CHALLENGES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC

Eka Avsajanishvili

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, PhD student, Tbilisi, Georgia

Email: avsajanishvilieka96@gmail.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7110-825X

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The changing environment complicates the functioning of organi­za­tions. Main thing in such conditions is optimal resource management, that increases the importance of human resource sciences, among them is conflict management. The environment has become even more volatile under the Covid Pandemic, which began in 2019 and has completely changed the work environment. Under the new reality, both the organizations that were unprepared and the employees' psyche were affected.

Working from home, social isolation, complicating the separation of free and wor­king time have posed a new challenge to conflict management. However, the econo­mic crisis and the situation in organizations in certain sectors, such as the tourism sector, have increased unemployment. Which of course greatly increased the stress and feelings of instability in people. For example, according to Bloomberg, up to 340 companies in the US in 2020 declared bankruptcy, Pandemic was named as a one of the reason.

Conflict is an intense image or severe differences between two or three parties each depends on the others, on basis of inconsistencies in needs, desires, values, beliefs, and attitudes. Since each person is an individual and, at the same time, a social being, conflict in the organization is inevitable. Consequently, the goal of conflict mana­ge­ment is not to avoid organizational conflict, but to manage it so that it does not become destructive. Properly managed conflict can increase employees performance. Of course, Covid Pandemic has also had an impact on conflict management. Most organizations have moved to remote work, the role of software / online platform in human resource management has been increased.

The article discusses the meaning of conflict management, the path of development of organizational conflict and different views and the importance of its proper mana­gement in the organization. The article also covers the causes of organizational conflict. Of course, this is key point for analyzing the impact of the pandemic. It also reviews what new challenges the pandemic has posed to the business environment and organizations, what impact the current processes have had on employees and people in general. For better understanding of the issue, several studies related to the condition of employees, adapting to the new environment and the challenges faced by the pandemic were discussed. Particular attention is paid to stress, which is one of the causes of conflict and which has been particularly affected by the pandemic, the results of various studies are discussed in this regard.

The problem of including remote employees in the organizational environment were even before the pandemic, however, due to increased stress, the situation has become more complicated in this regard. The article also covers the difficulties that conflict management faced in working remotely during the pandemic, including the work-family conflict. The work-family conflict was quite topical even before the pandemic, but with the majority of employees working remotely for months and not functio­ning, educational institutions, transport, restaurants, etc. increased interest in the issue. To clarify the challenges, several studies conducted in different fields and coun­tries are reviewed.

The example of various studies highlights what new challenges conflict management faces: how did the new reality affect the number of organizational conflicts, their content, what methods are used to resolve them, which factor in the conflict should be given special attention. Of course, the role of managers, the actions taken by them and the decisions made are important in this regard. It also discusses what positive outcomes and opportunities the current situation may have on conflict management. Based on the analysis of research conducted in different fields and countries, the article provides an opportunity to create an overview of the challenges of conflict management during the pandemic