Conflict resolution business report
● Write a 2,000 word (+/- 10%) business report in the role of an HR consultant for a medium-sized company without conflict resolution policies.
● Provide recommendations on managing workplace conflict.
● The report should address 3 key questions:
○ The role of HR, unions, and stakeholders in conflict resolution
○ Recommendations for managing and resolving workplace conflict
● At least 12 scholarly references and apply RMIT's Harvard referencing style.
Suggested structure:
Executive Summary
I. Introduction
II. The role of HR, line managers and unions
A. The role of HR
B. The role of line managers
C. The role of Unions
III. Environmental issues in workplace conflict resolution
A. Legal issue - loophole in arbitration terms
B. Social issue - Gender role
C. Cultural issue - Uncertainty Avoidance
D. Economic issue - Inflation
IV. How conflict should be managed and resolved in the workplace?
A. Integrated Conflict Management System (ICMS)
B. Recommendation
V. Conclusion
VI. Reference List
1. Conflict resolution - The methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict.
2. Stakeholders - Individuals or groups with an interest or concern in an organization's activities.
3. Unions - Organizations that represent the collective interests of workers.
4. Workplace conflict - Disagreements, differences of opinion, or hostile interactions between workplace participants.
5. Negotiation - A discussion among parties intended to produce an agreement mutually acceptable to all.
6. Mediation - An attempt to bring about a peaceful settlement between disputants through the objective intervention of a neutral party.
7. Arbitration - The hearing and determination of a dispute by an impartial referee agreed to by both parties.
8. Collective bargaining - Negotiations between an employer and a group of employees aimed at reaching an agreement regulating working conditions.
9. Industrial action - Organized refusal by employees to work under their current conditions, meant to force an employer into granting concessions.
10. Picketing - The standing or marching near an employer's workplace by striking workers, meant to persuade or coerce employees to join the strike.
11. Lockout - An employer's exclusion of employees from the workplace, meant to pressure them into accepting contractual changes.
12. Injunction - A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing specific acts.
13. Unfair labor/industrial practice - Actions by unions or employers prohibited by labor relations legislation.
14. Due process - Fair and proper procedures that respect all legal rights when tackling a workplace issue.
15. Natural justice - Making decisions untainted by bias, only based on relevant evidence, with a fair hearing.
16. Procedural fairness - Applying due process and natural justice when exercising authority over individuals.
17. Substantive fairness - Reasonable and just decisions, focused on equity rather than formal procedure.
18. Unconscious bias - Prejudice unwittingly affecting understanding, actions and decisions towards others.
19. Diversity - Accepting and respecting the characteristics that make individuals different from one another.
20. Inclusion - Ensuring all individuals feel valued and respected while having access to equal opportunities.
21. Cultural awareness - Sensitivity toward and understanding of cultural differences.
22. Dispute systems design - Creating an integrated conflict management system matching an organization's culture and strategic goals.
23. Power imbalance - A significant inequality in authority, control or influence between parties.
24. Toxic culture - An unhealthy, unproductive organizational culture that condones bad behavior.
25. Conflict coaching - Guiding individuals to constructively handle workplace disputes on their own.
26. Ombudsperson - An independent, impartial resource providing confidential assistance with conflict resolution.
27. Peer review - A form of arbitration where cases are handled by a panel of employees elected by their peers.
28. Managerial prerogative - Management's exclusive right to exercise control in the workplace.
29. Protected industrial action - Lawful strikes and other forms of industrial action afforded legal protection against retaliation.
30. Cooling off period - A period of time when industrial action is suspended to facilitate further negotiations.
31. Secret ballot - A private vote held by a union to determine whether to approve industrial action.
32. Strike pay - Compensation to striking workers to help cover living expenses during a strike.
33. Essential services - Public services like healthcare and policing where industrial action is restricted by law.
34. Secondary boycott - Attempting to influence one business by exerting pressure on another with ties to it.
35. Pattern bargaining - Using an existing collective agreement as a template for negotiating agreements with other employers.
❖ Outcome: Summarizes report findings
○ Introduce the Focus on Conflict Management in HR (1-2 sentences):
■ Begin by stating the main focus of the summary, which is the strategic approach to conflict management in HR.
■ Example: "This executive summary focuses on the Human Resources (HR) department's efforts to develop a more strategic approach to conflict management, aligning closely with the company's overall objectives and providing essential support to managers."
○ Discuss the Role of Line Managers and Trade Unions (1-2 sentences):
■ Explain the roles of line managers and trade unions in conflict resolution.
■ Example: "Line managers play a crucial role in resolving conflicts informally and promptly, while trade unions tend to support their members in legal claims, highlighting different approaches to conflict resolution within the organization."
○ Highlight Limitations in Current Arbitration Terms (1-2 sentences):
■ Mention the existing gaps or limitations in the arbitration process.
■ Example: "Despite these efforts, there are notable loopholes in the arbitration terms that often prevent conflicts from being conclusively resolved, indicating a need for more effective strategies."
Charge your account to get a detailed instruction for the assignment