Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the literature and studies which are found to have a direct

bearing to the present study.

Interpersonal Relationship

According to Cleverism (2021a), Interpersonal relationship skills refer to the

ability to build rapport with individuals having similar interests and goals as they do. In a

workplace, interpersonal relationship skills allow us to share a special bond with our co-

workers such that trust and positive feelings for one another are maintained.

Additionally, Interpersonal relationship skills at workplace allow a better

understanding among employees as well as more effective communication. For

individuals spending, on average, seven to eight hours of their day at work, it is irrational

to believe they can work all by themselves. So we all ought to have healthy interpersonal

relationships at work in order to be able to have a friendly ambience. (Cleverism, 2021b)

Furthermore, Interpersonal relationships in an organization are very critical for

the job as well as career success of individual employees. Following are some of the tips

that can help you improve you interpersonal relationship skills and achieve the ultimate

success you desire: Interact with your colleagues or subordinates more often. Greet your

colleagues every day you see them even if they are from a different team. Also, provide

an open platform for everyone to discuss any issue at hand and encourage honest

feedback. Hiding things from a co-worker or ignoring him may spoil your relationship
with him. Arrange picnics as well as off-site meetings for team members. Meeting outside

the office, in an effort to change the ambience, gives team members a special opportunity

to open up to each other and build strong bonds of friendship over time. (Cleverism,

2021c)

Interpersonal Relation Skills

According to Tarver (2021), Interpersonal skills are the behaviors and tactics a

person uses to interact with others effectively. In the business world, the term refers to an

employee's ability to work well with others. Interpersonal skills range from

communication and listening to attitude and deportment. Everyone has a personal style

and an interpersonal style, but some are more successful than others. While interpersonal

skills may be based in part on personality and instinct, they can also be developed.

Although interpersonal skills can be developed, they cannot be learned solely from a

textbook. They come naturally to some people, while others have to work at cultivating

them and this is often done through continuous interaction with other individuals.

In many organizations, Employees with strong interpersonal skills are valued for

their pleasant demeanor and positive, solution-oriented attitude. These employees are

seen as team players, who work well with others to achieve a goal. In more human terms,

everyone likes being around them, and that never hurts. (Tarver, 2021a)

Interpersonal skills are strongly linked to knowledge of social expectations and

customs, whether learned or acquired. People with the strongest interpersonal skills

adjust their tactics and communications on the fly depending on the reactions of others.

(Tarver, 2021b)
 In addition, having poor interpersonal skills can be a detriment. Even if an

employee is able to do their work correctly and well, having poor interpersonal skills can

be a factor in the limitations of their growth at a firm as well as holding on to a position.

People want to work with individuals that they like and whose personality improves their

workday. Having strong interpersonal skills only helps. (Tarver, 2021c)

2.1 Assertion of Needs

 According to Schmitz (2016), all great leaders are assertive. They realize they

have a lot to offer and that they have a duty to lead. They are masters of interpersonal

assertion, or the ability to insist on one’s own rights without taking away the rights of

others. Great leaders use interpersonal assertion to stand up for what they think is right

and explain their wants, needs, and feelings to other people.

Now that you know what it means to be assertive, it can probably think of at least

one person who uses an assertive communication style. They say the right thing at the

right time, they navigate stressful situations with ease and, most importantly, they don’t

allow others to take advantage of them. While this person you are thinking of might make

it look easy, the truth is that everyone has to work to become assertive. (Schmitz, 2016a)

As per Schmitz (2016b) point out that assertion is especially important in stressful

situations. That’s because pressure or stress usually brings out the worst in people.

Practicing the skills of assertion will enable you to use them in stressful situations.

Luckily, interpersonal assertion is a learned skill. If you don’t consider yourself to be an

assertive person, it’s not too late to change.

2.2 Bidirectional Communication

 According to Bohne (2020) one of the most commonly overlooked components of

an internal communication program is that communication should go both directions. If

all the company does is have its leaders speak at employees, it’s incredibly hard to

generate engagement. Instead, ask for employees to share their wins and experiences with

each other to create a more engaging and trusting environment.

More often Solomon (2020) stated that employees are hungry for opportunities to

engage, ask questions and offer feedback on how we could improve. That said, they're

equally hungry, if not hungrier, to have their voices heard and their feedback actioned.

When rolling out engagement and communication plans, put equal focus on your plan to

explore and follow through on feedback.

Having regular staff meetings, one-on-one catch-ups and team workshops on a

regular cadence. The frequency of regular communication is important is the quality of

the information exchanged when you have time together. Believe in having real talk with

the team members, honest feedback and coaching in the moment. (Tesa Aragones, 2020)

As per HR Central (2018) Feedback that is constructive is vital to employees’

ongoing development. Feedback clarifies expectations, helps people learn from their

mistakes and builds confidence. Positive feedback is easy it’s not hard to find the right

words to tell someone they’ve done a good job, or congratulate them on meeting a sales

target. When things are going well it can be easy to become complacent about giving

praise but stopping and smelling the roses is important to build employee confidence and

encourage a culture in which employees nurture and support one another.

 However, giving negative feedback is not so easy. Its human nature to put off

difficult conversations or to try and soften the blow however the problem with doing this

is that the issue is not addressed, the problem compounds and eventually you find

yourself dealing with a much bigger problem. Constructive feedback is one of the best

things managers can provide to their employees. When delivered properly it can,

reinforce positive behavior, correct any negative performance and ensure a strong culture

remains in your team. Some managers, however, are reluctant to provide constructive

feedback, thinking that it may turn negative or be perceived as a harsh criticism by the

employee.

