Ask the expert: Staff tensions need deft touch

How do you deal with workplace animosity between those on a collective contract and those on individual contracts? DR MARIE WILSON, head of management and employment relations at the University of Auckland Business School and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business, offers some helpful ideas.

Q: Industrial unrest over collective contracts has hit my office. Those who are on individual contracts are getting the cold shoulder from union members, making it very difficult for me as a manager to keep the team functioning. What can I do?

A: Assuming that they are a team and need to work together, hold frequent meetings reinforcing objectives and deadlines. Research suggests that teams work together effectively, despite personal differences, when there are clear requirements and a clear deadline to be met.

Get agreements on shared responsibilities and working arrangements.

Don't ignore the conflict. Acknowledge it, but reinforce that there are objectives to be met.

You may also remind people that they have worked together in the past and will continue to do so in the future, and that this is a temporary problem that must be worked through.

When things are more resolved you may want to get an outside facilitator to help the team work through any continuing problems or resentment.

Q: A year ago I opted to take part in a job-share scheme after I had my first child. It worked quite well with the first woman.

Now she has left and the new woman is giving me grief. The handover is erratic and she is always leaving problems she has created for me to pick up. All I seem to do now is handle complaints from irate clients.

A: The first step is to work out exactly what the problem is. Carefully define where the problem is coming from. It may not be realistic to expect someone to work in the same way you do, but you should expect a thorough handover and no complaints.

When you are sure that you understand the problems you may want to meet with your new "other half" to identify the results of her current practices and negotiate a new system that will satisfy you both.

Try to give her feedback daily for a while on problems that arose. Don't forget to also let her know when things went well.

If things don't improve, involve your manager and repeat the process of identifying actions and their results and looking at how the problems might be resolved.

At least you will be able to tell them that you have worked on resolving this yourself first, but it seems to require some additional support. If you would like some additional resources on this you might want to read Pipe and Mager's (very short) book on diagnosing performance problems.

Q. My colleagues all do online shopping during work hours. When I asked them if this was okay, they said no one had told them not to, and that most firms didn't mind. I'm not so sure.

A: Do they really think the lack of a specific ban is permission? You don't seem to, or you wouldn't be asking. Work time is paid for by your employer in exchange for performing the duties you were hired to do.

I know of few jobs where there is less work than time to do it, so you would be doing this instead of the work you are being paid to do.

* Send your questions to: julie_middleton@nzherald.co.nz.