OTB STRESS & CONFLICT

• Conflict


  The opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to some tension
• Conflict


  • Occurs when two or more parties perceive mutually exclusive goals, values, or events
  • Among individuals, conflict also occurs when persons face incompatible choices and are emotionally stressed as a result of the conflict
• Views of conflict


  • Traditional view: all conflict is harmful and must be avoided
  • Human relations view: conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group
  • Interactionist view: conflict is not only a positive force in a group but is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively
• Types of conflict


  • Task conflict: conflict over content and goals of the work
  • Relationship conflict: conflict based on interpersonal relationships
• Perceived adverse changes


  Changes in working methods, conditions, or employment opportunities that are considered negative developments
• Sexual harassment


  Unwanted sexually oriented behaviour in the work place that results in discomfort and/or interference with the job
• Types of sexual harassment

  • Quid pro quo: offering an explicit or implied employment-related benefit conditioned on an exchange of sexual favours
  • Hostile working environment: creating an employment environment that is perceived by the harassed party as intimidating, hostile, or offensive
• Negative effects of sexual harassment include increased job stress, lowered morale, increased and severe conflict, and lowered productivity
• Guidelines for protecting against workplace sexual harassment

  • Develop a zero tolerance policy and communicate it to employees
  • Deflect the sexual harassment charge with an affirmative defense
  • Publicize the anti-harassment policies aggressively and regularly
  • Ensure that employees will not face reprisals if they report offending behavior
  • Conduct training for employees and all levels of management
  • Punishments against employees found guilty should be swift and sure
• Factional groups


  Interpersonal conflict occurs because there are different factions (subgroups) within groups with different points of views and different loyalties
• Competing work and family demands

  Occurs when an individual has to perform multiple roles: worker, spouse, and parent
• Meta-analytic study found negative relationship between all forms of work-family conflict and both job and life satisfaction
• Organizational programmes that reduce work-family conflict

  • Flexible working hours
  • Work-at-home programmes
  • Dependent care programmes
  • Parental leave programmes
• Incivility


  Employees' lack of regard for one another, a major source of workplace conflict
• Personality clash


  An antagonistic relationship between two persons based on differences in values, personal attributes, interests and styles
• Bullying behaviour


  Bully tries to control his or her victim through fear and intimidation
• Functional conflict


  Occurs when the organization's interests are served as a result of a dispute or disagreement
• Dysfunctional conflict


  Occurs when a dispute or disagreement harms the organization
• Conflict management styles


  • Avoidant (Neglect)
  • Accommodative (Appeasement)
  • Sharing (Compromise)
  • Collaborative (Integration)
  • Competitive (Dominant)
• Confrontation and problem solving

  1. Awareness: recognizing that conflict exists

  2. Decision to confront: conflicting parties come into open contact, no longer avoiding conflict

  3. Confrontation: parties choose conflict management styles and work toward resolution

  4. Determining the cause of the conflict: parties jointly identify the source of the conflict

  5. Determining the outcome and further steps: parties attempt to reduce or eliminate cause of the conflict

  6. Follow-through: parties should check periodically that agreements are being kept
• Confront, contain and connect for anger


  • Confront: jump in and get agitated workers talking to prevent future blowups
  • Contain: move the angry worker out of sight and earshot of fellow workers, remain impartial
  • Connect: ask open-ended questions to get at the real reasons for the angry outburst
• Structural methods


  Emphasize juggling work assignments and reporting relationships to minimize disputes
• Techniques for dealing with difficult people

  • Use tact and diplomacy
  • Use non-hostile humour
  • Give recognition and attention
  • Build confidence in difficult person
  • Reinforce civil behaviour and good moods
• Negotiating and bargaining


  Compromise, make small concessions gradually, use deadlines, ask the other side "What do you want me to do?", make a final offer
• Stress


  The mental and physical condition that results from a perceived threat that cannot be dealt with readily
• Symptoms of stress


  • Physiological: increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, faster respiration rate, dilated pupils, increased perspiration
  • Emotional: anxiety and tension, depression and discouragement, boredom, prolonged fatigue, feelings of hopelessness, defensive thinking
  • Behavioural: nervous habits, decreased job performance, errors in concentration and judgment
• Burnout


  A pattern of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion in response to chronic job stressors
• Sources of burnout


  • Work overload (longer hours and less free time)
  • Lack of control over one's work
  • Lack of reward for one's contributions
  • Lack or a breakdown in the person's work community
  • Lack of fair treatment
  • Value conflicts between job demands and personal ethics
• Factors contributing to work stress within the individual

  • Coping with significant change
  • Being hostile, aggressive, and impatient (Type A individuals)
  • Having an external locus of control
  • Negative lifestyle factors (lack of exercise, poor eating habits, smoking, abusing alcohol and drugs)
  • Being pessimistic in general
• Factors contributing to work stress from adverse organizational conditions

  • Stress from high job demands and lack of control over job
  • Role overload (too much to do)
  • Role underload (too little to do)
  • Role conflict
  • Role ambiguity
  • Emotional labour
  • Culturally diverse work force
• Organizational approaches to stress management

  • Providing emotional support to employees
  • Making wellness and fitness programmes available to employees
  • Giving on-site massages to employees
  • Allowing napping on the job
  • Being fair and just with policies and managerial actions
• Individual approaches to stress management


  • Control: getting the right emotional support, practicing good work habits and time management
  • Symptom management: getting physical exercise to release endorphins, using a relaxation response technique
  • Escape: eliminating the stressor, mentally blocking out the stressor