1. Working as a team Looking at team working, the impact on colleagues and conflicts within the work place

2. Team working Most personal work independently but within a team, group or department A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose – Payroll – Accounts department – Production team

3. Advantages of team working Additional resources – Provides extra skills, time, information and ideas Inspiration – Help generate ideas, problem solving – Compare individual’s ideas and viewpoints to influence others Motivation – Help and support given can give additional motivation and team satisfaction Communication – By talking, allows others to identify how their tasks can be dependent on others and vice-versa – Help to solve issues /problems Synergy (process of working together) – People working together can result in accomplishing more

4. Downside of working together Can cause friction and conflict – Different skills and personalities – Different working styles – Conflict can result in poor efficiency – Decision making can take longer due to the number of people involved in the team

5. Working as a team Effective team working requires: – Mix and balance of people in the team Required skills, knowledge and experience that can contribute to the tasks Strengths and weaknesses within the team Identify the individuals role within the team The importance of each contribution, from the very small to major roles within the team – Clear shared objectives and performance feedback Team must have well defined purposes and objectives Well understood purpose and objectives which apply to all team members

6. Working as a team - continued Ensure members are working together to same goal or individual targets to achieve main goal Each member has clear set responsibilities (as agreed) Team receive regular feedback – Information on progress/ result – Correction or adjustment to performance – Celebrate successes Co-ordination, collaboration and communication Ensure members are working together or their work fits in with others work – IMPACT ON OTHERS Information that is provided by one individual will be used by another Schedules and working patterns may have to be implemented (set by team leader) Important deadlines are met, the impact if not achieved Communication where deadlines can not be achieved, how to resolve? How to reduce risk of conflict due to failure of communication

7. Impact of your work on colleagues Members in an accounting dept are generally interdependent – Their work is linked to others – One members output activity becomes another’s input activity Listing the banking receipts leas to cashier banking and posting to personal accounts – Failure to complete will impact on other members work – Deadlines – is a set/ agreed time when a task must be completed, failure will have a knock on effect

8. Assistance and support – Occasions where a task can not be completed by the deadline, additional support will be required – Support and assistance can contribute to a good working relationship and team performance unless: Has negative impact on other members work Becomes a recurring issue/pattern – Support can be personal and practical Empathetic listening Collaborative problem solving Encouragement Constructive feedback

9. Being appropriately assertive – You may be required to decline a request or require support yourself. This may have to be presented in an assertive form – There are different factors that need to be assessed before demonstrating assertiveness The authority of the requester making the demands Nature of the request – is it appropriate, reasonable, best interest of the department – can a better course of action be presented Impact on other people and tasks – does it prevent you from meeting your deadlines Which of the requesters has the most authority, if equal negotiate a compromise or refer to higher authority Which is the most courteous, respectful, professional and assertive way to resolve the problem

10. Assertive communication – Standing up for your rights, needs and opinions without dismissing the rights, needs and opinions of others – You have the right to say NO – State clearly and directly what the problem is What you do or do not want to happen Explain why you can not comply with the demand – impact on work or others work Propose alternative solutions where possible Invite them to make alternative suggestions

11. Conflict and dissatisfaction at work Conflict means ‘the clash of opposing forces’ – This includes personalities, interests and attitudes In a working relationship or team there are likely to be disagreements and conflicts Dissatisfaction of work – – unresolved issues, – Frustrations – Poor working conditions – Unfair treatment Within a workplace you should be able to handle disagreements and conflicts thus maintaining a good working relationship

12. Types and causes of conflict Differences in people Differences in working styles Difference in status Interdependency of work Competition between groups or departments for limited resources Unfair treatment Hurtful treatment – Differences, frustrations and competition may not lead to conflict but they can escalate or deteriorate into harmful conflict

13. Disagreement – you can disagree with a superior and still maintain a good working relationship You can try and give an opinion but if the superior does not agree, accept their authority and forget the argument More serious conflict – Disobeying agreed rule/ procedures – Behaving in an unacceptable or illegal way – Maybe required to take the issue to higher authority known as Escalation

14. Effects of unresolved conflict and dissatisfaction If conflict and dissatisfaction are not resolved can get worse and have negative impact on the team – Individuals may become resentful, de-motivated and unco- operative – may withdraw their contribution – Cause of dissatisfaction may be barrier to effectiveness – Unresolved conflict between individuals can result in reduction in communication, co-ordination and co- operation – Conflict between team con cause split in team causing more hostility – Can polarise differing viewpoints (hold extreme views) dig in heels (refuse to budge on view/opinion) – There are laws and policy frameworks for positive working relationships

15. Resolving conflict & dissatisfaction Some dissatisfaction may be within your competence and authority to resolve yourself Or resolve with colleagues and superior through informal negotiation Some dissatisfaction may be beyond your competence and authority- take to line manager or supervisor who maybe able to resolve issue May have to approach other appropriate persons – upwards in chain of command

16. Conflicts you can resolve yourself Can be managed informally – Problem with someone Attempt informal discussion Clear up miss-understanding – Incompatible working styles Take to supervisor – Excess work demands Take to supervisor – Conflict with person in higher authority Discuss with someone in higher position in organisation Use formal channel (grievance procedures)

17. Where issues are incompatible, parties may need to work together to explore a range of options that would partially satisfy parties Called Negotiation – Give/ concede something that other party wants in return you get something you want – Process of bargaining commonly called ‘win win’ solution Win win model -3 basic ways to work out conflict 1.One party gets at the expense of the other party ‘win lose’ 2.Compromise solution is found, so neither parties get what they wanted ‘lose lose’ 3.Both parties work together to understand each others needs & concerns, create options to get both parties to what they really want If personality clash arrange way to limit the persons working together

18. Referring conflict upwards Conflicts and dissatisfaction can be resolved with the individuals involved Others may be beyond your authority or ability – Report incident/ conflict to senior person – They may be able to resolve /make decision – Be in position to enforce rules and procedures – Be more persuasive (job position) If issue with own line manager/ supervisor problem has to be taken up the line to immediate manager – think wisely! – The effect on working relationship – Have strong reasonable case, supported evidence

19. Formal Grievance procedures Where matter is more serious, more formal approach is required Grievance is formal complaint by individual who feels they are being unfairly treated Involves – Harassment & bullying – Unfair or discriminatory treatment by manager Sex Race Disability – Unfair work load being given to employee – Employee being unfairly blocked for promotion Organisation should have written Grievance Procedure communicating the method required Some grievances have to be sorted externally – Employment Tribunal