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LINE AND STAFF CONFLICTIN ORGANISATION

INTRODUCTION

• Line and staff relationship is based on the assumption that both support each other harmoniously to achieve organisational objectives. However, there are frequent instance of conflict between line and staff in the organisation. This generates lots of friction loss of time and consequently organisational effectiveness. Therefore, there is a need for analysing the sources of line and staff conflict and then to take actions to overcome the problem of conflict.

LINE AND STAFF ORGANISATION

• Line and staff organisation is modification of line organisation and it is more complex than line organisation. According to administrative organisation specialised and supportive activities are attached to the line of command by appointing staff supervisors and staff specialists who are attached to the line authority. The power of command always remains with the line executives and staff supervisor guide advised and council the line executive. Personal secretary to the managing director is a staff official.

REASON/CAUSES FOR CONFLICT

Arguments of Line Executives against Staff

Dilution of authority.

Stealing show.

Lacks of practical knowledge.

Lacks human skills.

Domination of manager.

Easy access to top management.

Stress on paper work.

Arguments of Staff Executive against Line

Resistance to new plans and ideas.Inadequate support from line executive.Inadequate scope for use of authority.Lack of support from to management.Limited co-operation from line executive.Supply of inadequate information.Absence of authority.

LINE-STAFF CONFLICT

There is frequent conflict and friction between the line executives and staff personnel. The causes of such conflict may be divided into three categories:

Line manager make the following complaint against staff personnel:

• Staff oversteps its authority. Staff officer encroach upon line authority they interfere in the work of line managers and attempt to tell them how to do their work.

• Staff does not give sound advice. Staff personnel fail give fully considered, well-balanced and sound advice. They are academicians and give new ideas that have little practical application.

• Staff steals credit. Staff personnel are not directly accountable for results and are generally over jealous. They tend to assume credit for success but lay the blame for failure on line managers.

• Staff experts fail to see the whole picture objectively. They tend to emphasise their speciality rather than the interest of the total organisation.

• Staff experts fail to see the whole picture objectively. They tend to emphasise their speciality rather than the interest of the total organisation.

 •  Staff has a complex. Staff officer tend to impose their

superiority on line managers. Staff personnel are generally more educate and specialists in their areas. Therefore, they consider themselves superior to line executive.

Staff personnel usually make the following complaints against line manager:• Line manager often resist new ideas; and are not

prepared to listen to the arguments of staff experts. • Line executive do not provide sufficient authority. Staff

specialists lack authority to get their useful ideas implemented. As a result they get frustrated.

  • Line manager do not make a proper use of the service

of staff specialist. Line manager consult them only as last resort. They consider that asking for advice is admitting defeat. Therefore, staff cannot anticipate problems and recommend precautionary measures.

The following weaknesses in the organisation structure also lead to line-staff conflict: • Lack of well-defined authority. Very often authority

relationships between line and staff are clear defined. This result in overlapping and gaps in authority leading conflict.

 • Temperamental difference. There are fundamental

differences in the orientation, viewpoints and perceptions of line and staff. Generally, staff people are relatively young, better educated and more sophisticated in their outlook. On the other hand, line personnel tend to be old, less educated and more conservative. Staff feels their advice will produce miracles while line feels it impracticable. Staff seeks change and experimentation whereas line often desire quo and caution.

VIEW POINT OF LINE MANAGERS

Line managers, who are responsible for the final results leading to the achievement of organisational objectives, feel that staff people work against them in the following ways:

Lack of Responsibility.

Encroachment of Line Authority.

Dilution of Authority.

Theoretical bias.

VIEWPOINT OF STAFF MANAGER

Like line manager, staff people have their own arguments and try to find faults with line managers which result in line staff conflict. Their arguments and problems run on the following lines.

Lack of Proper Use of Staff.

Resistance of New Ideas.

Lack of Proper Authority.

ACHIEVING CO-OPERATION BETWEEN LINE AND STAFF

A certain amount of conflict inevitable and even desirable. But extreme and prolonged line-staff conflict can be very dangerous to the organisation .

The following steps may be taken to improve line and staff relationships;• Clarify relationships. The limits of line authority and staff authority should

be defined clearly and precisely.

• Educate line. Line should give due consideration to the staff advice and should follow the recommendations if they are in the best interests of the organisation.

• Compulsory staff advice. Line executives should consult and seek staff advice as a matter of habit.

• Inform staff. Line manager should not take action directly affecting staff without informing the staff.

• Sell advice. Staff should appreciate and understand the problems of line.

• Encourage line. staff should encourage and educate line managers by letting them know what they can do for line.

• Overcome resistance. Staff should recognise and overcome resistance to change on the part of line.

• Completed staff work. Staff experts should fully consider their suggestions before putting them before line executives.

Conclusion: If employees cannot resolve conflict themselves, the employee assistance programme can intervene. Depending on scope of programme, they can provide mediation for employees or other effective strategies to resolve work-related conflict.     

REFERENCE;Management theory and practise: C.B. GuptaPrinciples and practise of management: L. M. Prasad SUB BY IMRAN HAKEEM