subject: Keeping The Peace In The Office [print this page] Keeping The Peace In The Office Keeping The Peace In The Office
As shocking as it may seem, it is has been reported that competition over resources is one of the top 5 causes of office feuds. Dealing with feuds in the office can be very time consuming yet can spread like wildfire amongst colleagues if not dealt with effectively. Competition over resources can range from the most basic 'you stole my pen' argument to the more destructive 'why does s/he have everything they need to do their job properly whilst I'm struggling.'The best way to deal with such issues is to never allow them to arise in the first place. Here are some tips for keeping resources feuds at bay.Put Someone Neutral in ChargePutting someone in charge of all stationary requests and budgets may seem like a simple solution. The tricky part is finding some neutral; someone who is liked and trusted by all but doesn't have an obvious working connection with any other individual or team in the office. Common suggestions for this are receptionists as they tend to be known and loved by all but are not part of any particular team.Order OnlineOrdering online makes the whole process of getting office supplies so much easier. To start with, anyone in the office can visit the supplier's website in order to find what they need. No more chasing a dog eared catalogue around the office. They can then email their requests to the person in charge, this gives ever lasting written proof of the request which will eliminate any 'I asked for blue not red!' arguments. Finally an online shopping basket can be checked, re checked and checked once more. Trying to do this over the phone - or even worse, in store - can be a challenge.Bulk BuyBuying in bulk just makes sense, office staples such as paper, stamps, and pens should always be maintained at a certain level. This is another benefit of shopping online - you can order as much as you want and really take advantage of any special offers your supplier may have.Be FirmEach department will inevitably have different needs; the marketing department do not need their own kettle any more than the catering department need a top of the range projector. Each department should be fully ware of, and therefore only order what they need in order to do their jobs efficiently.With the resources issue sorted, you just need to tackle the other four main causes of office feuds! Good luck.
