Tips for Resolving Workplace Conflict

What is conflict, really, how can it impact an organization and how can we resolve it more satisfactorily in the work place? David Dana in The Dana Measure of Financial Cost of Organizational Conflict (2001), suggests that “chronic unresolved conflict acts as a decisive factor in at least 50% of departures and that conflicts account for up to 90% of involuntary departures, with the possible exception of staff reductions due to downsizing and restructuring."

Conflict is defined by Answers.com as "a state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas, or interests; a clash.” Thus, conflict is a natural part of life and the work environment. Resolving and preventing workplace conflict from getting out of hand is a sizeable challenge that businesses and other organizations face and need to address on a regular basis. A number of ways exist in which we might address conflict at work, including ways that each of us might approach conflict in our own workplace.

According to communication researchers William Cupach, Daniel Canary, and Brian Spitzberg, there are five typical ways to address conflict.

Obliging (also known as accommodating) occurs when surrendering one's own conflict needs and wants (position) for the satisfaction of the other. This works when the relationship with the other party is more important than one’s conflict goal.

Avoiding is, essentially, the process of ignoring or glossing over the conflict topic or even denying that the conflict actually exists and, in some cases, leaving the scene of the conflict. While some folks like to use this as an immediate or temporary strategy, the conflict cannot be resolved by avoiding.

Integrating (also known as collaborating) occurs when people work together to find a situation that can satisfy mutual interests. With this strategy, individuals have a high concern for their own and for the other’s interests. 

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4 Ways to Improve Employee Satisfaction in the Workplace

Helping to improve employee satisfaction is a very important part of managing a company, but why? Won’t throwing parties, taking extra time to acknowledge specific workers, and letting employees take breaks simply decrease productivity and cost more money? Not necessarily.

In fact, according to CNNMoney, happy employees work longer hours (25% more), work harder, and actually end up being more productive than people who are unhappy. They also stay at their jobs twice as long as unhappy workers do. Helping employees stay happy on the job has both short and long-term benefits on multiple levels. In light of this, here’s a look at 4 ways you can make your employees happier.

1 | Don’t Waste Their Time

According to the CDC, having an excessive workload is a source of workplace stress for your employees. A 2011 Gallup poll brings more concern to the fact that 28% of working adults say they just don’t have enough time in the work day to accomplish what needs to be done.

This illustrates just how important it is to equip your employees with the time and tools necessary to get their jobs done efficiently and in a timely manner. So how can you help with this, even on a much smaller scale? If your company has tight deadlines, make sure you value your employees’ time; don’t waste their work hours. Inc. suggests maintaining office organization to spare confusion and also keeping meetings short. One fun way to cut down on meeting times is to have the meeting standing up or right before lunch.

2 | Increase Communication

Good, open communication is vital for a healthy, happy workplace. This is especially important during bad economic times when workers might be worried about having benefits cut or being laid off. 

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Tips to Increase Your Business Profit

Without so much introduction, we all know that business has to make profits. Hence, if you're a business owner, entrepreneur or a manager in charge to boost the profitability of your company or organization, the following 10 tips will guide you on how to increase your business profit

1. Increase owner's capital or investment

More investments mean more ROI (Return on Investment). Don't play too safe. Investing in business has its own risks. However,these risks can be calculated. Thus, if you have money that are sleeping or buried in your personal account, put a portion of it into your business operations according to your tolerable risks. Also, if you are squandering your money in personal expenses that don't have meaningful returns, try investing the money you are wasting into your business to increase your financial assets, as well as your financial performance. You can use it to increase your production, thereby increasing your revenue and profit.

2. Increase your debt

If you don't have your own cash or assets that you can put into your business, then try to obtain loans. You can get loans from banks, credit cooperatives, government financing programs, or even from your close friends, parents and relatives. Just like investing more capital, obtaining additional debts also increases your assets, which can be used to generate more income and profit. Loans are inherent to businesses. Even the largest companies in the world have liabilities. Just make sure you can pay on time, whether it's short-term or long-term.

3. Decrease your interest-bearing debt

Interest from loans is an expense. However, if the interest expense you incur is compensated by more profits generated from your loan proceeds, it's just fine. Interest expense is even deductible to your taxable income subject to limits. 

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Tips how to build relationship with employees

Build good relationship with employee is very important, we know that a good relationship with your employees in the workplace is vital to every organizations success. Therefore, without much introduction, here are important steps and tips on how you can build an effective and fruitful relationship with your workers.

1. Offer a long lasting relationship.

Develop a relationship that is not only for protecting yourself and your own business interest. A relationship that lasts is one that meets the future of your employees. People find a job and work in an organization,hoping that they will have a good living and attain a better life ahead. Hence, ensure that youre not just befriending your employees, but also building their brighter future. Make sure to create a relationship that relates to their long-term goals, such as financial stability, ultimate career success, and personal development.

2. Trust and be trustworthy.

We know that without trustworthiness relationship fails. Therefore, don't hire people that

aren't trustworthy. And when you hire trustworthy people, trust them. Furthermore, don't lead people if you're not also trustworthy. Trusting and being trustworthy should work together. Hence, be sure that they can also trust you. Thus, don't fail your promises.

3. Have due kindness and generosity

Greed is also one thing that destroys any kind of relationship. A good relationship should start by making oneself selfless instead of living it in selfishness. Be kind and generous to your employees in terms of money, attention, and recognition. Don't forget their bonuses, incentives, awards, promotion, and even their birthdays.

4. Be compassionate.

Compassion is one of the most important ingredients of a great relationship. As the word relationship suggests, you must relate to your employees. By being compassionate to them, you are thinking what they think, such as their problems and worries. 

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40 Ways Small Business Owners Waste Their Money

We were curious to see where business owners waste the most money in the early days. So we reached out and asked what small business owners thought was the #1 biggest money waster for small business owners. Some common answers focused on different aspects of office space, marketing and hiring staff. Hopefully this list can help you avoid some of these mistakes and help you better invest your businesses money.

1. Bad Advertising – Most new small business owners get bombarded people trying to sell ad space. Do your research and determine if your customer profile matches that of the publishers audience. And don’t commit to long term anything. If they stand behind their product, they should allow you to test it for your business. Chris Sonjeow of LoveBookOnline.com

2. Space is the biggest and most common money waster I’ve seen for small businesses / entrepreneurs in my 22 years of business experience. I’ve seen supposedly educated business people and naïve newcomers overpay, overbuild and overspend on buildings, lease, rent storefronts, leasehold improvements, fixtures, and signage. Rich Patterson of PattersonBrands.com

3. The place I’ve seen my clients waste the most money is in paying for custom websites they don’t need. There are a lot of great companies offering template-based solutions for all kinds of sites now that will keep a small business’ costs down while they’re learning what they need in a site. Leona Laurie of ohleona.com

4. The number 1 waste of money for a young startup is either developing a business plan or outsourcing front-end development. The first wastes your time and money since investors typically only require a 1-pager to vet your company, and the latter (if you’re building a web-app) proves that your team is not adequate and will most likely get outperformed by your peers. 

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