Page 11 - Issue 1 2023

DATA AND SOFTWARE

Applying algorithms to

workplace conflict could save

SA companies millions

By Martin Dippenaar, CEO of Global Kinetic

he NBA was recently rocked by footage of Golden State Warrior teammates
involved in a fistfight during practice. It is certainly not the first time athletes
Tat the highest level have been known to have the pressures of working
together getting the better of them. And it is no different in the workforce, where
high-performing individuals are required to collaborate under the pressures of often
unrealistic deadlines. Add in the complexities of working remotely, and COOs and team
leaders have a very expensive problem waiting to happen.

Managing people is not easy, and it is coming under increasing
scrutiny
Global research and consultancy firm, Forrester, has pegged 2023 as the year executives
are “forced to care” about employee experience (EX). The company says that EX has
become fairly mainstream on the leadership agenda, pointing out the US’ Securities and
Exchange Commission has even mandated quarterly and annual reports that include
details of how listed companies plan to handle human capital. Martin Dippenaar
These human capital KPIs will ask companies to report on what they are doing to
address the attraction, development and retention of personnel. It also requires a view
on the stability of the workforce, such as voluntary and involuntary turnover rates. This Early interventions can be
is likely to expand in coming years and Forrester and others see human capital reporting achieved with algorithms
gathering momentum in the same way ESG reporting has. Running a growing software
development company depends on
Conflict has a measurable impact on your business teams working closely together through
The repercussions of how companies treat employees, especially as it pertains to development, testing and refining
hybrid and remote work, has also been thrown into the spotlight with much being processes. These teams often face really
written about the Great Resignation and quiet quitting. As executives we should be tough deadlines and each member of
doing everything we can to ensure we hold onto scarce skills by creating environments the team has a very specific role, but
where workers can deliver their best. A big part of an optimal work environment is one must also be able to jump in to help one
that is low in distractions and drama – a work environment that has as little conflict as another when needed.
possible. Interpersonal relationships are
Quantifying the cost of disputes is not easy, but the UK public body that helps complex at the best of times. For
companies with conciliation and arbitration, Acas, published a report last year in example, in a team of eight, each
which it estimates that workplace conflict costs UK employers £28.5bn every year. This team member has a direct relationship
amounts to an average of just over £1,000 for every employee, every year. with every other member. That’s 56
What makes up that cost to companies goes far beyond the lost productivity and relationships that need to be managed
missed deadlines. When teams experience conflict they lose focus. Individuals find by team leaders and project managers.
it increasingly difficult to work in unsettled environments and companies can spend In our own business we saw that it
hundreds of thousands of rands replacing team members that quit as a result of fraught can be an apparently benign issue that
workplaces. More than just these direct costs, the time and attention required of can suddenly escalate if not detected
management to deal with internal conflict quickly stacks up and can have catastrophic and moderated early. What’s more, the
consequences for companies. contagion effect can last for months

EngineerIT | Issue 1 2023 | 11