware that safeguarding would be informed. DIST were involved with Mr B at the time due to him showing signs of agitation before this incident occurred and had recently been prescribed medication to have on an as required basis, and they too were made aware of the incident neither service user has capacity and could not remember the incident. A notification was sent into CQC, my regional manager was informed and a notification sent to the safeguarding team.
Health and safety
My main responsibilities relating to health and safety are that I carry out duties as a responsible officer for the care home under the health and safety at work act 1974 and the fire regulations. I have to ensure that all health and safety and fire policy and procedures are being carried out. I am also responsible for reviewing accident reports and monitoring infection control. I carry out monthly audits to monitor infection control, health and safety accidents and incidents, RIDDOR, catering, medication and hand hygiene, all audits are carried out on a monthly basis and action plans are completed and monitored for areas of non-compliance. Health and safety is a legal requirement closely monitored by the health and safety executive and it applies to all health and social care environments.as a manager it is my responsibility to ensure that I have adequate policies and procedures in place as breaches of health and safety requirements can have serious consequences on me as a registered manager and the organisation, i must take all reasonable measures to keep individuals safe, whether that’s residents ,staff or any other visitors to my home. The health and safety at work act 1974 sets out the duties of employers to take measures to protect the safety of others so far as reasonably practicable. The main requirement for me as I employ more than 5 people is to have risk assessments in place. I am responsible for all the day to day health and safety measures and consulting with the staff including maintenance of the buildings with regard to health and safety and for the undertaking of risk assessments where required and their reviews. I am also responsible for investigating accidents, investigations are aimed at finding immediate and underlying causes of accidents and the steps needed to prevent recurrences. I am responsible for reporting accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the enforcing authority. I identify the needs and arrange and monitor the health and safety training for my staff
When selecting and purchasing items of equipment it is essential to ensure, as far as
Possible that such items are safe and are appropriate for the task and location for which they are used. I am responsible for ensuring that any new equipment:
a) Meets health and safety standards before it is purchased, (and whilst it is in use).
b) is suitable for the usage that it is to be put.
c) Is regularly maintained and inspected.
d) Is only used by staff, whom has received training for such equipment and is aware of the manufactures instructions provided with the equipment.
Arrangements for the assessment (from a Health & Safety viewpoint) of new equipment (e.g. new beds, hoists, and building alterations) are carried out to determine the least hazardous options to be selected wherever possible.
Updates from suppliers and arrangements for seeing that Health & Safety bulletins from the Department of Health, Medical Devices Agency and other bodies are acted upon as necessary to ensure that Health & Safety is maintained.
Employers are required by law to have first aid provisions in the workplace and to ensure that there is always a qualified first aider or an appointed person present. An appointed person is someone who is authorised, in the absence of the first aider to take charge of the situation if there is a serious injury or illness. They should record all cases they treat and the circumstances of the accident and details of the injury along with any treatment given or action taken. The records should be kept in a suitable place and be readily available. Provision is made for equipment and facilities to be available as necessary. Health surveillance is carried out where appropriate. Risk assessments for pregnant Staff Members are carried out and reviewed on a regular basis. Night staff and young persons are subject to periodic health checks: these are arranged and managed by myself. Arrangements are made to ensure safe systems of work for particular operations e.g. electrical and mechanical isolation and lock-off procedures during plant maintenance. Maintenance of the workplace, equipment, lifts, electrical apparatus etc. is implemented on an on-going basis to ensure safe and efficient working order. The need to control exposure to substances hazardous to health (COSHH) is appreciated.
Arrangements for identifying the harmful substances, obtaining the appropriate data sheets from suppliers, assessing and controlling the risks are in place and detailed in documented procedures. The need to control and dispose of the various waste produced as care is provided to residents is appreciated. Documented procedures are implemented to ensure that the different types of waste are dealt with in accordance with the applicable Health and Safety Regulations. Arrangements for meeting the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are detailed in procedures for moving and handling of personnel and also for moving inanimate objects. All employees should read the Fire Action Notices provided in all areas of the workplace, which give details of the company’s fire and emergency procedures.
Escape routes will be checked every shift change by the Person in charge to ensure that they are kept clear at all times in case of an emergency. Any member of staff identifying an obstructed escape route must report it to the person in charge immediately and ensure the obstruction is removed. I carry out health and safety inspections to ensure that Health & Safety requirements are reviewed in order to confirm that safety standards are achieved and maintained in line with external legal
Requirements and internal procedures. I have the responsibility to ensure that Health and Safety inspections are carried out in my home and carry out a Health and Safety audit within the home every three months.

