Conflict Resolution and Diversity in JKL Industries

This assignment focuses on addressing conflicts and promoting diversity within JKL Industries. It involves identifying the reasons behind employee conflicts, analyzing communication barriers, and proposing action plans to mitigate these issues. The report emphasizes the importance of an employee assistance program, open communication, and strategies for fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of adhering to anti-discrimination acts and equal employment opportunity policies to cultivate a diverse and ethical workplace.

Development and maintenance of networks and
relationships

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
PART B...........................................................................................................................................2
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................2
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 5............................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
In business, developing and managing sound relationship at the workplace seems
important for running smooth operations. JKL Industries is an Australian-owned enterprise that
sells forklifts, small trucks and spare parts to the industry and deliver great value to the
consumers and investors by having a portfolio of trained and motivated experts. The aim of the
assignment is to critically examine its business strategies for promoting cultural diversity and
maintaining ethical values. Moreover, it will present interpersonal communication styles that will
be used to meet individual need. Lastly, a network plan will be designed to maintain internal as
well as external relationship for its sales division.
TASK 1
PART A
Diversity and ethnicity management is of utmost importance for all the organization
regardless their industry and sizes so as to build trustworthiness and loyalty among customers
(Colville and et.al., 2015). Effective internal business policies and processes help to promote
ethical values and cultural diversities. Referring JKL Industries, it is committed towards diversity
management and respect all the colleagues efforts. However, considering current situation,
internal managerial team reviewed certain issues in this area such as lack of trust, lack of
awareness among staff about the legislative requirements for diversity and ethical management.
As a result, conflict often occurs due to resistance to change, passive aggression, hostility and
others. Therefore, it becomes necessary for the firm to take actions on diversity management. In
this regards, company must follow relevant legislations covering Disability Discrimination Act,
1992, Gender Equality Act, 2012, Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Anti-Discrimination Act, 1977
and Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Bedi and Lakra, 2014). It protect workers from favoritism
and biasness and treat all equally.
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PART B
Entity needs to make it sure that all the workers are treated equally following equal
opportunity policy. It is properly implemented and also communicated to all staff members
through full disclosure in employee manual. At the same time, anti-discrimination policy needs
to adopted and adhered by JKL which prohibit and protect workers from any biased behavior by
others helps in successful diversity management (Leonard, 2016). It disallows any favoritism
behavior and treats all the personnel equally without any discrimination on the ground of sex,
religion, nationality, race and others. Both the policy implementation will help business entity in
managing effective workplace relationship and promote cultural diversity.
TASK 2
In order to build trust and confidence among colleagues, firstly, sound communication
plan needs to be developed so that everyone can communicate information easily and maintain
good coordination. In this regards, following top-down and bottom-up approach, communication
barriers can be overcome. In the first, managers will send plans, strategies and policies to the
subordinates whereas in later, staff members can provide their own suggestions and advices
which might be useful in business growth. They can also provide their feedbacks, by which,
increasing conflicts that took place in the firm can be controlled. Moreover, by adhering with the
professional code of conduct and ethics like respecting others efforts etc, it can change individual
behaviour favourably and maintain familiar relationship with the colleagues (Chuang, Jackson
and Jiang, 2016). Anti-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, grievance policy
compliance also needs to monitor in order to minimize unethical practices and build integrity,
trustworthiness and confidence among all.
TASK 3
Being a consultant at JKL, I need to communicate from top directors to the apprentices,
however, communication with all needs a different style or way. While communicating with the
executives, directors and managers, I need to behave professionally showing accountability and
responsibility towards assigned work. I need to show that I am able to solve problems and
conflicts. However, on the other side, employees might feel hesitation in openly discussing the
issues, conflicts and other problems, therefore, I need to communicate them clearly showing
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enough sensitivity and believe that their information will not be disclosed to anyone with full
privacy (Cooke, Xie and Duan, 2016). Thus, for this, I need active listening, observation,
problem solving skills, self-management and must be socially aware so that I can understand
their responses and need clearly. Developing mutual trust and showing respect for them
definitely helped me to find out their need and develop a right solution (Chopra and Mittar, 2016).
Openness and appreciating their work build trustworthy relationship with them facilitate to know
their issues clearly.
TASK 4
Person Networking
activity
Schedule Description/rationale for networking activity
Sales
Consultants
Internal 3 months Meeting will be organized by the sales
consultant with all the divisional staff members
so that area where improvements and new
strategy building is required for sales
maximization. Employees are invited for
offering their suggestions and in open
discussion, they can easily share their issue and
problem what they faced so that right decisions
can be made to mitigate it (Cui and et.al.,
2015).
Sales
Consultants
External 3 months Sales consultant need to keep track over
consumer requirement so that their changing
needs can be determined and accordingly
services can be rendered.
Administratio
n Assistants
Internal 3 months He needs to follow the strategies and decisions
made by top authority. They also need to
support sales departmental heads with provding
sales reports, coordinating meeting and ensure
regular communication.
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Administratio
n Assistants
External 3 months Administration assistant needs to regularly
collet consumer feedbacks through CRM
strategy and make plans what they can do to
maximize their satisfaction level (Ellis and
Keys, 2015). Resolving client queries and
compliant will be definitely useful.
TASK 5
In order to mitigate organizational issues of increasing number of conflicts, I joined
following action plan.
Action/activity Timefram
e
Person/s
responsible
Description of strategy/
tactic/rationale for
action
Resources, if
required
Investigate
employee
assistance
program
1 wk Consultant Supplying information to
Leigh
Not
Identifying
reasons for
employee
conflicts
15 days Consultant Staff meeting, discussion
and observation
Board room
availability
Communication
barriers
15 days Consultant Team discussion and
employee satisfaction
survey
Time,
questionnaire
CONCLUSION
Research report concluded that following anti-discrimination act and equal employment
opportunity policy will benefit the JKL industries to maintain cultural diversity and ethical
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values as well. Moreover, open communication and respective others is also necessary for
building trust and sound relationship among all the members.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chopra, R. and Mittar, S., 2016. Impact of Multilingual Training on Employee Performance-Case
of a Multi Trading Company. The International Journal of Business & Management. 4(2).
p.198.
Chuang, C. H., Jackson, S. E. and Jiang, Y., 2016. Can knowledge-intensive teamwork be
managed? Examining the roles of HRM systems, leadership, and tacit knowledge. Journal
of management. 42(2). pp.524-554.
Colville, J. and et.al., 2015. A community college model to support nursing workforce diversity.
Journal of Nursing Education. 54(2). pp.65-71.
Cooke, F. L., Xie, Y. and Duan, H., 2016. Workers’ grievances and resolution mechanisms in
Chinese manufacturing firms: key characteristics and the influence of contextual factors.
The International Journal of Human Resource Management. pp.1-23.
Cui, J. and et.al., 2015. Workforce Diversity and Religiosity. Journal of Business Ethics. 128(4).
pp.743-767.
Ellis, K. M. and Keys, P. Y., 2015. Workforce diversity and shareholder value: a multi-level
perspective. Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting. 44(2). pp.191-212.
Leonard, K., 2016. Diversity and ethics at the workplace. [Online]. Available through:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/diversity-ethics-workplace-4928.html. [Accessed on 24th
October 2017].
Bedi, P. and Lakra, P., 2014. Workforce diversity management. [PDF]. Available through: <
http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol16-issue4/Version-3/P01643102107.pdf>.
[Accessed on 21st December 2016].
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