Deck 15: Resolving Conflicts in the Workplace

Question 1

The most effective communication and problem solving take place when people try to share common perspectives.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Functional conflict is healthy for the organization and helps improve performance.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Most conflict at the departmental level involves settling employee complaints and grievances.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

It is normal for supervisory perspectives to sometimes be at odds with the views of employees.

Question 5

Arbitration is the final step in all alternative dispute resolution procedures.

Question 6

Grievance procedures are typically resolved in the court of law.

Question 7

The withdraw/avoid style of conflict resolution may be appropriate when the problem is perceived to be minor and the costs of solving the problem are greater than the benefits derived.

Question 8

The compromise style of conflict resolution is best described as "I win, you win."

Question 9

If alternative dispute resolution is to succeed, companies must train supervisors to respond positively to employee requests, concerns, and complaints.

Question 10

The avoid/withdraw conflict resolution style is used for major issues only.

Question 11

If a grievance procedure does not resolve a dispute satisfactorily, the next step is the complaint procedure.

Question 12

In the workplace, the terms complaint and grievance do not mean the same thing.

Question 13

A grievance is a formal complaint involving the interpretation or application of a labor agreement in a unionized setting.

Question 14

Many union organizations have adopted a problem-solving approach to employee concerns that was designed by management called a complaint procedure.

Question 15

An accommodating conflict resolution style can be characterized as "you win, I lose".

Question 16

When a mediator is used in an alternative dispute resolution procedure, the mediator facilitates communication but has no direct authority to decide the outcome.

Question 17

Generally speaking, nonunionized employees have no way to resolve job-related disputes or problems.

Question 18

Substantive conflict occurs because of disagreement over what should be done or what should occur.

Question 19

Ramon found a solution to a conflict that could be characterized as "I win, you win." He is using the collaborative conflict resolution style.

Question 20

ADR (Alternative dispute resolution) is becoming less common as employers are likely to want to enter into litigation when disputes occur.

Question 21

Which of the following is a CORRECT statement regarding conflict and supervision in the workplace?

A) Communication breakdown is the only significant event that can trigger workplace complaints and conflicts.
B) It is normal for supervisors to expect that supervisory perspectives will conflict with those of the employees or the union.
C) Conflict in the workplace is dysfunctional in that it always detracts from achieving desired objectives.
D) Disagreements with employees reflect negatively on supervisory performance.

Question 22

It is unusual for an aggrieved union employee to present a grievance to the supervisor without the shop steward present.

Question 23

If a supervisor delays hearing a grievance or complaint, employees will likely interpret it to mean that the supervisor is carefully considering the facts of the case.

Question 24

Supervisors should be reluctant to solve a compalint or grievance at the first step of the grievance process.

Question 25

The collaborative style to conflict resolution is:

A) I win- you win.
B) I win- you lose
C) You win- I lose
D) None of the above.

Question 26

Opinions are just as important as facts when a supervisor attempts to solve a complaint or grievance.

Question 27

The conflict resolution style that implies the rule of reciprocity is:

A) Withdraw/avoid.
B) Accommodate/oblige.
C) Collaborative.
D) Compromise.

Question 28

When making a decision, supervisors should review the past settlement record to ensure his/her proposal is consistent with established practices.

Question 29

Arriving at a speedy settlement should not outweigh the importance of a sound decision.

Question 30

Sometimes a "problem" can be solved when an employee simply vents frustration to a supervisor.

Question 31

Most supervisors are trained in the fine points of labor law as part of their job and are therefore highly qualified to resolve complaints involving aspects of equal employment opportunity.

Question 32

Someone with a competing style of conflict resolution tends to _____..

A) Dominate.
B) Avoid.
C) Concede.
D) Identify common ground.

Question 33

Sueprvisors should drop everything to meet with an employee who has a grievance.

Question 34

Supervisors need not only to answer employees' complaints and grievances, but to provide the reasoning behind the answer.

Question 35

Nonunionized employees are sometimes afraid to bring their complaints to their supervisor.

