4 Tips to Resolve Conflict in the Workplace

Whenever a group of people gathers to work towards a common goal, conflict is inevitable. Each employee is unique, and it’s this uniqueness that gives voice to differing opinions and ideas.

Unfortunately, there’s no one or consistently “right” way to handle conflict. Each situation is different and requires the appropriate response to prevent the issue from spiraling out of control. However, there are 4 strategies that apply to all conflicts.

It is the professional, as well as the moral responsibility of the manager to acknowledge and address the situation when tensions arise within the team.

In this blog, we’ll go over 4 bias-free conflict resolution strategies that should help you diffuse tensions in the workplace.

Stop Ignoring Conflict!

The first step is to simply acknowledge that there is an issue when you see that a conflict has developed. Not only does each situation require a ‘customized’ solution, but each manager or supervisor also has a different way of dealing with conflict in the workplace. Unfortunately, the most common approach involves simply ignoring the issue altogether and letting those involved deal with the problem themselves. This approach produces less than desirable results.

Managers typically avoid addressing conflict amongst team members because they simply don’t have the tools or verbiage to help make things better. This is not a productive reaction to the situation and predictably results in having things escalate. Letting the issue drag on unaddressed will inevitably result in decreased productivity, low employee morale, and commonly leads to heightened confrontations that negatively impact the business as a whole.

Silence equals permission and managers that refuse to acknowledge conflict risk dealing with a hostile workplace lawsuit.

This is such a travesty since the vast majority of these situations can be resolved by following some basic steps on conflict resolution.

According to Forbes, understanding the nature of conflict in the workplace and being comfortable in tackling it head-on is an essential skill set for successful managers.

Set the Ground Rules to Address Problems

When someone feels as though they’re being disrespected or harassed, they usually respond by threatening to quit or even forewarn litigation. Such emotionally driven reactions ratchet up the tension and make it increasingly difficult to amicably resolve the situation. That is why it is imperative to address conflict as early as possible before it escalates into a situation that is not salvageable.

It is critically important for the manager to focus on diffusing the emotions, and actively listen to all parties. It should be clearly communicated to your team that you expect everyone to be able to address concerns in a professional manner, with the agreed-upon goal that everyone can work together in a positive environment.

Prior to your meeting, suggest that all parties create a list of bullet points, outlining their primary concerns or points of contention. This in itself will clarify the issue and often serves to defuse emotions by releasing some of the frustrations by writing them down.

The ground rules need to be clearly outlined that there are to be no raised voices and challenge everyone to address the situation in a calm, professional way, with no emotional outbursts.

If you have a member of your team that is unable to do that, chances are they will continue to be an on-going source of friction and you should seriously consider terminating them as quickly as possible.

A terrific way to help people feel their concerns are being heard is to have the other person repeat back what they understand the primary issues are. Give everyone involved the opportunity to outline their issues, and then give the floor to the other people involved and have them reiterate what they have heard, on an individual basis. This will go a long way towards coming to a resolution.

The Harvard Law School has an illuminating article on how to address conflict in the workplace.

Offer Constructive Suggestions

There are a myriad of conflicts that may arise when people work together. Internal conflicts can range from feeling disrespected to having someone take credit for someone else’s work, to uneven workloads, to sexual harassment. Some issues are more black and white than others, but all issues will gain from having a respectful, open dialog addressing the problems.

So how do you tackle the situation without creating feelings of resentment and betrayal? The ultimate goal should be to have everyone feel that their concerns have been addressed, diffusing the situation.

An interesting fact is that when people have a problem and are able to address it and come up with a resolution, the team will actually gain from the experience and will eventually feel more cohesive and bonded.

The role of a manager should be to allow everyone to share their concerns in a safe, non-confrontational environment. Often times there will be a clear solution, and then the issue is if the agitator is willing or able to change their behavior. After everyone has had a chance to speak their peace, offer the inciter the chance to share how he or she is willing to change their behavior. If they are unable or unwilling to clearly outline ways in which they will change their conduct, take the lead and outline for them precisely what needs to change.

Remember that egos often get involved and it is common for someone to feel defensive. Make a point to praise everyone involved, pointing out positive attributes and how they contribute to the team as a whole.

Focus on the benefit of resolving the issue and moving forward.

Follow Up!

After the meeting, send out a document to all parties involved, including HR. This should include a brief summary of the initial issue and the agreed-upon resolution steps, so everyone understands and can refer back to them if necessary in the future.   This eliminates selective hearing, forgetfulness, and ‘I thought they said or meant something else’ later on. Make sure everyone signs off on this and provide a copy for HR, as well as your own files.

At this point, the role of the manager is to monitor the situation and hold the provocateur accountable for sticking to their agreement to stop whatever behavior was causing the conflict. Be sure to periodically check in with the offended party, to make sure that they are feeling better with the situation. Make no mistake that no news is good news. Putting your head in the sand and just assuming that by not hearing anything everything is going great is a dangerous gamble. Many a manager has been surprised by an employee who quits or even worse files a hostile workplace suit because they were reluctant to check in with everyone to ensure that the conflict has truly been resolved.

According to an article published by Alvernia University, actively addressing employee concerns by managers leads to professional employee development, improved working relationships, and most importantly, overall job satisfaction and organizational growth.

Being able to hold employees accountable and addressing conflict are the top 2 factors in being an effective manager. Learning these skills early in your leadership capacity will benefit everyone in your team.

Everyone deserves to have a work environment that is pleasant and free of conflict. It is the moral and professional responsibility of the team leader to ensure that you offer a respectful, professional work environment for all employees, regardless of their seniority or level within the company.

For those situations where you identify an employee that is not able to work well with others, replacing them as quickly as possible is critical to maintaining a positive company culture.

Keep in mind that the #1 reason why good employees leave their job is because of a poor work environment. When the problem employee is in a managerial role, he or she can literally have a negative impact on your entire company.

International Search Consultants has been a leader in executive recruiting since 1999. Please feel free to reach out to us today to create your ideal candidate profile, and to start a good flow of qualified candidates for your review.