The Management of Conflict - Essay Example

Conflicts sometimes may be a tricky issue to solve or handle which may always necessitates consultations from different quarters. For instance, the Chief Executive officer of a shipping company may approach the human resource manager to seek guidance on the excessive drug use by some section of the company employees. In the recent past, the company has experienced a series of plant accidents which the Chief Executive Officer alleges can be attributed to machinery operation under the influence. The Chief Executive Officer has therefore ordered a compulsory mandatory drug test among the existing employees and the new employees too. However, the labor union has openly opposed such a move despite the company assuring them that those found positive will undergo treatment sponsored by the company and attend company-financed cessation seminars.

            Despite such a situation being tricky, a solution must be found and the relevant advice given to the Chief executive Officer by the Human resource manager. Whether the employees are guilty of the Chief Executive Officers' assertion or not, one aspect must remain outstanding: at the end of the day, the decision reached must consider the good long-term future of the company (Benjamin, 2007). As the Human Resource manager, the following recommendation may be helpful to address the conflict amicably, and in such away the labor union may readily accept the adoption of the company’s new policy.

1. Respect for employees' privacy so long as they do not interfere with the company's operations.

            The employees who use drugs and those who do should not be coerced to undergo drug testing but the company should formulate an internal regulation to punish those who go to work under the influence. This can be done through the introduction of an operation fitness desk. This desk can serve the function of clearing employees before they embark on operating machinery. Those under the influence when on duty should not be allowed to operate machinery and if possible face internal disciplinary measures for going against company policies (Runion, 2010).

2. Employees that have been found to operate machinery under the influence will be forced to settle their medical bills in future in cases of plant accidents and would not be liable for company’s compensation.
3. Resource persons, for example, those who offer talks on drugs and substance abuse would be invited to the company from time to time to help those addicted overcome the problem.
4. Workers that are not in agreement with the company’s new regulations should be given adequate time to quit their respective positions and find employment elsewhere but the company must duly pay them their respective allowances if they agree to do so.

            The above recommendations are greatly inclined to the future of the company and also the welfare of its employees in terms of physical security. Though very strict, they are fair to both the company and individual employees as well.