Conflict Workplace

1. Conflicts inevitably arise between individuals in an organization, between organizational units, and between institutions. It is a part of our everyday life.
2. Alarmingly, there are a number of studies that estimate that 30% to 40% of a managers daily activities are devoted to dealing with some form of conflict (Thomas and Schmit, 1976; Watson and Hoffman, 1996).
3. Employees' inability to effectively deal with anger and conflict in the workplace can result in a tremendous loss of productivity, not to mention the emotional impact to all the participants.
4. Some disputes managers and employees alike may be subjected to in the workplace include:
   • Unfair or unequal treatment [Risser, 1993]
   • Emotional Abuse
   • Discrimination [Risser, 1993]
   • Sexual harassment [Cooper,1985)]
   • Angry individuals [McClure, 2000]
   • Resistant individuals
   • Inability to saying no)
   • Navigating a high conflict environment
   • Feuding groups
   • Environments in transitions (i.e. changes)
   • Inability to ask for what one needs
   • Culturally diverse environment [Cox, 1994]
   • Physical attributes of the workplace (e.g. health and safety issues)
   • Unclear or undefined organizational directives
   • Violence or the threat of violence

Calculating the Cost of Conflict for YOU:

1. Look back over the past 6 months. How much time/week, on average, did you spend dealing with workplace conflict (interpersonal, your own, organizational, etc.)? ____________ hours/week
2. What is your rate of pay/hour? $__________
3. Multiply #1_______ x #2___________ = $__________/week
4. Multiply #3__________ x the number of weeks you work each year_____ = $________ total dollars spent by you, alone, in conflict management.
5. To determine how much is spent by your organization, take a look at the number of employees you have, how much time they deal with unproductive conflict, and how much paid time on the job is spent doing just that.