Premium Essay

Workplace Relationships

In:

Submitted By shawan33
Words 1950
Pages 8
Workplace Issues
The workplace - it is a place of professionalism in that employees and staff are there to perform roles and tasks demanded of them through their job description - positions they got because of qualifications, experience and education. As such, the workplace is a productive and creative site with people working together to achieve goals and produce products and services for profit, trade and purpose. But the workplace is not always a smooth-sailing setting. It is a site of social exchange and the people that make it up are subject to issues and challenges that necessities of tasks and particulars about their individualities create. This means that the workplace is fraught with issues, especially since workplaces can be pressure-filled environments as tasks and goals must be met in order for certain exchanges to happen - workers keeping their jobs, moving up in the organization and getting paid for the services they offer. It can be extremely competitive, and with individuals highly charged and highly emotional, it can be a place of conflict between colleagues. It can be a place of clashing cultures and belief systems where discrimination can happen. Worse, it can be a place where harassment happens due to clash of cultures, competition and personality conflicts where authority and position can be abused to further personal interests. This discussion is going to center on one of these issues, providing a sample case. It will also present motivational and leadership theories that can be utilized to handle said issue.
The Case: Workplace Bullying
The workplace I am familiar with is a retail store. I have had experience in such a setting as working as a clerk and cashier in certain retail stores in my community has helped me to get started in life, providing me opportunities to learn at work and then study to move myself further in the qualifications and

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Consensual Relationships in the Workplace

...Consensual relationship agreements should be mandatory throughout all companies. With this agreement it will allow those who want to want to pursue a romantic involvement to do so without repercussions but through the written promise that they will continue to adhere to all company policies and procedures. In most occupations, it is frowned upon for those in lower positions to pursue relationships with those of upper management. For many years, industries have avoided having such occurrences and until recently haven’t had any such policy set in place. At the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, this policy does not exist, although it should. There are many employees of the same age who spend several hours per day together as well as on the weekends. It stands to reason that there would end up being mutual attractions and the formation of a relationship every now and then. If a CRA were to be implemented, it would make working with couples who are trying to keep their relationship private much easier and the tension in the workplace would dissipate. According to the textbook Individual and Organizational Ethics, there are a few guidelines that the CRA must include, which seem reasonable while gives the freedom for the couple to work together. They are as follows: • ”Their relationship is voluntary and consensual. • They agree to abide by the employer’s antidiscrimination, antiharassment, and workplace conduct policies. • They promise to report any perceived...

Words: 913 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Outline and Evaluate the Relationship Between the Workplace and Stress

...Outline and Evaluate the relationship between the workplace and stress Many people believe work affects their health. Defining what is stressful in the workplace is not easy, because individuals react quite differently to the same situation. However, some common factors have been found in many workers that cause them stress and in some cases lead to illness. These include the level of control they have (low control = stress), the amount of workload they have (high workload = stress) and role conflict (getting the work life balance right). The job-strain model of workplace stress suggests that the workplace creates stress and illness in two ways, through high workload (putting pressure on people to work harder) and low job control (e.g. over deadlines and procedures). Marmot tested this model by studying 7372 civil servants. They were asked to fill in a questionnaire on workload, job control and how much social support they received. They were also checked for signs of cardiovascular disease (e.g. chest pains). Five years later they were then re-assessed to see if those who reported difficulties also had more severe heart disease. They found that for workload and stress there was no link. However, for job control and social support there was a link. The lowest grade civil servants had both low job control and poor social support and had the highest level of cardiovascular problems. In contrast the higher-grade civil servants expressed a high level of job control and...

Words: 763 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Consenusal Relationship Agreements in Workplace

... Consensual Relationship Agreements in the Workplace Case Study BUS 520: Leadership and Organizational Management Submitted to: Dr. Thomas Schaefer, Strayer University Instructor Submitted by: Aythea L. Jackson   1. Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) in your current (or future) workplace. Most employers have realized that employees send a great deal of time within the week in the environment. Due to the time spent in close professional relationships, people learn of similar interests such as education, intellectual interests, common personal acquaintances, as well as shared workplace stresses, and/or pleasantries, therefore personal relationships often evolve. In a 2005 SHRM poll (Parks, 2006) 40 percent of employee acknowledge being involved in a workplace romance, yet only 12 percent of organizations have a formal or written workplace romance policy. (Shellenbarger, 2004) Employers often in past practices had an established policy or non-fraternization between employees. In at least two of my past employers I have had to sign a policy of non-fraternization. Now is it realistic to think a policy like that can be fully enforced? Relationships forged at work have led to people eating lunch together, attending church with one another or may even visit one another’s home. In some instances, the relationship between co-workers can...

