Analysis of Woolworths' Methods for Team Conflict Resolution (2019)

This report examines Woolworths' approach to resolving team conflicts, emphasizing strategies such as employee training, open communication channels, and the provision of feedback. The company fosters an inclusive work environment that values diversity and promotes gender equality, offering flexible working options to all employees. Woolworths utilizes various communication methods, including regular meetings and both face-to-face and written communication, to ensure clarity and address issues promptly. Furthermore, Woolworths implements a feedback mechanism where higher authorities intervene to resolve conflicts, ensuring that all viewpoints are considered. The company's commitment to these strategies contributes to its success in the competitive business world, highlighting the importance of communication, diversity, and feedback in effective conflict resolution. The report references several sources to support its findings.

2019
[Woolsworth]

Team Conflict
How Woolworths resolve the team conflicts?
In the present scenario, it is important for the companies to resolve the team conflicts so that
it would be easy to attain growth among the competitors. There are various techniques that
can be used by the companies to resolve the team conflicts. One of the techniques that can be
considered by the company is related to training. The employees should be given training so
that they can have proper knowledge towards their work. If employees have the knowledge
towards their work then it will enhance coordination among them, which reduces team
conflict (Cronin and Bezrukova, 2019).
The other method that can be considered by the companies is related to offer a chance to
share their views and opinions. When the workers have the chance to share their views then
employees also tries to resolve the conflict as they are aware about their value in the system.
This method considered by the company assist in resolving the team conflicts (Prause and
Mujtaba, 2015).
It has been identified that Woolworths emphasizes on resolving the team conflicts by
providing inclusive place to work. The company value diversity and also recognize the
importance of the teams. Diversity is considered as a part of creating inclusive and vibrant
place to work in which the employees can represent themselves in front of others.
Woolworths provides supportive environment to its employees so that they can easily share
their views and opinions with others. Inclusive environment is also created by the
management in which support and guidance to the employees is given in relation to gender
transition. In Woolworths, every team member is given a chance to share their thoughts with
the management or with their team members (Woolworths, 2019b).
Mostly in teams the conflicts takes place related with gender biasness but Woolworths
promote gender equality. The company is committed in appointing strong female talent from
the different areas of the world. Woolworths has emphasized on gender equality and
inclusion for its team members in which they are offered flexible working options and also
opportunity to create their successful career. This opportunity is given to all the employees in
the workplace which positively assist in boosting coordination among team members. It is
examined that when team members are satisfied they focus on resolving the issues that take
place in the workplace and the same applies in the case of Woolworths (Woolworths, 2019a).
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Woolworths resolve the team conflicts by focusing on proper flow of communication. There
are different levels that take place in the workplace. For example: The store team talks to the
regional managers on routine basis through video conferencing and also different meetings
are conducted so that clarity can be maintained among the team members. It is noticed that
company emphasizes more face to face or audio visual communication as it helps in finding
the issue of a particular or specific conflict. Only 2% of the employees have the access to the
workplace mails and intranet and rest employees communicate through face to face. Also, the
company has regular written communication medium through which employees can share
their issue with the managers or with the CEO. In this way, the company focuses on resolving
the issues among the team members (McKibben, 2017).
Woolworths has its own medium which is known as Woolies News. The monthly
communication meetings at the Norwest support office provide workers a chance to
participate in the question and answer session with the CEO. Therefore, it can be said that
flow of communication between the hierarchies is maintained which assist the company to
resolve the team conflicts. It is analysed that when employees have proper knowledge of the
communication process then they try to resolve their issue on their own level.
Feedback is also one of the procedures which are followed by the management of
Woolworths. In this, the higher authority intervene when conflict take place between the team
members. If any issues take place between the team members, then company has set the
policy of giving feedback so that employees can be aware about their default. They provide
the chance to speak so that they can easily convey their issue. After listening to both the side,
the company conclude with giving proper feedback to the employees and resolves it so that
negative impact cannot be seen on the overall productivity level. In this method, the company
also hear point of view from both the sides as it helps in finding out the accurate decisions
which is beneficial for conflict resolution (Woolworths, 2019c). So, giving feedback is the
best strategy that assists the higher authorities in resolving the conflicts that takes place
among the team members.
So, it can be said that these are the ways that are considered by Woolworths and this helps in
resolving the conflict among the team members. The strategies used by the company are
effective and also it has led to the higher success ratio in the highly competitive business
world. By considering the situations of the different companies, it is important to focus on the
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strategies such as communication, diversity and feedback so that issues can be resolved
effectively.
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References
Cronin, M.A. and Bezrukova, K., 2019. Conflict Management Through the Lens of System
Dynamics. Academy of Management Annals, 13(2), pp.770-806.
McKibben, L., 2017. Conflict management: importance and implications. British Journal of
Nursing, 26(2), pp.100-103.
Prause, D. and Mujtaba, B.G., 2015. Conflict management practices for diverse
workplaces. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 6(3), p.13.
Woolworths, 2019a.Our People. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-
responsibility/our-people/an-inclusive-place-to-work/ [Accessed on 26 September 2019].
Woolworths, 2019b.Gender inequality. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-
responsibility/our-people/promoting-gender-equality/ [Accessed on 26 September 2019].
Woolworths, 2019c.Safe workplace. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/community-and-responsibility/group-
responsibility/our-people/a-safe-place-to-work-and-shop/ [Accessed on 26 September 2019].
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