Areas of conflicts between HR

Conflicts between HR can arise due to various reasons, such as differences in opinions, conflicting interests, miscommunication, or lack of clarity regarding roles and responsibilities. It is essential to address these conflicts promptly and effectively to maintain a healthy work environment.

Some common areas where conflicts may arise include:

1. Recruitment and hiring: Lots of ideas differ between HR and hiring managers when it comes to the selection of candidates for the job role.
2. Performance Management: Disagreements commonly arise between HR and employees or hierarchy regarding performance evaluation, goals, feedback, or disciplinary actions.
3. Compensation and Benefits: when HR is responsible for salary ranges, bonus structure or benefit packages conflicts may arise as employees and managers have different expectations of fairness.
4. Politics and Procedure: There are several clashes in many organizations between HR due to the implementation of attendance, leave, or disciplinary procedure policies.
5. Employee relations: HR should not take sides with employees during disputes or conflicts as they should maintain a neutral personality in problem-solving. However, problems arise when HR takes sides and addresses grievances and complaints.
6. Diversity and Inclusion: when the responsibility of promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives is handed over to HR conflicts arise as employees and managers have different perspectives.

It is very important for HR professionals to know how to effectively communicate and collaborate with employees and managers to minimize conflicts.

Here are a few steps to manage conflicts between HR:

• Identify the root cause: Actively listening to both parties can definitely help in finding an appropriate solution.
• Encourage open communication: making sure both parties are safe to openly communicate their problems and perspectives is also essential.
• Mediation: If the conflict continues it is safe to bring in a third party to mediate This can be someone outside the HR department or a professional mediator who can find a proper and fair resolution.
• Promote collaboration: create a driving force to make the HR members work together towards a common goal. Instill the value of teamwork, cooperation, and shared objectives. Make the familiarise and foster the value of unity rather than unhealthy competition.
• Clarify roles and responsibilities: Ensuring each member understands their duties and work responsibilities is vital. Clearly handing over each HR member their roles to minimize confusion and arguments would be the appropriate solution. That way no duty gets overlapped.
• Training and Development: It is essential to provide training within the HR team on interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and effective communication. This can help manage conflicts constructively.
• Set clear guidelines: Ensure to establish clear guidelines and policies to resolve conflict resolution within the HR department. also, make them aware of the consequences they might have to face if they are not followed thoroughly.
• Regular team meetings: team meetings are always a solution for many conflicts hence through discussion they can address many concerns and this could provide a platform for an open dialogue. This is definitely an optimistic approach toward collaboration within the team culture.

Conflicts are a natural phenomenon in many organizations and when it is between HR it is crucial. Hence, maintaining a united and happy workplace is a challenge. Overcoming that challenge and maintaining the standard of the organization is commendable and victorious.

References

Possible areas of conflict between the human resources functions (no date) Possible Areas of Conflict Between the Human Resources... | 123 Help Me. Available at: https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Possible-Areas-of-Conflict-Between-the-Human-138379 (Accessed: 26 November 2023).

4 conflict resolution strategies for new HR professionals (2023) MOL Learn. Available at: https://www.mollearn.com/about/news/4-conflict-resolution-strategies-new-hr-professionals/ (Accessed: 26 November 2023).

How can HR deal with workplace conflict? - harmonize Blog (2021) Harmonize. Available at: https://www.harmonizehq.com/blog/workplace-conflict/ (Accessed: 26 November 2023).

HR Acuity (2023) When HR should step in or out of a boss-employee conflict, HR Acuity. Available at: https://www.hracuity.com/blog/when-hr-should-step-in-or-out-of-a-boss-employee-conflict/ (Accessed: 26 November 2023).