How do I resolve conflicts with my employer?
Submitted by Brian Spencer on 20 January 2014
Conflict in the workplace occurs for many reasons. Employers and apprentices can have differences of opinion about:
• the way a task should be done,
•personality differences
•work standards
•pay and conditions
•absenteeism and being late to work
Sometimes these conflicts can be dealt with by the employer and the apprentice discussing their differences together, sometimes it is useful to reach out to an impartial third party to help the communication process. Doing nothing about conflict with your employer rarely improves the situation, most times this just lets the issue fester until it erupts into something that can destroy the working relationship.
Principles for resolving conflict
In their book “Getting to Yes” Fisher and Ury argue that bargaining over my position versus your position does not tend to produce good outcomes. It too easily becomes a battle of wills and solutions too often reflect the power of each party rather than the merits of the arguments. It encourages stubbornness and power plays and so tends to harm the ongoing relationships. You can win the argument, but lose your job!
Fisher and Ury develop four principles of negotiation. Their four principles are
1. separate the people from the problem;
2. focus on “what we are trying to achieve” rather than positions;
3. generate a variety of options before settling on an agreement; and
4. insist that the agreement be based on measurable work outcomes.
Specific causes of conflict
Differences in approach to the way work tasks should be done.
This type of conflict may actually provide a positive outcome for any given task since both parties express a strong and committed desire to achieve the task at hand. Ensuring a positive outcome may prove challenging if the employer and the apprentice stand strong in their position, and are unprepared to compromise, or see the other’s point of view.
One example of such a conflict may be that the employer may have their own established way of undertaking a task, whereas the apprentice may want to try out some of the techniques he/she has been learning as part of their study.
Apprentice absenteeism and being late for work
When an apprentice regularly arrives late or calls in sick, the employer will eventually become frustrated with the apprentice and question the apparent lack of commitment to his position. The apprentice’s reasons may seem, or even be valid to him/her, but when the employer begins to feel the apprentice may be taking advantage of the employer’s leniency, things will likely take a turn toward conflict. Sometimes the employer may begin documenting the apprentice’s lack of timeliness and poor attendance. Sometimes they may just cancel the apprentice’s contract.
Tips:
•Texting is not usually an acceptable way to advise your employer that you are sick or will be late.
•Most employers will want you to phone them. They may not like your answers and you may not like their response, but it will better in the long run.
•Reality check 1: you do need to have strategies to make sure you are on time for work.
•Reality check 2: Mondays, Fridays and the day after a public holiday will always raise suspicion about the nature of your illness.
Discrimination
When either an employer or workmates make judgments or behave in an inappropriate manner based on the other person’s race, religion, gender, ethnicity or education, unease and embarrassment ensues, at the very least. The Fair Work Act protects you from discrimination for these and many other reasons. The Young Workers Toolkit website has information and links organisations that can help.
Personality Conflicts
All workplaces have people from a mix of backgrounds and personalities so it stands to reason that not everyone will see eye to eye simply because they have chosen to work for the same company. Employers and apprentices vary as much as fellow co-workers and the difference in personalities may seem more pronounced with an imbalance of power.
Tips:
•As a young worker you do not have much personal power so it is important that you “make the problem the problem” rather than the person the problem.
•Don’t be aggressive or demand a quick fix.
•If you are feeling angry or upset, take some time out.
•Try to suggest a solution, not just point out the problem.