Complete Guide to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Regardless of what type of business you are involved in, conflict will often make its way into the workplace. Anytime that you get people working together under the same roof, managers will have to come up with ways to resolve conflicts with their employees. Using the proper conflict resolution techniques can make a big difference in the level of success of your department or company.

Personal Conflict

• In many situations, conflict between two employees is a personal matter. Some people get along better with others because of their personalities. Some personalities clash and this cannot always be foreseen when hiring employees for a company. Instead of allowing two employees to fight with each other because of personality differences, it is important to get the employees to focus on what is best for the business. Instead of bringing up personal problems that they may have with one another, tell them to focus on specific, work-related issues that they may have.

Face the Problem

• If you are a supervisor that is put in the position of resolving conflict between two employees, it is important to face the problem instead of passing it off to someone else. Even though the process of handling a conflict may not be enjoyable, it can be a good opportunity to improve your relationship with your employees. If you always pass everything off to your superior, it will give the impression that you cannot handle your employees.

Personality Styles

• People act differently when faced with conflict. For example, some people have a collaborative personality and wish to work together with others to resolve the problem. Some have a competitive personality and want to always prove that they are right. Some like to accommodate the other person and give up their own rights or needs to make others happy. By identifying each person's personality, you can more easily deal with the problems.

Reaction

• One of the biggest problems that often leads to fights is reacting suddenly when something happens. When talking to your employees about conflict resolution, let them know that they should stop and think before they react. Teach them to think rationally about each situation before letting their emotions get involved. If your employees can get in this habit, it can have a significant impact on your department overall.

Intervene

• While you do not want to seem nosy as a manager, it is important to regularly intervene when conflict arises. Some managers feel hesitant to jump in the middle of a conflict between two of their employees. You can often pick up on the beginning signs of a conflict before it occurs. If you see something starting to happen, do not hesitate to get involved and help resolve the conflict before it gets out of hand.