Personalkonflikter i kirkens arbeidsmiljø som en ledelsesutfordring. Kap. 11

Abstract

The perception that conflicts are unavoidable and natural derives from paradoxical developments in modern work life, with increasing cooperation, democratization, and individual specialization. This chapter asks: How have workplace conflicts been conceptualized and managed within the Church of Norway in the period 1980–2020? We identify three connected concepts key to conflicts: prevention, understanding, and management. These have been adopted from the general literature and applied in the church context. We analyse how conflicts relate to structural and cultural features within the church. From being implicit and largely left to the involved parties, we describe and discuss implications of how conflicts have become a managerial responsibility, in accordance with the Work Environment Law.