University Management Report: Resolving Workplace Conflicts and Issues

This report delves into the multifaceted nature of workplace conflict, offering comprehensive solutions for effective management and resolution. It begins by emphasizing the importance of well-defined policies and procedures in establishing clear expectations and responsibilities, thereby minimizing misunderstandings and saving resources. The report then examines relevant legal frameworks, including the Age Discrimination Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Fair Work Act, Racial Discrimination Act, and Sex Discrimination Act, highlighting their significance in preventing discriminatory practices and ensuring fair treatment of employees. It outlines practical steps for resolving workplace issues, from understanding the legal context to employing effective communication strategies and conflict resolution techniques such as active listening, group meetings, impartiality, and prompt action. Furthermore, it underscores the role of an organizational code of conduct in establishing acceptable standards of behavior and fostering a positive work environment. Finally, the report stresses the importance of building strong working relationships and overcoming communication barriers to achieve organizational goals.

Running head: MANAGMENT
Solving workplace conflicts
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Assessment 1.
1.
 Employees understand the constraints of their job without using a ‘trial and error’
approach, as key points are visible in well-written policies and procedures.
 Policies and procedures enable the workforce to clearly understand individual and team
responsibilities, thus saving time and resources. Everyone is working off the same page;
employees can get the “official” word on how they should go about their tasks quickly
and easily.
 Clearly written policies and procedures allow managers to exercise control by exception
rather than ‘micro-manage’ their staff.
 They send a “We Care!” message. ‘The company wants us to be successful at our jobs.’
 Clearly written policies and procedures provide legal protection. Juries apply the
‘common person’ standard. If written clearly so that outsiders understand, the company
has better legal footing if challenged in court.
2. Age Discrimination Act 2004. The Age Discrimination Act 2004 is an Act of the
Parliament of Australia that prohibits age discrimination in many areas including
employment, education, accommodation and the provision of goods and services. Persons of
any age can be discriminated against within the meaning of the act.
(a) to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of age in the
areas of work, education, access to premises, the provision of goods, services and facilities,
accommodation, the disposal of land, the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs
and requests for information; and

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(b) to ensure, as far as practicable, that everyone has the same rights to equality
before the law, regardless of age, as the rest of the community
Disability Discrimination Act
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) was an act passed by the Parliament of
Australia in 1992which prohibits discrimination against persons withdisabilities in employment,
education, publicly available premises, provision of goods and services, accommodation, clubs
and associations, and other contexts.
 To standardise the scope of rights offered around the country
 To implement the Australian Government’s obligations as a signatory to international
declarations on the rights of people with disabilities.
 To enable regulation of discriminatory practices of Commonwealth authorities.
Fair Work Act 2009.
 The object of this Act is to provide a balanced framework for cooperative and productive
workplace relations that promotes national economic prosperity and social inclusion for
all Australians by:
 providing workplace relations laws that are fair to working Australians, are flexible for
businesses, promote productivity and economic growth for Australia’s future economic
prosperity and take into account Australia’s international labour obligations; and
 ensuring a guaranteed safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum terms and
conditions through the National Employment Standards, modern awards and national
minimum wage orders; and

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 ensuring that the guaranteed safety net of fair, relevant and enforceable minimum wages
and conditions can no longer be undermined by the making of statutory individual
employment agreements of any kind given that such agreements can never be part of a
fair workplace relations system; and
 assisting employees to balance their work and family responsibilities by providing for
flexible working arrangements; and
 enabling fairness and representation at work and the prevention of discrimination by
recognising the right to freedom of association and the right to be represented, protecting
against unfair treatment and discrimination, providing accessible and effective procedures
to resolve grievances and disputes and providing effective compliance mechanisms; and
 achieving productivity and fairness through an emphasis on enterprise-level collective
bargaining underpinned by simple good faith bargaining obligations and clear rules
governing industrial action; and
 acknowledging the special circumstances of small and medium-sized businesses.
Racial Discrimination Act
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), (RDA) is a statute passed by the Australian
Parliament during the Prime Ministership of Gough Whitlam. The RDA makes racial
discrimination in certain contexts unlawful in Australia, and overrides States and Territory
legislation to the extent of any inconsistency.1
The Act protects you against discrimination in many areas of public life, including:
1 fairwork.gov.au (2017) <https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-
guides/managing-underperformance>

