How To Resolve Workplace Conflict Due To Social And Official Communication

Poor communication is one of the general sources of workplace conflict. Communication in an office environment can create conflict because a lot may ride on what is being communicated. An ignored memo could cost more than one job.

Importance

Poor communication in a workplace environment keeps the various arms of a team coordinated in their collectively strategic goals as well as individual targets. Communication is critical in aiding the implementation of decisions taken at every level. beyond the formality of communication in a work place environment, it also plays a vital role in the social interaction within the workplace environment. Workplace conflict can either happen through social based communication or formal/official work related communication.

Resolving Conflict Stemming From Official Workplace Communication

Official workplace communication usually has records to back it up. They could be reminders, memos and the like. Dealing with conflict that arises out of poor official workplace communication goes beyond the personalities of the parties involved. Resolution of such conflicts has to be at the source, i.e. addressing the formal structure of official communication with respect to both procedure and content.

Standardized Communication

Applying ways of establishing a standardized means of content will deal with the issue of personal input in content when using official channels within the organization to communicate officially. What is said should be such that anyone within that company structure or department will be able to give a consistent interpretation.

Record Keeping

Official workplace communication should always be on record. This will help in quickly identifying where the problem originated from and help resolve conflicts originating from official communication. It will also help in the analysis of the problem and adopting of solutions that will prevent a re-occurrence. Somebody usually takes the blame for workplace conflicts originating from official communication because the channels are monitored and can be reviewed.

The ease of conflict resolution stemming from official workplace communication is dependent on how well records of communication are kept. If there were too much verbal communication, resolution would be harder because getting to the root of the problem may be difficult. However, businesses that have better official communication channels that care also well monitored will have a greater ease in resolving conflicts arising from because of poor official communication

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Resolving Conflict Stemming From Social Workplace Communication

Social workplace communication is the unofficial interaction between colleagues in a workplace environment. Social interaction may be the main source of conflict in the workplace but it is unfortunately, the source that is least monitored. This makes it extra difficult to provide a straightforward resolution of the conflict where the contribution of each party to the conflict can be impartially analyzed.

However, this does not mean that conflicts originating from this source cannot be resolved fairly. It does mean that management has to adopt innovative conflict resolution procedures that will allow for quick identification and resolution. This is where mediation in the true sense of the word comes in unlike conflicts originating from official communication, which is more like having a fact-finding committee set up. They have all the facts on their table and what they will be doing is to give judgment based on what is on record.

Cover All Scenarios

The measure adopted for dealing with workplace conflicts originating from social communication should be broad enough to cover all scenarios. For instance, it should be able to deal with communication that allegedly borders on sexual harassment or verbal assault, which are quite serious, to use of inappropriate word not directed to the aggrieved party but said to their hearing. Each person must be able to approach the conflict resolution table with a confidence that is has the capacity to act accordingly no matter the degree of the situation.

Claim Verification

Consequently, the conflict resolution should also include ways of verifying claims and allegations for the very serious aspects that may result in a person losing his or her job or arrest as well as mediation in situations where both parties are looking for a platform to iron out grievances they both agree is not as grievous as to warrant the sacking of the other party.

Conflict resolution in the workplace environment and at the social interaction level will not be complete unless the organization tries to incorporate preventive measures rather than just being reactionary. This will go a long way in ensuring that too much time, which is money, is not invested into settling quarrels as such. That is, they should be measure that nurtures proper social interaction within the organization because they will go a long way in reducing the causes of conflict within that organization.

Workplace conflict stemming from poor communication is one of the most common sources of conflict in an office environment

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