6.3 Spotlight on Human Resources Skills
A Timely Approach
As a Human Resources professional responsible for helping others solve problems and resolve conflicts, acting promptly is essential. Once you learn of a negative workplace conflict, time is of the essence. Let’s learn about the positive impact of a timely solution to a conflict scenario. It is essential to consider what might happen if we fail to address problems and conflicts.
Escalation
What might start as a minor conflict between two employees can quickly grow, and suddenly, six employees are involved. Human Resources professionals must deal with a known problem or conflict promptly to avoid a small problem becoming a big problem.
Recollection
As a Human Resources professional, you will conduct numerous employee meetings to gather information about a specific incident’s facts and details. If you allow time to pass, individuals may forget important details. You want to gather information from the parties involved and potential witnesses promptly to protect the integrity of the case.
Productivity
Individuals involved in a workplace conflict spend a lot of time thinking about and talking about it, often decreasing their own productivity. In addition, other employees who learn about the conflict spend time discussing the situation, which also impacts their productivity. The sooner you can address the conflict, the greater the chance of minimizing the loss of productivity.
Costs
Conflict comes with a cost, including counselling services and legal fees. In addition, it can be challenging to quantify the loss of productivity. Direct costs, such as lawyer fees, and indirect costs, such as morale, can increase quickly. Addressing conflict quickly can reduce these organizational costs.
Risk
Organizations are risk-averse. They want to hire subject matter experts in quality, finance and human resources to mitigate their risk exposure. As a Human Resources professional, you should solve problems and resolve workplace conflict as quickly as possible to avoid exposure to a potential lawsuit.
Image Description
The image is an infographic titled “5 Reasons to Address Conflict in a Timely Manner.” It uses a bright blue background with white text and includes colourful icons related to each reason.
The infographic is divided into five sections:
- Escalation: Depicted with an explosion icon. This section explains that addressing conflict promptly helps prevent it from becoming more significant.
- Recollection: Illustrated with a brain icon. It mentions that if too much time passes, those involved in the conflict may forget important details, making resolution more difficult.
- Productivity: Accompanied by a graph icon showing a downward trend. It suggests that unresolved workplace conflict leads to employees spending time discussing the issue instead of working, reducing overall productivity.
- Cost: This section is displayed with a calculator and pencil icon. It highlights how failing to address conflicts in time can lead to both direct costs, like lost productivity, and indirect costs, such as decreased morale.
- Risk: Represented by a warning sign icon. It points out the dangers of ignoring conflict, including the potential for legal issues if the dispute escalates into violence.
Chapter 6, Exercise 2
SCENARIO
John’s Grocery Emporium is the largest grocery store in the area. Lately, six meat department employees have been skipping the end-of-day cleaning procedures so they can get out of work early. They skip cleaning the meat-slicing equipment, mopping the floors, and filling out the end-of-day checklist.
LIST
Review the five areas of concern for promptly failing to address a workplace problem. Based on the situation at John’s Grocery Emporium, list three areas of concern if Human Resources and the management team do not immediately address the failure to follow the end-of-day cleaning procedures.
