Five Characteristics of an Integrated Conflict management System

1
Five Characteristics of an Integrated Conflict
management System
2

• Options for all types of problems
• Welcomes dissent and aims for resolution at the
  lowest level
• Multiple access points
• Multiple options rights based and interest
  based
• Support structures that support the entire system

3

• 1 Integrated conflict management systems provide
  options for all types of problems and all people
  in the workplace, including employees,
  supervisors, professionals, and managers.

4

• 2 An effective integrated conflict management
  system fosters a culture that welcomes good faith
  dissent and encourages resolution of conflict at
  the lowest level through direct negotiation.
• conflict as inevitable.
• Many organizations discourage the constructive
  management of conflict by sending the message
  that those who raise concerns are themselves the
  problem.
• communicate the propriety of raising concerns and
  encourage employees and managers to address these
  concerns as early as possible and at the lowest
  possible level.
• provides a safe environment to voice a concern or
  dispute without fear of retaliation.
• Employees, supervisors and leaders are all
  trained, held accountable for addressing conflict
  constructively and effectively. Persons who are
  access points for the system may also serve as
  coaches for the disputants,

5
3. Multiple access points

• supervisors, union stewards, workplace leaders,
  employee assistance practitioners, human
  resources officers, ethics officers, conflict
  management coordinators, ombudspersons, internal
  legal counsel, health care providers and
  religious counselors, and equal employment
  opportunity personnel. Employees are not bounced
  from one department to another. The availability
  of multiple access points significantly reduces
  barriers to entering the system and encourages
  employees to address problems early and
  constructively.

6

• Someone to listen.
• Providing information
• Help in reframing issues and developing options
• Referral.
• Assistance in using a direct approach (coaching
• Someone to "look into" the problem informally
• Shuttle diplomacy
• Mediation
• Generic approaches
• Input into systems change
• Access to training

7
4. Multiple options

• Rights-based options
• Interest Based options

8

• Why do we need rights based approaches? What
  are the kinds of disputes that are best resolved
  in this manner?
• Why are interest based issues best served by
  not introducing rights based approaches?

9
Interest Based Options

• They are flexible,
• faster, more cost-effective solutions, and may
  result in less damage to workplace relationships.
  
• They can boost morale by providing the potential
  for healing and strengthening workplace
  relationships between employees, and for helping
  bystanders whose morale or working conditions may
  have been damaged by the dispute.

10

• They allow for creative solutions
• Disputants may be more satisfied with the result
  and the process, which leads to more voluntary
  compliance with the settlement.
• They can be used by disputants who are unwilling
  for any reason to use rights-based processes.

11

• They reduce the burden on the rights-based
  processes
• They provide ways for employees to come forward
  with information about problems such as safety,
  drug and alcohol use
• They provide a mechanism for employees who simply
  wish to suggest a change of policy
• They foster skills which enhance teamwork
• They help reduce turf battles, accommodate the
  many different philosophies that operate in an
  organizational setting, and respect diversity.
• They provide redress for issues that do not fit
  into a "grievable" or actionable category.
• Critically, multiple options provide avenues to
  surface underground issues that destroy morale
  and reduce productivity.

12
Rights-based options

• These are methods for resolving disputes based
  upon the rights of the parties involved.
• Investigation Union contracts have grievance
  procedures which generally provide for an
  investigation, followed by various steps in which
  the evidence is shared by the union and employer
  with the hope of resolving the dispute.

13
Adjudication

• The same categories of persons who can
  investigate a claim can also adjudicate it. Fair
  process in rights-based disputes, however,
  precludes having the same person both investigate
  and adjudicate the claim.
• Internal adjudicators, such as peer review
  panels, should be trained in the process of
  adjudication.

14
Appeal System

• Final appeal should be to someone outside the
  line of supervision. The organization must
  establish some standard for review that is used
  by the panel or person hearing the appeal.
  External to the organization there also exist, of
  course, administrative agencies and the judicial
  system to which employees may have recourse.

15
5. Organisational Support

• To successfully implement an integrated conflict
  management system, an organization must develop
  support throughout its infrastructure. All levels
  of the organization must believe and communicate
  the same message that conflict can and should be
  actively managed through one of the many channels
  of the integrated conflict management system.

16

• Sincere and visible championship by senior
  management and workplace/union leaders.
• At least one senior person must be a visionary
  who champions the cause of creating a conflict
  competent culture
• A continuous oversight body composed of
  representatives from all key stakeholder groups.

17

• A person or persons who function as an internal
  independent confidential neutral.
• A central coordinating point (office or group).
• System evaluation and monitoring mechanisms