Conflict is usually a common problem facing any organization but it need
not be grave in nature and should not prolong unnecessarily if the
management knows how conflicts are to be managed and resolved. In my firm,
the two most important means of conflict management is communication and
effective diversity management programs. Our firm believes in keeping the
channel of communication open so the employers can make themselves
accessible in case a problem arises. Communication is a major problem in
organizations as employees feel they do not now how to approach the senior
management when some problem arises. When changes are being planned, the
importance of communication is heightened. The employers should take the
staff into confidence and explain clearly why changes are to be introduced.
Plsek and Kilo (1999) explain: "Change is not so much about overcoming
resistance, as it is about creating attraction. Viewing the movements of a
colony of ants over time reveals a detailed pattern of complex behavior and
many cycles of change as the insects build and then move. Paradoxically,
the underlying attractors that drive this behavior are quite simple: food
Lack of communication is in fact the most damaging problem any company can
face and one that gives rise to an air of mistrust among the employees.
Open communication also helps the management become aware of the grievances
of employees. In many companies we notice that communication system is poor
and employees are usually left alone to suffer in silence. However this is
not the case in our firm where communication channel is kept open through
all means of communication. Employees are allowed to give suggestions, show
disappointment, disapprove of something, lodge a complaint, criticize a new
program or generally vent their feelings during weekend meetings with the
human resource managers. This style of conflict management is in tandem
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