Large companies have a more or less extensive human resources department, depending on their size and reach, with all the elements of HR management in place. In small and medium-sized businesses this function matters even more and takes on a special character, because of the number of people it deals with.
Let’s start from the big difference between managing more than 50 people and managing a small group of employees, where problems are magnified and can turn into personal conflicts within the group.
Circumstances that lead to conflict
Every person sees and judges a situation differently. When things go badly, the impact on the company can put employees on the defensive or spark internal conflicts between different work groups. Information should be clear and concise to avoid misunderstandings.
We all have different values and priorities, and different ways of facing situations. Values don’t change over time, and we should avoid problems arising from disputes over basic, individual values, or over momentary, one-off issues.
Roles within the company create pressure on others to join them, as people seek the loyalty of more colleagues and work groups.
Costs are leaving companies seriously short of resources. A lack of equipment, staff and means is one of the main causes that spark and fuel uncomfortable situations at work.
Solutions, tips and recommendations
Basically, there are three main pieces of advice, or ways to avoid these trouble spots in the day-to-day work of a small or medium-sized business:
The owner must recognize and clearly define the problem causing dissatisfaction, so it can be analyzed, suitable solutions can be found, and proper follow-up can confirm that the problem has been fixed.
Establishing responsibilities is the first step toward finding the actions that will correct the problem. Encourage communication within the company, hold occasional briefing sessions and keep staff informed about how the business is doing. This kind of communication helps integrate the whole workforce into the company and makes people feel valued and important within the organization.
Let’s start from the premise that everything has a solution and can be improved. Any problem can therefore be put right and can lead to improvements within the company. Everything has its positive side.
Featured image: JmanningCSB, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