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employment – getting a job, terms and conditions of a job, training, promotion, being dismissed
education – enrolling or studying in a course at a private or public school, college or university
accommodation – renting or buying a house or unit
getting or using services – such as banking and insurance services, services provided by
government departments, transport or telecommunication services, professional services like
those provided by lawyers, doctors or tradespeople, services provided by restaurants, shops or
entertainment venues
Sex discrimination Act, 1984
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 is an Act of the Parliament of Australiawhich prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex, marital or relationship status, actual or potential pregnancy,
sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or breastfeeding in a range of areas of public
life. These areas include work, accommodation, education, the provision of goods, facilities and
services, the activities of clubs and the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs.
The Australian Human Rights Commission investigates alleged breaches of the Act. The office
of Sex Discrimination Commissioner, created in 1984 alongside the Act, is a specialist
commissioner within the AHRC.
Sex discrimination is being treated less favourably because of your sex, marital status,
pregnancy or the potential to become pregnant. To be dismissed because of your family
responsibilities or to be sexually harassed is also unlawful. It is important to note that
discrimination can be direct or indirect.
Example

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If the manager of a company said that male employees would be considered for the supervisor's
position first, this would be 'direct' discrimination on the basis of sex.
Indirect discrimination results when a requirement, rule, policy, practice or procedure which
appears to treat everyone the same is applied, and it has an unfair effect on particular individuals
or groups of people.
Example
If a company had a policy that employees who had worked continuously for 20 years would
receive a bonus, it is likely that many more women than men would miss out. Many women
interrupt their working lives to take maternity leave and then return to their jobs. If due to these
breaks these women would not be seen to have worked continuously for the company for 20
years it would be 'indirect' sex discrimination.
Both direct and indirect discrimination are unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Act.
3. Key points to solve workplace problems
Often issues arise because:
employers and employees don't know what the law is
communication has broken down.
What you can do to sort out workplace issues
Resolving workplace issues on your own can be quick and easy with the right tools. Our guide to
resolving workplace issues will help you find the information you need, have an effective
conversation in the workplace, fix any underpayments and get back to work.

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Even if the employee has left the employer, we encourage you to try to work out issues between
yourselves before making a formal request to us for help.
3.Guide to resolving workplace issues
Follow our step-by-step guide to resolving workplace issues:
Step 1: Find out what we can help with
Step 2: Check the law
Step 3: Sorting out the issue in the workplace
Step 4: Ask for our help
Need more help to sort out a workplace issue?
Already followed the steps above and can't sort out the issue at the workplace? Also in this
section find out:
how to Ask for our help
what happens when we're Working with you to resolve workplace issues
what's involved with Taking your own action in small claims court.
4. Conflict techniques
Listen, Then Speak Out

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Believe it or not, just listening to an employee’s issue is the first and most important step in
resolving conflict. You should simply listen to all parties involved to completely understand the
nature of conflict, and then start troubleshooting solutions.
Gather the Group
As a leader, you’ll need to arrange a meeting with all involved parties to discuss the issue. Give
everyone a chance to speak; this is a good opportunity to hear all sides and gain a full
understanding of the conflict. Having a group meeting may also expedite a resolution that will
satisfy everyone.
Be Impartial
Don’t take sides! In a leadership position, you shouldn’t display any sort of opinion that favors
one person over another. If you are partial towards one person, try to access the situation from all
sides to come up with a fair and reasonable solution.
Do Not Postpone Conflict Resolution
Address the conflict immediately. Otherwise, the situation could escalate and could affect
employee performance. Just make sure not to address the situation too quickly or without careful
consideration, as your decision will directly affect the demeanor and performance of your staff.
5. An organizational workplace code of conduct establishes acceptable standards of behavior for
all employees. Some departments also have codes specific to employees working in areas such as
human resources, sales and service. The code of conduct is intended to serve as an internal