Personnel

As a manager I have the responsibility to ensure that staffing levels and ratios are
Appropriate for the needs of my residents and are consistent with the levels set out by the Directors of the Company. I will make an assessment of current staffing levels, the skill mix of their work area, the needs of Clients and any budgetary or other resource Constraints.
All career opportunities in the Company are advertised internally. It is also my responsibility to ensure that vacancies are notified to job centres and advising all staff members of any carer opportunity in the home. Any vacancies that I have within the home are advertised internally as well as at the local job centre.
All jobs that I advertise have a brief description of the nature of the job and the skills,
Knowledge and qualifications required. All job applicants who fit the criteria and who meet the minimum Selection criteria for a job would be offered an interview.
I would consider reasonable adaptations that will enable disabled persons to work and I would seek advice from employment specialists and other professionals to positively enable disabled persons to work for the Company. I did this with a care assistant who temporarily lost his sight due to diabetes after a period of sickness I met with the staff member for a welfare meeting and also a representative from action for the blind was present and we discussed what we could do to assist this carer worker back to work. It was agreed that we would do a phased return to work and reduced hours. Applicants are invited for interview by telephone or by letter. All candidates are treated, as far as possible, in the same way. And I plan my questions carefully and avoid questions that could be regarded as discriminatory.
I also complete an interview record form.
The successful candidate(s) are sent a letter confirming the job offer. Candidates rejected following an interview are also informed of the outcome by letter.
Once all the necessary steps in the recruitment process have been completed, the
Following are prepared and forwarded to the successful applicant:
• Contract of Employment
• Staff Handbook
• Job Description
I am responsible for ensuring that all employees have a DBS and for ensuring that the DBS declaration form is signed before processing a DBS. Disclosure information is not kept on an applicant/ Staff Member’s personnel file. The information is kept separately and securely in a locked filing cabinet with access strictly controlled and limited to those entitled to see it as part of their duties. I manage the staff records in line with company policy and the requirements under the social care act 2000 and also adhering to the data protection act. New employees are given assistance and encouragement to settle into their role, to become familiar with the working environment and understand the Company’s standards and expectations when they first join the Company. The settling in period is referred to as the probationary period which is initially for 6 months and is intended to assist the employee in successfully reaching the end of their probationary period. I am responsible for ensuring full support and guidance is given to the new employee and that performance issues are addressed from the offset to enable the new employee time to correct their behaviour, attitude and conduct where necessary. Regular reviews are carried out during the probationary period with me and the new employee’s line manager. As a manager I control the levels of sickness and absence I do this by monitoring Staff absence levels, for identifying Staff whose absences have reached an unacceptable level, and for taking appropriate action necessary to improve absence. Where a Staff Member has been absent from work on account of sickness for a continuous period of greater than four weeks I will send a letter inviting the Staff Member to attend a welfare meeting for an informal discussion concerning their sickness absence, The informal discussion does not have to take place in the workplace this may be conducted as a home visit if the Staff Member prefers. The exact nature of the illness will be ascertained at the meeting, including details of any treatment received, progress made and, where possible, an indication of when the Staff Member might be fit to return to work. I will contact The Staff Member periodically and in turn they are expected to maintain regular contact with me, at least once in every week, in order to obtain/provide information about their current situation. New Employees will follow the Employee Induction Procedure. Each Staff Member participates in a formal appraisal interview with me, at least once per year. The purpose of this appraisal is to review the Staff Member’s performance, and to agree on any remedial action necessary and to identify any training and development needs .All training activities which are undertaken and supported by the Company are based on identified needs, which are directly related to the objectives of the business. I am responsible for identifying the individual training needs for my Staff and ensuring each Staff Member participates in a formal appraisal review. I also organise a series of training sessions, talks, workshops and practical sessions as per the needs identified at appraisal and to meet the Company’s objectives. I discuss training needs with Employees at Appraisal or during Supervision and will arrange places and encourage participation for staff. Completed appraisal forms are retained in the Staff Member’s Personnel file for future reference and a copy of the completed form is given to the Staff Member.

