Approbation of a Workers Conflict Management Program

Benkova Oksana Anatolyevna PhD in Psychology Associate Professor, Department of Developmental Psychology and Counseling, Siberian Federal University 79 Svobodny Ave., Krasnoyarsk, 660028, Russia artyukhova2024@bk.ru Other publications by this author     Gudovskii Igor' Vital'evich PhD in Pedagogy Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Siberian State University of Science and Technology. M.F. Reshetnev 660049,, Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Mira str., 82 igudovskiy@inbox.ru Dulinets Tat'yana Grigor'evna PhD in Pedagogy Associate Professor, Department of Developmental Psychology and Counseling, Siberian Federal University 79 Svobodny str., Krasnoyarsk, 660074, Russia tadulinez@mail.ru Gusarenko Viktoriya Vladimirovna Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences and Humanities, Krasnoyarsk State Medical University named after prof. Voyno-Yasenetsky 660022, Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Partizan Zheleznyak str., 1 vikyse2007@ya.ru

Polomoshnikova Anna Valentinovna Bachelor, Department of Information Technologies of Education and Lifelong Education, Siberian Federal University 660074, Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Borisova str., 1 ani.net881@yandex.ru

Introduction. Conflict is an integral element of people's social life, but this does not mean that conflict in various life situations can be justified by this circumstance, because conflict has both constructive and destructive significance, destroying and creating at the same time. However, for the transition of the conflict into a constructive form, it is necessary to have the appropriate skills. 

Conflicts are manageable, regulated, and resolvable. If a person is able to resolve conflicts without special physical or psychological "losses" or is able not to enter (prevent) a conflict, then they say that a person has conflict competence.

It is extremely important to form and develop conflict competence in labor collectives, because frequent conflict situations and situations of tension between employees can affect the efficiency and productivity of people's work. The problem of conflicts in labor collectives is quite common and requires the development of certain methods and methods of conflict resolution, however, a person can prevent a conflict himself if he has the appropriate competencies, shows his own creative powers, humor, becomes more observant, resourceful ^{[2, 5, 7]}.

Yu.O. Sulyagina ^[13] concluded that conflicts in labor collectives can be caused by a number of circumstances, but one of the main ones is rapid, constant changes in the labor market and in society, a change in value orientations and behaviors of heads of organizations, which causes the emergence of new types of conflicts, and this, in turn the queue requires new approaches in their solution.

There is a change of values and goals in organizations, a change in the mechanisms of employee behavior and patterns of behavior of managers, as a result, the forms of conflict in organizations and the mechanisms for their resolution are also changing. However, a number of factors leading to conflicts in labor collectives remain relatively constant. This is a shortage of resources, lack or inaccuracy of information, violations of labor discipline, etc.

Many labor collectives today are subject to contradictions and conflicts so much that it affects the socio-psychological climate, staff turnover, and the effectiveness of the entire organization as a whole. There is an urgent need for people who know the art of creating a positive socio-psychological climate in the team. In order to form and develop the conflict competence of employees, it is necessary to organize and conduct additional activities, develop psychological means of influence and test them in organization.In this regard, the purpose of this work is to test the developed psychological program for conflict management in the workforce.

The object of the study is conflicts in the labor collective.

The subject of the study is a psychological program for conflict management in the workforce.

Research methods. 3 methods were used to conduct an empirical study:

1. Questionnaire "causes of conflicts in the team";
2. Thomas - Kilmann methodology for identifying leading behavior in a conflict situation;
3. The study of "volitional self-regulation" by A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman;

The questionnaire has its own authorship and is aimed at identifying the causes of conflicts in the team. Knowing the cause of the conflict, you can predict the conflict and prevent its development.

The data obtained were processed using the statistical nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test, which is used to evaluate the differences between two independent samples.The second method is the Thomas-Kilmann method for identifying leading behavior in a conflict situation.

  The authors of this technique are K. Thomas, R. Kilmann (adapted by N.V. Grishina). The methodology is designed to study personal predisposition to conflict behavior, identify certain styles of conflict resolution. It shows how a person behaves in a conflict situation, choosing one or another type of behavior. There are five of them: confrontation, cooperation, compromise, evasion, adaptation. This questionnaire shows a typical human reaction to a conflict, its effectiveness and expediency, and also provides information about other possible ways to resolve a conflict situation ^[9].

The third method, "The study of volitional self-regulation" by A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman, allows us to determine the level of development of volitional self-regulation. In the most general form, the level of volitional self-regulation is understood as a measure of mastering one's own behavior in various situations, the ability to consciously control one's actions, states and motives. The level of development of volitional self-regulation can be characterized as a whole and separately by such character traits as perseverance and self-control. How much a person owns his own behavior can help prevent and resolve a conflict.

Many Russian and foreign scientists are engaged in research of conflicts in labor collectives.

