Problem of Settling the Dispute Between Two of Staff

The principal of Valenzuela City Science High School is faced with the problem of settling the dispute between two of his staff. His undertaking requires the accumulation of the accurate and unbiased information that will enable him to decide fairly. To begin with, it is necessary that the causes of conflict be traced to understand the impending hostilities among the two. There are various factors that underlie the emerging conflict between the two laboratory staff. The causes can be rooted from the personal perceptions they have towards each other, professional jealousy and rivalry. All of which led to the inefficient working condition that is not mutually beneficial to both of them. Given this, the principal is compelled to make decision whether or not the arrangement will be renewed or revised. Ultimately, the settlement of the dispute is dependent on the principal's ability to persuade his staff to come up with an arrangement that will benefit them both and the school as well.

A conflict between the two laboratory staffs came about after they were designated to work together in one of the laboratories. Martin who is the officer in charge for the laboratories needed a replacement for his assistant who resigned. Cheryl on the other hand, is a sole laboratory assistant in the physics laboratory. The principal of the school decided to assign Cheryl to work under Martin as a part time assistant on the Biology laboratory while concurrently managing the Physics laboratory. The set up was a 6 month trial which is subject for confirmation or renewal based on the affectivity of the arrangement. Cheryl was reluctant to accept the arrangement but since she was not willing to risk losing her job, she accepted it anyway.

However, the arrangement seemed ineffective on the part of Cheryl. She had a hard time balancing her time for the biology and the physics laboratory. Consequently, the work she had to do in the Physics laboratory which she has sole responsibility of was compromised. She knew for a fact that her performance on the laboratory was an indicator of her annual appraisal and thus her inability to attend to it based on her own standards may reflect inefficiency on her part.

Martin who was in charge of the Biology laboratory was very set in his standards. Because he is the supervisor of Cheryl, the latter is compelled to work based on the standards made by Martin. It was increasingly difficult though for her to manage the 15 hour allotted for the laboratory because of the demanding attitude of Martin. She felt that he was being difficult to her in purpose and that he wanted her out of the school. The hostility of Martin was rooted 7 years ago when the latter took a maternity leave. Martin was particularly irritated by that and expressed disapproval of married women trying to combine their housewives roles with their careers.