Less Spite, More Light: Understanding Organizational Behavior Through Positive Corporate Conflict Communication Among Young Filipino Professionals

Abstract

Conflict is an inevitable part of everyday life, both personally and professionally. With the continuous rise of young professionals entering the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) workforce, workplaces are becoming more diverse. In this context, proper and courteous communication is crucial in maintaining a positive environment that supports personal and organizational growth. To explore this, this qualitative research, grounded in the Communication Accommodation Theory by Howard Giles, aims to discover how positive corporate conflict communication shapes the organizational behavior of young professionals within the FMCG industry. The tenets of Communication Motivation, Communication Behavior/Style, Communication Outcome, and Convergence were utilized to provide direction to this study. Twelve FMCG young professionals were interviewed to gain insights into the research topic, with their answers analyzed through a descriptive phenomenological data analysis approach by grouping together similar statements and identifying common themes. Findings show that FMCG young professionals view positive conflict communication as professional maturity in navigating workplace conflict, which utilizes communication strategies that showcase constructiveness and respect. These positive conflict communication strategies affect their organizational behaviors by displaying personal and professional growth and by serving as drivers of empowered FMCG workplace culture.