There are some things that doctors can also not be immune to: conflict in the workplace. There is a growing recognition that professional behaviors and manners should not only extend to the patient. Rather, they should encompass doctor to doctor relationships, as well as others that work with them.
Having a safe and less conflict in a workplace promotes better professional life quality overall. This is because conflict creates opportunities to have less understanding amongst peers and undermines communication skills. Toxic workplace environments become stressful, negative, increase anxiety and give rise to professional burnout. This, in turn, affects the level of professional care delivered to patients and increases factors for the delivery of medical care with greater liability when it comes to malpractice suits. Better understandings lead to fewer misunderstandings.
Rather than fearing or avoiding conflict (as is often the case), it can be seen in some cases as a positive opportunity to better understand other points of view, to grow as an individual, and to improve communication and interactions within an organization.
Sources of conflict arise from expectations that were not set clearly, lack of resources, competition for goals, values or resources. For those reasons, identification of sources of conflict early on should be a goal of achieving a workplace culture that fosters respect and effective workplace engagement for all workers collectively.
Tips for managing conflict can include the setting the standards of expectation via an effective employee handbook. It must also be in compliance with state and federal laws and is always best if run past an attorney prior to implementation. Having an attorney to mediate disputes is always handy as well.
Avoiding conflict means issues fester and can place issues on a lower scale of measure. Time gets delayed and suits can follow.
Competing and controlled workplace environments are good when decisions and turnaround need to be fast. This leads to a resentful environment which brings about a lack of creativity in the long run. Only, perhaps, useful if used in an emergency situation.
Reaching a compromise is found in the choosing of a “middle-ground.” It is difficult to do this when the time is important and is a temporary resolution to the conflict. If a mediated agreement can be reached, that is always better.
Some may choose to be accommodating in reaching a resolution to an agreement. This is also temporary relief and can shift the balance in the disparity of power in negotiation. It may not, however, always be effective.
Collaboration requires the work of all parties and the coming up of a most effective method to resolve. Time is always not on this side. Actively listening and making parties heard is very important. Clarification of issues and listing what needs attention is important. Individuals involved in the conflict may see issues differently and may require different outcomes. A focus of needs being met and “win/win” situations are a priority. This is exactly what mediation becomes with the introduction of a neutral facilitator.
Physicians can lead the way as leaders and foster a culture of respect, love, fairness and set clear expectations in the way they handle the environment they work in. Training, employee handbooks, communication, teamwork and the managing and handling of conflict overall benefits all as one. Neutral facilitators help in the setting of expectations and meeting goals in conflict resolution. That’s where having a good attorney on your side always helps.
We have litigated numerous physician partnership and non-compete agreement cases for our physician clients with great success. Super Lawyers named Illinois commercial law trial attorney Peter Lubin a Super Lawyer and Illinois business dispute attorneys Patrick Austermuehle and Andrew Murphy Rising Stars in the Categories of Class Action, Business Litigation, and Consumer Rights Litigation. Lubin Austermuehle’s Illinois business trial lawyers have over thirty years of experience in litigating complex class action, copyright, noncompete agreement, trademark and libel suits, consumer rights and many different types of business and commercial litigation disputes. Our Arlington Hts. and Schaumburg partnership dispute lawyers, civil litigation lawyers and copyright attorneys handle emergency business lawsuits involving copyrights, trademarks, injunctions, and TROS, covenant not to compete, franchise, distributor and dealer wrongful termination and trade secret lawsuits and many different kinds of business disputes involving shareholders, partnerships, closely held businesses and employee breaches of fiduciary duty. We also assist Chicago and Oak Brook area businesses and business owners who are victims of fraud. You can contact us by calling at 630-333-0333. You can also contact us online here.