IR and HR perspectives on workplace conflict: What can each learn from the other?

This paper presents an analysis of industrial relations (IR) and human resource (HR) perspectives on conflict in the employment relationship. While both perspectives recognize the existence of employment relationship conflict, IR's premises about such conflict are that it stems from an employer–employee power imbalance, is enduring, often requires institutional interventions in the forms of unionism and legislation to correct the power imbalance, and can be constructive even when the conflict is dealt with in adversarial, nonproblem-solving fashion. HR's premises about employment relationship conflict, by contrast, are that such conflict stems from poor management, can be partially reduced by organizational and workplace innovations that build an employer–employee unity of interests, can be still further reduced through cooperative, mutual gains-oriented problem-solving techniques, and, as a consequence of improved management, will fade from the employment scene. These premises are then examined in relation to case and empirical evidence on grievance procedures, employment discrimination, and employee involvement/participation programs. The analysis finds some support for, but also important limitations on, each of these key perspectives. Recommendations are offered to enable members of the IR and HR communities to incorporate into their respective domains key lessons from each other's dominant perspective on employment relationship conflict.