Managers (and observers) often do not know when to get involved in workplace con

Question

Managers (and observers) often do not know when to get involved in workplace conflicts. How does one distinguish between a situation that constitutes violence or aggresion and one that is just normal workplace violence? Provide an example from your experience of where you were involved in (or witnessed) a workplace conflict. When do you believe a manager (or witness) should intervene in a situation between coworkers? What would you expect human resources to do in situations of workplace conflict?

Explanation / Answer

Frequent.attention.in.the.news.media.is.focused.on.workplace.violence..Violence.is.here.defined.as.the.actual.infliction.or.threat.of.infliction.of.physical.harm.by.a.person.or.persons.on.another.person,.a.group.or.on.the.broader.organization.which.includes.physical.and.human.components..Thus,.a.person.(or.persons).decides.and.intends.to.do.physical.harm.to.another.person,.group.or.organization,.and.actually.does.it,.or.at.least.threatens.to.do.so..As.big.a.problem.as.this.is,.the.broader.problem.of.workplace.aggression.must.be.addressed.as.well.

Violence.is.the.most.obvious.form.of.aggression,.but.there.are.other.forms.of.aggression.that,.although.they.may.not.do.physical.harm,.are.destructive.and.harmful..Aggression,.the.intent.to.harm.another.or.an.organization,.may.take.a.variety.of.forms..For.example,.direct.aggression.occurs.when.a.person.takes.an.action.intended.to.inflict.harm.on.another.or.on.the.organization..Thus,.verbal.aggression.or.bullying.might.not.inflict.physical.harm.like.violence,.but.it.could.still.be.quite.harmful..Similarly,.a.person.might.hurt.an.organization.directly.through.acts.like.giving.away.proprietary.information.or.spreading.false.rumors.about.the.company..

Recently,.some.writers.have.been.paying.attention.to.various.forms.of.“passive-aggression.”.While.psychologists.have.talked.about.passive-aggressive.behavior.in.clinical.and.family.contexts.for.decades,.it.is.only.in.the.past.few.years.that.writers.and.researchers.have.looked.at.this.type.of.behavior.in.the.workplace.(Bjorkqvist,.Osterman,.&.Lagerspitz,.1994;.Neumann.&.Baron,.1998)..Passive-aggressive.behavior.refers.to.actions.that.are.intended.to.do.harm.(aggressive),.but.are.not.direct..That.is,.the.person.would.resort.to.passive.means.to.fulfill.the.aggressive.intent..Such.things.as.forgetting.appointments,.not.returning.calls,.being.tardy,.or.spreading.rumors.are.examples.of.passive-aggressive.behavior.if.the.intention.is.to.cause.harm..That.is.one.reason.why.it.is.often.difficult.to.identify.passive-aggressiveness,.because.it.often.looks.like.something.else..For.example,.if.someone.forgets.to.return.a.telephone.call,.is.it.passive-aggression.or.is.it.just.a.sign.of.busyness?.In.practice,.the.best.way.to.identify.passive-aggressive.behavior.is.by.looking.at.patterns.of.behavior.over.time..If.there.are.trends.that.suggest.intention,.then.it.is.likely.to.be.passive-aggression..Recent.researchers.have.suggested.that.not.only.is.passive-aggressive.behavior.harmful,.but.it.is.more.common.than.overt.aggression.(Neumann.&.Baron,.1998)..It.is.also.true.that.passive-aggressive.behavior.is.found.in.countries.other.than.the.U.S..(Bjorkqvist.et.al.,.1994).

When.the.most.violent.of.aggressive.behaviors.are.evaluated,.it.is.clear.that.the.problem.is.of.significant.proportions..Violence.is.a.major.cause.of.death.or.injury.on.the.job,.and.homicide.is.the.second.leading.cause.of.occupational.injury.death.(behind.motor.vehicle.accidents).(NIOSH,.1999)..In.fact,.homicide.is.the.leading.cause.of.work-related.deaths.for.females.in.the.U.S..(Barrett,.1997)..Further,.workplace.homicide.is.the.fastest.growing.type.of.homicide,.although.other.forms.of.aggression.are.increasing.as.well:.two.million.workplace.assaults.occur.per.year,.16.million.workers.are.harassed.each.year,.and.six.million.workers.are.threatened.each.year..

A manager or a witness should intervene when things become very violent and involve use of abusive language or physical violence. The Manager should also take up an action if he feels that the argument is untenable and becoming a barrier for work. Following should be used in such cases.

Allow venting
It.can.be.hard.to.listen.to.people.complain.but.sometimes.that’s.exactly.what.they.need..Allowing.colleagues.the.space.and.time.to.talk.it.out.is.a.real.luxury.in.workplaces.

Empathize
While.listening.to.your.colleague,.show.that.you.understand.how.hard.the.situation.is..

Explain the impact of their fighting
After.you’ve.demonstrated.your.concern,.make.clear.how.the.fighting.is.affecting.the.team..

Offer advice cautiously
Before.you.give.your.two.cents,.ask.your.coworkers.if.they.want.your.help..

Problem solve together
If.your.colleagues.do.want.your.advice,.focus.on.making.observations.about.what.they.might.do,.rather.than.concrete.suggestions..

Broker a détente
Don’t.rush.to.sit.them.down.together,.however..“Getting.people.into.a.room.and.letting.them.duke.it.out.is.not.responsible,”.says.Kramer..

Beware resistance
Ranieri.points.out.that.there.are.some.people.that.can’t.and.won’t.be.helped..

Don’t escalate
Kramer.and.Ranieri.agree.that.it’s.rarely.a.good.idea.to.involve.the.sparring.coworkers’.boss.(or.bosses).unless.the.problem.is.truly.intractable.and.impeding.work.

The human resource management also maybe involved to settle the conflict arising in severe cases which can be proven to be beneficial. Remember.that.you.aren’t.a.psychologist.or.a.mediator.

“If.the.situation.is.outside.your.comfort.zone.or.you.think.the.disagreement.is.juvenile,.there’s.nothing.wrong.with.saying,.‘This.is.not.my.problem.'”.Adds.Ranieri:.“When.you’re.in.the.helping.role,.you.need.to.make.sure.you.take.care.of.yourself..You.don’t.have.to.be.an.unpaid.referee.”.But.always.give.one.or.both.of.your.coworkers.a.next.step.to.take..You.may.want.to.say,.“I’m.not.sure.I’m.the.right.person.to.help.you.with.this.but.you.might.want.sit.down.together.or.find.someone.else.”.Suggest.a.dispassionate.third.party.who’s.not.part.of.the.team.hierarchy,.perhaps.an.ombudsman,.or.someone.from.HR.

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