Marketing/ budgetary control

As a home manager I am required to actively market the home and promote a positive personal/professional profile within the local community, ensuring the good reputation of the care home at all times. Endeavour to fill any resident vacancies by liaising with social services and health authorities and assessing suitable residents.
I actively market the home by sending out brochures to be distributed in the local hospitals and doctors’ surgeries and fax over vacant rooms to social workers and other contacts weekly.

General

As a home manager I have to adhere to all appropriate guidelines of the social care council and to maintain and update my professional knowledge and competence, I also need to be able to interpret any changes and understand the impact on service delivery for example changes in legislation - employment law I found the following information on the acas website. The Government is extending the right to request flexible working to all employees; removing the current statutory procedure for considering requests. Instead employers will have a duty to consider all requests in a reasonable manner; however, employers will have the flexibility to refuse requests on business grounds. On 30 June 2014 the Flexible Working Regulations will be amended. This will mean that the right to request flexible working will be extended to cover all employees after 26 weeks' service, rather than only those with children under the age of 17 (or 18 if the child is disabled) and certain carers. This means that the policy and procedure that I currently have in place will need to be reviewed and changed I will liase with my regional manager and discuss the changes with other people that are involved in the recruitment process to ensure that the organisation remains compliant and the team is kept up to date. I control the ordering and administration of medicines within the home and maintain the necessary records as required by the regulatory authorities and I liase with the pharmacy that we use if I have any medication queries or need additional information, the pharmacy also carry out an audit they do this annually. I maintain logbooks and records as required by regulatory authorities and the directors of akari care. I organize on call for emergencies which may arise this is shared between my deputy manager and myself and I ensure that the security of the home is maintained at all times.

An area of practice that i do well

From the beginning, I realised it was my staff who had the power to create a sense of community and quality of life at Felmingham Old Rectory. I wanted them to be competent in empowering residents to have voice, choice and control within their own home. I wanted them to appreciate the importance of their role and the impact their care had on residents. I wanted my staff to speak openly about their work and what was important to them, so I held a meeting with all staff and asked them, “Why do you come to work? I anticipated that their response was likely to be that of bewilderment, and the confused faces that stared back at me confirmed this. However I had gained their attention, so I followed it up with, “Why do you choose to work in the care sector? “This seemed to give them the confidence to express themselves. We decided that our shared vision for the home was to ‘empower residents to live happy, fulfilled and purposeful lives. ‘This gave us a common goal: to improve quality of life. As a team we could easily connect with the desire to have a voice and to experience happiness, fulfilment and purpose. Our agreed vision has given us a sense of purpose and has become the foundation upon which our training, care and community has developed. It has structured our thinking and helped us challenge the ‘status quo’. It has allowed us to measure our daily successes and to celebrate those moments when we have made a positive impact on residents’ lives. Care staff are special and dedicated individuals who may not always receive the respect they deserve. Since developing our vision, I have seen my staff’s professional confidence and practice improve. I believe that opening a dialogue with them, and agreeing a shared vision has encouraged them to talk about their work and their value sin a new way. It has stimulated them to think, not only about what they do, but also how they do it. Staff now consider what it would be like to experience the care they give. They reflect upon their contact with residents, and openly share their ideas about improving care. For a long time, I felt frustrated by the fact that some of my staff just didn’t seem to properly engage with the residents. They simply focused on their tasks, expecting praise for getting residents up in the
Morning as quickly as possible, instead of taking time to do it.it is the relationships between staff, residents and relatives that are the special ingredients in a home. When relationship-centred care is alive and well in a home, you can feel it. There is a calmness and a warmth. There are high quality interactions between residents, relatives and staff, creating a thriving and supportive community. Residents and staff enjoy time together, and staff feel positive about their work and more in tune with resident’s needs and aspirations. Perhaps what I have learnt is that positive relationships between residents, staff and relatives don’t just happen, they need to be nurtured. That is where we, as managers, play such an important role. We need to ensure staff feel acknowledged, valued and able to engage and reconnect at an emotional level with residents. That is no easy task. It is about promoting a positive
Culture and that is something I feel I do well.

