A New Model of Conflict A New Model of Conflict management in the management in the

Public Service: Public Service: Implications for Implications for

Organizational Change Organizational Change and Creativityand Creativity

Alex MacLellanAlex MacLellanDalhousie MPADalhousie MPA

AgendaAgenda

1.1. BackgroundBackground

2.2. IntroductionIntroduction

3.3. International Perspectives on ConflictInternational Perspectives on Conflict

4.4. Central and Line Authority in the new PSLRACentral and Line Authority in the new PSLRA

5.5. Organizational Change – DiversityOrganizational Change – Diversity

6.6. Organizational Change – The Intergenerational Organizational Change – The Intergenerational ShiftShift

7.7. The influence of the new systemThe influence of the new system

BackgroundBackground

The new conflict management system The new conflict management system Based on the CRA’s Alternative Dispute Based on the CRA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution InitiativeResolution Initiative

Conflict management as expressed in the Conflict management as expressed in the PSMA includes discussion/ consultations, PSMA includes discussion/ consultations, conflict coaching, negotiations, facilitation, conflict coaching, negotiations, facilitation, mediation, and conciliation. mediation, and conciliation.

The amendments to the Labor relations The amendments to the Labor relations act establish the labor relations board, and act establish the labor relations board, and require each department to implement an require each department to implement an informal conflict management system informal conflict management system

BackgroundBackground

The new PSLRA strives to promote The new PSLRA strives to promote more amicable solutions to conflict. more amicable solutions to conflict. This is a break from the former This is a break from the former system that has been described as system that has been described as producing somber solutionsproducing somber solutions

This is done through an emphasis on This is done through an emphasis on co-development and relationship co-development and relationship buildingbuilding

IntroductionIntroduction

The Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA) The Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA) has been esteemed as “…the single biggest has been esteemed as “…the single biggest change to public service human resources change to public service human resources management in more than 35 years” management in more than 35 years” (Overview of the Public Service (Overview of the Public Service Modernization Act. 2006)Modernization Act. 2006)

The amendment to the Public Service Labor The amendment to the Public Service Labor Relations Act has established conflict Relations Act has established conflict management capacity within departments management capacity within departments and more comprehensive grievance and more comprehensive grievance provisionsprovisions

International Perspectives on International Perspectives on Conflict ManagementConflict Management

An executive of the Public Service Human An executive of the Public Service Human Resource Management Agency of Canada Resource Management Agency of Canada described the new Public Service Labor described the new Public Service Labor Relations Act as meaning that “managers Relations Act as meaning that “managers [will] use alternative dispute resolution to [will] use alternative dispute resolution to prevent/address workplace conflict”prevent/address workplace conflict”

Harris and Moran discussed that North Harris and Moran discussed that North American culture in general tends to view American culture in general tends to view conflict as something that is an impediment conflict as something that is an impediment

Modernizing Human Resources Management in the Public Service of Canada”, Presentation to the Modernizing Human Resources Management in the Public Service of Canada”, Presentation to the National Managers’ and HR Communities Professional Development Forum, Quebec City, April 27th, National Managers’ and HR Communities Professional Development Forum, Quebec City, April 27th, 2004.2004.

International Perspectives on International Perspectives on ConflictConflict

Harris and Moran go on to suggest that Harris and Moran go on to suggest that Chinese are characterized by viewing Chinese are characterized by viewing conflict as essential to any business conflict as essential to any business transaction and thus have well developed transaction and thus have well developed procedures for utilizing itprocedures for utilizing it

As Bernstene discussed, “Conflict can be As Bernstene discussed, “Conflict can be used to create a necessity for change that used to create a necessity for change that fosters creativity and innovation when fosters creativity and innovation when properly channeled” properly channeled” Thomas Bernstene. “The inexorable link between conflict and change.” Thomas Bernstene. “The inexorable link between conflict and change.” Journal of Journal of Quality and ParticipationQuality and Participation Summer 2004 Summer 2004

Central and Line authority in Central and Line authority in the new PSLRAthe new PSLRA

The amendment to the PSLRA are, as The amendment to the PSLRA are, as termed in the Human Resources Literature termed in the Human Resources Literature a Human Resources Management paradigm, a Human Resources Management paradigm, whereby Human Resources policies are whereby Human Resources policies are integrated with business strategy to achieve integrated with business strategy to achieve a competitive advantagea competitive advantage

The competitive advantage is that line The competitive advantage is that line managers, by virtue of their new authority, managers, by virtue of their new authority, are now able to provide alternatives to the are now able to provide alternatives to the strict regime of years past and provide strict regime of years past and provide more amicable solutions to labor relations more amicable solutions to labor relations issuesissuesGennard and Kelly. “The unimportance of labels: the diffusion of the HRM/Personnel function” Industrial Gennard and Kelly. “The unimportance of labels: the diffusion of the HRM/Personnel function” Industrial Relations Journal vol. 28 iss. 7 (1997): p. 27Relations Journal vol. 28 iss. 7 (1997): p. 27

Central and Line authority in Central and Line authority in the new PSLRAthe new PSLRA

““It is apparent that when commentators refer It is apparent that when commentators refer to personnel specialists as having sole to personnel specialists as having sole responsibility for human resources, they are responsibility for human resources, they are ignoring the fact that line management is, ignoring the fact that line management is, and always has been responsible for the and always has been responsible for the performance of their subordinates”performance of their subordinates”

