HR: Employee Relations and Conflict Management

conflict [<L. com-, together + fligere, to strike] to be antagonistic, incompatible, etc. –n. 1. a fight or war 2. sharp disagreement, as of interests or ideas 3. emotional disturbance.

This course is based on the premise that conflict is both “inevitable and beneficial” in successful organizations. Based on Webster’s definition, for many, this will require a fundamental shift in how we perceive conflict. We will provide a foundation for our work through a brief overview of conflict management theory and practice. We will examine employee relations and build communication and mediation skills within the context of interpersonal conflict, the role of organizational culture in conflict management, and the impact of diversity on conflict. Skill development in conflict management and resolution will be based on a collaborative approach involving team-work, case analysis, real life scenarios, and role-play. Readings will be drawn from relevant journals and books and will include works on both organizational conflict and diversity.

This course is one in a series of elective courses for the HR Certification Program, but it is also open to enrollment by students who are not part of the certification program.

Required Reading (to be completed before the first class): Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (1999). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 014028852X

Required Resource: Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument: Profile and interpretive report. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. (This is not a book but a tool to determine your preferred style of resolving conflict. We will work through this on the first evening. You don’t have to do anything with it prior to class.)