1. Workplace Conflict Scenarios
Review Stations

2. Scenario 1
You and your best friend both got jobs at the same clothing store. Of course you are a fabulous worker with good work ethic always being polite to the managers and the customers. Your friend -- not so much! She has a tendency to slack off leaving you to do her work as well as yours.
How do you address the issues? Do you talk with the manager, the friend, or ignore it? How might the manager feel having to discuss your friend’s non-performance?

3. Scenario 2
You are the manager of a fast food restaurant. You’ve noticed that every time an employee works his friends also come in for a meal. After watching the employee you find that they are subtly giving their friend extra unpaid food items (drinks, desserts, fries, etc.). While this is in clear violation of the company policy you opt to give the employee a verbal warning instead of immediate termination.
How might the employee react? What potential defense could the employee give? Why might this discussion ame you as a manager uncomfortable?

4. Scenario 3
You are a teen worker in a retail store. You’ve worked for the same store for the last three months and think you’ve been a good employee. Although you know the dress code requires you to wear black shoes only you were running late and didn’t have time to go home after school to get different shoes, (you had your other clothes with you in the car). Your options are to either be very late - 30 minutes but appropriately dressed, or on time but inappropriately dressed.
What would you do? How might a manager react to either decision? If you were a co worker how would you feel with the way the employee was treated?

5. Scenario 4
The daycare you work for part-time has a strict no babysitting customers policy. One family in particular, whose kids you adore, has asked you to go on a fall break trip with them to help with their children, (you would be off work any ways). If you go you have the chance to enjoy a vacation to Florida and make $600 for the week.
How would you make your decision? As the manager of the daycare how might you react if you find out the employee has opted to babysit for the family?

6. Scenario 5
Working for Mr. T is something else. A couple of weeks ago, you wore a sleeveless t-shirt to work because you knew that you’d be landscaping the area in front of the office. As Mrs. T explained which flowers she wanted you to plant beside the sidewalk, she kept putting her hand on your arm. When you picked up the tray of flowers, she reached out and grabbed your left bicep and said something like “My how strong you are”. You felt uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything
Was Mrs. T guilty of sexual harassment? How would you recommend someone faced with a problem like this deal with it?

7. Scenario 6
You work in a small retail store. One of your co-workers seems to be joined at the hip with her family. Her family comes to visit her at work a lot. When the manager is not around it seems like they stay and visit forever. Consequently , you feel like you are doing most of the work while she is socializing. You like the girl and don’t want her to get in trouble, but it’s definitely unfair that you are doing the majority of the work.
How do you confront the person? Should you talk with your manager about this?

8. Scenario 7
During his first week on the job, John was eager to learn everything and to know everyone in his department. He have his opinion freely in discussions. He worked overtime and did excellent work. Everyone seemed to like him. One man who had been with the company for a long time said, “you can’t help but like John, but you can tell that he’d leave this department in a second if it meant getting closer to the top.” Erica started work on the same day as John. Unlike John, however, Erica kept more to herself. She concentrated on her job and stay in her area. She made an effort to learn from others and listened to others in order to understand situations before jumping with suggestions. One of her co-workers said, “Erica is a really nice gal. I think she’s going to make a strong employee. I like her”.
What do you think the future will be like for John? For Erica?

9. Scenario 8
Just before Doug went home from his job as a cook on Friday night, the restaurant manager informed him that she would be taking the next two weeks off and that she was appointing Doug to take her place starting Monday. Although Doug has more seniority than the other employees and is an excellent cook, he doesn’t feel confident in being able to handle a manager’s job. Doug doesn’t feel comfortable dealing with the customers, using the cash register, or handling conflicts that may arise between employees. He feels that he will fail at being able to fill her shoes.
What should Doug do? Why?

10. Scenario 9
Rosa feels really good at her new job. Her supervisor seems happy with her performance. She’s learned everything she needed to learn and is all around proving herself to be a good employee. Most people at the factory are close to one another and seem like a family. Rosa hasn’t spent any time getting to know any of them since she has been spending her time learning her new job. Now, she can perform her job as well as or better than any of the other workers. Lately Rosa’s been thinking about the possibility of becoming a supervisor at the factory. She figures that since the job comes so easy to her that she needs a new challenge. She plans on making an appointment with her supervisor next week to discuss what steps she would need to take in order to move up to a supervisory position.
Do you think it would be a good idea for Rosa to move ahead on her desire to become a supervisor? Have you ever been in a similar situation?