The PSLRA’s establishment of the labor The PSLRA’s establishment of the labor relations board to act in a consultative role relations board to act in a consultative role fosters an enabler role for the central fosters an enabler role for the central structure.structure.J. Lowe. J. Lowe. Locating the Line: the front end supervisor and HRM” in Blyton P., and Turnbull P. (eds.) Locating the Line: the front end supervisor and HRM” in Blyton P., and Turnbull P. (eds.) Reassessing Human Resources Management. Reassessing Human Resources Management. London: Sage Publications, 1992 London: Sage Publications, 1992 as cited in as cited in Gennard and Gennard and KellyKelly

Central and Line authority in Central and Line authority in the new PSLRAthe new PSLRA

There are certain areas of human There are certain areas of human resources management that are resources management that are better managed outside of the better managed outside of the operational area, as cited by operational area, as cited by Gennard and Kelly, these are the Gennard and Kelly, these are the “hard tasks”. “hard tasks”.

Organizational Change - Organizational Change - DiversityDiversity

An ongoing and heightening An ongoing and heightening emphasis on diversity as a tenant of emphasis on diversity as a tenant of producing a representative public producing a representative public service is a major precursor of service is a major precursor of organizational changeorganizational change

In PSHRMAC’s 2006-2007 Report on In PSHRMAC’s 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities, a representative Plans and Priorities, a representative and inclusive public service was and inclusive public service was listed as a primary prioritylisted as a primary priority

Organizational Change: Organizational Change: DiversityDiversity

One can see from the lack of One can see from the lack of representation of some designated groups representation of some designated groups (women, aboriginal peoples, persons with (women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons in visible minority disabilities, and persons in visible minority groups) that this will be a continuous groups) that this will be a continuous prioritypriority

The representation of these groups has The representation of these groups has increased dramatically since the early increased dramatically since the early 90’s. Certainly, there is an influx of new 90’s. Certainly, there is an influx of new paradigms with respect to this issueparadigms with respect to this issue

Organizational Change – The Organizational Change – The Intergenerational ShiftIntergenerational Shift

The federal public service is facing an The federal public service is facing an imminent state of organizational change imminent state of organizational change that the percentage of employees aged 45-that the percentage of employees aged 45-54 had climbed from 29% in 1994 to 39% in 54 had climbed from 29% in 1994 to 39% in 19991999

The percentage of those under age 35 is The percentage of those under age 35 is forecast to steadily decline into 2008, forecast to steadily decline into 2008, clearly indicating the nature of the public clearly indicating the nature of the public service’s current demographic trend service’s current demographic trend

Demographic Analysis of the Federal Public Service Workforce - Recent evidence of Demographic Analysis of the Federal Public Service Workforce - Recent evidence of Employment Renewal in the Public Service.Employment Renewal in the Public Service. 17 October 2006 <http://www.hrma- 17 October 2006 <http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/hr-rh/psds-dfps/dafps_EmpTrends991118_e.asp#the4>agrh.gc.ca/hr-rh/psds-dfps/dafps_EmpTrends991118_e.asp#the4>

Organizational Change: The Organizational Change: The Intergenerational shiftIntergenerational shift

Advances in global telecommunications will Advances in global telecommunications will prove to be important in developing the prove to be important in developing the public service into a low cultural context public service into a low cultural context organization. Something that surely will be organization. Something that surely will be advanced with the influx of new advanced with the influx of new professionals.professionals.

Individuals will spend more time out of their Individuals will spend more time out of their day communicating across organizational day communicating across organizational boundaries, and will increasingly grow boundaries, and will increasingly grow accustomed to a range of values. accustomed to a range of values.

Organizational Change: The Organizational Change: The Intergenerational shiftIntergenerational shift

As discussed in “A Learning As discussed in “A Learning Organization: From Coast to Coast to Organization: From Coast to Coast to Coast”, the development of the Coast”, the development of the learning organization concept has learning organization concept has historically coincided with historically coincided with development of telecommunicationsdevelopment of telecommunications

Receptiveness to ConflictReceptiveness to Conflict

For a group, a high context culture is For a group, a high context culture is one where the person is perceived as one where the person is perceived as being part of their message, while being part of their message, while the opposite holds in a low context the opposite holds in a low context cultureculture

Interpersonal relations are less Interpersonal relations are less impacted by conflict when both impacted by conflict when both parties are able to separate the parties are able to separate the conflict from the personconflict from the person

The influence of the new The influence of the new systemsystem

The Public Service Modernization The Public Service Modernization Act’s focus on co-development in Act’s focus on co-development in conflict management is an important conflict management is an important step toward facilitating step toward facilitating organizational change and creativity organizational change and creativity as a part of the learning organization as a part of the learning organization that is of interest to the public that is of interest to the public serviceservice

ConclusionConclusion

Intergenerational change and Intergenerational change and ongoing diversity initiatives will ongoing diversity initiatives will create new opportunities for conflict create new opportunities for conflict to be used in a positive mannerto be used in a positive manner

The new system of conflict The new system of conflict management appears well on its way management appears well on its way to treating these opportunities in a to treating these opportunities in a positive manner – in the way that positive manner – in the way that Bernstene discussed.Bernstene discussed.

The influence of the new The influence of the new systemsystem

The role of the central structure will The role of the central structure will instill some standardization to how instill some standardization to how conflict management is handled conflict management is handled across the public service while still across the public service while still allowing departments to have their allowing departments to have their own proceduresown procedures

Questions? Comments?Questions? Comments?