Conflict is a regular part of human existence. Across different levels, humans have disagreements and differences, be it in the family, workplace, or in school. It is totally normal to have conflicts in the workplace, as employees are humans after all. What is not normal, is failing to tackle the conflict and allowing it to escalate into a big problem. Conflict in the workplace affects productivity, as cooperation is needed to yield the best results. This is why it is important to handle all employee conflicts swiftly and satisfactorily. Below are five ways to handle employee conflict.
Five Ways To Handle Employee Conflict
- Identify The Problem: It is easy to dismiss an employee conflict as being minor, without realizing that it is actually emotionally charged. This is why it is important to properly identify the problem to know whether it is a big issue or a minor conflict. Ignoring a conflict can affect the entire organization, as the longer a conflict stays unsolved the more likely it is for other parties to get involved, thereby greatly affecting productivity. Common causes of conflicts between employees include stress from work, office gossip, jealousy, poor productivity from certain employees, perception of inequalities, as well as competition for promotions.
- Charge Them To Work On It: Encouraging the employees to work on their differences without trading blames goes a long way in getting it resolved, particularly when it is a minor disagreement. Make sure to examine the situation and be sure that it is not one that is likely to escalate. Also determine if both employees feel comfortable enough about discussing the differences, as some individuals do not particularly like confrontations. Once you have gotten all of this out of the way, then you can go ahead to encourage them to work on their conflict. Be sure to check up on them to know if progress has been made in resolving the issue.
- Talk To Them About It: If it is not an issue that can be resolved by a dialogue between the employees, then it is important that you take charge. You do this by talking to them about the conflict in order to get to the root of the matter. It is important that you do not enter any mediation with a preconceived notion, and as such you should ignore office gossip and hearsay. Speaking to the employees separately will give you an opportunity, to understand the grievances of both parties. After listening to them individually, you can invite two of them to discuss the issue.
- Always Ask The Right Questions: It is crucial that you avoid trading blames, as one party might be forced to believe that you have made a quick judgment of the situation. Be sure to ask questions to get either party’s opinion on the conflict. Ask the “whys” and “whats”, charging them to explain how the other party can do better. This should be effective in resolving the conflict.
- Ensure To Document: Documenting conflicts and resolutions helps you to keep a track record of employee behaviour, for future references. It also serves as evidence in the case that an employee decides to go to court.
Conclusion
In a case that the conflict gets to court, you might have to deal with an unfair dismissal lawyer, and your documentation will come in handy.