An area of practice that i need to develop
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I have a strong compulsive need to do things quickly especially when my “to do” list is long. Sometimes this has compromised my decision making ability. I have a tendency to over-analyze what has happened in certain situations (even after I have prepared really well for them) when events have moved on and I can no longer do anything about them. I need to improve my “soft” skills – such as assertiveness, communication and the effectiveness of my decision making. I will measure my development by having a learning plan, this would include any training requirements. I would look to support from my regional manager and other managers in our group, where we could discuss our own personal progress and problems. These may prove to be extremely beneficial from a learning perspective for all concerned. Developing my assertiveness starts with a good understanding of who I am and a belief in the value i bring to the company. Learning to be more assertive will help me build on self-confidence and will provide many benefits for improving my relationships at work. Obtaining feedback from my regional manager on what I have done well and what I should look to improve on next time will help provide me with the assurance that, not only do the techniques work, but also that I am progressing in the right direction. It would be an invaluable confidence builder both in my abilities and that the learning plan is delivering the desired results.

Management and learning style

My management and learning style is a hands on approach and I am a manager that walks around to assign tasks, people then have the opportunity to ask details. This helps to make sure they will do the right thing. In addition I can explain the context, the big picture, so the person understands why he or she is doing something. If people understand the big picture, they will be much more motivated than when they have to perform a series of tasks without understanding what the total goal is. Team meetings (agenda, minutes, tasks list) play an important role in communication and therefore motivation, but these informal one-on-one meetings also play an important role in getting people excited about their work. I also believe if i am visible and communicate open with everyone, my colleagues see me care and are willing to share problems with me. With most of my colleagues I have a professional relationship, but showing a genuine interest in a person makes a difference. If someone is in a difficult situation privately (sick child, divorce, etc.) it will affect the person’s professional performance, and if I am there for them as a human being at those moments, it can make a great difference to them to know that I am interested and supportive because i care. If I am visible and my lines of communication are open to everyone, i will build a great team. If my communication style is open, my colleagues will follow and also be more open to each other and work more as a team. However it is important to make sure that i talk with everybody. If i only talk with a few people and never pay attention to other people, those other people will feel left out. I also Keep in mind that they these are my colleagues and I am their boss, so it should remain a professional relationship. Management by Walking around Style of Working allows me to treat myself as an essential part of the team and to be an efficient listener, it allows me to spend more time with my colleagues to find out their concerns and suggestions. I believe that this style of working means that I am more of a mentor to my staff and can give them advice and guidance when needed. i spend a significant amount of my time making informal visits to work areas and listening to the employees. The purpose of this exercise is to collect qualitative information, listen to suggestions and complaints, and keep a finger on the pulse of the organization.
When it comes to learning I like to have the hands on approach as I can remember things easier by actually doing them rather than listening to somebody telling me how to do it, I don’t retain the information so well.
Conflict management
Whilst I have a variety of responsibilities, the most critical one involves keeping teams working together effectively. An effective team reflects positively on the manager and provides value to the organization. When diverse viewpoints and personalities collaborate, innovative ideas emerge that can give a company competitive advantage. But sometimes collaboration turns to conflict. As a manager I need to take immediate action to stop a conflict before the conflict stops the team. I must always be the calm in the storm, taking a composed and objective approach to gathering the facts in any conflict situation. Conflicts, by nature, have a personal effect on the employees involved. I can only diffuse the situation by being unbiased and providing constructive directives.Conflict in the workplace can take many forms. However, it always requires at least two parties. Often, one of the parties is unaware of the conflict. They are a part of it nonetheless. From the perspective of management, it is best to identify the two parties and separate them initially. The first step is to accept that there is a problem and to define what it is and who is involved. Conflict is normal. That is because each individual in an organisation brings certain values and perspectives to the table that are unique to him or her. These can enrich the organisation by allowing for a more diverse dialogue and decision-making process. Unfortunately, they can also spark opposition and contribute to communication difficulties. Often conflicts will go on for long periods of time. This is especially true when one or more parties keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves. This can come from a desire to avoid the conflict, or can just be the result of neither side feeling satisfied with the solutions, if any. It is important for me to recognise and deal with conflict. Unfortunately, most problems don’t just go away, and festering anger can eat away at morale and get in the way of effective decision-making. The following are strategies for resolving conflict:
Avoidance is sometimes the best course of action. Often time will fix whatever problem has existed and trying to fix it yourself will just make it worse. Still this rarely works. More often than not, avoiding conflict is just a sign of an inability to successfully manage problems. The conflict avoider often develops rationales for the conflict, dodges meetings or conversations where conflict is present, and hopes the conflict will resolve itself on its own.
