Conflicts between colleagues create a tense atmosphere that can spread throughout the workplace. Whether it’s a squabble over a parking space or a difference of opinion on how to solve a task, as a manager, you should not ignore conflicts in the workplace. By intervening in time, you can save the whole situation and prevent a disaster.
How to resolve conflicts in the workplace step by step?
Effective conflict resolution in the workplace is primarily about good communication skills and timing. There are several ways to resolve conflicts, and it always depends on the specific employees, corporate culture, and cause of the dispute. In general, however, we recommend following a few basic rules.
- Address conflicts early on – Ideally before they arise. If you notice negative emotions, dirty looks, or tension between two employees during a meeting, don’t sweep it under the rug.
- Take the employees aside – Since you don’t know for sure what the problem is, don’t deal with it in front of others. This could be very uncomfortable for the employees themselves. Take both colleagues or employees aside to your office. Each should outline their view of the matter, and you should agree on the cause of the conflict.
- Be impartial – Be assertive and don’t take sides. Don’t show too much emotion or pity anyone.
- Find a compromise – The outcome of the discussion must be a situation that suits both parties. If one party leaves feeling like they’ve lost, they may think that you don’t care about them or that you’re favoring the other party.
- Communicate – The entire process of negotiation and conflict resolution is about communication. Therefore, during the negotiations, let each side speak separately and do not interfere (neither you nor anyone else). The goal is for each side to understand the other.
- When you can’t reach a compromise – If the golden mean is not ideal or is not an option for some reason, let both sides propose their solution to the other side: What could the other side do or work on to improve the situation for everyone? This way, everyone will take away points to work on further.
- Prevent similar situations in the future – To prevent further conflicts, simply announce the outcome of the meeting as a rule. For example, that from tomorrow the air conditioning will be set to a certain temperature, or that parking spaces will be allocated in a certain way. Define individual procedures and processes and measure their success. Also, regularly check whether the new system suits your employees. Many managers and executives view conflict and rivalry in the workplace as an unpleasant event. Try to change your mindset and keep in mind that communication is key in conflict situations. View the whole situation as a path to creating a better and more pleasant working environment. However, if the problem is truly irreversible and affects the performance of other colleagues, the best solution is likely to be termination or transfer to another workplace.
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