The first group of studies is related to the study of the analysis of conflict situations and the main causes of their occurrence. These are the studies of Kamardin I.N., Gagarinsky A.V., Kuznetsova I.G., Morgunov L.A. and others ^{[2, 3, 7]}. Modern conflicts, according to the authors, are largely due to social reasons, working conditions, and the struggle for a fair distribution of resources. The conflict itself in the above studies is defined as a situation of acute contradiction, a clash of different sides, each of which pursues its own interests and goals.

The next cohort of studies is devoted to the development of various programs, systems, concepts for conflict management in the workforce. Basically, all proposals for the prevention and resolution of conflict situations in the modern aspect are associated with increasing the conflict competence of the conflict participants. These are the studies of Buntovskaya L.L., Panteleeva O.I., Belyaeva N.M., Kalmykova O.Yu. and others ^{[1, 4, 8]}

Finally, a large group of studies is related to the study, prevention and resolution of conflicts in the teaching staff. The interest in conflicts in education is largely due to the fact that the teacher creates the necessary conditions for the education of students, which lead to the humanization of interpersonal relationships, the ability of the child to build harmonious interaction with people in the future.

Studies of conflicts in the teaching staff are carried out by Kerimov T.T., Semenova E.N., Rozhkov N.T. and others ^{[6, 12, 10]}.

In the foreign literature, studies of the features, causes and methods of regulating labor conflicts are presented by the works of Pruitt D., Pondy L, Rex J., Schermerhorn J.R. and others. ^{[15, 16, 17, 18, 19]}

We adhere to the idea of M.V. Rostovtseva that conflicts arise in a situation of violation of formal (legal) and informal rules and norms by one or all participants of interaction, and their prevention and resolution are due to the peculiarities and specifics of the internal and external environment of the organization, and also depends on some personal characteristics, including the choice of behavior style in a conflict situation, the level of self-regulation of the individual in the process of communication. ^[11]

Research. The respondents were 40 employees - managers of the non-profit organization "Orion" in Krasnoyarsk for the sale of household appliances. The age of the subjects is from 36 to 32 years. 90% of the sample were men. The main activity of respondents is the sale of household appliances.

The results of the primary diagnosis by three methods are shown below.

The results of the questionnaire "causes of conflicts" are shown in the following table 1:

Table 1

Causes of conflicts (respondents' opinion).Question number

The results of the survey are presented more clearly in Figure 1.

Fig.1 Causes of conflicts in the labor collective.So, according to employees, conflicts most often occur due to violations of labor discipline, lack of awareness of staff and disorganization of administrative issues, as well as due to a violation of the ethics of communication by one of the subjects of interaction.

Table 2 shows the frequency of occurrence of different types of conflicts in the workforce.

Table 2The frequency of occurrence of different types of conflicts in the workforce.

every day

As can be seen from the data presented, the majority of employees - 55%, conflict at least once a year with their superiors, 65% - with colleagues with the same frequency. 17% conflict with their superiors once a month, with the same frequency 13% of employees conflict with colleagues.

It is noteworthy that 13% conflict with their superiors every few years. An even larger percentage – 17% rarely conflict with colleagues.

In general, judging by the primary data obtained from the survey results, the situation in the working group of employees is quite stable. Acute confrontational periods practically do not happen. Conflicts between employees are quite rare.

Further, the staff was divided into control and experimental groups of 20 people each.

The results of the initial diagnosis of the team using the Thomas -Kilmann method to identify the leading behavior in a conflict situation" are shown in the form of a diagram (Figure 2).

Fig.2 Results according to the method in the experimental groupThe type of "confrontation" in conflict is inherent in 22.5% of employees, the type of behavior in conflict "cooperation" is characteristic of 17%, "compromise" - 25%, adaptation" - 15% of respondents.

Thus, we see that the majority of respondents in the experimental group choose both confrontation and compromise as polar behaviors in conflict.

Diagnostics using this technique was also carried out in the control group of respondents. The results are shown in Figure 3.

Fig.3 Results according to the method in the control group.The type of "confrontation" in conflict is inherent in 30% of employees, the type of behavior in conflict "cooperation" is characteristic of 20%, "compromise" - 25%, adaptation" - 25% of respondents.

Thus, we see that the majority of respondents in the experimental group choose both confrontation and compromise and adaptation as polar behaviors in conflict.

The results of the study on the test of volitional self-regulation by A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman in the experimental group showed that a low level of self-control is diagnosed in 27.5% of employees, a high level in 72.5%. Similar results were obtained in the control group

The scale of self-control seems to be the most significant for the results of the study, because it is self-control that determines the dynamics and intensity of a conflict situation, as well as whether its onset is possible.

Further, a psychological conflict management program was tested in the experimental group.

Table 3 provides a summary of the conflict management program in the team, shows a set of exercises and the purpose of their implementation.

Table 3 Team Conflict Management Program

Content

After approbation of the program, repeated testing was carried out in the control and experimental groups. The results in the experimental group after repeated testing using the Thomas-Kilmann Method are shown in Figure 4.

