Negative effects of inter departmental

"No man is an island entire of itself, every?man is a piece of the continent." This quote from a 400 year old poem is often underrated but a look in the dynamics of the organisations of today gives this quote a deeper meaning.Organisations of today are made up of various departments such as finance,HR,SHEQ, procurement etc. Much of the success of an organisation hinges on these various departments working together rather than fighting each other. This article will try to show the negative effects of inter departmental conflicts.

Mental Health Concerns

Members of a group that is experiencing conflict may grow irritated if they believe there is no hope for a resolution or if they believe that other group members don't value their thoughts. Members experience stress as a result, which negatively impacts both their personal and professional lives. Members of the organization may experience headaches, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite or overeating, and become distant. Organisational members may occasionally skip meetings to spare themselves from stress and the symptoms it causes. Jung, (2003) declared that conflict is clearly associated with power and can emerge when goal achievement of an organisation is avoided. It is also believed that people are aware of the factors that generate conflicts such as scarcity, obstruction and incompatible interests or goals. With this in mind it is critical for heads of departments to clearly outline the importance of working together so as to avoid conflicts that will lead to mental drain.

Employee Turnover Impacts

Members of an organization who grow progressively dissatisfied with the level of conflict therein may decide to resign. This is particularly harmful when members are executive board members or committee chairpersons. As soon as people start leaving, the organization has to find new people to join and designate acting board members. Organizations run the possibility of dissolving in extreme circumstances when some members depart or an executive board resigns. Turnover is bad for the image of any organisation as people question the reason for the quick in and out. This also leads to the organisation wasting financial resources which could have been channeled towards the growth of the organisation to recruitment of new employees.

Decrease in Productivity

Members lose focus on the primary objectives they are tasked with attaining when an organization spends a lot of time managing disagreement. Members who are involved in conflict tend to divert their attention from the current endeavor and instead engage in conflict rumors or frustration venting. As a result, businesses may lose customers and access to vital resources.

Conflict Escalation and Violence

Intense circumstances may develop between organization members when dispute intensifies without resolution. However, interpersonal issues within organizations can lead to violence, which could put members and the organization in legal trouble.

It is critical for all members of an organisation to work together so that goals of the organisation can be attained as interdepartmental conflicts will lead to organisations declining.