Words: 1633 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Managing Workplace Relationship, Conflict and Negotiation Skills Include Effective Communication

...Main Topic: Managing Workplace relationship, conflict and negotiation skills include effective communication. Building relationships within the workplace According to Harbour S. (2015) establishing and maintaining good working relationships is the key to a positive workplace. Effective businesses encourage the development of positive relationships between managers and employees as well as amongst coworkers. It is imperative to create a clear and concise company mission statement and distribute a copy of the statement to each employee, so that they can be clear on exactly what is expected of them and the intended goal of the business they represent. Teamwork should be encouraged through formal and informal team-building activities. Management could always arrange a company-oriented outing, such as fun days consisting of activities such as tug a war or cricket, or involve the office in a team-based charitable activity. Good relationships in the workplace thrive when individuals feel part of a team and comfortable with their teammates.  The need for two way communication should be encouraged, as this would boost staff morale. The better and more effectively persons communicate with those around them, the richer the work relationships will be. All good relationships depend on open, honest communication. Managers should always reward great work as quickly as possible, and address problems or concerns immediately. Acknowledge staff members publicly with written or...

Words: 1677 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Establish Effective Workplace Relationships

...Major Assessment 1: TASK 1: Following the requirements of the code that relates to your responsibilities can help develop and maintain relationships because everyone is following the same policies and procedures. Employees will perform their duties with honesty and care using authority in a fair and equitable manner. Employees will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of the code of conduct displaying respect towards each other within the workplace environment. TASK 2: 1. Clothing- You can act as a positive role model for other team members by adhering to clothing and uniform policies. Making sure you are always dressed in a professional manner and personal grooming is of its highest standards. 2. Gifts- You can set a good example when gift giving by following company guidelines. You must ensure that if travel and accommodation are involved you get authorisation from senior management or higher. You must never give or receive money. In both cases you should follow company guidelines and lead by example to be a positive role model. TASK 3: Prepare for the appraisal Ask the employee to complete a self-appraisal first on their own performance within their role, where they feel they lack in skills or knowledge and where they feel their strengths lie. Ask them to set goals for themselves for the next 12 months. Determine how an individual who is meeting work outcomes can be rewarded. Identify and discuss gaps in skills, knowledge and attitude Other...

Words: 1356 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Stress Management in the Workplace

...Stress Management in the Workplace What I Learned about Stress Management and How to Manage the Stress in the Workplace Jonathon Redone MGT 301 – CL01 Theodore Finney April 24, 2010 It is three o’clock on a Friday, and it will be three-day weekend and you plan on going to a vacation resort with your family when your supervisor comes into your office and tells you that they have an emergency project and that you and your team need to come in over the weekend and work on this project that is due first thing when the weekend is over. As the supervisor, it is your job to take that news to your team and tell them that information. Obviously this will cause stress on you, your family, and team. It will cause stress on your family because this was a planned tripped and they were looking forward to going on the trip. It will cause stress on your team because this is a last minute notice and your team may have plans for the three-day weekend. It will cause stress for you because you have to tell the bad news to your family and your team. Hopefully that stress will not over take you and cause any hardship on your physical and mental being. People spend a lot of time at work, whether it is to do the normal day-to-day work, overtime, or just spending some extra time just to catch up. The time that is spent at work is not normally care-free or easy, but can cause some work anxiety which in turn can cause stress. Stress can be mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting...

Words: 2888 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Workplace Conflict

...Workplace Conflict: Critical Thinking and Conflict Resolution Charles Weathersby Columbia Southern University Annotated Bibliography Adkins, B. (2004, 5 28). Conflict could be costing your company more than you know. Fort Worth Business Press, pp. p33-33. This article profiles the norms as far as negatives and positives of workplace conflict then proceeds with a five step strategy for management. The article also suggests ways to deal with unresolved conflict in the workplace. It also discusses the impact on the industry that conflict has in regards to productivity; Positives from the use of an effective conflict management strategy; Assessment of corporate culture. Bowling, D.; Hoffman, D. (2003). Bringing Peace Into the Room: How the Personal Qualities of the Mediator Impact the Process of Conflict Resolution. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bringing Peace Into the Room discusses how a person’s own personal values assist in them being an effective mediator. This book isn’t focused on the traditional elements but rather the emotional elements. It discusses how the temperament shapes thoughts that influence the decision making process. The authors base their book on the opinions of several professionals in the field of conflict resolution such as practitioners, academics, teachers, and trainers. Every respected professional interviewed had one common denominator on the subject of mediation and that was the interaction between the parties and the mediator's...

