15 percent of all employees have experienced some sort of conflict at work with management staff or with colleagues. Let’s be honest: in a conflict with management staff an employee tends to be on the losing end. So, do we just take our loss…..?
Conflict does not mean you are ill
If you are in an unhealthy work situation, the logical option seems to be to call in sick. The number of people calling in sick due to a labour conflict lies between 70,000 and 100,000 annually. But in the opinion of medical officers, being in a labour conflict does not mean you are ill. Chances are they will suggest mediation. Mediation will be offered by an independent and professional mediator specialised in labour conflicts.
Mediation
The goal of mediation is to achieve an appropriate and workable relationship again. You don’t have to become best buddies with your manager. In the mediation process, you and your manager will come up with ideas and solutions for the conflict under professional guidance. You will be on speaking terms once again. Mediation may prevent the matter going to court. Judges also suggest mediation more and more often. More than 60 percent of all the cases in which a judge suggests mediation are partly or completely solved. You can read more on mediation and mediation and the judiciary. Here you will also find a self-test in order for you to find out if mediation could help you in your situation.
Conflict management tips
“Are you ready to rip somebody’s head off? Just count to ten and nothing will happen”. Besides these words of wisdom you might want to use a step by step schedule and other tips (Ziekmonding.nl scroll down to Arbeidsconflict). This will help you to put your situation in to perspective. One piece of advice is: write down what started the conflict and keep a log. This will help you explain matters to a medical officer, mediator or, if it should come to that, even a lawyer. Information on the medical officer’s labour circumstance consultation hour is also explained.
Labour dispute or a challenge?
‘The word conflict should be brought into connection with being competitive and development opportunities more often. Competition, different perspectives and conflicts of interests actually generate the most development for individuals and organisations’. Words that can obviously only be uttered by a psychologist, but hey, positivity is never a bad thing.
When resignation is the only option left
Conflict may actually mean that you are no longer able to work for your boss any longer. In that case all that will give you any satisfaction is your severance payment. But then again, if you are awarded the standard amount, the average employee won’t get all that much satisfaction. It is usually half of a month’s salary for each year you worked for that employer before your 34th birthday. From the ages 35 to 44 you will receive a month’s salary per year. From the ages 45 to 54 the salary covering a month and a half annually and for each year after your 55th birthday you will receive two month’s salary per year. This is the so called Court District Formula. If you are not careful the tax collector’s office will take quite a large chunk of it so make sure to read up on the financial consequences. You will find more information on the bottom of the Nibud on severance pay page.
In the coalition agreement of the Rutte/Asscher cabinet, it is stated that severance payments will be discontinued in 2014 and will be replaced by a so-called transition budget. This transition budget is meant to be used by dismissed employees in order for them to finance their retraining. These proposals will need some more fine-tuning. For more information please check Rijksoverheid.nl.
Another job?
The grass might actually be greener on the other side. Whatever the outcome, it won’t harm you to see what vacancies are available.