An Assessment of Conflict Management Resolution Techniques on Employee Relations in Public Organizations

Abstract

The study's objective was to evaluate how conflict management strategies affect employee relations in public organizations, using the Mukono district as a case study. It primarily concentrated on determining the reasons behind employee conflicts in the Mukono district, identifying the strategies for conflict resolution that the district has implemented, and assessing the impact of these strategies on employee relations in the Mukono district. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed to conduct the study, and both quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied. Key informants were chosen through the use of purposive sampling, and a simple random sampling procedure yielded a sample size of 65. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather the data. The study findings revealed that conflicts in Mukono District Local overnment are primarily caused by role ambiguity, resource competition, personality clashes, and political interference in technical decisions. Conflict management techniques like compromise, collaboration, and arbitration were found to be the most effective in improving employee relations, fostering cooperation, morale, and trust, while avoidance and competition had no significant effect. The regression model showed that 32.7% of the variance in employee relations (R² = 0.327) was explained by these conflict resolution methods, with compromise (β = 0.379), arbitration (β = 0.263), and accommodation (β = 0.185) having the strongest positive impacts. Lastly, the study recommended the need for clearer role definitions, equitable resource allocation, and ongoing interpersonal skills training to reduce onflicts in Mukono District Local Government. It was also recommended that political leaders should limit interference in technical decisions, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods should continue to be utilized for quick, effective conflict resolution. Prioritizing collaboration, compromise, and arbitration over avoidance and competition will foster trust, morale, and cooperation, ultimately improving employee relations and organizational performance.