'Conflict is the heart of the employment relationship'. Discuss the validity of this statement.

The word 'conflict' may be used to refer to physical confrontation such as a fight or a battle or a struggle. Or it can be used more broadly to denote a disagreement or opposition of interest or ideas. Conflict is not necessarily negative. Conflict can be constructive or destructive. People tend to look at conflict in the workplace as being negative, however, conflict can be an effective way for everyone to learn and become more …

…and understanding to interact in conflict situations. Management and employees must work together in a cooperative way to reduce the ugliness, and increase the likelihood that conflict can be channelled into an effective force for change. Conflict can be directed and managed so that it causes both people and organizations to grow, innovate and improve. However, this requires that conflict not be repressed, since attempts to repress are more likely to generate very ugly situations.