Introduction
Conflicts are inevitable in the workplace, and it is critical to perceive them as an integral part of work. Disagreements arise when individuals have opposing interests, beliefs, personalities, and ideas. Conflicts in the workplace differ in magnitude and impact as they develop due to varied reasons. Therefore, organizational management needs to examine the root cause of the problem to establish effective mechanisms for solving the issue. It is possible to state that understanding the causes of conflict situations in the organization allows leaders to solve them effectively.
Background
Such tools ensure that leaders can identify major factors that cause the issue. Most types of organizational conflicts develop from multiple factors, and for them to be resolved, the management has to identify all the factors that contribute to their existence. A critical analysis of the nature of conflict and the main factors that contribute to it should be executed to ensure that practical recommendations are provided.
Cause and Effect Diagram (Fishbone Diagram)
The fishbone diagram shows possible organizational conflicts that require negotiation and resolution. Otherwise, they lead to the impossibility of subsequent teamwork and might cause complete organization failure.
Present Causes
Poor Management
This problem results from the organization’s manager causing more losses to the organization and its members. Poor management leads to low productivity, failure to meet goals, an unhealthy working environment, and a lack of motivation among the staff (Beitler et al., 2018).
Inadequate Training
Managers with insufficient skills are most likely to provide poor leadership, failing to deal with administrative problems. Management skills promise that leaders might elaborate adequate solutions to problems (Shakoor, 2020).
Poor Attitudes from the Managers
Leaders with a poor attitude are likely to engage in unreasonable conflicts with their subordinates (Beitler et al., 2018). They cannot establish adequate communication with the team, which leads to organizational failure.
Poor Communication
Lack of effective communication within an organization is another factor that contributes to most of the conflicts within an organization. It creates barriers including cultural division where the staff come from diverse backgrounds.
Language Barrier
People perceive the same message differently even when everyone speaks the same language (Beitler et al., 2018). It is essential to avoid misinterpretation of the words in the organizational environment.
Limited Feedback
Limited feedback leads to the development of communication problems (Appelbaum et al., 2022). Lack of input from a specific department may lead to delays in the execution of a task leading to the development of conflicts.
Unequal Opportunities
Unequal treatment of employees causes conflicts among members of the same organization. People appreciate when they are promoted for excellent work (Appelbaum et al., 2022). When particular individuals are promoted without real merit, conflicts are inevitable.
Favoritism
Favoring some employees due to their friendship with managers or other subjective reasons can lead to numerous conflicts (Shakoor, 2020). Inequality in providing opportunities can result from discriminatory working environment.
Discrimination
Discrimination within the organization may be based on race, culture, ethnicity, and religion. Lack of equality in opportunities may lead to adverse management challenges disrupting operational activities, and a negative organizational reputation.
Poor Working Conditions
Working environments play a significant role in conflict development. Working conditions refer to physical environment, impacts on management, and lack of resources that enhance the effective execution of organizational activities (Shakoor, 2020). Lack of critical resources is the leading cause of poor working conditions.
Lack of Financial Resources
Lack of money results in poor air conditioning, exposure to hazardous materials, and lack of protective gear when executing organizational tasks (Appelbaum et al., 2022). Organizations need money to furnish the working space and provide a conducive working environment.
Poor Leadership
Poor leadership can lead to the development of poor working conditions. The administration is responsible for ensuring that their staff works in healthy and safe environments. Failure to provide such conditions makes the team feel unsafe. It may lead to confrontations with the management as they advocate for better working conditions.
Scarce Resources
Organizations with scarce resources are likely to experience continuous conflicts. Resources play a critical role in the success of an organization as they ensure that all the staff has the materials needed for work (Shakoor, 2020). Lack of production resources may cause inconsistencies in the execution of duties, leading to disagreement. Such conditions may result from lack of finances within an organization.
Lack of Finances
Without money, the organization lacks power and capacity to pay the employees (Beitler et al., 2018). In addition, poor financial planning can lead to the scarcity of resources and endanger organization’s functioning.
Poor Planning
Poor planning may lead to the purchase of unnecessary materials and lack of required items, making it challenging for the staff to execute their roles (Appelbaum et al., 2022). Resource scarcity is the leading cause of internal conflicts among staff, especially if the resources in deficit are universal and used among different departments.
Lack of Clear Job Roles
Where the job description does not spell out the specific roles and responsibilities of a worker, it may lead to cases of over or underperformance as the task is not well stated. Such conditions may result from the precise information about what a job entails.
Lack of Clear Job Descriptions
An organization should state each staff member’s primary roles and responsibilities. In such cases, the staff may perform a task based on their preference which may not meet the company’s standards (Appelbaum et al., 2022). A job description explains the roles of each position within the organization.
Role Ambiguities
Ambiguous tasks may lead to conflicts among staff as they try to prove their skills and power (Appelbaum et al., 2022). Lack of clear job roles and responsibility has diverse impacts on the organization as they may lead to failure to meet organizational goals and objectives.
Recommendations
There are three recommendations for conflict negotiation and resolution. First, organizations should ensure they have sound management as it is the only aspect that can end all the conflicts within the organization. Second, management should provide the necessary resources required for production to enhance business continuity and reduce conflicts. The last point emphasizes the importance of an effective communication network in solving most disputes that develop within organizations.
Summary
Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable as they may develop from numerous underlying factors. The management needs to identify the root cause of the problem, and create mechanisms that enhance collaboration and understanding among the staff to deal with such disputes. Leaders should develop effective communication channels to enable effective staff interactions. Sound leadership is critical to enhancing the level of understanding among the staff and developing strategies to attain organizational goals and objectives.
References
Appelbaum, S., Bhardwaj, A., Goodyear, M., Gong, T., Sudha, A., & Wei, P. (2022). A study of generational conflicts in the workplace. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 7, 7-15.
Beitler, L., Scherer, S., & Zapf, D. (2018). Interpersonal conflict at work: Age and emotional competence differences in conflict management. Organizational Psychology Review, 8(4), 195-227.
Shakoor, R. (2020). Workplace conflicts and its effect on employee productivity: A mediating role of workplace politics. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(3), 2774-2783.