Fig.4. Results of the Thomas-Kilmann Method in the experimental group of respondents.As can be seen from the presented data, in the control group, after testing the conflict management program, the percentage of respondents who choose confrontation as the leading type of behavior in a conflict situation decreased.

According to the methodology of A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman, the following data were obtained: a low level of self–control was diagnosed in 19% of employees (was – 27.5%), a high level – in 81% (was - 72.5%), which is due, in our opinion, to the fact that most of the exercises of the psychological program on conflict management were it is connected with the training of self-regulation in difficult life situations.

Then, on each scale, we compared the results for each of the groups using the Mann-Whitney U-test.

According to the "confrontation" scale: the obtained empirical value of U _emf (119.5) is in the zone of significance. According to the "cooperation" scale, the empirical value of U _emf (187) is in the zone of insignificance.According to the "compromise" scale, the obtained empirical value of U _emf (129) is in the zone of uncertainty. According to the "Evasion" scale, the obtained empirical value of U _emf (191.5) is in the zone of insignificance. According to the "Adaptation" scale, the obtained empirical value of U _emf (191.5) is in the zone of insignificance.We compared the results of this method in the experimental group with the results of the control group, where the program was not carried out.

The results of comparing the data of the control group on the "confrontation" scale - the obtained empirical value of U _emf (173.5) is in the zone of insignificance.

According to the "cooperation" school, the obtained empirical value of U _emf(175) is in the zone of insignificance. According to the "compromise" scale, the empirical value of U _emf (177.5) is in the zone of insignificance. According to the "Evasion" scale, the obtained empirical value of U _emf(174) it is located in the zone of insignificance. On the scale of "Adaptation".the obtained empirical value of U _emf(158) is in the zone of insignificance.

Thus, all scales in the control group before and after testing are in the zone of insignificance.

Comparison of the results of primary and final testing in the control group by the method of A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman showed U _Emf = 179. The value is located in the zone of insignificance.

The results of the initial and final testing of the experimental group on the Methodology of the study of "volitional self-regulation" by A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman are shown in Table 2.8.

Comparison of the results of the first and second testing in the experimental group using the Mann-Whitney U-test (self-regulation research methodology, self-control scale) showed the result: U _Emf = 171. The empirical value of U _emf (171) obtained it is located in the zone of insignificance.

 After comparing the test results before the implementation of the program and after the experimental group, the following results were given:Result: according to the "confrontation" scale, the empirical value of U emf (119.5) is in the zone of significance;

2. The "compromise" scale  the obtained empirical value of U _emf(129) is in the zone of uncertainty;
3. 3. "Cooperation" scale The empirical value of U _emf (187) obtained is in the zone of insignificance;
4. The "Evasion" scale the obtained empirical value of U _emf(191.5) is in the zone of insignificance;
5. 5. "Adaptation" scale the empirical value of U _emf (191.5) obtained is in the zone of insignificance;
6. Self-regulation research methodology, "self-control" scale obtained empirical value of U _emf(179) it is located in the zone of insignificance.

Conclusion and conclusions.

As a result of the conducted empirical research, it was revealed that in the team of employees of the most NC "Orion" the most frequent causes of conflicts are violations of labor discipline, lack of awareness of staff and disorganization of administrative issues, as well as due to violations of ethics of communication by one of the subjects of interaction.According to the results of the initial diagnosis using the Thomas-Kilmann method, it was determined that the type of IP "confrontation" in conflict is inherent in 22.5% of employees, the type of behavior in conflict "cooperation" is characteristic of 17%, "compromise" - 25%.

 The results of the study on the test of volitional self-regulation by A.V. Zverkov and E.V. Eidman in the experimental group showed that a low level of self-control is diagnosed in 27.5%. To reduce the frequency of conflicts in the team, as well as to increase the level of self-regulation of employees and reduce the number of those who choose a confrontational style of behavior in conflict, a psychological conflict management program was developed and tested in an experimental group of respondents.The program was conducted for 5 days and included meaningful blocks with exercises: to understand what a conflict is, to form ideas about ways to resolve it and skills to get out of conflict situations, mediation practices, exercises to increase the level of self-regulation.

 After testing the program in the experimental group, the number of respondents choosing the style of behavior in conflict "confrontation" decreased, the number of respondents using "compromise" increased slightly.

The remaining scales: "evasion", "adaptation", "cooperation" remained unchanged.

According to the "self-control" scale, as a result of comparing the data before and after the study, there are no significant differences in the indicators of the experimental group.

In the control group, according to the results of two methods, there are no significant changes in any of the diagnosed parameters.

Thus, the psychological program developed and tested by us for managing conflicts in the workforce partially influenced the change in the behavior style of employees who chose a confrontational style of behavior in a conflict to a compromise one, and also allowed to increase the level of self-regulation in some employees.