The Art of Conflict Management within workplace: Bangladesh perspective

1. Executive Briefing

This article on conflict management at workplace in Bangladesh deals with various aspects of
conflict and problems that exist in detail. Conflict is a vital part of human life, whether it is the
organizational life, personal life, social life or national life. In a good number of cases, conflict
creates a great damage to achieve the mission of an individual as well as to the organization.
So, it is essential to managing conflict. This study explores the impact of the conflict in
workplace from Bangladesh perspective. This article identified and assessed the major types,
cause of conflict in Bangladeshi organizations and also found some better ways to reduce or
resolve these conflicts to maintain the healthy atmosphere in the organization.

The management of organizational conflict involves the analysis of and intervention in

substantive and affective at the interpersonal, intragroup , and intergroup levels. At the same
time the styles used to handle these conflicts. Algert and Watson (2002) stated workers or
learners bring different goals, values, ideas, beliefs and these differences are a primary
strength of teams. These similar differences unavoidably lead to conflict, though the level of
conflict is small scale. A diagnosis should point out whether there is need for an intervention
and the type of intervention needed. In general, an intervention is planned (a) to maintain and
attain a reasonable amount of substantive conflict in non routine tasks at various levels, (b) to
reduce affective conflict at all levels, and (c) to enable the organizational members to select and
use the appropriate styles of handling conflict so that various situations can be effectively dealt
with. Organizational learning and effectiveness can be enhanced through an appropriate
diagnosis and process and structural interventions in conflict.

Some of the issues that can cause conflict between individuals and groups at work include:

 Poor management
 Unclear job roles
 Unfair treatment
 Inadequate training
 Poor communications
 Lack of equal opportunities
 Bullying and harassment.
 Poor work environment

2. OB related Agenda

Conflict theory and research has usually focused on conflict management strategies, in relation
to individual and work-team effectiveness and productivity. Comparatively less attention has
been devoted to “soft” outcomes including job satisfaction, organizational commitment,
turnover intentions, and individual health and well-being at workplace. This state of affairs is
regrettable because it isolates conflict theory and research from broader issues in organizational
psychology and organizational behavior research. It also impedes applied work in that it
remains uncertain how interventions influence not only conflict and effectiveness, but also
satisfaction and well-being. Conflict at work place takes many forms.
It might be happen between two workers where they simply don’t get on, or a worker has a
grievance against his or her manager. Conflict might take the form of enmity between teams,
or it may be evident by the lack of cooperation and trust between large groups of employees
and management. Conflict may be visible or invisible.
 Figure 1: Conflict Triangle

However, not all forms of conflict are so obvious. Some individuals might hide their feelings as
a way of coping with a problem; while a team might react to pressure by cutting itself off from
the rest of the organization. According to Johnson and Johnson(2000) more emphasize should
given to focus on conflict management ,cooperative learning, leading counseling groups,
valuing diversity and team development and training.

3. Few concept Relating to Conflict

Cross-Cultural Conflict
Globalization shapes people from diverse cultures into contact. Which gives the chance to rise
a ‘new’ type of conflict that is Cross-cultural conflicts. Particularly these are challenging
because they handle our most deeply held beliefs about our society and ourselves. Therefore, at
present world, peaceful coexistence is much more desirable than ever at the same time more
challenging. As a result cross-cultural conflict resolution an important skill

Spiritual aspects of conflict:

Each conflict has its own meaning like every disease is a way of an organism to communicate
that something is out of balance. Hence we should not restrain conflicts but see them as
symptoms of a disease and need duly analyze them and a way out what they are telling to us.
Then we will able to jointly convert the conflict by seeing it as a co-evolution. Without
catastrophe there is no evolution.
Conflict as a process
We are familiar with the particular nature of conflict situations. At the outset a conflict situation
often seems as a pragmatic question or single event, however this is seldom the case. Conflicts
 do not simply erupt, rather they develop through various phases, and in each of these stages
have certain factors to contribute to the possibility of conflict.

Conflict resolution
On a daily basis we exposed conflict management activities. The types of conflict we are
exposed to are not restricted to a particular domain. It can involve workplace, relationship, the
community and other stakeholders.

Conflict situation in Bangladesh

Conflict avoidance is not common in Bangladesh, and the racial mixtures are often invoked to
explain this tendency. Reviewing several theories which are based on the view of harmony it
comes out that they are compatible with a dualistic model of harmony, which posits an
instrumental as well as a value motive in harmony-seeking behavior. In the instrumental
perspective, harmony is viewed as a means to a typically materialistic end, whereas in the value
perspective, harmony is deemed an end in its own right. Conflict avoidance is primarily driven
by the instrumental motive. These two motives are then crossed to form four types of harmony-
seeking behaviors. This typology is discussed in terms of its implications for future research
and its applications in conflict management.

