Employment Relationship Conflict and the Role of Managers: Resolving Disputes and Fostering Productive Work Environments

The role of a manager in employment relationship conflict is crucial for resolving disputes between employees and employers. Conflict arises when there are disagreements or opposing interests in an organization. Managers serve as a link between employees and employers, responsible for addressing issues and maintaining a healthy work environment. Different perspectives, such as the unitarist and pluralist views, shape the understanding of conflict in employment relationships. Natural justice principles, including the right to a fair hearing and unbiased judgment, play a significant role in resolving conflicts and maintaining discipline. The opportunity for individuals to present their case ensures fairness and upholds the organization's reputation.

Running head: EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF
MANAGER
EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
Name of the Student
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Author Note

1EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
The term conflict can be referred as struggle, fight or battle for the disagreement or
opposition of interest or ideas between two or more parties. Employment relationship conflict
arises within an organisation when the employee and the employers of an organisation have a
different view for some subject. The relationship between the employers and employees of an
organisation can be said as a very complicated relationship where economic, political and
social factors plays a huge role (Wallensteen 2018). The employees exchanges their mental
or manual labour for the rewards given by the employers. This system sometimes can cause
disagreement between the terms of employers and employees. The organisational conflict is
almost inevitable in any organisation unless the manager of the organisation intervenes in the
situation (Bidwell et al. 2013). The manager of the organisation plays a vital role in
maintaining the crucial link between the employees and the employers. If any problem arises
for the employees, they primarily contact their respected manager for solving that issue or
else this problem can lead to protest against the employers (Galea, Houkes and De Rijk
2014). This essay will discuss about the inevitable conflicts of employment relationship and
the role of managers for resolving these conflicts. This paper includes the analysis of the
concept of the conflict between the employees and the employers of an organisation. Two
main perspectives of the conflict of employment relationship are considered and the
difference between the two perspectives are identified and the Unitarist and Pluralist views
on conflict are also discussed. The discussion on the role of natural justice in the grievance
procedure to prevent the conflict is also discussed in the essay.
1. Concept of conflict
Employment relationship is one of the most important aspect in the corporate
organisations without which an organisation cannot survive. The relationship between the
employees and the employer of an organisation is generally termed as employment
relationship. The relationship between the management and the workforce of an organisation

2EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
should stay a healthy one, in order to increase the productivity from that organisation (van der
Smissen, Schalk and Freese 2013). Employment conflict arises in an organisation when the
employees and the employer of an organisation disagree at some issue (Herriot 2013). Most
of the time, employment conflict makes the organisation vulnerable towards economic loss,
but sometimes this conflicts can also become productive for the organisation when an
individual inside that organisation looks for individual goals and productivity which
ultimately results in increasing the productivity of the organisation.
When the employees and the employers of an organisation work together in a same
place under the same roof, a kind of unavoidable conflict tends to happen (Zhang et al. 2014).
Employment relationship conflict comprises of the political, social and economic issues
mainly. According to the (Agwu 2013) a certain company failed to fulfil the agreement done
with their employee resulting in employees strike. The employees have their own right to
protest against any kind of injustice done to them by the employers and mostly the employees
choose the path of striking or protesting peacefully against the employers (Tenza 2015). The
strikes due to the employment relationship conflict can also turn out to be a violent one if the
issue is not solved in due time.
The manager is a job title given to one employee of an organisation who has some
certain duties or responsibilities like leading other employees. The manager of an
organisation acts as an interconnecting link between the employee and the employees of that
organisation (Harding, Lee and Ford 2014). The manager generally bears the responsibility of
other employees working under that manager (Alfes et al. 2013). If any issue of unrest occurs
among the employees working under that manager, the manager will immediately contact the
higher authority or the employers of that organisation in order to solve the issue.

3EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
2.1. Unitarist view of employment relationship conflict
The unitarist view on the conflict of employment relationship can be referred to the
situation when there is a similar type of approach to any kind of organisational development
from all the stakeholders, workers and other employees of an organisation. The unitarist view
can be seen as a perspective with a supreme management who have unilateral management
control over employment relationship. Employee relation is a very important aspect for the
unitarist views. The unitarist believes that any employment relationship conflict is frictional
and nonstructural and the conflict is suppressed. The employment conflict happening inside
an organisation are sometimes ignored which ultimately can harm the togetherness of the
employees (Cullinane 2016). The views of the employees against the employers of an
organisation are suppressed in this scenario making this view as a dictatorship where the
employees do not have much scope for protesting against any injustice done to the employees
by the employer of that organisation.
The Marxist view of conflict is a very old theory and it was very meaningful during
the industrial revolution when the employees did not have any right to protest against the
injustice done to them by the employers of the organisation (Rahim 2017). This view is still
very popular among the employees who feels suppressed by their employees.
2.2. Pluralist view of employment relationship conflict
The Pluralistic view on this employment relationship conflict can be said to a
situation where more than one source of power is present in between the relationship of
business leaders and the worker of the organisation. The Plutarist view can be considered as a
mixture of the Unitarist view and Marxist view of employment conflict. The Pluralist view of
conflict evolved from the Marxist view and the Unitarist view and this view is considered to
be the most successful view for employment conflict (Budd and Colvin 2014). The unions of

4EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
the employees acts as the central component for the Pluralist view of conflict which
maintains the balance of power between the leadership or the employers and the employees
of an organisation. According to this view the employment conflict is inevitable but this
conflict can be used in a positive aspect like increasing the productivity of that organisation
resulting in the growth of the organisation.
2.3.Difference between Unitarist and Plularist views of conflict
The Pluralist view of conflict believes in the mediation of the conflict, where the
balance between the employees and the employers is maintained but in the Unitarist view of
conflict, the employees do not have any right to protest for their grievances against the
employers of the organisation.
3. Natural justice
Natural justice works on the basis of two principles, one of them which says that
every employee of an organisation should be given a chance to freely represent their case
while facing any disciplinary action. The second principle suggests that anyone should not be
the judge of their own case because there can be the possibility of partiality. Natural justice
also suggests that the opportunity of pleading against any disciplinary actions should also be
given to the individual facing the disciplinary actions (Zingano 2013). The employee facing
the disciplinary issues should be given the opportunity to appeal for the case freely and the
judge who of that case should not be involved with any previous disciplinary case of the same
type.
In real life natural justice suggests that the employer of any organisation should never
judge any case of disciplinary issues beforehand and should not make any decision before
discussing with the case with the concerned employees. The employer can ask for an
explanation from the concerned employee but cannot pressurise him or her under any

5EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
circumstances. The employee facing any disciplinary issue should be noticed before any
action taken against him or her.
3.1. Exceptions of natural justice
Natural justice means serving justice but under certain circumstances. There are some
exceptions under which the case of natural justice are not valid (Werbner 2014). The
exceptions of natural justice are the following
i) Exclusion in the case during any kind of emergency: Any kind of emergency
situation should be excused by the judgment panel and the employer. Emergency case
includes any personal loss like death of any family members or any kind of illness of the
family members.
ii) Exclusion in the case of the administrative matter: Any kind of an administrative
matter of the organisation is the exception of natural justice. The administrative matter of any
organisation includes the internal politics within the employers of an organisation, and the
employees should not be included in those politics of upper hierarchy
iii) Any kind of public disclosure related with the case: Any kind of dispute between
the employer and the employees should be kept private (Alfini et al. 2018). If the information
about the case of a dispute between employees and the employer is disclosed in public then
natural justice is invalid for that particular set of case.
iv) When the hearing of the case is impossible in any circumstances: If the judge is
corrupt or biased then the hearing of the case should be avoided. The absence of judge is not
at all acceptable for natural justice. When the circumstance is not favouring the case then it
should be immediately stopped and the process should be delayed until the time after which
the circumstances becomes normal.

6EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
v) When the right of the person is not violated: Human right of an employee should
not be violated at any cost (Aletras et al. 2016). Justice should not come at the cost of
inhumanity. Justice does not allow any kind of inhumanity under any circumstances.
3.2. Responsibility to act freely while operating natural justice to prevent employment
relationship conflict
Employment relationship conflict refers to the struggle between the employees and
the employers of an organisation. Sometimes the issues of partiality or injustice create an
unrest among the employees of an organisation. Then the employees demand justice for the
situation (Dworkin 2017). The judge who should give the judgment needs to have an
unbiased view on the issue and should give a chance to the employees and the employer of
that organisation to represent their respective cases.
Natural justice in workplace holds a very important position to safeguard the interest
of the employees and the employers of any organisation. The union of the employees works
for the benefit of the employees and the organisation but sometimes the union demands
something for the welfare of the employees that can harm the interest of the organisation.
Thus the presence of natural justice is very important for any organisation.
The natural justice also helps to maintain the discipline and the unity of the employees
and the employers of the organisation. If any employee of an organisation faces any
discrimination or any disciplinary issues then the situation can only be handled by an honest
judge who will have an unbiased view towards the case.
3.3. The opportunity given to the individual to present their case
The employee of any organisation who will face any disciplinary issues should be
given an opportunity to plead against the case freely and without any pressure from the
employer or any employee of that organisation (Barnett and Randy 2014). The individual

7EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
who faces the disciplinary issue can also be innocent and the case against him or her can also
be a result of some personal grievances, for this the individual facing the charge should be at
least given a chance to prove himself or herself innocent. The chance or opportunity given to
the employee to prove himself or herself also ensures that the goodwill of that particular
organisation is maintained. If the chance is not given to the employee to prove himself or
herself innocent then that will be a very big injustice done towards that particular employee.
If any kind of pressure is applied to the employee then the case should be invalid
because the pressure created on the employee can create an immense amount of mental
pressure on him or her. Any kind of mental pressure can affect the case in many ways. The
employee should not be eliminated with immediate effect, but the organisation can ask for the
explanation of that particular case from that employee but eliminating that employee with
immediate effect would be the furthest step taken. The show cause notice can be given to the
particular employee involved in the disciplinary issue by the employers. If that employee
does not respond to that show cause notice within the allotted time, then only further step can
be taken the employer against that employee.
Any individual involved in the disciplinary issue plead for justice to prove himself or
herself as not guilty and their plea should not be ignored by the employer of the organisation
under any circumstances. Those employees who faces any kind of disciplinary issues have
the right to get justice from an unbiased judge.
3.3.1. Presentation of employment tribunal claim for employee leaves
Employment Tribunal is the governing bodies of the United Kingdom which is
responsible for giving judgments to the disputes between the employees and the employer of
an organisation. The common disputes which come to the tribunal for justice are concerned
with the dismissal of workers without valid reasons from the organisation and salary payment

8EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
issues of the employees (Busby and McDermont 2014). Tribunal is responsible for giving
natural justice to the employees of the organisation.
During the industrial revolution, the whole world was going through a massive
change. The employees were made to work day and night without rest, but after several
protest and struggle, the situation changed. The employees nowadays have much flexible
leave policy, but then also most of the employers of the organisation want the employee to
give maximum effort and without leave. The struggle between the employees and the
employers starts from that point of disagreement. The tribunal laws were set for the leave
policy of the employees which should be strictly followed by both the employees and the
employers of the organisation.
3.4. Impartiality
The principle of justice suggests that a judge should not favour any party and should
see any case from a neutral point of view, this principle of not favouring any party while
giving judgment is known as impartiality. The concept of partiality includes favouring one
party’s claims and not giving proper attention to the other party’s thoughts (Berman and
Feinblatt 2015). Partiality should not be encouraged by any judge. Corrupt judges who are
paid by the employer of the organisation can make the struggle between the employee and the
employer more complicated. Every employee who awaits justice have complete faith upon
the judge, but if the judge becomes partial then the belief of the worker towards the judiciary
system will end. When the belief about getting justice from the judiciary system ends then it
is the biggest failure of the system.
3.5. Prejudged Outcome
Natural justice is very much important to control employment relationship conflict.
The employee appeal to the judge for the deserved justice. If the judge has already made his

9EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
judgment clear even before listening to the view of the employee then the conflict between
employer and employee will increase (Hawkins 2018). The prejudged outcome of the case
will make the conflict more complicated. Thus time should be taken by the judge to give the
proper judgment in order to avoid the conflict.
It can be concluded from the above essay that the conflict between the employer and
the employee of an organisation is inevitable. The various factors like socioeconomic factors
are mainly responsible for the struggle between the employer and the employees of any
organisation. There is a massive role of manager to control the employment relationship
conflict. The manager acts a middleman between the employee and the employer for any
organisation and thus a manager is an essential asset for any organisation. The problems
which arise for the employees are carried to the manager first, and the responsibility of the
manager is to solve the issue in due time. If the issue is not solved in due time, then the
employees can protest for their demands which can be either peaceful or not peaceful. The
failure of a manager can escalate the conflict between the employees and the employer
causing economic damage to that particular organisation. The presence of an efficient
manager can reduce the chance of employment relationship conflict by a considerable amount
but this conflict will happen at some point of time and the conflict is unavoidable. Unitarist
view of the conflict is more of an employer-dominated conflict in which the employees of the
organisation are generally suppressed. The Pluralist view of the conflict involves a balance
between the employer and the employees of the organisation. Natural justice should prevail in
the system of the organisation to reduce the grievance of the employees. Natural justice is
very important to avoid employment relationship conflict. The points like impartiality of the
judge and prevention of prejudged outcome are very important for maintaining natural justice
in the workplace.

10EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AND ROLE OF MANAGER
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