2.3 Interpersonal Conflict

According to Raypole (2020), Interpersonal conflict refers to any type of conflict

involving two or more people. It’s different from an intrapersonal conflict, which refers

to an internal conflict with you. Also, he explains that mild or severe, interpersonal

conflict is a natural outcome of human interaction. People have very different

personalities, values, expectations, and attitudes toward problem-solving. When you

work or interact with someone who doesn’t share your opinions or goals, conflict can

result. Conflict isn’t always serious, though. Nor is it always negative. Learning how to

recognize and work through interpersonal conflict in productive, healthy ways is an

important skill that can help you have better relationships in your day-to-day life.

Furthermore, Indeed Editorial Team (2021) states that interpersonal conflict is

any type of conflict that involves two or more people. In the workplace, interpersonal

conflict in the workplace is defined as a person or group of people who interfere with
another person’s attempts at achieving goals or completing assignments. Resolving this

form of conflict in the workplace can help repair working relationships, boost morale and

increase customer satisfaction.

Besides, interpersonal conflict in the workplace is a serious matter that every

employer and employee will eventually encounter. In an effort to mitigate the presence of

interpersonal conflict in the workplace, it is important to understand the different types

that can be found in the workplace and how to effectively address them. Analyzing

examples of interpersonal conflict can be a powerful method by which an employer or

employee may offset the challenges that present themselves and contribute to these sorts

of job-related problems. One of the examples of interpersonal conflict; if an employee

receives a raise while another doesn’t latter could feel animosity toward the other

employee as well as their supervisor if they feel they work harder at their job than the one

who received the raise. In this ego-related interpersonal conflict, the employee’s pride has

been affected and they could feel that their boss favors the other employee. It is possible

the employee’s jealousy or feelings of animosity have been building through the years

and that their sentiments could lead to spiteful action on their behalf. Under these

circumstances, it’s best to address the underlying issue in order to resolve any hurt

feelings and further conflict. (Indeed Editorial Team, 2021)

Moreover, Work-related interpersonal conflicts can be as complicated. Because

there are so many personality characteristics, leadership styles, job responsibilities and

ways in which people interact with one another, interpersonal conflicts will always be

something we must continue to learn to resolve in the workplace. Working on

your interpersonal skills will help prevent this sort of workplace conflict in the future.

(Indeed Editorial Team, 2021)

2.4 Disclosure and Interpersonal Closeness

According to Hargie (2011), there are four main categories for disclosure includes

observations, thoughts, feelings, and needs .Observations include what we have done and

experienced. For example, He could tell you that he live in a farmhouse in Illinois. If he

told you his relocation from the city to the country was a good decision, it would be

sharing his thoughts, because it included a judgment about his experiences. Sharing

feelings includes expressing an emotion.

In addition, the process of self-disclosure is circular. An individual self-discloses,

the recipient of the disclosure reacts, and the original discloser processes the reaction.

How the receiver interprets and responds to the disclosure are key elements of the

process. Part of the response results from the receiver’s attribution of the cause of the

disclosure, which may include dispositional, situational, and interpersonal attributions.

Let’s say your coworker discloses that she thinks the new boss got his promotion because

of favoritism instead of merit. You may make a dispositional attribution that connects the

cause of her disclosure to her personality by thinking, for example, that she is outgoing,

inappropriate for the workplace, or fishing for information. If the personality trait to

which you attribute the disclosure is positive, then your reaction to the disclosure is more

likely to be positive. , (Bazarova, 2011)

Moreover, Interpersonal reasons for disclosure involve desires to maintain a

trusting and intimate relationship. Interpersonal reasons for not disclosing include fear of
losing the relationship or deeming the information irrelevant to the particular relationship.

Your decision to disclose an affair in order to be open with your partner and hopefully

work through the aftermath together or withhold that information out of fear he or she

will leave you is based on interpersonal reasons. When the cycle of disclosure ends up

going well for the discloser, there is likely to be a greater sense of relational intimacy and

self-worth, and there are also positive psychological effects such as reduced stress and

increased feelings of social support. (Jiang, 2011)

2.5 Emotional Experience and Expression

According to Stange (2021a), emotions can take a toll on our day. Some may

disengage from their work and some may miss work altogether. Our research shows some

clear connections between emotional culture and levels of engagement. Engagement

impacts a wide variety of important business outcomes making a solid case for

addressing emotions at work. Burying emotions hurts engagement, but so does being in a

toxic environment. When the people around you are frequently and openly expressing

negative emotions, it can have a damaging effect on employee engagement.

In theory, highly engaged employees are more open-minded when it comes to

potential outcomes of negative emotions. Yet, they are more close-minded when it comes

to potential outcomes of positive emotions. On one hand, engagement is a negativity

filter. At the same time, it promotes positivity bias. Bottom line highly engaged

employees are more positive than less engaged employees. (Stange, 2016b)

But it’s also possible that disengaged employees have a harder time coping with

emotions in healthy ways. Consider evolving your approach to disengaged employees by

viewing them through the lens of reconnection. Help them strengthen their coping

mechanisms to handle stress at work. When left unchecked, employee emotions can have

a serious impact on the workplace. Make sure you understand each of these unique

emotions and strive to find the right balance of supporting and preventing them at work.

Building a culture of trust and practicing emotional intelligence skills can allow

employees to acknowledge, feel, and express more positive emotions in the workplace.

(Stange, 2016c)