4. Management Tools
For conflict management first we can apply conflict intervention staregy to get the through knowledge
about conflict .Then we can follow the chart to resolution the conflict .These two are very famous steps
among the corporate world.

Figure 2 : Conflict Intervention Strategies

 Figure3: Conflict resolution

5. OB Technology

Develop a strategy for managing conflict in consultation with managers, employees and your
representatives. Social value model suggests that conflict situations arise in societies because of
some mismatch between social values and the social structure of that society, particularly the
distribution of political, economic and social goods. Moore (1986) provides mediators and
other professionals who use mediation such as lawyers, therapists, and personnel managers
with comprehensive, step-by-step instruction in effective dispute resolution strategies. But for
conflict resolution in workplace the following checklist can be followed.
Figure4-Individual conflict Management Tools
 Figure 5-Group conflict Management Tools

6. OB News:Inbound and Outbound

Outbound

The modern world is a world full of chances and options for human being. At the same time the
modern world is also a world of competing interests, ideas, values, views, ideologies, religions
and cultures – a world full of conflicting interests on all levels. If we want to differentiate our
contemporary world it would be in many ways more appropriate to speak about a ‘Clash of
 Interests’ instead of “Clash of Cultures”. Traditional societies accepted one’s role in life and
society that is, the will of God. The Individual and its interest are taken up by fate, destiny and
so on.
Globalization is changing traditional societies and cultures everywhere and becomes more and
more the dominant role model for younger generations around the world. Globalization leads to
a loss of identity. Many people are not satisfied with these ‘irresistible’ offers. They continue to
search (struggle) for finding or maintaining their own identity. This also a picture of Conflict.
Define aggression to the prevention and resolution of conflicts to finally the total banishment of
the idea to use violence to settle disputes and conflicts on all levels.

Inbound
Conflict may bring positive outcome when it is rightly managed. In case of Bangladesh, there
are some studies regarding these issues in the perspective of western culture, but there was no
known study on this matter from Bangladesh perspective. Here, the general perception is that
conflict leads to bad relationships and ultimately hampers productivity and growth of an
organization. So, it is important to find out the following status of conflict in Bangladesh:

1. Current relationship and conflict in the organization in Bangladesh specially the types of
conflicts
2. The reasons of conflict,
3. The procedure for managing conflict etc. that ensure healthy environment in the
organizational life

7. Legal Trends
 You could agree for your dispute to be settled by an independent person who examines
everyone’s point of view and issues a binding decision. This is known as arbitration. If an
employee believes they have been unfairly dismissed, or that they have a complaint under the
flexible working regulations, the complaint can be heard by an independent arbitrator appointed
by proper authority, if that is what both sides want. Arbitration is must be ensured.

8. Future Focus

One can learn a great deal from conflict. Here are some of the common action points that many
employers need to address during or after periods of individual and group conflict:
Put the systems procedures in place

•establish formal procedures for dispute resolution, grievances and disciplinary issues
•explain plans– link individual performance targets to the overall business plans so everyone
feels involved
•listen– consultation is the key to involving employees in decision-making
•reward fairly – pay is seldom far from people’s minds
• work safely – think about use of computers, smoking, stress and drugs as well as noise, dust
and chemicals

Develop relationships:

• Value employees – how would most employees describe the culture within the organization?

• Treat fairly – check the law on discrimination and the meaning of ‘harassment’
• Encourage initiative – think about job design and developing individuals
• Balance personal and business needs – could flexible working patterns help to improve the
work-life balance of employees and the effectiveness of the business?
• Develop new skills – is it worth thinking about investors in people to promote training and
communication.
 Work together:
• build trust between employee representatives and management – do relationships add value to
the organization by working effectively to respond to change.

9. Solution

 Handling grievances
 Managing absence
 Informing and consulting staff
 Equality and diversity
 Age discrimination.

 Ensuring employee participation in the goal setting process

 Welcoming employee to suggest in changes/improvements

 Establishing employee recognition

 Including employees in the in decision making process

 Informing the employees the grievance handling process

 Practicing distribution of awards among the competent staff

 Providing counseling opportunities to the employees

 Establishing employee welfare program

 Ensuring the job security

 Developing trust among the employees

 Stopping gender discrimination

 Practicing Time management

 Stopping pay discrimination on the basis of gender

10. References

Johnson,D.W.,and Johnson,F.P.(2000) Joining together: theory and group skills(7th ed) ,

Boston,allyn and Bacon

Algert,N.E.,and Watson,K.(2002) Conflict Management :introductions for individuals and

organizations. Bryan,

Center for Algert, N.E. (2002). The change and conflict resolution, Bryan, TX: (979)775-5335
or e-mail cccr@bigfoot.com.
Moore, C.,(1986) “How Mediation Works” in The Mediation Process: Practical Strategies for
Resolving Conflict.

Christopher R. M (2005) Conflict, Social Change and Conflict Resolution. Berghof-handbook.

Net

www.acas.org.uk (Managing conflict at work)