Released on = January 8, 2007, 7:44 pm

Press Release Author = Multicultural Business Council

Industry = Small Business

Press Release Summary = Despite an increasing body of knowledge when it comes to
workplace conflict, one trend has remained steady for the past 10 years. Validating
earlier surveys, a recent study by Accountemps shows no change in the amount of time
that supervisors are spending to resolve employee issues.

Press Release Body = Despite an increasing body of knowledge when it comes to
workplace conflict, one trend has remained steady for the past 10 years. Validating
earlier surveys, a recent study by Accountemps shows no change in the amount of time
that supervisors are spending to resolve employee issues.

For the past decade managers have consistently spent 18% of their time distracted by
personnel issues. This is due to several contributing factors:

1. Managers do not understand how to create a harmonious workplace. Without
understanding teambuilding concepts that allow employees to identify and resolve
their own issues while they are still minor issues, managers are being continually
drawn into staff arguments.

2. Managers do not understand transparent leadership. A lack of advanced
communication skills leads to a comfort zone for management wherein the manager
"hides" thoughts, feelings, and organizational goals. Employs fill in this lack of
communication with their own ideas about the results of their department and the
mood of the supervisor. Ultimately this will lead to gossip and rumor.

3. Managers fail to complement. With such a large portion of their time spent
resolving difficult personnel issues, managers lose their confidence in providing
positive feedback to employees. Studies show that management will often feel that
complements will come back to haunt them later. Consequently managers are reluctant
to give credit for outstanding personal achievement. Employees see this as an
insult to their abilities. Eventually employees will stop contributing above average
or minimal requirements because of this lack of appreciation.

Multicultural Business Council (MBC) has identified several industry best practices
for reducing or eliminating constructive workplace conflict. These best practices
include development of intensive conflict resolution skills for managers, slightly
more generalized conflict resolution skills for front-line employees, and
administering conflict resolution assessments to the entire workforce.

Companies find these steps not only reduce the amount of time management must spend
resolving unnecessary workplace conflict, it also results in higher degrees of
quality and productivity. One company found an immediate 53% reduction in
first-pass line rejects using the best practices identified by MBC. In another
company, employee morale at an automotive assembly plant increased when employees
started using the conflict resolution skills in their home life. Management at this
unionized plant recognized common employees were less tense when they reported to
work due to a reduction in personal problems. This also resulted in reduced time
spent by management addressing conflicts born out of personal stress and anger by
the workers.

About Multicultural Business Council
Multicultural Business Council is a membership organization based near Detroit,
Michigan. Its purpose is to connect cultures through commerce. MBC offers
certification programs, events, cultural trips, and other venues to increase
awareness and appreciation of the multiple cultures flavoring the world. For more
information about the Multicultural Business Council, send an email to
rick@mbcglobal.org or visit www.mbcglobal.org.

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Web Site = http://www.mbcglobal.org

Contact Details = Rick Weaver||1720 Northumberland Drive, Suite 202||Rochester Hills
, 48309||$$country||||248-802-6138||rick@mbcglobal.org||http://www.mbcglobal.org