Communication as a Method of Conflict Resolution in a Construction Company

The decision to choose this diploma thesis topic was conditioned by personal experience, observations and the conclusion that most construction workers do not know how to communicate well. Construction is a rough, difficult and demanding profession. With the help of the survey results, we can see that people still believe that conflicts are harmful. Conflict can be and ** is harmful only when we neglect it,** 'sweep it under the carpet' or overlook it.

Problem

The decision to choose this diploma thesis topic was conditioned by personal experience, observations and the conclusion that most construction workers do not know how to communicate well. Construction is a rough, difficult and demanding profession. The fact is that the people who choose it are also like that.

'Softies' do not survive the constant 'battle' on the construction site; they would be too quickly overwhelmed by loud, very decisive people. On construction sites, due to the nature of the work, one-way communication, communication without emotions, understanding, approval is often used... Because they are 'tough guys', they too rarely allow themselves tenderness, attention, gentleness.

Due to frequent one-way communication, disagreements, resentments, poor atmosphere and employee well-being in the work environment arise, and eventually a healthy and respectful relationship with superiors begins to crumble. The result of all the above is the failure to meet the company's business and financial goals. If we add recession to this, in the worst case we get company bankruptcy. ** Conflict is not a quarrel that would be unhealthy for the work environment.** On the contrary!

It is very important that we recognise in time that a conflict has arisen, that we understand it and, most importantly, that we know how to approach it in the right way and resolve it. Resolving conflict requires only good communication. Experts claim that conflicts bring people together.

Every company, whether small, medium or large, is made up of people. People who must communicate with each other for the work process and consequently to achieve the goal. Unfortunately, it is necessary to communicate even when we do not want to, when they are in a bad mood, when we are not in the mood, when they are sad...

When we know how to communicate even in such situations, we consequently influence relationships in the company and its success. Let us listen, observe, think and talk; with this we can achieve the goals set together. Time and environment lead us along the flow of a fast, superficial, impersonal and ruthless life.

Everywhere and always we are in a hurry to get somewhere. We do not even realise what is good for us. We would like to have this and that, we would like to have everything.

No! Just a little, let us stop for a moment and think about what we actually need, what is actually good for us. Communication is that through which we express ourselves, through which we convey our thoughts and ideas, and it is that through which we can bring a group of people to common goals.

On the way, we face opposition, different opinions, different characters, so on the way we encounter conflicts. How will they resolve the conflict? Conflict can only be resolved through communication. As part of the diploma thesis, they learned that during communication, the sender and receiver exchange a message via a communication channel using a system of signs that both understand. They learned about different types of communication, and looked in more detail at the most important type of communication for us, business communication.

A new way of communication can help everyone, old businesspeople and young up-and-comers. They also learned that diversity among people always and everywhere leads us to small and large conflicts.

Results

With the help of the survey results, we can see that people still believe that conflicts are harmful. Conflict can be and is harmful only when we neglect it, 'sweep it under the carpet' or overlook it. She also learned that a good leader will not make these mistakes, but will resolve conflicts together with their team in different ways, taking into account different types of conflicts.

The survey and its results also showed us that people need conversation, that they like to talk and that it is necessary to talk. But with conversation via electronic media, telephone or with short impersonal conversations, they will only scrape by and barely keep their head above water. Communication should take place face to face.

Facial and body language should be present. Communication should not be a monologue; it should be an exchange or transmission of messages. Only such communication will motivate people, make them happy, let them know that they are something special and extraordinary, and bring us to a common goal – a successful company of satisfied, diligent, self-initiated and healthy people.

Is there anything more important in a company than good communication? No one will teach us to communicate. We know how to communicate as we ourselves learned from parents, classmates, on the street, etc.

If we accept the fact that good communication is the key to satisfied people and that they are the key to the goal, and achieving goals is their success, then we can make an effort and also learn mutual communication. The rules are therefore very simple and as such are also covered in her diploma thesis. Their implementation is somewhat more difficult and requires a lot of practice and discipline, but above all desire.

If employees are taught good communication, it means that they are satisfied, happy, non-aggressive, healthy, diligent, hardworking, self-initiated, etc. workers; a team of such workers will bring every project to a business and financially successful goal. Business and financially completed projects mean good references for the company, and good references mean that the company is stable, quality, healthy and, most importantly, successful (despite the recession) in the overcrowded construction labour market. [deof_form download_text="sabina_heric.pdf" download_url="http://academia.si/novice/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/sabina_heric.pdf"]