Conflict Style Assignment

Justina Jagdhar

Sociology 206

July 15, 2015

Employee vs. Employee

Conflict management at the workplace is an issue that every manger and employee has to deal with at one time or another. The basics of conflict management include improving communication, teamwork, and a systematic approach to solving the disagreement. One of the many areas of conflict that I’m targeting is the various techniques that can be utilized to manage conflict in the workplace between employees. I’m aiming to look at how managers and supervisors use the 7 elements we used in class to help solve conflicts between employees. My interest in this topic grows as I deal with personal conflicts and experiences with employees at my past and current job. I’ve also have family and friends who can relate to this, as an everyday example as well. As I explore this topic I am learning that there are many styles and approaches that different managers use to help solve conflict at the worksite. Every manager has their own rules and regulations to deal with. Interviewing 2 managers and 4 employees (including myself), will give me an example of different types of conflict management resolutions. One situation includes my personal experience with an employee Katie and how my manager Frank dealt with it. The second situation will show my dad’s boss Jerry, my dad, and his co-worker and how they dealt with the problem. Comparing the conflicts and look at in details the conflict solution styles used will help give me a more understanding of how many ways I can personally deal with conflict.

Analyzing the Conflict

The relationships between employees and other employees can be very difficult to understand. Everyone has their own different styles and personalities when it comes to handling a situations. The independent parties in this conflict are the employees. These types of conflict happen when a person relies on someone else’s co-operation, output or input on in order for them to get their job done. The manager depends on his employees to do their job, and set a role model for the job.

My definition of conflict is lack of communication between the employees. Conflicts can be due to personality and relationship clashing, and differences of opinions about tasks, also known as task conflict. Workplace conflict is normal and very common. A couple of things that might trigger one employee to start conflict with another is morale’s being lowered, absenteeism, and decrease productivity.

Between the three parties, they will all perceive different things, during different situations. Each individual has their own ideas and thoughts when dealing with a situation. In my opinion, I believe that there is always going to be a way to solve a situation at work. When it comes to work, and making money everyone should be serious about it. No matter what age group, or what job. You don’t want to regret by doing or saying something while you are angry or frustrated to give yourself a bad reputation from getting another job. The expressed struggle varies as we look at the different situations.