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Conflicts between employees and management are not uncommon in the workplace; in fact, they are quite frequent. Managers often complain about poor performance and bad attitudes of employees and employees, in their turn, blame all problems on bad management. It looks like both of the parties might be right because problems are rarely caused only by a single party. Though it is true that lazy and difficult employees do indeed exist and can cause a lot of trouble, managers often fail to acknowledge their role in the problem. Managers frequently put the entire responsibility for this or that issue on employees and forget or don’t want to assess their own actions and how they might have contributed to the situation. A research conducted by National Bureau of Economic Research shows that management does matter and can have both positive and negative effects on employees’ attitudes and performance. The research found that companies where employees feel that they are treated fairly, respected, adequately compensated, empowered, and that their opinions are valued had better productivity and lower turnover than companies with unhappy employees. Ensuring a happy and trusting work environment for employees will help the company reduce the number of conflicts, complaints and grievances. In order to improve the relationship with employees, management might take the following steps:
-accept responsibility for your part in the problem instead of trying to find a scapegoat.
-assess company’s culture by surveying employees to determine employees’ attitudes to various aspect of their work. Compare the results of a survey to organizational values and see if there are any gaps that need to be bridged.
-Lead by example. It is important to show employees that people of authority have to adhere to the same standards and rules, that rules are the same for everybody and that there are no exceptions.
-Implementing open-door policy. It will give employees access to more information, as well as the opportunity to share their ideas and concerns with management.
These steps will help to create a happier and more trusting work environment, which will help to improve employee-management relations.
I like how you point how that problems are caused by both parties. As someone who is in between management and the union at my facility, I find it difficult to bridge the gap between the two parties. The company and management may be doing a lot to improve employee relations and satisfaction, but if employees have trouble with their immediate supervisor, they can't see past it. I also think the steps you outlined can help any organization.
ReplyDeleteOlga,
ReplyDeleteHaving recently taken a Labor Relations class (with you lol)I learned about the many differences Management and Union members have. There seems to be an obvious lack of trust between both parties. Management seems to think Union members feel entitled and are quick to cry foul if reprimanded in anyway. Union members tend to feel Management does not care about them and would have its way if it weren't for the Union having their backs.
I believe there needs to be more open communication and a willingness to compromise on both sides. I believe this is the only way both can co-exist and continue to make progress.