Question 36

Sometimes an employee or steward may deliberately provoke an argument to the supervisor on the defensive.

Question 37

A shop steward is an elected representative of the union employees.

Question 38

When meeting with an employee about his/her complaint, the supervisor should explain the reason for their decision in general terms to avoid confusion.

Question 39

Supervisors should be patient and keep an open mind when hearing a complaint or grievance.

Question 40

Many labor agreements require grievances to be answered within set periods.

Question 41

When a complaint or grievance is brought to a supervisor, he or she should do all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Listen patiently and with an open mind.
B) Delay the time for an initial hearing.
C) Encourage the employee to say whatever is on his or her mind.
D) Treat the employee's problem as important.

Question 42

Seeking assistance from human resources staff or higher level managers is considered:

A) Passing the buck.
B)
B) Showing weakness.
C) Good supervision.
D) Both a and

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a standard of fairness that should be followed by all ADR procedures?

A) The opportunity to recover the same remedies available to the employee through litigation and confidentiality of proceedings.
B) The opportunity for a hearing before one or more impartial decision makers.
C) The opportunity to participate in the selection of decision makers.
D) The requirement of the employer to pay all associated costs of the dispute resolution.

Question 44

Some large companies have instituted mandatory complaint-resolution procedures whose final step is private arbitration. One of the primary objectives of such a procedure is to:

A) Avoid costly litigation.
B) Comply with labor union requirements.
C) Minimize the number of decisions against the company.
D) "Test-drive" the arbitration process to see if it is right for the company.

Question 45

Distinguish between substantive and personalized conflict.

Question 46

What must take place in order for alternative dispute resolutions to be effective?

Question 47

What are supervisory guidelines for resolving complaints and grievances?

Question 48

In unionized settings, supervisors should avoid making individual exceptions to resolve a complaint or grievance since:

A) Making an exception would make the decision nonbinding, and the supervisor may change it at any time.
B) Supervisors should follow existing rules since only the labor union has the authority to make exceptions to the rules.
C) This would imply to employees that all company policies, rules, and/or the labor agreement can be disregarded.
D) This may set a precedent that could be used in future interpretations or negotiations of the labor agreement.

Question 49

If an employee presents a grievance to the supervisor in the absence of the shop steward, the supervisor should:

A) Listen to the employee to determine whether it involves the labor agreement; if it does, then notify the shop steward.
B) Refuse to listen to the employee.
C) Tape record the conversation.
D) Quickly change the subject.

Question 50

It is unusual for an aggrieved employee to present a grievance to a supervisor without the presence of:

A) The shop steward.
B) An arbitrator.
C) The Director of the Human Resources Department.
D) A mediator.

Question 51

Describe the five conflict resolution styles.

Question 52

In the last step in a grievance procedure, a final and binding decision is provided by:

A) the company's human resources department.
B) labor union representatives.
C) a neutral arbitrator.
D) the company's top management.

Question 53

When an employee or steward persists in loud agruments, the supervisor should:

A) Also raise his/her voice.
B) Terminate the meeting.
C) Ask a human resource representative to witness the meeting.
D) Concede the issues immediately.

Question 54

Complaint procedures usually differ from grievance procedures in two respects. Name them.

Question 55

The accommodating style of conflict resolution:

A) Is easy.
B) Is cooperative.
C) Implies reciprocity.
D) All of the above.

Question 56

What are the main differences between workplace complaints and workplace grievances?

Question 57

Complaint procedures begin at the supervisory level and if not resolved, usually end in whose hands?

A) An outside arbitrator.
B) Middle management.
C) A mediator.
D) The Director of the Human Resources Department.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about employee complaints in nonunionized firms is NOT true?

A) Some employees complain to their supervisors at every possible opportunity.
B) Employees sometimes approach their supervisor as a group when they have a complaint in the belief that doing so strengthens their position.
C) Legitimate complaints sometimes go unheard because employees fear bringing them to their supervisors.
D) Without union representation, employee complaints are always ignored.

Question 59

What steps should be taken to resolve an employee's grievance?