One of the most effective tools in understanding some issues is the sociological analysis of the initial reason for the problem. Especially when dealing with confrontations in the workplace, sociological approaches might be beneficial in finding the solution. Therefore, this paper aims to use sociological perspective, theory, and concept on the micro and macro level to recognize the influence of the social aspects on the conflict in the workplace.
Some organizational factors contributed to the appearance of the problem. From the feminist perspective at the macro level, it can be supposed that the organization had some moments in the culture that were not properly considered (Lindsey, 2020). For instance, they did not hire an equal number of male and female employees; there were twice more men than women. This aspect deprived the company’s regional managers and even the corporate of gaining experience in working with female employees and learning about the specifics of woman’s life. Specific subjects such as pregnancy and maternity leave are still not completely understandable by the male part of the organization. It is often challenging for them to realize all the complexity of these processes. Most likely due to the patriarchal beliefs deeply rooted in the society, which make men suppress their emotions, focus on logic and rationality stimulate the sexist behavior toward women.
Regarding the situation in the workplace, men tend to think more of the result and concentrate on the work to achieve the required productivity level. Therefore, they may lack empathy towards some human factors or parts of the womanhood specifically, and they can interrupt the work process and cause additional inconveniences (Lindsey, 2020). Consequently, a similar is happening in the actions on the micro-level. As an example, the particular incident in the case demonstrates the completely cold and rational move excluding the support of Margaret’s decision and thinking about the overall branch’s well-being and completely ignoring the individual’s needs. Moreover, there is an apparent deficit of communication because the regional manager did not manage to have a conversation about the situation with Margaret herself and made a decision without her awareness. This represents male dominance when a man believes that he perfectly understands what is better and feels no need to consult with the woman about it.
Symbolic interactionism theory also allows to analyze the conflict in the workplace from a different angle and identify additional aspects that could cause it. This theory explains the interaction between people through certain symbols and signs common to a particular culture. The term “Self” is also related to the theory and determines to realize the connection between the actions and consequences (Nickerson, 2021). However, the main disadvantage is that “Self” excludes the empathetic and emotional reaction of the person, which complicates the communication process (Nickerson, 2021). Comparing the corporate culture that theoretically promotes equality and the traditional American view on the male and female roles in society, it is fair to say that they are opposite.
However, there is a factor in the workplace, especially if it is a serious company connected to the business world. When people interact in a certain way at the micro-level, it eventually transfers at the macro-level and forms the whole social tendency. For instance, if David and his male friends in interpersonal interactions do not consider women’s specific biological characteristics, such as menstruation or pregnancy, they will react the same in their jobs and broader social circle.
The concept of conflict highlights the main points of the social structures, construction, and cultural influences. There is a confrontation between the two central spheres of human life: work and family. These institutions are fundamental from the macro-level perspective and influence the population’s tendencies and development (Neelima, 2019). Nowadays, culture prioritizes career success and financial freedom over the early start of building a family. Thus, society is losing its urgency as a social construction compared to the earlier times. The traditional family culture now contradicts professional aspirations and creates a conflict on the micro-level. Margaret, trying to maintain her job while investing time into the family’s building, meets the opposite perception. Due to the cultural influences, David prioritizes his job and believes that others should do well despite personal reasons and possible obstacles. From his position as a regional manager, his scope of observation is relatively narrow, and he fails to understand the other part of social construction, which includes family.
Overall, analyzing the social structure, construction, and cultural influences with the help of sociological methods gives a possibility to create the link between the interconnections of different social aspects. The feminist perspective, symbolic interactionism theory, and concept of the conflict on the macro and micro level allowed to recognize the reasons behind the particular conflict between Margaret and David. Moreover, it demonstrated how the implications of sociological approaches could identify the impact of the cultural and social features on the various institutions such as family and work.
References
Nickerson, C. (2021). Symbolic interactionism theory & examples. Simply Psychology.
Lindsey, L. L. (2020). Gender: Sociological Perspectives. Routledge.
Neelima, M. A. (2019). A Review of Three Major Perspectives in Sociology. Think India Journal. 22(10), 6106-6109.