Interactions & Friction in the Workplace

The composition of the workforce in the United States has changed radically over the past three decades. There is a higher percentage of women and minorities participating in the workplace and there are changes in the relationships between people as well. At the same time, there are tensions in the workplace that are continually needing resolution. Discrimination, sexual harassment, and violence are some of the major problems that continue to affect workers. The intention in this paper is to look at some of the interactions between workers, including both productive and non-productive ones.

There are three major categories of approach to understanding in social psychology. These include the influence of social factors on the individual, social interaction between and among people, and group processes. All of these affect the way that people get along, or do not get along, in the workplace.

There are several major sources of friction in organizations. Some of these include friction between departments or professions in organizations, friction between men and women, and friction between minority and majority racial and ethnic groups. There can also be friction based on preferential treatment of some individuals, as with nepotism.

A recent study performed by the Families and Work Institute (1993) indicated that one of the major sources of conflict, or stress, in the workforce was diversity.

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Category: Business - I