Words: 582 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Motivation Stress and Communication

...Motivation, Stress & Communication Leadership & Organizational Behavior Browder CoateS August 12, 2012 To find the right job for you, you'll need to figure out what type of person you are, and what your interests are. For many jobs available, you will need the proper training or education. However, a lot of jobs do offer on the job training, which would enable you to apply for that particular field. Try to match your personality, interests, knowledge, and age, with a position suitable for you. Where you work can be just as important as what you’ll do there, in terms of determining whether a job is right for you. The Company that I would choose to work for is Redstone Arsenal, which is a United States Army base. Originally a chemical weapons manufacturing facility for World War II, the Arsenal became the focal point of the Army’s rocket and space projects, including development of the first U.S. ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles in 1950s. Huntsville Arsenal was established in 1941 to create a second chemical weapons plant in addition to the one in Edgewood, Maryland. The military installation was originally composed of three separate entities: The Huntsville Arsenal and the Huntsville Depot, which were operated under the auspices of the Chemical Warfare Service, and the Redstone Ordnance Plant, operated by the Army Ordnance Department. The name Redstone drew on region’s red rocks and soil. The ordnance plant was renamed Redstone Arsenal in 1943...

Words: 1745 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

The Impact of Stress

...The Impact of Stress on Jobs and the Workplace Prepared for: Mr. Glenn Pace Webster University Truman Education Center ------------------------------------------------- Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri ------------------------------------------------- Prepared By: Mrs. Betty Downing 5 March 2012 Introduction: There is an overwhelming concern in today’s society about stress on the job and in the workplace and how that will carry over to a person’s home life. Stress has taken an immense toll on the physical and emotional health of individuals, as well as the bottom lines of organizations (Greenhaus, Callanan, Godshalk, 2010). Stress can be the number one problem for working individuals, many of whom are trying to juggle everything at one time such as home, caring for children or aging family members, and work. The human brain has an inherit response for perceived attacks, harm or threats to ourselves that is known as the “fight or flight” response. With constant stress situations at work an individual will make a decision to either fight or flee the environment. There is no getting around it stress is going to be in the workplace but the issue is determining if the stressor is a positive or negative factor for employees is the matter to be dealt with. Afterwards people need to learn how to manage the stress therefore maximizing their job performance while also being able to preserve both their mental and physical health. What organizations need to start...

Words: 2204 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Work Stress

...Workplace Stress Stress is a factor in everyone’s life mainly during difficult times such as divorce, marriage, and even when buying a house, but the most stress seems to be related to the workplace. Employees deal with firings, change in financial status, and problems with the boss, altered responsibilities, variations in work hours, business readjustments, retirement and vacations. Stress interferes with your productivity and can reduce your physical and emotional health and affects everyone differently. Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. The body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response. The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When it is working properly, it helps you stay focused, alert, and energetic. In certain emergency situations, stress can save your life. It goes extra strength to defend you. Stress response also helps you meet challenges. Managers should be educated and aware of the many symptoms of stress because if they go unnoticed and unattended they can lead to bigger problems. People feel overwhelmed and several signs and symptoms can occur such as: • Feeling anxious, irritable, or depressed • Apathy, loss of interest in work. • Problems sleeping • Fatigue, • Trouble concentrating • Muscle tension or headaches • Stomach problems • Social withdrawal • Loss of...

Words: 1056 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Journal Review

...Review Tesira Slaughter 5/13/12 HCA 250 Nancy Munoz Today’s society is faced with violence in the workplace. One of the main things that happens and continues to happen is “Cyber bullying”. Cyber bullying is defined as any type of negative act that happens on a frequent basis, whether it is face to face, via text message, via email, or on the Internet. Also, bullying can come from the manager and/or supervisor, as to where they constantly are bothering you about the workload. There are many forms of bullying that may lead to violence in the workplace: face-to-face, cyber bullying, e bullying, SMS bullying, mobile bullying, digital bullying, and online. Bullying has been found to occur between children and adolescents. Face to face bullying happens because of an imbalance of power, which is when a person has insecure issues about themselves they try to bring other people down as well. When individuals bully it is more then likely because they have had a rough upbringing or they want people to feel the same pain that they are going through. Cyber bullying is when a human being uses computer technology to send derogatory or life threatening messages to an individual. They might also post personal information and make it publicly noticeable so it will embarrass that individual. E-bullying is another that can lead to violence in the workplace, personal information, hatred messages, or threatening messages are sent through emails. Technology has changed where people...

