Conflict at work can be overcome

By Dawn Sagario
Des Moines Register

A conflict in values and personalities at work is nearly inevitable.

The question is how to successfully coexist with colleagues who might share different personal views from you.

The first step is being open to and appreciating diversity, a consultant in Waterloo, Iowa, said.

Diversity includes all the obvious things: race, ethnicity, gender. Age, religion and lifestyle, too, need to be taken into consideration.

On top of that, there are the uniquely individual traits, beliefs and quirks that define each of us.

How do we strike a balance between respecting one another's personal opinions and not letting those be a hindrance to productivity in the workplace?

"It's recognizing that there's more than one way to see things," said June Watkins, owner and business consultant for Human Resource Strategies.

One of the most obvious distinctions in the workplace today is age, she said.

Today, workplaces are witnessing a convergence of four generations, each with its own set of work ethics and goals, Watkins said. Those beliefs — some of them extremely diverse between certain age groups — can serve as fodder for misunderstandings if co-workers are unwilling to listen to each other.

Being open-minded, Watkins said, is the biggest challenge.

Sometimes people immediately erect roadblocks in their heads, convinced that their views with colleagues are polar opposites.

"You're not really listening to them," Watkins said. Instead, you're automatically forming a rebuttal in your mind as that person is trying to explain his or her position.

Recognizing the varying work ethics that each generation grew up with is key to smoothing employee relations, she said.

Baby boomers are usually looking for jobs of prestige and positions where they can be challenged and see advancement in the job, she said. If need be, that means working nights and weekends.

Gen-Xers and those who are younger value the freedom and flexibility to create their own work schedules, Watkins said. They want to be trained so that they can have more marketable skills in the job market. Being in a workplace that's fun, and where things are run more casually, are pluses.

To baby boomers, the younger generations' emphasis on free time might be frowned upon, Watkins said. But older workers shouldn't be quick to equate embracing that priority with irresponsibility.

Watkins has these additional tips:

• Ask questions to gain a better understanding of your co-workers.
• Don't force your beliefs on others.

When asking co-workers questions, avoid using the word "why," she said. That can put people on the defensive.

Watkins said: "Instead of saying, "Why are you doing it this way?" try "I haven't seen it done this way before. What have been your results in the past?" "

The corporate culture will help guide employee behavior, an Iowa State University professor said.

Companies that are recruiting, and prospective employees searching for work, need to consider how that individual will fit into the organization, said Thomas Chacko, professor of management. That means looking at the beliefs and values of a business and considering how they mesh with those of the individual.

When personal preference and an organization's views fail to match up, that can ultimately affect work productivity, Chacko said. At that point, an individual will have to make some decisions.

"Either you can conform or move on," he said.

Religion can be another touchy subject, Watkins said. Inviting a co-worker to your church once is all right.

"But if the person doesn't express an interest, then you shouldn't keep hounding them," Watkins said.