Mary Alice Eureste

HR Doesn't Have to be Full of Drama

Healthy Conflict Resolution Skills Are Necessary

In my last Insight, I gave examples of poor conflict resolution skills and explained how healthy skills can help.

When good conflict resolution skills are used to resolve disagreements, employees take note. It’s important for employees to have this in their minds because then they can better focus on their work without worrying about conflict going on around them.

When you utilize good conflict resolution skills, employees realize that conflict in the workplace will not be ignored and will be effectively dealt with if agreement is not reached between employees.

This goes hand-in-hand: There are consequences for conflict that goes unresolved.

Healthy Conflict Resolution Skills
The organization overall benefits when healthy conflict resolution skills are used because healthy conflict can result in employee and organizational growth. It’s in a manager’s hands to guide the resolution of conflict in the workplace.

A fortunate manager may have employees who are able to bump heads and then work it out on their own. But when that doesn’t happen, the manager must be aware of any conflict that occurs between employees.

So employers need to be vigilant of conflict occurring and definitely not bury their heads in the sand, because that’s not going to solve any problems.

There are two approaches to resolving conflict in a healthy way:

1. Meet with the employees involved in the conflict individually to determine the reason for the conflict and to reach a resolution. This is preferred if it is a group of employees having the conflict or if the conflict is very heated and volatile.
   
   
2. Meet with the employees involved in the conflict together to determine the reason for the conflict and to reach a resolution. This is preferred if it is clear that constructive resolution will occur.

Here are some helpful hints for resolving conflict in healthy ways:

• Let employees know immediately the effect their conflict is having on the work environment and their co-workers.
• Listen objectively without favoring an employee or group, unless it is obvious that one is wrong.
• Once having listened to each side individually, meet with the employees together to try and find resolution.
• During the discussion, do not allow disrespectful or unproductive interaction to occur between the employees involved.
• Ask the employees for their recommendations for resolving the conflict. And, if they have no suggestions, the manager should determine how the conflict will be resolved.
• Discuss what actions must occur to resolve the conflict.
• Get agreement and commitment from all parties involved in the conflict on the way it will be resolved.
• Let employees involved in the conflict know that disciplinary measures will be taken if expectations regarding the resolution of the conflict are not met.
• Follow up to make sure expectations are met and the conflict is truly resolved. Take corrective action regarding employees who are not complying.
• Use progressive discipline regarding non-compliance up to, and including, termination.
• Maintain documentation of this entire process.

In my next Insight, I’ll give some examples of how companies have gone about resolving conflict in their workplaces. 

 

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