Accommodating is an approach which rarely leads to the problem being solved. Although this can help solve the immediate problem, the basic issue remains. Accommodating and avoidance are similar techniques. They both come from a fear of addressing and dealing with an issue directly. A manager who gives in to the conflicting party often sacrifices his or her own goals and hurts the company in the long run. This is why it is often healthier to have conflict out in the open than to have people think there is harmony when there really is not.
Forcing is the opposite of accommodating. The manager who forces his or her employees to accept a solution to a problem or forces them to drop the issue will seldom find the best long-term solutions. This type of behaviour can be competitive or even aggressive in nature. The manager (or co-worker) wants to compete to see who’s right and who’s wrong, so he or she attempts to force an opinion on the opposition to win the argument. This hardly ever fixes the problem and usually produces more anger.
Compromise is often seen as the best way to deal with conflict. However, it can often leave both sides feeling like they’ve lost. This is especially true when managers are the ones who decide what the compromise will be.
It is better to get the parties in a conflict involved if you are to reach a long term solution to their problems. The likelihood of a solution working is greatest when the parties come up with it than when it is created by management. However, such a solution can only be found when the parties realise that cooperation is in their best interest. As values and perspectives differ, it can be easy for some individuals to distrust each other. This is often the result of a breakdown in communication or a failure to realise the goals of others. I can increase my ability to gain the trust of my employees by actually trusting them. This will give me the ability to communicate successfully and help employees recognise and solve problems together. Status differences often prevent communication and lead to conflict. When employees feel that management is different than them, they often decide not to communicate openly and problems can grow over time. Believing that solutions can be found which will satisfy all parties is the first step toward successfully solving a problem. The parties need to admit that there is a problem and get it out in the open the problem should be analysed by both parties, with me as the intermediary. By accepting employees concerns, i can then encourage an attitude that will help problem solving. The parties can then come up with options for solving the problem and agree on a final solution. Managing conflict is a normal aspect of business operations. Although i have to dedicate much of my time to conflict management, successfully doing so can be good for the long-term performance of the company. To effectively solve conflicts, i need to recognise the factors that cause it and try to implement strategies for solving problems in a constructive way.
I was responsible for resolving a conflict between two staff members who could no longer work effectively together. Their relationship began affecting the productivity of other employees. The first thing I did was separate them to calm the situation. I then proceeded to meet together with both parties to discuss the problem in a calm and controlled setting. I assumed control of the discussion since emotions frequently trump reason during disputes between two people and made it clear that a compromise must be reached. One of my main objectives during the meeting was to understand the perspectives of both parties without siding with either one. At first, this was difficult since each party presented their arguments without considering other perspectives. To counter this, I made it clear to each party that changes must be made since the status quo was unworkable. Shortly thereafter, we agreed to a workable solution. Before concluding the meeting, I emphasized that during future disagreements each party must act considerably and professionally and avoid getting emotional. After our meeting, work resumed as normal and the overall work atmosphere became more pleasant.
It's common for family members to have very different ideas about what's wrong with a loved one and what should be done about it. I have been in a situation where a resident has two family members a daughter and a son, the two didn’t get along and had spent many years prior to their mum being admitted into my home not actually on speaking terms. The son had power of attorney and lasting power of attorney and therefore made all the decisions about their mothers care and her finances. A conflict arose when their mother had become extremely poorly, as the son had made all of the decisions up to this point the daughter felt that as she was the one who visited her mum 2 or 3 times a week that she would like to be involved in some of the decisions being made as their mother was approaching the end of life, In this situation I contacted the son and arranged a meeting I also explained to him how his sister felt and that she would like to be involved and he agreed that his sister could come along to the meeting too. I held the meeting in my office and there was a great deal of tension between the two of them, we discussed their mother’s current condition and what her GP and the district nurses’ intervention would be when her condition deteriorates further, and the things that they thought their mum might like during her final days like any particular music she liked or if she would like a visit from a priest etc. the meeting was a successful one we had managed to complete her advanced care plan relating to her needs and preferences in her final days and it had bought the 2 of them closer together however I feel that I added extra pressure on the decisions being made as they really hadn’t had the chance to talk properly with each other and sort out their differences before being asked some quite distressing and often difficult questions. If this situation occurred again I would handle if very differently and not get involved in family conflict as my main concern is that of the welfare of my residents and maybe I shouldn’t have got involved in the family dispute. Although the outcome was a positive one there was quite a lot of pressure on all parties involved.