Workplace Conflict: An Inevitable Fact of Life

It is commonly known that in both the modern and aged workplaces’, conflict is something of a regular basis that cannot be avoided as the employer-employee relationship is consistently under fire and pressure for numerous reasons where either party is not successfully satisfied (Loudon, McPhail & Wilkinson, 2009). Conflict within the workplace varies from a range of difficulties such as dispute over better pay and working conditions, more leave entitlements, opposing opinions of the forecast of the business and many more. It is close to impossible to monitor and halt any problems that arise when they can come from so many different areas, which is why differences within the internal environment of the organisation are unavoidable and will eventually happen for some reason. It is however argued by many experts including Evers, Arne, Beersma, Bianca, Kluwer, Esther, Nauta and Auki (2001) that it isn’t such a bad thing that conflict is inevitable in workplaces’ as it can result in positive contributions for both the employees individually and the organisation as a whole. This piece will cover why the widespread issue of dispute in the workplace is not easily avoidable and must be handled by both the employers and employees involved first hand front on. This essay will argue in favour of the statement ‘Workplace conflict; an inevitable fact of life’ due to the facts and information gathered from a number of reading sources studied.

It is argued that due to social diversity being inevitable, conflict in organisations, is hence inevitable as a result of the different social values of acquainting employees and their employers, often organisations attempt to use this to their advantage in multinational companies, it is however, only successful if it is executed correctly (Christian, Porter & Moffitt. 2006). McColgen and Aileen (2009) agree that due to the cultural and religious differences that may be present in employees, it is impossible to avoid conflict in the workplace. Many situations can arise by mistake through misunderstood or sarcastic discrimination, especially when it incurs aspects such as sex, race, disability and sexual orientation. Franche, Renée-Louise; Baril, Raymond; Shaw, William; Nicholas, Michael; Loisel and Patrick (2005) believe that conflictions may rise in situations where new and previously experienced people are employed to work in an environment that is uncomfortable for them due to their cultural differences, some employees believe that due to their culture it is their right to attempt to alter the workplace to remove diversity so that they feel more welcome and comfy at work, this of course according to Franche, Renée-Louise; Baril, Raymond; Shaw, William; Nicholas, Michael; Loisel and Patrick (2005) is an extremist case, yet they state that this friction is inevitable and can cause resentment, further leading to conflict.

The bias nature of certain employees and employers