Conflict management and human resources

Human resource management (HRM) can be defined as the design of formal systems in an organization to ensure effective and efficient use of human talent to accomplish business goals. However, most of the time it is inevitable to create a business environment without any conflicts.

   Resolving conflict situations is a very demanding and multidimensional process. To manage conflict effectively you must not only have good knowledge, but also to be a skilled communicator, and a very good negotiator. Managers must listen to employee concerns, making sure that they really understand what employees are saying by asking questions and focusing on their perception of the problem.

   The acknowledgement of the situation, the expression of feelings, the definition of the problem, and the goodwill between both sides contribute to the finding of common areas of agreement, no matter how small or big a problem is. All individuals involved must agree on the procedure to follow and determine which actions will be taken. Also, the monitoring process is very important.

   In many conflicts, neither party is right or wrong. This means that individuals develop different perceptions in a way of creating disagreements. Conflicts in business environments are mostly natural, while managers must deal with them as soon as possible. Conflicting offers the chance to explore the views of others and develop productive relationships.

   Furthermore, a manager must develop capabilities of anger management. When you meet with someone who is angry, you must effectively listen to her/him to help defuse this anger. Even if the anger is directed at you, so your own emotions are usually involved, you must find the strength to deal with this anger and at the end find rational solutions.