Tips for Managing Conflict in Your Workplace

Any time groups of people come together to try to accomplish something, there will be conflict. Personalities and values clash, misunderstandings occur and people take offense. Some level of conflict is healthy, but if it interferes with productivity at the office, it can be detrimental. Whether you are involved in the conflict or managing those who are, you should know some basic principles to help resolve it or remove it. The key point is not to ignore it. Conflicts big enough to catch the attention of management rarely resolve themselves and if you shy away, you’ll lose the trust of your staff.Here are a few great articles and blog posts with tips to help you manage conflict at your organization.How to Solve a Conflict On Your Team. The Fast Track: “Do encourage the employees to work it out themselves if possible – but know that this won’t always be appropriate. If it’s truly just a personality conflict, it’s reasonable to expect professionals to resolve that on their own (although they may need a nudge from you telling them that they need to knock it off). But not all conflicts will be solvable without your intervention. If the root of the issue is a slacking team member who’s making more work for everyone else, that will require you stepping in and dealing with that team member – that’s not something that other people will have the authority to do on their own.”5 Ways to Manage Conflict. About Money: “The accommodating style is one of the most passive conflict resolution styles. With this style, one of the individuals in conflict gives up what they want so that the other person can have what they want. In general, this style is not very effective, but it is appropriate in certain scenarios.”10 Tips for Managing Conflict in the Workplace. HowStuffWorks: “Keep in mind that, by its nature, gossip is often misleading or totally false. Participating in gossipy circles, then, just perpetuates problematic interaction that can hamper a whole group's effectiveness. The good news is that you don't have to contribute to the problem. When other employees try to share gossip with you, politely change the subject or remove yourself from the conversation. Doing so doesn't mean you have to totally avoid informal topics with a wide range of people at work -- it just means refusing to participate in damaging or disparaging conversations that have no positive purpose.”Feuding Employees: 5 Practical Tips For Managing Employee Conflict. The Collaborative: “If a feud has been left unattended and allowed to continue to fester for an extended period of time, the ability of a manager in charge to lead might be called into question by his/her subordinates and bosses. Some may interpret the manager’s approach, or lack thereof, to the problem as ineffective or even negligent, and begin to circulate comments that cast doubt on the manager’s willingness and ability to properly do his/her job. This may negatively affect the manager’s reputation, compensation and even position in a company.”Managing Stress and Conflict at Work. ILM: ”In order to deal with stress more effectively, managers have to acknowledge and recognise that the value they bring to the business is in their dealings with people. They also need to develop their self-awareness about the triggers and behaviour patterns that lead them to that first state of being emotionally over-extended. Stress in the workplace has serious consequences for the welfare of employees and ultimately for overall business, as research has shown clear links between stress and poor sickness absence and staff retention rates.”Need help resolving or managing conflicts at your organization? Get in touch!Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.