Spending day after day with other people at work, it is inevitable that differences of opinion will arise. Sometimes more substantial levels of conflict can develop. Workplace conflict can occur between employees, within teams, between supervisors and their staff members, between partners of the business, and so on. Different personalities, stress levels, unclear instructions, workflow problems, you name it, there are always going to be issues.

Why Have a conflict resolution strategy?

The fact that conflict exists is not the issue for employers. Conflict can in fact bring positives to business – it can fuel competition and productivity. But it can likewise bring work to a standstill.

While issues can be complicated and seem difficult to resolve, it is possible to solve them. Having an effective strategy is crucial.

As an employer, it is essential to have a plan to diffuse situations, including the emotional impacts on those involved. Failing to resolve conflict quickly can lead to many challenges, including workers compensation or bullying claims, leadership problems, breakdown in workplace relationships and within teams, unproductive staff, mistrust and so on. 

These negative impacts can be minimized or prevented when managers act quickly to resolve issues.

 

What are some good strategies?

With some tools at your disposal, your business can run more smoothly and everyone can get back to focusing on their role.

Define –

You can reduce and possibly eliminate potential conflict by setting standards of behaviour. This can be done using specific job descriptions, having codes of conduct and business practices, hierarchy flowcharts, team building guidelines and so on.

 

Don’t avoid conflict –

There are many ways to respond to workplace conflict. You can give the individuals involved time and space to work it out. This is not always a bad approach if they have collaboration skills. However, avoiding dealing with conflict because it is tricky and uncomfortable, or might involve reprimand, is not a good idea. As time passes, tensions can grow, exacerbating the original cause, and possibly leading to an explosive confrontation or other negative impacts on the business. It is best to deal with issues, even uncomfortable ones, as soon as possible so the bad feelings do not become entrenched. Unresolved conflict is a major cause of informal complaints or more formal claims being lodged.

 

Neutral meeting –

Attempt to address the issue with the employees concerned straight away. Set a set time and place where there is some level of privacy, away from the usual workspace of those involved, and limit the possibility of interruptions. Holding the meeting in a neutral location can help create a more comfortable atmosphere, diffuse power dynamics and calm emotions so that a constructive conversation can take place. Allow each person involved in the conflict adequate time to express their views about the disagreement and how they feel about the impacts. Try to ensure one does not monopolise the conversation or control its direction. It is not about blame, just why the problem has arisen.

 

Listen –

This is one of the most difficult soft skills. Give your complete attention to the person speaking, and don’t interrupt. Listening is all about obtaining a better understanding, not reacting. Everyone has different perceptions, so it’s vital to gather as much information as possible. Rephrase and repeat what is said to confirm understanding. Be curious and ask any necessary questions to clarify uncertainty. It can sometimes be helpful to start with positives, and not jump to any conclusions too soon – even when it seems obvious, everyone needs an opportunity to share their perspective so a real sense of the history can be weighed, without assumption. 

 

Common ground –

While discussing a disagreement, there will be points of agreement that emerge during the discussion. These can be used as a positive focusing tool, so the conversation can move away from being all about the negatives. For example, highlighting commonalities or instances where one employee can see the other’s point of view. Sometimes, it is not until people are in a room together that they feel heard and understood. When common ground is found, trust can begin to be rebuilt.

 

Guide –

If you are in a position of authority, try to avoid taking sides. Likewise, be aware of intimidation – coercive action is not a long-term solution. Your role is to assist your employees to find a solution. And the goal is to attack the problem, not just right the wrong.  Working through the conflict to find a resolution so the issue does not pop up again takes time, but it is worth the effort. It is perfectly acceptable to guide the conversation and allow some venting of emotion. Similarly, making suggestions to keep the participants focused on the problem and on the same page is ok, for a continued positive atmosphere, but try not to solve the problem – allow them to work together to resolve it. 

 

Move forward –

While conflict needs to be discussed, and hurt feelings acknowledged, a clear solution is also needed. Apologies can be powerful, but they need to be genuine. Forgiving is equally important. Doing it for the sake of appearances is unlikely to work in the long term and might even undo all the progress made. As a leader in your business, it is important to also not delay any necessary decision making. So once a decision is made, act so no one involved in the conflict is left uncertain. Keeping those involved informed about the steps you are taking is also recommended.

 

When should you contact a mediator to assist?

Once you have had the discussion with those involved, you will have a better idea about whether the conflict can be resolved internally or you might need help from a conflict resolution specialist. Simple day to day disputes can usually be successfully resolved by managers and HR. However, more complex and long-standing issues, or conflicts involving a number of staff members, are best dealt with by an experienced professional. Workplace conflicts often involve sensitivities that require skill to avoid inflaming the situation, in order to bring the parties to resolution. Using an expert also relieves you of the stress involved.

Contact us for a confidential discussion about conflict in your workplace.