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communication tool as well as a device to protect the company in cases where it must terminate
an employee for cause.
Basics
Common items covered in a workplace code of conduct include employee dress codes,
attendance policies, health and safety standards, use of company property and appropriate
workplace behaviors. The code starts with an introduction and statement of purpose, outlines
each category and conveys consequences of poor conduct. The code of conduct is a formal
document given to new hires along with the company policy manual. New employees normally
sign a document indicating they have received and read the code of conduct.
Employee Benefits
Communication of expectations helps establish clear boundaries. Some employees would rather
know specifically what is and is not acceptable at work and the consequences of poor decisions.
With a dress code, for instance, employees benefit when examples are provided of professional
or business casual dress. When a company simply dictates a business casual dress code,
employees must come up with their own interpretation of the standard. In sales, there are issues
in relationships with customers related to giving and accepting gifts, confidentiality, conflicts of
interest and disclosure of information, and code of conduct specific to sales staff should give
employees key guidelines in each area to avoid uncertainty and indecision.
6. All managers need to build good working relationships with the people who can help them do
their jobs. The number and breadth of people involved can be impressive—such operational
networks include not only direct reports and superiors but also peers within an operational unit,
other internal players with the power to block or support a project, and key outsiders such as

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suppliers, distributors, and customers. The purpose of this type of networking is to ensure
coordination and cooperation among people who have to know and trust one another in order to
accomplish their immediate tasks. That isn’t always easy, but it is relatively straightforward,
because the task provides focus and a clear criterion for membership in the network: Either
you’re necessary to the job and helping to get it done, or you’re not.
Although operational networking was the form that came most naturally to the managers we
studied, nearly every one had important blind spots regarding people and groups they depended
on to make things happen. In one case, Alistair, an accounting manager who worked in an
entrepreneurial firm with several hundred employees, was suddenly promoted by the company’s
founder to financial director and given a seat on the board.
7.Effective barriers to communication
 The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
 Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal
cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less
effective.
1. Create an open communication environment:
An organization must aim to develop a communication environment in which all employees of
the organization are free to share their feedback, interesting ideas and even criticism against any

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specific issue. Organizational leaders who aim to develop open communication are able to build
trust within their employees and are therefore prone to gain more successful results.
2. Employ the inclusive communication strategy:
An inclusive strategy of communication is one in which all members are invited to become part
of a decision taken by the company. Such decisions are related with day to day working of the
company. This encourages employees to deliver more productive and creative ideas for the
company. As a result, the talent source is not limited within the company.
8.
Adopting diversity policies offers clear benefits for companies and the workforce, such as
resolving labour shortages, greater product innovation, enhanced marketing opportunities and a
better corporate image. The findings of a recent study by the European Commission reveal
additional positive business outcomes, such as improved communication processes and
managerial styles, as well as reduced staff turnover and absenteeism.
In all, three main types of policy and strategy focus can be distinguished:
• comprehensive diversity policies and initiatives;
• single initiatives concerning specific diversity strands;
• existing policies - such as gender policies - expanded to cover a broader range of diversity
areas.
9. Consultation with employees on health and safety is vital to ensure health and safety is
managed effectively.

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It requires employers to bring to their attention any issues or concerns that relate to the health,
safety, and welfare of all employees.
Consultation helps promote a positive health and safety culture, and ensures that everyone is
given an opportunity to influence health and safety policies and procedures.
Without co-operation between employers and employees, the chances of managing health and
safety effectively are reduced.
Everyone can be affected if such communication fails, and the chances of things going wrong are
increased. There are many examples where failure to consult and communicate has led to serious
accidents.
10. A modern award is a document which sets out the minimum terms and conditions of
employment on top of the National Employment Standards (NES). Moderns awards came into
effect on 1 January 2010. Modern awards apply to all employees covered by the national
workplace relations system.
Modern awards are industry or occupation-based, and apply to employers and employees who
perform work covered by the award.
You can find out which modern award applies using our Award Finder Tool.
Managers or higher income employees may not be covered by a modern award even if one
applies to the industry in which they work.
Assessment 2.