Words: 613 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Crime

... WHEN THE WORKPLACE BECOMES A CRIME SCENE On the morning of September 8, 2009, security cameras showed Annie Le, a doctoral student in the Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology, entering the campus building in which she worked as an animal researcher. When Le failed to return home that evening, her roommates reported her missing to local police. Because security footage didn’t show Le leaving the building, authorities immediately closed it off, and Le’s body was found five days later, hidden inside a wall in a basement laboratory. She had been strangled. It was September 13 – the day on which Le, 24, was to be married. On September 17, police arrested Raymond Clark III, also 24, a lab technician who’d been working in the building on the day that Le disappeared. As of this writing, neither Clark nor the police have indicated any motive, but New Haven police chief James Lewis is on record as saying, “This is not about urban crime, university crime, [or] domestic crime, but an issue of workplace violence, which is becoming a growing concern around the country.” How much concern? In 2007, the last year for which there is reliable data, there were more than 5,600 work-related deaths in the United States. Of these, 864, or 15 percent, were due to assaults or other violent acts; homicides accounted for 628 deaths, or 11 percent of the total, with murder passing “Contact with objects and equipment” to take over the number-two spot in cause of workplace deaths (“Transportation...

Words: 2401 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Critical Thinking Application Paper

...life. While some stress is a normal part of life, extreme stress can interfere with productivity and reduce physical and emotional health in a person. “Layoffs” and “Budget cuts”, have become dreaded words in organizations and people fear the uncertainty of job security. Because of these worries employees will push themselves to the extreme to avoid losing their jobs. Some organizations know that their employees will do whatever it takes to keep their jobs and use that to their advantage. Common causes of work place stress * Fear of layoffs * Staff cut backs * Increased demand of overtime * rising expectations but with no increase in pay * unreasonable demands * workplace bullying * Not caring or realizing that when their employees feel overwhelmed they lose confidence and become less productive in their job performance. Some signs of work place stress are * Anxiety * Indecisiveness * Irritability * Loss of interest in work * Forgetfulness * Loss of self confidence * Argumentativeness...

Words: 664 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Behavior Engaged in by Bullies: Bullying

...In colloquial speech, bullying is most often used to describe a form of harassment associated with being performed by a child who is older, stronger, or otherwise more powerful socially, upon weaker peers. Bullying can occur in situations including in school or college/university, the workplace, by neighbours, and between countries. Whatever the situation the power structure is typically evident between the bully and victim. It seems to those outside the relationship that the bully's power depends only upon the perception of the victim, with the victim being too intimidated to put up effective resistance. However the victim usually has just cause to be afraid of the bully due to the threat and actually carrying out of physical/sexual violence, or loss of livelihood. Bullying is behind most claims of discrimination in the workplace. Types of bullying Bullying is when someone repeatedly acts or says things to have power over another person. Bullies mainly use a combination of intimidation and humiliation to torment others. The following is some examples of bullying techniques: * Calling the victim names and stating the victim is useless at whatever they do * Spreading gossip and rumours about him/her * Threats of job loss and disciplinary action for unspecified reasons * Constant negative criticism for unspecified allegations * Taking the victim's possessions or taking control of the victim's work * Demoting the victim * Making the victim do what they do not want...

Words: 1073 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Bullying and Harassment in Kuwait Airways

...Title Bullying and harassment in Kuwait airways Numbers, factors, effects and solutions Word Count: 6159 CONTENTS Executive summarry iii I- iNTRODUCTION 1 II- lITERATURE REVIEW 3 1- DEFINITION OF WORKPLACE BULLYING 4 2- aNTECEDENTC OF BULLYING 7 3- CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING 9 4- AVAILABLE SOLUTIONS 11 III- rESEARCH DESIGN 14 1- mEASURING iNSTRUMENTS 17 2- sAMPLING TECHNIQUES 19 IV- lIMITATIONS 21 V-...

Words: 7044 - Pages: 29