The Causes of Conflict and Strategies to Minimize It

In spite of having a well-developed corporate culture and recognition of the employees’ rights, conflicts still tend to arise. I’m sure a clash of interests concerning personal beliefs and opinions is one of the causes. To resolve this interpersonal conflict, I can have a direct conversation with the opposing parties and use assertive communication to find a resolution. With the help of the concepts of the Code of Conduct, employees’ opinions, and similar cases in other organizations, it will be possible to find a compromise to this situation.

Another potential cause of the conflict is prejudice or “irrational hostility” that may take place and be referred to as the origin, sex, or age of the employee. In this case, one of the most relevant strategies is intervention, as this conflict is rather serious, and, in the case of the complaint, the issue of irrational hostility has to be reviewed while discovering the main details of the incident. In this instance, as a manager, I can rely on the legislative documents and the Code of Conduct of the company.

One’s success and higher achievement can be discovered as a source of conflict. Other employees may consider that their efforts are not recognized and underestimated while the achievements of others are rewarded. It may create prejudice and question the sufficiency of the managerial practice. In this instance, I should have a negotiation with the employees that experience a lack of recognition. Relying on the documentation of KPIs and their compliance with the corporate standards will help explain particular decisions. Referring to the external examples and explaining the working mechanism of the reward-and-punishment system will assist in avoiding similar situations in the future.

Overall, the main strategies to prevent conflict include negotiation, intervention, and mediation. In the case of mediation, I will give an opportunity to the parties to debate their sides equally. In turn, negotiation will help review the issue from different viewpoints, and with the help of assertive communication, it will be possible to find a compromise. Intervening in the conflict is necessary when the problem is serious, as, otherwise, it will lead to the violation of rights.