When people work together, conflict becomes a part of doing business. It is a normal occurrence in any workplace. Notably, managers spend a minimum of 25 percent of their time settling conflict in the workplace, according to the ‘University of Colorado Faculty and Staff Assistance Program’. Workplace conflict often stems from issues between employees within the company. Employee relations is critical to business because it dampers conflicts. With conflicts reduced or eradicated, employees feel like part of a group and are motivated toward better productivity and ingenuity. Employee relations also improve safety. For instance, in a good employer-employee relationship, both parties are less prone to acting with violence, and employers provide workers with the tools they need to avoid injury on the job. According to Nathalie Grace, Demand Media 2008,here are the different instances when employee and management relation are hampered: * Differing Values
The workplace consists of individuals who all have their own perspective of the world. Some employees have strong beliefs, which they are not willing to compromise. These beliefs can conflict with coworkers’, creating conflict. For example, if one individual strongly opposes workplace diversity, he may have trouble accepting other workers different from him. To avoid conflict with these workers, he must try to accept or initiate more tolerance of those with differing values. * Opposing Interests
When an employee decides to pursue her own career goals, without regard for the organizational goals and its